Thousand-year-old family: its rise began with Shang Yang’s reforms

Chapter 472: Father and Son Fight
The struggle between Li Yuan and Yu Wenzhi was not unexpected. After all, the Central Plains could only accommodate one "force".

But many people were surprised that Li Yuan was able to win the battle with "Dugu Jian".

After all, neither Li Yuan nor his "successor" Li Jiancheng could be considered a true "heroic ruler". Both of them lacked some of the factors that make up a true "heroic ruler".

But...things are just so strange.

Li Yuan won the battle with Dugu Jian. In the battle between uncle and nephew, the one who won in the end was the nephew Li Yuan.

When people were speculating on the reasons behind this, they also thought of another factor.

That is "Li Shimin" who seems to have nothing to do with "Li Yuan".

Yes.

In a struggle between two forces, or between two people, the decisive factor for victory is most of the time not the two people, but some other factors.

For example, there is "Li Shimin" other than Li Yuan, and there is "Dugu Zhi" other than Dugu Jian.

This involves another issue, which is the traditional moral concept of "filial piety" in China.

If Li Yuan was defeated, or died at the hands of Dugu Jian, would Li Shimin avenge Li Yuan and Li Jiancheng?
Most think so.

Even Dugu Jian thought so.

The reason is very simple, there is only one reason: "He is his biological father after all."

So at this time, we have to consider the factor of Li Shimin. Is Li Shimin powerful? Is he capable of avenging Li Yuan? The answer is that he is powerful and has the ability to do so.

In fact, the two major separatist forces in the north were also at war during the struggle between Dugu Jian and Li Yuan.

And the results are clear.

Li Shimin won the final "victory". He killed Zhongsun Xie and finally returned to his "Liaozhou". At this time, he was still the official position conferred by the Sui Dynasty: "Liaozhou governor, commander-in-chief, demotion envoy, and concurrently in charge of all military and political affairs of Liaozhou. In case of emergency, he can act according to his own discretion."

Yu Wenzhi's "dynasty" has not yet been recognized by everyone, so in fact Yu Wenzhi is not considered the orthodox dynasty of the Central Plains - most importantly, the Chen family did not even accept his title, not even tacitly agreeing.

And Yu Wenzhi did not have the courage to confer a title on the Chen family for the time being - after all, he had not even completed the unification.

Therefore, the "title" and "appointment" of Li Shimin still had a nominal effect. In addition, he did in fact rule the entire northern Liaozhou and Youzhou, so his legitimacy was actually stronger than that of Yu Wenzhi and others.

Looking around the world, who can be more orthodox than him?
Is it Yu Wenzhi, who was born as a traitor? Or is it Li Yuan, who was under the banner of revenge but only had the title of Taiyuan prefect? ​​Or is it Wang Shichong and Shen Faxing, who were also born as rebels like Yu Wenzhi but did not even hold a position?
These two people are not as good as Li Yuan, because Li Yuan at least has the blood of Dugu, so he is qualified to avenge Yang Guang, and he is also a legitimate frontier official.

Therefore, when Li Shimin won the battle for the north, Dugu Jian quickly gave up the idea of ​​competing for hegemony and prepared to help Li Yuan just like his father helped Yang Jian.

There's nothing shameful about that, right?

The uncle is just helping his nephew. What's shameful about that? We are all family after all.

As for why Dugu Jian didn’t rely on Dugu Zhi?
Dugu Zhidu has clearly followed Li Shimin, so how can we rely on such a person?

辽州
Li Shimin was sitting in the county governor's mansion, which originally belonged to him, but he was forced to leave before.

Zhongsun Xie, Lu Weihong and the other two knelt before him with strong unwillingness on their faces. They had never expected that Li Shimin, who had been driven out, would come back again in just over a month, and with such thundering means!

Zhongsun Xie looked at the face that looked much younger than himself and sighed deeply.

"I never thought that Zhongsun, who had been so successful throughout his life, would end up being defeated by a young boy like you. It's really sad and lamentable!"

Li Shimin at this time is not yet thirty years old. In the eyes of Zhongsun Xie, who is nearly sixty years old, he is naturally considered a child in his twenties.

Li Shimin didn't care about what Zhongsun Xie said. He just looked at him and said, "General Zhongsun, you are captured by me today. Do you have anything to say?"

In fact, Li Shimin thought about how to deal with Zhongsun Xie for a long time.

He wanted to subdue Zhongsun Xie, but he also knew in his heart that the ambition that Zhongsun Xie had developed after witnessing the fall of imperial power on that bloody night could not be quenched by the desire to live.

So Li Shimin simply let Zhongsun Xie make his own choice.

He looked Zhongsun Xie straight in the eyes and said, "If General Zhongsun is willing to serve under me, I can spare your life."

Zhongsun Xie shook his head and slowly stood up. When the soldiers around him wanted to hold him down, Li Shimin waved his hand and asked the soldiers to retreat.

"I will not surrender."

He smiled, and all the resentment on his face disappeared, and his eyes were full of "admiration" when he looked at Li Shimin.

If he captured Li Shimin, he would never choose to subdue Li Shimin, because he knew that he could not suppress Li Shimin - but Li Shimin was able to let him go. Did Li Shimin believe that he would not rebel again?

Zhongsun Xie didn't believe it.

He saw "indifference" in Li Shimin's eyes

Yes.

It means "don't care".

Li Shimin didn't care whether he would rebel again, because Li Shimin had strong enough confidence. Li Shimin believed that his power could suppress everything. He also believed that even if he rebelled, those soldiers would not follow his footsteps.

Zhongsun Xie looked at Li Shimin and saw "ambition" in Li Shimin's eyes. He also saw the "thing" that he lacked in this ambition, that is, extreme self-confidence and pride!

If you want to become an emperor, how can you not be confident, arrogant, and domineering?
Only a natural overlord with a sense of "I am the only one" in his heart can win in the end and have the last laugh in such troubled times!
Only such a self-centered person can become the founding monarch in troubled times!
Become a true founding monarch!
Zhongsun Xie looked at Li Shimin and said, "I see in your eyes the invincible tyranny and pride. I believe you will be the final winner in this chaotic world."

"It's not because you have Chen by your side, but because of yourself!"

"I am convinced."

He closed his eyes, but his mind was filled with everything that happened when he was looking for Chen's "Marquis of Lin'an".

Lin'an Hou did not have any "arrogant" emotions, he just asked himself a few questions.

Then he rejected himself.

Zhongsun Xie has always been disdainful of Li Shimin's success. In his opinion, Li Shimin's success was only due to the "Chen family". Whoever the Chen family supports can become the next "Li Shimin".

But now it seems that it is not because whoever the Chen family supports will become the next "Li Shimin", but because "Li Shimin" is Li Shimin, so Chen Lin'an of the Chen family will choose Li Shimin without hesitation!
Chen’s choice has never been the most important!
When you are strong enough and good enough, Chen will naturally choose you!
Li Shimin looked at Zhongsun Xie's appearance and didn't know what to say for a moment, but he also understood Zhongsun Xie's choice.

He waved his hand and ordered the soldiers to take Zhongsun Xie away.

Only Changsun Wuji, Cheng Yaojin, Qin Qiong, and three people, Fang Xuanling, Du Ruhui and Wei Zheng, who came from Kyoto to join Li Shimin, were left in the county magistrate's mansion.

These people were considered Li Shimin's team. They were both civil and military, and very suitable.

Li Shimin pressed his forehead, then opened his eyes and looked at everyone: "Now, I have occupied most of the north, what should I do next?"

There was a look of contemplation on his face: "Should we take over the Central Plains at this time?"

Several people looked at each other, all hesitant, not knowing what to say.

The reason for their hesitation is simple.
At this time, the person who is preparing to fight for hegemony in the Central Plains and occupy the Central Plains is really too delicate.

李渊
Li Shimin's father.

Only Cheng Yaojin stood up and said, "What's the matter? Why don't you say anything?"

"According to me, Old Cheng, although we have occupied the north, this cannot be regarded as the beginning of our hegemony. The world is in chaos now, but the Central Plains is a place that must be fought for by military strategists."

"Let's take advantage of the fact that the Central Plains hasn't decided the winner yet and kill all those people!"

"Willn't we be able to occupy the entire Central Plains after that?"

"Then there will be an orthodoxy."

Everyone who had been silent was amused by Cheng Yaojin. Fang Xuanling looked at Cheng Yaojin and said with a smile: "Oh, it's rare. Old Cheng, you also know the legitimacy of occupying the Central Plains?"

Cheng Yaojin scratched his head in confusion: "Isn't this what you scholars say every day? Naturally, I also listened to some of it."

He turned his head and looked at Li Shimin: "My Lord, what do you think?"

"Should we move or not?"

To move or not to move?
Listening to Cheng Yaojin's words, Qin Qiong subconsciously wanted to stop Cheng Yaojin and tell him the reason why these people were silent, but he was pulled back by Changsun Wuji beside him.

Qin Qiong was confused, but he saw Zhangsun Wuji gave him a look.

When Qin Qiong looked at that look in confusion, he caught a glimpse of the cunning that flashed across Cheng Yaojin's eyes, and he instantly understood something in his heart.

Too
Although Cheng Yaojin is a bit careless, he is not a fool.

He pretended to be confused and innocent, and was also testing Li Shimin's attitude towards the matter - after all, it was not easy for this group of people to talk about this matter directly, and only Cheng Yaojin, who was recognized to be innocent, careless, confused and simple, could ask directly.

It seems to be asking "Move or not", but in fact it is asking "What do you think about your father? Give me an accurate attitude!".

The hall fell into silence again.

Cheng Yaojin was still urging: "My Lord, just tell me what you are going to do. We are all waiting here."

Li Shimin sat there, glanced at the people in the hall, and sneered: "You guys are full of ulterior motives. You dare not ask, so you instigate Yaojin to ask."

He stood up and walked slowly in the hall with his hands behind his back.

"Move or not?"

"Aren't you just asking me whether I dare to compete with my father for the world, and whether I dare to bear the stigma of being unfilial?"

Li Shimin's footsteps were unsteady, but at a certain moment they stopped completely.

He turned around, looked at Changsun Wuji and the others and said, "My answer is also very simple!"

“It is said that a father is kind and a son is filial. If the father is not kind, how can the son be filial?”

"Pass on my military order, get ready and march south to the Central Plains!"

At this time, Li Shimin had completely dispelled the "entanglement" and "hesitation" in his heart.

He still remembers everything Li Yuan did back then.

What's more, after he really unified the country and established a kingdom, the worst that could happen was that he would invite Li Yuan to be a nominal mascot "Grand Emperor", just like Emperor Gaozu of Han, Liu Bang.

Everyone knows that Liu Bang was the founding emperor, but Liu Bang still conferred the title of "Taizu" on Liu Weng and "Gaozu" on himself.

What is "Taizu"? Taizu is the founder of a country.

But isn't Liu Bang, whose temple name is "Gaozu", the founder of the Han Dynasty? How many people in the world know that Liu Bang, the retired emperor, still has the final say in all matters?

Several people in the audience received accurate orders, and there was a flash of surprise and excitement in their eyes.

This way, they felt relieved.

After all, no one wants the "emperor" they follow to inexplicably become the "emperor candidate".

If at that time they worked so hard to conquer the world and finally let "Li Yuan" become the emperor, they would probably be vomiting to death.

Although they are most likely "founding heroes", the title of being a loyal minister is the most important!
"I'll wait for the order!"

Just at this moment, footsteps were heard outside the hall.

The footsteps were firm and powerful, and were accompanied by a cheerful and youthful voice.

"Hahahaha, Erlang is going south to compete, why not ask me to come along?"

"Do you look down on me, Chen Qilang?"

Everyone turned around and saw Chen Linan standing there in military uniform. The traces of dust on his body had not yet disappeared. It was obvious that he had ridden overtime on a fast horse from Youzhou!
A smile suddenly appeared on Li Shimin's lips.

He walked down the steps, then took two steps at a time and walked up to Chen Linan and hugged Chen Linan.

"Hahahahahahaha, with Qilang's help, there's no need to worry about not accomplishing great things."

The third year of Changde, autumn.

The autumn wind is as sharp as a knife.

Just when Li Yuan and Yu Wenzhi were preparing to fight for hegemony over the Central Plains, a piece of news came from the north, instantly cooling everyone's enthusiasm.

"Duke Tiance" Li Shimin and "Duke Lin'an" Chen Lin'an led their troops southward, aiming their swords at the Central Plains!
Tang Guogong Mansion
Li Yuan looked gloomy: "Rebellious son!"

"How dare you do that?!"

(End of this chapter)