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

The city of Chang'an in late spring seemed to be shrouded in an invisible layer of heat.

Beneath the blue-gray city walls, Zhuque Street is bustling with traffic. The shouts of vendors, the clatter of horses’ hooves, and the rumbling of wheels are intertwined, forming a chaotic melody of the city.

The teahouses and taverns on both sides of the street were crowded with people. The steaming water vapor mixed with the aroma of wine and meat, spreading in the dim light, making people's eyes hot.

Only three days had passed since the news of Li Chengqian's death. This news was like cold water thrown into boiling oil, instantly causing an uproar in Chang'an City.

Many people had unconcealable smiles on their faces, and those smiles hid greedy expectations.

Shopkeeper Wang of the East City Silk Shop was squinting his eyes as he clattered through his accounts on an abacus, his plump fingers twirling across the beads. "Now that His Majesty has passed away, there will be no one to stand in our way of making money."

He lowered his voice and winked at the guys around him, "A few days ago, transporting silk was incredibly troublesome due to the checkpoints set up by the previous emperor! Now, if the new emperor can let loose, our business will skyrocket!"

"If the new emperor follows the previous emperor's ways, he will not be able to win the support of the people."

In a teahouse on the corner, an old man wearing a melon-shaped hat shook his head, his copper pipe clacking. "Once commercial restrictions are lifted, we, the common people living under the emperor's feet, will be the first to get rich. Opportunities will be everywhere!"

His words aroused a wave of echoes from the people around him. Everyone nodded, their eyes full of longing.

A few young men at the next table were so excited that they slammed the table, causing the tea in their bowls to splash out.

In teahouses and taverns, everyone was talking about Emperor Qianwu.

"It's a good death, a very satisfying death!"

A sharp cry came from the corner. A drunkard, holding a wine bowl, staggered to his feet, completely unaware of the wine spilling all over him. "This damn emperor, he's always meddling in this and that. I can hardly breathe!"

His words triggered a burst of laughter, as if this was some huge joke.

A wealthy businessman in fancy clothes nearby slowly wiped the corner of his mouth with a handkerchief and lazily replied, "Isn't it? Take the new farmland policy, for example. It's forcing us landlords to share our money with the country bumpkins. It's simply cutting off our source of income!"

Wine has been selling really well in recent days.

On the second floor of Zuixianlou, the owner of the tavern had a big smile on his face and kept shuttling between the tables, greeting the guests.

Those officers who were usually so majestic and awe-inspiring also put down their airs at this moment. When they heard those outrageous words, they not only did not stop them, but joined in the discussion.

Several officials sat around a table, casually placing their black boots on the table, and the wine jug was passed back and forth among them.

"Emperor Qianwu's oppression of us is truly too great."

A ferocious-looking captain of the police took a swig of wine and smacked his lips as he said, "My monthly salary is so little, it's not even enough to honor my superiors, and he's still investigating this and that every day. He's even more involved than my own father!"

His words caused a burst of laughter, and someone raised his wine bowl and smashed it on the table: "When the new emperor ascends the throne, we brothers should change our way of life!"

Amidst the clamor, Zhang An sat alone in a corner, his face terribly gloomy.

He stared at the wine bowl in his hand, listening to the unbearable discussions around him, and the anger in his heart grew stronger and stronger.

As a ninth-rank official, he knew the difficulties faced by the previous emperor in implementing the new policies, and he also understood the benefits these policies brought to the people - developing water conservancy projects to prevent drought in farmland, opening up the imperial examination system to give people's children the opportunity to study, and punishing corruption to make the administration of officials much more clean.

But now, these people are so ungrateful.

He took a big gulp of wine. The spicy wine flowed down his throat, but it could not extinguish the resentment in his heart.

"What a beast! What a beast! Even if it's a dog, it still knows how to be obedient to its owner."

He spoke through gritted teeth, his voice low and trembling.

"Zhang Sheng, you love His Majesty so much, why don't you seem to be successful in your career?"

A sharp voice suddenly rang out.

Zhang An looked up and saw a middle-aged official in crimson official uniform, waving a folding fan. He walked slowly towards him, his eyes full of contempt. "You're just a candidate. I respectfully call you Zhang Sheng. Do you really think you're a disciple of the emperor?"

The official deliberately moved closer, and the breath of alcohol sprayed on Zhang An's face, "If I don't give you face, you, Zhang An, are nothing."

"Then how come you became a ninth-rank official after Wang Wen died?"

Zhang An clenched his fists, his nails almost digging into his palms, but then slowly loosened them.

He recalled the severe drought three years ago, when His Majesty stood barefoot in the cracked fields, personally directing the digging of canals to divert water. He also recalled the plague, when the late Emperor ordered half of the Imperial Hospital's medicinal materials to be distributed to the people, only to find himself coughing up blood from overwork...

But all of this was nothing but a joke in the eyes of these people. He just shook his head and said nothing more, but his heart was filled with sadness.

What's so good about Chang'an? They are all beasts in human clothing!

He really wanted to resign and go home, but his wife and children were in Chang'an City.

After resigning from office, without salary, how can he support his family?

"Your Majesty, do you see? You have been a hero your whole life, and you have been so tolerant towards these beasts, yet they are talking about you like this behind your back."

"Emperor Qianwu, please open your eyes and punish them."

"Chang'an shouldn't be like this, the Tang Dynasty shouldn't be like this!"

He groaned in his heart.

As night fell, the sky was suddenly covered with dark clouds, as if a huge black curtain was covering the city of Chang'an.

Soon, heavy rain poured down, and the raindrops as big as beans hit the green tiles and stone roads, making crackling sounds.

Lightning streaked across the night sky, illuminating a corner of the city, and thunder roared, causing panic among the people.

The city gates of Chang'an suddenly opened slowly, and the sound of heavy chains was particularly clear in the sound of rain.

Shadow guards wearing bronze masks and black rubber raincoats appeared from all directions. They stood tall and straight, like evil spirits standing on the street, blocking the entire Chang'an city in an orderly manner.

No one knows what their usual identities are. During the day, they may be grooms, shopkeepers, or night watchmen.

But now, on this dark and rainy night, they are the shadow guards, the personal army of the late emperor. They represent the highest will of imperial power, even higher than the Jinyiwei.

Their eyes were cold, and they only followed orders without asking about the process.

A burst of orderly horse hooves sounds came from the street.

Men carrying scythes on their backs and muskets hanging around their waists rode on horses and entered the city gate in an orderly manner. There were no less than a thousand of them.

Li Ke rode a tall horse and walked slowly in front of the team.

Under his hood, his face was hidden in shadow, his expression unclear. Rainwater flowed down the edge of his mask, soaking his clothes, but it did not affect his imposing manner at all.

He watched as people arrived one after another without saying a word, because the Shadow Guards always made preparations before taking action.

A few days ago, a detailed list had been issued, specifying what each person should do, who they should kill, where the people are, and how many people each person is responsible for killing.

The people on these lists either insulted the late emperor in the streets or secretly slandered Your Majesty's new policies in the court.

The shadow guards will carry out their tasks according to the list.

After completing the mission, they returned here and retreated like ghosts, leaving no trace.

Li Ke raised his hand and waved gently.

In an instant, all the shadow guards merged into the night and into the city of Chang'an like a tide.

On the street, there were only empty cobblestone roads and the heavy rain that kept falling.

Tonight, I am destined to have no sleep.