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

Three months ago, he raised his arms and shouted on the top of Yangzhou City, and the flags of 200,000 volunteers covered the sky and the sound of war drums resounded through the sky.

At this moment, he was completely exhausted and thinking about what Master Qi said.

The medicinal fragrance brought by Master Qi's crane cloak when it swept across the ground was somewhat similar to the ambergris in my grandfather's study.

Li Jingye's pupils suddenly shrank. This powerful official who was said by the people to be able to "make clouds and rain with a flip of his hand" now had a rare look of compassion in his eyes.

The white hair of Grand Tutor Qi trembled slightly in the wind, and the wrinkles on his face seemed to be engraved with the vicissitudes of time and the changing situation in the court.

"Can you still hold on?" Mr. Qi's voice was like an old bamboo soaked in rain, low and hoarse.

Mr. Qi saw that his injuries had not healed yet and he continued to kneel on the bluestone bricks.

"Master Qi, thank you for saving my life."

He gritted his teeth and spoke, a fishy-sweet taste surging in his throat, and every word he spoke was accompanied by severe pain.

My grandfather once said that everyone would be wary of Grand Tutor Qi’s status in the Qianwu Dynasty.

The reason my grandfather was able to escape unscathed from the battle to pacify the grassland was thanks to this person's secret help.

At that time, Grand Tutor Qi was full of vigor and was the most dazzling presence in the court. But now, the years have left a deep mark on him.

Grand Tutor Qi shook his head slightly, the dark golden military talisman colliding in his sleeves making a subtle sound: "It's not me who saved you."

"These armies are the backbone of the Tang Dynasty. After the Empress came to power, she implemented the imperial examination system, reduced taxes and levies, and managed the trade routes in the Western Regions in an orderly manner. If I sacrifice public service for personal gain, I would be the real sinner."

His tone was calm, but every word contained unquestionable power.

Li Jingye felt a chill run down his spine. The piercing words of Luo Binwang's "Edict to Punish Wu Zhao" written when he launched the uprising—the accusation of "a heart of viper and a nature of wolf"—still seemed to echo in his ears.

But in the file that Grand Tutor Qi unfolded at this moment, there were densely packed records of the number of newly opened charity granaries under the rule of the Queen Mother, the names of children from poor families who were admitted to the imperial examinations, and the trade documents paid as tribute by the countries in the Western Regions.

The words danced in the candlelight, as if mocking his past ignorance and stubbornness.

He thought of the desperate eyes of the people in the war and the displaced families, and suddenly a strong sense of guilt welled up in his heart.

"The Queen Mother was going to have you beheaded in the streets." Grand Tutor Qi suddenly leaned closer, his cloudy pupils reflecting the flickering candlelight, his eyes seeming to see through his heart.

"It was the King of Wu, carrying the will of His Majesty, who arrived on the thousand-mile horse named 'Treading Snow' at the moment the executioner raised his sword." His voice was low and slow, and every word was like a heavy hammer, hitting Li Jingye's heart.

"King of Wu?"

"Why would the King of Wu come to rescue me? He's old, how could he mount a horse and come personally to rescue me? Also, why did His Majesty issue a will to save me? I was still very young at that time, wasn't I?"

"Does Your Majesty know what happened today?"

Grand Tutor Qi took out a scroll of secret decree from his sleeve. The yellowed rice paper still had the scent of ink.

Li Jingye recognized the unique Feibai style of his highness at a glance. The handwriting was vigorous yet elegant: "Although the grandson of Li Ji has committed rebellious acts, considering the merits of his ancestors, he can be given an opportunity to correct his mistakes..."

"His Majesty saw that you were a troublemaker and stayed behind to save you."

"If you can use it, take it out. If you can't use it, forget it."

Li Jingye was so moved that his eyes filled with tears. Regardless of the pain in his body, he kept kowtowed to the bluestone floor tiles.

"How can I repay this kindness, Your Majesty?"

Memories suddenly flooded back. When he was a child, His Majesty held him in his arms and sat in the imperial garden, personally feeding him grapes that were tribute from the Western Regions. His gentle voice said, "This child will become a great man in the future."

The sun was shining, the flowers were fragrant, and everything was so beautiful. But now, things have changed and people have changed, leaving only endless emotion and regret.

"Do you think Confucian 'loyalty to the emperor' means clinging to one's bloodline?"

Grand Tutor Qi suddenly stood up and pushed open the small window of the dungeon.

Raindrops drifted in, wetting his pale temples and Li Jingye's face.

"Your Majesty promotes the 'coexistence of a hundred schools of thought'. The strict laws of the Legalists, the universal love and non-aggression of the Mohists, and the inaction and rule of Taoism are all good ways to govern the country."

"The war you provoked displaced the people of the thirteen states. The mass graves outside Luoyang are filled with the souls of those who died because of you."

His tone was filled with disappointment, as if he was looking at a child who had gone astray.

The scorched earth outside Yangzhou City appeared before Li Jingye's eyes. Those common people who came to him under the banner of "restoring the Li Tang Dynasty" eventually turned into piles of bones among the weeds.

The painting "Ping Liao" in my grandfather's study suddenly became clear. The old man's calloused hand stroked the young general in a white robe in the painting: "The world belongs to the people, not the private property of any one family."

He was young and energetic, his mind full of thoughts of restoring the orthodoxy of the Li Tang Dynasty, but he never really understood the meaning of his grandfather's words.

Now, he finally realized his mistake, but it was too late.

"From today on, you are no longer the Duke of England. Become an ordinary secret guard."

……

Luoyang Underground City.

"The secret party is the last line of defense that Your Majesty has left for the Tang Dynasty."

Grand Tutor Qi took out a token engraved with the Big Dipper, and the cold iron texture felt cool in his palm.

"The secret guards are just shadows on the stage. The ones who really stir up the situation are those who can cut off the food supply before the barbarian cavalry arrives and dismantle the merchants' conspiracy before they rebel."

Li Jingye was so shocked by the scene that he was speechless.

A huge sand table was hung in the secret room, with mountains, rivers, cities and passes densely marked on it. The candlelight cast shadows on the wall, as if thousands of soldiers were fighting silently.

The black-clad spies lowered their heads to write secret reports. The parchment recorded the diet and daily life of the Tibetans in Tibet, the flow of silver and money of Sogdian merchants, and even the number of monks who suddenly appeared in a certain temple.

The air was filled with the smell of ink and sheepskin, and every corner was filled with a tense atmosphere.

"What the people want is to have enough food to eat and a good night's sleep."

The lights of Chang'an City flickered in the rain, like stars in the sky.

"Your Majesty, he said, as long as the people live well, it doesn't matter who sits on the throne."

There was a hint of nostalgia in his voice, as if he had returned to those difficult but hopeful years.

With the sound of the night watchman, the clouds in the night sky gradually dispersed, and the Big Dipper twinkled in the sky, as if guiding the direction forward.

&34;Remember, you are now &39;Po Jun&39;.&34;

Mr. Qi put the token into his palm and said, "This token represents your identity, but the real power lies in the various aspects of human life you are about to see."

His eyes were full of expectation, as if he saw what Li Jingye would look like in the future.

Li Jingye gripped the token tightly and turned around, and heard the long sigh of Grand Tutor Qi behind him.

He suddenly remembered the day he launched his rebellion. When Luo Binwang finished writing his manifesto, the candlelight on his desk made the ink marks of "Look at the world today, who owns the world?" glow red.

And at this moment, he finally understood that the real world was never in the lofty words of the manifestos, but in the curling smoke from millions of homes and in the laughter of the people.