In the Ganlu Hall of Taiji Palace, this is Li Shimin's dormitory, and some banquets will be held occasionally, but usually unless you are a particularly close person, you will never be summoned into the Ganlu Palace.

In the current Ganlu Palace, Li Shimin and Li Tai are sitting opposite each other, and the two are talking about a game. Li Shimin's chess skills are extremely high, and there are very few ministers in the DPRK and China who are his opponents, and Li Tai is not only highly accomplished in literature, but also very proficient in Go.

Today, Li Shimin is obviously not in a state, he has lost three games in a row, and the chess game he is playing has also shown a declining trend, and he is about to lose again. However, Li Shimin didn't seem to care, and he was a little absent-minded, and then looked up at the obese Li Tai, and suddenly said: "Qingque, I heard that when your eldest brother left Chang'an some time ago, how many of your brothers went to see him off?" ”

Since Li Chengqian was convicted, Li Shimin has never seen this son again, and even when Li Chengqian left Chang'an, he begged to see him again, but Li Shimin refused, and even forbade Empress Changsun to send Li Chengqian. In the eyes of others, this is a manifestation of Li Shimin's great disappointment in his son.

Li Tai originally thought like the above, thinking that his father would never mention the eldest brother Li Chengqian again, but he didn't expect that now his father took the initiative to ask about the send-off, which made Li Tai, who was concentrating on playing chess, stunned for a moment, and then replied: "Father, I and a few younger brothers did go to see off the eldest brother that day, but the third brother and the fifth brother were not in Chang'an, so everything was presided over by me." ”

After hearing this, Li Shimin nodded and said, "Qingque." Your younger brothers in the city are youngest, and you are the greatest. So you have to use more snacks for everything, and you have to take care of a few younger siblings on a regular basis! ”

Lee Tae heard his father ask him to take care of his younger siblings. His eyes lit up immediately, and he could already hear something special in it. At the moment, he immediately said excitedly: "Father, rest assured, the eldest brother has left Chang'an, and the third brother is not here, so Erchen is equivalent to the eldest brother of all the younger brothers and sisters, and he will definitely take good care of them!" ”

"Hmm!" Li Shimin nodded seemingly casually, and then asked casually, "By the way, when your eldest brother leaves." Did you say anything? ”

Li Tai's face stiffened after hearing this, and a trace of embarrassment flashed on his face, but then he immediately spoke: "Father Qi, when the eldest brother left Chang'an that day, he was in a somewhat depressed mood, so Erchen and several younger brothers explained a few words to the eldest brother, but the eldest brother didn't know why, and he fired a fire at Erchen, which made people so annoyed!" ”

Li Tai's words are not true. That day, when he and Li Zhen, Li Zhi and several other younger brothers went to see off Li Chengqian, Li Tai made a smug expression of a victor at the beginning, which made Li Chengqian even more annoyed, and finally broke the jar and broke it. not only pointed at Li Tai and scolded, but was even about to do it, but fortunately he was pulled away by the person next to him.

Originally, Li Tai didn't want to tell Li Shimin about his conflict with his eldest brother. But he also knew that there were so many people around him that day. And the younger brothers are all there, so they can't hide it from their father at all. That's why he talked about the general thing, but in some details, he could save it, and try to make it sound like Li Chengqian's fault.

After Li Shimin heard Li Tai's report, he nodded indifferently, but he didn't say anything, just holding a chess piece and staring at the chessboard with his eyes, as if thinking about where to land.

In fact, Li Shimin knew better than anyone else about the send-off that day, and even knew every word that every son said. And the reason why he asked Li Tai was actually to test the other party, but although Li Tai's answer was not untrue, he probably told it after that, and he didn't dare to hide it, although he put the responsibility on his eldest brother Li Chengqian, but this is also human nature, Li Shimin doesn't care too much, so he is quite satisfied with Li Tai's answer, but if there is a clear-eyed person next to him, it must be seen that Li Shimin has a preference for Li Tai.

After playing a few more pieces, Li Shimin put down the chess pieces and admitted defeat, but he seemed very happy, after all, as a father, he always wants to see his son stronger than himself. Li Tai understands this, so he will give his all every time he plays chess.

After playing a few games of chess, Li Shimin also felt a little tired, so he asked the palace people to serve two cups of tea. After Li Shimin took a sip of tea, he glanced at Li Tai, and suddenly asked: "Qingque, your eldest brother has been deposed, and now the position of the crown prince is vacant, and my father wants to make one of your brothers the prince, but he is worried that after a hundred years of being a father, the new prince will take the throne and will attack other brothers, so he is very hesitant in his heart." ”

When Li Shimin said this, his eyes kept staring at Li Tai, and when he looked at the excitement on the face of this beloved son, he sighed secretly and said: "But you are one of my father's favorite sons, and now my father asks you, if you are the crown prince, how can you avoid the tragedy of fratricidal brotherhood?" ”

The reason why Li Shimin asked this question was mainly due to the influence of the Xuanwumen Change, when he had to embark on the road of killing his brother and killing his brother in order to protect himself, although he succeeded in the end, but he was shackled with a heavy moral shackle in his heart, and it can be said that he has been haunted by this matter for decades. It is precisely because of this that he doesn't want his sons to follow his old path, so he asked the other party this question before deciding whether to make Li Tai the crown prince, so as to test the other party.

Li Tai heard that his father finally officially mentioned the matter of making himself the crown prince, although it has not yet been determined, but as long as he answers well, then the position of the crown prince is his own. Thinking of this, Li Tai couldn't help but get excited, but then he forced himself to calm down, and after thinking about it for a while, he said: "Father Qi, the son has learned the way of Confucius and Mencius since he was a child, knows benevolence and filial piety, and usually has deep feelings for all brothers, so if I am the prince, there will never be anything fratricidal in brothers!" ”

Li Shimin's heart sank when he heard this, and he was not satisfied with Li Tai's answer, after all, he knew that in the face of power, any benevolence and affection were empty. However, although he was dissatisfied, Li Shimin's face did not show it, but then asked: "Okay, even if you can never kill each other with your brothers for the rest of your life, but if you die and your son ascends the throne, how can you avoid him from having conflicts with your uncles?" ”

Hearing his father's question, Li Tai also felt a little caught off guard, and he didn't know how to answer at all? I saw him frowning and lowering his head, and after thinking hard for a while, he finally raised his head and said something bullshit: "Enlighten the father, if the son is on the throne, he should kill his son and pass on his younger brother, and make the ninth brother Li Zhi the crown prince!" ”

Assuming that Li Su heard Li Tai's answer, it is estimated that his eyes would go dark, and then he would feel 10,000 grass and mud horses galloping past. Li Shimin's purpose in asking this kind of question was originally to test Li Tai's attitude towards his brothers, but now he is good enough to say such a thing as killing his son and passing on his brother. Take 10,000 steps back and say, even if Li Tai is sincere in saying this, but a person who dares to kill even his own son, do you still expect him to be merciful to several brothers?

It's a pity that Li Shimin is from the Tang Dynasty and doesn't know what the grass mud horse is, otherwise it would definitely be the same reaction as Li Su. But even so, after Li Shimin heard his son's answer, he almost spurted out a mouthful of old blood, and his eyes when he looked at his son became very complicated, because he really didn't expect that his son, who had always been very fond of him, would say such stupid words, did he really think that he would believe this kind of nonsense?

However, Li Tai didn't understand his father's expression, but he saw his father's face change, and thought that his shocking answer made his father very satisfied, which made him a little more confident in getting the crown prince, and he couldn't help but show a smug look in his eyes.

Li Shimin, who saw Li Tai's reaction in his eyes, was extremely disappointed, and felt that all the strength in his body had been drained. After all, emotionally speaking, he really hoped to make Li Tai the new crown prince of the Great Tang, but today this hope was finally shattered, no wonder the Chinese Wudu opposed Li Tai becoming the crown prince, it turned out that he was really not a qualified heir to the throne.

Thinking of this, Li Shimin reluctantly smiled at Li Tai, and then let the other party retreat. And Li Tai hasn't figured out the situation yet, so he doesn't know what his father means? Are you satisfied with your answers? If you are satisfied, then should you make yourself the crown prince now?

Holding a stomach full of questions, Li Tai walked out of the Manna Palace, but the more he thought about it, the more wrong it became, and he always felt that his father's attitude seemed to be very strange, but he couldn't find anything strange? Being able to feel this shows that Li Tai is not hopelessly stupid. However, with his emotional intelligence, he could only feel this, and finally shook his head and left.

And Li Shimin stayed in the Ganlu Hall for a long time, and finally sent someone to call the eldest grandson Wuji, although the eldest grandson Wuji has been deliberately suppressed by Li Shimin, but he is still Li Shimin's most trusted person, especially in this kind of matter, no one can compare with the eldest grandson Wuji, the uncle of the country, has the right to speak.

For the eldest grandson Wuji, Li Shimin has nothing to hide, and he told all the words he had said to test Li Tai before, but when the eldest grandson Wuji heard Li Tai's sentence of killing his son, he was almost angry with this nephew, although he was not optimistic about Li Tai in the matter of establishing a prince, but he didn't expect that his sister would give birth to such a living treasure, and actually use this kind of words to fool His Majesty the Emperor of the Tang Dynasty? If Li Shimin really believes it, then he is not the decisive and wise Li Shimin.

However, Li Tai, who was returning to the Wei Palace, might not have imagined that it was his faint words that pushed the throne out of his hands-on position! (To be continued.) )