Chapter 16 Chapter Fourteen

It was the first time such a sad banquet in Tiance Mansion.Civil and military bureaucrats gathered together and divided into two conference halls.In front of everyone, there are all delicacies, but no one moves their chopsticks with a smile like before, and drinks happily.Li Shimin announced: "The banquet begins!" It's been a while, and everyone is still sitting at the table, no one picks up the wine glass, proposes, yells, or chats and laughs to say something.Everything looked dull, and the generals didn't even look at the delicious food on the table in front of them.Everyone was seeing off Yuchi Jingde, Qin Shubao, Cheng Zhijie, Fang Xuanling, and Du Ruhui, and they were also worried about their future, the future of Tiance Mansion.Now, the crown prince is aggressive, but the king of Qin endures it.Who knows, when will such a farewell banquet be held for herself?

Li Shimin, King of Qin, had a smile on his handsome face, but seeing everyone like this, he couldn't smile anymore.He looked serious, raised a glass of wine, stood up and walked slowly, walked up to Yuchi Jingde, Qin Shubao and Cheng Zhijie from the high position in the middle, and said: "This king has wronged you, come on, drink this glass of wine, and this king will see you off." "Slow!" Yuchi Jingde yelled out the word in a hurry, then lowered his voice and said, "King Qin, can you listen to me?" "Say!" "Now the king is in constant danger and will only wait to be killed."

"That's right!" Hou Junji continued angrily without waiting for the king of Qin to speak: "The crown prince transferred our general and forced our counselors away. It is already obvious that this is an evil plan to uproot the tree. If we continue to If you go down, you will dig out the roots of the trees in my Tiance Mansion one by one, and then attack you directly, Your Majesty, when the time comes... Your Majesty will fight back again, so it is better to strike now." "Yes, the matter is already very critical. If you don't fight back at this time, you will be controlled by others, and you will become more and more passive." Changsun Wuji said.

………… All bureaucrats scrambled to express their opinions, and their words had similar meanings. They advised King Qin to make a decisive decision at this time and fight back against the prince.Li Shimin is not surprised that officials have such views, but it is strange that everyone is so excited and filled with righteous indignation.Li Shimin gently put down the raised wine glass and listened quietly to the persuasion of the crowd.He knew very well in his heart: this is the end of the matter, he will eventually have a battle with the crown prince and King Qi, but if he makes a move now, can he win?This sentence, he had asked himself over and over again in his heart.Although he has just turned 26 years old, as the commander of the army, he has been doing it for 10 years.In the past 10 years, the troops he commanded ranged from thousands, tens of thousands to hundreds of thousands, and fought hundreds of large and small battles.Among them, no less than ten times, he almost died in battle.It is by virtue of one's own bravery and wisdom, as well as the gift of God.He, Li Shimin, defeated every invincible enemy and survived the misfortune of fleeing on the battlefield time and time again.Now, having gone through battles, victories and defeats, and life and death tests, he has deeply understood: In a battle, there is only one word for both parties involved in the battle, "life" or "death"!King Qin was never afraid of death, but he has experienced life and death several times, he has matured in the choice of life and death, and he has already enjoyed his own glory and wealth.He knows how to cherish himself and how to preserve his own interests.He has become more cautious, so that once he fights with others, he must win.

Therefore, with the wisdom and experience of an outstanding military commander, he had already conducted an in-depth and delicate analysis of the battle with the prince.He is clear: if he openly confronts the prince supported by his father, his chances of winning are very small.Because of this, he didn't want to take the risk, he could only endure it, enduring it with heartache.He originally thought that with his own prestige and his brotherly friendship with officials over the years, at this critical moment, everyone would follow his will.Unexpectedly, their reaction was so strong.Even so, King Qin was still unwilling to show his trump card right away, but said slowly:

"All of you are right. The crown prince seems to want to put me to death, but we are brothers after all. If you can bear it, bear it for a while." As soon as Shimin's words fell, many people rushed to speak, Shimin See you, wave your hand and say: "Everyone has already said what they mean, and I know it too. Now, I want to hear what Fang Xuanling and Du Ruhui mean." After speaking, Li Shimin got up and came to Fang Xuanling and Du Ruhui who had been silent all this time. Fang Xuanling and Du Ruhui, seeing King Qin approaching, also stood up, looked at each other politely, and turned their gazes to King Qin.

"King Qin and the crown prince are indeed brothers." Fang Xuanling said slowly: "The former Zhou Gong, Guan Shu, and Cai Shu were also blood brothers. However, Zhou Gong still killed Guan Shu and exiled Cai Shu. Uncle Guan was exiled, and Uncle Cai was exiled, his two brothers. No matter at that time or before, people still respect Duke Zhou as a sage. Because people know that it is not that Duke Zhou has no brotherhood, but for the sake of the country and the country. For the sake of tens of millions of people, it is necessary to kill relatives righteously." After Du Ruhui's words fell, the faces of the generals and officials were full of excitement.Li Shimin knew that this meant that everyone agreed and supported Du Ruhui's words.If it weren't for his previous prestige, perhaps his generals and officials would applaud Du Ruhui's words.Li Shimin felt a little sad and lonely in his heart.Since Fang Xuanling recommended Du Ruhui to come, Li Shimin regarded Du Ruhui as a confidant.Du Ruhui lived up to his expectations, whenever he encountered difficult things, he would always come up with a unique plan to make these difficult things disappear.But now, for the first time, Du Ruhui said what he didn't want to hear.However, these words of Du Ruhui are the same as usual, every sentence is reasonable, and the analysis is thorough.Li Shimin glanced at Fang Xuanling, and Fang Xuanling was also looking at Li Shimin calmly.The four eyes met at a glance, Li Shimin knew that Fang Xuanling's opinion was the same as Du Ruhui's.Therefore, he felt that this matter could not depend on Fang Xuanling, but on himself.With this in mind, Li Shimin listened carefully to Du Ruhui's words, nodded to Du Ruhui, and said, "Sir, you are right, I have kept it in my heart. But no matter what, now that the Turks are coming, the Crown Prince and the King of Qi We are about to go out to kill the enemy, and it would be inappropriate for me to come to directly confront him at this time. Therefore, I can only wrong you, everything will be discussed after defeating the Turks."

"What's inappropriate, after defeating the crown prince, we will follow King Qin to destroy the Turks." Yuchi Jingde got up and said. Seeing that everyone was still insisting, Li Shimin couldn't help shaking his head, thinking, it's time for a showdown, so he asked Yuchi Jingde with a smile: "Do you think we can win the open confrontation with the prince right now?" Yuchi Jingde couldn't help being taken aback when he heard King Qin's question.Li Shimin didn't wait for others to speak, and continued: "Now against the crown prince, we must be the losers. Not to mention the crown prince now has the military power, in Chang'an city, he has two thousand Changlin troops, and he is in charge of commanding the security forces in the capital. , King Qi will definitely help him, and King Qi’s men have also raised five or six hundred madmen and narrow men. How much power will these three aspects add up to? And my king’s Tiance Mansion, with a total of 800 warriors, can win Are they?"

"I'm afraid it's..." "Don't say any more, this king has made up his mind." Li Shimin interrupted Hou Junji's words. "Please trust me. Now that I have thought about all this clearly, I will step up my preparations. I don't want to fight an uncertain battle, and I don't want you all to sacrifice for me. Now you all have to fight with me. If you suffer some grievances, in the end, you will definitely win. Come on, everyone, raise your glass and see off our generals and advisers!" After all, Li Shimin picked up the wine and drank it down.Although the hearts of all officials were still full of doubts, they had no choice but to raise their wine glasses and drank it down in one gulp after hearing what King Qin said so clearly.

? After the banquet, Li Shimin sent everyone away, leaving three generals, Yuchi Jingde, Qin Shubao, and Cheng Zhijie, and two advisers, Fang Xuanling and Du Ruhui.Yuchi Jingde finished what he was supposed to say, and just sat quietly waiting for King Qin's order.In the past, Fang Xuanling and Du Ruhui, who always had opinions when they encountered problems, felt that they had nothing to say now.Although they were about to be exiled in Shu, there was no trace of sadness on the faces of the two of them, as if they had a plan in mind, they sat quietly all the time.Qin Shubao, who usually doesn't talk much, said at this moment:

"I'm about to leave the King of Qin and go to the battle with the crown prince. I don't know if the King of Qin has anything else to say." Li Shimin listened, and answered without haste, went to see Fang Xuanling and Du Ruhui, and saw that both of them nodded at him, clearly saying: You should explain a few words yourself.Li Shimin saw it, smiled slightly, and said: "I'll give you three words: Pay attention to safety, and return when the enemy is defeated." "The last general is just worried about whether the crown prince will let us come back after defeating the Turks," Cheng Zhijie said. "The legs grow on us, so the prince dares to kill us?" Yuchi Jingde said in a muffled voice. "Why don't you dare, the prince privately recruited soldiers, why don't you just let it go, killing a few generals, what's the point? What's more, if you want to add a crime, there is no reason to worry about it. At that time, you will be charged with any crime. Kill him, why not dare?" Du Ruhui walked up to Yuchi Jingde and said. "Do you really think that the crown prince will kill them then?" Li Shimin asked. "Unless..." Du Ruhui said this, shook his head, and smiled secretly. "Unless what?" Cheng Zhijie asked anxiously. Du Ruhui didn't say a word anymore, he just turned his eyes to Li Shimin. "Unless what? Tell us quickly!" Cheng Zhijie grabbed his hand and asked again. "Unless you seek refuge with the prince." Du Ruhui said. "Is this possible?!" Cheng Zhijie shook off Du Ruhui's hand and said. "It's just..." Qin Shubao gritted his teeth and stared at Du Ruhui. "What nonsense!" Yuchi Jingde finished speaking, flicked his sleeves and walked away. "Hey, you..." Du Ruhui shook his head with a wry smile, and said, "If I thought you were going to seek refuge with the crown prince, would I tell you in person?" "Three generals, please don't misunderstand what you mean. Besides, this king knows Du Ming's loyalty to the three generals, and he firmly believes in it." After hearing this, Yuchi Jingde let out a long sigh of relief. "The top priority is to think clearly about how the three generals will retreat after defeating the Turks." After Li Shimin finished speaking, he turned his attention to Fang Xuanling and Du Ruhui again. "For this matter, the three generals need to play by ear, and once the Turks are defeated, they will come back immediately." Fang Xuanling said. "Please rest assured, now that we know the danger, we will definitely see the opportunity when the time comes. We will definitely return to Tiance Mansion at the earliest possible time." Yuchi Jingde said. "I'm afraid it won't be that easy." "You mean we don't have the ability to come back?" "No, I'm worried about the crown prince. Now, even though Wang Gui is gone, there is still Wei Zheng beside the crown prince. I heard that this man is amazing. He must have expected this and let the crown prince prepare early." "Even if this is the case, we have to try to come back. If not, we will die." Yuchi Jingde said. "I am moved by the loyalty of the generals, but there is one thing I want to tell you here: From now on, no matter what your situation is, you will not be able to come back even if you try your best, and you must not die. Alive, this king needs you, and the Great Tang Dynasty needs you. You must keep this sentence of this king firmly in your heart, and never forget it." "Remember!" The three generals replied in unison. Li Shimin was happy when he heard this, nodded to them and said, "You go, I will wait for your return." "Of order!" The three generals replied in unison again, turned and left. Li Shimin sent them out of Tiance Mansion, stood outside the door, watched them go away, disappeared, and then turned around. Li Shimin sent the three generals away, returned to the hall, looked at Fang Xuanling and Du Ruhui, his eyes were deep and full of mystery.Seeing him like this, the two couldn't help but secretly wondered in their hearts, and looked at each other questioningly, and were about to say something, only to hear Li Shimin ask: "Generals Yuchi Jingde, Qin Shubao, and Cheng Zhijie are going here, what do you think is auspicious?" "I think that with that Wei Zheng's scheming, the three generals Yuchi Jingde might be hard-pressed to escape?" Du Ruhui said. "What do you think?" Li Shimin asked Fang Xuanling again. "The minister and Ru Hui have the same opinion." "So, are the three of them coming back?" "No, I can come back, but only when King Qin... defeats the crown prince." Du Ruhui replied. "Oh, so, sir, I have a lot of ideas about this, let's talk about it." "I think that after the crown prince returns from the Turkic expedition, he will turn his hand to deal with the king. At that time, it will be the time for the king and the crown prince to share the victory." "Go on." "Looking at the current situation, just as what the king said just now, the crown prince has a large army in his hand, and the strength of the mansion is also very strong. He also controls the security forces in the capital. It seems that he has the upper hand. However, when the crown prince competes with the king in the future, The key is the security forces in the capital, if Your Majesty wins over Chang He, the chief of the security forces in the near future, then the chances of victory will be assured." "Mr.'s concern is exactly what this king wants. This king wants to tell you now: the princess has gone to the palace to find Chang He's cousin, Chang Cairen, to do the work of winning over Chang He." Du Ruhui listened and secretly admired it.I thought to myself, I have underestimated the King of Qin, he has great vigor in strategy and courage; when dealing with matters, he can always grasp the key points and think far-reachingly.Thinking of this, he blurted out: "Your majesty, everything is determined first, which is admirable. However, I know that Chang Cairen has a vague relationship with Chang He. Chang He was able to be the chief guard of the capital because of his own military achievements. If you only rely on It may be very difficult for Chang Cairen to persuade Chang He to join the King." "According to what you see, sir, how should this matter be handled?" "As far as I know, although Chang He fought bravely, he was an ordinary man. After he became the commander-in-chief, he had a beautiful woman and took him as a concubine. He relied on his power and extorted money. Now he has a group of wives and concubines. Your Majesty If you can catch his special money-greedy habit and donate a lot of money, it will not be difficult to buy this person." "Lust and money lovers are the easiest to deal with." Li Shimin smiled and said, "This king not only gifted him a lot of money, but also gave him a beautiful woman, so that he will be determined and loyal to this king." "At such a critical moment, it's better not to make a big show of it. It's most appropriate to gift her a beautiful woman, fearing that his wives and concubines will be jealous among themselves, spread the word, and attract attention. "Mr. is considerate. Well, this matter will be according to what Mr. said." "There is one more thing, and I hope Your Majesty will pay attention to it." Fang Xuanling said at this time: "What is the fight for? It is of great importance and extraordinary. Not only must it be done quietly, but also the time must be calculated, neither too early nor too late." Late. In my opinion, a few days before the crown prince returns to Beijing is the most suitable time." "This..." Li Shimin thought for a while, and immediately understood: "Lust, a man who loves money, a pure villain, capricious, can't stay for long. Mr. Shimin is really careful, thank you Shimin." "Such earth-shattering events require caution, and some negligence is too late for regret." "Yes, what you said is right, the king will definitely be careful and cautious." Li Shimin paused for a moment when he said this, and then asked: "The three generals, Yuchi Jingde, Qin Shubao, and Cheng Zhijie, are going to be inauspicious. I wonder what the two gentlemen think of the ominousness of my visit?" Du Ruhui and Fang Xuanling asked each other and looked at each other.Du Ruhui said: "I'm waiting for you to go here. It doesn't matter whether it's bad or good. Everything is under the control of the King of Qin. It's just a trick to go to Shu in the Ming Dynasty and sneak into Chang'an to cover people's eyes." "It turns out that the two of you have already figured it out. That's good. I don't need to explain it like I did to the three generals. I won't keep the two gentlemen anymore. You go and bring your family members with great fanfare and come from the south gate." Go out and go to the land of Shu. But when you travel more than thirty li, you can return a little bit." "It's more than thirty miles, I'm afraid it won't work." Du Ruhui said, "We must go all the way to Sichuan, and then look for opportunities to return." "Sir, do you think it must be so?" Li Shimin asked Fang Xuanling. "I think this must be the case. The prince is smart and very comparable to others. If he wants to drive us away, he will not fail to send people to follow and pay attention." Fang Xuanling said: "However, the minister will only go for about ten days at most. The prince It will take at least one month to go back and forth to the Turks, and we still have time to prepare.” After hearing this, Li Shimin nodded and said, "Okay, after ten days, this king will wait for your return here, but your family members will suffer." "The future will be long, and it is a great honor for the family to make some small sacrifices for the king. Why bother. I hope the king will take care of you, and I will leave now." Du Ruhui said sincerely. "Go, I will wait for your return." King Qin gently shook Fang Xuanling. "Take care, Your Majesty, I will come as soon as I go." Fang Xuanling said with a smile. This is Li Jiancheng's happiest moment.In the past two years, since Li Shimin defeated Wang Shichong and Dou Jiande in one fell swoop, his power has become increasingly powerful and his prestige has reached the peak. Except for his father, no one seems to be able to match him.However, this should be the scenery of the prince!How can the King of Qin replace him? Whenever he saw the beautiful King Qin, the prince would feel angry in his heart and question himself.It had been two years, and he felt more and more clearly that on his way to the emperor's throne, he was always being blown by the hurricane of prestige controlled by King Qin, and he might fall off his horse at any time.But now, his spies have just reported that the two counselors who caused him the most headaches in the Qin Palace, Fang Xuanling and Du Ruhui, have left Chang'an with their families and headed for Shu.And Li Shimin's three fierce generals, Yuchi Jingde, Qin Shubao and Cheng Zhijie, have all been transferred to his command and are under the control of his prince.Not only that, but his crown prince controlled the guards of the capital while holding an army of 200,000 troops.He is going to fight the Turks and make meritorious service for the country.When he returns in triumph, will the King of Qin not bow his head and proclaim himself a minister?Even if he is ambitious, what can I do?Thinking of this, Li Jiancheng showed a smug smile on his face.All of this was clearly seen by Li Yuanji, King of Qi who was standing beside him. "Brother, let's go and see Yuchi Jingde, Qin Shubao, and Cheng Zhijie. If we can subdue their hearts, we can rest easy." Li Yuanji suggested. Yesterday, Li Jiancheng sent a team to follow Fang Xuanling and Du Ruhui all the way to Sichuan.He ordered very clearly that if Du and Fang returned to Beijing on their way, they would be killed without mercy; if they had gone all the way to Shu and would not interfere with the prince's business, then let them stay there.This matter that had caused him headaches for two years was finally resolved.The most urgent thing is to transfer the three generals from Qin Wangfu.From Li Jiancheng and Li Yuanji's point of view, Yuchi Jingde, Qin Shubao and Cheng Zhijie are the most elite generals in Prince Qin's residence. As long as they can be bribed, King Qin will no longer be able to compete with his prince in military affairs.For this reason, when Yuchi Jingde and the other three came, they were not only grandly received by the crown prince and the king of Qi, but also named generals one by one, and three mansions were picked out in the East Palace to reward them. After listening to Li Yuanji's suggestion, Li Jiancheng nodded.The two brothers came to the "General's Mansion" of Yuchi Jingde, Qin Shubao and Cheng Zhijie.This was specially set up after they transferred here yesterday.The words "General's Mansion" on the gates of the three houses were written by the prince himself.Yuchi Jingde and the three were discussing the war, when they heard that the crown prince and the king of Qi had arrived, they hurriedly stood up to greet them. "Are you okay?" the prince asked with concern. Yuchi Jingde turned his head to look at Qin Shubao, then at Cheng Zhijie, and said, "I'm going to go out soon, the temporary residence is so luxurious, I'm really sorry for the future." Saying this, let the crown prince and the king of Qi sit on the table, and he and Qin Ji Bao and Cheng Zhijie stood aside. "Sit down, too." The prince said with a smile, "Don't be polite, and don't be embarrassed. If you are still satisfied with this place, you can stay here for a long time, and don't have any idea of ​​a temporary residence." "However, the generals are about to go out to fight on the battlefield, how can they stay here for a long time?" Yuchi Jingde said. "That's right, the crown prince is going to lead you to the expedition. However, can a mere tens of thousands of Turks be able to withstand the 200,000 elites of the Tang Dynasty? This battle, according to the estimate of the crown prince, will return victoriously within one month at most. You guys Say it?" "The last generals have just discussed the war, and it is estimated that they can defeat the Turks in January." "That's right, since the generals also have the same view on the war, don't regard this as a temporary residence, but within two days before the expedition, bring your wives, children, and parents, and when you return triumphantly, share with them Live here forever." Yuchi Jingde, Qin Shubao and Cheng Zhijie were all shocked when they heard the prince's words.They froze there, not knowing what to do for a moment.When the prince saw him, he smirked at the king. "Generals, do you feel that this 'General's Mansion' is not as rich as that of the King of Qin? If this is the case, but if you speak up, His Highness the Crown Prince will definitely satisfy your request." "That's not true." Yuchi Jingde said: "I have been fighting with the King of Qin for many years, and I have never lived in such a luxurious room." "This king thinks so too." King Qi cast his eyes on the three generals and said, "Actually, Xue Wanche, the prince's general, doesn't have such a luxurious mansion. The reason why the prince is like this is that he admires the three generals. I hope The three generals have lived up to the prince's hope, and have followed the prince wholeheartedly since then." After hearing this, Yuchi Jingde already understood the intentions of the crown prince and King Qi, he didn't want to answer hastily, he cast his eyes on Qin Shubao and Cheng Zhijie, and saw that their eyes were also on him.The six eyes staggered, and they understood in an instant. King Qi saw that the three generals were silent, and said again: "As the saying goes, a good bird chooses a tree to live in, and a good minister chooses a master to serve. The prince is the one who will inherit the throne in the future, and he loves the three deeply. Don't miss this once-in-a-thousand-year opportunity. If you figure it out, just express your opinion here, go and bring all the family members here, and then you will surely be able to protect your life's glory and wealth." After finishing speaking, he looked straight at Yuchi Jingde. "The last general is a subordinate general of King Qin's residence, and King Qin is the brother of the crown prince and King Qi. The last general is loyal to the King of Qin, which means he is loyal to the Tang Dynasty. I don't know why the King of Qi said that "a good minister chooses the master"? The last general was ordered to come to accompany him. When the prince goes out to fight, he must obey the prince's order and conquer the Turks, and he dare not be careless. As for how to go back, the prince will discuss with the king of Qin. As a soldier, the general can only obey orders." "It's just, do you obey the King of Qin, or the Crown Prince?" King Qi asked again aggressively. "As a subordinate general of the Qin Palace, the last general can only take orders from the King of Qin. Now he is following the crown prince to fight against the Turks. Regarding the battle, he should naturally follow the crown prince's orders." Yuchi Jingde insisted. "You two, are you also like this?" King Qi turned to Qin Shubao and Cheng Zhijie and asked aggressively. "I am waiting for the same idea as General Yuchi Jingde." Qin Shubao and Cheng Zhijie replied together. "You..." King Qi's eyes widened in anger. "King Qi, don't be angry." The prince gently persuaded: "The loyalty of the three generals makes me admire the prince. Just invite the three generals, and I can understand the love of the prince. You should also consider what King Qi said." Think about it, after the Turks are defeated, we will have a heart-to-heart talk." After the prince said, he glanced at King Qi, and the two got up and left. Back at the Prince's Mansion, King Qi was still angry, gnashing his teeth and said: "These fellows really don't know what's good!" When the prince saw him, he smiled slightly and said, "Fourth brother, don't be angry. It's not worthwhile to hurt your body because of these fellows. Now they are the turtles in the urn. This king can take care of them slowly. After fighting the Turks, they If there is no intention of repenting at all, I will follow the King of Qin. When the time comes, don't blame the prince's ruthlessness." "Brother, is he ready?" King Qi made a vivid killing move. "Is it possible to let the tiger go back to the mountain?" The prince asked back. "Since this is the case, the prince should not make a move. I will let my subordinates go down and solve it." "It's still too early. Wait until the Turks are defeated. If they don't change their minds, it's not too late to start." "only……" "Don't worry." The crown prince interrupted King Qi and said, "Brother has his own arrangements. They can't escape my palm." After all, the prince summoned Wei Zheng, Feng Li and other civil and military officials to arrange matters related to the expedition. "The remnant clouds harvest the summer heat, and the new rain brings autumn haze." In the summer after the rain, the sky is high and the air is fresh.Generalissimo Li Jiancheng and Deputy Marshal Li Yuanji led an army of 200,000 to conquer, and set out from Chang'an, headed northeast to the Yellow River.Turkic Yushe planned to report the arrival of the Tang army, and before facing Li Jiancheng's army, he hurriedly crossed the Yellow River and retreated north. Li Jiancheng's soldiers went to the Yellow River and crossed the north bank, which was regarded as chasing the Turks.Li Jiancheng ordered the army to advance 30 miles north and set up camp.While sending people to Chang'an to pass the good news, he reorganized the troops.Three generals, Yuchi Jingde, Qin Shubao, and Cheng Zhijie, were taken into the Grand Marshal's Mansion one by one and became the generals in front of the crown prince.The 30,000 elite soldiers under their command were all incorporated into Li Jiancheng's army.The three generals became out-and-out commanders in the blink of an eye.The prince's army, triumphant class teacher.On the way, when Yuchi Jingde's three generals wanted to take action, they immediately found that the prince's eyes and ears were already surrounded by them, so they dared not take any action. "What should we do? If things go on like this, we won't be able to get in touch with King Qin at all." Qin Shubao approached Yuchi Jingde and said in a low voice. "We are not in contact, but it is still a kind of connection." Yuchi Jingde said with a smile. "how do I say this?" "If we don't contact, King Qin will definitely know about our situation, so that doesn't mean we have already contacted." "That being said, King Qin can't get any news from us, and he can't give us instructions. What should we do?" Cheng Zhijie said angrily. "The current situation is like this. We can only take one step at a time. When we arrive in Chang'an, we will play by ear." The three generals had nothing to say all the way, and reluctantly followed the prince's conquest army and returned to Chang'an.Before he had time to rest, he was summoned by the prince and King Qi in time. "Several generals, I wonder if you would like to go back to the 'General's Mansion'?" the prince asked in a very friendly voice, covering them with his eyes. "Now that the battle is over, His Royal Highness, please let us go back to Prince Qin's mansion." Cheng Zhijie said with both hands in his arms. "I asked the general to think about it before. Did the general forget all about it?" The prince approached Cheng Zhijie without anger and authority. "I haven't forgotten it, I've already considered it. Since the last general is a member of the Qin Palace, he should return to the Qin Palace when he returns, unless..." "Unless what?" "Unless there is an order from King Qin." "Could it be that in your eyes, the prince is not as good as King Qin?" Li Yuanji shouted sharply. "You can't say that. The crown prince is a thousand years old and the heir to the throne, so he is naturally nobler than King Qin. However, we are under King Qin, so we should listen to King Qin. King Qi should understand this better than we do." "The two generals also think in the same way?" The crown prince was unwilling to argue with Cheng Zhijie, and instead cast his eyes on Yuchi Jingde and Qin Shubao, asking with little confidence. "Exactly!" Yuchi Jingde and Qin Shubao replied confidently. "You guys, are you so foolish and loyal to King Qin?" King Qi yelled at the three generals. "As a bureaucrat, you should be loyal. Does King Qi like disloyal people?" Yuchi Jingde replied coldly. "Hmph! If King Qin is finished..." "King Qi!" The prince interrupted King Qi, sighed and said: "Since the three generals insist on not following the prince, I have to wrong you for one night. When the king of Qin takes the place of the prince tomorrow, I will take you with me. After saying that, he waved his hand, and the three of Yuchi Jingde were escorted into a secret room. After a few warriors went out and the iron door was closed, the secret room was very dark.For the first minute, the three generals seemed to be unable to see anything, and gradually they could see their surroundings clearly.It turned out that there was nothing in this secret room except four high walls.The very faint light came in from the crack of the closed iron door. "It seems that the crown prince will not let us go." Cheng Zhijie said angrily. "I'm just worried about the King of Qin. The prince and the others are treating us like this now, and they will definitely attack the King of Qin." Yuchi Jingde said. "How is this possible?" Qin Shubao asked. "Didn't the general hear what King Qi just said, if King Qin is finished...it's terrible! We have to try to get out and rescue King Qin." "Yes, we can't be stuck here and watch them attack King Qin." Cheng Zhijie said. "However, the walls here are solid and there are guards outside, how do we get out?" Qin Shubao asked himself while searching around. "No matter what, we must try to go out and help King Qin." Yuchi Jingde said. Thus, the three battle-tested generals took action one after another.They carefully knocked on every wall and carefully examined every roof, hoping to find an opportunity for themselves that would allow them to go out. Watching Yuchi Jingde, Qin Shubao, and Cheng Zhijie leave, the crown prince sighed and said, "I never thought that the generals under King Qin would be so devoted to him. This is really a terrible thing." "What's so scary, what ability does Li Shimin have now, can he compete with you, Prince?" "Now, although he has temporarily fallen, I still have a headache when I think of him." "If that's the case, why don't you come here and give him a quick fix. When he comes to welcome us tomorrow..." Li Yuanji made a murderous gesture. "It's just that we are brothers after all, alas!" After Li Jiancheng finished speaking, he let out another long sigh. "Brother? Why is my brother not as secure as I am, but wants to covet your crown prince? Moreover, his strength, prestige, and ability make you worry. Because of King Qin's ambition, we all There is no peace, and many things are not easy to handle. For example, at the banquet tomorrow, if King Qin asks his three generals, how will the crown prince explain it?" King Qi looked at the crown prince when he said this. "This is indeed a problem." The prince said with a frown. "It's not just this one thing, there are many other things. In short, I think that if you keep this King Qin, you will have endless troubles. There are too many and too many troubles. According to the fourth brother, it's better to just settle everything and give him a good one." There is no return." After Li Yuanji said the last words that he held back for a long time in his heart, his eyes pressed tightly on the prince again. "You, let me think about it again. We, after all..." The prince was just saying this when someone came to report: "News came from the inside of the Qin Mansion that Fang Xuanling and Du Ruhui have sneaked back to the Qin Palace." The prince was shocked when he heard this, and after the visitor left, he gritted his teeth and said, "This is Li Shimin!" "The matter has come to this point, brother, please don't hesitate any longer." King Qi said, staring at the prince. "I think that's the only way to go." Although the prince's voice was soft, it was full of murderous intent. "Brother, do you agree?" King Qi said happily. Li Yuanji and Li Shimin stayed together when they were young, what a pair of brothers they were!Ever since he followed his father in Taiyuan, Li Shimin won many battles, but he was always defeated. Whenever he heard his father's praise of Li Shimin, Li Yuanji felt a little inexplicably angry in his heart; Li Yuanji was even more aggrieved by his welcome.Gradually, these anger and grievances caused Li Yuanji to develop an inexplicable hatred for Li Shimin, and he always stood on the opposite side of Li Shimin when everything happened.Soon, Li Yuanji found the prince, the successor to the throne who was almost covered by Li Shimin's prestige. He and the prince quickly formed an alliance to resolutely oppose and attack their common rival Li Shimin.At this moment, Li Yuanji looked at the prince happily, and said sinisterly: "I have already thought of a perfect plan to make him come and go." "Tell me." The prince said softly. King Qi's sharp eyes glanced at the hall, and found Wang Jian, the servant.Just as he was about to drive him away, he heard Li Jiancheng say, "This Wang Zhe is one of the elder brother's cronies, but it's okay for King Qi to say so." King Qi looked at Wang Fan, saw him standing very solemnly, not moving, so he lowered his voice and said to the prince: "In my place, there are some crane crests that I just got. Tomorrow, the King of Qin will host a banquet for us. Just put a little bit in his wine glass, and after he drinks it, the prince's trouble will be gone forever." !" "This is a good idea. However, the matter is of great importance, and the fourth brother must arrange it seamlessly." The prince instructed carefully. "Brother, don't worry, fourth brother, I will definitely arrange this matter properly, and it will be seamless." "It's just that there is a contingency in everything. The so-called precautions, King Qi still ambushes a team of troops, just in case. If you want to do it, you have to do it to the end. Things like this can't be taken back at the beginning. Just in case If the poison does not kill the King of Qin, we will send him to the underworld with a steel knife." "Brother thought carefully, so I ordered Xie Shufang, my charioteer, to lead two hundred elite soldiers to ambush, thinking it was a surefire plan." "Xie Shufang, good! He is a brave general, you arrange him to ambush, I don't worry. Well, time is running out, so fourth brother Lao will arrange this matter." The prince said. "Okay, please take care of the eldest brother, and the fourth brother will leave first." Seeing off Li Yuanji, the prince waved, and Wang Ni walked quickly to the prince. "Go quickly and find General Feng Li." 王胵走后，太子在大厅里来回走动。李世民，秦王李世民！你本是我的好兄弟。可为什么，要觊觎我的太子之位？你既然如此，也就不要怪我手下无情。这一切的一切，都是你自找的。太子正喃喃自语着，冯立匆匆赶来，见了太子，倒身便拜。 “将军请起。”太子弯腰扶起冯立，仔细地打量着他，见冯立一脸劳累的样子，便问： “将军刚从黄河岸边回来，还没有回家吧。” “部队刚安置好。”冯立说：“末将正准备来给殿下汇报情况。” “部队安置好就行。本太子这次请你来，是有一件非常重要的事情要交给你去办理。明日秦王在玉泉宫设宴为本太子与齐王接风，我要你埋伏八百勇士在那里，见我摔杯，即刻杀出，秦王府中来的人，一个不留。” 太子话落，冯立静静地站着，一动不动，太子瞪了他一眼，才轻轻地问道： “秦王也不留？” “没办法，只好不留！” "The general obeys orders!" “好，你去罢，一定要挑最勇猛的武士。” "The general obeys orders!" 目送冯立远去，太子轻轻地点了点头，又在大厅里来回走动，嘴里再次喃喃自语着刚才的话语： 李世民，秦王李世民！你本是我的好兄弟，可为什么，要觊觎我的太子之位？这，就怪不得我了，一切，都是你自找的！ 雨后的夏日，秦王府的“赏心园”里，分外的凉爽。习习的凉风，吹皱池塘一碧绿水。最鲜洁的，是池塘边的垂柳。枝枝叶叶，矜持地摇曳，真不知是清风吹了垂柳，还是垂柳摇出了清风。好一个清凉的世界！鸟儿欢声，鱼儿跃出，独有池塘边，柳树下伫立的秦王，心中有些儿躁热。 父皇安排他在玉泉宫设宴替太子与齐王接风，这事他并不意外，但却非常为难。太子与齐王已经凯旋归来，却不见他的三位将军回府，这事使他感到事情非常严重。他了解这三位宿将，清楚他们的智慧和胆略，也坚信他们对自己的一片忠心。 如果不是被太子严加看管，或者是已遭意外，他们一定会想方设法地回来。至少，他们也会托人报一个信。可是现在，不但人没有回来，连音讯也全无。看来，他们不是被太子拘押就是被害了。太子既然胆敢公然拘押或者杀死我的将军，接下来他们要做什么，已经是很分明。他们除了想对我动手，就不可能扣留或杀害我的将军。李世民想着，心中涌起冲天的怒气。玉泉宫是太子的地方，是太子建议父皇让他在那儿摆宴为太子接风的。父皇虽然偏担太子，但绝不容忍太子对我动手。皇上现在还不知情，或许还偷着在乐，希望能看到我们兄弟和睦相处的情景。可是，我如果真去玉泉宫，父皇看到的，将是我的尸体。这，我不甘心！他李建成虽为太子，只不过是凭了年龄长了我十岁。若论德才、功绩，他根本不能与我相比？为什么，老天要让他大我十岁？ ! 李世民抬起高贵的头颅，仰望湛蓝色的天穹，长长地、长长地叹了口气。 远处，跟在一旁的侯君集和长孙无忌见了，四目相视，不安地摇了摇头。侯君集想过来安慰秦王几句，刚迈出一步，又退了回来。他知道，此刻自己过去，几句不咸不淡的话，解决不了秦王面临的问题。不由把目光投向南边的大门，那里有他们的希望。他们仨之所以来到这里，就是为了等候那个希望的来临。又过了好长的时间，侯君集忍不住轻轻地问长孙无忌： “房玄龄与杜如晦怎么还不见来？” “是啊，早就该来了。要不，我们去看看。”长孙无忌提议说。 侯君集点点头，俩人看看秦王，见他还是一动不动地伫立在那里，就转身向南门走去。刚迈出几步，便见房玄龄和杜如晦匆匆闪身进来。见了迎来的侯君集与长孙无忌，房玄龄忙问： “秦王呢？” 长孙无忌向前一指，四人快步地向秦王走去。李世民虽然一直在苦苦地思考着，还是看见了匆匆过来的四位僚臣，他不但不去迎接他们，反而缓缓地往东走去。李世民带着他的四大亲信，来到池塘边的“观荷亭”。 此亭临池而建，周围绿树成荫。亭内有张打磨精致的石桌，还有六张坐得光滑的石敦。曾经何时，李世民征战归来，与他的长孙王妃在这里，一面欣赏池塘里的荷花，一面互抒思念之情，一面憧憬往后生活的快事。现如今，大唐王朝一统有四年了，外面的强敌差不多一一除尽，本该是除了快乐便是幸福的时候。可是，内部却出现了更强的敌人，而且竟然是自己的亲兄弟。使得自己的生活，莫说是快事，就是想平静地喘喘气也不舒心。由于太子留在秦王府里的耳目太多，李世民差不多没法在议事厅商议大事，只能来到这赏心园里，来到这观荷亭内，商议他的大事情。或许是刚才站得太久的缘故，李世民感到有些累，进去就在一个石敦上坐下来，镇定地目光，迎着他的四位臣僚。 “臣拜见秦王。”房玄龄和杜如晦齐声说。 他们俩人，潜回长安已半月了。李世民凭直觉，知到自己府内有太子的人，为了以防万一，一直安排他们在西效的一个旧宅子里住着，有事商议时，再召他们悄悄地到这里来。半月来，他二人进出也就是两次，这一次是第三次。从今儿一早派人通知他们来府之后，李世民在池塘边已等了四五个时辰，而往日，不用半个时辰他们就可以到了。为这事，李世民感到有些蹊跷，用目光罩着他二人，就是不啃声。 “事情有些不妙。”房玄龄开口说：“臣与如晦从北门进时，发现有太子府的人在监视。” “是这样，你们都坐吧。”李世民一挥手。 “这一次，他们没有发现臣与如晦。”房玄龄坐下来说道：“但是，臣认为，他们一定发现臣与如晦回来了。” “没想到，我的这两个兄弟，还真行，本王做得如此谨慎，他们还是发现了你们的踪迹。君集，你把玉泉宫接风宴的情况给他二位讲一讲。”秦王说完，闭上眼睛。 垂柳在习习的凉风中寂寞地摇曳。若大的“赏心园”，除了远远地站着一些卫兵，就秦王与他的几位亲信。听罢侯君集的情况介绍，房玄龄与杜如晦二人，先是低头沉思，然后是四目相对，就在目光交换的瞬间，他们统一了看法。房玄龄示意杜如晦，把他们的看法说出来。 “臣认为，太子在出征突厥之前就做了精心的谋划，做好了充分的准备，明日的接风酒宴，一定要对大王不利。” “难不成他要在酒宴上杀了本王？” “他一定会这样做的，不然的话，我们现在就可以与尉迟敬德、程知节、秦叔宝三位将军坐在一起。” “可是，我们毕竟是亲兄弟！” “大王与太子确实是亲兄弟。只是，帝王家的亲兄弟，身上都流着先祖高贵的血液，都有一种天生的唯我独尊的性格，只要不是强弱十分明显，谁又愿意做自己兄弟的臣子？” “杜如晦，你胆子越来越大了，你的话，本王听着都不怎么舒服。”李世民瞪着杜如晦，大声喝斥，然后又放低声音，微笑着说：“不过，你说得倒也是实情。本王就相信，如果由本王来继承大统，一定对大唐王朝更有利。” “大王明鉴。大王继承大统，大唐王朝才能欣欣向荣。我杜如晦就是深信这一点，才死心塌地的跟随大王身后，希望能为大唐王朝的发展、进步，做一些事情。”杜如晦说完起身，恭恭敬敬地跪下去。 房玄龄、长孙无忌、侯君集见了，都有一一起身跪下，齐声说：“大王继承大统，大唐王朝欣欣向荣，我等死心塌地，万死不辞！” 李世民见此，有些吃惊，睁大眼睛问道：“你们，是要本王就此解决了太子？” “必须如此！”杜如晦说。 “可是，你们是否知道，太子府的长林军有多少，齐王府的护卫又有多少？” “太子有长林军三千，齐王有护卫一千。”杜如晦回答。 “但我的秦王府里，就只有八百勇士。更何况，随太子、齐王西征的，还有二十万军队。这些人，现在都还在太子手里。” “西征部队的军权，太子虽然还没有交，但他如果命令这些军队来攻打秦王府，一定没有人会听命。自古皇室内争，均是巧谋者得胜，只要制裁了太子与齐王，余下的就只能听命于大王。” “你，是要本王杀了太子与齐王？” “大王已经别无选择。” “你们都起来说话，别跪在地下相逼！”李世民大声说。 杜如晦、房玄龄、长孙无忌、侯君集四人相互看了看，慢慢地站起来，垂手低头于李世民的面前，等待他的训示。 “坐下！”李世民有些气愤地命令。见他们都重新坐下来，李世民用犀利的目光，对四人一一扫过，停了一会，才缓缓地说道： “本王现在明明白白地告诉你们，本王知道你们希望由我来继承帝位，这也是本王心里想的事情。在这件事情上，我们算是想到一起了。可是，如果可能，本王还是要尽量避免杀戮，不背这个弑兄杀弟的罪名。现在，我要你们好好地想一想，在明天的接风宴会上，如何避免相互杀戮的事情发生？” 四位僚臣听了，互相交换了一下眼神，都不说话，李世民见了，心中恼火，目光罩住他们四人，冷笑着问道： “难道，你们非要我背上弑兄杀弟的罪名？” “这不是罪名。”房玄龄坦然地迎着秦王的目光说：“这是为了黎民社稷，为了大唐江山，与昔日周公诛管叔、蔡叔相同。” “可是，如果能够避免，本王还是想避免它，因为手足相残，本王的心，还是会痛的。” “大王，臣等知道你会为此事心痛。如今事已至此，要避免当前的手足相残，也还是有办法的。”杜如晦抬起头来望着李世民。 “什么办法？快说！” “只要你不去参加明日的接风宴就行。” “让我在玉泉宫设宴替太子、齐王接风，是父皇的圣旨。我不去，怎么向父皇交代？” “可以称病？”长孙无忌说。 秦王摇摇头：“父皇明察秋毫，称病，他迟早会明白的。” “可以向皇上状告太子扣押了我们的三位将军。”侯君集说。 “现在无凭无据，怎么讲得清，岂不是明摆着是我要与太子作对！”李世民还是摇摇头。 “臣认为，可以把太子和齐王与张妃和尹妃的暧昧关系禀告皇上。”长孙无忌说：“皇上听了一定非常气愤，肯定会宣旨取消这个接风宴会。” “对，这样很好。秦王可以免去一祸，我们还可以狠狠地打击一下太子。”杜如晦支持说。 李世民听了，把目光转向房玄龄和侯君集。 “臣认为可行。”房玄龄说。 “臣也认为可行。”侯君集说。 “可是，这样的事情，捕风捉影，而且实在是有损皇室的尊严，令父皇伤心。”李世民说。 房玄龄、杜如晦、长孙无忌、侯君集听了，再不吭声，又把头垂下，四人似乎都被石桌当中的一支荷花吸引，目光停在那里，一动都不动。李世民这时又感到了浑身躁热，他知道四位亲信的心，却又为心中的担心困惑不已。 秦王李世民浑身躁热，正为心中的担心困惑不已，只见留守秦王府的屈突通带着尉迟敬德、秦叔宝、程知节仨人匆匆赶来。李世民等远远地见了，大家都喜出望外。匆匆忙忙地赶出来，在观荷亭外，迎接他们心中挂念的人。尉迟敬德等见了李世民，倒头便拜： “末将参见大王！” “快快请起。”李世民伸手扶起他的三员爱将，发现他们都憔悴了许多，忙问：“将军，这是怎么啦？” 原来，尉迟敬德仨人被拘押之后，连水也喝不到一口。在暗室里呆得久了，渐渐能看清墙壁和屋顶，经过一番认真勘察，终于在屋顶上发现了用木板钉实了的天窗。仨人齐心协力，费了整整一日，总算把天窗撬开，爬了出来。虽然已经是又饥又渴，但还是挣扎着，离开了东宫，来到秦王府。 听仨人讲了与太子西征突厥后的全部情况，秦王震怒了。他睁大眼睛，望着东宫的方向，半晌不说一句话。现在，就按侯君集说的，状告太子扣押了我的三位将军？李世民在心里问自己，但马上又给自己否定了。他对自己说：就算现在有凭有据了，以此事去状告太子，父皇知道了，又能为我做些什么呢？难道，他能够为三位将军去责怪太子吗？不、不、这显然是不可能的！在父皇心灵深处，是希望太子的实力、威望都能在我之上的。父皇现在想要做到的，就是要让李建成安安稳稳地做太子，到时候继承他的大统。到时候，让我安安份份地做他的臣子，这才是父皇真真想要的。 既然如此，要解决与太子的纷争，父皇是不可能帮我的。现在，太子在拼命瓦解我的实力。他收买不成，就将他们仨人拘押，这分明是不怕我知道，要对我动手。然而，他们会怎么对我动手呢？难道，真会在接风宴上杀了我？如果真是这样，我可不能坐以待毙。只是，他们如果不是这样呢？只要他们不这么心狠手毒，来日方长，遐以时日，我的威望，实力都在他们之上，到时候，或许可以兵不韧血，得了皇位……李世民正在苦苦地分析着，思考着，忽然又看段志玄领着王胵走进园子。 王胵原本就是东宫太子府里的一位僚臣，一次偶然的机会，秦王李世民救了他的全家。此时，王胵到东宫已有近年，一直又未被重用，是一个很不起眼的闲僚。怀了感恩图报之心，王胵来到秦王府，请求投到李世民门下。经过一番问话，李世民深知王胵是个颇有能力的人，非常高兴，就交给他一个特殊的任务，替秦王府打探太子的消息。因为李世民暗中大量用财支持王胵，使王胵在东宫声誉日增，不久就得到太子李建成的信任，成了太子亲信中的亲信。 王胵来到李世民跟前，行过大礼之后，将太子与齐王谋害秦王的计划，一五一十地细细讲来。李世民听了，脸上露出淡淡的冷笑，大声地说道： “天意，这是天意！是上天要我背上弑兄杀弟的罪名！我若不背，这罪名就要让太子与齐王背。我，念及手足情深的人，又怎么能忍心？！大哥、四弟！罪名还是由我世民来背！你们就轻轻松松地去罢！”说完，李世民仰天长笑，悲愤的声音，犹如沥沥秋风，穿过绿茵，穿着垂柳，在园子的四处散开。 房玄龄、杜如晦等一干文武僚臣听了，心中有一些惊，也有一些喜。大家相互望了望，不由都把目光投向秦王李世民，想听从他的命令，一举去灭了太子与齐王，到时候，由他们的秦王继承大统，来主宰这大唐王朝的江山社稷。 “现在，本王的决心已定，你们可以畅所欲言，各表高见，看看如何才能一举击败我的亲兄、亲弟！” “要一举击败……太子与齐王，不能在玉泉宫里。”房玄龄说：“眼前他们的实力远远大过我们，硬拼难赢……” “本王还有一事告诉大家。”李世民打断房玄龄的话说：“皇宫守卫常何，虽已收下本王的重金，但他只答应保持中立，不愿意直接帮我们对付太子。好，就这样，你继续讲下去！” “常何能如此，已经是很难得的了。”房玄龄接着说：“要避免与太子、齐王在玉泉宫硬拼，大王就不能去参加接风宴会，要不参加接风宴会，就需找一个理由避免皇上的猜疑。” “既然如此，就用无忌之计，由本王去禀告父皇，说太子和齐王与张妃和尹妃的暧昧关系。”李世民盯着房玄龄说。 “大王英明，此计最妙。”房玄龄说。 “然后呢？”李世民紧盯着他追问。 房玄龄把目光投向杜如晦，李世民也把目光转向他。一时间，众人的目光都在他身上。杜如晦见了，微微一笑，不慌不忙地说： “臣认为，皇上听了大王的禀告，一定会召太子、齐王进宫与大王对质。这种事情，一定是悄悄地进行，只有大王、太子与齐王知道。既然如此，我们就有了一个天赐良机。到时候，我们可以全体出动，在玄武门内……” 杜如晦缓缓地说着，李世民与他的几个最得力的僚臣认真地听着，然后大家又认真地讨论了很久，直到夜色降临，一个完整的、详细的、伏击太子的方案，终于出来。只是，所有在场的人，没有一个脸露笑意，李世民的脸上，甚至有些无可奈何的悲凄。 雨后的夕阳，在天际上挣扎着亮了一会，就落了下去，又已经很久了。四围的绿茵、垂柳都变得模糊不清，李世民与他的僚臣们，也商量好了该商量的事情。是分手的时候了，他们默默地祝福对方，然后各自去做自己该做的事情。