RPAGF Chapter 13 Li Chengqian: Chengxin, have you laid a trap that can't be set up?
Chapter 13 Li Chengqian: Chengxin, have you laid a trap that can't be set up?
The East Palace's bathroom is spacious, bright, clean, spotless, well-ventilated, and odorless.
After Chang He went in, he searched the place three times, leaving no corner unchecked, but found nothing.
He was very frustrated and ordered his men to search the Eastern Palace again, but they still couldn't find a single wooden figure.
His face flushed, and he forced himself to approach the Crown Prince, bowing respectfully: "I'm sorry, Your Highness, this matter may be a misunderstanding."
"Are you sure there are no wooden figures in the Eastern Palace?"
"I'm sure not."
"I hope that when you return, you will truthfully report the situation here to the Emperor."
Although Chang He harbored doubts, he hadn't found any evidence: "Your Highness, please rest assured! We will definitely clear your name. Farewell!"
At Chang He's command, all the imperial guards followed him.
[Ding! Host, we have detected that the other party is on the verge of doubt, has broken down, and is experiencing abnormal emotional fluctuations. Simulation options are now activated:]
First, comfort the other party with kind words and give them money;
Second, take this opportunity to escape from the Eastern Palace;
Third, let it go on its own;
Please select!
Li Chengqian thought to himself, if he were to reward the other party with money at this moment, wouldn't that make him seem guilty?
Moreover, Changhe was loyal to his father, the emperor, and money could not sway his heart.
As for the second point, if one were to flee at this time, wouldn't that be tantamount to confirming one's guilt?
Therefore, neither of these two options can be selected.
Thinking of this, Li Chengqian said, "I choose the third option!"
[Incorrect answer! Would you like to change your answer?]
"no!"
It turned out that Li Tai's servant had indeed buried a wooden figure in the toilet. The wooden figure was exquisitely crafted and looked very much like Li Shimin.
Furthermore, over a hundred silver needles were inserted into the chest and head of the wooden man. If Chang He were to search this wooden man, Li Chengqian would likely have no way to defend himself and would be unable to clear his name.
At this moment, Chengxin arrived and bowed, saying, "Your Highness!"
Li Chengqian asked, "Have you finished making all the arrangements?"
"Your Highness, everything has been arranged," Chengxin paused, "Since Li Tai intends to harm you, does Your Highness plan to retaliate?"
Li Chengqian pondered for a moment, then shook his head: "I'll say it again, Li Tai is my brother. He can be unrighteous, but I can't be unjust. Although he had intentions to harm me, he didn't actually harm me, did he?"
"Your Highness, wake up!" Chengxin said emotionally. "Why don't you hand this wooden figure over to your father and explain the truth to him? Perhaps Li Tai will be in big trouble then."
Li Chengqian waved his hand to interrupt him.
"Back then, my father launched the Xuanwu Gate Incident out of necessity."
After he executed Li Jiancheng and Li Yuanji, he knelt at his grandfather's feet to beg for forgiveness and wept bitterly.
Even now, I can understand my father's feelings at that time. It must have taken so much courage to kill one's own brother!
That feeling of guilt and remorse can be agonizing.
I would never do such a thing.
Besides, even if I hand this wooden figure over to my father, would he believe what I say?
If Qingque were to be harmed, that would not be what Father Emperor wants to see.
"Your Highness, you truly value brotherhood more than your own life."
"I only seek to act with a clear conscience!"
Li Chengqian carefully examined the wooden figure in his hand. As a time traveler from the future, he found it ridiculous. Could he really curse someone to death?
These people don't understand science; they're so superstitious and ignorant.
"Your Highness, Li Tai is capable of anything, using any means necessary, to secure the position of Crown Prince!"
"I understand, but you must not act rashly without my orders!"
All we have to do is set up the net and wait for the fish to swim in.
"I understand."
Lizheng Hall.
Chang He truthfully reported the findings of the search to Li Shimin.
"Really not?" Li Shimin asked with a puzzled expression.
For some reason, Li Shimin felt a headache coming on.
"Your Majesty, we searched three times, and I also searched personally, but we found nothing. There was no wooden figure at all," Chang He replied affirmatively once again.
Li Shimin naturally trusted Chang He to do things.
"In that case, I have wronged Chengqian."
Empress Zhangsun complained to him, "I told you long ago that Chengqian is not that kind of person. Your mobilization is only making him feel disheartened."
Therefore, Li Shimin took his anger out on the person who came to report him, and said to Chang He, "Go and arrest that person who came to report him, and behead him on the spot!"
"Yes!" Chang He replied and turned to leave.
"Wait!" Empress Zhangsun quickly stopped him. "Your Majesty is a wise ruler. How can you do such a foolish thing?"
If you kill the person who came to report, will anyone report to you again if anything happens in the future?
By doing this, aren't you blocking channels for free speech?
In my humble opinion, it would be better to hand him over to Dai Zhou, the Vice Minister of the Court of Judicial Review, for interrogation to see if there is a mastermind behind this.
If so, who is the mastermind behind this, and why would they frame the Crown Prince?
Upon hearing this, Li Shimin also thought it was a good idea, so he said to Chang He, "Did you hear what the Empress said?"
"This humble general has heard you."
"Let's do as the Empress says!"
"promise!"
After receiving the order, Chang He went out.
At this moment, only Li Shimin and Empress Zhangsun remained in the hall.
Empress Zhangsun sighed, "Your Majesty, don't you think you acted a bit impulsively?"
Li Shimin seemed a little uncomfortable: "I regret that I did not heed your advice back then."
Empress Zhangsun stood up, placed her hands in front of her abdomen, and paced back and forth in the hall, her tone resentful: "Since ancient times, discord between father and son has been the greatest tragedy in the world."
Between people, there is no closer bond than that between father and son; the affection between father and son surpasses everything else.
Back then, wasn't it precisely because of mutual suspicion between Emperor Wu of Han and Crown Prince Liu Ju that a tragic ending ultimately occurred?
If Emperor Wu of Han had completely trusted the Crown Prince, how could Jiang Chong's treacherous scheme have succeeded?
Empress Zhangsun's casual remark reminded Li Shimin: "Do you think it's possible that someone, like Jiang Chong, might plant a wooden effigy in the Eastern Palace beforehand, and then have me send people to search for it, in order to frame the Crown Prince?"
"That possibility cannot be ruled out."
"So, which minister in the court is at odds with Chengqian?"
"Your Majesty, I was unaware of this; I have never heard Chengqian mention it before."
Li Shimin pondered for a long time: "Could it be Du Zhenglun?"
I heard that Du Zhenglun also went to the East Palace yesterday when the grape trellis was being built. Does this mean that Chengqian already knows Du Zhenglun submitted a memorial impeaching him, and therefore their relationship is strained? Is it because Du Zhenglun is plotting to frame the Crown Prince?
Empress Zhangsun shook her head upon hearing this: "One should not speak recklessly without evidence."
Although Du Zhenglun submitted a memorial pointing out that the Crown Prince's words and actions were somewhat frivolous and would damage the Crown Prince's dignity, his intentions were good. He hoped that the Crown Prince could keep his distance from the palace maids, and as the Crown Prince's Left Attendant, this was his duty.
This doesn't seem like a deep-seated grudge.
After listening, Li Shimin nodded, agreeing with the Empress's analysis. However, another question arose: if it wasn't Du Zhenglun who did it, then who was it?
"There were only a few people who went to the East Palace to set up the grape trellis. Could it have been Su Wan's doing?"
"That's even more impossible. Su Wan is a young woman, and she's deeply in love with Chengqian. How could she possibly frame him?"
After hearing this, Li Shimin's eyes darted around: "Could it be Qingque?"
This kid also went to the East Palace.
Empress Zhangsun felt a surge of anxiety and sadness upon hearing this.
Because she had already experienced the fratricidal conflict between Li Shimin and Li Jiancheng.
She never wanted such a tragedy to happen again, especially since Chengqian and Litai were her own sons. As a mother, how would she feel?
Empress Zhangsun steadied herself and slowly said, "Regardless of whether it was Qingque who did it, we can reason in reverse this way."
If Chengqian is overthrown, who will be the biggest beneficiary?
Li Shimin thought for a moment and said, "We have three legitimate sons, namely Li Chengqian, Li Tai and Li Zhi, who were born to us."
Li Zhi was only four years old and still an ignorant child. Besides, according to seniority, he didn't even have a place in the hierarchy.
Therefore, Li Zhi was excluded.
If Li Chengqian loses his position as crown prince, Li Tai, who is one year younger than him, is the most likely successor.
"Yes, whoever benefits the most is likely to be the mastermind behind it all."
However, this is just speculation and may not be true.
Li Shimin was incredibly intelligent. After Empress Zhangsun's analysis, he sensed that the truth would soon come to light.
At this moment, a guard walked in from outside and bowed, saying, "Your Majesty, Your Majesty, Your Majesty, the King of Yue requests an audience."
Speak of the devil, and he appears!
Li Shimin and Empress Zhangsun exchanged a glance and then said, "Let him in!"
The couple sat down again.
Not long after, Li Tai came running in from outside, panting, and knelt on the ground: "Your subject greets Father Emperor and Mother Empress!"
Li Shimin looked down at him and noticed that the boy had gotten fatter in the few days he hadn't seen him, and had even lost his neck.
"What brings you here so late?"
Li Tai was nervous, but he forced himself to remain calm: "Your Majesty, I am currently at the Literary Academy with learned scholars such as Xiao Deyan and Gu Yin, researching materials and compiling the 'Kuodi Zhi' (Records of the Land). I heard that Your Majesty has sent Chang He to lead a thousand Imperial Guards to surround the Eastern Palace. I do not know why, and I am worried about the safety of Your Majesty and Mother, so I have come to protect you."
"I have tens of thousands of imperial guards; what do I need you to protect me for?"
"This—." Actually, Li Tai came to find out if Chang He had found the wooden man, if his father had arrested Chengqian, and how he had dealt with the matter.
"Someone reported that Chengqian had buried a wooden figure in the Eastern Palace to curse me. So I sent Chang He to check, but they found no wooden figure."
This is a misunderstanding.
Li Tai feigned ignorance: "Such a thing actually happened?"
Your Majesty, I believe you would never do such a thing.
"Since Father Emperor sent people to search, was the search thorough?"
"Chang He personally led the search three times, looking into every nook and cranny, even the toilets in the East Palace were searched very thoroughly, and they were certain there was nothing there."
"They even searched the toilets?"
"yes."
No, Li Tai was puzzled. Qin Yong had made it very clear to him that he had buried the wooden figure in the toilet of the East Palace. How could it be gone? How could it have vanished into thin air?
How strange!
Li Tai originally thought that he could bring down Chengqian this time. Once Chengqian fell, he would have a chance to become the crown prince. He never expected it to turn out like this.
Li Tai was deeply disappointed after hearing this, and he couldn't understand where things went wrong.
Ever since Li Tai entered the room, Empress Zhangsun's eyes have never left him, closely watching his every move.
By observing Li Tai's words and expressions, Empress Zhangsun noticed that his eyes were shifting and uncertain.
When he heard that Chang He had led troops to arrest Chengqian, he was delighted. Later, when he heard that they had not found the wooden figure in the Eastern Palace, his face showed disappointment.
Empress Zhangsun looked at Li Tai and cleared her throat: "Tai'er, I heard you went to the East Palace to set up the grape trellis today?"
"Yes, Mother."
"I also heard that you took a servant with you."
Upon hearing this, Li Tai felt a chill run down his spine, thinking to himself that nothing could be hidden from the Empress Dowager. He then replied, "Yes, because I have been feeling dizzy lately, I took a servant with me."
Do you experience dizziness?
"Yes, Mother."
"Why haven't I heard you mention this before?"
"The symptoms weren't obvious before."
"In that case, why not ask the imperial physician to treat you?"
Why bother bringing servants to the Eastern Palace?
If you're not feeling well, why force yourself to set up the grape trellis?
Li Tai sensed that his mother's question was difficult to answer, but he had no choice but to reply: "It's like this, once after the morning court session, I made an agreement with my elder brother that I would go and help him when he was setting up the grape trellis."
How can I go back on my promise to my brother?
Although building a grape trellis is a small matter, it can reveal whether a person possesses the quality of keeping their promises.
"Very good. So, you are a man of your word. What is your servant's name?"
Seeing his mother pressing him relentlessly, Li Tai began to panic. However, he dared not lie to his mother, so he had no choice but to answer truthfully, "His name is Qin Yong."
"Since his technique is so skillful, and your father sometimes feels dizzy, why don't we let him treat him? What do you think?"
"This—." Li Tai pondered the meaning of his mother's words. Did she really want Qin Yong to treat his father, or did his mother already suspect him?
If that's the case, this matter will be difficult to handle. Thinking of this, he smiled and said, "Of course, I will call him over after I return."
"You don't need to wait for me to go back. Just stay here. Where is he? I'll send someone to call him over right away."