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

Li Shimin stood on the top of Jiuyi Mountain. The mountain breeze was blowing, carrying strands of memories of the past, and lingering around him wantonly.

This wind blows through the long river of time, bringing with it warmth and endless melancholy.

"Jingyou, the Zhaoling Mausoleum is just ahead."

Li Shimin leaned over slightly, held Li Jingyou's little hand, and walked slowly. His voice was soft, but also revealed a bit of solemnity.

That gaze penetrated through the layers of mountains and fell directly on the cemetery under construction.

"Aweng!"

Li Jingyou raised his head, his eyes sparkling with intelligence, and nodded obediently.

He was no stranger to Zhaoling. Every year in the past, his grandfather would bring him here to worship his grandmother devoutly.

But recently, the frequency of these worships has become more and more frequent.

Although Li Jingyou is still young, he is delicate and sensitive.

He knew that Aong's good friends had passed away one after another, and Aye and Aong were very sad every day during that period.

In Aong's memory, those old friends of his are all very kind people.

They once held him in their arms lovingly, and magically pulled out delicious snacks to make him happy, and occasionally they would gently pinch his little, no, little thing.

Once upon a time, Li Jingyou was ignorant of the concept of "death".

Until one day, Aung told him solemnly that death meant that the person would never come back, and they could only meet again after he passed away.

At that moment, an indescribable sour fear surged in the little boy's heart.

Li Shimin's eyes were fixed on Zhaoling Mausoleum in front of him.

Under the skillful hands of the craftsmen, large and thick blue bricks are being stacked and covered with cement in an orderly manner.

The cold stone was silent, yet it seemed to be carrying a tremendous weight.

Li Shimin slowly closed his eyes. Every time he came here, the feeling of loneliness that penetrated deep into his bones would overwhelm him like a tide.

His thoughts drifted back to the glorious past, where the stone statues of six horse horses stood beside him, lifelike.

These six horses had accompanied him across the battlefields, fighting north and south. Amidst the glare of swords and spears, they stood by him through thick and thin, serving as his most loyal companions and witnesses of his glorious military exploits.

And Changsun Wuji, the best friend who followed him all his life, even though he committed an unforgivable mistake, Li Shimin still kept the softest corner of his heart for him.

He ordered Zhangsun Wuji to be buried with him in Zhaoling Mausoleum, simply because he was full of hope that in the next life, in that unknown world, they would be able to meet again, drink and talk, and reminisce about the past.

Guanyinbi, his beloved Empress Zhangsun, has been lying quietly in this cemetery for too long.

Her voice, smile, and appearance often appeared in his dreams as if it happened yesterday.

There were also Fang Xuanling, Du Ruhui, Wei Zheng, Li Jing, Tang Jian... Their faces flashed through Li Shimin's mind one by one like a kaleidoscope.

Every face carries a turbulent past, and every past is inlaid with their unwavering loyalty to the Tang Dynasty and to him.

Li Shimin's lips trembled slightly, and his throat seemed to be choked by something. Thousands of words surged on the tip of his tongue, but eventually turned into a silent sigh.

He actually just wanted to say softly: "I miss you guys so much!"

Time is merciless, and the heroes of the past have withered away like leaves in the wind.

The ancients are dying one after another, like leaves falling in the wind!

Li Shimin subconsciously held Li Jingyou's hand tightly, as if he wanted to draw a bit of warmth from the vigorous vitality conveyed by this tender little hand to comfort his heart which was becoming increasingly cold under the erosion of time.

At this time, the craftsmen who were working hard on the construction noticed the figures of the old man and the young man.

In an instant, the originally noisy construction site became quiet, and everyone stopped what they were doing and looked up.

"The emperor is here! Brothers!" a young craftsman shouted at the top of his voice.

"It's really the Emperor Emeritus!"

Exclamations rang out one after another in the crowd, and then everyone saluted Li Shimin in unison with respectful expressions.

Li Shimin came often, and over time, these craftsmen had become familiar with the appearance of the retired emperor.

Li Shimin smiled gently and raised his hand to wave at them.

The entrance to Zhaoling is now open, as if silently calling out.

In the corridor, the eternal lamp flickered, and the faint light struggled in the darkness, as if it could go out at any time.

This light is just like Li Shimin's mood at the moment. Although he perseveres tenaciously in the torrent of time, he can't hide his fatigue and vicissitudes.

Li Shimin stood quietly at the entrance of the corridor, like a solidified statue, standing there for a long time.

Li Jingyou hugged Li Shimin's thigh tightly, raised his head, and asked with a puzzled look on his face: "Aunt, are we not going in this time? When can I go in to see Grandma?"

Li Jingyou really couldn't understand why his grandfather would go through so much trouble to climb up Mount Jiuyi, but would always stop at the gate of Zhaoling Mausoleum.

He could clearly feel that Grandpa's hands were trembling slightly. Grandpa looked like this every time he came here. The complex emotions contained in the trembling made the little boy feel confused and distressed.

It wasn't that Li Shimin didn't want to go in, but the emotions deep in his heart were too turbulent. He was afraid that once he stepped through that door, the strong line of defense he had painstakingly maintained would collapse in an instant.

The doctor had solemnly warned him that his physical condition was worrying and he must not be too happy or too sad, otherwise his condition would recur and no medicine could cure it.

Now he no longer fears death. At certain moments, he even feels a desire to be reunited with his deceased relatives as soon as possible.

But he didn't dare to die, and couldn't die.

Jingyou has not yet grown up, and Li Chengqian often does things that are hard to understand. The future of the Tang Dynasty now rests entirely on his shoulders.

How could he leave with peace of mind?

He must persevere, to see Jingyou ascend to the supreme throne with his own eyes, to ensure that the Tang Dynasty can be smoothly inherited and prosper.

Li Shimin slowly reached out his hand and gently touched Li Jingyou's little head, muttering to himself in a soft voice: "Guanyinbi, did you see that? Jingyou is one year older. I brought him to see you again. Are you doing well there?"

His gaze passed through the long corridor and seemed to see the gentle face of Empress Changsun. She was smiling sweetly, just as always.

"I still remember you staying by my side, giving me advice and sharing my ups and downs."

“Those days are the most precious memories of my life.”

"Now, although I own the whole world, the prosperity of this palace can never be exchanged for your company."

"After you left, I often saw you in my dreams, but every time I woke up, I was faced with only this empty palace."

"How I wish I could hear your voice again and feel your gentle touch once more."

"The Tang Dynasty is now back on track, and the people are living and working in peace and contentment, but I know that all this is inseparable from your contribution.

"Jingyou is a very intelligent and kind-hearted child. I believe that under his rule, the Tang Dynasty will become even more prosperous."

"I only hope that you can protect him from heaven and let him grow up safely and smoothly."

"I often wonder what it will be like when I meet you again a hundred years from now."

"I will tell you every detail of these years. I think you must be looking forward to that day too."

Li Shimin's words were gently lifted up by the mountain breeze and drifted away slowly.

Li Jingyou snuggled up to him quietly. Although he couldn't fully understand the deep meaning of Aong's words, the affectionate tone made him feel lost.

The afterglow of the setting sun gradually fell on Zhaoling Mausoleum.

Li Shimin glanced at Zhaoling, took Li Jingyou's hand, and slowly turned around.