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

Li Wei walked out of the Liangyi Hall with heavy steps. He looked as if all his strength had been drained away and he looked extremely lost.

He lowered his head, his eyes were empty, his heart was inexplicably empty, and a complex emotion lingered in his heart.

He secretly sighed in his heart that His Majesty had really grown up and was no longer the young man who was full of vigor and impulsive when he first ascended the throne.

Over the past six months, the changes in His Majesty have truly made him feel deeply moved.

He still remembered that when His Majesty had just come to power, he decisively dragged all the corrupt officials in Chang'an to the market and beheaded them in public. At that time, His Majesty did not tolerate even a grain of sand in his eyes and was not afraid of offending those aristocratic families.

That resolute back and courageous actions made Li Wei see hope for the Tang Dynasty. He once thought that His Majesty would be the one to break the power of the aristocratic families.

But over the past few months, he had watched helplessly as His Majesty's edge gradually faded.

Li Wei was in the palace today, actually intending to use words to provoke Li Chengqian.

His hatred for the aristocratic family was like a raging fire burning in his heart, which never went out.

His relatives, those once vibrant lives, died under the cruel persecution of the Cui family.

Once upon a time, he was just an ordinary citizen. Faced with the blood feud of his family, he had no choice but to struggle in pain and grief.

In order to seek revenge, he spent most of his life's efforts and climbed up the ladder with great difficulty before finally reaching his current position as the Minister of Revenue.

When he put on the official uniform that symbolized his status as an eighth-rank official for the first time, he was fully convinced that he finally had the opportunity to take revenge on the aristocratic family.

However, reality was like a heavy slap in the face.

Before he actually entered the officialdom, he looked at the aristocratic families like a frog in a well looking up at the distant and unreachable moon in the sky. He only knew that they were noble and powerful, but had no idea how terrifying they were.

But when he became an official, he deeply realized how insignificant he was in front of the aristocratic families. The feeling of powerlessness was like a mayfly trying to shake the sky. It was so desperate, and only he could understand the bitterness in it.

When Emperor Taizong was in power, he had fully expected that Emperor Taizong would take action against the aristocratic families, but in the end he did not see that Emperor Taizong had any intention of raising the butcher knife against the aristocratic families.

That time, the fire of hope that had just ignited in his heart was once again ruthlessly extinguished.

On countless quiet nights, he would involuntarily miss the Sui Dynasty, which perished in the second generation.

Although Yang Guang's Sui Dynasty ended in the second generation, Yang Guang at least had the courage to take action against the aristocratic families.

In the previous Tang Dynasty court, most officials were children of aristocratic families. They colluded with each other and had tremendous power, making it difficult to implement the court's policies.

Just when he was falling into the abyss of despair again and again, His Majesty came.

He would never forget how excited he was that day when he heard that His Majesty had taken those evil and unscrupulous officials from aristocratic families to Caishikou and beheaded them.

At that moment, he seemed to see a dazzling ray of dawn in the darkness. He thought that a new era belonging to the Tang Dynasty was about to come, and he finally saw the hope of revenge.

However, what happened next made him increasingly disappointed. His Majesty had changed, becoming somewhat unfamiliar to him.

His Majesty seemed to be beginning to fear the power of the aristocratic families, and even to reassure the aristocratic families, he personally executed his own disciples.

That man's name, Lu Jingsuo, was etched into his heart like a branding iron, and every time he thought of it, his heart ached. He still remembered Lu Jingsuo's youthful, energetic face, and the gleam in his eyes of loyalty to the court and his devotion to justice.

But such an outstanding young man became a victim of political struggle.

Li Wei once secretly went to Lu Jingsuo's tombstone and laid a flower. It was his respect and guilt for the young man, and also his silent protest against this cruel reality.

……

In the Liangyi Hall, Li Chengqian leaned tiredly on the armchair with his eyes closed, as if he was in deep thought or taking a nap.

His face looked a little haggard. The hard work of recent days and the heavy pressure inside and outside the court had left traces on his face.

After a while, Eunuch Zhang walked in with small, light steps. He bowed slightly and reported, "Your Majesty, Commander Zhang and Commander Qin are waiting outside the palace."

Li Chengqian didn't open his eyes, but tiredly uttered a word from his tightly closed lips: "Xuan!"

Zhang Xianhuai and Qin Biwu quickly walked in cautiously.

They were well aware of the pressure and fatigue His Majesty had been under in recent days, so they moved extra slowly, fearing to disturb His Majesty.

As soon as they entered the hall, they said in unison: "Greetings, Your Majesty!" The voice echoed in the empty hall.

Li Chengqian slowly opened his eyes, his gaze lingering on the two men for a moment before finally looking at Qin Biwu and asking, "Biwu, how is the General?"

There was a hint of concern in his voice. Li Shimin's safety was of vital importance to him.

Qin Biwu bowed slightly and replied respectfully, "Your Majesty, the general is doing well! The army will be back in Chang'an within two weeks."

Upon hearing the news that Li Shimin was safe, Li Chengqian nodded slightly, with a hint of relief in his eyes.

In this complex and changing situation, Li Shimin's return may be able to share some of the pressure for him and bring more stability to the court.

"Have you brought back all the Jinyiwei?"

Li Chengqian frowned slightly, a hint of seriousness flashed in his eyes, and asked in a flat tone.

Although his face looked a little tired at this moment, the majesty of a king remained undiminished.

"Your Majesty, I have brought them all back."

Qin Biwu answered respectfully with his fists clasped together. He lowered his head, not daring to look Li Chengqian in the eye. His tone was firm and steady, and every word echoed clearly in the empty hall.

"Okay," Li Chengqian nodded slightly, with a hint of determination in his eyes.

"You two will be responsible for one thing these days. Ask the Jinyiwei to sharpen the knives for me. I want to use them."

His voice was not loud, but it revealed an unquestionable momentum, as if behind these simple words, there were important decisions and actions hidden.

"Yes! Your Majesty!"

Zhang Xianhuai and Qin Biwu responded in unison. They knew in their hearts that His Majesty's order must have a profound meaning. Although they were not clear about the specific reasons, they knew that they only needed to listen to His Majesty.

Zhang Xianhuai felt a pang of sadness when he saw Li Chengqian's haggard appearance.

His Majesty has obviously lost a lot of weight these days, and his once bright eyes are now bloodshot, which are the traces left by countless days and nights of hard work on government affairs.

His lips trembled slightly, and he said with concern in his eyes: "Your Majesty, please take care of yourself!"

His voice was a little hoarse and choked with sobs, but in this cold hall, these simple words were full of warmth.

Li Chengqian nodded, forcing a smile from the corner of his mouth, "Don't worry, Xian Huai, I know."

There was a hint of relief in his eyes. In this complicated and difficult situation, there were still ministers who cared so much about his health, which made him feel a little warm.

But he also knew that he had a heavy responsibility on his shoulders. The situation inside and outside the court was turbulent, the dysentery epidemic had not yet completely subsided, and the aristocratic families were stirring up trouble behind the scenes. He could not slack off in the slightest, and he had to persevere even if his body was extremely exhausted.

This is the emperor's responsibility!