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Li Jiancheng shook his head and said, "I don't know. How does Fourth Brother know?"
"I keep a close watch on Second Brother's situation. Isn't it obvious that Li Shimin is recruiting troops? That's how I found out. Eldest Brother, you should also be paying attention to his movements," Li Yuanji replied.
"What I mean is, how does Fourth Brother know that Father Emperor has allowed him to recruit troops? By the way, from now on, don't refer to me as 'your subject,' and I won't call myself 'the lonely one' either!" Li Jiancheng stated.
"Eldest Brother, I have already spoken to Father Emperor, and he said he permitted it. This means Second Brother's power is growing stronger, and we must be cautious," Li Yuanji said with some concern.
Li Jiancheng nodded in agreement. "You're right. However, since Father Emperor has allowed him to recruit troops, there must be his considerations behind it. We can't act rashly now."
"Eldest Brother, are you really going to just sit back and do nothing? If Second Brother's power grows, we might find it hard to cope," Li Yuanji urged anxiously.
"Fourth Brother, don't be anxious. Father Emperor hopes for harmony among us brothers, so we cannot directly confront Second Brother at this time. We can observe his movements in secret while strengthening our own power. When the time is right, we will take action," Li Jiancheng calmly analyzed.
After hearing his elder brother's words, Li Yuanji felt somewhat reassured. "Eldest Brother, you always think things through. So what should we do next?"
"Next, we need to closely monitor Second Brother's movements while strengthening our connections and resources. Additionally, we should communicate more with Father Emperor to gain his support. By the way, since Father Emperor has allowed Li Shimin to increase his troops, you can do the same!" Li Jiancheng added his thoughts.
"Alright, Eldest Brother. I will follow your advice. Of course, I will apply to Father Emperor for an increase in the troops at Prince Qi's Residence. He agreed but only allowed an increase to one thousand," Li Yuanji nodded in agreement.
"Oh? Why does Prince Qin have twice as many troops as your Prince Qi's Residence?" Li Jiancheng feigned confusion.
Prince Qin's troops used to be eight hundred and can now be increased to two thousand. Prince Qi's Residence previously had four hundred and can now increase to one thousand soldiers. In any case, Prince Qin always has double the number of troops compared to Prince Qi's Residence.
"I didn't dare ask Father Emperor about that; he explained it himself and said that Second Brother is still General of Heavenly Strategy, so he gets twice as many troops as I do," Li Yuanji replied.
Li Jiancheng nodded. "Father Emperor's reasoning does make sense."
The two brothers seemed quite close as they chatted for a while about family matters and state affairs before Li Yuanji took his leave.
Li Jiancheng understood that all three brothers were actively preparing for future struggles, while their father, Li Yuan, was clearly troubled by it all.
Regarding Father Emperor allowing Li Shimin to increase his troops, Li Jiancheng analyzed that this was not necessarily a bad thing. Firstly, during the hunting incident, Li Yuan had reprimanded Li Shimin once; now allowing him to increase his troops could be seen as a sweet reward after a punishment. Moreover, there were deeper considerations from Li Yuan aimed at reducing Li Shimin's opportunities for leading troops into battle or possibly preventing him from commanding at all.
Two thousand troops wouldn't create much of a stir in Chang'an City; after all, he had Three Thousand Imperial Guards in the Eastern Palace. However, frequently leading troops into battle or commanding them outside would be different—those could number in the tens of thousands.
Although normally Li Shimin did not have command authority over troops, he often led them into battle and became familiar with those soldiers under his command. This could easily lead to situations similar to the later "Chenqiao Mutiny," where soldiers might disregard whether or not they had imperial orders and would willingly follow his commands. That could be quite dangerous.
Father Emperor Li Yuan clearly recognized Li Shimin's influence over the military; thus he agreed to allow him an increase in troops but would try not to let him lead them in the future. As for himself, whenever there was a military campaign, he would need to proactively request command over the troops. Li Jiancheng thought silently.
At that moment, Niu Fu returned. Seeing his cheerful demeanor suggested good news was at hand.
"To the secret chamber!" This news must relate to Yuwen Shiji and was confidential; hence Li Jiancheng instructed Niu Fu to report in the secret chamber.
Niu Fu nodded and followed Li Jiancheng into the secret chamber.
"Have you come into contact with Yuwen Shiji?" Li Jiancheng asked eagerly.
Niu Fu nodded. "Yes, Your Highness. I really did see Yuwen Shiji outside Lord Feng's residence. I invited him to a nearby teahouse, and he didn't refuse."
"Did you gauge his attitude?"
"General Yuwen said he is absolutely loyal to the Emperor. He was originally the Emperor's Zhongshu Shilang, but now he has been assigned to the Tian Ce General's Office."
Li Jiancheng felt satisfied upon hearing this. Yuwen Shiji's words were quite clever; loyalty to the Emperor is the right stance for any minister. However, it also indicated his position, as the Emperor favored Li Jiancheng in securing the crown prince position. Since Yuwen Shiji expressed loyalty to the Emperor, he would not support Li Shimin in his quest for power.
Moreover, Yuwen Shiji spoke the truth; he had indeed been Zhongshu Shilang before Li Shimin was promoted to General of Heavenly Strategy, after which Yuwen Shiji was appointed as Sima of the Tian Ce General's Office. This fact played a significant role in Li Jiancheng's decision to target him for alliance.
Li Jiancheng nodded, signaling Niu Fu to continue.
Niu Fu continued, "I also specifically asked General Yuwen about the Tian Ce General's Office and Li Shimin. Although he didn't directly criticize Li Shimin, I could sense his subtle disapproval from his tone. He mentioned that Li Shimin often boasts about his military achievements and hints at some excessive ideas to his subordinates."
Hearing this, Li Jiancheng felt a surge of joy. This was exactly what he wanted to hear. Yuwen Shiji's dissatisfaction with Li Shimin suggested that he could potentially become an ally. If he could persuade Yuwen Shiji to side with him, his chances of claiming the throne would significantly increase.
Thus, Li Jiancheng decided to further probe Yuwen Shiji's attitude. He said to Niu Fu, "In the next few days, go find Yuwen Shiji again and tell him that I greatly admire his loyalty and talent. If he is willing, I hope we can establish regular contact so that we can keep track of Prince Qin's mansion."
Niu Fu nodded in understanding. He knew the importance of this task and would do his utmost to accomplish it.
Li Jiancheng fell into deep thought. He understood that while Yuwen Shiji had declared loyalty to the Emperor, he might actually lean towards supporting him. As long as he could gain Yuwen Shiji's backing, his plans for seizing the throne would be more secure.
However, Li Jiancheng also knew that Yuwen Shiji was not someone easily swayed. He needed more time and opportunities to observe Yuwen Shiji's actions and ascertain his true intentions. Only then could he make informed decisions and ensure his ultimate success in claiming the throne.
The two discussed further details before exiting the secret chamber.
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