Tang Dynasty: Father, if you don't rebel, I will!

The Emperor Emeritus's decree?

My own grandfather, who was under house arrest in the palace, can now issue imperial edicts?

Li Chengqian understood almost immediately that this was likely the intention of his own Emperor Li Er.

They immediately took a carriage and returned to Yangcheng Palace.

"Speak, what is the decree?"

Li Chengqian looked the unfamiliar face of the eunuch who had brought the Xuan paper up and down.

Fan Qi chuckled twice and hurriedly took out the imperial edict.

Without reading it aloud, he simply handed it to Li Chengqian with both hands in a respectful manner.

"Your Highness, this is a secret edict from the Emperor Emeritus. This servant dares not examine it, nor is it appropriate for me to read it aloud..."

Li Chengqian raised an eyebrow.

With a casual rustling sound, he unfolded the imperial edict in his hand.

next moment.

"What the hell?!"

Above the imperial edict, lines of text came into view.

"I received the mandate of Heaven and ascended the throne. I quelled the chaos and ended the war, and brought peace to the people in the marketplace and countryside. I carefully governed and ruled in accordance with Heaven's mandate. I then passed the throne to my two sons, Ying and Tian. The reign of Wude has passed, and the new era of Zhenguan has begun."

“My son Shimin is brave and decisive. He has rightfully ascended the throne and occupies the position of the Great Sun of Heaven. He has not lost the virtue of a wise ruler and has the spirit of an outstanding leader. I am very pleased.”

"My grandson Chengqian has the appearance of a wise ruler from a young age. He is brave and martial, and has inherited his father's style. He loves the people and has the virtues of Yao and Shun. He enlightens the people and seeks the best governance. He enriches the people and ensures that there are no people suffering from cold, hunger and sorrow. He is always worried about dangers and is diligent every day. He is dedicated to the people."

"Working tirelessly day and night, he already possesses the qualities of a wise ruler. With such a grandson, our Tang Dynasty can prosper for generations to come. I am greatly gratified."

"I have suddenly heard that some ambitious and treacherous individuals among the common people harbor malicious intentions, hoping to seize the rightful throne by taking advantage of external influences. I am filled with indignation and outrage."

"The world is at peace, yet those with wolfish ambitions still dream of a bright future."

"Although I am in good health, I must now consider the future well-being of my descendants, subjects, and people. Therefore, I hereby issue this edict, which is recorded in the Three Departments and proclaims the will of Heaven."

"The Crown Prince Chengqian is benevolent, wise, filial, virtuous, and accomplished in both civil and military affairs. He possesses a sage heart and brings great fortune to the world. He is fit to ascend the throne and diligently govern the people. All civil and military officials, both at home and abroad, should work together to assist him and bring blessings to our people."

"The reign of Zhenguan has come to an end, and Crown Prince Chengqian has succeeded to the throne. Regardless of the virtue or talent of the imperial grandsons, all of them must be bowed to by me. Long live the Holy Heaven."

"Anyone who dares to question the foundation of the state or the succession of the emperor will be treated as a traitor. The emperor, the divine dragon, and all officials and subjects must unite to punish him so that Zhengde may succeed to the throne."

"This is my intention. I will leave the edict unsaid and send the chief officials of the three provincial judicial departments to receive the secret order."

"Upon my death, I will proclaim this to the world."

"hiss!!!"

Li Chengqian gasped, his eyes widened, and he remained completely dazed until he finished reading.

What the hell?

Is this some kind of imperial edict?

Given Li Yuan's current physical condition, while he might not be able to fight on the battlefield, he could certainly hunt with a bow in the palace. And now he's preparing his will.

Moreover... Li Chengqian's gaze fell upon the imperial edict's seal.

The Secretariat, the Chancellery, the Ministry of Personnel, and the seal of his own father, Emperor Li Er, bearing the inscription "Having received the mandate of Heaven, may his life be long and prosperous," and the seal of Emperor Emeritus Li Yuan.

They're all on top.

This elaborate operation, which even involved sending people to deliver it directly to him, the crown prince, left Li Chengqian somewhat bewildered.

"Hey you, has something happened in Chang'an lately?"

Li Chengqian bowed respectfully to Fan Qi, who was standing to the side, and waved to her.

Upon hearing this, Fan Qi hurriedly bowed respectfully.

"Your Highness, everything is normal in Chang'an recently. However, Lord Changsun, along with the Embroidered Uniform Guard, has uncovered a great deal of information from the Wei family of Jingzhao. Some officials in the court have been implicated, and His Majesty and the Emperor Emeritus are furious."

Li Chengqian: "Is it about the Crown Prince?"

Fan Qi hurriedly lowered her head: "Your Highness, this servant does not know."

He said he didn't know, but judging from the expression on the other person's face, Li Chengqian immediately understood.

Then, looking at the solemn document in his hand, it was almost a complete statement.

From now on, when Li Shimin abdicates, anyone who succeeds him, except for Li Chengqian, who has any ulterior motives, will be considered a sinner against the world.

This position of the crown prince, and the future ascension to the throne.

It's already as hard and stable as titanium alloy...

"Tsk tsk tsk, Father Emperor and Grandfather Emperor, are they frightened? My uncle was just a few audacious people using his shadow to bully others, yet they were frightened like this?"

Li Chengqian shook his head speechlessly.

He casually handed the imperial edict to Qian Yingying, who was standing nearby, and asked her to put it away.

Upon seeing this, Fan Qi couldn't help but open her mouth.

"Your Highness, Your Highness, this item should be kept safe by yourself..."

Li Chengqian immediately gave a sly smile: "Didn't you say you didn't know what was up there?"

Fan Qi instantly broke out in a cold sweat and knelt down with a thud.

"I...I deserve to die!"

"Alright, alright, you're just being loyal. It's just an imperial edict, nothing special." Li Chengqian waved his hand.

"Whether I sit in this position or in the future, I won't rely on a mere imperial decree!"

"Go back and tell my father and grandfather that my good uncle is dead beyond any doubt. It was all just the work of a demonic monk. Don't panic. They will understand once the demonic monk from Hanting Temple is arrested."

Li Chengqian said something that sent chills down the spines of everyone present.

However, Fan Qi, who personally even participated in the excavation of the tomb of the Crown Prince, was also involved.

But then a thought suddenly struck him.

Somewhat surprised, they looked at Prince Li Chengqian, who remained calm, as if he had heard of such a momentous event, or as if he were listening to a storyteller chatting in a teahouse.

Does His Highness already know the truth?

Upon receiving the secret decree, Fan Qi immediately set off to return to Chang'an.

Meanwhile, Li Chengqian turned his attention to Buddhist matters and focused on accelerating the upgrading of the Great Tang Imperial University, workshops in various regions, and the Bingzhou New Army.

And at that time, preparations began for the establishment of the Royal Bank of the Tang Dynasty.

Luoyang.

"boom!"

With a gunshot, a plume of white smoke rose from the ornate short-handled flintlock pistol in the hand of Prince Wei, Li Tai.

A figure with his hands tied behind his back, kneeling on the ground, collapsed to the ground.

Blood was gushing out from the back of his head.

"Ahhh! Your Highness, I didn't know! I really didn't know! Please forgive me, Your Highness! I truly had no idea what Wei Ting had done behind my back! Waaah!"

"Your Highness, the Wei family of Luoyang and the Wei family of Jingzhao have long since separated..."

"Your Highness, you are wise! You are wise!"

"boom!"

Another gunshot rang out, and a head instantly pierced through a bloody hole.

Li Tai cursed and swore.

"Damn it, it seems Uncle was right after all. They're all tough nuts to crack! Good! I admire tough nuts the most!"

"Wei Ting's letters were all found in your Wei family's mansion in Luoyang, and you still dare to argue!"

"Guards! Bring me the Soul-Destroying Lightning!"

A guard of the King of Wei, carrying a flintlock musket from Bingzhou, brought over a square object that looked like it was wrapped in hemp cloth.

There was no need for King Li Tai of Wei to attend to them.

Having already mastered the procedure, two of them immediately went up and arrested a member of the Wei family from Luoyang, while another person strapped the "Soul-Destroying Thunder," which was an explosive charge, to the person's body.

"Ahhh! No, Your Highness, no! I really don't know anything, I really don't know anything! Waaaaah!"

Li Tai's expression remained icy.

Looking at the Luoyang Wei clansman who was bound hand and foot, his eyes were devoid of any warmth.

"I know that a nobody like you wouldn't know such secrets, but who told you to have the surname Wei?"

Whether you know it or not, you're not getting away with this today!

Amidst the hissing and crackling sounds of sparks...

Under the tense, numb gazes of everyone, the fuse was lit by the guards of the King of Wei.

Listen to the person's heart-wrenching screams of fear.

"Boom!!!"

A terrifying roar, like thunder in a clear day, accompanied by a terrifying shockwave and bits of flesh, instantly spread across this outlying execution ground.

When the smoke and dust cleared, apart from a crater, it was difficult to find even a complete human body.

A glint flashed in Li Tai's eyes.

Looking at the Wei clan members of Luoyang who were already terrified, he waved his hand.

"Next!"

"How dare you covet my brother's position! I'd like to see who dares to speak of ancestral blessings or posthumous glory under my Soul-Destroying Thunder!"

"I'll make sure you can't even become ghosts!"

"Bomb this for me!"

Beside Li Tai, the high-ranking officials and heads of powerful families in Luoyang all looked deathly pale.

They were all swaying as if they might collapse to the ground at any moment.

There was another boom.

The faces of the Zhang, Guo, and Shangguan families, the most powerful clans in Luoyang, and the high-ranking officials in Luoyang all trembled once again.

Li Tai turned around calmly.

"Lord Zhang, now that the Wei family of Luoyang, those treacherous officials who dared to covet the foundation of the state and obstruct the new policies, are dead, I wonder if Lord Zhang can now proceed with the land reform in the Yi-Luo Plain?"

"The autumn harvest is just around the corner..."

Upon hearing this, Zhang Weidong, the former governor of Luoyang and now the deputy governor of Luoyang, turned serious.

He hurriedly cupped his hands in greeting.

"Your Highness, rest assured, this old minister will do his utmost."

"It's not about going all out, it's about making it a must! If it can't be done, I and my brother will bring some capable people from Bingzhou!" Li Tai sneered.

Zhang Weidong and the local gentry behind him all changed their expressions.

They all bowed and accepted the order.

The sounds of explosions continued to echo at the execution ground.

The officials in Luoyang were so frightened that they stood like quails, while Li Tai stood with his hands behind his back and sighed deeply.

"Is there anyone in the world more pitiful than my royal brother?"

"Why is it that the person who does the most work always suffers the most injustice?"

Officials in Luoyang: "..."