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

The dusk was as dark as blood, immersing the city of Chang'an like a huge furnace.

Outside the Liangyi Hall, thirty-six bronze palace lanterns lit up one after another, and the shadows of the lights swayed on the vermilion palace walls.

Inside the hall, the gilded dragon-patterned candlesticks emitted flickering flames, and the luminous pearls inlaid on the twelve golden pillars with coiled dragons glowed faintly, interweaving with the candlelight to form a dazzling golden glow.

Li Zhi leaned against a rosewood dragon-carved throne, and the gold embroidery on his dragon robe emitted tiny rays of light as he raised his hand.

The hem of the dragon robe fell down, revealing the black boots with gold-woven python patterns underneath.

"Take him away."

Four guards in black armor marched forward in unison, their armor colliding with each other making a crisp and cold sound.

Muawiyah was escorted back out of the temple, stumbling.

Outside the palace, the night wind carried the hustle and bustle of Chang'an's night market. On Suzaku Street, the sound of camel bells from merchants, the singing of singing girls, the laughter of diners, and the constant cries of vendors intertwined to create a bustling and lively scene.

When this noise poured into the palace, it formed a sharp contrast with the suffocating silence inside the hall.

Until the heavy vermilion lacquered door slammed shut with a loud "bang", completely isolating the two worlds and also isolating Muawiyah's last glimmer of hope.

When Muawiyah returned to his prison cell, he felt as if he had fallen into an ice cellar.

He leaned his back against the stone wall and slowly slid down to sit on the ground. The rough stone wall stung his skin mercilessly through his thin clothes.

The air was filled with a disgusting musty smell, mixed with a faint smell of blood, which was the scent left by countless prisoners struggling to survive.

On the ground, several puddles of black water meandered, and it was unclear whether they were rainwater or blood.

In the darkness, the swaying oil lamp in the corner emitted a faint light. The dim halo distorted his shadow and cast it on the mottled wall. It flickered with the flickering flame, making him look like a ghost.

Li Zhi moved him to another cell, a cell for ordinary prisoners.

He hugged his arms tightly, trying to dispel the chill that seeped from his bones, but how could such chill be dispelled by trembling his body?

My thoughts involuntarily returned to the scene of the conversation with Li Zhi, and every detail replayed in my mind over and over again, like an unforgettable nightmare.

When Li Zhi spoke in pure and fluent Arabic, shock and fear instantly surged into my heart.

The clear pronunciation and precise and authentic word choice sounded as if he was a local who grew up in the Arabian Desert.

He never imagined that the Emperor of the Tang Dynasty in the far east could be so proficient in the language of his own country.

"Your Excellency the Caliph, do you know which tavern in Chang'an your caravan loves to drink at?"

Li Zhi asked him with a smile, his eyes and eyebrows full of kindness, but the smile did not reach his eyes. There was a heart-pounding cold light hidden in his deep pupils.

Without waiting for his answer, Li Zhi told him the name of the tavern located in the East Market with a huge wooden camel-carved sign, and even described in detail the appearance of the tavern owner's newly married Hu Ji.

At that moment, Muawiyah felt a chill on his back, as if his every move was under the surveillance of the Tang Dynasty emperor.

Each sentence seemed casual, but every word was threatening and hit his vital points accurately.

When Li Zhi talked about the tribal conflicts in Arabia, he sounded like an insider who knew everything.

When talking about the strategic deployment of the coalition forces, his tone was full of confidence and certainty.

In front of such an emperor, any sign of weakness could lead to catastrophic disaster.

Relying on his years of experience accumulated in power struggles, he realized that Li Zhi was more insidious and cunning than himself.

After all, he had also used all means to gain power and ascended to the throne of Caliph by stepping on the blood of countless people. But compared with Li Zhi, he felt like a child who had not experienced much of the world.

During the long journey to the Tang Dynasty, Muawiyah heard that the Tang Dynasty's 1.5 million troops had marched westward.

At that time, he still had a glimmer of hope, thinking that the coalition forces might be able to withstand the attack of the Tang army with their geographical advantages and familiar environment.

But when he saw with his own eyes the flags covering the sky outside Yumen Pass, the endless torrent of armored soldiers, and heard the local people talking about the Tang Dynasty still having a million reserve troops, the hope in his heart was completely shattered.

After arriving in the Tang Dynasty, he was even more shocked to learn that this vast empire actually had a full three million troops!

This number was like a mountain, weighing down his breath and even making him toss and turn at night, with the terrifying scene of the Tang army surging like a tide always appearing before his eyes.

For the coalition forces, the Tang Dynasty's large-scale military deployment was both an opportunity and a challenge.

The bad thing is that the pressure faced by the coalition forces increased dramatically in an instant. How easy would it be to resist such a huge Tang army?

Every soldier is a living being, and every battle may result in rivers of blood and corpses everywhere.

The good thing is that once the coalition forces can withstand the pressure, even if they can only delay the Tang army, it will be a victory for them.

When a large army is on an expedition, logistical support is paramount. The manpower, material resources, and financial resources required to transport supplies from the Tang mainland to the front lines are incalculable.

Even though the Tang Dynasty had advanced trains, building tracks and manufacturing trains still required huge amounts of money and resources.

Even if Li Zhi spared no expense, using the people's blood, sweat and money to shorten the construction time, it would ultimately only make this huge empire overwhelmed.

He even fantasized that perhaps the Tang Dynasty would fall into turmoil because of this war, and that would give the coalition forces a chance to turn things around.

At the same time, in the Liangyi Palace, the atmosphere was so oppressive that it made people breathless.

Li Yifu stood with his hands hanging down, cautiously glancing at Li Zhi who was sitting on the armchair.

The crane patch on the official's uniform trembled slightly in the candlelight, revealing his inner anxiety.

He really couldn't figure out what His Majesty was thinking. When he summoned him today, he didn't discuss military and political matters, nor did he mention the disputes in the court. He just asked him to wait here.

Every minute and every second of waiting seemed extremely long. His back was already soaked with sweat, and his official boots moved slightly on the blue brick floor, making a slight friction sound.

"Lord Li, I have a request for you to do."

Li Zhi finally broke the silence. His voice was still calm, but it made Li Yifu subconsciously straighten his back and all the nerves in his body tense up.

"Yes, Your Majesty! I will do my best!"

Li Yifu quickly clasped his fists and saluted in a loud voice, trying to hide his inner uneasiness.

Li Zhi shook his head slightly, stood up and walked to the window, looking at the night outside.

The night sky of Chang'an was dotted with stars, and from the Drum Tower in the distance came the dull sound of drums, again and again, as if they were death-prompting drumbeats.

"It's not a big deal. Just tell me my order. Muawiyah is released. He can go back to wherever he wants. It would be better if he can go back alive."

These words left Li Yifu stunned.

He widened his eyes and looked at Li Zhi's back in disbelief, as if he suspected he had heard it wrong.

"Your Majesty, what are you doing? Muawiyah is the Caliph of Arabia. Letting him go is like letting a tiger go back to the mountain! Your Majesty, please think twice!"

He said urgently, his tone filled with worry.

Li Zhi slowly turned around and looked directly into Li Yifu's eyes.

"I haven't finished what I was saying yet. Also, release the Arab soldiers we captured."

"Have you followed my instructions and treated these prisoners well these days?"

Li Yifu finally woke up from his dream and nodded quickly, "Your Majesty, everything is in accordance with your Majesty's will. The treatment of these prisoners is better than that of our Tang soldiers."

"Three meals a day provided meat and vegetables, and the injured and sick were carefully cared for by imperial physicians. They even built a special prayer place for them, and prepared worship supplies according to their customs..."

As he was speaking, Li Yifu seemed to have thought of something. He suddenly raised his head and looked at Li Zhi in shock.

He suddenly understood the deep meaning of His Majesty - this was not treating the prisoners well, it was clearly an attack on their hearts!

Li Zhi raised a meaningful smile and walked back to the armchair to sit down.