Side Story Chapter 33 - Common Understanding! (1/2)

Side Story Chapter 33: Common Understanding!

First Brother Li Xuantu was extremely proud. If he wanted to kill Li Taiyi, he would not rely on such methods as assassins. After thinking it over, Li Taiyi could only think of his other two brothers.

“If it’s really them, then they’ve gotten a little too bold. Trying to assassinate a Prince in the Imperial Palace is a grave crime!” Wang Jiuling suddenly said. It was clear that he had realized the same thing as Li Taiyi.

“This matter is far from simple. The Imperial Palace is heavily guarded, and there are many experts in the inner court, patrolling out in the open and in the shadows. Most importantly, everyone knows that the Imperial Army is under the command of the First Prince.

“Without his permission, those people would have never been able to reach Jade Dragon Palace without anyone noticing,” a young general behind Li Taiyi said. This was one of Li Taiyi’s newly recruited subordinates, Zhang Shougui.

In the war against the Turks, Zhang Shougui had displayed a brilliant understanding of the art of war and an incredible mind for tactics and planning.

Zhang Shougui’s words made everyone fall silent, their hearts heavy.

The Tang Emperor was seriously ill, and the situation in the palace was complex and conspiratorial.

The Second Prince had been in the palace for many years and had gathered many subordinates, making him very difficult to deal with. Together with First Prince Li Xuantu, who possessed immense prestige, he presented an extremely powerful force.

“There’s a solution to everything. There’s no need for all of you to worry about this. I have an idea on how to proceed,” Li Taiyi calmly said.

He was not one to sit around and wait for death. If Li Chengyi overdid it, he could no longer concern himself over his fate.

……

Meanwhile, in another palace…

“What do the Yin Yang Ghosts mean by this? Daring to take my money and not do the job?!”

Second Prince Li Chengyi was furious, clenching the tea cup in his hand, unaware of the hot tea leaking through the cracks onto his hand.

Before Li Taiyi’s ascendancy, he had used the time when Li Xuantu had not been present to secretly take control of more than half the court. So long as he used his own faction members and those who were once loyal to his first brother to smear his first brother, with himself adding some spice to the story at the Tang Emperor’s side, his first brother would naturally lose his status as Crown Prince.

The Crown Prince’s place was certain to be his.

But now, that piece of trash was suddenly ascendant???

He was clearly a pleasure-seeking Prince. How had he suddenly risen up?!!

This thought made Li Chengyi grind his teeth, denial and unwillingness on his face.

The corruption case that Li Taiyi had exposed had led to the power he had built up in court collapsing, leaving himself with only a few useful people.

It was impossible to achieve glory without some pain, and he could endure all of this. If he lacked men, he simply needed to install more.

But it wasn’t long before Li Taiyi returned with a victory over the Turks and entered the court. Those people who had originally belonged to his faction had suddenly made an about-face and joined Li Taiyi’s camp.

At that moment, Li Chengyi understood that he was no longer at the center of the battlefield.

For these court officials, the Tang Emperor’s most favored Princes were the First Prince and Third Prince. Only one of these two would ultimately sit upon that supreme throne.

As time passed, the hall became quieter and quieter.

After some time, the Second Prince had seemingly calmed down. His eyes brightly flashed as he vaguely said, “Extraordinary times call for extraordinary measures. I won’t let those two get the throne! It seems like I’ll have to resort to that.”

After thinking for a few moments, he summoned a minor eunuch.

“Make preparations for a visit to the Eastern Palace.”

When two tigers struggled, one would come out injured. Only through this method would he have a real chance.

……

At this moment, in the Eastern Palace…

“Your Highness, that one in Jade Dragon Palace obtained the help of the Bureau of Works some time ago, and now, his subordinate, Wang Jiuling, has entered the Bureau of Personnel and taken the post of Minister. The current situation bodes ill for us,” one of the advisors worriedly said to First Prince Li Xuantu.

The other advisors nodded in agreement at the advisor’s words.

“Wait a little longer.”

Though everyone was advising him to act, Li Xuantu kept his eyes half-closed, his index and middle fingers lightly knocking on the table as if he was waiting for something.

“This…”

The advisors of the Eastern Palace were confused, exchanging glances and seeing the confusion in each other’s eyes.

At this moment, a quick-witted eunuch appeared at the door of the Eastern Palace.

Li Xuantu seemed to sense this, his eyes opening as he ordered the eunuch to speak.

The eunuch immediately lowered his head and said, “The Second Prince has come to pay a visit.”

Almost everyone in the Eastern Palace frowned at this.