Li Zhu was not angry when Yuwen Guo rejected him; on the contrary, he was overjoyed. Judging from Yuwen Guo's unyielding character, he was definitely not on any side. If he could win him over, he would gain access to a large number of civil officials, which would become his capital to change his current situation!
"You've already called me Crown Prince, doesn't that mean you've acknowledged the new Tang dynasty's rule?"
"Hmph! Such sophistry! My Yuwen Kingdom is loyal to the emperor and loves its country; how dare you, a mere child, insult me..."
Upon hearing his words, many people revealed gloating smiles. No one spoke up to defend Li Zhu; they all watched with amusement, letting their own crown prince be insulted!
"The new Tang Dynasty was also a Li family dynasty. Our Li family successfully quelled the rebellion and restored the country's name. Isn't that exactly what you should continue to serve, Prime Minister? We weren't the ones who destroyed the glorious Tang Dynasty, but we were the ones who eliminated all the enemies that destroyed it. Can't you see the efforts we made to restore the country?"
Li Zhu said earnestly!
“Your ‘Li’ is not the legitimate ‘Li’, so in essence you are still usurpers, no different from those traitors. My Yuwen Kingdom will not associate with you. Just kill me!”
Yuwen Guo said, facing death with righteous indignation, without the slightest fear!
"Since ancient times, no one has ever escaped death; let my loyal heart shine in history!"
Li Zhu looked at Yuwen Guo and, moved by the moment, recited this line of poetry that would only appear hundreds of years later!
When this poem resounded throughout the court, everyone was stunned. The world had been in chaos for nearly thirty years, and all able-bodied men who were not physically ill had gone to the battlefield. How could those scholars have the mood to write poetry!
The appearance of this poem at this moment immediately shocked everyone. What was even more shocking was that such a poem actually came from the mouth of a useless crown prince, which was unbelievable!
"Your Highness, is this your poem?"
Yuwen Guo couldn't help but ask, feeling that such a poem was truly touching, especially in this situation, it reflected his inner feelings and was a true reflection of his current state of mind!
"Prime Minister Yuwen, I am speaking from the heart, please do not take offense. Although you are old now, you still have the ability to benefit the people of the world. Why do you want to die? Wei Zheng, the famous prime minister of the previous dynasty, also wanted to die to prove his integrity, but in the end he still chose to submit to Emperor Taizong and fought for the world all his life, becoming a story that has been sung for thousands of years!"
Your service to the new Tang Dynasty is not a betrayal, for your loyalty lies with the world and its people. Even though the rulers have changed, the world remains the same, and the people remain the same. They need your guidance. I urge the Prime Minister to display the spirit of an old horse still eager to gallop a thousand miles, and a hero whose ambition remains undiminished even in his twilight years, so that scholars may no longer be lost, and the people may no longer be bewildered!
Responsibility, reason, moral blackmail...
After a series of maneuvers, Yuwen Guo's expression kept changing, clearly indicating that he had been persuaded by Li Zhu and was no longer as eager to die as he had been at the beginning!
Li Zhu knew that only the final step was needed; with just one more push, Yuwen Guo's appointment to the government would be inevitable. Therefore, his voice rose, and he loudly addressed Yuwen Guo.
"Prime Minister, as the Crown Prince Regent, on behalf of all the people and countless scholars, I implore you to accept this official position to bring peace to the realm..."
After speaking, Li Zhu knelt on the ground, awaiting Yuwen Guo's reply!
"I…"
Yuwen Guo looked at Li Zhu, unsure what to say for a moment. Finally, as if resigned to his fate, he sighed and said...
"Hey... alright! I, Yuwen Guo, will go all out, risking my reputation for the rest of my life, to contribute to the stability of the new Tang Dynasty!"
boom!
Like a thunderclap, the entire court was shaken as Yuwen Guo actually agreed to serve in the government!
This was a major event for the new Tang Dynasty. It meant that the new Tang could gain the approval of most officials from the previous dynasty, the civil service system could be quickly established, and government orders could be effectively implemented. This had unimaginable benefits for the stability of the new Tang Dynasty!
This scene was immediately reported back to the Imperial Study. When the Emperor heard the result, he was completely stunned and even asked several times to confirm the authenticity of the news!
Even after receiving a positive answer, he still found it hard to believe that his useless crown prince could do such a thing. What he found even more unbelievable was Li Zhu's poem. He knew Li Zhu well and couldn't believe that it was said by an uneducated and bloodthirsty person!
Every word of this poem exudes unyielding pride. If this poem came from Yuwen Guo's mouth, there would be no doubt, because that is the kind of person he is. However, it just so happens to come from Li Zhu, the son he dislikes the most, which makes it hard for him to accept!
"Old Tang, do you think he might have seen this poem somewhere else by chance and just memorized it?"
"Your Majesty, this old servant does not know!"
The emperor glanced at the old eunuch beside him and said helplessly.
"He's just a dying man, don't worry about him too much. Besides, our words won't reach his ears. Just say what you want to say!"
"Your Majesty, based on the Crown Prince's past behavior, this poem certainly doesn't seem to have come from his mouth!"
The old eunuch had no choice but to speak up once again to express his thoughts!
"A piece of trash is still a piece of trash, hmph!"
Upon hearing what he wanted to hear, the emperor coldly replied!
The old eunuch did not continue speaking, but stood respectfully to the side, accompanying his master!
Meanwhile, in the imperial court, the shocked crowd gradually regained their composure and realized a problem: Yuwen Guo had been persuaded to surrender by the Crown Prince. The moment he submitted, it meant that he was part of the Crown Prince's faction. The Crown Prince, who originally had no foundation, gained a powerful civil official group after acquiring Yuwen Guo, which greatly affected the status of the Second Prince and the Third Prince!
Before anyone could voice their opinion, Yuwen Guo continued.
"I need three promises. First, I will be appointed as the prime minister after I take office. Second, I will not be loyal to any member of the royal family; I will only be loyal to the people of this land. Third, I will not form cliques or engage in factional struggles, but the talents I recommend will be given priority in recruitment!"
After hearing Yuwen Guo's words, Li Zhu didn't find anything wrong with it, and then said to the guard beside him...
"Write it down and take it to the Emperor for review. If there are no problems, then ask the Emperor to issue an imperial decree!"
"yes!"
The guards dared not delay and hurriedly went to the imperial study to report!
Meanwhile, the civil and military officials in the hall breathed a sigh of relief. As long as Yuwen Guo didn't take sides, the crown prince would still be the useless crown prince; his sacrifice wouldn't have any lasting impact...
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