24: All the civil and military officials in the court demoted the prince!

Li Zhi put down his pen, rose and bowed, his posture respectful and humble.

"Your Highness, there is no need for such formality."

Zhangsun Wuji waved his hand, signaling him to sit down.

He glanced at the calligraphy on the desk, and nodded, "Your Highness's handwriting has become increasingly steady."

Li Zhi merely smiled faintly, sat down again, and quietly poured a cup of tea for Zhangsun Wuji, awaiting his next words.

He knew that his maternal uncle never easily visited his princely estate.

Once he came, there must be something important.

Zhangsun Wuji took the teacup but did not drink; he merely stroked the warm cup with his fingers, his eyes profound.

"Does Your Highness know that His Majesty summoned Wei Zheng today?"

Li Zhi's eyelashes trembled slightly, then quickly returned to calm: "Zhi'er does not know."

"His Majesty wants to send the Crown Prince to his fiefdom."

Zhangsun Wuji's voice was very soft, yet it was like a huge rock thrown into a calm lake.

Li Zhi's hand, holding the teacup, tightened imperceptibly.

"Crown Prince brother… is he going to Jing Province?"

He asked, feigning surprise, a hint of confusion and bewilderment appearing in his eyes at just the right moment.

Zhangsun Wuji looked at him in this manner, secretly nodding in his heart.

Zhi Nu (Li Zhi's nickname), this forbearance and composure, far surpassed his peers, and even made Zhangsun Wuji think more highly of him than the sharp and prominent Prince Wei Li Tai.

"Indeed. Tomorrow at the morning court, Wei Zheng will personally present a memorial."

Zhangsun Wuji sneered, "His Majesty's move is very clever. It can weaken the Crown Prince's power, and also leave the Eastern Palace faction unable to voice their grievances."

He put down the teacup, leaned closer to Li Zhi, and lowered his voice.

"Your Highness, a storm is brewing in Chang'an City."

Li Zhi lowered his head, looking at the swirling tea in his cup, and said nothing.

Zhangsun Wuji continued: "Currently, the imperial court appears calm, but in reality, undercurrents are surging. The Crown Prince's faction, led by military new elites such as Qin Qiong and Cheng Yaojin, has its Foundation in the military and is full of vigor, but excessive rigidity easily breaks. This time the Crown Prince's enfeoffment is nothing short of a heavy blow to them."

"The Prince Wei's faction consists mostly of pedantic scholars who dabble in literature, idly discussing governance, and are of little practical use. His Majesty has long grown weary of them."

"Both of these factions have already entered the game and become the center of the storm. Only Your Highness, who has always remained aloof, possesses the greatest advantage."

Li Zhi raised his head, with a hint of well-placed timidity and hesitation in his eyes: "Uncle, Zhi'er is dull... and does not wish to contend with Crown Prince brother and Fourth Brother..."

"Nonsense!"

Zhangsun Wuji let out a low growl, a sharp glint flashing in his eyes, "Your Highness, being born into the imperial family, the three words 'do not wish to contend' are a sin in themselves! If you do not contend, it does not mean others will not come to deal with you! When the Crown Prince and Prince Wei fight to a draw, His Majesty will need a stable and reliable successor to clean up the mess. At that time, who will catch His Majesty's eye?"

Zhangsun Wuji stood up and paced in the study, his voice steady and alluring.

"Therefore, what Your Highness needs to do now is not to contend, but to 'wait'. Continue to maintain your current demeanor, respect your teachers and the Dao, be filial to your parents, and be harmonious with the court Officials. But secretly, you must also begin to associate with some people."

"Associate with whom?"

Li Zhi asked, following his words.

"Some... people who have not yet taken a side."

Zhangsun Wuji's eyes gleamed with calculation, "For example, Chancellor Fang and Chancellor Du."

"Fang Xuanling, Du Ruhui?"

Li Zhi frowned, "These two are my imperial father's right-hand men. Will they... support Zhi'er?"

"Not now."

Zhangsun Wuji shook his head, "Fang and Du are cunning and experienced. They are loyal not to a certain prince, but to the Great Tang's imperial power. They are not helping anyone now; they are observing to see who will be the future monarch who can bring lasting peace and stability to the Great Tang."

"Therefore, what Your Highness needs to do is to let them see your stability, your benevolence, and your detachment from worldly affairs. When the Crown Prince appears too forceful, and Prince Wei appears too frivolous, your 'inaction' becomes the greatest 'action'."

"This grand drama has just begun. Your Highness, you only need to sit in the best position and quietly watch. When they are all exhausted, you can calmly step onto the stage and clean up the mess."

The flickering candlelight stretched Zhangsun Wuji's shadow long and thin, casting it on the wall like a giant manipulating a puppet.

Li Zhi lowered his head, his long eyelashes concealing all emotions in his eyes.

He picked up the slightly cool tea in front of him and drank it all.

"Uncle's teachings, Zhi'er... will keep them in mind."

The next day, as dawn broke, the Taiji Hall was already adorned with golden steps and suffused with an auspicious purple Qi.

The Civil and Military Officials stood in two rows, silent, and even the faint sound of their court boots on the floor seemed exceptionally clear.

The air was filled with a heavy stillness, like the calm before a storm, and everyone's breathing seemed to carry a hint of probing and caution.

Li Shimin sat high on the Dragon throne, his face as majestic as ever, but his deep eyes were darker than usual, concealing an unfathomable abyss.

In the silence, Chancellor Fang Xuanling and Minister Du Ruhui exchanged an almost imperceptible glance, then stepped out of the ranks together.

Both bowed, holding their ivory tablets, their voices steady and respectful.

"Reporting to Your Majesty,"

Fang Xuanling spoke first, his voice echoing in the vast hall, "This Official and Vice Minister Du have a memorial to present."

"His Royal Highness the Crown Prince has reached the age of twenty, he is benevolent, filial, and intelligent, winning the hearts of the people. However, as the Crown Prince of the nation, he should learn the Dao of governance and personally experience the hardships of the people. This Official and others believe that His Royal Highness the Crown Prince, having long resided in the deep palace, ultimately only discusses politics theoretically. We humbly request Your Majesty's gracious permission to order His Royal Highness the Crown Prince to proceed to his fiefdom early, to govern a region, so that he may observe the people's conditions, increase his wisdom, and not fail the trust of the nation."

Fang Xuanling's words were impeccable, every sentence seemingly for the Crown Prince and the Great Tang's imperial power.

Du Ruhui followed closely, adding: "Chancellor Fang's words are absolutely correct. His Royal Highness the Crown Prince is the Foundation of the nation; early experience will allow him to share Your Majesty's burdens and usher in an era of peace for all generations. Local administration is intricate and complex; one cannot fully understand its flaws without personal governance. This is a strategy of immense value, and we hope Your Majesty will consider it."

Their voices, in a harmonious duet, raised the banner of "for the Crown Prince's good" high above.

However, among the Officials in the hall, who wasn't a shrewd individual?

Hearing these words, the meaning completely changed.

Enfeoffment?

To say it nicely was 'experience', but to say it bluntly, wasn't it a disguised exile?

The Crown Prince's power to oversee the state was the most direct manifestation of his status as Crown Prince.

Once he left Chang'an, far from the center of power, the position of Crown Prince would be half-empty.

For a time, undercurrents surged within the court.

The military generals who supported the Crown Prince, such as Cheng Yaojin and others, had their brows furrowed into knots, snorting disdainfully. If the occasion weren't inappropriate, they would have likely cursed aloud.

Meanwhile, the Officials of Prince Wei Li Tai's faction kept their eyes downcast, a faint smile playing on their lips, ready to watch a good show.

Everyone's gaze involuntarily darted towards Li Shimin on the Dragon throne.

They were all speculating whether Fang and Du's actions were on their own initiative or at His Majesty's behest.

In this delicate silence, a figure slowly stepped out from the ranks, breaking the stalemate.

It was the Grand Commandant, Zhangsun Wuji.

His face was calm as he bowed deeply to Li Shimin: "Your Majesty, this Official has a different opinion."

At these words, the entire hall was astonished.

Zhangsun Wuji was His Majesty's brother-in-law, a pillar of the nation; why would he come out to object?

Didn't he realize that this might be His Majesty's intention?

A flicker of surprise also passed through the eyes of Fang Xuanling and Du Ruhui.

Zhangsun Wuji then spoke unhurriedly: "The words of Chancellor Fang and Vice Minister Du are indeed loyal advice for the country and the monarch. However, this Official believes that this matter still requires careful consideration. Although His Royal Highness the Crown Prince has come of age, he is still young, and his Heart-Nature still needs tempering. The capital is the center of the world; as Your Majesty handles affairs of state in the court, His Royal Highness the Crown Prince listens and learns by his side, accumulating knowledge day by day, being subtly influenced. This is the best guidance. If he is hastily enfeoffed and removed from Your Majesty's teachings, should any mishap occur, would it not go against our original intentions?"

His voice was clear and forceful, and his reasons sounded equally high-minded.

"Furthermore, the Crown Prince is the Foundation of the nation, and the Foundation of the nation should not be easily moved. The current court is stable, and the four seas are peaceful; this is precisely the time for His Royal Highness the Crown Prince to consolidate his Foundation and diligently pursue his studies. As for the matter of enfeoffment, this Official believes it is too early."