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

The late spring rain was drizzling, but the damp moisture still filled the Liangyi Hall, like invisible silk wrapped around the mottled beams and pillars.

On the gilded candlestick, the eight coiled dragon candles had burned to the end, and the candle wax was winding down along the dragon's body.

Li Tai looked at the knife-like wrinkles at the corners of his brother's eyes and the sunken eye sockets due to long-term illness, and a sudden sour feeling rose in his throat.

Twenty years ago in the Eastern Palace, when did the Crown Prince, who rode on a white horse, dressed in red and shot down two eagles with a longbow, turn into the dilapidated appearance he sees now?

He suddenly remembered a time when he secretly peeked into the Liangyi Hall and saw his brother the emperor reviewing memorials while coughing, but when the ministers asked to see him, he immediately straightened his back, and his laughter and conversation frightened all the civil and military officials in the court into silence.

"It's getting late. If you want, you can rest in this palace tonight. It's damp outside and it won't be comfortable to go back."

He glanced at the rain-soaked hems of the three men's clothes, his gaze lingering for a moment on the jade pendant with a dragon pattern around Li Zhi's waist, which had been personally bestowed by the late emperor. A wry smile played at the corner of his mouth, "But there's no one to serve you in this palace now. You'll only be serving Big Brother."

These words stirred up subtle ripples. Li Ke lowered his head to hide the melancholy in his eyes, and the sword tassel at his waist swayed gently with his breathing.

Li Zhi pursed his lips slightly, and the edge of the edict was wrinkled by his grip.

Li Tai forced a smile, but his laughter sounded particularly dry.

Li Zhi subconsciously stroked the slightly hot edict in his hand. The words written in cinnabar on it were still warm.

He raised his head, his eyes full of confusion: "Royal brother, have you thought of everything? Why did you write this imperial edict last night?"

The candlelight in the hall suddenly shook violently, and an elusive light flashed in Li Chengqian's eyes.

He triggered a violent coughing fit.

He waved his hand to signal everyone to come closer.

"Zhi Nu, since you asked, then the emperor will teach you."

He gasped and looked at Li Tai and Li Ke.

"Listen to this, both of you. It's good for you. If you weren't brothers, I wouldn't teach you."

“I’ve been trying for years.”

Li Tai and Li Ke looked at each other and took half a step forward at the same time.

In my memory, my brother the emperor could always accurately expose the ministers' conspiracies in the court and dispatch troops in advance when the border was in crisis. Those decisions that were praised as "wise" now seem shrouded in fog.

"Do you think your eldest brother is always mysterious and unpredictable, as if he can predict everything?"

Li Chengqian reached into his inner garment and pulled out two identical scrolls of imperial edicts. He handed them to Li Tai and Li Ke respectively.

"Actually, we are all human beings. There is no mystery at all. It's just that this mystery was deliberately created by your royal brother."

His voice rose a little.

"The purpose is to make those ministers fear me from the bottom of their hearts and think that I know everything, but in fact I know nothing!"

Li Tai unfolded the imperial edict and saw his name written in neat small characters, with a bright red jade seal at the end. He could even see slightly raised textures where the ink had not dried yet.

He suddenly raised his head, his eyes filled with shock: "Brother, this..."

"Hahahahaha, cough cough."

Li Chengqian's laughter was interrupted by a cough.

"Look, the same thing, with different approaches, will bring different reactions. Did you see how moved Zhinu was just now?"

"He thought I had been optimistic about him for a long time, but that's not true. No one is omniscient and omnipotent. Your brother is just working harder than others."

"For this 'mystery', I had secret guards monitor all officials day and night, and had Li Chunfeng fabricate auspicious astronomical signs, even..."

His voice stopped abruptly, and he just stared at the flickering candlelight.

Before he finished speaking, Li Chengqian took the imperial edict from the two men and threw it into the brazier beside him without hesitation.

The flames suddenly shot up and engulfed the edict with their names on it. The two large cinnabar characters "Li Ke" on Li Ke's edict were twisted and deformed in the flames.

The firelight reflected in Li Chengqian's eyes, revealing his fatigue. The bloodshot in his eyes seemed to be drawn with cinnabar.

"Zhi Nu, being an emperor is very tiring. No one will tell you the truth."

His voice was gentle, yet filled with the vicissitudes of life. He reached out and stroked Li Zhi's cheek, the calluses on his fingertips brushing against the other's delicate skin. "Remember this, once you take this position, never trust anyone. The only one who can stand on the top of the mountain is yourself."

"The Emperor is lonely. No one can stand with you."

His eyes swept across Li Tai's clenched fist, and then looked at the sword at Li Ke's waist.

The firelight illuminated Li Chengqian's palm.

He held Li Zhi's hand tightly.

"But while my brother has some free time now, I can still show you how it feels to be on the mountaintop. From now on, you'll have to walk this path on your own. Benevolence and virtue aren't just moral conduct; they're the sword in the hands of the emperor. This is the principle my father taught me all those years ago."

He suddenly had a violent cough.

"Look, I've killed so many traitors with the sword 'Benevolence'..."

His gaze swept over the three of them, his tone growing heavier, each word sounding as if ripped from his chest. "Remember, young slave, the relationship between the emperor and his subjects is one of opposition. Don't let others easily see through your thoughts. Don't let your subjects think they know you inside out. Once they think they know you inside out, they'll gang up on you and bully you."

“Never let others see through you. The more mysterious you are, the more frightened they will be.”

"The same is true for you, my lords."

Outside the hall, a muffled thunder was heard faintly, making the glass on the window buzz.

"Don't learn from your royal brother. Your royal brother is a loser." He closed his eyes and his voice was so soft that it was almost inaudible.

"I wanted to change the world's situation with my own strength, but ended up hurting others and myself."

"My Royal Brother doesn't want to see you so tired. From now on, I will teach you the way of the emperor..."

Inside the Liangyi Hall, the only sound left was the crackling of the burning flames.

Li Tai looked at his brother's thin figure, with complicated emotions surging in his heart.

"Actually, they're all the same. This world is just a huge makeshift troupe. My Liangyi Palace and Taiji Palace are no different from the bargaining between us and the old men and women selling vegetables in the market."

"Don't be afraid. My brother has appointed you as the regent. Starting tomorrow, Zhinu, you will be the regent."

"You two, you must help Zhinu well."

"Brothers fight together, fathers and sons fight together in battle. We all need to be well."

Li Zhi was thoughtful when he heard Li Chengqian's words.

"Brother Emperor, you are going to teach me the ways of the emperor, but I want to learn your ways."

Hearing Li Zhi's words, Li Chengqian suddenly raised his head and looked at Li Zhi.

"Zhi Nu, what did you say?"

Li Zhi bowed.

"Brother Emperor, I want to learn your way."

"The world is fair!"