I have already established my power and prestige, so how did Li Shimin come back to life?

The steaming water vapor filled every corner of the bathhouse, blurring the vision but also creating a different kind of comfort.

Li Shimin leaned lazily on the wooden bench, his eyes slightly closed, enjoying this rare leisure time.

Just after hearing the old man next to him praising his past governance measures, he couldn't help but smile complacently. In that smile, there was both the joy of being recognized and the pride of being an emperor.

But in a flash, the smile froze on his face.

The old man raised his head slightly, and his tone became deeper: "What a pity, even the emperor emeritus is not as good as His Majesty!"

This evaluation made Li Shimin listen attentively.

The old man paused, his eyes revealing the emotion of having experienced many vicissitudes of life, and continued: "Look, my brother, among all the emperors in the past dynasties, which one has ever truly cared for us, the peasants at the bottom of society?"

"In their eyes, we are nothing more than insignificant ants, as worthless as the grass on the roadside. Our lives and deaths are like dust, and no one cares."

At this point, a hint of grief and anger flashed across his eyes, but it was quickly replaced by gentleness. "Only His Majesty truly places us peasants at the top of his heart, caring about our well-being and worrying about our safety."

He slowly scanned the people around him, as if seeking some kind of resonance, and continued, "Think about the past, when those officials walked the streets and treated us ordinary people with such arrogance and contempt. We were inherently inferior to them, and their eyes were filled with disdain and disgust."

"But look at you now. When His Majesty returned to Xianyang City, he was approachable and kind, without any airs. He even smiled amiably at us peasants in coarse linen clothes, and happily chatted with us."

"Your Majesty, if you do this, the officials below will naturally not dare to act rashly again. Who would dare to act violently against us now?"

Li Shimin listened to these words quietly. The pride on his face had long disappeared, replaced by a complicated expression, which included both reflection on the living conditions of the people and scrutiny of his past behavior. His face suddenly wilted.

At this moment, the old man who was rubbing Cheng Yaojin's back stopped what he was doing, cleared his throat, and broke the brief silence: "Brother Zhu, this is wrong."

He frowned slightly, his eyes revealing a unique determination. "In my opinion, Your Majesty has made extraordinary achievements in both civil and military affairs. There is no doubt that his contributions will last for generations."

"But when it comes to the martial virtues of charging into battle and expanding territory, he's still a bit inferior to the retired emperor!"

When Li Shimin heard this, his heart suddenly moved. His eyes, which had been somewhat dim, suddenly brightened up again and became sharp again. He couldn't help but prick up his ears and listened attentively.

These most authentic voices from the people are like precious advice to him, and their importance is self-evident.

This would make him feel that Wei Zheng was back.

The old man continued to talk while continuing his hand movements.

"Although the vast lands of the Tang Dynasty were indeed founded by Emperor Gaozu, who in the world doesn't know that every inch of this territory was conquered bit by bit, piece by piece, by the retired emperor, through bloody battles?"

"Everything is difficult at the beginning. If it weren't for the bloody battles fought by the retired emperor to establish the Tang Dynasty, how could Your Majesty have such a solid foundation today and allow us to live a peaceful and prosperous life?"

"So, in my opinion, the Emperor's contribution is greater and more powerful."