Chapter 478: Peeling off the cocoon
They appear to be in harmony but are actually at odds with each other, and brothers kill each other.

These words were very harsh. Even Li Yuan was not in a position to speak such harsh words directly to the two brothers.

But Princess Pingyang said it directly on this occasion.

Just as she said, Li Yuan is old now, and the power has been almost divided among his sons. He is only the head of the family and the emperor of a country with an empty title, so his words are naturally not very effective.

It has been more than ten years since my eldest brother Li Xiaoyan passed away. Even if he were alive, whether his words would have any effect is another matter.

But as the eldest sister, Princess Pingyang was born of the same mother as her brothers, was the legitimate daughter of Empress Taimu, had a noble status, and had no conflict of interest with her brothers. So when she said this, both Li Er and Li San had to sit down and listen.

Only this kind of identity can stand out from the crowd, have the qualifications, confidence, and affection to speak.

Li Er glanced at his sister, then at Li Sanlang: "Now that we've come to this point, we're all family today, my eldest sister's husband and Silang are here, Sanlang, let me ask you a question."

Li Sanlang said, "Second brother, please speak."

"Have you ever thought about taking the position of crown prince and doing it yourself?" Li Er's alcohol tolerance has actually never been good, so after a few glasses of wine, his emotions were at that point again, and he started to speak the truth after drinking.

What he said was actually his biggest worry in the past few years. He had never revealed this worry to any of his confidants, nor had he mentioned it to the Crown Princess.

But it has really troubled me for a long time. Now you are competing with me, aren't you trying to fight for the throne?
There are many reasons why Li Er is worried.

First of all, his health has not been good recently. He still has a limp when he walks and has scars on his face, so he is in a very sensitive state of mind.

Li San's performance during his serious illness was no less capable than his ability to govern the country when he was the crown prince and regent.

He also gained a lot of praise and reputation because of this, so Li Er became more and more worried that he would be replaced by Li Sanlang.

After hearing this, Li Sanlang smiled bitterly and said, "Second brother, you called me back."

Li Er remained silent after hearing this.

Li San continued, "Second brother, you should understand that I can't retreat now. But I have never thought about competing with you for the position of crown prince. Have you forgotten the Golden Casket Alliance in Luoyang?"

According to the Golden Casket Alliance, after Li Er, Li San should succeed to the throne. After Li San, it was Li Si. After Li Si, it was the eldest son of the eldest brother, Prince of Zhao Li Cheng'an.

Everyone knew that this so-called alliance was just a stopgap measure. Expecting the throne to be smoothly transferred between the four houses was almost a pipe dream.

At least for Li Er and Li San, everyone still hopes that it can be passed on smoothly. Because these two brothers, including the King of Qi, have the potential to be wise rulers, and they are even at the level of heroic rulers.

The biggest problem of the Tang Dynasty at present is that the three legitimate sons of the emperor are all powerful rulers. Each of them can become a dragon. Therefore, a huge rift has formed between the court and the people.

The Guanzhong nobles and many meritorious officials of the Tang Dynasty all strongly supported Li San.

Because of the existence of the Golden Casket Alliance, Li San would be the emperor after Li Er, unless something unexpected happened.

Li Er's physical condition could not be concealed. If Li Er himself had not had great achievements and prestige, and extremely high personal charm, so that many old subordinates and knowledgeable people followed him, the East Palace would not be able to compete with the Jin Palace.

Li Sanlang also expressed his attitude. Don’t talk about the position of crown prince. We have agreed that after you become emperor, it will be my turn. What’s the point of talking about this now?
So after asking, Li Er was speechless.

Princess Pingyang sighed and said, "Before my eldest brother died, he asked me to tell you brothers not to learn from Yuan Shao's sons, who fought against each other. Ten years have passed, and it seems that my eldest brother's words are coming true." After she finished speaking, the brothers' faces all changed.

In fact, Li Xiaoyan did not have many achievements to commend in the process of establishing the Tang Dynasty. His only military achievement might be capturing Wancheng with Li Er. At that time, he was the nominal commander-in-chief, but the actual command of the operations was all in charge of Li Er. Li Xiaoyan mainly did logistics work and ensured adequate soldiers and food.

But because he died too early, he did not have the chance to display his talents, and he was surprisingly popular among the aristocratic families at that time.

So now when people mention the late Prince Zhaode, they all feel regret.

Some even say that Prince Zhaode had the highest prestige among his brothers. If he were still alive, there would be no Li Er and Li San fighting for power in the court, and there would be no Li Si ruling a region and commanding his own troops.

Even Li Yuan and Mrs. Li thought so. How great would it be if he were still alive?
Things between brothers wouldn't turn out like this.

Even Li Er had this thought in his mind: what good is this position of crown prince? After taking this position, he was worried all day long, fearing that he would not do well and be overshadowed by his two brothers.
In addition, a series of events happened later, especially now that he is the crown prince, even if he becomes emperor, he cannot pass the throne to his son.
Therefore, from Li Er's perspective, the two brothers were watching them covetously, especially the third brother, who was right in front of him.

"I was the first to propose the Golden Casket Alliance, and my father, second brother and third brother all agreed. The Tang Dynasty was conquered by our brothers, and second brother has made great contributions. Whether it is for the crown prince or the emperor, third brother and I have no objection. But if the two of us serve Cheng Qian or Cheng Tai... Second brother. Are you willing to serve Cheng An as the emperor?"

Li Er didn't say anything, but he also understood what Li Si said. If you put yourself in other people's shoes, will others be willing to do something that you yourself are unwilling to do?

Li Si, who had been silent the whole time, spoke with sharp words as soon as he spoke:

"Brother, you should know that going to war with the Northern Han at this time is a gamble on the fate of our Tang Dynasty. Whether we send troops to Hedong or Hebei, it will be a protracted war. Once this war begins, there will be no turning back. At that time, the Western Wei and Eastern Wei will inevitably send troops to the north at our most critical moment. At that time, we will be attacked from three sides. If our Tang Dynasty cannot win quickly, it will be exhausted by the three parties. Brother, are you really sure that you can take Jinyang in a short time? Or Yecheng?"

After a long silence, Li Er finally smiled and said, "After all, Si Lang, do you support San Lang?"

Li Sanlang said, "Second brother, since when have we brothers also become factions against those who are different from us?"

Li Er shook his head and said nothing. He suddenly felt lonely and abandoned by his friends.

Li Sanlang continued, "Silang, if you have anything to say, please speak frankly."

Li Si looked around and said, "I went to the palace this morning and talked to Aye. Aye is old."

When Li San and Li Er heard these words, they naturally understood the key points with their intelligence.

The point is, I’m old.

What should people do when they get old? If they have good conditions, they can naturally enjoy their old age and play with their grandchildren. They can play chess and drink tea. If they have more energy, they can also do other recreational activities, such as fishing or making babies.
When officials get older, they should be given an honorary title, such as Grand Tutor, Grand Preceptor, or Special Advancement.

But the position of Prime Minister, Tongpingzhangshi, must be handed over to someone who can get real work done.

Therefore, most powerful rulers do not like to have their courts filled with a bunch of old ministers who are very old and have a lot of experience but like to shirk their responsibilities.

Ministers who want to achieve great things do not like conservative old monarchs; they prefer young and heroic monarchs.

No matter how the throne changes, the sky will never fall.

(End of this chapter)