Chapter 669: The Struggle for the Heir Apparent in the Eastern Palace

Most princes aspire to become emperors—this has been true throughout history. As long as the conditions permit, especially with hints and encouragement from the reigning emperor, their ambition to rule grows even stronger.
Prince Peng, Li Jin, was such a prince, driven almost mad by the desire for the imperial throne. Li Jin was the third son of Li Hen. His eldest son, Li Yu, had died a few years earlier, so his second son, Li Xi, naturally became the crown prince. Li Jin, being made Prince Peng, logically became the senior prince.
At just 23 years old, Li Jin was still very young. Unlike the crown prince Li Xi, who favored military affairs over literature, Li Jin was physically frail. He had studied extensively since childhood and possessed profound knowledge, winning Li Hen’s favor, who saw great resemblance between him and himself.
Born into an imperial family with great ambitions for the world, Li Jin had admired his elder brother since childhood. In his youth, he resolved that if his elder brother ascended the throne, he would be willing to serve as a loyal soldier to help restore the Tang Dynasty. Yet cruel power struggles made this wish unfulfillable.
The crown prince of Southern Tang became his least favorite second brother, leaving Li Jin disheartened. He then changed his ambition to become a professor at the imperial academy, aiming to nurture talented scholars.
Unfortunately, life was like a game of chess. After a deep conversation with his father, he abandoned this ambition once again, determined to take on the responsibility of the nation’s fate and become a great ruler.
In recent days, Li Jin had met with Prime Minister Wang Gong and Left Prime Minister Cui Yuan. Their firm support filled him with confidence. Although Li Fuguo and Empress Zhang did not support him, his father’s backing advanced his cause in the Eastern Palace.
But Linghu Fei’s sudden appearance disrupted his plans, filling him with tension. It seemed as though all his advantages vanished overnight, as if he had been abandoned. He felt certain of defeat. Fortunately, his advisor Yan Kai suggested seeking support from the imperial clan, giving his desperate heart a glimmer of hope.
Li Jin was emotionally fragile; even minor setbacks made him feel overwhelmed. For over an hour, he paced back and forth in his room with his hands behind his back, eagerly awaiting Yan Kai’s return.
“Your Highness, Mr. Yan has returned,” came a report from the guards at the door. Li Jin hurried to open the door and saw Yan Kai coming down the corridor.
“Mr. Yan, you’re finally back,” Li Jin said excitedly, his face showing eager joy. Even the guards beside him couldn’t help but smile. The emperor said Prince Peng resembled him, but where was the resemblance?

Yan Kai hurried forward to bow and said, “Your Highness, I returned late and caused you concern.”
The two entered the study. As soon as Li Jin closed the door, he eagerly asked, “Sir, what’s the outcome? Tell me quickly—I’m worried to death.”
Yan Kai smiled slightly. “Your Highness, rest assured. Everything is within my control.”
Li Jin was overjoyed and stammered, “The Prince of Siqi… agreed?”
“With such high demands from Your Highness, how could he refuse?”
“Demands?”
Li Jin froze for a moment. He suddenly remembered those harsh conditions and grew uneasy. Those conditions weren’t his idea but Yan Kai’s.
“Sir, those conditions are too severe. If I accept them, the court will run out of funds in the future.”
Yan Kai sighed inwardly. He was still too inexperienced. With such a scholarly mindset, could he truly rule the world?
“Your Highness, let’s separate the conditions from the future. Your Highness can agree to anything now. We can discuss whether to fulfill them after ascending the throne. Do you understand what I mean?”
“But…”
Li Jin’s expression showed slight dissatisfaction. He disapproved of Yan Kai’s attitude. “Mr. Yan, if one breaks promises, how can they establish credibility?”
“Well… Your Highness, ignore this for now. I believe the royal family will understand that no one is safe when the nest is destroyed. By then, they won’t be so extreme. What should Your Highness do next? Have you thought it over?”
“I have. If the royal family supports me, I’ll immediately meet my father and let him know that my support is no less than my brother’s. I hope he’ll give me even more support.”
Yan Kai lowered his head and pondered for a while, seemingly considering something. Finally, he raised his head and said slowly, “To compete for the Eastern Palace, does Your Highness know your greatest weakness?”
“I do. I have no military achievements, so it’s hard to gain the military’s support.”
“No!”
Yan Kai shook his head. “That’s not your weakness. On the contrary, it’s your strength. It’s precisely because you lack a military background that the Emperor considers making you the heir. The crown prince, relying on his military achievements, oversteps his authority in state affairs, which led the Emperor to think of deposing him.”
Although Li Jin was a scholar, he understood this principle. One must fulfill their duties based on their position. As the heir, he should properly learn how to govern the country. How could he arbitrarily appoint or dismiss officials? He nodded and asked, “So, according to you, what is my weakness?”

“I think Your Highness’s weakness lies in your too gentle approach, which leaves you on the defensive at every turn. This prevents the Emperor from fully supporting you and also makes many court officials unsure of your true intentions, so they hesitate to offer support. I believe if you could be more assertive—just like in battle—it would boost morale, inspire the troops, and at the same time deter the enemy, allowing you to take control of the situation. What do you think?”
Seeing Li Jin bow his head in silence, Yan Kai grew anxious. Li Qingan had ordered him to intensify the struggle for the throne, and he could only start by persuading Li Jin. He cautiously tried again, “Your Highness, what I mean is that you might as well be more ruthless. Since you desire the throne, show some imperial determination and let the Emperor see your strong side.”
“Imperial determination!” Li Jin slowly raised his head, his eyes gleaming. Yan Kai’s words were like a boost, stirring his emotions. “Sir, then what should I do?”
Yan Kai wasn’t in a hurry to reveal his plan. Instead, he slowly guided Li Jin, “Your Highness, don’t rush. Let’s take it step by step. First, find out the Emperor’s attitude, then move forward. But there’s one thing you need to handle right away.”
“What is it?”
“Your Highness, when I arrived earlier, I saw Linghu Fei going to see the Emperor. He came out of the Eastern Palace, so he must have discussed some strategy with the Crown Prince. It’s necessary for you to let the Emperor know that Linghu Fei just left the Eastern Palace. That way, no matter how good his excuses are, the Emperor might not listen to him.”
“Are you asking me to expose him now?”
“Your Highness, don’t rush!”
Wait until Linghu Fei leaves. He’s very eloquent and will defend himself. You can’t outargue him. Wait until he’s gone, then inform the Emperor. Don’t say too much; the Emperor will investigate on his own.
…
Outside the Qinzheng Hall in Nanming Palace, Linghu Fei had been waiting for a long time. The eunuchs had already gone in to report for him, but the Emperor still hadn’t summoned him, which made him anxious. Could it be that the Emperor already knew he came from the Eastern Palace?
Impossible. It couldn’t be that fast. Even if he did know, the Emperor would summon him immediately. After all, he was the Minister of Revenue, in charge of Nan Tang’s finances. Given his status, Li Hen couldn’t possibly ignore him for so long. There must be something else going on that kept the Emperor preoccupied.

Back then, Linghu Fei was Li Heng’s military advisor and closest confidant; major decisions were always discussed with him. But starting this year, Li Heng clearly became colder toward him, leaving Linghu Fei utterly puzzled. It wasn’t until half a month ago, by chance, that he learned some insider information from Li Fuguo. It turned out that Wang Gong had reported him to Li Heng behind his back, claiming that Linghu Fei had had too close dealings with the crown prince during Li Heng’s eastern campaign. This led to the crown prince overstepping his authority by appointing and dismissing officials. In other words, Li Heng suspected Linghu Fei of encouraging the crown prince to act beyond his bounds. This enraged Linghu Fei, and it was then he resolved to support the crown prince at all costs and prevent Wang Gong from succeeding.

At that moment, a eunuch hurried out of a side room and bowed to him, saying, “Minister Linghu, the Emperor has summoned you!”
“Very well! Please lead the way.”
Linghu Fei followed the eunuch toward the main hall. When they reached a darker area, he quietly handed a gold leaf to the eunuch. The eunuch was stunned, then his face lit up with joy as he took the gold leaf. “Minister Linghu, you’re too kind. How can I accept this?”
Eunuchs understood well the principle of “taking money to avoid trouble.” Seeing no one around, he whispered, “Just now, the Emperor was meeting with Prime Minister Wang to discuss military matters. It seems there are unusual movements in the Northern Tang army.”
Linghu Fei was shocked. He knew about the unusual movements in the Northern Tang army—he had come here for that very reason. He hadn’t expected Wang Gong to get there first, and the Emperor hadn’t even invited him to discuss it. What did this mean? Were they trying to exclude him from decision-making?
Full of doubts, Linghu Fei quickly bowed and thanked him, “Oh! Thank you very much for informing me.”
The old eunuch whispered again, “Last night, Eunuch Yu also sent a memorial. He firmly supports the crown prince.”
Linghu Fei was overjoyed. Yu Chaoyen was the military commander of Xiangyang, in charge of 200,000 troops there. If he agreed to support the crown prince, the situation would clearly favor the crown prince even more.
“Thank you, sir. I will repay you generously in the future!”
Linghu Fei followed the eunuch into the imperial study. Coincidentally, he saw Wang Gong coming out. The two exchanged glances. Wang Gong immediately forced a bright smile and bowed, saying, “Hehe! I’m sorry for making Minister Linghu wait.”
“Prime Minister, you might be overthinking it. It was the Emperor who asked me to wait. What does it have to do with you?” Linghu Fei replied.
Wang Gong’s expression darkened. “It seems Minister Linghu isn’t in a good mood. Well then! I won’t keep you any longer.”
As he passed by Linghu Fei, he bumped into him hard with his shoulder, then sneered twice before walking away.

Linghu Fei held his shoulder and stared intently at his back, a murderous intent flashing in his eyes—once the crown prince ascended the throne, he would kill this man first. A young eunuch ran out and, upon seeing Linghu Fei, immediately said, “Minister Linghu, the emperor summons you!” “Mm!” He replied and entered Li Heng’s imperial study. Inside, Li Heng stood with his hands behind his back in front of the map, his gaze filled with concern. He had just received intelligence from Wang Gong: a 50,000-strong army of Northern Tang had split into two groups—one of 40,000 troops stationed in Ruzhou, and another of 10,000 in Yuzhou. The commander was said to be General Li Sheng. Although Li Sheng was a second-tier general, he was highly regarded by Li Qing’an and usually only deployed during major battles. What did his sudden appearance in Ruzhou mean? There was another piece of news: Li Guangbi had also led 50,000 troops into Guanzhong. Was he planning to attack Hanzhong? Wang Gong had suggested that Li Qing’an was likely to launch a campaign against Southern Tang. If so, how should he respond? “Your servant Linghu Fei pays his respects to Your Majesty!” Li Heng turned around and saw Linghu Fei already behind him, so he nodded and said, “My dear minister, there’s no need for formalities.” “Thank you, Your Majesty!” Li Heng sighed deeply. “Minister Linghu, I’ve just received news that Li Sheng has led 50,000 troops to Yuzhou and Ruzhou. I’m very worried!” Linghu Fei was stunned. He only knew that Li Guangbi had led troops into Guanzhong but was unaware of Li Sheng’s deployment in Ruzhou. He asked urgently, “Your Majesty, is the intelligence about troops being sent to both Ruzhou and Yuzhou reliable?” “It should be reliable! Prime Minister Wang is quite certain—40,000 troops are in Ruzhou, and 10,000 in Yuzhou.” Linghu Fei, who had studied the map and was very familiar with the area around Xiangyang, immediately understood the Northern Tang army’s strategic intentions. “Your Majesty, it’s clear the Northern Tang army intends to attack Nanyang.” “How do you know?” Although Li Heng had preconceptions about Linghu Fei, he trusted his strategic acumen. Hearing this, Li Heng grew nervous. “Your Majesty, please look at the map!” Linghu Fei pointed at the map. “Ruzhou is directly north of Nanyang, while Yuzhou is southeast of it. With Li Sheng’s main force stationed in Ruzhou, it’s obvious he intends to attack Nanyang head-on. The 10,000 troops in Yuzhou will likely move in behind Nanyang to attack Xinye, cutting off its supply lines. If Nanyang falls, Xiangyang will be vulnerable.” Li Heng examined the map carefully and saw that it was indeed the case. Although there was Tangzhou between Yuzhou and Nanyang, there were hardly any troops there. Coupled with the speed of the Anxi cavalry, it was almost possible to launch a surprise attack on Xinye. Yet he still had one thing unclear.

“Your Excellency’s words make sense, but given Li Sheng’s personality, if he acts, it will be a surprise attack. By taking this stance so early, isn’t he already revealing his strategy to us? I don’t quite understand.”
“Your Majesty, Li Qing’an never seeks to conquer just one city or region. If he were to attack Southern Tang, he would surely launch attacks from two fronts at once. His display of strength in Xiangyang is meant to draw our attention there, but his actual attack will undoubtedly start from Hanzhong. That’s why Li Guangbi is leading troops into Guanzhong. Your Majesty, having dealt with Li Qing’an for many years, I know his strategies well.”
Li Heng was also wondering what Li Guangbi’s army would do once it entered Guanzhong, but he had no spies there, so he had no way of knowing. Linghu Fei’s words snapped him out of his thoughts, and he hurriedly asked, “Then, according to Your Excellency, how should we respond?”
“Your Majesty, I have two suggestions.”
“Hmm! Go on.”
Gradually, Li Heng forgot his dissatisfaction with Linghu Fei. Now, all he cared about was resisting the attack of the Northern Tang army; everything else was unimportant.
Linghu Fei was secretly pleased. He had gradually taken control of Li Heng’s thinking. He slowly said, “The first suggestion is that we abandon Xiangyang and withdraw our troops to Shu. By utilizing the terrain of Bashu, we can concentrate our forces to confront the Northern Tang army.”
In fact, this suggestion came to Linghu Fei only just now. Since Yu Chaoen supported the crown prince, if Yu Chaen’s army could return, it would greatly strengthen the crown prince’s power.
Li Heng hadn’t thought of this. He nodded and said, “I will consider this suggestion. Your Excellency, please share the second one.”
“My second suggestion is: With such a great enemy at hand, we must not allow internal strife. I advise Your Majesty to protect the crown prince and focus entirely on dealing with the external threat.”