Chapter 22 The 22nd round of Jiancheng made suspicious letters and rumors that Yuanji was self-willed and formed a secret party

Since Li Shimin returned to Chang'an from Luoyang, Prince Li Jiancheng's mood became more and more gloomy day by day. The autumn night is quiet, and the coolness seeps into the room through the window lattice.Li Jiancheng put down the "Book of Han", tightened his neck, and beckoned the maid to bring the jacket and put it on.The place where he lives is called Xiande Hall, which is the main hall of the East Palace.Except for meeting Li Yuan during the pilgrimage, he spent most of the rest of the time here receiving ministers and handling government affairs.The candles in front of him were very bright, and a wisp of smoke floated from the top of the flame, and the smell permeated the whole hall. Li Jiancheng felt that the smell had a sweet fragrance, which was very beneficial.He put on his clothes and stood up, walked slowly to the long window, stretched out his hand to push open the window sash, and saw that the courtyard in front of him was quiet and deserted, and the reflection of the crescent moon was reflected in the pool water, when the wind suddenly blew, a branch of a tree floated over Falling into the pool, the calm water surface was suddenly broken.

Li Jiancheng expressed his feelings, and murmured silently in his heart: "Er Nailong sings in Fangze, whistling over the hills. Flying up, fishing in the long stream, hitting the arrow and dying, greedy for bait and swallowing the hook, falling into the clouds for the birds of prey, The abyss sinks." This is a sentence in Zhang Heng's "Return to the Field" in the Han Dynasty.Li Jiancheng chanted at this moment, moved by the water, thinking of the birds in the sky and the fish swimming in the water, they were originally free, but the threat of death was quietly waiting there.Fish and birds have no thoughts, but what about people?Li Jiancheng couldn't help feeling preoccupied.

A court lady entered the palace to serve tea, her footsteps were heavy, Li Jiancheng turned her head in disgust, and shouted fiercely: "Who let you in?"Li Jiancheng was furious, and shouted loudly: "Pull it out, slap forty!" Two eunuchs rushed to the door and dragged the maid down.Seeing the debris on the ground, Li Jiancheng flew up a few times, kicking the tea tray and broken bowls away, and the unknown fire in his heart could not be extinguished for a while. Li Jiancheng fully understands the reason for his uneasiness. Erlang has conquered cities and conquered territory in recent years, his generals and scholars are like a cloud, and his father has favored him.There are also rumors in the harem that before Erlang went to Taiyuan, his father made Erlang the crown prince in Changchun Palace.On the other hand, I have been busy dealing with political affairs in the capital these years. Although I have managed the government affairs in an orderly manner, these credits are hidden. Outsiders think that the emperor is capable, and the prince is just an assistant.Seeing that Erlang is full of self-satisfaction these days, seeing himself also loses the goodwill of the past, and adds a layer of arrogance.Li Jiancheng knew the heart of this younger brother. He knew that he was always daring, thoughtful, and never acted rashly. So it was hard for Li Jiancheng to guess what Erlang was thinking right now.

There was a sound of footsteps, listening to the sound and rhythm of the footsteps, Li Jiancheng guessed that it was Wei Ting.The East Palace has always been a forbidden garden, and there are only a few people who can enter and exit calmly.When Li Jiancheng was thinking, he saw Wei Ting hastily stepped into the gate of the palace.Seeing the mess in the hall and the windows and doors wide open, Wei Ting was very surprised and shouted: "What's the matter? Prince, seeing your vacillating expression, is there something wrong?" Li Jiancheng waved his hand and said, "What's the matter? It's just that a court lady accidentally broke the teacup. You will make a fuss out of a molehill. You entered the palace late at night, what's the urgent matter?"

Wei Ting said: "Prince, you know that I am impatient, and it is difficult to stay overnight. During dinner today, a stranger came to visit, and what he said made me really angry." "What alien?" "Shi Wanbao, known as the 'Hero of Kyoto'." "Shi Wanbao? Is that the one who is currently Minister of Civil Affairs of Henan Daoxingtai?" "It's him. This Shi Wanbao relies on his superior martial arts, and because he supported the king of Huai'an in the county and responded to the emperor, his vision is extremely high on weekdays, and it is difficult to talk to ordinary people. Today, he doesn't know what kind of nerve he has. Come to me. We chatted for a few words, listened to what he meant, and felt very unfair to King Qin's actions."

Li Jiancheng was stunned, unable to understand: "In the battle of Luoyang, Shi Wanbao made great contributions in attacking Hulao from Songyang. Erlang has always been good at winning people's hearts. How did he lose Shi Wanbao?" "Yes, I really can't figure it out. We drank a few glasses of wine together, and when our brains got hot, we wanted to pull him over to talk to the prince. Now he is waiting outside the palace, does the prince want to see him?" Li Jiancheng sat down and said, "You've always been reckless, so wouldn't you be more safe?" He pondered for a moment, then nodded, "Okay, let him in."

After entering the palace, Shi Wanbao saluted Li Jiancheng: "The prince is here, please accept Wanbao's worship." Li Jian stood up and said: "Shi Shangshu is free of courtesy. You are known as the 'Hero of Kyoto', and I have always wanted to see you. But you often go to war, and I have too many troubles in the capital, so I don't have time. Tonight Gao Fengqing, it is a good time for us to talk." Li Jiancheng has a good reputation among the officials, he is modest and approachable, and when dealing with specific affairs, he patiently listens to the opinions of his subordinates, and there are very few mistakes in the judgments.

Li Jiancheng called the eunuch to move chairs for the two, and told them to sit down and talk with him separately, while the maid tiptoed forward to offer tea cups, then bowed her head and retreated.In the huge Xiande Hall, under the light of the candlelight, there were only the three of them left. Li Jiancheng bowed slightly and said, "Shi Shangshu came here late at night, what do you want to say?" Shi Wanbao said: "Wanbao seldom sees the crown prince in his spare time. Knowing that Brother Wei is a close person of the crown prince, he asked him to introduce him to meet him. Some ministers wanted to express their thoughts quickly. Wanbao is a rough man, born Straightforward, if there is something wrong, I hope the prince will forgive me."

Li Jiancheng nodded slightly. Shi Wanbao glanced at Wei Ting, saw his eyes full of encouragement, and said in his heart: "As the saying goes, 'We can't get close together', Wan Bao has some doubts about the King of Qin, so he wanted to keep it quiet, but he also thought that the country's affairs were important. Wanbao has to report to the prince." Seeing that Li Jiancheng didn't look disgusted on his face, he continued, "In the battle between Luoyang and Hulao, Wanbao led the troops to cover up and kill from the south, and Wang Junkuo attacked down the river until he was captured. Although Dou Jiande and Wang Shichong are not the first ones, they should have made great contributions. How did you know that after the city of Luoyang was broken, the King of Qin ordered us to stay at Longmen and not enter the city for even an inch. After returning to Chang'an, the King of Qin gave us There is no credit for us in the credit book, Jun Kuo and I talked about it, and both were very unfair." In fact, during the Battle of Hulao, Shi Wanbao led the troops from Baizhai to attack northward, and the progress was smooth at first, until Xia Bing struck At that time, Shi Wanbao led the troops back for five miles. At this time, the Tang army attacked aggressively, Xia Bing was busy taking care of the rear, and Shi Wanbao's position was still not broken.After the battle, Li Shimin was furious when he heard about this incident. He remembered that when Shi Wanbao led the troops to encircle Luoyang too slowly, he personally went to supervise and threatened to be plotted by Wang Shichong, and he was even more angry.As for Wang Junkuo, Li Shimin was even more hesitant when thinking of his private storage of military rations, thinking that this person is deep and dark, and should not be reused.When they arrived in Luoyang, Li Shimin put the two of them far away.When the army returned to Chang'an, Li Yuan rewarded him for his meritorious deeds. Shi Wanbao somehow got a job as an official of the Ministry of Civil Affairs of Henan Daoxingtai. Although Wang Junkuo was named Duke Peng, he stayed at home all day with nothing to do.

Li Jiancheng said: "So, Erlang has wronged you two. I should read the credit book before presenting it to my father. Now that I think about it, it really didn't mention the credit of the two of you." Shi Wanbao rolled his eyes, picked up the teacup, took a sip of saliva, cleared his throat, and continued: "Actually, King Qin underreported our achievements, but it is a trivial matter. He shouldn't engage in intimacy and cultivate his own direct line. Also, After the city of Luoyang was broken, he did not follow the emperor's will to reward all the gold and silver treasures he had obtained to the meritorious soldiers. Instead, he ordered Fang and Du to quietly make the next batch. These two points show that King Qin's plan is not small. What you think and what you think, first of all, it is not good for the prince."

Wei Ting opened his mouth and said "Ah", Li Jiancheng was also surprised, and opened his mouth and said, "This is really the case?" Shi Wanbao said: "At the beginning of King Qin's triumphant return, the emperor named him Tiance Admiral, and arranged a guard of ceremonies to send a plaque to Hongyi Palace. In those days, all the officials and the streets and alleys praised King Qin for his heroism. Thinking to himself, King Qin's reputation is growing day by day, the emperor's favor is increasing day by day, he is favored to the sky, and the prince is placed in a position that is neither awkward nor embarrassing. Now it seems that King Qin did everything intentionally. Today's Tiance Mansion Here, the King of Qin enlisted the powerful generals brought from the east and west, and recently opened a literary museum. In the past few days, he has written praises and paintings for his so-called "Eighteen Scholars". After all, these scholars and generals are all members of the imperial court. The emperor and prince's servants, isn't the king of Qin taking them as his own? Although the emperor named King Qin as the strategist general above the prince, he is still a vassal king after all. Heart, Prince, a discerning eye will see that there is a lot to it." Li Jiancheng was shocked, and Shi Wanbao's words reached his heart, but he waved his hands calmly, and said, "Shi Shangshu, it's because you are overthinking. Erlang's glory today is all due to the grace of his father." .In these years, Erlang has been victorious, and he has continued to stabilize and expand the territory, which is also the blessing of the Tang Dynasty. By the way, is the jewelry you said accurate?" Shi Wanbao smiled slightly, knowing that Li Jiancheng's words were insincere, he did not point it out, and replied: "This matter is absolutely true. To tell you the truth, the prince, Wan Bao's lightness skill is very good, and his body is as light as a swallow. When Fang and Du were collecting treasures and hoarding , let Wanbao see clearly. However, after returning to Chang'an with the King of Qin, it is not clear whether this batch of goods is still in Luoyang City, or whether it has been shipped out of the city. But everything must leave traces, Given time, we should investigate and find out. Prince, the king of Qin claims not to value money, and this batch of goods is very large. What will he use his treasures for?" Li Jiancheng fell into deep thought, and Wei Ting beside him couldn't bear it anymore, and shouted: "The king of Qin's actions are really deceiving the emperor. Prince, this matter must be seized, otherwise we will also be deceiving the emperor." At this moment, Li Jiancheng, Feeling overwhelmed, Erlang has been away all these years, constantly recruiting talents and hoarding treasures, his scheme is not small.What I see are only some superficial phenomena, how many secrets are there in my heart? Thinking of this, Li Jiancheng got up slowly, put his hands on the table, stared at the two of them, and said word by word: "Shi Shangshu, I understand your loyalty to the emperor, what you said today, don't mention it to others , including Wang Junkuo! Starting tomorrow, you and Wei Ting will go to Luoyang for a secret investigation. As for the official documents, I will provide them to you properly. Well, it’s getting late, I’m a little tired, so you can leave.” After finishing speaking, he Nodding to the two of them, Wei Ting turned around and was about to leave. Seeing this, Wei Ting hurriedly said: "Prince, the Du Yan I mentioned that day, I have inquired again these days, and I think this person is still capable. Today, the Ce Mansion is trying its best to recruit people, but the East Palace seems weak, so I would rather let him come over." Li Jiancheng paused, still in a bad mood, waved his hands and said, "Forget it, Du Ruhui is determined to follow Erlang now. Let's get his uncle here again, I don't know what will happen in the future, let him go." At 2 o'clock at five o'clock on the second day, only three blows of the clean whip were heard, and Li Yuan sat in the morning court.The civil and military officials have finished their court visits, and they stand in different classes.Li Yuan recently fell in love with a new concubine, who was chosen by Li Yi from Youzhou.This woman has lived in the Northern Kingdom for a long time, and she was born with creamy skin, a graceful figure, and a good sex for dancing spears and swords. She is in the harem's rouge, and she can tell at a glance that she is special.Li Yuan fell in love with her when he saw her, and two days later he named her a talented person.With his new favorite by his side, Li Yuan stopped going to court early in the first ten days.It was too late to quarrel with her last night, and now I can't help but yawn while sitting on the dragon chair. Tongshi Sheren was well aware of Li Yuan's psychology at this time, and shouted in the hall: "Play early if there is something to do, and retreat to the court if there is nothing to do." Li Jiancheng also stayed up all night last night, and his mind was in a daze at the moment. He wanted to play something, but he couldn't think of it for a while.At this time, Qu Tutong in the front row took a step forward, held a wat and said: "Chen Qu Tutong has something to play, and there are many chapters from Shandong and Hebei. It is the remnants of Dou Jiande who are stirring up trouble." Pei Ji on the side coughed, and said slowly: "Dou Jiande's ghost is still there. The old minister heard that the place where Dou Jiande's body was buried was stolen and a big hole was dug, and his body disappeared." Pei Ji relied on his old qualifications. , Li Yuan also casually interrupted when playing something, and Li Yuan didn't think it was different. Li Yuan raised his head and breathed a sigh of relief, and said to Li Jiancheng: "Prince, you handle this matter, tell Li Yi in my name, and ask him to send troops to suppress it. Supervisor Pei, I think this is a trivial matter and should not be considered deeply. " At this time, Li Shimin went out to play and said: "Father, my minister captured Dou Jiande that day, but did not go deep into his hinterland. According to my son's opinion, it is better to send a general to sit in the town." Li Yuan pondered for a while, and said: "Erlang is right. After all, Li Yi is in Youzhou, and he is beyond his reach. How about this, Shentong, you are familiar with the geography of Shandong. I will appoint you as the comfort ambassador of Shandong, so go for me. " Li Shentong came out of the class and said: "I obey the order." Hearing that Li Yuan sent Li Shentong to appease Shandong, half of the officials felt disapproving.Although Li Shentong was brave and powerful, but his strategies were too few. When Li Shiju voted for Tang in Liyang, Li Shentong went there as a conciliatory ambassador, but he made a mess, leaving Tang Dynasty with little place to stand there.Thanks to Li Shimin's encirclement of Luoyang and rejection of Dou Jiande, Fang connected the land there with Chang'an.Now send Li Shentong again, so that nothing will happen again.But today is not what it used to be, it's just some small groups of harassment, I think Li Shentong should be able to deal with it.Afterwards, when the court was over, Li Yuan returned to the harem by chariot, thinking that he could sleep in the cage again. All the officials filed out of the Tai Chi Hall, Li Jiancheng saw Li Yuanji walking with his head bowed in the crowd, his heart suddenly moved, and he called for someone to call him over. Li Yuanji went out hunting during the day, and every morning he had to practice the method of lance all the way, so his body was strong and strong.Hearing Li Jiancheng's call, Huhu walked up to him in a few steps.Seeing Li Jiancheng's tired look, he was very surprised and asked, "Brother, I haven't seen you for a few days. Why do you seem to be ten years older and your back is bent? What's going on?" Li Jiancheng smiled slightly: "Silang, you are carefree, and your spirits are still strong. I have been suffering from a cold for the past few days, and I have taken several medicines but it has not improved. Come, go back to the palace with me, and I will let your sister-in-law boil your favorite red beans Porridge." Li Yuanji waved his hand and said: "Don't, now is not the time for us to be in Hedong. My sister-in-law is already a princess, so how can she do such a cheap job for me again? Brother dare not work." Li Jiancheng had no choice but to give up, and said again: "Silang, I am very tired these days, and I want to go out to exercise my muscles and bones. How about this, I will deal with the matter at hand today, and you will gather in the East Palace tomorrow, and we will go to South Wutai Mountain together How about a hunt?" "The crown prince has an order, and I dare not disobey it. Well, I will prepare as soon as I return to the mansion, but there are not many big guys in South Wutai Mountain, so there is not much fun." Li Yuanji immediately became interested when he heard that he was going to hunt.His current taste is very high, waiting for a little chicken and a little rabbit can no longer satisfy his hunting addiction. "Even if you go out to play with brother Wei, if you go too far, you are afraid that the father will not let you go, so it will be decided. It has been a long time, and we brothers have not had a good chat. This time is an opportunity. Play and chat." Early the next morning, Li Jiancheng and Li Yuanji left Miyagi with their followers. They walked southward along Zhuque Avenue, exited Mingde Gate and slanted to the east. A group of people drove for about twenty miles, and the terrain began to rise, and the roadside was full of dense trees.The time has entered early winter, the leaves on the trees have already fallen, and the ground is covered with a thick layer.Their horseshoes bounced off the leaves, and they flew back one after another.The flying leaves and the bare branches complement each other, adding a touch of bleak air out of thin air.They marched forward for another 20 miles, that is, entered the South Wutai Mountain, and then went south to Zhongnan Mountain, which is famous all over the world for the seclusion of literati. Li Yuanji took the lead, and his horse was also chosen by Zhang Wansui as a gift to Li Shimin.After the Battle of Luoyang, Li Yuanji took a fancy to the yellow horse kept in Li Shimin's stable, and begged Li Shimin to give him the horse.At that time, Li Shimin was in a good mood and agreed wholeheartedly.After Li Yuanji tried riding, he felt that this horse was really extraordinary. When it was running, it could lag behind other ordinary horses by a large margin.When they left the city today, Li Yuanji and Li Jiancheng were able to keep pace with each other, but after a while, Li Jiancheng gradually fell behind, and Li Yuanji had to run for a while and then walk slowly, waiting for them to catch up. A group of people traveled quickly all the way, and entered the middle section of South Wutai Mountain at noon.Looking around, the surrounding area is vast, and there are overgrown trees on the ditches and ridges.Li Jiancheng usually likes to be quiet and doesn't like to move. Seeing how difficult the trees in the valley in front of him are, he hesitated and said: "Shiro, the road here is so difficult, we might as well walk slowly along the ridge, and take a tour here. " Li Yuanji disagreed: "Brother, it's not that you don't know my temper? Why come here if you want to visit? I see Lie Xinxi now, if I stop here, won't I be anxious to death?" Li Jiancheng smiled and said: "Silang, you may not know that when the Yubu doctor heard about his father, he said that harvesting, hunting, and hunting must be done at the right time. Indiscriminate hunting is not allowed in the capital, and the imperial court has issued an edict. In Chang'an, Hunting and hunting are not allowed within three hundred miles of Luoyang. If you insist on arresting today, you are violating the imperial father's prohibition." Li Yuanji tapped on the bushes in front of him with a whip, and said with a laugh: "Brother, this ban is for the common people. Now the world belongs to our Li family. Could it be that someone dares to stop us? Well, if you don't want to do it , Just watch from the sidelines, and let me show my skills." After finishing speaking, he ordered the people to drive the dogs into the forest, and a person behind him immediately presented two eagles to Li Yuanji. Li Jiancheng lifted the rein and let the horse walk a few steps, looked at the two eagles with his head, and said in admiration, "Shiro, people in the capital say that you hunt the 'Three Treasures', isn't this eagle one of them?" "Of course," Li Yuanji put the two eagles on his left and right shoulders, and stretched out his hand to tear off the thin silver chains on the eagle's claws, "These two eagles are called the Beishan Yellow Falcon and the other is the Gaoli Red Eagle. Brother, it is said that Erlang is addicted to horses, how can he understand the beauty of eagles? Wait a moment, look at the eagle's volleying posture, which is as fast as lightning and like a shooting star, and it is a hundred times more wonderful than galloping horses." Chang'an People say that Li Yuanji's hunting "three treasures", one is the two eagles; the other is the four dogs, which have scattered into the forest at this time; Li Jiancheng asked again: "It's a pity that I only saw your 'second treasure' today. I was a little impatient, and there is no chance for your thirty cart nets to be shipped." Li Yuanji said proudly: "Since I am going out, why not take it with me? In another hour, the 30 carts should arrive. Brother, since it is here, it will be safe. I have made plans. There is a lady nearby Palace Yi, the Taoist priests inside are very knowledgeable, we will live here tonight. Come night to set up these nets, and come tomorrow morning to harvest the prey. The taste will make you happy." Afterwards, the two dispersed. Li Jiancheng shot some solitary birds and pheasants nearby with his bow, while Li Yuanji led his followers and steered his horse into the forest. Animal startled by hounds. There are quite a lot of animals here, most of which are hares, jumping around in the forest like grasshoppers, and occasionally there are yellow shadows swaying among them, which are raccoons and wild sheep.With a stick in his hand, he beat all the way, shouted loudly, and tried his best to provide Li Yuanji with the convenience of shooting.Li Yuanji shot left and right there, and gained a lot.Suddenly, a low growl sounded from the forest, and a black thing rushed like the wind, pushing away bushes and dead grass along the way, making a loud noise.Li Yuanji was overjoyed when he saw this thing immediately, his eyes lit up, and he shouted: "Boys, here comes a good thing, copy it." When everyone heard this, they threw away the wooden sticks in unison, raised their hands and drew out their long swords. He hurried to Li Yuanji's horse to protect him, and there were two more people standing around the horse's head, holding long spears and pointing straight ahead. The thing approached in an instant, and it turned out to be a big wild boar. It bared its fangs and roared again and again.Then Li Yuanji shot a string of arrows "bang bang bang", and the arrows hit the wild boar's body. Soon, the wild boar's head was full of arrow shafts, like a strange big hedgehog.After being hit by the arrow, it jumped up first, making a "squeak" sound, and then moved forward again, rushing towards the crowd. When it was ten steps away, it finally couldn't hold on, and fell down with a "plop". .The two men holding lances hurried forward a few steps, and both lances pierced the wild boar's body together. Li Yuanji wiped his sweat with his hands, and cursed: "This bastard has a lot of drive, and the meat must be lean and delicious. Let's carry it down, wash and peel it while it's hot, and have a good meal tonight." Seeing that Li Yuanji had gained a lot here, Li Jiancheng also became interested. He slapped his horse and rushed into the mountains, attracting eagles and dogs, and was very busy.Unaware that the sun was already in the west, Li Jiancheng turned his head to see the bountiful hunt, and sighed: "Shiro, I just realized the joy of hunting today." They walked towards Taiyi Palace in the twilight, Li Jiancheng smiled and chanted A poem, the poem said: The horned eagle first came out of the autumn grass, and the thin iron rod threw the saddle away. The young man hunted the rabbit and the horse in the plain, and then he sent an order to return to Li Yuanji. Hearing the words, he couldn't help teasing: "Why do you have the same temper as Erlang? Just now After being happy for a while, do you want to recite a couple of sour poems to cheer you up?" Li Jiancheng smiled and did not refute. Among the three brothers, Li Yuanji was the only one who didn't like reading. When he arrived at Taiyi Palace, Li Jiancheng realized what Li Yuanji said about how the Taoist priests here are knowledgeable.It turns out that there is a jingshe on the left side of Taiyi Palace, where there are bamboos and flowing water, it is very quiet.Another good thing is that the Taoist priests knew that Li Yuanji came here often, so they tidied up the abode again devoutly, and found a good cook who specializes in hunting game, so that Li Yuanji can come here to eat after the day's hunting addiction some.Li Jiancheng couldn't help laughing and said: "Silang, no wonder you know the joy of hunting. How many other hunting palaces like this do you have?" Li Yuanji said: "The so-called different habits vary from person to person. You are the prince in the capital, and Erlang is busy fighting and recruiting talents. I am here to enjoy myself." This sentence touched Li Jiancheng's sore spot. He wanted to have fun but couldn't, so he had to laugh a few times. This wild boar is indeed the best, the whole body is lean meat without any fat.As soon as they entered, the cook came up to pick up the wild boar, washed it first, then put the pork on the cage and steamed it over high heat.In an instant, the courtyard was filled with fragrance.When the meat was cooked, he sliced ​​it into thin slices and served it on a plate.When Li Jiancheng tasted it, he felt that the meat was crispy and delicious. Li Yuanji sent a jug of wine to him.Li Yuanji picked up the wine glass and said: "Brother, you have to drink 'Langguanqing' wine when you eat wild pork. Come, please drink this glass to the full." "Langguanqing" wine is produced in Xiamaling. The wine is brewed with a secret recipe handed down by the family. Li Jiancheng drank wine as he said, and ate meat again. After chewing, the taste mixed with the aroma of the wine, and he felt a lingering aftertaste, so he praised: "You have really made a name for yourself in hunting, and you have also become a gourmet. I run around the court all day long. In the meantime, such a wild interest is hard to come by." Li Yuanji teased: "You are the prince, and you should take care of the world's major affairs; I am a villager and a savage, so I have to find my own fun. How can we compare?" Li Jiancheng remained silent, picking up the wine glass and savoring it carefully.Li Yuanji over there ate meat and drank heavily, and became drunk in a short while.Li Jiancheng waved his hand to order the congregation to leave. Under the candlelight, only two brothers were left sitting opposite each other. He held up the wine glass and stared at it. Slowly said: "Brother, I have been very depressed these few days. I asked you out today to relieve my depression. Do you want to know the reason?" At this time Li Yuanji was already seven or eight points drunk, sweating profusely all over his body, but his mind was more sober than usual.He listened to Li Jiancheng's question, his heart was clear, but he answered irrelevantly: "Of course you are going to be bored, the emperor entrusted you to govern the world, and there are so many things, don't you worry about you?" Li Yuanji's dislike for Li Shimin has long been deeply rooted, and he feels that this elder brother has no love for him, so he reprimands him at every turn.Over time, Li Yuanji felt that his elder brother was kind and caring towards him, and he bluntly said that he had few shortcomings, so he got closer and closer.Li Shimin likes to invite friends on weekdays, prefers to read at home, and doesn't get together with his brothers. After a long time, some estrangements develop.When Li Yuanji met his second brother at home, he would not pay any attention, just like a stranger.In this battle of Luoyang, Li Yuanji was very disdainful towards Li Shimin at the beginning, until Li Shimin defeated Wang Shichong and Dou Jiande in one fell swoop, he respected and admired this second brother from his heart.I also saw that the ministers from the top to the soldiers all admired the talent of the second brother. In those days, when Li Yuanji saw Li Shimin, his face was full of smiles. The two brothers have never been so harmonious as they are now since they can remember.That day when they returned to Chang'an, Li Yuanji took the initiative to strike up a conversation with Li Shimin every time they went to a beautiful place, and they pointed there with a very affectionate demeanor.The officials behind were very puzzled: the two brothers have always been separated from each other, why did they both change their temper when Luoyang was broken? However, the good times didn't last long, and when Li Yuanji returned to Chang'an, his mood soon changed, and his face turned upside down.That day Li Shimin was surrounded by crowds in the street, and he and the crown prince were left alone. He was stunned at first, and then his face darkened.This Erlang is still the original Erlang!His original admiration for Li Shimin suddenly turned into anger, with a trace of fear in it. He thought, if Erlang really became the crown prince, he would succeed his father in a hundred years. At that time, with Erlang's disdain for him in his bones, can he give himself good fruit to eat?Certainly not!At this time, he glanced at the eldest brother beside him, saw his face was very ugly, and suddenly felt a little sympathy for him: the eldest brother has been assisting the father in the capital all these years, and Erlang has snatched all the beautiful things , the common people only know that there is a king of Qin, but they don't know that there is a prince. "Sorrow for his misfortune, anger for nothing." Thinking of this, Li Yuanji didn't wait for Li Jiancheng's answer, and uttered these eight words fiercely with the strength of alcohol. "What did you say?" This sentence confused Li Jiancheng. "I'm talking about you, big brother, I'll say it again, 'sorry for your misfortune, anger for nothing'! In fact, your hard work has just begun, and you will still worry about it in the future. Brother, you should learn from me, Fighting with dogs all day long, wandering around the mountains and rivers, just being a turtle with a shrinking head like this, will definitely not be annoying." "Who did I provoke? Fourth brother, you are scaremongering." "Everyone is innocent, but pregnant is guilty. You didn't provoke anyone, but the world is so big that there can only be one prince. Now that you are the prince, there are people who are greedy. Remember what I said to you before I went to Luoyang What did you say? You said at the time that I was worrying about nothing. Haha, how did this stupid person become you now?" Li Jiancheng looked at Li Yuanji's eyes that were red from drinking, and thought to himself: Outsiders say that Shiro is rough and unintentional, but according to the preface, he is still very scheming.He raised the cup and said: "Brother, it's rare for us to fall in love with each other since we were young. Tonight we will speak out what is in our hearts. I used to be blamed for my dull eyesight and not paying attention to your heartfelt words. Now that Erlang is aggressive, I hope you can help me out." .Come on, let's have another drink." Li Yuanji drank the wine again, his eyes widened, and he roared: "Brother, since ancient times, it has been a common practice to establish the eldest son as the crown prince. If you are usually modest, you will appear benevolent and weak. If you learn from the past, Emperor Yang will try his best." Being favored by Emperor Wen caused Prince Yang Yong to fall out of favor, you might as well learn some lessons from it. In my opinion, Erlang today is better than Emperor Yang. Emperor Yang knew how to hide his strength and bide his time. not enough." Li Jiancheng waved his hand to tell him to speak softly, then sighed, and said, "Everyone with a discerning eye can tell what Erlang is doing now. However, I have been thinking hard these days, and I really can't think of a way. There are two Difficulties are difficult to solve: one is the favor of the father; the other is the admiration of the people. If the words of our two brothers are spread here today, the father and the people will probably say that I am jealous." "What is jealousy? If Erlang was his vassal king without ambition, how could he be here today? In the final analysis, he was the one who provoked you first. If you look closely, it's not good for your father. You must try to establish your prestige, and you can't stand on two boats, swaying there. This time, if you create a Tiance Admiral, next time, if he succeeds again, there is only one way left, that is, you give up the crown prince. With him. What about in the future? Father will never give up the emperor's seat to him, haha." Li Jiancheng was a little annoyed, and scolded: "Fourth brother, how dare you say such words without restraint? How about the father, is it up to you to judge? In fact, Erlang's current status is not due to the power of heaven, but to his ability " Speaking of this, Li Jiancheng couldn't help but think of Li Yuanji's loss of the state, the same mother and compatriots, where Shiro lost his armor and armor, but Erlang was able to regain the lost land and completely defeated the enemy.He knew that Li Yuanji's temperament was like a fire, and he didn't want to mention his departure from Maicheng. However, Li Yuanji didn't appreciate it, and said with a sneer, "Don't you want to talk about my defeat in Bingzhou? Just say it's okay, I'm not angry. This reminds me of something, are you interested in hearing it?" Li Jiancheng nodded silently. "I met a hunter that day. He talked about being in danger in the wilderness. He killed a wolf that was trying to hurt him first. He didn't want a group of hungry wolves to hear the news and besiege him like crazy. He retreated into a cave and blocked the entrance with stones. At night, through the cracks in the stone, he could see the green eyes of the wolves outside. It was impossible, so he looked for another way out of the cave. The sky was full of people, and he finally exited from another cave, which was regarded as a life. If you judge this matter, you will definitely say that the wolves have their own revenge. The reason. However, this person has won the battle with the lone wolf, and the pack of wolves should be reasonable and should not take revenge. Brother, do you think it is reasonable?" Li Jiancheng laughed, and said: "Fourth brother, you are far away, wolves are of a different kind, how can they be compared with others." Li Yuanji said sternly: "No, wolves and humans are actually the same thing. This is the so-called common hatred and hatred. At this time, if you are still praising your opponent for being right, you should surrender. Now, while you feel uncomfortable, On the one hand, he also praised Erlang for his ability, so what is it if he is not pedantic?" Li Jiancheng nodded secretly in his heart, thinking that Li Yuanji didn't like to study, which had his own advantages.He changed the subject and asked: "What the fourth brother said is very true, but how should we deal with the two problems I just asked?" "It's easy to handle. You are the prince. If you show your face in the future, you will do your part. If we two brothers can win a few battles in succession, let Erlang sit aside and see how the emperor pampers him." "It's easy to say, but difficult to do. I am the prince, and my father won't let me go out so easily. It's hard to have a chance." Li Yuanji spread his hands and said, "Then there is no other way. If you want to be the Taiping Prince, you shouldn't be in a bad mood. Just follow me and be a coward." Li Yuanji's words were full of gunpowder, but Li Jiancheng ignored them, and his thoughts drifted away instead.I thought that if a war really came, my father would really agree to go to war, but since I haven't been on the battlefield for a long time, Shiro has a fierce temper and lacks strategy, can he win the battle?At this moment, he suddenly thought of the gang of strong generals and advisers in the Tiance Mansion, Erlang had a far-reaching strategy in recruiting talents.Although I manage all the officials for the crown prince, when encountering practical matters, I don't have any talents at hand.Today, there are a lot of talents in Tiance Mansion, which is the most precious wealth in Erlang's hands. Thinking of this, Li Jiancheng made up his mind and said decisively: "Okay, the matter is settled like this. Fourth brother, let me ask you, do you support me or side with Erlang?" "Is there even a need to ask?" "From today onwards, we two brothers are of the same mind, and we cannot let Erlang's plan succeed. As long as my position is preserved, you will be my closest brother. If there is a bowl of soup in the future, I will give you half a bowl. It's up to you If you want to do it, if there is anything to go on an expedition, I will ask my father to please." "That's right, don't worry, I will definitely follow in your footsteps in the future, and there will be no deviation." On this cold, moonlit night, the two of them thoroughly clarified their respective meanings.The two talked late into the night, and then went to their respective destinations.Li Jiancheng has been tossing and turning for many days, and it is difficult to fall asleep. Tonight, listening to the pine waves outside the house, he fell into a sweet dreamland. Before dawn, Li Yuanjiji was hanging on the net he had laid, and suddenly woke up with a start, and even pulled Li Jiancheng up.They stepped out of the house, lit torches to light the way for them, and a group of people walked towards the place where the net was laid.As he walked, Li Yuanji imagined that the net was full of prey, and his eyebrows were beaming.When they got to the net, they saw that there was nothing in the net. Li Yuanji was very surprised, and ordered his servants to hold torches and go around the net. "It's really weird, why is it so clean?" Li Yuanji said to himself. The leader suddenly called out: "King Qi, come and see, there is a big hole here." 众人赶到近前，只见那里的罝网被撞开了一个大洞，李元吉倒吸一口凉气：“好家伙，这是什么东西？” 这个大洞有一头大牯牛那样粗细，敢情是圈入的动物都从此洞逃掉了。李元吉还在那里茫然不解：“我这罝网系用铁架、鱼鳔线制成，猛虎也难冲出去。到底是什么怪物，坏了我的大事？”