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The Nine Provinces Army arrived with great momentum but left without shedding blood. Du Xingmin captured Li You and paraded him around the city, imprisoning him in the East Wing of the royal palace. The Qizhou Rebellion was thus quelled, and Li Jue led his troops into the city, each attending to the people while submitting reports. He escorted Li You to Chang'an, where he executed over forty of his accomplices, hanging them on the City Wall for public display. The remaining individuals were not pursued, leading to the pacification of the Qizhou populace.
Li Jue brought the Xu Zhen and Du Xingmin, along with other meritorious officials, to pay their respects at court. The Sage showed no signs of sadness or joy; he had quelled the rebellion but lost a son in the process. Coupled with concerns regarding the crown prince, his worries remained unresolved, providing little comfort. However, to avoid disheartening his subjects further, he appointed Du Xingmin as the Governor of Lizhou and conferred upon him the title Duke of Wuan in Nanyang, rewarding others as well.
Li You's eccentric personality displeased the Sage, who still relied on his lineage, believing that the Sage would not dare to execute him. Li Shimin was troubled by matters concerning Tubo and could not tolerate Li You's arrogance. Thus, he was demoted to commoner status for his rebellion and sentenced to death within Tai Chi Palace due to having no sons, leading to the complete removal of his titles.
The Sage ultimately favored the crown prince and was deeply concerned yet felt powerless to act. Consequently, he dealt with a group of accomplices; Du He and others were all executed, their properties confiscated, and many of their relatives were exiled.
As for Hou Junji, the Sage remembered his long-standing contributions and personally visited him in prison for a farewell. However, he expressed reluctance to let a scribe humiliate him after years of service. Hou Junji reminisced about past times with deep regret and seized the opportunity to plead for his family's mercy; thus, the Sage granted clemency.
A few days later, Hou Junji was executed while his wife was pardoned and exiled to Lingnan. Zhang Liang and He Gan Chengji reported their contributions and were rewarded accordingly.
Duan Zan had not been deeply involved in the events and thus faced no repercussions. When his father fell gravely ill, the Sage inquired about him personally and considered bestowing a title upon Duan Zan. However, his father requested that the position be transferred to his uncle Duan Zhigan, likely due to foresight that prevented his son from becoming embroiled in power struggles.
After Duan Gong passed away, he was posthumously awarded the title General Who Guards The Nation and appointed Governor of Yangzhou with the posthumous name Zhuangsu. Duan Zan received rewards as well and distanced himself from Chang'an.
Even Helan Chushi received clemency for voluntarily exposing Hou Junji's crimes during interrogation. The rebellion case was thoroughly resolved; however, there remained no conclusion regarding the crown prince's situation.
The Sage confined him to a separate chamber and summoned officials such as Minister Changsun Wuji, Minister Fang Xuanling, Special Advisor Xiao Yu, Minister of War Li Jue, Central Secretariat Vice Minister Cen Wenben, and Chancellor of Justice Zhu Suiliang for consultation; yet no one dared to propose a course of action.
The evidence was clear-cut; according to law, punishment was warranted. The Sage understood this well. Although disappointed by the crown prince's actions, he could not disregard him entirely as he had invested significant effort into raising him as a qualified Crown Prince.
Ultimately unable to abandon his beloved son yet bound by self-discipline in enforcing laws—knowing that even emperors must abide by them—the Sage faced a dilemma.
Many ministers understood this father-son bond but harbored their own ambitions. Figures like Changsun Wuji had grand aspirations and sought to support Prince Li Zhi. Cen Wenben favored King Wei Li Tai and wished to erase any trace of the crown prince from the Sage's heart; thus they all fell silent out of fear.
The Xu Zhen vaguely recalled from Historical Records that an interpreter among county officials once stood up in court on behalf of the crown prince, providing a way out for the Sage and ultimately saving the crown prince's life.
After waiting for a long time, no one from the Historical Records among the County Officials stepped forward. After hesitating for a moment, one finally came forward and said, "I am of low rank and my words carry little weight, but there are thoughts in my heart that I must express..."
Li Shimin, seeing that many ministers were hesitant to speak and feeling disappointed, was suddenly pleased to see Xu Zhen step forward. He suppressed his joy and casually said, " Mr. Xu may speak freely."
Only then did Xu Zhen straighten up and report, "Your Majesty, as long as you do not fail in your role as a loving father and live to a ripe old age, that is already good enough. The mistakes of the Crown Prince are not solely his fault; they are also a result of the oppressive educational system. Although I am a military general, I believe the court should prioritize education and pay more attention to the academies to prevent a repeat of the Crown Prince's situation..."
Xu Zhen aimed to give Sage an opportunity to save face, which was not necessarily a bad thing. However, her last statement was problematic; while she defended the Crown Prince, she shifted the blame onto education. As a result, many Civil Officials could not tolerate this and regarded Xu Zhen as an ignorant fool, thus creating numerous enemies for her.
However, Sage felt reassured by her words and largely agreed with Xu Zhen's sentiments. Li Gang and Yuzhining hurriedly stepped forward to admit their faults. Sage naturally would not hold them accountable but instead urged the Civil Officials to propose policies to support institutions like the National Academy to ensure that education of the people was not neglected.
The officials understood that Sage and Xu Zhen were acting in concert; after a brief period of panic, they settled down. Consequently, Tubo was demoted to commoner status and exiled to Qianzhou, ultimately preserving his life.
Changsun Wuji saw an opportunity and took the chance to propose that Prince Li Zhi had considerable talent and could manage civil affairs well. He hoped that Sovereign would nurture him.
Just as the matter of Tubo was concluded, Changsun Wuji hurriedly supported Prince Li Zhi. Others sensed that after the Crown Prince's demotion, discussions about establishing a new heir needed to be prioritized. Changsun Wuji disregarded Sage's intentions and began seizing this critical moment.
At this time, Prince Jin was only twenty years old and still immature. Changsun Wuji wielded power and was also Prince Jin's uncle; his motives were inevitably suspect.
Cen Wenben, Zhu Suiliang, and other upright officials believed that King Wei was highly talented and well-educated, favored by many princes, making him Sage's favorite candidate for heir.
They countered Changsun Wuji by stating that King Wei had been studious since childhood and was wise. Sovereign had previously favored Li Chengqian for his literary talents and had specially established a literary academy at his residence where he personally invited scholars. King Wei had even authored numerous works; as early as the twelfth year of Zhenguan, he opened an academy to recruit talented individuals, spending three years compiling the monumental work "Comprehensive Geography."
This work was an extensive treatise on geography, culture, and customs consisting of over five hundred volumes. It documented the geography and customs of the Zhenguan Era, territorial divisions, county establishments, drawing from various classic texts and local histories while detailing mountains, products, ancient sites, customs, notable figures' anecdotes from various regions. It took three years to complete and was presented to Sage, who was greatly pleased.
Sage ordered it to be stored in the palace's secret archives. The rewards given to King Wei Li Tai even surpassed those given to Crown Prince Li Chengqian, leading to much controversy and necessitating an increase in the Crown Prince's treatment as a way of indirectly favoring Li Chengqian.
If we talk about the princes and their martial prowess, King Wu Li Ke and the current Sage are the most similar. However, when it comes to favoritism, there is no doubt that King Wei Li Tai deserves the top spot.
Among the many ministers, there are also numerous supporters of Li Chengqian, including Chai Shao's son, Duke of the Right Guard Chai Lingwu, and Fang Yi'ai, who openly support King Wei Li Tai.
When Cen Wenben and Zhu Suiliang presented their case, they all rallied behind Li Chengqian. Changsun Wuji's side was equally unyielding, leading to a heated dispute that left the Sage feeling despondent.
Initially, he wanted to preserve Tubo, but aside from Xu Zhenzhi, no one stepped forward; everyone was focused on self-preservation. Now, however, they have begun to argue for their respective candidates. In comparison, Li Shimin felt increasingly disheartened.
Looking down at the grand court, many ministers acted like clowns. Only Xu Zhen remained composed and unyielding; she was willing to stand against all officials to protect Tubo for the Sage. Despite her humble origins, she could genuinely consider Li Shimin's interests and alleviate his worries.
Li Shimin couldn't help but sigh. Was this really the court he had envisioned?
With this thought in mind, he lost interest in further discussions and hastily dismissed the court. However, he ordered someone to summon Xu Zhen privately into the palace. This time it was not in the Celestial Hall's Imperial Study but in Danxia Palace, where Li Mingda was also present.
Li Mingda did not see Xu Zhen and felt inexplicably happy upon seeing him return safely. Ignoring the Sage's presence, she wrinkled her nose and playfully complained, "How can there be such a rogue brother who leaves his sister behind? You come back without saying a word!"
Xu Zhen dared not act recklessly in front of the Sage. If she responded, it would seem as if she were treating Li Mingda as her own sister, which could raise suspicions of seeking power through connections.
The Sage saw through this and understood that Xu Zhen did not wish to use Li Mingda for her own gain but genuinely cared for her. This made him even fonder of Xu Zhen, prompting him to smile and say, "Such a brother indeed deserves punishment. Sister Si, what do you think should be done about Mr. Xu?"
The months following this year were some of Li Shimin's most challenging days. First came Han Wang Li Yuanchang's assassination attempt, then Prince Qi Li You's issues, and now Crown Prince Li Chengqian. After resolving this matter, he would have to worry about establishing an heir.
It was rare for him to spend time with Li Mingda. Seeing her adorable demeanor finally lifted the gloom in his heart and allowed him to temporarily forget many of his pressing concerns.
Seeing the dragon's face filled with joy, Xu Zhen also relaxed her demeanor and smiled as she said, "It was indeed Xu's fault, but let Sage decide."
Li Mingda could not stand Xu Zhen's pretentiousness and threw a pastry at her. Xu Zhen instinctively dodged but forgot about Sage beside her, angrily shouting, "You dare, girl!"
As soon as the words left her mouth, she realized something was off, and her face turned bright red. She slightly raised her head to sneak a glance at Sage, only to see Li Shimin and Li Mingda smiling at her, while Xu Zhen chuckled awkwardly, and then the three burst into laughter.
Li Shimin, who had set aside his imperial demeanor, was undeniably charismatic. He was not just a sheltered heir but a war general who had founded the nation. Having experienced much in his youth, he reminisced with Xu Zhen about the past, which stirred their hearts.
After a long while, seemingly reminded of Hou Junji, Sage stopped speaking, fearing that he might ruin the good mood. He quickly asked Xu Zhen, " Xu Zhen, I heard you weren't in Qizhou to quell the rebellion but secretly returned to stir up trouble?"
Xu Zhenxin tensed up, realizing that Sage must have learned about his arrangement for Zhang Suling and Moya to persuade Zhang Liang and others. He immediately began to think of a strategy.
This technique of diversion was effective; Xu Zhen certainly could not admit to anything. She stiffened her neck and insisted, "Even if Xu Zhen had three hundred guts, she wouldn't dare defy the imperial command and sneak back. My trip to Qizhou has Li Jue as my witness..."
Li Shimin found himself at a loss but did not mention Li Jue. Instead, he questioned her further: "You really wouldn't dare defy the imperial command? How come I heard that during the campaign against the Tuguhun, you disobeyed military orders and divided your troops to rescue Zhangye?"
"That..." Xu Zhen's face flushed red; she hadn't expected Sage to know so much about her actions. Meanwhile, Li Mingda took advantage of her embarrassment and pointed at her with a laugh: "You cowardly liar! My lord is just playing with you; if he really wanted to punish you, you'd have been in serious trouble by now!"
Hearing this, Li Shimin burst into hearty laughter. Xu Zhen shot an angry glare at Li Mingda while the three enjoyed their moment together. However, they all knew that the court of the Tang Dynasty would soon face another round of open and covert struggles. For now, they decided to set aside their worries and enjoy this fleeting moment of joy.
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