Chapter 61 Why can't Shen Churong be mine?
The imperial edict to change the commander of the Imperial Guards caused an uproar in the court on the day it was issued.
The senior officials, led by Prime Minister Cui, could not hide their joy.
For them, it didn't matter who controlled the Imperial Guards, as long as it was no longer under Li Yuanzhao's control, it would be a great thing.
Li Yuanzhao's methods these days have been too ruthless, making it hard for them to breathe.
Now that His Majesty has finally stepped in to check and balance things, it is exactly what they are happy to see.
The young officials who had recently joined Li Yuanzhao all looked worried.
Only a month had passed since the assassination attempt at the hunting grounds, yet the Emperor so decisively revoked the military power given to the Princess.
The implications behind this are truly intriguing and leave much to the imagination.
Su Qingci was also deeply worried.
Although she was a civil official and not knowledgeable in military affairs, she knew very well what military power meant to someone aspiring to the throne.
I thought that after the hunting ground incident, His Highness had seized the opportunity to consolidate the Imperial Guards and was already in a position of victory.
Unexpectedly, less than half a month later, His Majesty abruptly revoked military power and gave this crucial position to Shen Churong, who had always been at odds with His Highness.
Although His Highness still has the Golden Guard, there are only about 10,000 of them, and most of them are responsible for ceremonial duties and patrolling the capital.
In terms of combat strength and size, the gap between them and the Imperial Guard, which numbered 50,000, was considerable.
If we can firmly control the Imperial Guards, the chances of successfully staging a coup and forcing the emperor to abdicate in the event of a desperate situation will increase by at least 50%...
But now...
It seems that His Majesty is still worried about His Highness's growing power.
Su Qingci looked at Li Yuanzhao, who was still calmly reviewing documents, and finally couldn't help but ask, "Your Highness, Shen Churong has taken over as the commander of the Imperial Guards, why aren't you in a hurry at all?"
Li Yuanzhao didn't even look up, his tone calm, "What's the rush?"
Su Qingci bit her lip, and finally revealed all her worries, "Then all the effort you put in before, isn't it all for nothing that you made clothes for someone else?"
“That’s not necessarily true.” Li Yuanzhao put down his pen and looked up at her. “To me, the commander of the Imperial Guards is Shen Churong, who is much better than Xiao Duo.”
"Xiao Duo has been working his way up in the Imperial Guard for over twenty years, and his influence runs deep. More importantly, he is utterly loyal to the Emperor and truly understands the meaning of 'emperor' and 'father' from the bottom of his heart. Such an old stubborn man is impervious to reason and persuasion; it would be as difficult as climbing to heaven for me to control him."
“And what about Shen Churong?” She tapped her fingertips lightly on the table, speaking slowly and deliberately. “He seems to have a long-standing grudge against me, and we’re always at odds. But he’s still too young and has no connections in the Imperial Guard. Those veteran soldiers might not really respect him.”
"Instead of keeping an uncontrollable hidden danger, it's better to replace it with a newcomer who, though rough around the edges, can be honed."
Li Yuanzhao's lips curled into a meaningful smile. "Besides... how do you know that Shen Churong can't be one of my people?"
Su Qingci was taken aback, somewhat confused.
Your Highness is so confident that you can win over the notoriously arrogant Shen Churong?
Li Yuanzhao seemed to see through her thoughts and asked, "Have you forgotten the most important thing right now?"
Su Qingci knew, of course, that the imperial court had made up its mind to go to war with Tibet because of the Tibetan assassin incident.
Over the years, there have been frequent frictions along the border between the two countries.
Small-scale conflicts have occurred from time to time, but there has never been such a large-scale war.
But now, this matter threatens the Emperor's life and is even more related to the dignity and prestige of the nation. This battle is imminent and must be fought.
Shen Guojiu, as the general stationed in Youzhou, has been appointed as the general of this expedition and will lead the troops to the expedition in three days.
Su Qingci suddenly realized: "You mean... Shen Guojiu?"
Li Yuanzhao nodded, "The Shen family holds military power in the border army, and Father Emperor has always been wary of them. Father Emperor's promotion of Shen Churong to the position of commander of the Imperial Guard at this time may seem like an honor, but in reality it is to appease the Shen family and to encourage Shen Guojiu to fight to the death on the front line."
Following her train of thought, Su Qingci suddenly realized: "So... Shen Churong's position was originally a pawn used by the Emperor to check and balance the Shen family?"
“More than that,” Li Yuanzhao sneered, “it’s also a reminder to me. My father wants me to know that he can give me power, but he can also take it away at any time.”
She stood up. “But he forgot that Shen Churong is not Xiao Duo. Xiao Duo has no ties, only loyalty to his father; but Shen Churong is different. His mother died early, and his uncle raised him single-handedly. The honor and safety of the Shen family are his lifeline. His uncle is both his support and his weakness.”
"If we can make someone like this understand that following me will protect the Shen family and enable him to achieve greater success than following the Emperor..."
Li Yuanzhao didn't say what came next, but the meaning in his eyes was clear enough.
Her father still couldn't understand why, no matter how much she had tried to avoid suspicion from the Shen family over the years, and even how they had never interacted openly, her father still couldn't understand.
However, in name, she still carries the blood of the Shen family.
Only when she takes the throne can the Shen family truly achieve shared prosperity and prosperity, no longer needing to worry about her achievements overshadowing the ruler, and no longer needing to be on guard against suspicion from the capital while on high alert at the border.
If she loses in this power struggle, will those old foxes, led by Prime Minister Cui, let the Shen family, who hold a large army, go?
Shen Churong was young and impetuous, and did not yet understand the implications, but his uncle had long seen it clearly.
So over the years, her uncle openly used the excuse that "her elder sister died from postpartum hemorrhage after giving birth to her" to treat her coldly and distantly.
Even at banquets, they deliberately kept their distance from her, as if saying an extra word would be disrespectful to their deceased sister.
Everyone in the capital said that the Imperial Uncle Shen harbored resentment towards this eldest princess, and as a result, the entire Shen family kept their distance from her. This relationship became a well-known "grudge" between the court and the public.
But in secret, her uncle never neglected to take care of her.
When she first took command of the Imperial Guard at the age of fifteen, many of her generals were dissatisfied. It was her uncle who brought her the military management tips written by her mother when she led troops, which helped her quickly and firmly grasp military power.
Even the secret letter from the Tibetan assassin was secretly switched by her uncle's trusted guards, which allowed her plan to proceed smoothly.
Therefore, she wasn't worried about Shen Churong at all.
The more irreconcilable and confrontational the two appear, the more the Emperor will lower his guard.
When the time is right, this piece will be able to unleash its unexpected power.
Su Qingci finally felt completely relieved and bowed, saying, "Your Highness's insight is profound; it was my shortsightedness that led me astray."
Li Yuanzhao continued, "Therefore, you should devise a good plan for me on how to help Shen Churong take control of the entire Imperial Guard as soon as possible."
These words startled Su Qingci slightly.
Your Highness is actually going to take the initiative to help Shen Churong consolidate his power?
But upon further reflection, I understood the deeper meaning.
The more stable Shen Churong's position in the Imperial Guard, the greater the usefulness he can be to His Highness in the future.
She composed herself and replied in a deep voice, "Yes, Your Majesty. I will certainly plan carefully."
After saying this, Su Qingci bowed and withdrew, his steps no longer hesitant as when he came, but only resolute.
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