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

Li Chengqian stood in the main hall, his eyes slowly sweeping over all the civil and military officials in the hall.

Some of them sat upright with reserved expressions, while others whispered to each other with expressions full of hesitation and speculation.

Li Chengqian could clearly see the complex light flashing in those eyes. The thoughts in everyone's hearts hung heavily over the court.

"I know it all in my heart. I know what the common people think; I am also not unaware of what you are thinking."

"Many people think I am confused and can no longer manage the myriad political affairs of the Tang Dynasty."

He spoke, his voice strong but a little hoarse.

"To be honest, I've been feeling rather confused and distracted lately, so it's understandable that you might be thinking this way."

"But when it comes to matters concerning the rise and fall of the Tang Dynasty, I have a clear mind."

Li Chengqian raised his head slightly, his eyes bright as he scanned the crowd, trying to find a glimmer of understanding and resonance among these familiar yet unfamiliar faces.

"Li Wei is absolutely right. When a father dies, the son inherits, and when an elder brother dies, the younger brother inherits. This is not only the custom of imperial families passing on the throne, but also the way ordinary people pass on their bloodline and family business."

He paused briefly, then let out a long sigh. He gazed toward the sky outside the hall, framed by the palace walls, as if seeking answers to history from that endless expanse. "However, throughout history, since the Zhou Dynasty, has any dynasty managed to survive the long, peaceful years of three hundred years?"

He shook his head slightly, his tone firm yet tinged with a hint of helplessness. "I've considered this for a long time. If the Tang Dynasty continues to follow this old path, I'm afraid it will be difficult to escape the cycle of history."

"Let's imagine this: if I pass the throne to a descendant of the Li family, and if this descendant turns out to be incompetent and incompetent, with no talent for governing the country, or even like mud that can't be helped, would you still desperately support him and allow such a person to sit on the throne and dominate the fate of the Tang Dynasty?"

Li Chengqian's eyes instantly became sharp, and he looked straight at Li Wei with a questioning look in his eyes.

"What will the people of the world do then? Li Wei, tell me, what should we do?"

Li Wei straightened his posture, his expression solemn, and met Li Chengqian's gaze calmly. After bowing, he spoke with a voice as powerful as a stone: "Your Majesty, even if the future monarch is unworthy, he still carries the blood of Emperor Taizong. This is a symbol of orthodoxy and the foundation of the Tang Dynasty's inheritance!"

If he made any mistakes in governing the country, the entire court, including civil and military officials, would have devoted their efforts to assist and correct them. How can we blame all this on the monarch alone?

Li Chengqian fell silent after hearing this.

He stood quietly in place, his eyes slowly sweeping over the ministers around him. He saw that most of them nodded slightly, their faces full of approval. Li Wei's remarks expressed the common thoughts in their hearts.

In an instant, an indescribable feeling of loneliness overwhelmed him like a surging tide.

He sighed deeply, that sigh filled with endless exhaustion and desolation, carrying the weight of the entire Tang Dynasty. "I am not a deity descended from the heavens, nor am I the almighty, omnipotent emperor as folk legends say."

"I am but an ordinary mortal, like all other people in the world, with emotions and desires, and the experience of birth, old age, sickness, and death."

His voice was sincere, and every word seemed to flow slowly from the bottom of his heart. "As for the future path of the Tang Dynasty, to be honest, I am also groping in confusion."

"But I firmly believe that the old system of one family ruling the world has come to an end. This path is no longer viable."

"Please calm down and think carefully about this."

"I have decided to hold a secret ballot. Those who support the implementation of a constitutional monarchy and those who oppose it will each receive one vote."

Li Chengqian's expression was calm, his gaze firm as he methodically arranged the subsequent matters. "Tomorrow, everyone can cast their votes in the box specially placed outside the Taiji Hall."

"I also want to see everyone's true choice."

"No matter what the outcome, I respect your decision."

"Floating life."

Li Chengqian turned his head slightly and looked at Chen Fusheng in the crowd. Although his voice was not loud, it revealed a sense of majesty.

Chen Fusheng reacted quickly, stepped forward immediately, stood tall and straight, and said in a loud voice: "Your Majesty!"

"Immediately begin preparations and convene a people's representative assembly. We must ensure that the people also participate in the vote on this matter, which will determine the future of the Tang Dynasty."

"I will not interfere. Everything will be decided by public opinion."

Li Chengqian spoke slowly, each word uttered with all his might, "I am tired. My energy is not what it used to be. Now I simply wish to do my utmost to complete all that needs to be done in my remaining years, so that I can give my all to the people of this world."

He waved his hand, his movements a little slow, his expression exhausted. "Everyone, go home. Take advantage of this New Year's Day holiday to have a good reunion dinner with your family. Remember to come and vote on time tomorrow."

"Bugui, you should go back and rest too. Don't work so hard anymore."

After saying that, Li Chengqian walked slowly towards the bedroom alone with heavy steps.

His back looked particularly thin and lonely in the empty palace corridor, like a fallen leaf drifting in the cold wind.

At this moment, his heart was in turmoil like the surging sea and river, but the idea of ​​changing the fate of the Tang Dynasty was like an indestructible rock and had never wavered in the slightest.

He smiled bitterly in his heart, looking back on his career as an emperor, he felt that it was such a failure. He began to drift further and further away from the court and the world.

On the New Year's Day of the Xian De year, night fell quietly and the entire palace was shrouded in the quiet night.

Li Chengqian sat alone at the table with a bowl of millet porridge that he had cooked himself in front of him.

The heat rose, but it couldn't warm his cold and lonely heart.

The huge palace was silent. The hustle and bustle, laughter and joy of the past seemed like a lifetime ago. Now there was only deathly silence.

Instead of returning to Ganlu Palace, he stood up and walked around this familiar yet unfamiliar palace with slow steps.

Over the years, he has devoted all his energy and efforts to the Tang Dynasty and has never taken a good look at the palace that has accompanied him for half his life.

Before he knew it, he arrived at the Lingyan Pavilion.

On weekdays, the palace maids kept this place spotless, but it was New Year's Day, the time for family reunions, and the palace maids had all gone home to reunite with their families. The Lingyan Pavilion was empty and extremely quiet, with only the occasional sound of the wind blowing gently, as if telling stories of past years.

Li Chengqian held onto the handrail of the stairs and walked up slowly, step by step. Each step seemed so strenuous, and even just a few steps made him breathless.

He truly felt that his health was not as good as before and was getting worse day by day.

With a glimmer of anticipation, he lit the candles with trembling hands.

The flickering candle flame instantly illuminated the slightly dim attic. At this moment, he felt extremely lonely and had a strong desire to see the faces of his old friends again.

As the candlelight flickered, the portraits of the twenty-four heroes in the Lingyan Pavilion gradually came into his sight clearly.

The first portrait that caught his eye was that of Fang Xuanling.

Looking at Fang Xuanling's familiar face, Li Chengqian's thoughts instantly drifted back to those busy and fulfilling days, which were the best days.

Thinking of Fang Xuanling working day and night in the Liangyi Hall to give advice to the Tang Dynasty, and thinking of their heated debates and tacit understanding when they discussed the way to govern the country, the corners of his mouth unconsciously rose, revealing a faint smile.

"My dear Fang Xiang, it's been a long time since we last met. Are you doing well down there?"

He murmured softly, and his voice echoed in the silent Lingyan Pavilion.