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

"Hoo... Ugh~"

"Hoo... Ugh~"

The aroma of tea in the Wude Hall is particularly strong today.

While Li Yuan was still fast asleep in his bedchamber in the rear hall, his snoring could be faintly heard in the front hall.

At this moment, the eunuchs and palace maids in the Wude Hall were all serving the Li Tang royal family members present with trepidation and caution.

Besides Princess Xiangcheng, who recently accompanied her husband Xiao Rui back to Taiyuan Prefecture to work overtime, even Gao Yang, who was almost exhausted from practicing martial arts early this morning, came here with great interest.

Gao Yang held a book titled "The Leading Role of Xizhou County in the New Animal Husbandry Industry in the West" and read it with great satisfaction, even though she didn't quite understand much of it, which involved budgets and data.

However, based on its own development logic, the reasons behind it are clearly understandable.

"That's right, that's right... Grandfather will surely be moved to tears to see how filial we are."

Sitting next to her, Xiao Chengyang covered his mouth and smiled.

Chang Le, standing to the side, seemed somewhat worried: "Brother, what if Grandfather doesn't agree?"

Li Chengqian remained silent, but Li Tai, standing to the side, chuckled lightly with an air of composure.

"Don't worry, how could Grandpa not agree? He'll definitely agree!" The last sentence seemed to be squeezed out from between her teeth.

He glanced indifferently at Fan Qi, his personal eunuch, beside him.

"Is anyone here?"

Fan Qi nodded hurriedly: "I'm waiting outside the hall."

"Alright, let him in when Grandpa wakes up."

Fan Qi nodded with an awkward smile, and could only respectfully agree.

The Emperor Emeritus had no choice but to endure this today.

The eight princes of His Majesty the current emperor—the Crown Prince, the Prince of Han, the Prince of Wei, the Prince of Chu, the Prince of Liang, the Prince of Yan, the Prince of Yue, and the Prince of Jin—as well as the two princes of the retired emperor, the Prince of Lu and the Prince of Jing, who have been the most active figures in the court recently.

They all converge here.

In addition, several other princesses, including Princess Changle, Princess Ankang, Princess Chengyang, and Princess Gaoyang, were also guarding the palace gate.

It surrounded the entire Wude Hall like a net from heaven and earth.

The current retired emperor has nowhere to escape, no matter where he goes.

Fan Qi sighed inwardly. He could imagine that in the coming days, the Emperor Emeritus would likely become like His Majesty before he fled Chang'an, constantly on the verge of death...

Most importantly, this time, the Crown Prince and the Prince of Wei have even had their escape route blocked by the Emperor Emeritus.

"call......."

As the soothing sounds of slumber gradually subsided.

Li Yuan slowly awoke from his sleep. The Chang'an palace, which had been renovated by the Empress, now had underfloor heating installed.

Although it was still chilly outside, the coldest time of the year.

The hall was warm and cozy at that moment.

The softness and comfort of the quilt, combined with the smooth silk pajamas he was wearing, made Li Yuan stretch lazily on the bed.

"Pap..."

My hand seemed to touch something, followed by a clattering sound as it fell.

Li Yuan got up in confusion and saw that his bed was surrounded by a "fortress" of books, which were packed in boxes and surrounded him and his bed in an ambush.

"This, what is this?"

"Where is everyone?! Someone, come here!"

Li Yuan shouted angrily, and amidst a series of rustling footsteps, several eunuchs who were ordered to serve the retired emperor rushed over and knelt on the ground with a thud.

Li Yuan glared angrily: "What are these things? Why are they here with me?!"

The eunuchs looked at each other, but all kept their heads down, none daring to speak first.

Just then, a soft laugh came from behind the screen.

Behind Li Chengqian, a group of princes and princesses walked in in twos and threes, leaving Li Yuan looking bewildered.

In particular, the strange smile on the face of Prince Wei, Li Tai, gave Li Yuan an instinctive sense of foreboding early in the morning.

"Cheng, Chengqian, why have you come to my palace? Is there something you want to discuss?"

He pointed to the books around him, looking completely bewildered.

"Did you have these delivered?"

Li Chengqian smiled and nodded: "That's right. Didn't Grandfather want to go to Xizhou County? Although I am worried that Grandfather might encounter some misfortune there, Grandfather is the founding emperor of our Great Tang Dynasty. His passion for serving the country has not cooled down, so I can't stop him."

"However, considering that Your Majesty may be troubled by various political difficulties over there, your grandson has specially prepared some clever strategies for you."

A brilliant plan?

Li Yuan stared blankly at the stack of books, which was probably twice his height, and couldn't help but swallow hard.

"This... a brilliant plan? Isn't this plan a bit too big...?"

His voice had unconsciously taken on a hint of hesitation and tension.

"Hehe, Grandpa, you can just open it and take a look..."

Li Chengqian smiled and gestured for him to proceed.

Before Li Yuan could make a move, several kneeling eunuchs opened a book box and presented several books to him.

"War is a continuation of politics: Macroeconomic control policies for the Western Regions"

Currency Wars: Controlling the Economic Lifeline of Western Regions

Commercial Tax Policy: The Importance of Large-Scale Economic Mobility

"Entering China, Leaving Barbarians: The Tang Dynasty's Talent Introduction Plan"...

Li Yuan: "......."

"Grandfather, please look. These books are the result of our work, compiled by hundreds of ministers from Taiyuan, Chang'an, and Luoyang who are closest to the new policies and reforms. They are the essence of the new policies over the past few years, and based on a pragmatic approach, they represent the overall development plan for Xizhou Prefecture..."

"A total of 108 volumes, covering politics, science and technology, military affairs, economy, people's livelihood, diplomacy and infrastructure. It can be said that these are the grand development plans for Xizhou Prefecture for the next hundred years, devised by your son and the capable ministers of our Great Tang Dynasty through collective wisdom!"

Li Chengqian's voice was powerful and resonant, as if it could inspire morale from an invisible angle.

however.

Li Yuan, who was already terrified after just casually flipping through a few books, was not encouraged at all.

He stared blankly at Li Chengqian for a long time.

Suddenly, he lay back down on the bed and, under everyone's gaze, reverently covered himself with the quilt.

His eyes slowly closed.

After an unknown amount of time passed in the deathly silence, Li Yuan opened his eyes again, full of anticipation.

What met their eyes were the ambiguous smiles of Li Chengqian, Li Tai, Li Ke, and others.

Li Yuan: "!!!"

This isn't a dream?!

His old face was gloomy, but also pale with a hint of fear.

"Take it all away! Take it all away from me! I'm already so old, how can I possibly bear such a heavy workload of state affairs?!"

He waved his hand anxiously.

However, Li Chengqian remained silent with a smile in response to his strong reaction.

Just then, a faint, unfamiliar voice sounded from the side.

"In the spring of the fourth year of Zhenguan, the Crown Prince led a group of officials and princes to discuss and come up with 108 articles on the Anxi National Policy, which he presented to Emperor Gaozu. Emperor Gaozu was furious and said: 'Are you even human? I am going to the Western Regions for leisure, why should I be given such disgusting and tedious documents? What do the people of the Western Regions mean to me?'"

Li Yuan's pupils instantly contracted.

Like a spring, it instantly flew up from the bed.

They glared angrily in the direction the sound came from.

"Who are you? How dare you slander me like this? Did I just say that?!"

Li Tai chuckled lightly, and like a cat playing with a mouse, he crossed his arms and stood in front of the historian surnamed Dou.

"Why is Your Majesty angry? This man is merely an official of the Dou family in Luoyang under my command, who happens to be compiling history in Chang'an right now."

Li Yuan opened his mouth, gritting his teeth.

"I mean, I didn't mean that at all!"

Li Chengqian chuckled: "So, Grandfather, you've agreed? Don't worry, with so many national policies, I'll definitely send some officials to assist you."

"Then I entrust the matter of Xizhou Prefecture to my Imperial Grandfather..."

He smiled and nodded, seemingly quite satisfied with Li Yuan's choice.

As he spoke, he was about to bow to Li Yuan.

Startled, Li Yuan immediately jumped off the bed and caught him.

Li Yuan's face trembled, and his lips seemed to be shaking. Facing Li Chengqian, this "true grandson," he dared not speak out against his anger.

"Chengqian, the environment in Xizhou County is harsh. Your grandfather's health can't withstand such hardship... Perhaps we should leave these tasks to you younger generations..."

"Okay!"

Before Li Chengqian could speak, Li Tai had already smiled and nodded.

"Then, Your Majesty, you will stay in Chang'an and oversee the country!"

Li Yuan: "!!!"

"Don't even think about it!"

He blurted it out almost without thinking.

However, Li Tai merely glanced indifferently at the historian surnamed Dou beside him.

The latter lowered his head, instantly understanding.

With a fine brush in his hand, he began to write swiftly and skillfully on a small booklet.

The King of Wei reasoned with him, saying: "Chang'an is the foundation of a stable and secure state. The Emperor Emeritus can wield the power of the sun and moon, govern the country for the people, and also reassure the loyalty and filial piety of our children and grandchildren."

Emperor Gaozu angrily said: "What is the food and salary of the lowly people to me? The calamities left by the previous dynasty have been quelled. I have been granted the ability of the Son of Heaven and have protected the people from war, disaster and famine. The people should respect me as if I were a god and worship me as if I were the first emperor. Yet they are greedy and eat meat porridge. How does this compare to the Yellow Turbans of the Han Dynasty?"

"The King of Wei was greatly alarmed..."

"Stop! Stop! Stop writing! Damn it! Guards, drag this bastard who's twisting the facts out and behead him! Tear him to pieces!!!"

Li Yuan was so enraged that he was about to draw his sword and kill someone.

To his astonishment, the shelf where his sword should have been placed was now completely empty.

He turned his head angrily, only to be met with the humble and gentle smile of the current crown prince.

"Grandfather, please don't get angry, anger will damage your liver..."

Li Yuan: "......."

He took a deep breath and forced a gentle, even fawning smile onto his face.

"Hehe, Chengqian, why go to such lengths? Why go to such lengths? Why is the development of Xizhou Prefecture in such a hurry? Your mother must have taught you the principle of governing a large country like cooking a small fish."

Li Chengqian smiled, but showed no intention of responding.

They just smiled and looked at each other.

But his eyes seemed to be saying something.

"Your Majesty, the founding emperor of the Tang Dynasty, will you choose the golden cage of Chang'an, the silver cage of Xizhou Prefecture, or the bronze cage recorded in history books?"