Datang all-rounder

Chapter 23

The two drank for a long time, and the food and drinks had gone down by more than half. Wang Ke knew that it was time to get to the point.

So he put down the wine in his hand, and said to Li Ke seriously: "Your Highness, the emperor will make you king soon, I want to know what you think. Only you and brother Cheng can get closer. You and I are more intimate, and we have never hidden anything from each other on weekdays. I hope His Highness can tell the truth today. Ke can carefully weigh the gains and losses for His Highness. "

Seeing that Wang Ke had brought up the topic, Li Ke also said with a solemn face: "Brother Wang knows it in his heart, so you can just raise any questions, Brother Wang, Ke knows that Brother Wang is thinking for Ke's sake, and Ke will never hide anything. "

Wang Ke nodded and said: "Your Highness, I am not qualified to comment on royal affairs. If it were someone else, I would definitely stand on the sidelines and never ask a single word. However, Naike and His Highness feel like seeing each other late, Ke Dare to regard His Highness as Ke's friend. For his friend Ke, he is willing to do anything wrong. I hope His Highness will not tell a third person what happened today, otherwise it will definitely bring death to my royal family. After all, it is a felony to form a party with a prince. In addition, His Royal Highness, who is from my royal family, should know a thing or two."

Hearing this, Li Ke smiled wryly and said: "How can I not know about your royal family background, although I was born in the emperor's family, I am actually very similar to your family, this may be one of the reasons why you and I can get along. "

Wang Ke knew Li Ke's background clearly from history books.Li Ke, the third son of Tang Taizong Li Shimin, mother Yang, Li Shimin's concubine, the former (Sui) princess.It is precisely for this reason that Li Shimin loves and hates his son who is capable, knowledgeable, generous and yet strict, and who is most like his own son.

Needless to say love, my son is very capable, and he is as carved out of the same mold as himself in every aspect. No other prince can compare with him. No one will dislike such a son. .But precisely because Li Ke has the blood of the former emperor, Li Shimin is really afraid that after a hundred years, his son with extraordinary ability will change the dynasty after he inherits the Datong, and change the country he has worked so hard to return to the Sui Dynasty.

He himself was the country he had snatched from his brother, and this shadow has been with him all his life.If it was true that the Tang Dynasty was transformed back into the Sui Dynasty in the hands of his son, how could he have the face to meet his ancestors?

Wang Ke habitually took out a cigarette from his pocket to light it, and then said to Li Ke: "Your Highness, to be honest, what do you think about Datang Jiangshan? If the emperor proclaims you king, you have to leave the capital. Are you really willing to leave your fief?"

Seeing that Wang Ke asked this question directly without any pretense, Li Ke replied solemnly: "Although my grandfather is the emperor of the Sui Dynasty, and my concubine is the princess of the Sui Dynasty, I am the prince of the Tang Dynasty. Absolutely needless to say, although I don't care about the talents of my royal brother, the crown prince, but my father has appointed him as the crown prince, so I have no intention of spying on him. I know my shortcomings, and I know my father's weakness. I just want to live freely, go out for fun, drink, and play with my friends. I have no intention of fighting for power, and I don’t have that kind of intention. In fact, I should have been crowned king a long time ago, but Because something happened to me before I became the king, my father only made me the king of a county in a fit of anger, and I was able to stay in the capital until now. Now that I want to become the king again, it seems that I can't escape. "

Hearing Li Ke's words, Wang Ke also understood his mood at this time, and the truth of history rushed out of his mouth involuntarily: "Your brother, the prince, will not grow up, and he will be deposed sooner or later. The emperor will make Li Zhi the crown prince." At this point, Wang Ke suddenly realized that such a thing cannot be said.

Sure enough, Li Ke asked strangely: "Brother Wang, why did you say that? How did you know that? How is this possible?"

Wang Ke had already spoken, and had to find a basis for what he said to each other, so he said slowly: "The relationship between His Royal Highness and the court ministers is not harmonious. There are quite a few ministers, and you should know about this. With your brother's character, something will happen if this goes on like this. At that time, once your father can't bear it, it's hard to say whether he can keep his position as the crown prince. .”

When Li Ke heard what Wang Ke said, he also felt that it made sense, and he couldn't help asking: "Then why did Zhi become the prince? Aren't there so many elder brothers above Zhi?"

Wang Ke also knew that this question was very acute, so he had to use his historical knowledge and his own deceptive skills to say: "Let's take a look, the queen has three men and one woman in symbiosis so far, and they are Prince Chengqian and Fourth Highness. Taihe Zhi is only two years old now; his daughter is Princess Lizhi of Changle. The princess doesn’t need to think about it, she has no chance of being the crown prince, so once the prince is abolished, the most hopeful one is between Tai and Zhi. The prince is still deep, and he is more ruthless in doing things, but his talent is not stronger than the prince. I think the emperor must know this, and he will not make him the prince; Being raised by the empress herself, the talent of the empress is well known in the world. Under the guidance of the empress, who can predict what kind of person Zhi will grow up in the future. In addition, the grandson Wuji is an important minister in the court now, it is impossible for him not to Help his own nephew. So I dare to conclude that if the prince is deposed, the emperor will definitely make him the new prince."

Li Ke nodded thoughtfully and said: "Your analysis is very reasonable, but I don't want to worry about these things now, I just want to how can I not leave Chang'an. Brother Wang, you have to help me find a way."

Wang Ke shook his head, sighed and said: "There is no way, you have to leave sooner or later, it's just a matter of when. I can only help you a little now, but in the end you have to make up your own mind."

When Li Ke heard Wang Ke say this, he knew that there was not much hope. He couldn't help feeling a little melancholy, but Wang Ke's last words still gave him a glimmer of hope. He knew that even if there was a glimmer of hope, he couldn't give up. Even if it was a little longer, it would be a good thing. , so he urged Wang Ke to speak out his intentions quickly.

Wang Ke looked at Li Ke for a long time, and asked unwillingly: "Don't you really want to sit in that seat?"

Li Ke knew what Wang Ke meant, and said with a sad smile: "Being a prince, who can not be tempted by that position? But there are some things that you and I cannot control. My greatest hope now is to live in peace." Go down, don't cause trouble for my mother and concubine, and make her old man sad."

Wang Ke knew Li Ke's end, but couldn't say it out, so he smiled wryly and said, "Forget it, let's take one step at a time. Let's just talk about the present, and I'll make a temporary decision on what will happen in the future."

As he spoke, he picked up the wine, took a deep breath and continued: "What you have to do now is to find a way to pretend to be sick in the past few days, the more serious the better, but it can't be unconsciousness or something. Let’s just say it’s a headache, and the imperial doctor can’t detect it. Normally, you can be sensual, and the louder the better, even if you let your father know, he will only think that you have a bad temper after getting sick. It has changed. You come up from time to time and your head hurts again, and the pain makes people feel like you are going to die, so your father will not blame you. See if this can delay the past. If it is true If you want to leave, as long as the emperor says you want to leave in Nian, you don’t have to do anything and leave immediately, and you will stay in the fief for a few months and then ask to come back to recuperate, I think your father will not refuse."

Wang Ke changed his tone and continued: "Also, you must have a good relationship with the ladies and princesses in the palace during the time you haven't left. If they can come out to help you talk when your father wants you to leave , then you will have a little more hope left. All I can think of now is this, and His Highness has to decide whether to do it or not. That's all Ke said, and it will be up to His Highness in the future."

After thinking for a long time, Li Ke looked up at Wang Ke and said, "What Brother Wang said is absolutely true, and Ke will definitely act according to what Brother Wang said. However, Ke is unclear about one thing, and I hope Brother Wang can clarify my doubts for me."

Wang Ke said: "Your Highness, please speak, Ke knows everything today, and says everything."

Li Ke thought about it slowly and said: "Brother Wang asked me to have a good relationship with the ladies and princesses in the palace. Ke deeply agrees. What about my brothers, why don't I use them?"

"You must not." Wang Ke hurriedly stopped: "How do you get along with them on weekdays, Your Highness, and how do you get along with them now? Not good. So you must not do such a thing.”

Li Ke stood up, bowed deeply to Wang Ke and said: "Brother Wang is worthy of being my good brother and friend. He thought so thoroughly about my affairs today. I don't want to thank Ke for your kindness. I feel that I am worthy of it, and I will do my best, and I will never refuse."

Seeing Li Ke like this, Wang Ke didn't dare to sit still. He quickly stood up, took Li Ke's hand and said, "Your Highness's words are serious, Ke can't bear it."

The two shook hands and smiled at each other.

(End of this chapter)