Li Xiang had no doubt about his position as heir. What Li Shimin had done over the years would not shake Li Xiang's position. Moreover, a large part of the national army was in Li Xiang's hands. If Li Shimin had other ideas now, wouldn't it be too late?
Li Shimin had already encountered the same thing that Emperor Gaozu of Tang, Li Yuan, encountered back then. Some people may also ask, why didn't Emperor Gaozu of Tang, Li Yuan, sentence Li Shimin to death after the Xuanwu Gate Incident?
After all, Emperor Gaozu of Tang, Li Yuan, had many sons, and this son was obviously disobedient. If he were to be copied to the position of emperor, some things would be hard to say. This guy could do anything, and it was very likely that he would ask him to abdicate one day.
Facts have proved that Emperor Gaozu of Tang, Li Yuan, had no choice but to abdicate. If he had not honestly found a place to live, he would probably have died long ago. How could there be family affection in the royal family?
But the question was how to sentence Li Shimin to death? Forget about the entire nation's army, just look at the generals in Chang'an. How many of them weren't Li Shimin's subordinates? If you issued an imperial edict and it didn't even leave the palace, your head might have fallen off.
During the establishment of the Tang Dynasty, Li Shimin made great military achievements, and these military generals also tied their own futures to Li Shimin. So if Emperor Gaozu of Tang, Li Yuan, dealt with Li Shimin, it would not only be a matter for your son, you would also crush the future of all of us.
"We tied our heads to our belts and fought warlords across the country, ushering in the unification of the Tang Dynasty. Now we are on the verge of a good life. If you chop off our supporters, won't our future be even more miserable? If Crown Prince Li Jiancheng had ascended to the throne, taking the twenty-four heroes in the Lingyan Pavilion as an example, I'm afraid few would have had a good end."
So it wasn't that Emperor Gaozu Li Yuan didn't want to issue the imperial edict; it was simply impossible. If you didn't follow the imperial edict, at least you'd have a place to live in your old age, which would be a good thing. But if the imperial edict were to be passed on, you wouldn't even have the chance to eat your next meal. Someone could just kill you, and Li Shimin would kill that person, and then the whole world would know about it. Although Li Shimin's actions were excessive, who would care about your family's petty affairs as long as the people could have enough to eat?
The current situation is the same. Although Li Shimin still holds a certain degree of political power, the armies across the world are basically within the mobilization range of Li Xiang. If Li Shimin wants to change his heir, the division of the Tang Dynasty will probably begin.
When Li Shimin was young, he had many followers around him, but can they still follow you now? Forget about the others, take Qin Qiong and Cheng Yaojin for example. At the most critical moment, these two fought many battles for Li Shimin. But now their children are tied to Li Xiang, just like you did back then. Even if Li Shimin issued an imperial decree, could these two still take up arms and attack Li Xiang?
Moreover, warfare today is no longer what it used to be. Do you still think you can conquer the world simply by relying on valor? The cavalry of the Arab Empire was undoubtedly brave, as were the cavalry of the Turks and Xueyantuo. Including the Fusang warriors, they were all willing to sacrifice their lives for their country. So why did they all end up as prisoners?
It is because of the emergence of artillery and muskets that the armies of these countries have become useless. You are indeed very powerful, you are also able to have a spirit of sacrifice, and you are also fearless on the battlefield.
But your ideas are outdated. When they become outdated, you still continue to delve into the wrong path. Even if you drill a hole in the sky, I'm afraid you will not be able to adapt to the new situation. This is why Li Xiang's army was able to win. Now even ordinary students can see it. Li Shimin was a hero all his life, how could he not see it?
So the reason why I called all my children and grandchildren back now is not because of fighting for position, but purely because I am old and miss them. Although it is said that there is no family affection in the royal family, people will miss their children and grandchildren more and more when they get old. I want to take advantage of my birthday to let these children and grandchildren come to Chang'an City to play, so that they don't stay in other places and lower my horizons.
In fact, Li Shimin also felt a little regretful. If he had known the result would be like this, he would not have established this rule. It would have been possible for the foreign kings to be stationed in the capital. Unfortunately, he was afraid that these foreign kings would collude with ministers, so after the princes came of age, they were immediately sent to other places. Now it is not so easy for him to see his children and grandchildren, and it may even arouse other people's thoughts.
Niu Jinda and Li Chengyi were still a little worried. There was even a hint of murderous intent in their voices. If someone posed a threat to Li Xiang, they would nip the threat in the bud even at the cost of their lives. After all, we only have one life. If we really die to keep His Highness's position, how could His Highness treat our descendants badly in the future?
After listening to Li Xiang's analysis, the two men finally understood. When it comes to fighting on the battlefield, although they cannot be said to be the bravest, they are also very powerful on the battlefield. But when it comes to some political matters, the two can only smile at each other.
Our heads are really not suitable for serving in the court. Fortunately, we followed the right person at the beginning. If we had followed the wrong person, our heads might have fallen off by now. Of course, this is not a problem. People lose their heads in the court every day, but if you don’t even know why your head fell off, then you will have a miserable life.
"But we still need to pay attention to them. Take the King of Shu's second son for example. He seemed very well-behaved before, but I didn't expect him to secretly forge armor. This shows that he still has troubles in his heart. After these people come to Chang'an City, we still need to pay more attention to them."
Li Chengyi frowned and said, since you also think that Huang Zilong's grandson are not easy to deal with, then after these people come to Chang'an City, we should keep a close eye on them. If these people have other ideas, don't blame us for being rude to them. We should not have the intention to harm others, but we must be on guard against others.
