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

Qin Ruzhao turned around slowly, and the excited cheers of the soldiers behind him became louder and louder. The sound went straight into his ears and hit his heart.

His eyes swept over each of the soldiers who were excited about going to the battlefield and gaining wealth.

Looking back to those days, he was young and energetic, just like these fanatical soldiers at this moment, full of fearless impulse.

When encountering something, he would act impulsively without thinking carefully and would just rush forward based on his passion. At that time, he was like an uncarved sword, too sharp but not steady enough.

Time has gradually smoothed his edges and matured his mind. Today, he has long since shed his youthful recklessness and has become calm and reserved. Faced with any unexpected situation, he can calmly analyze and respond calmly.

The army during the Qianwu period was completely different from that during the Zhenguan period.

Over the years, Your Majesty has always firmly adhered to the concept of winning people over with virtue to govern the army.

Since ascending the throne, Your Majesty has strictly prohibited the army from burning, killing and looting after conquering a city, and has ordered that the people must not be harmed in the slightest.

Under the influence of Your Majesty's personal example, every soldier in the Tang army has kept this iron rule in mind.

Over the years, wherever the army went, they cared deeply for the people, helped them repair their houses and cultivate their farmland, lived in harmony with the people, and won their heartfelt support.

The people recognized this benevolent and righteous army from the bottom of their hearts, and the image of the army became more familiar in the hearts of the people.

But at this moment, the imperial edict that Qin Ruzhao was holding tightly in his hand made him unable to calm down for a long time.

The content of the imperial edict required them to restore the old system during the Zhenguan period.

Qin Ruzhao was very familiar with that period of history. The reason why the army's combat effectiveness was so strong during the Zhenguan period was largely due to this incentive mechanism.

The soldiers knew clearly that everything they snatched on the battlefield would belong to them. After breaking the city, they could obtain wealth to their heart's content. This belief in fighting for their own interests allowed them to unleash amazing combat effectiveness on the battlefield. Every soldier was like a tiger coming down the mountain, brave, fearless and unstoppable.

But this method is like a double-edged sword. While it brings powerful combat effectiveness, its disadvantages are also obvious.

Over time, driven by interests, the soldiers gradually became numb and more and more indifferent to human life.

In their eyes, the city is no longer the home of the people, but a treasure house filled with wealth. Whenever they see a city, scenes of burning, killing and looting will involuntarily emerge in their minds, and the desire to plunder will instantly take over their minds.

This is also the fundamental reason why the people can't help but feel afraid when they see the army. The image of the righteous army that once defended the country has gradually become hideous and terrifying in the hearts of the people.

Once people get used to indulgence, it is difficult to restrain them again, just as it is always difficult to return from a luxurious life to a simple life, but it is easy to go from simplicity to luxury.

Once the soldiers get used to the pattern of burning, killing and looting, it will be extremely difficult to get them to obey discipline and care for the people.

The military's discipline will be seriously damaged, which is undoubtedly a huge hidden danger for the long-term stability of the Tang Dynasty.

This time, His Majesty actually issued such an order personally. This is the first time since His Majesty ascended the throne.

Qin Ruzhao also understood the seriousness of the matter. Time was pressing and he had to rush back before the New Year. Now that winter had arrived, the cold wind reminded him that time was extremely precious and could not be wasted in the slightest.

He studied the imperial edict again and again, and vaguely guessed some clues in his mind.

The imperial edict specifically mentioned the Crown Prince, which undoubtedly indicated that His Royal Highness was a crucial figure in this matter. A terrifying thought involuntarily flashed through his mind: Could it be that someone was dying and urgently needed to see His Royal Highness?

Thinking of this, Qin Ruzhao's heart suddenly tightened, and an ominous premonition came to his mind. What he feared most was that something was wrong with His Majesty's health.

Your Majesty is the pillar of the Tang Dynasty and the helmsman of its prosperity. If anything happens to him, the Tang Dynasty will face a huge crisis.

Qin Ruzhao took a deep breath, forced himself to suppress the uneasiness in his heart, and turned to look at the group of soldiers behind him who were stimulated by interests and were as fierce as wolves and tigers.

These soldiers were all trained by him, and after years of living with them day and night, he knew their temperaments very well.

Even if he indulged himself for a while, he was confident that with the friendship accumulated over the years and the prestige he had established, he would be able to tie their hearts and make them obey his orders at the critical moment.

He jerked the reins, straightened his back, and shouted in a resounding voice, "Brothers, pass on my orders, and march out! This year, I, the general, will ensure that you, the brothers, return home for the New Year!"

At Qin Ruzhao's command, the entire army sprang into action. These soldiers were the elite of the Tang Dynasty, and their momentum was unstoppable.

They displayed a high level of discipline and teamwork. They were all battle-hardened veterans, amassed rich experience through countless battles, and worked in perfect harmony with one another, understanding each other with a single glance or gesture, allowing them to respond appropriately.

Forced marches were commonplace for them. They had long been accustomed to this high-intensity combat rhythm, and nothing could stop them from moving forward.

However, the forced march made life difficult for the children of officials in the team.

They had lived in a comfortable environment since childhood, enjoying wealth and splendor, and had never experienced such a long journey on horseback.

At the beginning, the inside of their legs were constantly rubbed by the saddle, and the burning pain made them miserable, but they did not dare to slack off and could only endure the pain and move forward.

Every second on horseback was like torture for them. Sweat kept rolling down their foreheads, soaking their clothes. The feeling of fatigue followed them like a shadow, holding them back tightly.

But no one of them dared to suggest stopping, because everyone knew that since it was no longer a diplomatic mission, but a march and war, in the Tang army, military orders were as heavy as a mountain, and no matter who they were, even the emperor, they had to abide by military regulations.

Except for His Royal Highness the Crown Prince, if anyone else dares to violate the rules, the consequences will be unimaginable.

Military law is ruthless. Anyone who violates military orders will be severely punished, ranging from caning at the lightest to beheading at the worst. No one is willing to joke with his own life.

Fortunately, although the soldiers were busy marching, they would provide some help to these officials' children to the best of their ability.

Some soldiers would take the initiative to help them adjust the position of the saddle to reduce friction.

Some will share some herbal remedies for pain relief.

In this way, after three days of long-distance running, these children barely kept up with the team.

In Qin Ruzhao's opinion, this was already quite remarkable.

At least, no one came to him to complain about the hardships of the journey, and no one deserted and retreated.

In particular, His Royal Highness the Crown Prince has always set an example, always stayed in the team, and shared the joys and sorrows with everyone.

Finally they arrived at a resting place. Qin Ruzhao only gave them one hour to reorganize their troops, and they had to set off immediately after one hour.

When Li Jingyou got off the horse, he felt his legs go weak and he could hardly stand.

Every step he took was extremely difficult, and the sore muscles made him frown.

The Tang Dynasty soldiers had been running for so long, how could they have the energy to fight after getting off their horses?

Looking at the old soldiers who were chatting and laughing after dismounting, Li Jingyou smiled bitterly and shook his head.

These veterans seemed tireless. They checked their weapons and equipment skillfully. The long-distance raid just now was just a piece of cake for them.

Li Jingyou admired and envied the calmness of a veteran who had been through many battles.

The children of officials behind him were similar to him, and each of them was exhausted from walking.

They supported each other and found a place to sit down. Some of them rubbed their sore legs, trying to relieve muscle tension.

Some were gasping for breath, trying to steady their breathing.

Others closed their eyes and took a short rest.

Everyone's face was filled with exhaustion, but their eyes revealed a kind of tenacity.