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

The dusk is like thick ink, slowly staining the vast western land.

The biting wind, carrying fine sand, mercilessly hit the Tang army's tents, making a whimpering sound.

Wu Tianyan stood outside the commander's tent, looking at the flickering candlelight, his heart full of respect.

Inside the tent, Pei Xingjian was making final deployments. This renowned veteran was now shouldering the fate of the entire Western Expedition army.

The scene from ten years ago, like a yellowed scroll, slowly unfolded in Wu Tianyan's mind.

At that time, he stepped into the prosperous Chang'an with full of passion and longing.

He met Pei Xingjian for the first time at a court meeting.

At that time, Pei Xingjian was already an important figure in the court, and his reputation was far-reaching and intimidating to all directions.

Wu Tianyan stood in the crowd, looking at Pei Xingjian from afar, his heart full of awe.

The heroes of the Lingyan Pavilion have always been distant legends in his heart, and those magnificent stories seem to exist only in novels.

And Pei Xingjian, a man who lived in the same era as the heroes of the Lingyan Pavilion, was now standing right in front of him, exuding an impressive demeanor in his every move.

As time went by, he worked his way up in official circles and gradually reached his current position.

Now, he and Pei Xingjian are on a western expedition together. Although their identities are different, they both shoulder the heavy responsibility of expanding territory.

The "Two Pillars of the Tang Dynasty, Pei and Li" praised by the people refer to Pei Xingjian and Li Jingxuan, who are the mainstays of the Tang Dynasty today.

Taking a deep breath, Wu Tianyan lifted the curtain of the tent and walked in.

Inside the tent, Pei Xingjian was leaning over a sheepskin map spread out on the table. The map was densely covered with various marks and symbols, recording the troop deployment and terrain conditions of both sides.

Several oil lamps emitted a dim light, stretching Pei Xingjian's figure and casting it onto the rough tent.

"Old General," Wu Tianyan said softly, a hint of worry in his voice, "If we return to Chang'an this time, I'm afraid His Majesty will punish you."

He knew that the imperial court had high hopes for conquering Constantinople during this Western Expedition, and Pei Xingjian's decision to withdraw his troops undoubtedly went against the imperial court's wishes.

Pei Xingjian slowly raised his head, a tired but gentle smile appearing on his wrinkled face.

He waved his hand, motioning Wu Tianyan to sit down. His voice was filled with vicissitudes of life: "Xiao Wu, I am old. This is my last expedition. You are still young, just over thirty."

He peered through the cracks in the tent into the distance, seemingly seeing the distant Chang'an and the countless battlefields where he had fought. "I don't have many years left to live, and an official position is of no importance to me."

"I'm not attacking forcefully this time, simply to seek peace of mind."

Pei Xingjian's tone grew heavy, his eyes filled with helplessness. "Taking so many children of the Great Tang with me to die, how can I face Emperor Taizong and Emperor Gao after my death?"

The faces of the young soldiers on the battlefield emerged in his mind. Some of them were still immature teenagers, but they rushed to the battlefield without hesitation for the glory of the Tang Dynasty, but now they stayed in this strange land forever.

Wu Tianyan listened quietly, feeling an indescribable respect in his heart.

He understood how much responsibility Pei Xingjian had to take in making the decision to withdraw his troops.

On the balance of power and responsibility, Pei Xingjian chose to protect his life and to have a clear conscience.

"You are still young, and there is still a long way to go."

Pei Xingjian continued, "Although you brought plenty of ammunition this time, I have seen Constantinople."

He tapped the map with his finger on the location of Constantinople. "It's easy to defend, but difficult to attack. Our artillery can blow down their walls, but defending against foreign enemies has never relied on weapons and equipment."

Pei Xingjian's thoughts seemed to have gone back to the past, his eyes gleaming with reminiscence: "Otherwise, how could the Tang Dynasty, so poor back then, still command the world? It was the people's hearts that counted!"

His voice was firm. "They are in the West, and their people are united. One year is not enough to conquer them."

"Furthermore, with so many young and strong casualties, in the future..."

He did not continue.

The cruelty of war lies not only in the current casualties, but also in its impact on the country's future development.

The death of a large number of young and middle-aged people will have a huge impact on the economy and production of the Tang Dynasty.

Moreover, someone must take the blame for this mistake, but it must not be Your Majesty.

Having said that, Pei Xingjian stood up, slowly walked to Wu Tianyan, and patted him on the shoulder.

Wu Tianyan remained silent after hearing Pei Xingjian's words. He knew he couldn't change the old man's decision, so he could only pray silently in his heart, hoping that Pei Xingjian could survive this crisis safely.

Early the next morning, a depressing atmosphere permeated the camp.

Pei Xingjian, wearing armor, stood on a high platform, looking at the 200,000 tired but determined soldiers in front of him.

Each of the soldiers who had followed him on his westward expedition now held an urn containing the ashes of their fallen comrades. Those comrades who had trained, fought, and laughed together were now separated by the Yin and Yang.

"Brothers," Pei Xingjian's voice echoed in the empty camp, trembling slightly, "Let's go home!"

These four simple words brought tears to the eyes of many soldiers.

During this Western Expedition, they traveled thousands of miles, went through countless bloody battles, and paid a huge price.

Now, they can finally embark on the journey home, although with regrets, but it is also a relief for them.

Pei Xingjian led the remaining troops slowly out of the camp, the sound of horse hooves was heavy and slow.

Wu Tianyan stood at the entrance of the camp, watching Pei Xingjian's departing back, feeling mixed emotions.

He knew that if nothing unexpected happened, this would be the last time he would see General Pei.

Shortly after Pei Xingjian left with his troops, 1.5 million fresh troops arrived at the front line.

This massive force put immense pressure on the coalition forces. Suddenly, the situation on the battlefield underwent a dramatic change.

The walls of Constantinople no longer seemed indestructible in the face of the powerful offensive of the Tang army.

Not to mention the destruction of Constantinople, even ten of them would not be able to stop the Tang army's offensive.

In the city of Constantinople, the coalition forces looked at the Tang army that was coming like a tide, and their hearts were filled with despair.

Even if their emperor personally climbed the city wall to boost morale and fought alongside the soldiers, it would be difficult to withstand this unstoppable attack.

The city was filled with fear and anxiety, and the people were crying loudly.

In the distant Chang'an, the news of Pei Xingjian's return to the capital had already reached the palace.

There was a burst of discussion in the court.

A group of officials headed by Li Jingxuan knew Pei Xingjian's character well and understood that he must have had his reasons for withdrawing his troops, so they all pleaded for him.

However, a group of officials believed that Pei Xingjian's unauthorized withdrawal of troops undermined the dignity of the Tang Dynasty and should be severely punished.