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Chapter 235: The Sovereign
Li Yan smiled at the Turkic envoy and said, "No need for formalities. I appreciate the blessings from the two Khans, but I have also heard that the Khan is mobilizing troops to invade our Great Tang. This seems inconsistent with the treaty we signed in years past. I ask that you withdraw your forces and maintain peace."
"If that is your wish, I believe our Khan will consider it carefully," replied Gelorud, the uncle of the Western Turkic Khan, with a hint of meaning in his words. "The wings of the lark are still too delicate; when faced with eagles and clouds that block out the sun, they fall short."
"In my view, the Retired Emperor is a true hero, soaring above the Central Plains like an eagle," he continued.
Zhi Shi Si Li added, "In our Turkic lands, we have both Great Khans and lesser Khans. In the Central Plains, there is a Retired Emperor as well as an Emperor. They should be treated equally; lesser Khans ought to obey the Great Khan. Is that not so?"
After a long silence in court, Liang Junwang Xiao Cong spoke up, "How dare these barbarians be disrespectful beneath the feet of the Son of Heaven!"
Minister of Civil Affairs Wang Gui bowed to Li Yan and said, "I request that the Retired Emperor return to the palace!"
Changping Duke Li Shuliang sternly reprimanded Wang Gui, "How dare you! Regardless of how you view the Retired Emperor, it is not your place as a subject to command him!"
Lanling Duke Xiao Xian sneered, "The Retired Emperor should be enjoying life in the palace. Why has he suddenly come to court, especially at a time when Turkic forces are invading?"
Pei Ji, Left Deputy Minister of Rites, cupped his hands toward Li Jian Cheng and said, "Your Majesty, will you just stand by and watch as a traitor like Xiao Xian insults the Retired Emperor? Where is your filial piety?"
The Ministry of Personnel and Minister of Rites immediately began to censure Xiao Xian as well, but the Emperor remained silent, seemingly waiting to see who else would step forward.
The Emperor did not panic in the face of such sudden changes; he showed no signs of confusion or rashness, causing many officials who had initially intended to speak out to hesitate in fear.
Standing together with Qin Shubao, Dan Xiongxin whispered, "I will go out to summon the troops; you keep an eye on His Majesty."
Qin Shubao grabbed him and whispered back, "That's not appropriate. That is the Retired Emperor. If you summon troops to the palace and weapons clash, how will His Majesty stand?"
"First, go find the palace guard commander Duwei Shen Guang and see if any of them have changed their allegiance. There are still many loyal soldiers in the palace."
"If there are, it’s better to act first. If not, there won’t be any unexpected incidents in the palace. You should seek Qin Wang; the garrison troops in Chang'an are under his command now."
Qin Wang is the Retired Emperor's legitimate second son, originally the most trustworthy, but now he has become the least reliable. Facing Qin Shubao's lingering expression, Dan Xiongxin nodded to indicate his understanding.
If Qin Wang truly had ulterior motives, then he could no longer consider anything else.
Pei Ji suddenly said to the Emperor, "Your Majesty, since the Retired Emperor has been here for so long, why have you not paid your respects and invited him to take his seat?"
Councilor Liu Wenjing replied, "The Book of Rites states that there cannot be two suns in the sky, two kings on earth, or two masters in a family; there cannot be two rulers above."
"Though he is your father, the Retired Emperor is still a subject; how can one expect a ruler to bow to a subject?"
Immediately, members of the Royal Family shouted angrily, "Absurd!"
Liu Wenjing calmly responded, "The former is from the Book of Rites and the latter is recorded in the Book of Han. Wherein lies the absurdity of following ancient customs and rituals?"
"This is not a private matter but one that occurs in court. There are still foreign envoys present; we must first discuss Ruler and Minister before considering ethics. Minister Liu requests that the Retired Emperor inquire about His Majesty's well-being!"
The court fell silent in an instant, everyone first casting a shocked glance at Liu Wenjing before turning their eyes to the Emperor.
The Emperor still showed no intention of speaking, yet his presence above Dan Emperor grew increasingly imposing, as if everything before him required no intervention on his part.
And indeed, that was the case. With Liu Wenjing's sharp declaration, more and more officials stepped forward. Although their ranks were not as high as Pei Ji, Wei Yijie, Yin Kaishan, or Zhao Cijing, their collective presence was not to be underestimated.
More crucially, the Military Merits had remained silent, but their gazes were dangerously fixed on the officials, something that the Retired Emperor's faction sorely lacked.
If it weren't for Xu Shijie already leading many of the Emperor's confidants into battle, they wouldn't even have the qualifications to play this game.
At that moment, Dan Xiongxin and Shen Guang assisted King Li Shimin into the hall.
Upon seeing his father, Li Shimin couldn't help but feel a jolt of shock despite already knowing the situation.
What was this all about?
Li Yan spoke up, "I will host a banquet for the two envoys in the Martial Virtue Hall to avert war."
Li Jian Cheng also chimed in, "Seize those two and imprison them in the Ministry of Justice's dungeon."
Everyone awaited Qin Wang's response; they had all taken their positions, and Qin Wang held significant weight in this matter.
Li Shimin broke free from the two men, while Dan Xiongxin and Shen Guang had already reached for their waists.
"I humbly obey Your Majesty's command!"
Li Yan closed his eyes, but after a moment, he took the initiative to walk outside. Some people knelt down, while others followed the Retired Emperor.
Li Jian Cheng returned to his seat, looking down at the two envoys being dragged away. "Proclaim to all provinces to gather an army of five hundred thousand; I will lead a northern expedition against the Turkic!"
"Summon Duke of Wei Li Jing back to court, and order Duke Luo Yi of Xiangyang and Duke Zhang Hutan of Rongping to mobilize troops against Goguryeo!"
"By my decree..."
Each edict rang out like thunder on a clear day, nearly causing the officials who had just relaxed to fall to their knees in shock.
"Your Majesty... please do not act out of anger and raise an army."
"We implore Your Majesty to retract your command for now; this matter can be handled gradually."
The Emperor showed no intention of humbly accepting advice as he calmly announced the end of the court session.
Everyone walked back to their offices with trepidation, flinching at any slight movement around them. It seemed they finally understood that the Emperor could be capricious.
Although the current Emperor had never been capricious, if he truly decided to be so, who could stop him? In the past, they could still rely on the Retired Emperor, but after today, calling upon him would likely only add fuel to the fire.
In the Martial Virtue Hall, Shen Guang entered holding a severed head. "Your Majesty, Duwei has secretly colluded within Tai'an Palace."
"Exterminate his entire family."
This was undoubtedly against protocol, and no reason was given, but Shen Guang said nothing more. Soon, the Imperial Guard left the palace and quickly returned, covered in blood.
Throughout the night, the Imperial Guard continued to go out, while petitions for impeachment and advice were brought into the palace like falling snowflakes.
These individuals were officials who had stood by the Emperor in court. They supported him, but they did not support such reckless behavior or the brutal slaughter of dissenters.
Little did they know that at this moment, Li Jian Cheng could no longer adhere to the rules. As long as he followed protocol, the Retired Emperor remained invincible.
No matter how things unfolded, there was no justification for a son to kill his father; even Yang Guang would not dare to do so.
However, it was entirely feasible to eliminate the political life of the Retired Emperor and simultaneously carry out a thorough cleansing of Chang'an.
Li Jian Cheng had originally been a perfectionist. He hoped for a flawless development of the Tang Dynasty, free from any inherent flaws. Thus, he constantly compromised and made concessions both internally and externally.
But today, with his perfect creation stained by blemishes, perfection was no longer attainable. Consequently, everything that bound him was now gone.
(End of Chapter)
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