novelaction Chapter 651 Is He Our Fellow Traveler?
Chapter 651 Is He Our Fellow Traveler?
Throughout the long history of China, the relationship between the emperor and the crown prince has always been shrouded in the shadow of power.
This power struggle centered around the throne has existed since ancient times and has never ceased. The succession of dynasties has been accompanied by suspicions between fathers and sons, and fights between brothers, with bloody storms playing out time and again in the palace.
It has been many years since there has been a prince who can inherit the throne smoothly.
Take Li Chengqian for example, his road to power was also full of hardships.
Fortunately, even though he was at the center of the vortex of power and faced countless choices, His Majesty always stayed true to his heart, and his hands were not stained with the blood of his loved ones.
This bottom line of humanity that can be maintained in the power struggle is truly rare and precious, and is a model among emperors of all dynasties.
Now, Mr. Qi has proposed that the crown prince should be regent.
Although His Royal Highness the Crown Prince is the only son of His Majesty and the legitimate heir to the Tang Dynasty, it is not easy for an emperor who is in his prime and holds great power to give up his power.
This almost goes against the human instinctive pursuit of power.
Mr. Qi's words had a far-reaching impact, and what was involved was far more than just a simple transfer of power between the emperor and the crown prince.
Mr. Qi occupies an important position in the court with the prestige accumulated over the years.
His decisions can often influence the direction of the court, and the power in his hands is so great that it almost takes away half of His Majesty's authority.
Lin Dafu, as a key figure in charge of the world's money, controls the country's economic lifeline.
One of his decisions might affect the entire financial revenue and expenditure of the Tang Dynasty and the livelihoods of countless people.
The power in his hands should not be underestimated either.
In fact, Mr. Qi had also discussed this with Lin Dafu. Although they were responsible for different areas in the court, one was powerful in politics and the other controlled the overall economy, they had a common goal - that was to force His Majesty to rest.
This is also the reason why Lin Dafu admires Your Majesty from the bottom of his heart.
Your Majesty trusts them so much that he confidently hands over such enormous power to them, even though the combined power in the hands of the two of them is already enough to overshadow Your Majesty.
Among the emperors of all dynasties, who could have such a broad mind and courage to trust his brothers so unreservedly?
When Mr. Qi said that, Li Chengqian was not angry. Instead, he fell into a brief silence.
He knew very well in his heart that Mr. Qi and Fatty Lin, the two brothers who had been through thick and thin with him, were loyal as a rock and would never betray him in their entire lives.
They will never collude with the prince and become his party because of the temptation of power.
Since Mr. Qi proposed so bluntly that he should delegate power, there is only one possible reason - his physical condition is no longer optimistic.
Li Chengqian picked up the bowl of wontons and slowly put another wonton into his mouth.
His eyes were somewhat empty, and his thoughts seemed to drift far away.
After a while, he slowly spoke, his voice filled with helplessness: "Old Qi, is my health failing?"
When Mr. Qi and Lin Dafu heard Li Chengqian's words, they understood that His Majesty had guessed the truth of the matter.
Mr. Qi looked solemn and nodded slowly, his eyes filled with worry. "Your Majesty, you are only forty years old this year, yet your health has already deteriorated to such an extent. If you continue with your previous life of toiling day and night, Hu Bugui says you may not live for more than two months."
Mr. Qi paused for a moment, took a deep breath, and tried to calm himself. He then continued, "But, Your Majesty, if you could put aside the affairs of state and focus on recuperating and nourishing your body, you would have at least five more years to live!"
"Therefore, I implore Your Majesty to release the Crown Prince."
"Your Majesty, you have sacrificed so much for the Tang Dynasty. Now, it's time to consider your health and get some rest."
"I assure you that I will do my utmost to train His Royal Highness the Crown Prince into a qualified heir to the throne."
"When the time comes, I will no longer be greedy for the position of Grand Tutor, and will accompany Your Majesty to tour the splendid Tang Dynasty and see the places you have always wanted to visit but have never had the time."
As Mr. Qi spoke, he slowly knelt down. His movements were solemn, and he knocked his head slowly to the ground.
Mr. Qi was arrogant all his life, and this was the first time he kowtowed to Li Chengqian.
Seeing this, Lin Dafu, who was standing by, also knelt down quickly.
"Your Majesty, please rest. With Lao Qi and I here, you can rest assured."
"We will definitely assist the Crown Prince to make the Tang Dynasty more prosperous and enable the people to live and work in peace and contentment."
No matter from which angle you look at it, this scene looks like a straightforward and bold "power grab".
In any dynasty, telling the emperor to give up the power he was holding was an extremely sensitive matter that required great courage.
Li Chengqian knew that if he didn't want to, these two brothers who had shared life and death with him would never force him.
Their loyalty to him comes from the heart and will never change because of power.
He pondered for a moment, then slowly said, "Everyone, get up and let me think about it."
During this short period of thinking, Su Zhi's gentle words kept emerging in his mind. He remembered Li Shimin's instructions to him and Yuan Tiangang's unfathomable prophecy.
"Prince..." Li Chengqian muttered to himself.
"Mr. Qi, tell me the truth. Do you think the Crown Prince can truly inherit the Tang Dynasty? Is he and I truly on the same page?"
His eyes moved back and forth between Mr. Qi and Lin Dafu.
Mr. Qi raised his head and looked at Li Chengqian with a firm gaze.
"Your Majesty, no matter what the Crown Prince is like, he is the only one who can succeed now, because in the Tang Dynasty, there is only this one Crown Prince. He is the future of the Tang Dynasty and the hope of this country."
Mr. Qi paused for a moment, his eyes revealing genuine emotion. "However, for me, the most important thing is your Majesty's safety. In my heart, your Majesty's health and safety are above all else. Everything else is but a passing cloud to me."
"As long as Your Majesty is safe and healthy, I have nothing else to ask for."
Li Chengqian closed his eyes and fell into deeper thought.
At this time, what Mr. Qi said is indeed the best solution at the moment.
Two months is really too short.
It is so short that he still has many grand reform plans that have not yet been implemented, many policies related to people's livelihood have not yet been fully implemented, and too many unfinished tasks that have yet to be dealt with.
He still has countless ambitions that he wants to realize for the Tang Dynasty and to create a better life for the people.
"You'er..." Li Chengqian murmured again. He weighed the pros and cons in his mind: should he continue to hold on to power, exhaust his last energy, and make a final struggle for the future of the Tang Dynasty, or choose to trust the prince, Mr. Qi and Lin Dafu, and let them go to create a new situation for the Tang Dynasty?