Tang Dynasty: To win Yang Guifei, they asked Emperor Xuanzong to die.

Li Longji glanced sideways at Li Mao, who was standing at his feet with tears streaming down his face.

In a daze, I seemed to see Consort Wu Hui from the past, kneeling in the same spot, pleading for the Eighteenth Prince.

Although he still harbored doubts about Li Mao's intentions, Li Longji was finally somewhat moved.

He waved his hand casually.

"Go back!"

Upon hearing this, Li Mao secretly breathed a sigh of relief and kowtowed again.

"My son, please retire."

Immediately afterwards, Li Mao rose and respectfully withdrew from the imperial study.

Outside the Imperial Study, looking at the unharmed Li Mao, Gao Chen was filled with doubt and resentment.

He originally thought that Li Mao would definitely be severely punished for disobeying the imperial decree, but he came out unscathed.

Gao Chen stared at Li Mao's retreating figure with a gloomy face, gritting his teeth and thinking, "How could he have escaped so easily? What is the Emperor thinking?"

Li Mao sensed Gao Chen's gaze, but he ignored it and walked straight ahead.

On the way back to the Prince's Palace, Li Mao sat in the carriage, lost in thought.

He understood that although he had temporarily appeased Li Longji, this was ultimately just a stopgap measure.

I must figure out as soon as possible how to make my cheap father abdicate within this year!

Just as Li Mao was deep in thought, the driver's voice came from outside the carriage, interrupting his thoughts.

"Your Highness, we have arrived at the Prince's residence."

Li Mao came to his senses, got off the carriage, and strode into the Prince's mansion.

As soon as they entered the Prince's mansion, a fragrant breeze wafted over, and then a delicate body threw herself into Li Mao's arms, embracing him tightly.

It was none other than Princess Shou, Yang Yuhuan, one of the Four Beauties of ancient China!

"Your Highness, I thought I would never see you again."

"I am so worried about you. If anything happens to you, I will not live on!"

Yang Yuhuan wept uncontrollably.

Li Mao gently patted Yang Yuhuan's back and comforted her, "Yuhuan, don't be afraid, I'm back safe and sound."

At this moment, Li Mao raised his head and his gaze fell on Yang Yuhuan's face, and he was startled.

The Yang Yuhuan before me had eyebrows like distant mountains, eyes like autumn water, skin like snow, and a face like a peach blossom. Her exquisite beauty seemed to make everything in the world pale in comparison.

Every smile and frown exudes an unparalleled charm, making people fall in love with her.

Li Mao secretly marveled, "No wonder she is one of the Four Beauties, her beauty is simply breathtaking!"

His eyes couldn't help but reveal amazement and admiration, and he was momentarily lost in thought.

Yang Yuhuan raised her head, her eyes blurry with tears, and looked at Li Mao, saying, "Your Highness, rest assured, even if you divorce me, I will not marry another man."

"I am yours in life, and I will be yours in death!"

Li Mao came to his senses, grasped Yang Yuhuan's hand tightly, and said firmly, "Yuhuan, my sending you to the Taoist temple is just a delaying tactic."

"Rest assured, within a year, I will overthrow my father and ascend the throne. At that time, no one will be able to separate my husband and me, and you will be my future empress!"

Upon hearing this, Yang Yuhuan shook her head repeatedly and anxiously grasped Li Mao's hand.

"Your Highness, no!"

"This matter is too dangerous, Your Highness does not wish to take the risk."

"Why don't we elope and leave this place of trouble?"

"As long as I can stay with Your Highness forever, I don't care about anything else!"

Li Mao frowned slightly, gently stroked Yang Yuhuan's face, and said gently but firmly, "Yuhuan, eloping is definitely not a good idea."

"Father holds absolute power. If we don't make preparations, we won't be able to escape the Tang Dynasty or escape Father's grasp."

"Besides, even if we can escape to somewhere, how can we escape forever?"

"If we are caught and brought back in the future, our crimes will be compounded. As the Prince of Shou, how can I cowardly run away like this? I will definitely fight for a bright future for both of us."

"But Yu Huan, don't worry. I have made two preparations. If things don't go well a year from now, I will take you to escape overseas and I will make sure you don't suffer."

At this point, Li Mao let out a long sigh of self-reproach.

"You'll have to make do in that Taoist temple for the next year..."

Upon hearing this, Yang Yuhuan's tears continued to flow, but she still tearfully agreed.

"Your Highness, I will do whatever you say. As long as I can be with you, I am not afraid of anything."

As she spoke, under Li Mao's gaze, Yang Yuhuan took a wooden hairpin off her head.

Then, it turned the end, revealing a small steel needle, and looked up at Li Mao's face with a determined expression.

"Your Highness, if I cannot be with you in the end, I will end my life with this steel needle and join you in the afterlife."

Li Mao looked at the steel needle in Yang Yuhuan's hand, and his heart tightened suddenly. An indescribable emotion surged into his heart like a tide. His eyes were full of tenderness and emotion. The woman in front of him could be so resolute for him.

For a moment, Li Mao was filled with a myriad of thoughts, thinking of Yang Yuhuan's deep affection for him, which was an unreserved love and trust.

With a wife like this, what more could a husband ask for?

He gently took Yang Yuhuan's hand, put away the hairpin, and held it tightly in his own hand.

"Yu Huan, you must not treat your life so lightly."

"Rest assured, I will protect you and never let you fall into such a desperate situation."

"I will remember your deep affection."

"I will never fail you. I will make you the most noble woman in the world and share glory with you."

Upon hearing this, Yang Yuhuan's tears gradually stopped, and she nestled tightly in Li Mao's arms.

After successfully calming Yang Yuhuan down and having dinner with her, Li Mao went straight into his study and buried himself in his books.

He picked up a pen, took out a sheet of Shu paper, and started writing and drawing on it.

It wasn't until nearly midnight that Li Mao put down his pen and summoned his trusted confidants.

Before long, a man dressed as a servant came before Li Mao.

"This humble servant greets Your Highness."

Li Mao slightly raised his eyes, looking solemnly at the servant in front of him, and said in a deep voice, "How are the preparations for the things I ordered you to do?"

When Li Mao asked the question, the servant chuckled.

"Come in, everyone!"

As the servant finished speaking, a dozen or so resolute-faced, burly cooks appeared before Li Mao.

"This humble servant greets Your Highness."

Li Mao waved his hand and said, "No need for formalities, please rise."

"Have your families been settled?"

"Your Highness, everything is settled. My son is reading aloud every day, swaying his head back and forth."

Seeing their satisfied yet fearless expressions, Li Mao nodded in satisfaction.

"Today, I have summoned you all here to teach you how to make new dishes. In the future, I will send those with outstanding abilities to the royal kitchen to serve me."

"I will obey Your Highness's orders."

During the Tang Dynasty, cooking methods were very simple: steaming, boiling, and roasting. At most, some spices and pepper were added. There was no stir-frying as we know it today.

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The aroma alone was enough to make anyone's mouth water; once Li Longji tasted it, he would never forget it.

At the same time, the eunuchs in the imperial kitchen also tasted one dish per person when testing for poison.

One can utilize the principle of food incompatibility when eaten together, and add some complementary slow-acting poisons.

In this way, no matter which dish the eunuch eats alone, he will not be poisoned. Only Li Longji, who has eaten all the dishes, will see his health deteriorate within a year, and the source of the poisoning will remain unknown...

Thinking of this, Li Mao personally went into the kitchen and taught the cooks how to stir-fry dishes.