221 Chapter 221
◎It's a dilemma.◎
Li Tai was stunned by the unexpected answer. He carefully observed his father's expression and said with a hint of grievance, "I thought it was too simple. As soon as you said it, I understood. I will listen to you and won't cause you any trouble."
Li Shimin smiled and said, "Good boy."
Li Tai looked up and asked, "Father, when we get married next year, can I share your worries like my elder brother?"
Li Shimin looked at the respect and admiration in his four sons' eyes. Although Qingque had become a father and was going to get married and build a house next year, he was only twelve years old. After all, he was still young and would never think about forming cliques and causing disputes in the court.
but……
Li Shimin thought again of his secret worries. He didn't understand it when he was a child, and he didn't understand it when he was young, but Qingque will grow up. When he grows up, if he keeps comparing himself with his elder brother, it will definitely lead to bitter consequences.
Li Shimin considered his tone, trying not to sound too harsh. Instead, he tried to gently dissuade Li Tai. "Father, you already know Qingque's filial piety. However, the most important thing for you now is to study hard. Once you have a thorough understanding of the classics, history, and literature, then you can dabble in court affairs to avoid making mistakes."
But...his eldest brother started to participate in government affairs while studying. Li Tai was very depressed. Not only was he a few years behind his eldest brother, but his father was also unwilling to teach him.
He is now older than his elder brother when he first followed their father and had his own exclusive place in the Taiji Hall. Even if the ten-year-old him is not as old as his elder brother, can't he, who is two years older, be inferior to his elder brother back then?
Thinking of this, Li Tai said, "Father, I can study and learn about court affairs at the same time. You have been so busy, I want to share your worries as soon as possible."
"With your elder brother helping me share my worries, I feel a little more relaxed than before." Li Shimin smiled, but because of his worry, the smile did not reach his eyes. "This is the advantage of being a younger brother, Qingque, you can still have a few years of leisure time. Let your elder brother, who loves to slack off, do the work first."
After being rejected repeatedly, Li Tai realized that he could not keep pestering her anymore, but he was still young, and no matter how much he wanted to hide it, he had repeatedly learned how to control himself in private, but he still could not help showing a bit of disappointment.
"Aye, I understand. I will study hard so that I can help you as soon as possible." Li Tai said.
Li Shimin naturally noticed his emotions, and when he heard the word "share your worries", he asked without much thought: "Qingque, you want to participate in politics, is it just to share your worries?"
After asking this question, Li Shimin regretted it. The question was too suspicious. He never thought that one day he would say such words to his son.
Li Tai's eyes suddenly widened. After all, he was not a child, and he could understand the hidden meaning of these words. In an instant, he thought of the idea that had popped up in his mind before. He wanted to take away his parents' preference. Father, has he noticed it?
"I... Aye, I just want to..." Li Tai, who still couldn't remain calm in the face of all the emergencies, couldn't help but panic. He stuttered twice, "I just want to be like big brother. Aye treats big brother differently than I do..."
Aye is so biased! How can Aye be so biased!
Li Tai said in panic what he had not dared to say in the past few years.
However, Li Tai was not really afraid, because he knew that his father loved him and would not get angry over such a small matter.
Li Shimin was indeed not angry. He rubbed his brows wearily and said, "Qingque, Aye told you that my eldest brother is the crown prince. He is different from you brothers. Have you... have you forgotten?"
Of course, Li Tai has not forgotten these words. That was three years ago. He was forced to accept that his eldest brother never treated him differently from his other brothers. He was also forced to accept that he would never be as good as his eldest brother in the eyes of his parents.
Li Tai was still young at that time, and he thought that all this could not be changed, but now he understands more, and he knows that nothing is constant.
The eldest brother is the crown prince and should be favored by the saint, but apart from this identity, as both are sons, why are they still different?
The thoughts from previous years gradually came to Li Tai's mind again. It was really unfair.
"Father, I know my eldest brother is the crown prince, and I dare not argue with him about this, but...but my eldest brother and I are both your sons. We are the same in this respect." Li Tai's voice began to tear up as he spoke. He clutched his father's sleeves tightly, sobbing out the grievances he had suffered over the years. "We are both your sons, why do you always favor my eldest brother?"
After hearing these words, Li Shimin sighed deeply and said slowly: "Because my father is not only my father, but also the emperor of the Tang Dynasty. Because the prince is not only the son of the emperor, but also the son of my father."
"Qingque, of all the children, Aye and the Emperor will always put your elder brother first." Li Shimin said firmly, "You should respect your elder brother as you respect Aye, because he is the crown prince. He is a king just like Aye."
Li Tai was so obsessed that Li Shimin had no other choice but to cruelly remind Li Tai to face the facts.
He thought Qingque was still young, and if he taught him well, he would understand the difference between seniority and juniority when he grew up, and he would understand why his father always favored the eldest brother.
However, Li Tai insisted that he did not understand. Li Shimin did not want to maliciously speculate that his son was pretending to be ignorant, but if this continued, Li Shimin could almost foresee how his sons would fight with each other in the future.
Li Shimin had to stop all this. He could not bear to see brothers killing each other.
Li Tai lost all his strength. His father's sleeve slipped from his hand, and the cold silk pierced his skin and stung his heart.
King and his subjects.
Li Tai grew up in the harem and was favored by his father. Throughout the year, only at the palace banquet during the New Year could he feel the so-called distinction between the monarch and his subjects, but this was the naked fact.
The crown prince is the heir to the throne.
Even though Li Tai was his father's favorite son, he was ultimately no match for the crown prince.
The distinction between the monarch and his subjects was a huge chasm. Li Tai stared with his eyes wide open, as if he had seen the end of his life where he could only look up to the prince.
…
Even though Li Shimin wanted to cover up the fact that the King of Yue left the Taiji Hall crying, many people still heard about it, including Li Chengqian.
The next day, Li Chengqian asked directly, "Father, how did you teach Li Tai a lesson yesterday? I heard he ran away crying."
Li Shimin frowned and asked, "Who told you?"
He did not want Li Chengqian to know about this matter. Firstly, he could handle it himself and would definitely not let them fight each other. Secondly, he was afraid that this matter would have something in Li Chengqian's mind, which would make their already poor brotherly relationship even worse.
Li Chengqian said, "Aye, tell me what happened first."
Li Shimin rubbed his wrist, picked up the teacup and took a sip of tea. He looked very busy.
Li Chengqian came over to take a look and said, "The palm of your hand is a little scratched and your wrist hurts. Did you go to practice archery? It seems like this is a big deal."
He nodded as he spoke: "Could it be..."
"It's nothing serious!" Li Shimin interrupted him. "It's just that Qingque didn't want to go to the palace school to study. I scolded him a little, and he felt wronged and started crying. This child is a bit spoiled."
"Oh." Li Chengqian nodded again. "Father, my wet nurse heard this story from outside. She said a maid in the Eastern Palace heard it from a fellow villager. This fellow villager is in charge of the flowers and plants in the Imperial Garden. She is good friends with a eunuch in the Taiji Palace."
Li Shimin's brows furrowed even more. He nodded at the table and asked, "Has this matter become known to everyone?"
Li Chengqian shook his head: "No, I asked around, and not many people knew about this. Only those people from the three provinces and six ministries who often came here. There weren't many rumors in the harem. Look, my mother in Lizheng Palace didn't hear anything."
"But someone insisted on telling me this." Li Chengqian tilted his head and smiled, "Aye, you see, no matter how much you try to avoid it, some things are bound to happen."
Li Shimin tightened his grip: "Cheng Qian, you... you know everything?"
Li Chengqian still shook his head: "I didn't know at first, but seeing your attitude, I can guess what is involved."
"Qingque just had the wrong idea for a moment. Fortunately, he is still young. I will let the teacher teach him well in the future, and he will change." There was obvious fatigue between Li Shimin's brows.
Li Chengqian smiled and said, "It seems he didn't say anything important."
At least it's not like in the previous life, where he killed his own son and passed the throne to Li Zhi in the future.
——But even if it is this, it doesn’t matter, after all, the Khan believes it.
Being half-hearted was even worse. Li Shimin, feeling exhausted, had no choice but to tell the truth: "Qingque simply thinks I favor you too much. He wants to compete with you in every way and be like you. But Chengqian, don't overthink it. He just wants Aye to love him more, and he doesn't dare to do anything... absolutely not even think about that."
Li Chengqian pondered these words for a while, then smiled and said, "Okay, I get it. No wonder he's crying. He's really been wronged."
"We are both the emperor's sons, but Qingque was born a year later. He will never be as good as me. Father, if it were me, I would not accept this either."
These words were not pleasant to hear, and Li Shimin's heart was pounding. However, he didn't want to scold him for it, after all, it was Qingque who was the first to take advantage of the situation.
Li Shimin patiently repeated what he had just said: "Cheng Qian, I will have someone teach him a lesson in the future so that he will never think of arguing with you again. You...you should stop taking this little thing to heart."
Li Chengqian raised his eyebrows and said, "Oh, Aye, are you afraid that I will do something to your Qingque?"
How could Li Shimin not understand the meaning of this sentence, but he really did mean it.
Li Shimin was cold in front of Li Tai and soft in front of Li Chengqian, just because he wanted both of his sons to be well, but in the end, the Khan was caught in a dilemma.
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