“When Gaozu raised his army in Taiyuan, Li Jiancheng and Taizong each led a force. And after Li Jiancheng became crown prince, the officials he employed, such as Wang Gui and Wei Zheng, later became renowned ministers who helped bring about the Zhenguan era of good governance. This shows that Li Jiancheng, too, was a man of talent and intelligence.”, Chen Yinke
Back at the Xuanwu Gate. If the coup that changed the political course of the Tang dynasty had never happened, and Li Jiancheng and Li Shimin had remained brothers on good terms, how would they have built a golden age for the Tang? This novel reimagines history and is full of absurd claims. Any resemblance is purely a meeting of minds.
The narrative is grand and the writing is delicate, but it still feels a bit uninteresting. I hope it doesn't end badly.
It's a rare novel with Li Jian as the protagonist. It's good to read. I like it.