Chapter 48 8. Fuse: Kunming Lake crisis

After the night drinking incident in the East Palace, although Li Yuan still mainly covered up, hoping to appease the conflict between the King of Qin and the Crown Prince, this method did not have any effect.The struggle between the Crown Prince and the King of Qin has been put on the table. The civil and military forces of the Manchu Dynasty have their own tendencies. The King of Qi, Li Yuanji, is running around non-stop to fight against the King of Qin.He successively sued Li Yuan on the grounds that Li Shimin rewarded soldiers, bought people's hearts, and fought for a long time without success, hoping to prompt Li Yuan to order Li Shimin to be executed.However, because of his outstanding military achievements and no obvious rebellion, Li Yuan could not find any reason to be unfavorable to Li Shimin. In addition, Li Yuan's important officials such as Pei Ji, Xiao Yu, and Chen Shuda all tended to the King of Qin and kept interceding for Li Shimin, so for the time being Gained time.

Because Li Jiancheng and Li Yuanji failed to succeed several times, their hatred for Li Shimin could no longer be concealed.Although Li Shimin has been actively deploying, he can't make up his mind to launch a final attack on Li Jiancheng.Seeing that the Qin Palace was gradually divided under the prince's envoy, Fang Xuanling, Du Ruhui and others were transferred to other places to work, and Li Yuan forced them not to meet with Li Shimin again. King Qin's relationship.And this method of treating the symptoms rather than the root cause can only make the contradiction worse. After being transferred away, Fang Xuanling said to the eldest grandson Wuji: "Now the prince and the king of Qin can no longer coexist. The alliance between the king of Qi and the prince has made no secret of its actions against the palace of the prince of Qin. The suspicion is getting bigger and bigger, but the emperor still insists. I hope to narrow this gap. If something really happens, it will not only be a disaster for Prince Qin's Mansion, but also a disaster for the community!"

As the most trusted and reused counselor of Prince Qin's Mansion, Changsun Wuji has followed Li Shimin for many years and is also the main member of Tiance Mansion.His views are consistent with Fang Xuanling's. He said to Fang Xuanling: "What I think is exactly what you said. We have been afraid to bring this matter up, but now, the prince is right. King Qin's intolerance has been revealed to the world. If this continues, King Qin must be in danger." Fang Xuanling said: "So we can't wait any longer. We should persuade King Qin to make up his mind as soon as possible, otherwise it will be too late. I am now ordered to stay away from King Qin's mansion, so I can no longer advise King Qin. Please send me Tell him what you mean, and hope that King Qin will take action as soon as possible, this is the fundamental way to protect the family and the country."

The eldest grandson Wuji relayed Fang Xuanling's words to Li Shimin, but the king of Qin, who had suffered many accidents, still said: "Even if the prince is against me, I can't do it before him. Wouldn't this be giving people a handle and making the world laugh at you?" ?" Changsun Wuji said: "Since ancient times, to be a king has to take special measures in critical moments. If we don't act first, but just wait blindly, we will definitely give the prince a chance. If we want to fight back, we will have no chance." Li Shimin said: "I have made sufficient preparations in the Tiance Mansion. Even if the crown prince wants to harm me, he will not succeed for a while. I also believe that he will not dare to disobey the emperor and attack me directly. These There is a crisis, but it is not as serious as you think."

Despite repeated persuasion, Li Shimin couldn't make up his mind.Fang Xuanling, Changsun Wuji and others were very disappointed.But not long after, Li Shimin's thoughts suddenly changed, and what really turned the matter around was a little-known little man. When Li Shimin and the crown prince were planning secretly, a rate changer named Wang Zhi suddenly escaped from the East Palace. He was originally a small official in the East Palace, but he was not reused. He was getting more and more fierce, and he was keenly aware that his opportunity was coming.After overhearing the conversation between Li Yuanji and Li Jiancheng once on duty, he escaped from the East Palace overnight and went straight to Prince Qin's mansion to inform.

Changsun Wuji took the informer and led him to Li Shimin.Li Shimin asked him, "Why did you come to join me?" Wang Zhi kowtowed and said, "The crown prince is cruel, and everyone in the world hopes that you will win, King Qin. But now that the crown prince is trying to murder you, the villain came to report to you when he heard the news." Li Shimin asked: "What news do you know?" Wang Zhi then confided everything he had seen and heard, and he said: "When I was on duty last night, I heard King Qi say to the prince: 'Now, I will use the emperor to let all the brave generals and soldiers of Prince Qin's mansion follow me. Going out of the city to attack the enemy, this time the opportunity to kill him will come." The prince said: "What chance can there be?" King Qi said to the prince: "When I send troops in a few days, you will pretend to be my farewell party, please The King of Qin went to Kunming Lake together, and when the time came, he would hide the warrior behind the curtain. As soon as the King of Qin arrived, he would pull him down and kill him, saying that he was killed suddenly.” You won’t obey us. After King Qin is killed and you and I take control of the government, we will kill Yuchi Jingde, Hou Junji, and Changsun Wuji, and the world will be peaceful at that time!”

When Li Shimin heard this, his eyes widened with anger, and he asked Wang Zhi sharply, "Did they really say that?" Wang Zhi was so frightened that he swore and swore, claiming that he had heard everything with his own ears. Changsun Wuji hurriedly stepped forward and said: "Look, King Qin, if we don't do anything for a day, they will plan how to kill us and others. If we wait like this, we can only wait for death!" Yu Chigong, Zhang Gongjin and other generals were all on edge, Said to Li Shimin: "You have always been a kind and filial person. For the sake of the emperor's peace of mind, you are unwilling to be an enemy of the prince. But at this time, if you continue to be filial, we will all die. The prince has decided to kill us. The arrow is on the string. Only by seizing the opportunity can we ensure our survival."

Li Shimin said: "Although I know that the crown prince has the intention to kill me, but it is still a bit abrupt from his usual personality to do it so blatantly. I can't believe what a defector said so easily." Changsun Wuji sighed, and said, "Wang Zhi ran out to inform you because his heart is for the King of Qin. Do you have to wait until someone beheads you to believe it?" Li Shimin frowned, caught in a conflict.Seeing him like this, Changsun Wuji said, "Since this is the case, if we really receive an invitation to invite you to Kunming Pool, then it will prove that what Wang Zhi said is true, and the prince is going to kill you in Kunming Pool." .”

Li Shimin nodded and said: "Then let's wait and see if the prince will really invite me to go to Kunming Lake for King Qi's farewell party." Li Shimin, who had the last hope in his heart, was still unwilling to believe that the crown prince and King Qi would attack him so blatantly.However, on the same day, someone sent by the Eastern Palace presented an invitation, not only inviting King Qin to the Kunming Lake for a banquet, but also in the name of King Qi's farewell party, claiming that the brothers would have a happy gathering, and inviting King Qin to come here in light clothes.This invitation finally broke Li Shimin's last remaining line of defense. It seems that the prince really intends to attack.

Li Shimin let himself calm down slowly, and said to Changsun Wuji: "I have made up my mind, this time the prince and King Qi must be wiped out together. Go to Fang Xuanling and Du Ruhui quickly, and let them come to see me to discuss how to defend against the enemy. Of the policy." The eldest grandson Wuji came to Fang Xuanling and Du Ruhui with Li Shimin's order, but Fang and Du did not believe in Li Shimin's determination. Ji said: "The emperor has ordered us not to see the King of Qin again. If we are found out, we will be beheaded. So, I dare not go to see the King of Qin."

Changsun Wuji said: "The King of Qin hadn't made up his mind to do it before, but this time he was forced by the situation and had to challenge the prince. This time we welcome you back to discuss this matter." Fang Xuanling said: "I have advised the King of Qin many times before to raise troops, but he has been hesitant, so he has put himself and us in danger again and again. Since the King of Qin is not willing to be an enemy of the prince, we will also I can only hope for good fortune. If I violate the emperor's order now, I am afraid that the prince will slander me in front of the emperor again, and I will not be able to protect myself at that time." After hearing what Changsun Wuji brought back, Li Shimin untied the sword at his waist decisively and handed it to Changsun Wuji, saying to him: "You take this sword as a token, let Fang and Du see it, let them know This time I am determined to raise troops to destroy the prince." When Fang and Du saw Li Shimin's sword, they finally believed that King Qin had made up his mind this time.So, that night, the two disguised themselves as Taoist priests and quietly entered the Qin Palace to discuss the details of the coup with Li Shimin. During the long-term confrontation between Li Shimin and Li Jiancheng, the two factions are constantly looking for opportunities to eliminate each other.The faction formed by Li Jiancheng and Li Yuanji is more inclined to take the initiative to attack. They continue to slander and frame Li Yuan, and set traps to deal with Li Shimin.Although these measures affected Li Yuan's trust in Li Shimin to a certain extent, they did not play a real role in eliminating King Qin's faction.During this process, although Li Shimin was dragged into the struggle many times in a passive way, it did not mean that he was unprepared. He was also secretly deploying and planning his own action plan. Well, without taking the initiative. After the farewell plan in Kunming Lake was revealed, Li Shimin realized that his passive coping alone was not enough to resist the attacks of the prince and king of Qi, so he began to set traps and take the initiative to attack in the struggle in order to seize the opportunity.The Kunming Pool incident became a turning point in this protracted cold war. Li Shimin, who changed his strategy, quickly pushed this struggle to its peak.