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

The morning bells of the first year of Yonghui echoed over Chang'an City, and the spring breeze blew across the towering city walls of Zhuque Street.

When the palace servants slowly removed the old plaque engraved with the reign title "Qianwu", the wooden tenons and blue bricks collided with each other with a dull sound, startling the crows perched on the eaves, and they fluttered off into the lead-gray sky.

At this moment, the Qianwu era, which lasted for twenty years, came to an end, and the new reign title "Yonghui" was being carefully painted by gold and lacquer craftsmen. The vermilion base color had not yet dried, but it had already been tainted with the atmosphere of the changes in the court.

The New Year's Day of the 20th year of Qianwu should have been a grand ceremony with bells and drums ringing.

But Li Zhi sat alone on the dragon throne, looking at the empty steps, and Li Chengqian's figure lingered in his memory.

The brother who had been his childhood friend passed away this year.

When the eunuchs requested that the New Year's Day ceremony be held as usual, Li Zhi pondered for a long time and said in a hoarse voice, "Forget it."

The sound of firecrackers outside the palace and the cheers of the people were all isolated outside the heavy palace gate. Only the candle wax slowly dripped down the coiled dragon pillars and condensed into ice.

This year, Li Zhi launched a major reshuffle of officials with lightning speed.

Inside the Xuanzheng Hall, officials stood trembling as they watched their names being crossed out with a red pen.

Instead, they were replaced by new officials from Tokyo - Liu Rengui, who had made great contributions in the reform of the grain transport system, was in charge of the Ministry of Works; Pei Xingjian, who was well versed in the customs of the Western Regions, was transferred to the Honglu Temple; and the most eye-catching was Li Yifu, who was promoted all the way and was appointed as the Minister of Revenue.

When the imperial edict was read out, there were gasps in the hall. Someone secretly looked at the thin middle-aged man at the steps. He was wearing a brand new purple robe, but his face was solemn, and there were deep bloody marks on his palms from being pinched by his fingernails.

Li Wei's retirement and return to his hometown added a significant stroke to this power transition.

This veteran, who had served under Emperor Taizong, Emperor Gaozong, and Emperor Yingzong, walked tremblingly to Li Zhi with a bamboo cane, tears welling in his cloudy old eyes: "I, an old minister, have followed the late emperor to the grave. I am willing to protect the dragon vein of Qianling Mausoleum for Your Majesty."

Li Zhi personally helped him up and caught a glimpse of the patch on the hem of the old man's official uniform - it was an old item from the early years of Qian Wu's reign, and he was still reluctant to replace it after decades.

The next day, the streets of Chang'an were deserted as the people spontaneously came to see off this honest old minister. The procession meandered from Zhuque Gate to Baqiao. In the dust raised by the carriage, countless people had tears in their eyes.

The new official Li Yifu was not so kind when he took office.

Late at night in the Ministry of Revenue, the oil lamp swayed in the wind, and the account books piled on the desk almost covered his face.

When the last pile of documents was pushed aside, the sky outside the window was already turning pale.

Li Yifu rubbed his swollen temples and looked at the densely packed list of military expenditures on the wall - Li Zhi not only wanted to invest 70% of the national treasury's financial resources in armaments, but also ordered a large-scale conscription across the country.

The urgent military report from Shaanxi Province showed that almost all the young and strong men in the area had been conscripted, and there was even a harsh policy of "two out of three men and three out of five men".

In the tavern in Chang'an East Shopping Mall, people were talking around the fire.

"I heard that all the blacksmith shops in Bingzhou have been requisitioned by the government, and they are making Mo Dao day and night!"

The old man selling Hu Bing lowered his voice and said, "My nephew is only seventeen years old. He was also taken away by the village head the day before yesterday..."

The storyteller banged his gavel and began talking about the prosperous Zhenguan era during the reign of Emperor Taizong, but was interrupted by a guest who sneered, "This is all warmongering! Why do we have to fight a war when we have such peaceful times?"

These discussions were soon passed to the palace through secret memorials, but Li Zhi just sneered and threw the memorials into the charcoal basin.

The flickering flames illuminated the red line on the map of the Western Regions. That was the marching route he had marked with his own hands, pointing directly to the border of the Arab Empire.

At this time in Damascus, the Umayyad Caliph Muawiyah I was pacing in the palace.

The crystal chandelier hanging from the dome stretched his shadow very long, casting mottled light and shadow on the Persian carpet.

The humiliating agreement that had forced him to pay half of the national treasury as tribute to the Tang Dynasty ten years ago was now held in his hand, and the edges of the parchment had been cracked by his fingernails.

"The respite we've earned every year with the hard-earned money of the people is finally coming to an end!"

He threw the agreement to the ground.

Virzi (Prime Minister) Susulia picked up the agreement and carefully smoothed out the wrinkles: "Your Majesty, the Tang Dynasty is coming with great force this time."

“We must unite all our forces.”

He unfolded a yellowed sheepskin map and traced his fingertips across India and Europe. "India and the Tang Dynasty have an old grudge. Back then, when Wang Xuance was kidnapped, the Tang army attacked India, burning, killing, and looting countless people."

"The European countries have long coveted the silk and spices of the East. If they are granted trade privileges..."

Muawiyah I suddenly interrupted him: "Do you think India will forget who opened the city gates to let the Tang army pass through?"

His voice suddenly rose.

"When Ali was in power, he abandoned the people to the Tang army for the sake of so-called expansion! Now, we can only rely on ourselves!"

They paid a heavy price for peace.

But now, the situation is different. Muawiyah does not think that the Tang Dynasty will play house with their Arab Empire.

Their territory was connected with that of the Tang Dynasty.

Fighting is a matter of time, and the Arabs have long been prepared for the destruction of their country.

But the Arab Empire is not a soft persimmon. If the Tang Dynasty wants to fight, they will make the Tang Dynasty lose a tooth.

The Al-Wilzi Susuriya of the Arab Empire looked at Muawiyah.

"Susulia, will they help us? I heard that Tianzhu doesn't hate the Tang Dynasty. Will they help us?"

Muawiyah looked at Susulia with a thoughtful look in his eyes.

Tianzhu has undergone earth-shaking changes now.

Even though the Tang army burned, killed and looted, everyone in India was grateful to the Tang army. Muawiyah did not think that India would help them fight the Tang army.

In his mind, it was good enough that Tianzhu did not help the Tang army to fight them from inside and outside!

Since Muawiyah I came to power, craftsmen in the Arab Empire have been studying firearms day and night.

In the workshops along the Tigris River, bronze furnaces burned day and night, and choking smoke enveloped the entire city.

When the first replica of the Tang Dynasty firearm failed during a test firing, leaving the workshop in ruins, Muawiyah I stared at the scattered fragments and laughed: "At least we know that Tang Dynasty firearms are not magical!"

However, no matter how they improved, the range and accuracy of the new firearms were far inferior to those of the Tang Dynasty. When he received the secret report that Emir was killed by the Tang army, he could only hold the blood-stained letter and silently swallow his anger.

In Chang'an, Li Yifu's situation became increasingly difficult.

Documents demanding payment of taxes and levies from various provincial governments came pouring in, but they were no match for the bottomless pit of expenditure.

He once asked to see Li Zhi late at night, but heard the roar of iron cannon test firing from inside the palace gate.

Looking through the crack in the door, I saw Li Zhi holding a newly made musket, his eyes blazing like flames: "I will use this firearm to bring eternal peace!"

As Li Yifu retreated, he staggered and held onto the palace wall.