Li Chengqian - Struggles Against Li Tai

Struggles Against Li Tai

By this point, Li Tai, who was considered intelligent and talented in literature, had gained Emperor Taizong's favor over Li Chengqian—so much so that in 638, Emperor Taizong let it slip out that it was not impossible that an imperial prince would one day be his officials' overlord, when Wang Gui suggested that high level officials not be required to bow to imperial princes other than the crown prince. Li Chengqian, meanwhile, was allowing his games to interfere with his studies, despite urgings of his advisor Zhang Xuansu (張玄素). At one point, after Zhang expressed disapproval of his playing drums, Li Chengqian destroyed his drums, but was not otherwise listening to Zhang's advice.

In 641, When Emperor Taizong visited the eastern capital Luoyang, Li Chengqian was in charge of Chang'an, assisted by the chancellor Gao Shilian (his granduncle). Around that time, Li Chengqian had gathered a group of guards who served as his personal assassins, and when he grew angry at the earnest urgings by Yu Zhining, he sent his assassins Zhang Shizheng (張師政) and Gegan Chengji (紇干承基) to kill Yu, although Zhang and Gegan, when they saw that Yu was observing a mourning period for his mother, relented and did not kill Yu. Meanwhile, in 642, with Li Tai engaging many scholars on staff, Emperor Taizong had increased Li Tai's stipend so much that it exceeded Li Chengqian's. The official Chu Suiliang, whose advice Emperor Taizong usually listened to, advised against this, believing that this would bring conflict. Instead, Emperor Taizong removed all limits on Li Chengqian's spending, causing Li Chengqian to be wasteful. When Zhang advised against wastefulness, Li Chengqian became so displeased that he sent servants to attack Zhang with large whips, almost killing him. With Emperor Taizong's favors for Li Tai apparent, there began to be a faction that supported Li Chengqian and a faction that supported Li Tai at court. In order to quell the speculations about Li Tai's replacing Li Chengqian, Emperor Taizong made the honored chancellor Wei Zheng Li Chengqian's senior advisor, but this failed to end the rumors. The rumors also continued to persist even after Emperor Taizong publicly declared in spring 643 that even if Li Chengqian died (as Li Chengqian's foot illness—the historical accounts did not specify what kind of illness—was well-known among the officials), Li Chengqian's son Li Xiang (李象) would inherit the throne, not another prince.

It was said that Li Chengqian favored music, women, and hunting, and was wasteful in pursuing these things, but at the same time maintained a veneer of virtue to the outside world. Among his guards, he often took on Tujue customs, wearing Tujue clothes and spoke Tujue, often engaging in Tujue-style camping. Meanwhile, several other acts of Li Chengqian were also drawing Emperor Taizong's ire. Li Chengqian had favored a young man that he nicknamed Chengxin (稱心, meaning, "satisfying my heart"), probably in a sexual relationship. He had also favored Taoist monks Qin Ying (秦英) and Wei Lingfu (韋靈符), and he had them use magic—acts that were considered extremely disapproved among imperial subjects. When Emperor Taizong found out about these things, he put Chengxin and the Taoist monks all to death. Li Chengqian, believing that it was Li Tai who informed Emperor Taizong, became increasingly angry with Li Tai, and he, in sadness over Chengxin's death, also refused to attend imperial gatherings for months, while establishing a shrine for Chengxin within his palace.