Li Shimin faked his death? Then I will be powerful enough to conquer the world!

A bowl of hot millet porridge exudes an enticing aroma. Each grain of millet is plump and round, trembling slightly in the bowl.

Li Shimin picked up the bowl, blew on it gently, and then drank it all in one gulp. The warm feeling spread through his throat and throughout his body.

Then, he slowly drank a bowl of steaming chicken soup. The oil floating on the chicken soup was shining, and the chicken was tender and stewed just right, melting in his mouth.

After drinking the chicken soup and millet porridge, Li Shimin's face gradually turned rosy, as if a withered flower had been nourished and regained vitality.

His originally weak body gradually regained some strength. He could feel his limbs beginning to warm up, no longer as cold and numb as before.

"No matter how unruly that rebellious son is, he is still the crown prince." Li Shimin frowned, a hint of dissatisfaction flashing in his eyes.

After eating, Li Shimin spoke with full energy.

"After I die, he should have rushed to take the throne the moment he received the news. Until now, he hasn't come. Can you tell me, what does Zhangsun Wuji want to do?"

His voice was low and majestic, and every word he said was like a hammer, striking the hearts of everyone present.

This question was very sharp, like a sword drawn from its sheath, pointing directly at Changsun Wuji.

Who is Zhangsun Wuji? He is the most meritorious official in the Xuanwu Gate Incident, the elder brother-in-law of Li Shimin, and holds a pivotal position in the court.

His power and prestige were at their peak, and no one was willing to challenge him in court; that would be like hitting a rock with an egg. Everyone looked at each other, not daring to speak.

Li Shimin looked at everyone who was speechless and felt annoyed.

He began to miss Wei Zheng, the outspoken minister who always expressed his thoughts at critical moments.

But this time he couldn't let Wei Zheng know that he faked his death. Li Shimin knew Wei Zheng too well. If this old guy knew about this, his first reaction would definitely be to rush to him, point his finger at his face, and scold him endlessly. Li Shimin didn't want to face that scene now. He wanted to have a few more days of peace and quiet.

Seeing that these confidants were silent, Li Shimin felt extremely bored, as if he was punching cotton, unable to exert any strength.

"Alright, I won't force you. Let's talk tomorrow. It's almost dawn, so go back and get some rest."

He waved his hand as if to dispel the depressing atmosphere.

"By the way, Cheng Zhijie, Li Ji, and Yuchi Jingde, the three of you must firmly grasp the military power I have given you. As long as the military power is in our hands, let them cause trouble as they please. The Tang Dynasty will not be able to turn the tables!"

Li Shimin's eyes became firm. He knew very well the importance of military power, which was their confidence in this changing situation.

"Yes! Your Majesty!"

The three of them answered in unison, their voices loud and firm. They were about to retreat, but Fang Xuanling paused, as if he had something stuck in his throat that he couldn't get out.

He turned around with a serious look on his face.

"Your Majesty, I have a question."

Fang Xuanling bowed and said.

"You say, Lord Fang."

Li Shimin looked at him with a hint of curiosity in his eyes.

"Your Majesty, if His Royal Highness the Crown Prince loses this battle for the throne and another prince takes the throne, will Your Majesty, after clarifying the situation, appoint a new Crown Prince?"

As soon as Fang Xuanling's words came out, it was like a stone thrown into a calm lake, causing ripples.

The three generals who were about to leave stopped and looked at Li Shimin with complicated expressions in their eyes.

Sun Simiao glanced at them, sighed helplessly, and had no choice but to stay. He knew that he was now in the same boat with His Majesty, and he could not stay out of this issue.

Li Shimin closed his eyes, sighed softly, and a trace of fatigue and helplessness appeared on his face.

"What the Tang Dynasty needs is a powerful ruler. Can't you see that my prince is a complete tyrant? I am the emperor, and I cannot hand over the Tang Dynasty to a tyrant!"

There was a hint of determination in his tone, "It's true that I favor Qingque, but the civil and military officials are against it. I am most optimistic about Ke'er. He is the son who looks most like me, but his mother is Yang Guifei, so he can't be the crown prince."

A hint of regret flashed in Li Shimin's eyes.

"In fact, according to my opinion, they are all my sons. It doesn't matter who becomes the emperor. As long as my Tang Dynasty is stable and the people live and work in peace, that's all that matters."

He paused, a fierce look flashed in his eyes.

"Since no one agrees, I will just let my sons have a showdown. Then I'll see what the officials have to say!"

After Li Shimin said this, Fang Xuanling could only sigh helplessly. He knew that the emperor had made up his mind and no amount of persuasion would be of any use.

"As you command, Your Majesty, I will take my leave!"

He did not try to persuade His Majesty not to change the crown prince for the sake of the stability of the Tang Dynasty. His Majesty's plan this time was so big and his mind was made up that it was useless to say anything.

At this moment, the person he missed most in his heart was Du Ruhui. If Brother Du were still alive, perhaps he could persuade His Majesty not to change the crown prince.

How could the crown prince change his mind overnight? Besides, the prince had done nothing wrong! But now, everything was developing in an uncontrollable direction.

……

Xianyang.

Li Chengqian got up very early. The morning sun shone through the window onto him, casting a golden glow on him.

He walked to the back of the temple in a cheerful mood and looked at the crops. He saw that the crops had grown a little green again, and the fresh green was like a flame of hope, swaying gently in the breeze.

Li Chengqian's eyes were full of joy. These crops meant a lot to him.

Although the area of ​​crops cultivated in the Ministry of Agriculture is larger, these in the temple are what he can see with his own eyes every day, which gives him a special feeling.

This is all food! In this era, food is far more important than money.

Money can be recast if lost, but if food is lost, it will be a disaster, and countless people will starve to death. In order to ensure the sufficiency and safety of food, Li Chengqian took a series of measures in Xianyang.

The small landlords from wealthy families in Xianyang City had already been executed along with their entire families by the Embroidered Uniform Guards on various charges under the orders of Li Chengqian.

After their land was confiscated, it was distributed to local farmers, allowing the farmers to have their own land and farm with peace of mind.

At the same time, Li Chengqian also strengthened public security in Xianyang City, allowing the people to live in a safe and stable environment.

He implemented a policy of work-for-relief, which allowed unemployed people to get jobs and have income. This not only solved the people's livelihood problems, but also revitalized the economy of Xianyang City.

If Li Chengqian had to talk about his current achievements, he could confidently say that Xianyang is the best city in the entire Tang Dynasty!

The roads throughout Xianyang City were neat and clean, as if they had been washed by water.

Green plants are planted on both sides of the road for beautification.

Public toilets are built at regular intervals. These toilets are clean and sanitary, making life more convenient for the people.

All roads, regardless of size, were paved with blue bricks and cement, making them durable and smooth and comfortable to walk on. Under his leadership, old and dilapidated houses were demolished and replaced with new units.

For example, the Ministry of Agriculture brings together many talented people who study agriculture, who are committed to improving the yield and quality of crops; in the Ministry of Industry, craftsmen are busy day and night, researching various new processes and technologies; the Finance Department is responsible for managing the financial revenue and expenditure of Xianyang City, ensuring that every penny is spent wisely; the Ministry of Commerce actively promotes the development of commerce, making the market in Xianyang City prosperous.

Although those houses with cultural characteristics were old, Li Chengqian did not demolish them. Instead, he paid for their free repairs, allowing these ancient buildings to shine again and making the entire Xianyang city pleasing to the eye.

Today, for the people of Xianyang City, Li Chengqian is the sky of Xianyang, and he is deeply loved and supported by the people.

Even if Li Chengqian wanted to rebel, the people of Xianyang would not disagree.

In their eyes, Li Chengqian was a sage king! Throughout the dynasties, whose people could live as well as the people of Xianyang?

When the prince recruited soldiers, he paid them five times as much as the court. If a soldier unfortunately died on the battlefield, his family would receive generous pensions, and the soldier's name would be engraved on the martyrs' monument so that future generations would remember their achievements.

In addition, the prince distributed the high-yield grain to the people for free every year, so that every family had surplus food and their lives became better and better.

Apart from a small amount of insignificant taxes, the people had almost no burden.

Moreover, if the people cannot sell their extra grain, the government will be responsible for buying it back at a high price, but there is one condition, which is that it must not be sold outside.

The entire Xianyang City is now in a state where only people can enter and leave. Those who can enter and leave freely are all Li Chengqian's confidants.

"Your Highness, the governor of Xianyang has arrived and is outside the palace. Would you like to summon him?" An attendant reported respectfully to Li Chengqian.

Li Chengqian nodded: "Let him in, I asked him to come yesterday."

"Yes, Your Highness!" The attendant took the order and left.

"Xianyang Governor Wen Ruchu pays homage to His Royal Highness the Crown Prince. May His Royal Highness live a thousand years and a thousand thousand years!"

Wen Ruchu walked into the hall and immediately knelt down to salute with an extremely respectful attitude.

Li Chengqian looked at Wen Ruchu and smiled warmly, "Governor Wen, you've done a good job. I'll triple your salary at the end of the year. Bring your family and have dinner with me during the New Year. Also, go back and tell everyone else that all other public officials will have their salaries doubled!"

"Thank you, Your Highness. I am overwhelmed!" Wen Ruchu said cautiously, bowing. There was a hint of surprise in his eyes, but he didn't dare to show it too obviously.

"Prefect Wen, I remember you are from Zhangsun Wuji's group, right?"

Cheng Qian suddenly changed the subject, his tone seemed relaxed, but it startled Wen Ruchu.

Hearing this, Wen Ruchu broke out in a cold sweat on his forehead. His body trembled slightly and he knelt on the ground in panic: "Your Highness!

Although I was promoted by Lord Changsun, Your Highness's kindness to me is even greater than the heavens. I am loyal only to Your Highness the Crown Prince, and all officials in Xianyang are also loyal only to Your Highness the Crown Prince. Please understand this, Your Highness the Crown Prince!"

His voice was trembling, for fear that Li Chengqian would not believe him.

"Hahaha, Governor Wen, you're too kind!" Li Chengqian walked forward with a smile and helped Wen Ruchu up.

"I just need help from Governor Wen. As usual, report my false information to Zhangsun Wuji. This time, add some details. Say that I'm ill and bedridden, and I'm afraid my end is near!"

Hearing Li Chengqian's words, Wen Ruchu, who had just stood up, fell to his knees with a plop. His face turned pale. "Your Highness, I dare not!"

"Just do whatever I tell you to do. I heard that Governor Wen likes to eat crispy candies recently. He couldn't sleep last night and got up to eat a piece. I asked someone to make some crispy candies. Remember to bring them when you go back." Li Chengqian's tone was unquestionable.

Wen Ruchu couldn't stop sweating. He knew that he couldn't refuse Li Chengqian's order, and his heart was filled with fear and helplessness.

Li Chengqian patted Wen Ruchu's shoulder and said, "Don't worry, I won't treat you unfairly."

"Xian Huai, please see the guests off. Don't forget to bring the candy to Governor Wen."

Li Chengqian ordered.