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

Time seemed to pass exceptionally quickly amidst the cries of babies in every household along Bingzhou Road and the atmosphere of happiness and contentment in each family.

Several winter snowfalls have occurred.

The first year of the Zhenguan era was about to come to an end.

After several days and nights of tireless work, Li Shimin and Li Chengqian, the father and son emperor of the Tang Dynasty, finally managed to arrange all the pre-New Year's affairs.

"I'm not coming anymore. Let whoever wants to come to Bingzhou come; I'm definitely not coming back..."

Young Master Li woke up in the early morning.

She was still unconsciously holding a spoon in her hand, holding a bowl of fresh and white tofu, her brain still seemingly not yet recovered from the exhaustion of last night's all-night work.

And in front of him, Li Chengqian looked almost exactly the same.

He chewed a fried dough stick mechanically, his eyes half-closed.

Empress Zhangsun couldn't help but feel sorry for her son, so she had someone bring him a hot towel and personally wiped his face.

Li Shimin curled his lips.

Beside him, the eunuch Fan Qi carefully handed over a hot towel.

With a soft hum from his nose, Li Shimin took the towel and pressed it against his face.

"Well......"

The warm, comfortable touch, along with the opening of his pores, finally cleared Li Shimin's mind somewhat.

He casually tossed the towel to Fan Qi, who was standing to the side, and looked at Crown Prince Li Chengqian in front of him.

"Chengqian, when do you plan to set off back to Chang'an?"

Li Chengqian raised his eyes: "Father, have you figured out how to face Grandfather?"

Li Shimin: "......"

This unfilial son, he always speaks to me in such an unpleasant way.

Empress Zhangsun, standing to the side, smiled and said, "This trip back to Chang'an is a good opportunity to finalize your marriage, Gaoming. It wouldn't be right to keep the young ladies waiting, would it? The Lady of the Wang family of Taiyuan and the Lady Yang of the Duke of Ying's mansion have come to see me more than once or twice."

Li Chengqian nodded.

Weak and listless: "Fine, I'll follow Mother's arrangements..."

With the engagement arranged, Empress Zhangsun, Consort Yang, Consort Yin, and other concubines in Li Shimin's harem became noticeably more proactive.

In just a few days, a convoy was arranged to return to Chang'an.

On the walls of Yangcheng Palace.

Li Shimin stood with his hands on his hips, looking at Taiyuan Prefecture under the blazing sun, his eyes filled with admiration.

"I can't even see a trace of what Taiyuan Prefecture used to look like... It's truly amazing!"

Li Chengqian, who had been forcibly pulled up to be exposed to the cold wind and was lamenting the impermanence of life, yawned.

"Um"

"Is that steam train you mentioned really going to be completed and open to traffic by this time next year?"

Li Chengqian nodded again, not wanting to say too much.

"Yes, with multiple phases of construction underway, the School of Mechanical Engineering currently has a relatively sufficient workforce..."

"What about the train to Youzhou? How long will it take? Goguryeo is currently in turmoil, which has severely weakened its national strength. Now is definitely the best opportunity!" Li Shimin said ambitiously.

"I will help you kidnap a group of Goguryeo slaves!"

Li Chengqian glanced at his father, who seemed to have been reborn ever since he left the table in the Shougong Hall.

"If Father Emperor wants to go, then go. Now our Great Tang is not afraid of war. What Father Emperor needs to do is persuade Grandfather to continue to help you oversee the country."

Li Shimin's excited smile froze on his face.

Immediately afterwards, he couldn't help but scratch his head and cheek.

During this period, the resentment in the letters from Fang Xuanling and Du Ruhui was so strong that it could almost be seen through the paper as slaps to Li Er's face.

Not to mention Emperor Li Yuan, who was forcibly dragged out of retirement and forced to deal with the government affairs that were enough to exhaust an ox.

One can imagine that his father, the emperor, is probably sharpening his sword in the Hall of Martial Virtue right now...

Li Shimin was so headache-stricken that he kept gasping for breath.

At this moment, Li Chengqian was preoccupied with thoughts of his two younger brothers in Dengzhou and Luoyang.

Prince Li Ke of Han and Prince Li Tai of Wei were unable to return to Chang'an or come to Taiyuan during the Reunion Festival.

But during the Spring Festival at the end of the year, they will return to Chang'an.

The whole family is reunited.

Dengzhou was too far away. Even though the Embroidered Uniform Guard had a carrier pigeon system, Li Chengqian had no way of knowing many details about the navy.

We can only roughly know the progress of the shipyard in Dengzhou.

Li Chengqian looked at the snowflakes fluttering overhead.

If he remembers correctly, the following second year of the Zhenguan era was not a peaceful one for the Tang Dynasty.

"Your Highness, everything is ready. We may depart!"

Wang De arrived with a beaming smile to report.

Li Shimin and his son, who were standing on the palace wall, immediately came to their senses.

One carriage after another drove out of the Yangcheng Palace gates under the protection of the Six Guards of the Eastern Palace and the Embroidered Uniform Guard.

Along with it came the hot air balloon dragon banner that landed at Yangcheng Palace.

The people of Taiyuan Prefecture, who had long heard that His Highness the Crown Prince of the Tang Dynasty was returning to Chang'an for the festival, crowded both sides of Longmen Street to the point of being impassable.

Even though the road administration officials and the city guards had already deployed their forces to maintain order.

Despite the enthusiastic and exciting atmosphere, both Wang Ming, the governor of Bingzhou, and Wang Qingyun, the military commander of Bingzhou, remained extremely nervous.

"Quickly! Go and gather another squad! Have all the soldiers on the city wall come down and maintain order here. If they disturb His Highness the Crown Prince's carriage, you and I will be in deep trouble!"

Wang Qingyun was covered in sweat as he ordered his men to go and fetch someone.

On the one hand, he was stunned by the bustling scene where almost everyone had left the streets.

Wang Ming's eyes were filled with admiration.

"The people's hearts! This is the people's hearts! Who would have thought that the Qin Prince's Mansion, which stormed through Xuanwu Gate and seized the throne, could win such popular support?"

Both sides of Longmen Street.

"Your Highness, Your Highness, you must come back!"

"Your Highness, Bingzhou cannot do without you, we cannot do without you!"

"Where is His Highness? Which carriage? Hey? Don't push me! Who's there? Don't push me!"

"His Highness the Crown Prince will surely become a sage ruler for all time!"

The scene outside the window was so lively it could be described as frenzied that Li Chengqian, who had originally planned to lean out in front of his father, Emperor Taizong of Tang, wave to the surrounding people, and say "Serving the people of the Tang Dynasty," was moved.

He decisively dismissed this terrible idea.

If it was truly his own appearance that caused the already crumbling city guard blockade to collapse.

This resulted in a serious stampede.

Li Chengqian would indeed be held responsible.

"Hehe, long live the Crown Prince~" Li Er raised his eyes, pursed his lips, and gave a strange, cold laugh.

Li Chengqian raised an eyebrow, a half-smile playing on his lips.

"I like what Secretary Li said, please say more."

Beside her, Empress Zhangsun couldn't help but cover her mouth and chuckle, gently tapping Li Chengqian on the head.

"Don't be rude. You and your father can do whatever you want in the palace, but when you're out in the world, he is your father!"

Li Shimin tilted his head back and gave a smug, cold laugh.

Suddenly, he stretched out his leg and dangled it in front of Li Chengqian.

"My good son, my legs are tired..."

Li Chengqian: "......"

"Hiss! Ouch! Let go! Let go!"

......

Taiyuan Fucheng South New District.

The Emperor Emeritus kept his word, and Prince Lu, Li Yuanchang, was indeed generous, knowing that these imperial guards would receive further arrangements from His Highness the Crown Prince in the future.

Even after important military missions.

They actually gave them a house that was now even more valuable than the Chang'an mansion.

Wang Xuance came downstairs. He was still unmarried and lived in a two-story elegant house with a small courtyard where he could grow flowers or vegetables.

It clearly appears more spacious and desolate.

As a result, after only half a month of living there, seven or eight old women dressed as matchmakers had come to him asking all sorts of questions.

A house with a small courtyard like this alone costs over 15 guan in Taiyuan Prefecture, and the price is still rising.

As a result, not only Wang Xuance, but almost all the imperial guards who came from Chang'an Prefecture have been suffering quite a bit these past few days.

Fortunately, just two days ago, they finally received the transfer order from Yangcheng Palace.

That was a secret decree.

It only stated that they were to go to a place and then follow the instructions of the people there.

When Wang Xuance arrived at a remote mountain villa outside Taiyuan City, following the address above...

The masked armored soldiers standing at the entrance glanced at him and then opened the gate.

"Go inside, leave your luggage here, someone will help you in..."

Wang Xuance nodded, only then noticing that some members of the Imperial Guard had entered before him.

When Wang Xuance entered the manor.

The sight of the Imperial Guards, each with a finely crafted steel embroidered spring knife at their waist, made his expression tighten.

But when he finally saw the person he was supposed to meet on this trip.

His pupils contracted instantly.

Duke Qin Qiong of Yi!

And... Qian Lou, the commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard!

Qin Qiong's body was slightly hunched, and he wore a robe, through which one could see the long gown made of wool.

Despite not wearing armor, he appeared to be in increasingly high spirits, showing no signs of the serious illness that had been rumored recently.

"You are Wang Xuance?"

When Qin Qiong saw Wang Xuance walk in, he smiled and looked him up and down, sizing up this "promising talent" who had been specially instructed by His Highness the Crown Prince to be cultivated.

"Junior Wang Xuance! Greetings to Duke Yi! Greetings to Commander Qian!"

Qin Qiong nodded.

"His Highness the Crown Prince said you want to establish merit and gain military achievements? Is that true?"

Wang Xuance's expression hardened, and he quickly nodded and cupped his hands in greeting.

"Yes! Duke Ying! His Majesty and His Highness the Crown Prince are both sage rulers, unparalleled in history. I, Wang, wish to take advantage of this great opportunity to make a name for myself!"

Even if it means dying ten thousand times, I will never be afraid!

Qian Lou, standing to the side, nodded, referring to the investigation and observation of these Imperial Guards by the Embroidered Uniform Guard over this period.

Those who can enter the Imperial Guard are undoubtedly strong and determined.

"You will now receive instruction and training from the Embroidered Uniform Guard and the Duke of Yi. Additionally, a portion of the Embroidered Uniform Guard's archives will be open to you..."

Upon hearing this, Wang Xuance's expression turned serious.

They've even opened up the archives of the Embroidered Uniform Guard to them, and now they're even having the Duke of Yi, a veteran general, teach them...

What exactly does Your Highness intend for them to do?