In the ancient and elegant imperial study with elaborately carved beams and painted pillars, Li Yi sat upright on the carved nanmu chair, his figure tall and straight yet his expression solemn. His gaze was tightly fixed on the extremely detailed map of the Tang Dynasty's territory drawn on the wall. Every mountain and river, every stretch of water on the map seemed to bear the rise and fall, honor and disgrace of the Tang Dynasty, weighing heavily on his heart.
The succession to the throne was a crucial choice concerning the fate of the Tang Dynasty. He was well aware that only a prince with both virtue and talent could lead the Tang Dynasty to continue to thrive and prosper. After much deliberation, Li Yi made up his mind to pass a strict assessment and select the most suitable successor for the Tang Dynasty.
The first assessment is the ability to handle government affairs. Li Yi presented to the princes a series of difficult government affairs that had been piling up in the imperial court recently, such as the allocation of funds and project planning for the restoration of farmland water conservancy, the balance of interests among all parties in the controversy over commercial tax reform, and the formulation of strategies for the checks and balances of regional warlords, and demanded that they present detailed and practical countermeasures within just three days.
The eldest prince Li Xuan, as the eldest son, has always been highly expected by everyone. He was well aware of the significance of this assessment. During the assessment period, he read the classics left by the late emperor day and night, attempting to find inspiration to solve problems from the old examples. The assessment was over. Although the plan he presented was quite stable, it relied too much on past experience and lacked innovation and breakthroughs, making it difficult to cope with the current complex and volatile situation.
The second prince Li Rui has a rather radical personality and is filled with a strong desire for innovation in his heart. He advocated for radical reforms of the existing system. Many of the ideas in the proposed plan were rather bold. However, due to the lack of in-depth consideration of the actual situation, many measures have serious problems in terms of feasibility and are highly likely to cause social unrest when implemented.
The youngest third prince, Li Muyang, did not rush to write. Instead, he changed into casual clothes, delved into the lives of the common people, and had heart-to-heart talks with them to understand their genuine needs and pain points. Later, he humbly sought advice from experienced senior officials in the court and absorbed their wisdom. Ultimately, the plan he proposed was not only closely in line with the current actual situation but also had a long-term plan. It was well-organized and logically rigorous, earning private praise from many ministers.
After the assessment, Li Xuan said to Li Muyang with a confident look on his face, "Muyang, the key to handling government affairs lies in stability. Your novel ideas are likely to fail to convince the public." Li Muyang responded with a smile, "What my elder brother said is not without reason, but times are changing, and we also need to keep up with The Times."
Li Rui snorted coldly from the side, "Steady?" That is nothing but being complacent. Only through thorough reform can the Tang Dynasty find a way out.
The veteran ministers who supported Li Xuan secretly discussed in private, planning to secretly add points for him in the assessment and scoring. They believe that Li Xuan is steady and reliable, and is the only candidate to inherit the throne. An old minister with white hair stroked his beard and said, "The eldest prince has received orthodox royal education since childhood and acts steadily. He is sure to maintain the stability of the Tang Dynasty."
The radical ministers who supported Li Rui were not to be outdone either. They promoted Li Hui's "innovative ideas" everywhere and deliberately belittled the plans of other princes in the court. One of the young ministers said passionately, "Nowadays, the Tang Dynasty has been plagued by problems for a long time. Only Prince Li Rui's reform plan can bring the Tang Dynasty back to life. The ideas of the other princes are all too conservative."
The military strategy assessment was carried out in a grand and vigorous manner at the imperial palace training ground. On the simulated battlefield, military flags fluttered vigorously in the wind and smoke filled the air, as if transporting everyone into a real war scene. Li Yi meticulously set up a complex battle situation of foreign invasion and internal rebellion, demanding that the princes personally command the "army" to deal with it.
Due to his lack of strategy, Li Xuan appeared flustered during the command process. One moment he ordered the troops to attack, and the next he hurriedly ordered their retreat. Under his command, the entire army suffered successive defeats.
Li Rui was eager for quick success and rashly launched a main force attack right from the start, without considering the enemy's ambush. As a result, he was instead surrounded by the enemy and fell into a difficult situation.
Li Muyang, on the other hand, appeared exceptionally calm. Standing at a high place, he carefully observed the battlefield situation and quickly analyzed the weaknesses of the enemy and the advantages of our side.
Subsequently, he ingeniously employed a strategy of feigning attack from east to west. He first pretended to send the main force to launch a frontal attack to draw the enemy's attention, but in reality, he secretly dispatched elite troops to encircle behind the enemy and launch a surprise attack, reversing the course of the battle and securing the ultimate victory.
After the battle, Li Xuan's face turned ashen and he left the training ground in silence.
Li Rui, frustrated, pounded his thigh and muttered, "It's all my fault for being too impatient."
When the ministers who supported Li Xuan saw that he performed poorly in the military assessment, they began to move around, trying to find a remedy for him. They found the general in charge of the assessment and presented him with generous gifts, hoping that the general would speak well of Li Xuan during the evaluation.
The ministers who supported Li Rui defended him in the court, claiming that he was in such a hurry to attack because he was too eager to show off his strength, rather than lacking in strategy. They also joined forces to suppress the military performance of other princes.
The assessment of moral cultivation is carried out quietly in daily life. Li Yi arranged many tests. Among them, on one occasion, a guard disguised as a poor old man cried at the palace gate, claiming that his farmland had been seized by his royal relatives and that his life had fallen into a desperate situation.
Li Xuan saw the old man from afar but pretended not to, hurrying past him, thinking in his heart that these trivial matters should not be the concern of this prince.
Li Rui waved his hand impatiently, asking the guards to drive the old man away, while saying, "Don't get in the way of this prince here. Go and deal with these minor matters with the people below."
Only Li Muyang personally stepped forward, carefully helped the old man up, let him sit on the stone bench beside him, and then patiently listened to the old man's demands. After hearing that, he promptly sent someone to verify the situation and eventually helped the old man seek justice.
After this incident spread among the people, the common folk praised Li Muyang one after another for his kind heart and love for the people as if they were his own children. His reputation also rose accordingly.
After learning about this, Li Xuan felt a bit jealous and said to Li Muyang, "It's just a small thing you did that earned you such a good reputation. Are you deliberately trying to win people's hearts?"
Li Muyang responded calmly, "Brother, you misunderstood. I just did what I thought was right." Li Rui sneered and said, "It's just for seeking fame and reputation. What can these small favors change?"
The ministers who supported Li Xuan began to spread rumors in the palace, saying that Li Muyang's actions were for show and to gain a good reputation in the assessment. They also persuaded some eunuchs and palace maids to spread these rumors in the palace.
The ministers who supported Li Rui questioned Li Muyang's motives for this move in the court, attempting to tarnish his image. They joined forces with some other ministers who were dissatisfied with Li Muyang and slandered before the emperor.
The assessment of diplomatic wisdom officially kicked off in the solemn court. Li Yi invited envoys from neighboring countries to conduct a simulated diplomatic negotiation on a series of sensitive issues such as border trade, territorial disputes and cultural exchanges.
Facing the envoys' difficulties, Li Xuan was so nervous that his face turned pale and fine beads of sweat appeared on his forehead. When answering questions, he was incoherent and said the wrong things several times, almost triggering a diplomatic crisis.
Li Rui was eager to reach an agreement and made concessions easily on territorial issues, which made the ministers shake their heads secretly, believing that he lacked the confidence and strategy that a major country should have.
Li Muyang, on the other hand, remained calm and composed. Dressed in splendid court attire, he wore a smile and spoke earnestly.
During the negotiations, he not only adhered to the bottom line of the Tang Dynasty, resolutely not allowing other countries to infringe upon its interests, but also demonstrated the demeanor of a major power, treating people politely and skillfully maneuvering among the envoys of various countries.
After a series of intense negotiations, he successfully signed a number of mutually beneficial and win-win agreements, earning the respect and appreciation of the envoys.
After the negotiation, Li Xuan said dejectedly, "These envoys are too tricky. I really can't handle them."
Li Rui gave Li Muyang a thumbs-up and said, "Muyang, you're so amazing. I really need to learn more from you in the future."
The ministers who supported Li Xuan, seeing his poor performance in the diplomatic assessment, began to plan how to salvage the situation for him in front of the emperor. They intended to collect some minor mistakes made by Li Muyang in the negotiations and report them exaggeratedly to the emperor.
The ministers who supported Li Rui went around courting other ministers, attempting to get them to support Li Muyang in front of the emperor. They also fabricated some lies, claiming that he had accepted bribes from envoys during the negotiations.
With the conclusion of all the assessments, the assessment results are about to be announced. Li Yi sat upright in the court once again. His gaze was stern yet somewhat expectants, slowly sweeping over the princes below. The entire court was silent. Everyone held their breath, waiting for the emperor's verdict.
Finally, Li Yi spoke slowly, "After rigorous assessment, I believe that Li Muyang has performed most outstandingly in terms of morality, ability, strategy, and diplomacy. I have decided to make Li Muyang the crown prince and ensure his future succession to the throne."
As soon as these words were spoken, there was an immediate commotion in the court. Some people clapped their hands in praise, believing that Li Muyang truly deserved the title. Some people are reluctant, but seeing Li Muyang's outstanding performance along the way, they can only accept it helplessly. After hearing this news, Li Muyang was filled with excitement and unease. He is well aware that behind this throne lies endless responsibility and mission. He slowly knelt down and thanked the emperor for his kindness: "My son will surely live up to your expectations, your Majesty. I will spare no effort to govern the Tang Dynasty well and ensure that the people live and work in peace and contentment."
Since then, Li Muyang followed Li Yi to learn the art of governance and administration, and joined hands with loyal ministers and capable generals like Su Zhe to spare no effort for the prosperity and stability of the Tang Dynasty. Meanwhile, other princes are also shining in their respective fields, jointly contributing to the future of the Tang Dynasty.
The Tang Dynasty is about to embark on a glorious new chapter under a new legacy, and the legendary story of Li Muyang has just begun...