Chapter 493 Ascension to the Throne

Awkward. Extremely awkward.

It's more embarrassing than being dead.

Li Jiancheng never expected that after being ambushed and having the crown prince deposed, he would encounter such an embarrassing situation.

He was just feeling sentimental when he was at his wit's end; he never intended to actually offend his father.

But Li Chengqian did just that for him.

"So, Grandpa, if you could do it all over again, would you still choose your eldest uncle as the crown prince? Or do you regret choosing him?"

Li Yuan was both excited and filled with guilt towards his two sons when he saw them appear, disheveled but unharmed.

The four men and their children were filled with mixed emotions. Then, a child's innocent voice rang out again, "By the way, Uncle is also very curious about this question."

"..." Li Jiancheng lowered his eyes. In fact, he didn't have to be curious. He had already bowed his head to Li Shimin, so why should he care about this?

Li Yuan was stunned. Knowing that his eldest and fourth sons were still alive, he lost his sense of shame and anger and returned to the question itself. After a long silence, he finally spoke, "Regret."

Li Jiancheng suddenly looked up at Li Yuan. This time, Li Yuan did not flinch and said frankly, "Jiancheng is very good, otherwise I would not have made you the crown prince. But I also know that the Tang Dynasty has just been established and what it needs more is a hegemon like Shimin."

"I understood this principle long ago, but..."

Li Jiancheng gave a somber smile, "I just held onto a sliver of hope, thinking that my second brother might be able to settle down and be a general."

As he spoke, he looked directly at Li Yuan, his eyes filled with resentment but also with relief. "But from the day my second brother became the General of the Heavenly Strategy, I could not rest easy, and my second brother could not back down either."

"Having defeated the Turks and been protected by the Fire Phoenix, I am completely convinced of my defeat to my second brother."

Li Jiancheng kowtowed deeply, and Li Yuanji, standing to the side, was speechless. Li Jiancheng had already admitted defeat, so what was there for him to argue about?

Seeing his eldest son like this, Li Yuan opened his mouth, wanting his second son to be more lenient with him in the future. But before he could speak, Li Jiancheng looked up again and looked at him firmly: "Therefore, please abdicate, Father."

"Huh?" The people in the hall looked at each other in bewilderment, and even Li Shimin doubted his own ears.

Li Yuan blinked, then hesitantly called out, "Jiancheng?"

Li Jiancheng shouted with a strong voice, "I beg my father to abdicate!"

"No, why?" Li Shimin couldn't help but ask first.

Li Jiancheng looked up and met his gaze, his eyes revealing a long-lost determination. "Second brother, I admit I am inferior to you in martial arts; but when it comes to internal affairs, I am not the crown prince for nothing."

"Just as I said, you defeated the Turks and had the help of the Fire Phoenix. Second brother, your achievements have reached their peak, and the position of crown prince is not enough to contain them."

"While the court officials and powerful families haven't reacted yet, while..." Li Jiancheng looked at Li Yuan, "Father has not yet regretted it, now is the best time to transfer power."

“Father, you yourself said that the Tang Dynasty has just been established and needs a hegemon.”

After Li Jiancheng finished speaking, he kowtowed deeply, and the hall fell into a deathly silence.

Kneeling beside him, Li Yuanji glanced at Li Shimin, then at Li Yuan. Between Li Jiancheng and Li Shimin, he had chosen his elder brother, Li Jiancheng.

Now, putting aside personal feelings, the Emperor and Li Shimin...

Li Yuanji kowtowed: "I beg Father Emperor to abdicate."

He was impulsive but not stupid. If his father hadn't been so indecisive, they wouldn't be in this situation today. Losing once was enough. If his father became suspicious again and provoked a conflict between him and Li Shimin, he might really lose his life.

Who wants to die when they can live? It's better to be a beast of burden for Li Shimin than a fragile knife in the hands of one's father.

Li Yuan staggered back two steps, asking incredulously, "You blame me? You two blame me?"

"No, Father, we don't blame you. We only ask you to abdicate for the sake of the Tang Dynasty and the country."

Li Jiancheng's words stung Li Shimin; wasn't he implying that his father was an incompetent emperor?

That's really... well done!

As Chengqian was right, keeping Li Jiancheng and Li Yuanji alive was much more useful than killing them.

Li Yuan glanced around at everyone in a flustered manner, his gaze sweeping over his three sons before landing on Li Chengqian. As if grasping at a last straw, he grabbed Li Chengqian's hand and asked impatiently, "Chengqian, is your grandfather not a good emperor?"

Li Shimin reached out to stop him, but Li Yuan dodged him, saying, "Shut up! I am still the emperor. Let me ask!"

“Actually, I answered this question a long time ago,” Li Chengqian said frankly. When Li Yuan was confused, he continued, “Back then in the Taiji Hall, my father asked who was suitable to be emperor. I said that this has always been a multiple-choice question.”

"Whether compared to my uncle or my grandfather, my father is the only suitable candidate."

Seeing Li Yuan's shocked and dazed expression, Li Shimin proudly raised his head, unable to suppress the corners of his mouth from turning up. He had been trying to stop Chengqian all along!

Feeling hurt? So what if he's an older man? He's still a father! His son is so supportive of him! Hehe—

...

On the fourth day of the sixth month of the ninth year of Wude, Emperor Gaozu Li Yuan changed the crown prince to Li Shimin; on the ninth day of the eighth month of the ninth year of Wude, Emperor Gaozu formally abdicated, and Crown Prince Li Shimin ascended the throne in the Xiande Hall of the Eastern Palace, becoming Emperor Taizong of Tang.

Prince Li Chengqian, the heir apparent of the Prince of Qin, was made crown prince, while the deposed crown prince Li Jiancheng became Prince Jin. The following year, the era name was changed to Zhenguan.