Like Father, Like Son

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"The Turks have sent a messenger; they wish to surrender. A month ago, Tuli was captured after failing in battle against the Xueyantuo. After being ransomed back, he was imprisoned and whipped by Xieli. Now he has dispatched an envoy to request entry into the court."

Li Shimin was delighted. After more than a year, the Turkic realm had descended into chaos, and even Tuli, the king of the Eastern Turks, sought to defect. He believed the day of avenging their humiliation was drawing near.

"This is excellent news! What does Your Majesty intend to do?" Cai Cong immediately perked up, speaking with enthusiasm. Last year, that beast Tuli had slaughtered countless people, arrogant beyond measure. Even with Tang’s support, he wore a haughty expression when facing Tang envoys.

"Naturally, we shall accept him. The Xueyantuo and the Khitans have already submitted. Xieli even tried to trade Liang Shidu for the Khitans, but I refused. Ha ha ha... What is a mere Liang Shidu worth? If we hand over the Khitans, who in the world would dare surrender to the Great Tang in the future?"

Li Shimin laughed heartily. He would never be fooled by Xieli’s petty schemes and had rejected them outright.

"I also think we should accept him, but..." Cai Cong’s face briefly darkened; he clenched his fist and said, "But we should quietly let Xieli know that Tuli is defecting. Heh heh heh..."

Li Shimin slammed the table and stood up, exclaiming, "What a venomous plan! Brilliant, brilliant indeed. If Xieli hears of this, he surely will not let Tuli go easily. When they clash again, the Turks will inevitably suffer a fatal blow."

"They are the overlords of East and West. Should they fight among themselves, the Turks will be severely weakened. Tuli cannot defeat Xieli, so eventually, he will come to the Great Tang for aid. When that time comes, sending troops to deal with Xieli will be much easier."

Li Shimin and Cai Cong exchanged ideas, gradually perfecting a poisonous scheme against the Turks. Li Chengqian often wanted to speak but hesitated; he was learning, not participating, so he dared not voice his thoughts.

Li Shimin poured his heart and soul into his son. Noticing Li Chengqian’s expression, he turned to him after speaking with Cai Cong and said, "The Crown Prince seems to have something to say. Speak freely."

One was his father; the other, his close friend. Li Chengqian truly did not want to oppose them, but his thoughts weighed heavily on his heart.

"I think this strategy, though clever, is excessively ruthless and harms the natural harmony!" At last, Li Chengqian revealed his true nature—not the ruthless and cunning man before them, but one filled with kindness and idealism.

Li Shimin’s face fell with disappointment. He had hoped his son would offer insight, yet instead, he saw such sentimental weakness.

"I congratulate Your Majesty, the Empress, and our Great Tang," Cai Cong exclaimed, rising and kneeling with fervor.

"What is there to rejoice about?" Li Shimin replied coldly.

"They say that conquering a kingdom is easier than maintaining it. Your Majesty has spent a lifetime bathing in blood and tears to establish this realm. Now, the Crown Prince’s compassion and reluctance to see war and cruelty make him a ruler fit to preserve the kingdom. This is a blessing for the Great Tang and its people. Is this not worthy of my congratulations?"

Cai Cong straightened his back, his face full of righteousness. Li Shimin said nothing, only smiling faintly. The historian suddenly understood and glanced happily at the Crown Prince, then took up his brush to write.

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The gist was that the emperor and the state minister were cruel-hearted, indifferent to the lives of neighboring peoples, unlike the compassionate Crown Prince. Witnessing the birth of such a poisonous scheme, the historian bitterly cried out his own indignation.

Yes, these were the historian’s personal thoughts. He already planned to embellish this episode later, should he be imprisoned by Li Shimin again, to portray the Crown Prince in a glorious light. Knowing such a venomous plot existed, Li Shimin would surely not allow him free rein.

After Cai Cong left, Li Shimin even dismissed the historian, leaving only father and son behind.

"Qian’er, just now Cai Cong praised you for your compassion and said you are a ruler fit to preserve the realm. Did that please you?" Li Shimin looked into his son’s eyes, eager to know what his successor truly thought.

Li Chengqian feared his father and instinctively tried to avoid his gaze. Li Shimin sternly commanded, "Do not look away. Look me in the eye."

"I... I am not pleased," Li Chengqian whispered.

A faint smile curved Li Shimin’s lips as he took his son’s hand. They sat side by side on the doorstep. Formality be damned, for it was just the two of them.

"Will you tell your father why you are unhappy? Being a ruler who preserves the realm is the wish of all. Everyone hopes to see this."

Li Shimin’s imperial aura vanished, replaced by the gentle tone of an ordinary father wanting to hear his son’s heart.

"I also want to be a great emperor like you. The Turks are truly finished this time, but there are still many countries around. I want to conquer them all, expand our Tang borders. When I have a son, I’ll let him be the one to preserve the realm," Li Chengqian said with longing. His father was a mountain blocking his path; only by surpassing him could he realize his own worth.

Li Shimin laughed heartily. A hero father and a brave son—though he did not expect all of this would come true, such ambition was essential.

"Ha ha ha, very well. Tell me which countries you want to conquer, and I’ll leave them for you to fight in the future."

"Tibet, Goguryeo, the thirty-six kingdoms of the Western Regions, and that powerful Rashidun Caliphate Cai Cong mentioned. Just those few! It’s unbearable to watch those petty states bully them," Li Chengqian said matter-of-factly. With each country he named, Li Shimin’s face darkened. Among the neighboring states of the Great Tang, only a few were formidable; his son wanted them all. Who would he fight then? Live in constant peace and revelry? If so, as a warrior emperor, what agony would that bring him?

"Ahem, son, what your father truly wishes is your safety. Fighting and killing disrupt the natural harmony. Leave such matters to your father," Li Shimin said.

"But Father, you just said otherwise."

"I was wrong."

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"A ruler must not make light promises!"

"Who said that?"

"Cai Cong!"

"He does not count. Never listen to him. Off you go to the Department of State Affairs. You’re not a child anymore, still clinging to your father—go, go, go."

Angered and ashamed, Li Chengqian was driven out by Li Shimin. Outside, he immediately saw Cai Cong grinning mischievously.

"Ahem, why are you still here?"

"The new army’s wages were cut by thirty percent by Minister Fang. I’m going to confront him. I figured you’d want to join me, so I waited here. Kicked out by your father, huh?"

"Not at all! I was just having a heart-to-heart with him. It was a wonderful conversation!" Li Chengqian boasted, unaware that no one would believe it.

"Heh heh, let’s go! I don’t understand why Minister Fang won’t agree to my reasonable request," Cai Cong said, rubbing his head as they walked. Li Chengqian glanced around and hurried to catch up. He dared not intervene like Cai Cong.

The Department of State Affairs was like a complex machine; everyone was endlessly busy. Cai Cong saw people clutching documents, rushing about. Even acquaintances merely nodded and hurried on, never stopping to chat.

Witnessing this, Cai Cong’s scalp tingled. If Minister Fang refused, wouldn’t it be exhausting?

After passing two corridors, they arrived at where the high officials worked. Nearly all the top figures were there.

The Department of State Affairs was a collective term for the Three Departments. By the mid to late Tang period, the Chancellery and Central Secretariat had grown powerful, dividing the government into three departments.

(End of chapter)