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

In the first year of Xianheng in Chang'an City, the summer heat had not yet subsided, and the air was filled with irritating heat.

Inside the Taiji Hall, the originally solemn and dignified court was now in chaos.

In the square in front of the Taiji Hall, the glazed tiles shone brightly under the scorching sun, and the beasts on the eaves seemed to become restless in the heat wave.

Green smoke curled up from the copper incense burner, but it could not dispel the chaotic atmosphere in the hall.

Civil and military officials were dressed in court robes, and the neat formations had already been disrupted. Whispers and angry arguments were intertwined, like a boiling cauldron.

In the bedroom of the Daming Palace, Li Zhi was leaning on the bed, his pale face covered with fine beads of sweat.

He pressed his hands tightly against his forehead, trying to soothe the excruciating pain that was surging like a tide.

When the attack of the wind disease struck, he felt as if his entire head was being torn apart, his vision went black, and the world was spinning.

The bead curtain in front of him was shaking, cutting the light in the hall into tiny fragments of light and shadow, just like his broken and messy thoughts at the moment.

The images of Li Shimin and Li Chengqian suffering from wind disease in their later years kept flashing through his mind.

At that time, he watched his father struggling with illness. Although he felt distressed, he could not truly empathize with his father.

But now, when this terrible disease came upon him, he deeply felt the pain.

Li Zhi closed his eyes and sighed deeply. The trajectory of his fate seemed to have been written long ago, and he eventually embarked on a difficult road similar to that of his father and brother.

Even when Li Zhi was almost collapsed by illness, he was still concerned about state affairs.

The drought in the central region is urgent and countless people are struggling on the brink of life and death.

So, despite his illness, he forced himself to issue a series of decrees, mobilizing forces from all sides to transport a large amount of food to the disaster area.

Every decree he issued consumed a huge amount of his energy, but he dared not slack off in the slightest, because that was the hope of countless people.

In such a predicament, Li Zhi made an extremely bold decision - to let Wu Meiniang take charge of government and handle state affairs.

This decision was not made on impulse, but was carefully considered.

During her tenure as the envoy to the capital, Wu Meiniang managed the five regions of the Western Regions in an orderly manner.

Her decisive measures, keen political vision, and excellent coordination ability left a deep impression on Li Zhi.

In the Western Regions, she stabilized the border situation, promoted trade, and won the recognition of local people and officials.

In Li Zhi's mind, Wu Meiniang was capable enough to shoulder this heavy responsibility, and he really had no other choice.

When Wu Meiniang, dressed in gorgeous clothes, slowly stepped into the Taiji Hall, the entire court instantly became quiet, and everyone's eyes were focused on her.

She walked with a calm pace, a confident and steady smile on her face, and exuded an invisible aura.

However, this calm was short-lived, and soon, a storm of opposition came roaring in.

"This is outrageous! When will it ever be the turn of a woman to make decisions in this court? Where is His Majesty? I want to see His Majesty!"

Censor Pei Yan was the first to step forward. His face flushed red, his eyes widened with anger, and his voice echoed in the hall like a huge bell.

His official robe trembled slightly with excitement, and he held the tablet in his hand tightly. It was his weapon to defend "truth".

In Pei Yan's mind, since ancient times, the court has been a man's world, and women should stay in the harem, taking care of their husbands and children.

Wu Meiniang, a Zhaoyi, actually wanted to interfere in government affairs. This was simply treason and a blatant violation of the ancestral etiquette and laws.

"Where is the Minister of Rites? Where is the Minister of Rites?"

Pei Yan continued to shout loudly, trying to call other ministers to jointly oppose this "absurd" decision.

His voice was filled with anger and echoed for a long time in the empty hall.

"Where is your majesty? Where is your majesty?"

Other ministers also echoed each other, and for a while, the hall became a mess.

"How can this be outrageous?" Various voices of doubt and opposition arose one after another, like a surging wave, as if to drown Wu Meiniang.

Minister of Rites Liu Rengui frowned slightly when he saw Pei Yan's intense reaction.

He coughed and said in a strong voice: "Pei Yan, how dare you roar in the court? Do you think this is your home? This is Taiji Hall!"

There was majesty in Liu Rengui's words, which startled Pei Yan slightly and made him restrain himself a little.

Liu Rengui straightened his official robes and bowed to Wu Meiniang, his attitude respectful yet measured. "Your Majesty, may I ask where His Majesty is? Is His Majesty well?"

"I know that Your Majesty is in charge of the five regions of the Western Regions, and she has managed things in an orderly manner without any mistakes."

"But this is Taiji Palace now, not Xijing."

"We are dealing with state affairs here, not border issues. Your Majesty, please forgive me for being blunt, but the affairs of the world are yours, not yours. Furthermore, you are pregnant, so you should rest more and take care of yourself."

Liu Rengui's words seemed gentle, but they were actually very sharp.

He both affirmed Wu Meiniang's ability and tactfully expressed his concern about the ownership of imperial power. At the same time, he tried to make her give up by using the excuse of being concerned about her pregnancy.

These words can be said to be a wise and prudent statement for the country. They not only maintained the dignity of the ministers, but also gave Wu Meiniang some face. There was nothing that could be refuted.

Wu Meiniang sat there quietly, looking at the ministers who were in chaos below, with a barely perceptible sneer flashing in her eyes.

She folded her hands in front of her, her posture upright, like an unshakable pine tree.

It was not until Liu Rengui finished speaking, the hall gradually became quiet, and everyone's eyes were focused on her, that she finally spoke.

"Are you done arguing? Are you done with the fight?"

Wu Meiniang's voice was neither high nor low, but it carried a majesty that could not be ignored.

Her eyes swept over the ministers below and lingered on Pei Yan for a moment.

Pei Yan met her gaze fearlessly, glaring at her: "Wu Zhaoyi! You are just a Zhaoyi. Even if you are in charge of government, it should be the Queen Mother who is in charge. She is the Queen, and you?"

"How dare a concubine of your majesty discuss state affairs?"

Pei Yan's words were full of disdain. In his eyes, Wu Meiniang was just an ignorant woman.

The corners of Wu Meiniang's mouth rose slightly, revealing a faint smile, which contained a bit of confidence, a bit of sarcasm, and a bit of confidence.

She waved her hand, her voice calm but powerful: "Alright, everyone, be quiet. I'll tell you everything one by one."

"I am indeed only a Zhaoyi, but does Your Majesty have any experience in handling government affairs?"

"She has lived in the harem for a long time, this is clear, and before entering the palace, I was in charge of the five roads in the Western Regions."

"Remember this, everyone. I, the Western Capital Envoy, was appointed by the late Emperor. He once said that women could also hold high positions in the government. Have you all forgotten?"

"You're not questioning my ability, you're just questioning me because I'm a woman. Why, wouldn't you be acting like this when the Empress is in charge of government?"

Wu Meiniang's words hit the nail on the head.

She cleverly used the late emperor's words as a shield, escalating the ministers' doubts about her to disrespect for the late emperor, leaving those ministers speechless for a moment.

At the same time, she also mercilessly pointed out the fundamental reason for the ministers' opposition - women.

"Also, I'm here to explain it to you only once."

As Wu Meiniang spoke, she slowly stood up, her robe fluttering in the wind, exuding her majesty.

Her eyes were sharp as she scanned the ministers below. "I am here to attend court because Your Majesty has suffered a stroke and has a splitting headache. Your Majesty trusts in my abilities, and that's why I am here to attend court. This is for the public good, not for personal gain."

"As for the Empress, she is naturally responsible for taking care of His Majesty. Do you all understand?"

There was silence in the hall. The ministers looked at each other, not knowing how to refute for a moment.

Wu Meiniang's words were well-reasoned and not only maintained her dignity but also demonstrated her political wisdom.

In her own way, she gained a firm foothold in this fierce court struggle and laid the foundation for her future rise on the political stage.