Chapter 165: Rift Between Brothers

Li Zhi set out on his journey back to Chang'an.

The distance from Hongnong to Chang'an was not particularly far to begin with.

Before he had traveled very far, Li Ji arrived with an entourage of troops to bid him farewell and see him off.

"Old Li, what brings you here?"

Li Zhi had previously dispatched Li Ji to secure and escort the grain supply routes. Li Ji had just returned upon successfully completing his mission and had not yet had the opportunity to make his official report when he learned that Li Zhi was preparing to return to Chang'an.

Sighing, Li Ji replied, "Your Highness, I have not yet had the chance to brief you on the events of these past few days."

Li Zhi dismounted from his carriage and exchanged a few words with Li Ji.

"Your Highness, there may be those who harbor ill intentions against you at this time. It would be wise to exercise caution on your journey back."

Li Ji had grown increasingly concerned for Li Zhi's safety.

It seemed as though his own fortunes and very life had become intertwined with those of Li Zhi.

Li Zhi chuckled and said, "Old Li, I am hardly accustomed to you showing such sudden concern for my well-being. Rest assured, however, nothing untoward will happen along this road."

Unconvinced, Li Ji pressed on, "Shall I dispatch a force of five thousand elite cavalry to escort you?"

"There is no need."

"Some people may indeed wish for my death, but either they have yet to be born, or I shall send them back to be born all over again!"

With a light laugh, Li Zhi delivered these words.

Hearing this, Li Ji felt somewhat reassured.

Li Zhi clearly possessed a well-conceived and thorough plan for his own protection.

Even so, lingering anxieties prompted Li Ji to step closer and lower his voice. "Your Highness, word has reached me that His Majesty has already dispatched the Crown Prince with troops to escort you. There are matters... which perhaps I have no right to speak of, but you would still do well to be on your guard."

"Oh?"

Li Zhi fixed his gaze upon Li Ji.

It was abundantly clear that Li Ji was cautioning him to be wary of Li Chengqian.

"Are you speaking of brothers turning against one another within the walls?"

Faced with Li Zhi's direct question, Li Ji fell completely silent, skillfully evading the topic.

With a smile, Li Zhi replied, "I will bear your words in mind, Old Li. For now, however, I am most eager to return to Chang'an as swiftly as possible and get some proper rest. The affairs of Hongnong are left in your capable hands."

With that, Li Zhi re-entered his carriage and resumed his journey.

***

When Li Zhi's procession was still about a hundred miles from Chang'an, they crossed paths with the welcoming party led by Li Chengqian.

Li Chengqian had come out to meet them at the head of two thousand cavalry and five thousand infantry.

The two brothers met within the confines of Li Zhi's military tent.

"Greetings, Your Royal Highness the Crown Prince."

Even though Li Zhi now enjoyed the profound trust of Emperor Taizong, he remained a subject while Li Chengqian was the heir apparent; the disparity in their status still existed.

Showing a hint of displeasure, Li Chengqian remarked, "Ninth Brother, why did you not come to my camp for our meeting instead of making me come to yours?"

In Li Chengqian's eyes, protocol dictated that Li Zhi ought to have left his own troops behind and traveled alone to the Crown Prince's encampment to pay his respects.

Had he truly done that, Li Zhi reflected, he would have been placing his life entirely in someone else's hands, and real danger would have truly begun.

"I still have numerous matters here that require my attention, and this journey has left me with little leisure. I had intended to pay my respects to the Crown Prince later, but who could have foreseen that Your Highness would arrive so promptly?"

Li Zhi replied with a smile, attaching little importance to such rigid formalities.

Li Chengqian waved a hand dismissively, clearly having no desire to bicker with Li Zhi over the matter.

"We are only a hundred miles from Chang'an now. You should set out early and endeavor to arrive by tomorrow noon."

Li Chengqian spoke with a trace of impatience.

With a polite assent, Li Zhi bid farewell to Li Chengqian and saw him off.

***

Because Li Zhi had not set foot inside Li Chengqian's camp, he felt no cause for anxiety regarding any potential moves by his brother.

Li Zhi was well aware that even if the Crown Prince harbored misgivings and desired his death, he would still be bound by restraints.

After all, standing alongside the two of them was Prince Li Tai.

If news of Li Chengqian assassinating him were to reach Emperor Taizong, then even if the Crown Prince succeeded in eliminating him, the Emperor would undoubtedly bestow the position of heir apparent upon Li Tai instead.

Any attempt by Li Chengqian to strike must therefore be carried out with absolute secrecy, leaving no trace behind.

Should Li Chengqian choose to make a move at this very moment, it could only be judged as an act of profound unwisdom.

This led Li Zhi to ponder why Emperor Taizong had specifically sent Li Chengqian to escort him back to the capital.

Could it be that the Emperor failed to perceive the widening rift already forming between his sons?

"Could it be that Emperor Taizong, knowing that Li Chengqian is now wary of me, wishes to test whether Li Chengqian will truly attempt to eliminate me halfway?"

Arriving at this realization, Li Zhi felt a renewed sense of confidence.

That very evening, he traveled entirely alone to Li Chengqian's military camp to visit him.

This was a development that even Li Chengqian had never anticipated.

"Ninth Brother, you... you came entirely by yourself?"

Seeing Li Zhi arrive unaccompanied, Li Chengqian could not conceal his astonishment.

With a curious smile, Li Zhi asked, "What is wrong with me coming alone to see my elder brother? There are things between brothers that ought not to be known to outsiders."

For a moment, Li Chengqian was struck dumb.

He had assumed that Li Zhi harbored deep suspicions of him; he had never imagined that Li Zhi would display such profound trust.

Instead, a sudden wave of shame washed over him.

"Ninth Brother, I have not prepared a proper reception for you here. Once we return to Chang'an, as your elder brother, I shall host a grand banquet to welcome you home."

Li Chengqian made a deliberate show of holding Li Zhi in high regard.

The two brothers conversed pleasantly, laughing and chatting together.

Even when an imperial messenger sent from Chang'an arrived to inquire about their situation, neither Li Zhi nor Li Chengqian made any attempt to conceal their harmony.

Witnessing this scene, the messenger hurried back that very night to report to Emperor Taizong.

***

Deep in the night, within the imperial palace, Emperor Taizong listened to the messenger's report.

"The Crown Prince and the Prince of Jin are actually laughing and conversing together, and the Prince of Jin went to see the Crown Prince entirely alone?"

Hearing this, a look of puzzlement crossed Emperor Taizong's face.

Everything was unfolding precisely as Li Zhi had anticipated.

Emperor Taizong was indeed testing the two brothers.

The achievements of Li Zhi were simply too monumental.

Even the Emperor himself had begun to entertain thoughts of replacing the heir apparent.

That being the case, it was impossible for Li Chengqian not to have considered this possibility.

If so...

The relationship between Li Chengqian and Li Zhi should have been fraught with mutual suspicion and guard.

Having experienced firsthand the bitter rivalry with his own brothers—a struggle that ultimately culminated in bloodshed at the Xuanwu Gate—Emperor Taizong was naturally vigilant against such a tragedy repeating itself among his sons.

Yet, from all appearances, the two brothers had not yet developed any insurmountable rift.

"Did you hear what the Crown Prince and the Prince of Jin were discussing?" Emperor Taizong pressed the messenger further.

After a moment of reflection, the messenger hastily reported, "It seemed they were discussing a welcoming banquet upon their return to Chang'an, and they also spoke of paying their joint respects to the Empress Dowager."

This only deepened Emperor Taizong's perplexity.

What in the world were these two brothers plotting?

Emperor Taizong had constantly guarded against the recurrence of past fraternal bloodshed among his sons.

Yet the present circumstances bore striking similarities to the past: in his eyes, the Crown Prince appeared somewhat mediocre and lacking in enterprise, while his ninth son—his third legitimate son, Li Zhi—had demonstrated extraordinary military and political genius at a tender age.

Was this not an almost exact replay of the deadly rivalry he had once waged against Li Jiancheng and Li Yuanji?

"That is all. You may withdraw."

Emperor Taizong dismissed the messenger with a wave of his hand.

As for himself, he remained awake long into the night, unable to find rest.

His mind continued to dwell on the intricate relationship between Li Zhi and Li Chengqian.

"No, the crux of the problem lies with the fourth lad."

"Fourth Brother is still in the picture. If he and the Crown Prince were truly to forge an alliance, the situation would become identical to the past."

Emperor Taizong finally grasped the vital pivot of the entire situation.

The primary reason Li Chengqian had not yet made a move against Li Zhi was the continued existence of Li Tai.

Li Tai possessed formidable talents and had previously won deep favor from Emperor Taizong.

Li Chengqian would never rashly strike down Li Zhi unless he was driven to absolute desperation.