Chapter 180
Li Chengqian’s expression grew colder as he narrowed his eyes slightly. “Are you suggesting that Su Li intends for you to pursue a marriage alliance?” he inquired.
Gaoyang responded, her gaze filled with resentment, “Imperial Brother, this is not a baseless guess. Su Li has just returned from a campaign and received credit for pacifying the northwest. Father Emperor even went against convention to reward him…”
Her voice quivered with bitterness. At this moment, her thoughts raced at an unusual speed.
“Father Emperor has always favored Su Li greatly. First, he allowed him to enter the Imperial Smoke Pavilion, and now he’s even made him a prince from a different surname. All of this is based on his testimony alone, and he’s banished his own daughter to a remote and desolate place.”
Tears welled up in Gaoyang’s eyes as she continued, “Imperial Brother, I’m the one suffering this time. Who will it be next time?”
Li Chengqian’s face turned ashen. He initially believed that Li Er and Zhangsun Wu Fei had orchestrated this marriage alliance. He was aware of the situation in the Silla Kingdom and knew that Li Er had a lingering attachment to Goguryeo.
Having a friendly nation like Silla established on that peninsula, right next to Goguryeo, was strategically advantageous. It would facilitate any future efforts to conquer Goguryeo. So, when Silla proposed a marriage alliance, and Li Er agreed, it seemed straightforward.
However, the revelation that Su Li was pulling the strings behind the scenes changed everything. At this moment, a surge of anger welled up within Li Chengqian. He had always looked down on Su Li due to his humble origins, and this revelation only intensified his disdain.
Even though Su Li had achieved fame as a great poet and was hailed as the Tang Dynasty’s Poetry Saint, and even though he had entered the Imperial Smoke Pavilion to present sweet potatoes and potatoes, Li Chengqian still regarded him as a mere peasant. No matter how many accomplishments Su Li had, that reason alone was sufficient for Li Chengqian to look down on him.
In Li Chengqian’s eyes, Su Li was nothing more than a commoner, and he couldn’t hide his jealousy and apprehension, especially since he had always been praised by everyone since childhood. Even though Su Li had emerged victorious in the northwest campaign and been granted a royal title with a different surname, Li Chengqian held little admiration for him. If anything, there was deep jealousy and resentment.
When Zhangsun Chong approached him with his grievances, Li Chengqian could still comfort him with a smile. But now, he realized his situation was strikingly similar to Zhangsun Chong’s. Zhangsun Chong had failed to win Changle’s love and had been overtaken by Su Li due to unexpected circumstances, leading to his resentment. In Li Chengqian’s view, his enmity with Su Li was even greater than Zhangsun Chong’s.
Zhangsun Chong had only lost what he considered a childhood love. But Li Chengqian had lost the trust of his father, the emperor. Born the year before his grandfather Li Yuan founded the dynasty, Li Chengqian’s life had been smooth sailing. He was groomed for politics from a young age and possessed self-importance.
Li Chengqian couldn’t tolerate Li Er diverting his attention away from him and onto Su Li, a peasant by birth, regardless of his accomplishments. Changle’s illness initially concerned him, but Li Er’s unusual behavior continued, and Li Chengqian’s unease grew.
The frequency of Li Er’s visits to the princess’s residence increased significantly, and it was rumored that each visit involved lengthy conversations with Su Li. This intensified Li Chengqian’s already stubborn personality. He couldn’t tolerate Li Er’s growing attention to Su Li, which fueled his jealousy and resentment.
In his eyes, Li Er’s behavior towards Su Li seemed to go beyond mere appreciation for a minister. It appeared more like infatuation. This stirred an inexplicable feeling within Li Chengqian that Su Li was taking away something dear to him. As Su Li continued to succeed, Li Chengqian’s emotions didn’t subside but grew even stronger.
Li Chengqian was stubborn, and Li Er’s increasing attention to Su Li only exacerbated his negative feelings. He saw Su Li as committing several offenses. First, as a peasant, rising rapidly in status was disrespectful to the crown prince. Second, Su Li didn’t adhere to the proper duties of a husband and had overly close interactions with Li Er. Third, he was achieving great feats and becoming overly arrogant, even influencing the decisions of the emperor and empress. From Li Chengqian’s perspective, Su Li was unforgivable, and this reaction was normal.
Su Li might have gained fame as a poet, but that was his own accomplishment. While his contributions to sweet potatoes and potatoes benefited the country, Li Chengqian, as the crown prince, felt detached from these achievements. Li Er’s successes overshadowed him, and he began harboring dark thoughts about his own future.
Li Chengqian knew that he would ascend to the throne one day, but he questioned what he could achieve. Regardless of how strong Su Li became, Li Er reaped the benefits. Li Chengqian felt that Li Er had never shown him his own crown prince respect, and thus, Li Er was his enemy.
Driven by these thoughts, Li Chengqian had wanted to trouble Su Li for a while, but Su Li rarely left the princess’s residence, making it difficult to find an opportunity. Gaoyang’s arrival now provided Li Chengqian with a legitimate reason.
Deep down, Li Chengqian knew Su Li’s extraordinary power and influence. He resented Su Li but understood that directly challenging him would be futile. He needed to find a way to make Li Er take action against Su Li.
In Li Chengqian’s eyes, Li Er was practically omnipotent. The marriage alliance arranged for Gaoyang was seen as Li Er being deceived by Su Li. He couldn’t understand how someone like Li Er could be coerced by his ministers. These thoughts darkened Li Chengqian’s expression as he contemplated his next move.