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

"That felt so good! That was fucking awesome!"

"Hahaha! Your Majesty, the Turks have suffered a great loss of strength in today's battle!"

Cheng Yaojin, his face covered in blood, casually pulled out his battle axe from the breastbone of a Turkic cavalryman, his ferocious appearance resembling that of a demon king.

However, Li Shimin was shocked to hear these words.

At this moment, however, he looked solemnly towards the other side of the Wei River, where the catapults still stood.

In the distance, they could still see their fourth son, Qingque, riding his little mare, pacing back and forth across the Wei River, constantly looking this way.

He seemed to be admiring his own work.

Changsun Wuji strode over, his face showing joy, but also, just like Li Shimin's, shock.

"Your Majesty, what His Highness Prince Yue directed the projection of was far too terrifying. If it is leaked, our Great Tang Dynasty will be in grave danger!"

The explosion has ended.

Within a radius of several kilometers, the area was riddled with potholes, and along the banks of the Wei River, there were countless severed limbs.

Some of the seriously wounded Turkic soldiers and their warhorses were still howling and neighing in pain.

It was a scene straight out of hell.

Li Shimin didn't say much, took a deep breath, and gave the order.

"Clean up the battlefield, Cheng Zhijie. You take a cavalry unit and pursue the Turkic soldiers. We don't need to annihilate them all, but at least we must drive them all out of the territory of our Great Tang!"

"The last general takes command!"

"Order all counties surrounding Chang'an to strengthen patrols and be on high alert for Turkic cavalry loitering and looting!"

"Here!"

Changan.

When news of the great victory outside the city spread, the city gates reopened, and the garrison troops from all over Chang'an re-entered the city, they were all in high spirits and full of vigor.

This caused a huge sensation throughout Chang'an in an instant.

Especially when Li Shimin ordered that people be allowed to leave the city to watch the Tang army cleaning up the battlefield on the banks of the Wei River from afar, it instantly caused a huge uproar in Chang'an.

The city gates were left empty as soon as the army entered the city.

Immediately, the city's residents, who had been eagerly waiting, rushed out, excited to see what was happening.

When the throngs of people arrived at the direction of the Wei River and saw the Turkic soldiers' corpses scattered along the north bank, and the hearses passing by, they were shocked.

They all stared wide-eyed in shock and horror.

"Hiss! These corpses are so gruesome?"

"Look! Why are these Turkic soldiers dying such a gruesome death?"

"Hush, didn't you hear that? Not long after His Majesty led his army out of the city to meet the enemy, thunder suddenly came from the Wei River. Perhaps His Majesty is the incarnation of a true dragon and can summon heavenly thunder. Otherwise, how could the 100,000 Turkic soldiers have suffered such a crushing defeat?"

"Bah! Those damned Turkic barbarians! If these uncivilized bastards had stormed into Chang'an, my wives, children, and family fortune would have been wiped out long ago! Good riddance!"

"Yes! His Majesty the Emperor did well! These Turkic barbarians should be dealt with like this..."

The people were abuzz with discussion, praising His Majesty's bravery and strength, saying he truly deserved to be called the Grand General of the Heavenly Strategy.

Or perhaps they were horrified by the horror of the battlefield before them, realizing that so many Turks had been killed so quickly.

But there is no doubt about it.

After this battle, Emperor Li Er was temporarily able to secure his throne. After all, the people of the land might not care about their emperor or how he obtained the throne.

But what they absolutely care about is whether their emperor can protect them, his subjects, when foreign enemies invade.

The gate of the Tang Dynasty Imperial Palace.

When Li Shimin returned with his subordinates, including Changsun Wuji.

The courtiers had been waiting there for a long time.

Along with those waiting there were Empress Zhangsun, the head of the harem, and several of Li Shimin's concubines.

"Your Majesty, we congratulate you on your triumphant return! Your Majesty is truly invincible!"

"Your Majesty, I offer my congratulations..."

Li Shimin smiled and waved his hand, signaling everyone to rise.

However, as Li Shimin's most beloved woman, Empress Zhangsun immediately noticed something amiss from the smile on her husband's face.

really.

After briefly explaining the situation to his ministers and making some related arrangements, Li Shimin...

He then strode quickly toward the palace, arriving directly at the inner palace.

"Greenbird..."

Lizheng Hall.

Empress Zhangsun looked at Li Shimin and calmly said two words. Then her second son, Qingque, knelt down on the ground with a thud.

"Father, my elder brother instructed me to keep these secret. He said it's not advisable to reveal such a divine weapon before we defeat the Turkic army... Father, my elder brother asked me to give this to you..."

Li Shimin looked at the little fellow Li Tai, and realized that he had only spoken once.

He honestly laid everything out, and it was even obvious that he had prepared in advance, as he took out a scroll from his pocket and placed it on the table in front of him.

He was so angry that his teeth itched.

"Well, Qingque, how come I never noticed before that you listen to your imperial brother so much?"

"Even if secrecy is required, does that mean even I must be excluded?!"

Li Tai lowered his head and remained silent.

Empress Zhangsun, standing to the side, also looked on with a puzzled expression.

After a brief outburst, Li Shimin took a deep breath before picking up the scroll from the table.

Upon seeing the description of this device called a "gunpowder pot" and the simplified production flowchart, Li Shimin's expression softened slightly.

However, the corners of his mouth couldn't help but curl up slightly.

"Were all the craftsmen involved in this gunpowder pot kept secret?"

Li Tai nodded: "They have all been arranged by the Emperor to stay in our original Qin Prince's Mansion, guarded by the Six Guards of the Eastern Palace, and their external purchases are also kept secret."

Li Shimin nodded in satisfaction.

However, this sense of satisfaction vanished instantly after he suddenly thought of something.

"boom!"

Li Shimin slammed his fist on the table.

He couldn't help but think of his eldest son's reckless behavior on the battlefield earlier.

"Hmph! What a fine Crown Prince of mine! His wings are truly strong enough. He secretly arranged so much in the Eastern Palace, and I knew nothing about it. This sudden turn of events on the battlefield was also unknown to me!"

"Very well! Guanyinbi, today I'll see just how many things my good son is hiding from me!"

"Somebody come!"

The eunuch Wang De rushed in.

"Go, go and personally keep watch at the city gate! When that rebellious son returns, make him come to see me immediately!"

Wang De hurriedly accepted the order and left, while behind him, Li Shimin's incessant complaints and curses still echoed in the Lizheng Hall.

"My good crown prince, he left me to clean up his mess and clean up the mess, and now he's all better off, ha!"

"They've gone to capture the Turkic Khaganate, Jieli Khan, alive!"

"I want to see just how capable Li Chengqian really is, whether he's better off sitting on my throne!"

Outside the Lizheng Hall.

Upon hearing this, the eunuchs and palace maids' expressions all changed.

They hurriedly retreated and moved away from this area.

Not to mention the fact that some people in the Tang Dynasty's upper echelons are happy while others are worried.

It is more than 30 kilometers north of the border of Bingzhou in the Tang Dynasty.

In a burning camp, the shadows of cavalrymen flickered in the firelight.

“Father, if we do this, our Wang family will likely become a thorn in the side of the Turks. In fact, that censor will surely impeach us for our tyranny.”

Wang Qingshan looked worried.

Before them, in this not-so-large camp, the elderly, women, and children had all been slaughtered.

Those present were all cavalrymen formed by the Wang family of Taiyuan, composed of Wang family members.

Wang Ming clenched his fist.

"tyrannical?"

He turned around, his eyes looking particularly terrifying in the firelight.

"Do I have any other choice?! That bastard Li Ji, in order to carry out the Crown Prince's orders, actually mobilized a force of five thousand men and stationed them near my Wang clan's territory!"

"Your third and fifth uncles' positions in the city defense army were also suddenly suspended."

"How many years has this area around my Wang Clan Ancestral Hall been around? Why is it suddenly so lively... Hahaha!"

"You call me tyrannical? Did I have a choice?!"

Wang Ming's voice trembled, and many of the Wang family members behind him, who were still injured, gritted their teeth upon hearing Wang Ming's words.

"The current Crown Prince is truly the most vicious of all!"

One of the Wang family's direct male descendants spoke a sentence, but before he could finish speaking, a whip lashed out and struck him hard in the chest.

"what!"

The latter cried out in pain, curled up, and almost fell off the horse.

Wang Ming's voice was icy.

"Enough! I don't want to hear those words again. If you repeat them, for the sake of the continuation of my Wang family, I will have no choice but to take you to the Eastern Palace to face your punishment!"

Having said that, Wang Ming pointed his riding whip to the north.

"Kill! Head north, slaughter every Turkic tribe along the way, regardless of age or gender!"

......

When Li Chengqian and Hou Junji returned to Chang'an with their men who had been pursuing Jieli, they were all smiles.

It was already curfew time.

The eunuch Wang De sat in a carriage at the city gate, having waited all day.

I didn't even dare to eat anything.

Seeing Li Chengqian's troops returning swiftly from the darkness, I was almost moved to tears when I could finally see them clearly.

"Oh my! Your Highness, you're finally back!"

"Quickly, His Majesty summons me!"

Li Chengqian was taken aback and looked at the Chang'an city gates, which were slowly opened again as they arrived.

He glanced at Wang De with some doubt.

"Eunuch Wang, don't tell me you've been waiting since the end of the great battle today?"

Wang De wanted to cry but had no tears.

"Your Highness, this old servant has been waiting here all along. His Majesty has ordered me to wait here until Your Highness returns to the city, so that I may immediately go to the palace to meet the Emperor..."

Li Chengqian was speechless. At least that bastard Jieli ran fast enough.

Fortunately, they didn't encounter any large-scale Turkic military forces along the way.

Otherwise, if he led his troops and chased after the fleeing soldiers with Hou Junji and the others, wouldn't Wang De have to wait several days?

Nod slightly.

Li Chengqian gave instructions to the people around him who had also been busy all day.

"Yingying, take my warrant and go immediately to the workshop in Qinrenfang of the Prince of Qin's residence. Find the person in charge there, bring them the items I instructed them to make, and then bring them to the palace to find me."

"Uncle Qian, you've had a long and tiring day. Go home and rest early."

Qian Yingying and her father, Qian Lou, nodded.

When Li Chengqian and Wang De passed through the Zhuque Gate and entered the palace, they arrived at the Lizheng Hall, the Empress's bedroom where Li Shimin was at that moment.

Even at this hour, the lights inside are still on full display.

"Chengqian? Has Chengqian returned?"

Hearing an anxious woman's voice, Li Chengqian felt a warmth in his heart and hurriedly walked to the palace gate.

After confirming that it was safe to go inside, they stepped inside.

"Your subject pays respects to Your Majesty, I have caused you worry."

Empress Zhangsun finally breathed a long sigh of relief when she saw that her eldest son had no injuries at all.

Just as he was about to say something, Li Shimin, who was sitting at a table, snorted coldly.

He said sarcastically, "My Crown Prince has been chasing Jieli all the way from noon to curfew. He must have captured Jieli alive by now, right?"

Li Chengqian's lips twitched slightly, and he lowered his head, saying, "Father, please forgive me, your son is incompetent..."

"Tsk tsk tsk, Guanyinbi, listen to this! Did I hear wrong? What did my Crown Prince just say?"

Li Shimin's exaggerated expression at this moment left Empress Zhangsun at a loss for words.

"My crown prince actually claims to be incompetent? How can he be incompetent?"

"My crown prince is quite capable!"

Li Chengqian lowered his head. He was too excited today and had overlooked the pride of his own lord, Emperor Li Er, leaving the emperor to stay behind and clean up the battlefield.

He, the crown prince, went to hunt down a big fish...

Li Chengqian slightly raised his head and glanced at Comrade Li Er's face without leaving a trace.

Suddenly, I was speechless.

Li Er's expression at this moment didn't quite convey anger; rather, it seemed more like he was relieved.

With a mocking expression, he slowly walked up to me and squatted down: "Crown Prince, you let Jieli escape, what crime should I punish you for?"

"Father, I deliberately let Jieli escape!"