Zhang Yuan arrived in Luoyang in the fourth year of Wude. Looking at Li Shimin, who had just conquered two rival states, he said:
“Your Highness, if you had taken the throne sooner, you wouldn’t have had to kill your brothers.”
By the fifth year of Wude, Li Shimin had risen to the titles of Supreme General of the Celestial Strategies, Grand Commandant, Minister of State, Director of the Department of State Affairs, Senior General of the Left and Right Guard Corps, Senior General of the Twelve Guards, Regional Commissioner of the Eastern Shaanxi Circuit, Governor of Yongzhou, Director of the Department of State Affairs for the Yizhou Circuit, Commandant of Liangzhou, and Pillar of State. He was the Prince of Qin.
Chang’an belonged to the Prince of Qin, and the Prince of Qin belonged to Chang’an.
So stop thinking about it and just become emperor!
