Volume Three: Turmoil at the Black Tortoise Gate — Chapter One Hundred and Ten: The Crown Prince Makes His Move

Since leaving the Prince of Qi’s residence, Li Shimin had been wearing a dark, brooding expression, remaining silent as if lost in deep thought. Yuchi Gong, ever honest and taciturn by nature, was equally uncommunicative, leaving the air heavy and oppressive.

Seeing the stifling atmosphere, Mingyu sought to break the tension. "Second Uncle, are you still dwelling on what happened? I never imagined the Crown Prince would be the one to step in and resolve the situation."

Li Shimin let out a cold laugh. "Do you think the Crown Prince acted out of kindness? In this entire world, he is the one who prays for my death the most!"

Mingyu was taken aback. "Then why intervene? Wouldn't it have been better for him to let Li Yuanji kill us and then reap the rewards of the chaos?"

"Hmph! My eldest brother always thinks three steps ahead; he is a man of endless caution. He is merely wary of the influence I hold and the prestige I command within the military. As it stands, the Crown Prince and I are like fire and water. If I were to die inexplicably in the Prince of Qi’s residence, would the many generals I have personally promoted and won over simply let it go? There would undoubtedly be chaos, the court would be shaken, and the empire would be unstable—that is precisely what the Crown Prince does not want to see!"

Mingyu understood. Li Jiancheng had not acted out of benevolence; he was merely protecting his own grand ambitions, ensuring a stable transition of power by begrudgingly allowing Li Shimin to live a little longer.

"Regardless," Mingyu reasoned, "we escaped today. They say that surviving a great disaster brings future blessings. Besides, now that we know the Crown Prince’s intentions—that he isn't ready to move against you just yet—that is a good thing."

Li Shimin shook his head. "I fear it is more a case of 'misfortunes never come singly.' You shall see: after today, the Crown Prince will realize that the fourth brother is not as obedient as he thought. He will abandon the plan of using Li Yuanji to slowly erode my influence. He will take the reins himself and accelerate his pace. If he doesn't strike, so be it; but when he does, it will be a thunderous blow." He let out a long, weary sigh.

Mingyu, however, remained unfazed. He knew the trajectory of history. No matter how formidable Li Jiancheng was, or how arrogant Li Yuanji, they were destined to be defeated by Li Shimin.

Let them struggle. The more fiercely they acted now, the more devastating Li Shimin’s counterattack would be. He patted his Hongming blade and chuckled. "Second Uncle, why worry? Political power grows out of the barrel of a gun! In the end, it all comes down to the blade in one's hand. As long as you maintain a firm grip on the military, you are invincible. With the Sixteen Guards under your command, what is there to fear?"

Li Shimin offered a bitter smile. "Though I hold the title of Supreme Commander of the Imperial Armed Forces, granting me control over the military, I cannot move a single soldier without the other half of the tally, which remains in the Emperor's hands. Furthermore, more than half of the generals in the Sixteen Guards remain neutral and refuse to participate in our struggle. As for the remaining commanders, most have been courted and infiltrated by the Crown Prince and the great aristocratic clans over the years. Even if they aren't his men, they are bound to him by deep ties."

*Damn!* Mingyu was truly shocked. Back at Hulao Pass, he had seen Li Shimin’s imposing "Supreme Commander" banners. He had assumed that Li Shimin was still the invincible commander who could move armies with a single word. He hadn't realized that this title was largely ceremonial in peacetime—no better than a modern Commander-in-Chief who lacked the authority to deploy troops without the central government’s command.

After the explanation, a grim problem occurred to Mingyu: if Li Shimin had the title but no troops, and no advantage at court, how could he possibly pull off the Incident at Xuanwu Gate? How could he slaughter his way to victory and seize the throne? Were the few hundred men of the Black Armor Cavalry enough? Li Jiancheng’s Prince’s Six Battalions alone numbered three thousand, not to mention Li Yuanji’s men and the factions within the Sixteen Guards. That was an army of nearly ten thousand, all seasoned veterans of the early Tang wars—not the ragtag mob of Dou Jiande’s forces.

The Black Armor Cavalry might be elite, but even with odds of one against ten, they would be wiped out before they could achieve anything.

*Good grief!* Second Uncle’s Xuanwu Gate Incident was literally a "Hell" difficulty quest! Was it possible that by transmigrating here, he had altered the course of history? Was the outcome of the incident fated to change because of his arrival? Mingyu sighed, falling silent.

Upon returning to the Prince of Qin’s mansion, they found the children, who had been brought back by the guards. Empress Zhangsun had already been informed of their background, and seeing their ragged, wretched state, her heart ached. She ordered the servants to wash them, clothe them in clean garments, and prepare food.

The children, starved for so long, had eyes that glowed with hunger at the scent of food. Fearing they might hurt themselves by eating too much too quickly, the Empress ordered hot porridge to warm their stomachs first. Watching these children, she couldn't help but weep, cursing the cruelty of the Evil Tiger Gang.

When she saw Mingyu, she wiped her eyes. "Second Brother, these villains are heartless! They truly deserve to die!"

Li Shimin pointed at Mingyu. "No need for me to intervene. This boy already slaughtered them all and burned their bodies to ashes!"

The Empress was stunned. "Killed them all? Mingyu is but a child!"

Mingyu, fearing a lecture, hurriedly explained, "The situation was urgent! Those beasts were not human; killing them was a mercy!" He recounted the gang’s crimes in detail.

Though the Empress was a devout Buddhist, she was not blindly naive. Her expression turned cold, and she gritted her teeth. "Well killed! It brings justice to the people. Killing the wicked is a virtuous act! It is rare that you can speak with such wisdom."

Li Shimin asked, "What do you intend to do with these children? Send them to the orphanage?"

Mingyu shook his head and expressed his concerns, asking if they could stay in the mansion. Seeing their gaunt, skeletal figures, Li Shimin sighed. "The fourth brother is truly wicked. Very well, let them stay. Our mansion can afford to feed a few dozen more."

The Empress was surprised to hear Li Yuanji’s name mentioned, and after Li Shimin explained the day's events, she immediately grasped the severity of the situation. The Crown Prince was about to strike personally.

As the lady of the house, her duty was to ensure the household ran smoothly so Li Shimin could focus on the political struggle. She immediately left to attend to her duties.

Li Shimin went to consult his strategists, and Mingyu, exhausted from two days without sleep, left the children in the care of the head steward and retreated to his room.

He slept until midday the following day. After a stretch and a workout that left his joints popping, he felt invigorated. He found Li Shimin eating lunch in the main hall.

"Second Uncle, did you pull an all-nighter?" Mingyu asked with concern.

Li Shimin nodded, his fatigue evident. "I spent the night with Xuanling and the others, then headed straight to court. I’ve only just returned."

"Was a strategy decided?"

Li Shimin sighed. "Before we could reach one, the Crown Prince struck. Today at court, the Censor Tang Lin impeached the administration of the Henan and Hebei regions, claiming that banditry was rampant and officials were incompetent. He requested that an esteemed prince be dispatched to pacify the region."

"And they want you to go?"

"Essentially," Li Shimin replied. "The Crown Prince's faction insisted on it, arguing that since those areas were the former territories of Dou Jiande and Wang Shichong, only I have the authority to intimidate the rebels."

Mingyu realized this was a blatant attempt to exile Li Shimin from the capital. "What did the Emperor say?"

Li Shimin slammed the table. "He neither agreed nor refused, saying he would consider it. But I fear I cannot avoid this. To leave the capital at such a critical moment—what will remain when I return? It is maddening!"

"Second Uncle," Mingyu suggested, "perhaps this isn't a bad thing."

"Oh? How so?"

Mingyu gathered his thoughts. "Since the Crown Prince has made his move, why must we meet it head-on? Guanzhong is his stronghold, backed by the great clans. But the Tang is not just Guanzhong. Henan, Hebei, Shanxi, Shandong—aren't these part of the Tang as well? The Crown Prince hasn't covered the sky with one hand yet."

Mingyu spoke with growing fervor. "Henan and Hebei were territories we conquered ourselves. The officials there were appointed by you; they bear your mark. Why care about losing a single city or territory? Look at the big picture! Use a grassroots strategy. Surround the cities from the countryside. Once the local officials support you and petition in your favor, even the Emperor will have to weigh the consequences!"

Li Shimin’s eyes lit up. He abandoned his meal, grabbed Mingyu’s hand, and headed toward his study. "Come! We go to my study. Call Xuanling and Keming—you must explain this in detail!"