There is no need to look, just listen to the voice and words and you will know who is coming.
Besides Li Chengqian, the crown prince of the Tang Dynasty, who else could be there?
At this moment, with a pale face, he walked all the way to stand behind Li Shimin with the support of Xiao Chuzi.
He looked directly at the gray-haired old soldiers in the field and said: "Uncles, I am the prince you call destroying the peace of the world, Li Chengqian!"
Hearing this, the veterans in the audience suddenly became indignant.
Someone said: "You are not worthy of the position, and you are not worthy of being the crown prince of the Tang Dynasty!"
Some people also said: "You launched a war indiscriminately and treated the lives of our people in the Tang Dynasty as nothing. Even sinners throughout the ages can't describe the evil you did!"
Of course, there are still people who say: "If you carry out reforms indiscriminately and do whatever comes to your mind, sooner or later the Tang Dynasty will be destroyed in your hands!"
"Today we are also admonishing you to the death. If you, Li Chengqian, are the crown prince for one day, I will not leave Chang'an for one day."
An old man on a walking stick said tremblingly: "Even if I die of thirst and starvation here, I still want the people of the world to see clearly your true face, Li Chengqian!"
These people were all veterans of the Tang Dynasty, and their status was almost as high as that of the founding fathers standing in the court.
After all, they are the ones who really relied on their flesh and blood to bring peace to the Tang Dynasty today.
To a certain extent, they are the face of Datang.
If they were allowed to die in Chang'an City, the world would be in chaos and people's hearts would be in chaos.
Faced with this situation, Li Chengqian did not panic.
He didn't seem to hear those people scolding him at all.
At that moment, he said directly to the many old soldiers in front of him: "You are saying that my virtue is not worthy of the position and I am not worthy of being the crown prince of the Tang Dynasty."
"Then let me also ask you, has Datang become better or worse under my reforms?"
"Are the people displaced, or is there anyone who doesn't have enough to eat?"
hear At these words, the old soldiers couldn't help but be stunned.
Even if they hate Li Chengqian so much, they really can't find fault with Li Chengqian in this regard.
Under Li Chengqian's reforms, Datang was indeed getting better and better.
Not only has the officialdom become clean and tidy, a large number of corrupt officials and freeloaders have been removed, but people's livelihood is also getting better and better.
Because of the diversion of grain from the south to the north, and because of the two large farms in the Northern Desert and the Northeast, the price of grain has been very close to the people, so that the people can have enough food and clothing, and every household has begun to have a surplus of grain.
Some people who worked in the factories and stores opened by the royal family were even able to eat meat once every three to five days.
Seeing that everyone was silent, Li Chengqian continued: "You said that I launched a war indiscriminately and regarded the lives of the people of the Tang Dynasty as nothing."
"Then I would also like to ask you."
"You are all veterans of the Tang Dynasty, and you are all meritorious people who have shed your blood for the Tang Dynasty."
"When you see a foreign enemy invading, can you take it calmly and watch your compatriots being slaughtered?"
"Don't you want to avenge your brothers who were murdered?"
"Don't you want to kill all those who dare to be enemies of the Tang Dynasty?"
Li Chengqian looked around at the crowd and said: "How many wars have I started because we took the initiative to provoke the war? Which one was not provoked by the enemy?"
"You are all veterans with meritorious service. I also know that you have been deceived, but you are not going to open your eyes and tell lies, right?"
"You can't just enjoy the benefits I've brought you and scold me at the same time, right?"
Li Chengqian poked his chest and said: "Everyone, we are all human beings. We must act with conscience, right?"
How much Li Chengqian has paid for Datang over the years, only the people around him are the most
clear.
Li Shimin also felt that these people were a little too shameless.
My son worked hard for the Tang Dynasty and worked hard all day long so that the people could have enough to eat.
But what about them?
One by one, they came to accuse their own sons.
Do they have no conscience at all?
And when Li Chengqian said these words, some sensible old soldiers couldn't help but lower their heads in shame.
Indeed, if you think about it carefully, Li Chengqian has done a lot for everyone.
Even because of him, these old soldiers who shed blood for the Tang Dynasty were not buried.
Not only did the imperial court send rice, grain and meat during festivals, but there were also honorary family tablets issued by the local government in person.
It can be said that it was Li Chengqian who gave them enough food and good food, the glory they have today, and the capital to stand here and challenge the imperial court.
Without Li Chengqian, they are nothing.
But now they are standing here shamelessly criticizing the person who gave them enough to eat.
And at this time, the old guy still holding a cane said: "Your Highness is eloquent, but I can't speak to you."
"You have brought all the glory of the Tang Dynasty to your Highness."
"It seems as if no one else has done anything in these years. This is really the great thing about His Highness."
"However, it is true that His Highness has done practical things for the Tang Dynasty, and it is also true that we have received favors from His Highness."
"But His Highness's reform of the military system this time has led to great chaos in the military, people's hearts are floating, and the people are panicked. His Highness should not be able to refute it, right?"
Hearing this, the old soldiers present immediately raised their heads and looked straight at Li Chengqian.
Obviously, they also want to hear Li Chengqian's explanation.
After all, those are the people they have served for many years They have all shed their blood under the military flag.
And suddenly, the team they worked hard for and longed for was cancelled. How could they accept it?
"The government military system must be corrupted."
“It is not uncommon for people to take empty pay, steal military rations, and even sell weapons and equipment.”
"Most of the so-called Zhechong Captains in various places are a group of mediocre people who rely on fame and money to rise to power."
"Doesn't this kind of military system need reform?"
"Don't I, as the current prince, should prevent this phenomenon from happening?"
Now, Li Chengqian finally figured out that the old man on a cane was the leader of this group of people.
He looked directly at the old man on a cane and sneered: "And today, you keep saying that it is me who caused the world to be unstable and the people's hearts to be unstable."
"Then I would also like to ask you."
"You know that the meritorious soldiers are the foundation of the Tang Dynasty. As long as the court handles it slightly improperly, it will cause chaos in the world. But why did you bring everyone here to cause trouble today?"
"Do you want to force the palace? Do you want to rebel? Or do you want to stir up strife in the world again?"
Li Chengqian tilted his head and asked again: "In other words, did you accept someone's favor to persuade a group of people to come over and make trouble with you?"
His questioning left the old man speechless, and he hesitated for a long time without even uttering a complete sentence.
He couldn't reply to this at all, because no matter what he said, it was related to the rebellion.
And at this moment, a burst of laughter suddenly came from the crowd of people watching around.
Immediately afterwards, another thin old man with white hair walked out of the crowd.
He spat fiercely at the guy on crutches: "Wang, who are you? You dare to accuse the prince here..."