I Can Control My Ancestors

Chapter 430 - 17: Strife Between Two Palaces, Gu Yu’s Reforms (Double - , Monthly Votes Requested)

The curtain is fully drawn.

Reaching this point today was completely unexpected for both Li Jiancheng and Li Shimin.

In the past, Li Jiancheng would worry about Li Shimin’s safety on the battlefield.

Li Shimin had never considered the so-called position of Crown Prince or the throne, focusing solely on the role of the Ten Directions Expedition Envoy.

After all, they are brothers by blood.

But power has always been this way.

Initially, Li Jiancheng was somewhat hesitant, but with the relentless persuasion from those around him, his mindset gradually changed.

He could watch his brother grow stronger, but those who invested in him were unwilling to do so.

This is always a life-or-death struggle.

In Gu Yi’s view, regardless of original history.

In the current situation, as long as Li Yuan could handle the growing tensions between his two sons, even without granting Li Shimin the position of the Ten Directions Expedition Envoy, he could offer him something else.

Have him assist Li Jiancheng in building a prosperous Great Tang.

This was definitely achievable.

But unfortunately, Li Yuan remained indifferent to all of this.

And as Li Shimin began his counterattack, his relationship with Li Jiancheng would become increasingly irreconcilable.

The entire court of the Tang Dynasty erupted into an unprecedented internal conflict centered around the Eastern Palace and the Prince’s Mansion of the King Qin.

....

Li Shimin’s prestige was indeed too strong.

He didn’t need to do much, just using the authority granted by Li Yuan to establish a network in Chang’an, attracting many talents and supporters.

Li Jiancheng was simply incomparable.

The most crucial aspect was—

His attempts to win over Li Shimin’s confidants were also unsuccessful. Not to mention Gu Quan, even others were unwilling to betray Li Shimin.

Gu Quan would never participate in the struggle for the nation’s foundation.

Besides, Li Jiancheng only submitted a petition regarding Gu Yan and Pingyang Princess’s marriage.

Even if Li Jiancheng did more, it wouldn’t influence his judgment.

The family was the most important thing for the offspring of the Gu Clan.

Especially after the previous incident with Gu Zhe, all of the Gu Clan members were highly sensitive to these matters and wouldn’t participate in the struggle for the nation’s foundation.

In this situation, Li Jiancheng gradually changed his approach.

If he couldn’t have them, he would destroy them.

They couldn’t be left for Li Shimin.

Li Jiancheng, after all, was the Crown Prince, and now he had even won over the King of Qi, Li Yuanji, as well as several of Li Yuan’s favored concubines.

In this situation.

Li Shimin’s key aides, Fang Xuanling and Du Ruhui, became targeted.

Li Jiancheng first had them falsely accused of instigating the King Qin to rebel, but Li Yuan didn’t fully believe it. Nonetheless, under the whispers of the favored concubines, doubts began to rise.

Eventually, Li Jiancheng made a strategic retreat, causing Li Yuan to order the removal of both from the King Qin’s Mansion, prohibiting their involvement in political and military affairs.

This was followed by the likes of Cheng Yaojin and other military generals.

Li Jiancheng did not target Gu Quan.

Because offending the Gu Clan could have too large an impact, and most importantly, after such a long time of interaction, Li Jiancheng realized that the Gu Clan members wouldn’t participate in the struggle for the nation’s foundation, making it unnecessary to target them.

With other generals, his methods were more direct.

—Rebellion!

This, in any feudal dynasty, was a crime worthy of death, and it was directly pinned on Cheng Yaojin.

Before this, he even sent people to assassinate Cheng Yaojin, but unfortunately, it failed in the end.

This time, Li Yuan had to pay attention.

Unlike the civil officials, Cheng Yaojin was a brave general whose reputation in the Tang Army was significant.

Even knowing this was a false accusation, he had to investigate thoroughly.

Cheng Yaojin was immediately imprisoned, while Cheng Yaojin was reassigned as the governor of Kangzhou State, continuously weakening Li Shimin’s power in the capital.

This matter caused quite a stir in the capital.

Finally, under Li Shimin’s staunch protection, Cheng Yaojin was released but was demoted to a commoner.

Additionally, this included Duan Zhixuan, Zhang Liang, and others.

Li Jiancheng leveraged his positional advantage to target Li Shimin comprehensively.

This was not only against Li Shimin’s subordinates but also Li Shimin himself.

Whispers; spreading rumors and public opinion.

Used every means possible to target Li Shimin’s reputation.

For Li Shimin.

The situation was becoming increasingly severe.

By now, he had no fantasies left.

He could sense that not only Li Jiancheng and Li Yuanji, but even Li Yuan were, consciously or unconsciously, targeting him, wary of his unparalleled reputation.

This was an utterly despairing situation for Li Shimin.

Once a family, now reaching this point, he felt as if he had returned to the same state as in Taiyuan, where if he didn’t move forward, he would perish.

Often, it’s not a matter of choosing but the situation forcing one to make a choice.

He, too, began to counterattack.

But from beginning to end, he never summoned Gu Quan.

Since returning to Luoyang.

He had only met with the Gu Clan disciples once, and that time he just wanted to tell Gu Quan that he had regained his determination.

This move, of course, left people somewhat puzzled.

With the influence of the Gu Clan, and the shared hardships between Gu Quan and Li Shimin.

If only Li Shimin could gain the support of the Gu Clan.