Soon after the palace servants withdrew, Li Jiancheng and his companion entered, both bowing in unison. “Your sons respectfully greet Father Emperor and wish you eternal peace!”

“Rise.” Speaking thus, Li Yuan said, “You’ve entered the palace to see me—is there some matter in the court?”

The two exchanged glances, when Li Yuanji suddenly knelt down, saying, “Your son has come specifically to seek punishment from Father Emperor. Please punish me!”

Li Yuan was startled by his sudden action, asking in confusion, “What crime have you committed?!”

“Your son… your son…” Li Yuanji bit his teeth, lowering his head, “Your son poisoned Second Brother’s wine!”

Upon hearing these words, everyone except Li Jiancheng was shocked, Li Yuan included. He abruptly stood up, striding to Li Yuanji’s side, pointing at him with trembling voice, “What did you say? Say it again!”

“The other day, on your son’s birthday, Second Brother came to celebrate. Your son took advantage of his unpreparedness and put wind nightshade poison in his wine!” Before Li Yuanji could finish speaking, Li Yuan had already struck him hard across the face, shouting sternly, “Have you gone mad? To actually poison your own second brother—are you trying to anger me to death!”

This slap was extremely heavy, causing a trace of blood to seep from the corner of Li Yuanji’s mouth. He dared not lift his head, prostrating himself and weeping, “Your son… your son didn’t know what came over him at the time. It was as if he was possessed by demons, watching helplessly as Second Brother drank that poisoned wine. Your son deserves death!”

“You… you unfilial son!” With these words, Li Yuan was about to strike again, but this time Li Jiancheng stopped him. “Father Emperor, please calm your anger!”

Li Yuan stared at him with a dark expression, “You’re speaking for him—don’t tell me you were also involved in this matter?”

“No!” Li Yuanji quickly said, “Elder Brother knew nothing until noon today. Father Emperor, please don’t wrongly accuse Elder Brother.”

Li Yuan snorted coldly, shaking off Li Jiancheng’s hand and scolding, “What exactly happened? Explain it clearly to me!”

“Actually… after Second Brother left, your son already regretted it, but the poison was already administered, and there was no antidote. Even if your son regretted it, it was useless. By the next day, sure enough, someone from the Prince of Qin’s mansion came to report that Second Brother had fallen ill and couldn’t attend court. Your son was both worried and guilt-ridden, so he pulled Elder Brother along to visit the Prince of Qin’s mansion. Although hope was slim, your son still hoped that Second Brother could turn misfortune into blessing and overcome the calamity.”

Li Yuan said coldly, “Is that so? I thought you’d be hoping for Shimin to die sooner!”

Li Jiancheng said from the side, “Father Emperor, although Yuanji committed a grave error this time, he’s not someone with a malicious heart. After learning that Shimin was fine, he was overjoyed beyond measure. Fearing that Shimin might still have residual poison, he even specially requested Imperial Physician Zhou to come and treat him.”

His words caused Li Yuan’s expression to soften slightly, saying coldly, “It’s fortunate that Shimin is fine, otherwise I would never forgive you, you unfilial son!”

Li Yuanji was scolded so harshly he dared not lift his head. Li Jiancheng said, “Your son noticed that Fourth Brother has been absent-minded these past two days, so I asked him what was wrong. After questioning for a long time, I learned that he had actually poisoned Shimin. As soon as your son learned of this matter, I immediately advised him to come confess to Father Emperor, hoping that Father Emperor, considering no major incident occurred, would deal with Fourth Brother leniently!”

Li Yuan snorted coldly, staring at the top of Li Yuanji’s head, “Speak! Why did you do this?”

Li Yuanji gritted his teeth, “Because your son didn’t want to see the day when we would cross swords, with blood spattering five steps!”

Li Yuan was startled, staring at him intently, “What do you mean by that?”

“Second Brother, he…” Before Li Yuanji could continue, Li Jiancheng nervously said, “Fourth Brother, you mustn’t speak nonsense before Father Emperor!”

Li Yuanji said stubbornly, “I only want to tell Father Emperor the truth—how is that speaking nonsense!”

As Li Jiancheng was about to speak, Li Yuan said in a stern voice, “Let Yuanji finish speaking first.”

Seeing him say this, Li Jiancheng had no choice but to close his mouth. Li Yuanji lifted his head, “All this time, Father Emperor has only seen Second Brother’s military achievements and battle records. But have you ever seen Second Brother’s arrogance and disrespect, Second Brother’s overweening ambition?”

His words made Li Yuan’s face turn extremely ugly, “What overweening ambition? What arrogance and disrespect? Speak clearly!”

Li Jiancheng urgently said, “Father Emperor, don’t listen to Yuanji’s nonsense—Shimin isn’t that kind of person!”

“Elder Brother, at this point you still want to speak for him. You treat him as a brother, but does he? He probably treats you as an enemy!” Speaking thus, Li Yuanji said with an indignant expression, “All these years, Second Brother has relied on his accumulated military merits to show no respect for Elder Brother whatsoever. Especially after pacifying Liu Wuzhou and Luoyang, Second Brother has always believed that the Great Tang realm was conquered by him, that he should be the Crown Prince, the one to inherit the Great Tang!”

“Yuanji!” Li Jiancheng was both angry and anxious, shouting sternly, “Won’t you even listen to Elder Brother anymore? Today I brought you here to admit your mistake to Father Emperor, not to say these chaotic things. If you don’t shut your mouth, don’t call me Elder Brother anymore!”

This time, Li Yuanji became stubborn, stiffening his neck, “Even if Elder Brother disowns me, I must speak! Every time, he acts respectfully toward Elder Brother in front of Father Emperor, but the moment he turns around, he puts on an arrogant and conceited manner, not putting Elder Brother in his eyes at all. He repeatedly says, openly and covertly, that Elder Brother has no qualification to inherit the throne—it’s simply too much! Elder Brother has always prevented me from speaking, but what has Elder Brother’s constant yielding brought? It’s brought his step-by-step pressure, his scheming calculations.” After saying all this in one breath, Li Yuanji took a breath, “Yes, your son committed a grave error, poisoning my own brother, but has Father Emperor ever considered that if Second Brother hadn’t been so excessive, would your son have done such an unconscionable thing?”

Li Yuan’s expression was so dark it seemed water might drip from it. He stared at Li Yuanji for a long time, then turned to look at Li Jiancheng, “Is this really so?”

Li Jiancheng denied it without thinking, “Shimin has always been very respectful to your son, absolutely not as Yuanji described. Father Emperor, don’t listen to his nonsense.”

Li Yuanji said angrily, “Elder Brother, how long will you keep yielding? Must you wait until he forces you to death before you regret it?”

“Shut up!” Li Jiancheng angrily rebuked, then knelt before Li Yuan, “Father Emperor, after Mother passed away, it was just we four brothers and Xiuning depending on each other. Xuanba is already gone—your son doesn’t want anyone else to meet with misfortune. As for Shimin, he is your son’s dearest brother, Father Emperor’s own son, and moreover a hero of the Great Tang. He has done no wrong—the one who is wrong is Yuanji!”

His words made Li Yuan think of Xuanba’s death, his cheeks twitching slightly. Before he could speak, Li Yuanji had already said, “Elder Brother, your words make no sense. Yes, he is a hero of the Great Tang, but does that mean he’s definitely done no wrong? His desire to inherit the Great Tang—this isn’t my delusion, but something I heard with my own ears, absolutely true.”