Chapter 255 Li Zhi’s plan, Zhang Sun Wuji falls into the trap
Under Li Zhi’s deliberate suggestion.

Su Dingfang stepped forward and clasped his hands together in a salute.

“The enemy is threatening our borders. I am willing to lead a detachment of soldiers eastward to repel the enemy.”

A satisfied smile appeared on Li Zhi’s face.

“General Su has made great contributions in defeating Xueyantuo in the north. He is familiar with military tactics. I am very relieved to have a general to resist the enemy.”

After a group of veteran generals were abducted by Li Chengqian, Su Dingfang became the pillar of the current court.

If you need qualifications, you have them; if you need abilities, you have the abilities.

It has become the stabilizing force of the Tang Dynasty army.

“I think it is inappropriate. Su Lie has received the kindness of the former crown prince Li Chengqian. If he leads the army to leave like this, if he rebels and follows Li Chengqian, the country will be in danger.”

Just as Changsun Wuji was about to speak, Tang Jian, who was half a step behind him, spoke first.

The feud between the two has a long history.

If Su Dingfang had been introduced in the court before, he would definitely have been stopped by Tang Jian.

That is a murderous revenge, how can I let it go?

Moreover, Tang Jian’s worries are not unreasonable.

The danger of collapse cannot tolerate any carelessness.

He was the commander-in-chief of the three armies. If it was really Li Chengqian who had done this secretly, the Tang Dynasty would definitely change hands easily.

No one can guarantee that Su Dingfang is not Li Chengqian’s man.

“Your Majesty, it is true that I have received the kindness of the former Crown Prince Li Chengqian, and I am always grateful for his kindness, but this is a personal favor. Now that he has raised an army to cause trouble on the border, the people of the Tang Dynasty are in dire straits, which is a national enemy.”

“Why would I repay national hatred with personal favor? I can still tell the difference between the important and the unimportant. The Duke and I have a rift, and I hope that the Duke can put national hatred first and personal grudges second.”

Su Dingfang was full of righteousness and argued based on reason.

“Su Lie, do you mean that this prince is targeting you out of personal vendetta? You are totally wrong. Your Majesty, please understand.”

“At that time, you also disregarded the king’s orders, so my duke submitted a report to accuse you. If there is no evidence, my duke would be implicated as well. You received a favor from Li Chengqian and sent troops to Liaodong. Tell me, should you avoid suspicion?”

Tang Jian’s face was full of anger, but he was not stupid enough to come up with such a stupid idea out of nothing.

“this…”

Su Dingfang was speechless for a moment, he really couldn’t refute.

“Your Majesty, please understand that I have no second thoughts about the Tang Dynasty!”

In the end, Su Dingfang could only look to Li Zhi. Facing Tang Jian’s attack, he could not provide any proof. The final decision still depended on Li Zhi.

When it comes to talking, ten Su Dingfangs cannot compare to Tang Jian, the most powerful diplomat of the Tang Dynasty.

“You are loyal to the Tang Dynasty, but whether you are loyal to His Majesty is unknown. Li Chengqian is also the son of the late emperor.”

Tang Jian made another finishing move.

Take advantage of every opportunity.

There was also a hint of hesitation on Li Zhi’s face.

“My Lords, do you think it is okay to let General Su go to the battle?”

Li Zhi asked, as if the young man had lost his own opinion.

The youth’s immaturity is fully reflected in him.

“National affairs cannot be taken lightly. I think it would be better to choose another commander for the sake of the country.”

Chu Suiliang also said.

“I second the proposal!”

Several other ministers came out and all disagreed with Su Dingfang’s expedition.

Even without Changsun Wuji’s intervention, he had already formed an overwhelming advantage in terms of speech.

How could the powerful Guanlong Group feel at ease to hand over the military and political power to Su Dingfang, the regent?
“If that’s the case, who do you think should be sent to lead the army?”

Li Zhi asked again.

“The Grand Commander is in charge of all the troops in the country. As for who to send, I’m sure the Grand Commander will have a recommendation.”

Wei Ting advised that this was a good opportunity to command and control the troops of the whole country.

Changsun Wuji was the uncrowned king of the world at that time.

“Li Chengqian is a cunning warrior. Ordinary generals are probably no match for him. Now that things have come to this, only I can lead the army in person and control the entire army to resist him.”

Chang Sun Wuji said solemnly that he had followed Li Chengqian for a period of time and he always won without realizing it.

Changsun Wuji was genuinely wary of Li Chengqian.

Whether it is war theory or scheming, it is unpredictable.

If Su Dingfang was not another regent, he would definitely be a good candidate.

“It’s a long journey to Liaodong. The mountains are high and the road is long. The general is on a long journey. I am very worried!”

Li Zhi did not care that there were foreign envoys present and also showed a Vino expression.

“It is the duty of a minister to share the country’s worries. Your Majesty, please do not worry.”

Changsun Wuji was very moved and supported Li Zhi’s ascension to the throne, which was a very correct decision.

While he was excited, he didn’t realize that he had fallen into the trap carefully set for him by Li Zhi.

Although Changsun Wuji was able to deepen his control over military power, he was also sent away from the court.

Without the restraint of Zhangsun Wuji, Li Zhi was able to consolidate power more easily.

The previous intention to promote Su Dingfang was just a vain ploy to set up a confusing situation.

The real purpose was to get rid of Changsun Wuji and leave this group of court officials in a leaderless situation.

And then remove them one by one.

“The war situation is urgent now, and I really have to trouble the general to take care of this! I no longer need to ask about the military affairs of the whole country. The general can make all relevant decisions on his own without asking me for instructions. The general’s orders are the same as my own orders!”

Li Zhi once again gave Zhangsun Wuji supreme power.

Upon hearing this, Chang Sun Wuji immediately knelt down to express his gratitude:

“Thank you, Your Majesty, for your trust and love for me. I will definitely live up to your high expectations and trust, and will do my best to ensure that the Tang Dynasty will last forever!”

However, at this moment, Changsun Wuji had no idea of ​​the difference between himself and the emperor.

He immersed himself in this sudden enormous power and enjoyed to the fullest the feeling of being respected and relied upon.

Especially at this time when all nations came to pay homage to him, he displayed an arrogant attitude that was all-powerful and incomparable.

However, Changsun Wuji never imagined that all this seemingly glorious thing was actually just a conspiracy carefully planned by Li Zhi.

As the saying goes, the higher you stand, the harder it will be when you fall.

Changsun Wuji, who had always acted cautiously, eventually became complacent because of the tremendous power he held.

“Now that the war has begun, all countries that have not paid tribute should continue to pay tribute.”

Li Zhi slowly sat back on the imperial throne that symbolized supreme imperial power, with a dazed look on his face.

If someone could observe carefully at this time, it would not be difficult to find that Li Zhi’s expression now was not what he appeared to be, but revealed a kind of calmness and composure after experiencing countless storms and waves, as well as a hidden talent.

The ceremony lasted until the evening and all the procedures were completed.

Li Zhi also officially completed the gorgeous transformation of his identity and became the new emperor of the Tang Dynasty. The new emperor ascended the throne and pardoned all criminals.

It is worth mentioning that King Wei Li Tai was also recalled to Chang’an and was able to enjoy the treatment of a prince.

When the dust settled, Li Zhi did not mind giving his brother the status of a prince, which further demonstrated his benevolence.

late at night.

King Wu Li Ke stood nervously outside the Taiji Hall, waiting to be summoned by the eunuch.

The new emperor’s impatient summons made him feel worried.

Among all the brothers, no one else was summoned, only him was summoned secretly.

Moreover, in terms of close relationships, he obviously does not rank high.

Moreover, there have been discussions about Huang Chu before, and he had been nominated before.

To Li Zhi, he was an internal hidden danger.

As a king, I am the only one who is supreme.

I can’t tolerate even a grain of sand in my eyes.

“Your Highness, King Wu, His Majesty summons you!”

The eunuch came and flatteringly invited Li Ke into the hall.

“Give me a seat!”

Just as King Wu Li Ke was about to salute, Li Zhi hurriedly waved his hand and asked the guards to bring a chair.

“King Wu, please take a seat. I summoned you here late at night to discuss important matters.”

Li Zhi immediately dismissed his attendants and began to speak.

“I dare not. If your majesty has any order, I will not refuse even if I die.”

King Wu Li Ke stood up in shock, feeling even more uneasy.

“King Wu, there is no need to be nervous. In fact, this is also due to my incompetence. When the late emperor was alive, he once said that besides Crown Prince Li Chengqian, you, King Wu, have the most outstanding abilities.”

Li Zhi also stood up and slowly walked down the stairs, talking as he walked.

A little thump.

King Wu Li Ke’s heart suddenly rose to his throat and almost jumped out.

Could it be that the new emperor is going to take action against me?
Among princes, the greater the ability, the more dangerous they will be.

“Your Majesty, your words are too serious. Compared to you, I am just a firefly.”

Li Ke lowered his head and replied, not daring to look directly at Li Zhi.

Even the emperor cannot look directly at it, as that would be a crime of great disrespect.

Li Ke was an extremely capable person, but he was far inferior to Li Zhi in the use of power and strategy.

Just a few words were enough to suppress Li Ke’s momentum.

Having outstanding abilities does not necessarily mean that one is qualified to be the ruler of a country.

A ruler may have mediocre abilities, but he must be proficient in the art of controlling people.

And Li Zhi happened to be good at controlling people.

“King Wu, there is no need to be modest. I know your ability very well. Now that the royal family is in disgrace, it is time for you to do your best. Otherwise, the achievements of the previous emperor will be wasted.”

Li Zhi sighed.

“Your Majesty is saying…”

Upon seeing this, the King of Wu instantly felt relieved. It turned out that Li Zhi was not trying to cause trouble for him.

“King Wu, didn’t you see what happened in the court today? I am the great Emperor of the Tang Dynasty, but on the day of my ascension to the throne, it has become a chance for others to show off their power. I am really ashamed of my ancestors and have brought shame to the royal family.”

Li Zhi clenched his fists tightly. Because he used too much force, his nails dug deeply into the flesh of his palms. There was even a trace of blood oozing out, but he didn’t feel any pain at all.

Li Ke, who was standing aside, quietly watched Li Zhi’s angry and helpless expression, and he already understood the real intention of Li Zhi summoning him this time.

He bowed slightly and said:

“Your Majesty, calm down. Changsun Wuji is indeed audacious and reckless. Not only does he disrespect his father and the emperor, but he also dares to openly monopolize power and get involved in politics. He is truly a heinous crime. However, he now has great influence in the court and is powerful in both the government and the country. He is a deep-rooted person. If Your Majesty wants to get rid of him, I’m afraid you still need to think long and hard, and you must not act rashly.”

Li Zhi nodded heavily, expressing his agreement:
“King Wu is right. That is why I summoned you here. In this huge court, there are only a few people I can trust. Only my brothers can be trusted with all my heart.”

Li Ke immediately bowed and said, “Thanks to your majesty for your trust, I will do my best to fulfill my mission. If Changsun Wuji is so tyrannical and domineering, if we don’t curb him and let him continue to develop, the consequences will be disastrous. We should eradicate him for both public and private reasons, as internal troubles far outweigh external threats.”

Thinking of what Changsun Wuji had done in recent days, Li Ke and other royal family members were angry but dared not say anything.

“Does the King of Wu have any strategy to deal with this?”

Li Zhi asked anxiously, his brows furrowed, his eyes fixed on Li Ke in front of him, wanting to know what trick he had.

Li Ke was also one of the people Li Shimin asked Li Zhi to use when he was dying.

Li Ke narrowed his eyes slightly, pondered for a moment, and then slowly said:

“In my opinion, the most urgent task is to send assassins to kill Zhangsun Wuji before he takes charge of the military affairs without authorization. Only by doing so can we put an end to the chaos.”

I have to say that this is indeed a brilliant strategy to cut the Gordian knot.

As long as Changsun Wuji died, the entire huge Guanlong Group would inevitably suffer a heavy blow.

Many intricate and complex interest relationships were built up because of the existence of Zhangsun Wuji. Once he collapsed, the power networks that relied on him would naturally collapse.

It would become much easier for Li Zhi to centralize power.

However, Li Zhi shook his head gently and sighed:

“It’s easier said than done. Zhang Sun Wuji is in a high position and has a lot of guards around him. It’s very difficult to even get close to him, let alone successfully carry out the assassination.”

As his power continued to grow, Changsun Wuji paid more and more attention to his own safety, and his defensive forces became stronger and stronger.

Therefore, trying to solve the problem through assassination has almost become an impossible task.

“It is not easy for others to assassinate him, but for me, it is not difficult to get close to him.”

King Wu Li Ke said with a solemn expression and a firm and resolute look in his eyes.

“If I were to take action during the court meeting, I would have surely killed him. Changsun Wuji has been holding the power of the court for a long time and is indeed a treacherous minister. As the son of the late emperor, I cannot bear to see the royal family being humiliated, so I stepped forward and assassinated this thief. By then, the civil and military officials in the court will surely not suspect Your Majesty.”

Having said this, Li Ke straightened his body and looked ready to die.

However, Li Zhi’s face changed drastically after hearing this. He waved his sleeves fiercely and shouted angrily:
“Why is it so? He is just a small treacherous villain. How can it be worth it for a prince of the Tang Dynasty to take such a risk and even risk his life for him?”

“Your Majesty, it is worth sacrificing your life in exchange for the stability of the country.”

Li Ke once again said that as a member of the royal family, he had never been afraid of death.

While the blood is still hot, you can kill the traitor.

Li Ke’s eyes were determined. Even if Li Zhi did not agree, he would still carry it out resolutely.

“King Wu, please do not act impulsively. To be honest, I have already planned a strategy to deal with Zhangsun Wuji, but I still need your help.”

After the test, Li Zhi also began to confess.

At this time, he was really worried that King Wu Li Ke would assassinate Changsun Wuji for the sake of justice.

Not only would this disrupt all his arrangements, but he would also lose an arm.

Then the gain outweighs the loss.

(End of this chapter)