Li Tai - Struggles With Li Chengqian

Struggles With Li Chengqian

Meanwhile, Li Chengqian was losing favor with Emperor Taizong over his wastefulness and favor for games rather than study. He also suffered from a foot illness that the nature was not specified in historical accounts. Li Tai began to have ambitions on displacing his older brother as crown prince, and a number of officials, seeing this as an opportunity, began to congregate around Li Tai, causing the government to divide into Li Tai's faction and Li Chengqian's faction. In 642, in order to dispel rumors that he was about to replace Li Chengqian with Li Tai, Emperor Taizong made Wei Zheng, then ill, Li Chengqian's senior advisor, but that failed to stop the rumors. Meanwhile, Li Tai's chiefs of staff, Wei Ting (韋挺) and Du Chuke (杜楚客, brother to the deceased chancellor Du Ruhui), were making plans for Li Tai to enhance his reputation and defame Li Chengqian, and the public began to perceive Li Chengqian negatively.

By 643, Li Chengqian was so fearful that Emperor Taizong was about to depose him that he conspired with a number of officials, including the major general Hou Junji, Emperor Taizong's brother Li Yuanchang (李元昌) the Prince of Han, the imperial guard commander Li Anyan (李安儼), his cousin Zhao Jie (趙節), and Du Chuke's nephew Du He (杜荷, Du Ruhui's son), to overthrow Emperor Taizong. That summer, however, Li You (李祐) the Prince of Qi, a younger brother to both Li Chengqian and Li Tai, resentful of the head of his household, Quan Wanji (權萬紀), killed Quan and then rebelled. Li You was soon defeated and captured, and when Emperor Taizong investigated Li You's co-conspirators, Li Chengqian's associate Gegan Chengji (紇干承基), who had been an assassin for Li Chengqian and was involved in his conspiracy, was arrested and sentenced to death. Gegan, in order to save himself, revealed the plot. Emperor Taizong, in shock, convened the senior officials Zhangsun Wuji (Empress Zhangsun's brother), Fang Xuanling, Xiao Yu, and Li Shiji, as well as officials from the supreme court, the legislative bureau, and the examination bureau, to investigate, and the extent of the plot was revealed. When Emperor Taizong requested opinions on what to do with Li Chengqian, Lai Ji suggested sparing him, and Emperor Taizong agreed. He deposed Li Chengqian and reduced him to commoner rank, while ordering Li Yuanchang to commit suicide. Hou and the other conspirators were all executed.