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

In the spring of the second year of Xianheng, the morning mist in Chang'an City had not yet dissipated, but both sides of Zhuque Street were already crowded with eagerly waiting people.

On the bluestone road, the wheels rolled over the puddles left by a night of autumn rain, splashing tiny drops of water.

A carriage with simple decoration but majestic appearance slowly drove into the city gate. The guards driving the carriage had Tang Dynasty swords hanging from their waists and their postures were as straight as pine trees. The person they were escorting was General Wu Tianyan, who had just made great military achievements on the western border.

The people were whispering about the good news from the front.

It is said that in this battle, the Tang army made the Western countries tremble in fear, and the reputation of the Tang Dynasty once again spread far and wide.

In the crowd, there was a white-haired old man leaning on a cane, tears of excitement flashing in his cloudy eyes.

There was a young woman, holding a child, whispering about the bravery of the Tang Dynasty army.

There are also passionate young people who clench their fists, looking forward to one day being able to fight on the battlefield like General Wu and defend their country.

The carriage drove all the way to the palace. Wu Tianyan sat in the carriage, but his thoughts drifted back to the battlefield.

Now, seeing Chang'an still prosperous and the people living and working in peace and contentment, he felt relieved, but also a little worried.

I wonder if your Majesty's illness has improved?

Outside the Liangyi Hall, Wang Can, commander of the Imperial Guard, and Dong Ran, commander of the Unruly, were already waiting. When they saw the carriage stop, they immediately stepped forward and respectfully opened the door.

"General Wu, His Majesty is waiting for you in Liangyi Palace!"

Wang Can smiled, his eyes showing respect.

Wu Tianyan adjusted his armor, nodded, and strode towards the palace gate.

The moment he stepped into the Liangyi Hall, his eyes involuntarily fell on the familiar figure sitting on the armchair.

Li Zhi was seen reviewing memorials at his desk, his face rosy and his spirits high, completely unlike the rumored figure of him being tortured to death by a stroke.

Wu Tianyan was shocked and stood there in a daze.

Li Zhi seemed to have noticed his arrival. He slowly raised his head with a gentle smile on his face. "General Wu, you're back?"

"Yes, Your Majesty! I'm back!" Wu Tianyan came back to his senses and saluted quickly, but he could not hide his surprise.

Li Zhi put down the memorial in his hand, stood up, walked over to Wu Tianyan, and patted him on the shoulder. "What's the matter? Are you surprised? I'm in good health. You must have heard on the way here that I had a stroke, and that I was dying. My time is almost up, right?"

Wu Tianyan nodded subconsciously, and after a moment's hesitation, he said, "I heard that Your Majesty had a stroke, and I was deeply worried. I longed to return home soon to protect Your Majesty. But I didn't expect..."

Li Zhi waved his hand, signaling him not to say more: "It's not that serious. I was just pretending to be sick. I had a stroke, but it's not serious. But after I leave the Liangyi Hall, I will be sick again. Please don't let anything slip after you leave."

"Yes, Your Majesty! I will keep my mouth shut."

Wu Tianyan said solemnly.

Your Majesty's move must have a deep meaning. In the court, various forces are undercurrents. Your Majesty appears sickly and weak, perhaps just to confuse the enemy and control the situation.

Wu Tianyan pulled out an exquisite booklet from his pocket and presented it with both hands: "Your Majesty, this is all the battle reports and losses of the army, as well as a list of meritorious officers and soldiers."

"In this battle, the soldiers fought bravely and fearlessly, which led to this great victory."

Li Zhi took the booklet and flipped through it carefully, a look of satisfaction on his face: "I understand. I will reward all the meritorious soldiers one by one after they return."

"You have made an indelible contribution to this great victory."

Wu Tianyan looked at Li Zhi, hesitating for a moment before finally summoning the courage to speak: "Your Majesty, during my battles with the Middle Easterners and Westerners, I discovered that their eyes were filled with the seeds of hatred."

"I feel that Your Majesty should not agree to their surrender. Since the battle has already begun, it is better to eliminate the root of the problem to prevent future troubles."

"Although our Tang Dynasty will suffer a loss of national strength, they will be destroyed! The country can be slowly governed after the war."

"Your Majesty, although the agreement has been signed, I am willing to lead a group of elite troops and continue to attack the west. Afterwards, Your Majesty can simply say that it was my own decision."

Li Zhi's face darkened instantly. He raised his head, narrowed his eyes, and stared at Wu Tianyan like a hawk. "Why? In your eyes, General Wu, do I really not tolerate anyone with a taint?"

Wu Tianyan's heart tightened, and he immediately knelt on one knee, clasping his hands and saying, "I dare not!"

"I am merely concerned about the long-term future of the Tang Dynasty. I am worried that these enemies may return in the future and threaten the borders of the Tang Dynasty."

Li Zhi turned his back and walked to the window. He looked out at the palace wall and said in a softer tone, "If you can think of something, how can I not think of it?"

"I also know that if we wait until stability is achieved and wait for future rulers to conquer the West, there is basically no chance of that happening."

"It takes too long, and anything can happen."

"But if, as you say, I insist on having my own way, and the people of the Tang Dynasty suffer, will I really be able to eat up such a vast piece of land?"

"Even now, the imperial court cannot sustain the annual funding."

Wu Tianyan was silent. He understood His Majesty's concerns.

War is not only a military contest, but also a competition of national strength and people's livelihood.

Although the Tang Dynasty was powerful, the people were already exhausted from years of war.

If we continue to move westward, even if we achieve victory, the subsequent governance and maintenance will be a huge challenge.

"Want to completely wipe out the West?" Li Zhi suddenly stood up.

"Do you know how much refined iron is consumed every year to maintain this steam railway that runs across the West? And how many craftsmen have lost their eyesight to the Ministry of Industry's new steam engines?"

Wu Tianyan was silent.

He thought of the people who were burned while digging canals with steam during the march.

Think of the copper mountains everywhere that have been mined to the point of being riddled with holes in order to make firearms.

Li Zhi walked to the map and looked at the entire Eurasian continent.

"Look at this vast territory. Every inch of it needs to be nourished with food and human hearts."

"My illness is just a pretense for others to see."

His fingertips stopped at Constantinople. "But the exhaustion of the Tang Dynasty is real."

"Your Majesty, Emperor Wu of Han mobilized the entire nation to annihilate the Xiongnu! Our Tang Dynasty should also have the courage to burn its boats and cross the river!"

Hearing Wu Tianyan's words, Li Zhi shook his head.

"It's different, Lord Wu. How can the people of the Han Dynasty and the people of my Tang Dynasty be the same?"

"Back then, we all suffered. It's no big deal to endure more hardship, but the life that the people of the Tang Dynasty lived was something that the people during the reign of Emperor Wu of Han could not even imagine."

"Besides, the people of our Great Tang are already wise. This world is full of intelligent people. If they leave, I will insist on having my own way and make the people of our Great Tang suffer unspeakably."

"By then, guess how many people in this world will rebel because life starts to get tough?"

"If the people have their own ideas, then what good will all that land do?"