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

In the cold winter, the north wind howled across the entire palace, and the Lizheng Hall was filled with a depressing atmosphere.

Li Chengqian hugged Su Zhi tightly, his voice trembling with tears, "Lingxi'er, I know, I know everything. You'er is the apple of our eyes. I love him so much that I can't wait to kill him."

As he spoke, he hugged her tighter, as if he was afraid that if he let go, Su Zhi would leave him.

"I swear to you here that no matter what happens to You'er in the future, even if he commits a terrible mistake, I will protect him and let him live a safe and smooth life."

Li Chengqian's eyes were firm, which was his solemn promise to Su Zhi and this family.

"We are a family! We will be together in life and death!"

Su Zhi leaned in Li Chengqian's warm arms, listening to his words, a look of relief on her face. She nodded gently, but her eyes were filled with endless guilt.

She really felt sorry for this brother who loved her wholeheartedly.

Countless times, they had imagined staying together until old age, but now God was going to take her away early.

She couldn't imagine how she would get through the days without her brother, and how could her brother bear the pain of separation from her loved ones?

Outside the palace, the night was as dark as ink and the cold wind was as sharp as a knife.

Li Jingyou held the young Li Jingyi's hand tightly, and the small figure trembled slightly in the shadow outside the hall.

He put his ear to the door and heard the conversation between his father, the emperor and his mother clearly. Tears instantly welled up in his eyes and rolled down his tender cheeks.

Thinking that his mother was still worried about him when she was dying, his heart felt like it was being torn apart.

Su Zhi lay weakly in Li Chengqian's arms, her breath growing weaker. Suddenly, she heard faint sobs beside her ear. The sound was like a thin thread, suddenly tugging at her fading consciousness. Miraculously, she regained some strength.

She raised her head with great difficulty, opened her eyes wide, and shouted outside the hall: "Is that You'er? Is that You'er outside?"

The voice was a little anxious, full of a mother's attachment to her child.

"You'er! Why don't you come in and see your mother?"

Su Zhi's eyes were full of anticipation.

But just as she said this, she seemed to remember something, her expression changed slightly, and she quickly continued, "You'er, don't come in. Mother looks...she looks too sick now. Mother doesn't want you to see it."

There was a sob in her voice. Even at the last moment of her life, she wanted to leave a good impression on her child.

"The Queen Mother is leaving. From now on, you must listen carefully to your father and never quarrel with him."

"You are the older brother. You have to take good care of your sister and protect her. Do you understand?"

Every time Su Zhi spoke a word, it seemed as if she had exhausted all her strength. "Mother loves you, loves... you."

After she finished speaking, Su Zhi slowly looked towards Li Chengqian, her eyes full of reluctance. She used up her last bit of strength and stretched out her trembling hand, wanting to touch the face that had moved her heart all her life again.

Li Jingyou held Li Jingyi's hand and walked slowly into the Lizheng Hall step by step.

Every step he took was extremely difficult.

As soon as he stepped into the palace, he could no longer control his emotions and cried out loudly: "Mother, Mother!"

The crying was heartbreaking. He knelt on the ground with a plop, pounding the ground with his hands weakly. Tears dripped onto the cold ground, leaving a puddle.

Li Jingyi stood aside, her small body shaking non-stop, crying loudly, and shouting: "Mother, please don't leave..."

Just when Su Zhi's hand was about to fall down weakly, Li Chengqian quickly reached out, gently held Su Zhi's hand, and then slowly put her hand on his face.

"It's okay, it's still warm."

Li Chengqian murmured to himself.

"Go with peace of mind, I'm here."

Li Chengqian leaned over slightly and whispered in Su Zhi's ear, "You, go over there and wait for me first. I will definitely come find you and stay with you."

His eyes were gentle.

Outside the Lizheng Hall, Li Chunfeng and Zhang Xuanwei waved the whisks in their hands, bringing up a slight breeze.

Suddenly, a heart-wrenching cry came from the Lizheng Hall, and the cry hit their hearts hard.

The two froze in an instant, slowly stopped the whisks in their hands, closed their eyes, lowered their heads, and muttered: "Wulian Tianzun."

The voice was filled with compassion in the silent night.

On the eve of New Year's Day in the sixteenth year of Qianwu, Empress Su Zhi died of illness in Lizheng Hall.

Her departure plunged the entire palace into grief.

She was gentle and virtuous throughout her life, and was a model mother to the country. She was posthumously named Xiaowen.

That night, the lights in Lizheng Hall were always on.

Li Chengqian did not sleep all night, just holding the queen's body quietly, as if time had stopped at this moment.

He cleaned her body gently, being careful with every movement. He meticulously arranged her sad face. He did it himself and was unwilling to let others do it, because in his heart, Su Zhi was unique and the person he loved most in his life. Even if they were separated by life and death, this love would not change in the slightest.

The next morning, at daybreak, Zhang Xianhuai, commander of the Imperial Guard, discovered the Empress's attendant, Xiao Taohong, lying on the table, her body already stiff and lifeless.

That night, she went with her lady, her only good friend.

Inside the Lizheng Hall, Li Chengqian looked haggard, his eyes bloodshot, as if all the life had been drained from him.

He gently covered Su Zhi's face with a white cloth, and then slowly held her hands. Her hands were now extremely cold and no longer had the warmth they once had.

"Lingxi'er, everything is done and done properly. I've also cleaned up the poop and urine for you. I remember when you were little you used to clean up the poop and urine for the children yourself. I thought it was troublesome at the time and didn't really bother you."

Li Chengqian's voice was filled with reminiscence, as if he was chatting with Su Zhi, recalling the details of their past life.

"Today, I have returned everything to you. Don't accuse me of being all talk and no action."

"I know you don't want others to do it, so go with peace of mind."

"At the end of the day, I am alone again."

The corners of his mouth rose slightly, revealing a faint bitter smile. He only felt that his mouth was extremely bitter.

"The ministers are all waiting outside. When the time comes, I will have your body placed in Daming Palace. You must leave this Lizheng Hall."

Li Chengqian's eyes slowly swept across the hall. Every blade of grass, every tree, every table and chair here carried the memories of him and Su Zhi.

Those memories now flooded back to my mind like a tide.

"From now on, soul, come back to see me often."

"As long as I am still the emperor of the Tang Dynasty, the empress of Lizheng Palace will only be you, Lingxi'er."

Zhang Xianhuai pushed the door open and saw Li Chengqian still sitting alone in front of the bed, and his heart ached.