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

In the midsummer of the first year of Xian De, the heat was unbearable. The sun baked the earth without any obstruction. The whole Chang'an seemed to be placed in a huge steamer, filled with suffocating heat.

Emperor Li Jingyou sat upright on the armchair in the Liangyi Hall, his eyes fixed on the secret report in his hand. The corners of his mouth unconsciously rose, revealing a smile of determination.

In just three months, he maneuvered in the invisible battlefield of the court and launched a huge power transformation.

He clearly understood that if he wanted to truly control the world, he must first dismantle those entangled old forces.

He first quietly placed his confidants in various key departments and gradually gained control of the core information of the court.

Then, he cleverly exploited the conflicts among the various forces, sowing discord among them, causing them to fight among themselves and consume each other's strength.

He struck ruthlessly at those old ministers who were stubborn and attempted to resist, and quickly eradicated their power with thundering means.

In this power struggle, Li Jingyou took every step accurately and decisively, manipulating all officials at his will.

Power from all over the world converged towards him, and he moved towards the pinnacle of supreme power at an astonishing speed.

Wu Meiniang, who was far away in Xijing, also seized this rare opportunity.

Wu Meiniang has always had a strong desire for power. She has worked hard in Xijing for many years and has accumulated extensive connections and influence.

After learning of Xue Rengui's death, she immediately summoned her trusted aides and launched a secret plan in a secret room.

The military power of Xijing is of vital importance. Once it is mastered, one can gain a foothold in the Tang Dynasty.

So, she acted swiftly and used various means to coerce and bribe the defenders of Xijing, and quickly took control of the military power of Xijing.

For a time, the streets and alleys of Xijing were filled with her troops, and the entire Xijing became her possession.

Everyone knows that Xijing has lost the actual control of the imperial court.

They only respect the previous emperor and not the new one.

The 100,000 soldiers guarding the Western Regions were caught in a dilemma because of the changes in Xijing.

These 100,000 soldiers and horses became a sword hanging over the head of the imperial court, which could trigger a huge crisis at any time and became a major concern for the imperial court.

Wu Meiniang's actions were not smooth sailing.

There was a man who stood up and firmly opposed her actions. This man was Di Renjie.

As the deputy envoy to Xijing, Di Renjie always had the empire in his heart. When he learned that Wu Meiniang had taken control of the military, he was furious and immediately went to confront Wu Meiniang.

"Sister Wu, you're totally wrong! Taking control of military power without authorization is a blatant provocation to the imperial court. It will plunge the world into war and bring disaster to the people!"

Di Renjie's face was full of anger and he spoke fiercely.

Wu Meiniang disagreed.

"Xiao Di, the situation in this world is complex and ever-changing. I am doing this to protect myself and for the future of the Tang Dynasty."

"Don't you understand the current situation? If we don't control the military power, we will all become prisoners of others."

The two men each insisted on their own opinions and neither would give in. The atmosphere was so tense that it seemed to ignite the air.

From then on, there was an insurmountable gap between Di Renjie and Wu Meiniang, and they launched a thrilling open and secret struggle on the power stage of Xijing.

At the same time, in the Liangyi Hall of the Imperial Palace, the atmosphere was extremely depressing.

Xu Yuan sat quietly in a wheelchair, looking haggard and pale as paper.

He exuded a sense of weakness, as if he would be blown away by the wind at any moment.

He raised his head and looked at Li Jingyou, his eyes revealing a complex emotion, including loyalty, helplessness, and a hint of relief.

"Your Majesty, I know my time is running out."

Xu Yuan's voice was extremely hoarse.

Li Jingyou looked at him expressionlessly, nodded slightly, and said in a cold voice: "I know you won't survive this night."

"You know in your heart that I cannot keep you. You touched my aunt."

There was no wavering in Li Jingyou's eyes.

Xu Yuan smiled and said frankly: "Your Majesty, I am very satisfied with my position as a high-ranking official and have enjoyed a period of glory. I have no other requests. Among my ancestors, I, Xu Yuan, have the highest official position. According to the rules, I always burn the first incense during Qingming Festival."

"Unfortunately, my Xu family has no descendants."

He paused, then continued, "Your Highness, you are now a qualified emperor. I will accompany you on this journey."

"The Tang Dynasty will become even more powerful in your hands, surpassing all the emperors in history."

Li Jingyou nodded slightly in response to Xu Yuan's words.

"After you die, I will not leave you a good reputation. Just go like this, and you will have a clear conscience."

Li Jingyou's voice was still cold, "But I still thank you, thank you for your support along the way."

"It's just people like you who scare me."

"I can't sleep unless you die."

Li Jingyou smiled and expressed his inner thoughts without reservation.

Then he walked behind Xu Yuan and pushed him slowly out of the Liangyi Palace.

Outside the hall, the warm sunlight shone on them, but it could not dispel the heavy atmosphere between them.

"Xu Yuan, have you ever regretted helping me after I treated you like this?" Li Jingyou asked curiously.

Xu Yuan shook his head and said seriously: "Your Majesty, what's so strange about this? Without you, my life would have just passed by in a muddle. How could it be so magnificent now?"

"Everyone will die. It's enough to live happily. This is the life I want. Even if I had to do it again, I would still be willing to help Your Highness achieve the throne."

"Your Highness, I have something that has been puzzling me for a long time. I hope Your Highness can help me understand it."

Xu Yuan frowned slightly.

"Go ahead."

Li Jingyou said calmly.

"Your Majesty, the late emperor was clearly critically ill at the time, so how did he suddenly recover? Did you ever doubt it?"

"If Your Majesty had not been critically ill at the time, I would not have thought of taking action against Your Majesty's aunt. My goal was to ensure that Your Majesty could ascend to the throne legitimately."

"However, the late emperor suffered a blow, but he recovered so easily."

"Also, when the late emperor was in good health, I privately investigated and found that Prince Wu Li Ke had disappeared, and Zhang Xianhuai had also retired."

"Your Majesty, do you really think that Zhang Xianhuai, given his character, would really leave the late emperor?"

"I understand." Li Jingyou responded softly, his voice so low that people couldn't hear the emotional fluctuations in his heart.

"Your Majesty, if the late emperor ever returns, I will offer you my final piece of advice."

Xu Yuan's expression was solemn, and he said sincerely, "Times have changed. I made a mistake once, but the late emperor's prestige still remains, so I cannot kill him. Now that Your Majesty holds the military power, it is only a matter of time before you conquer the four capitals."

"Even if the late emperor were still alive, his days would be numbered. Your Majesty, could you please promote him to the position of Grand Emperor, and allow the four capitals to be pacified sooner rather than later? Only then will the Great Tang truly be the Great Tang, united and indivisible."

Li Jingyou listened quietly, without saying a word, just looking into the distance silently.