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

For the next two days.

Since ascending the throne, he had been holding court assemblies almost every day to handle state affairs.

Li Shimin, who was summoning his ministers to the Ganlu Hall for a meeting, seemed to have suddenly disappeared.

At first, people like Fang Xuanling and Du Ruhui didn't think much of it. After all, even emperors are still human.

He had to attend court every day at dawn and handle so many other tiring matters.

There will always be a sense of boredom.

Taking a day off is not a bad idea.

however.

Seeing that the Eastern Palace had already begun to prepare its six armies and submitted a memorial to the Ministry of War regarding the allocation of horses and armor, the Eastern Palace's Yu Shinan, Kong Yingda, Li Gang, and others had also packed their things.

They prepared a grand procession to accompany Hou Junji's army to Bingzhou to assume his post.

His Majesty the Emperor, who always calls the Crown Prince "unfilial son" but clearly cherishes him like a precious gem, showed no sign of it whatsoever.

The Imperial Palace, Lizheng Hall.

Changsun Wuji wore a bitter expression as he carefully looked at his younger sister, Empress Changsun, whose pretty face was covered in frost.

"Your Majesty, His Majesty has not yet given a definite answer. Minister Zhang of the Ministry of Rites has also inquired whether a sacrificial ceremony should be held to pray for His Highness's safety."

"The personnel transfers in the Ministry of Personnel also require His Majesty's approval."

"And what about the Ministry of War..."

Changsun Wuji looked helpless. They were all colleagues serving in the same court and came from the same Qin Prince's mansion. Zhang Gongjin and the others asked him to come and test the waters, so he couldn't refuse.

However, upon hearing his long, rambling rambling on, Empress Zhangsun's already displeased expression turned even more unpleasant.

"His Majesty is in the Ganlu Hall, not in the Lizheng Hall of this palace. Brother, you've come to the wrong place if you're looking for His Majesty!"

"Um, well... Your Majesty, I've already been to Ganlu Palace, but..."

Just thinking about that Hu stool that flew out of there, accompanied by a terrifying gust of wind, passing by his ears, and Li Shimin's roar that sounded like a tiger's howl...

Changsun Wuji really didn't have the courage to go in.

"Humph!"

Empress Zhangsun snorted softly upon hearing this.

Then, thinking about all the messes that had happened to his own royal family these past few days, he felt a headache and annoyance for no reason.

"What heinous things did I do in my past life to deserve being stuck with this father and son! They're both such a handful!"

She gritted her teeth in silence. The emperor chased after the crown prince naked, and the two fought until they were bruised and swollen. She would never tell anyone about this, even if she were beaten to death.

Even if the person in front of him is his own brother.

In order to deal with the imperial guards, palace maids and eunuchs these days, she, as the mistress of the harem, had to resort to some methods that could not be spoken of to outsiders.

Let those who have no way of speaking disappear forever.

However, Changsun Wuji keenly gleaned some different information from his younger sister.

Is this matter also related to the Crown Prince's nephew?

Changsun Wuji bowed, left the Lizheng Hall, and immediately turned and headed towards the East Palace.

Just as he left the Lizheng Hall, the Empress set off for the Ganlu Hall.

Outside the main hall, at the entrance, on the steps.

Broken vases, stools, and even unsheathed swords were scattered haphazardly on the ground.

One by one, the palace maids and eunuchs who were originally in the Ganlu Palace knelt silently on the outside. To this day, they still do not know that the emperor, who has always been very benevolent since he ascended the throne, is now in a state of shock.

What happened? Why did they suddenly get so angry?

Even Lord Fang and Lord Du were almost hit by Hu's stool.

"You guys wait here."

Empress Zhangsun gave a brief instruction to her personal maid and then strode towards the Ganlu Palace.

The sound of the palace door being pushed open with a creak had just begun.

Then came Li Shimin's roar.

"Does my word no longer carry any weight?! All of you, get out of here!!!"

Empress Zhangsun frowned: "What? Even I have to get out?"

Li Shimin: "......"

Empress Zhangsun stepped into a side hall, only to find her husband lying on the bed near the inside, as stiff as a wooden puppet, looking as if he wanted to curl up into the darkness.

I couldn't help but sigh.

"Second Brother, Chengqian is leaving. There are many memorials from the Six Ministries that require your approval."

Li Shimin stood with his arms crossed and turned to the side. The swelling had subsided, but the marks of the beating were still clearly visible on his face, which was filled with anger and displeasure.

"If he wants to leave, then let him leave! What kind of memorial is this? He beat me up like this, how can I possibly show my face to anyone?"

"The son beats the father! Li Chengqian is so successful!"

Empress Zhangsun was helpless.

"Wasn't Chengqian also severely beaten by His Majesty? I heard he's still handling affairs in the Eastern Palace..."

The Eastern Palace, Xiande Hall.

"Um, Your Highness, what's wrong...?"

Changsun Wuji looked at Crown Prince Li Chengqian with a blank and helpless expression. He saw that the other man's face, the corners of his mouth and cheekbones were bruised and purple, as if he had been severely beaten.

For a moment, the words that were on the tip of my tongue wouldn't come out.

Li Chengqian waved his hand.

"It's nothing, I just tripped and fell. Is something wrong, Uncle?"

Changsun Wuji paused for a moment. If a fall could cause such a serious injury, then how did His Highness manage to defeat the Eastern Palace traitors at Xuanwu Gate?

"Um, Your Highness, the Crown Prince's memorial to the Six Ministries has been submitted, and I have contacted His Majesty, but His Majesty... he refuses to see anyone, so the matter has been stalled until now."

"Without His Majesty's approval, the Ministry of Rites and the Ministry of Personnel are merely going through the motions, but the Ministry of War needs His Majesty's approval to equip the Six Guards of the Crown Prince with warhorses..."

Upon hearing this, Li Chengqian's lips twitched involuntarily.

However, it aggravated his injuries, causing him to gasp in shock.

"Hiss! That old Biden, he's actually acting all wronged!"

Changsun Wuji: “???”

Your Highness, are you referring to Old Bi Deng, or is he the current Emperor?

Seeing his uncle's strange expression, as if he wanted to say something but dared not, Li Chengqian sighed.

"Uncle, please wait a moment. I have something here. Please take it to my father, who is in a bad mood. He will review the memorial after he sees it. However, it will probably be some time before you can see him in person..."

As he spoke, Li Chengqian took another light breath.

He muttered a curse under his breath.

"Damn it, there's still a ton of stuff to deal with regarding the Turks and Bingzhou, and now I have to appease this old Bi Deng! What bad luck!"

Changsun Wuji: "..."

He was now certain that the "Old Bi Deng" mentioned by his nephew, the crown prince, must be none other than the current emperor, Li Shimin.

Even Changsun Wuji himself didn't know what kind of feelings he was harboring.

They came out of the East Palace.

But when he finally returned to Lizheng Palace after a long journey, he learned from the palace maids there that the Empress had gone to Ganlu Palace, so he rushed there without stopping.

"Next time, next time Fang Xuanling and the rest of you, even if you kneel down and beg me, don't even think about getting my help with these kinds of trivial matters..."

Changsun Wuji arrived at Ganlu Palace, panting heavily.

After carefully questioning all the palace maids, they finally managed to cautiously call the Empress out of the Ganlu Palace.

"Your Majesty, the Crown Prince said that if this is given to His Majesty, he will..."

Empress Zhangsun raised her eyebrows slightly: "Where are the Ministry of War's reports?"

Upon hearing this, Changsun Wuji hurriedly pulled out several folded documents from his bosom.

Subsequently.

"Wait!"

Watching the Ganlu Palace door slam shut right in front of him with a click, Changsun Wuji became even more curious about what had happened between his nephew, the Crown Prince, and His Majesty.

Judging from the prince's injuries, it seems he was seriously injured.

But judging from the confidence the Crown Prince showed when he gave him the booklet, it seemed as if he had everything under control.

"Sigh... I just don't understand."

Inside the Manna Hall.

Empress Zhangsun handed the booklet prepared by Li Chengqian to her husband, Li Er, only to see him simply close his eyes, looking as if he would never bow his head even if a knife were held to his throat or he were beaten to death.

Seeing this, Empress Zhangsun felt even more exhausted.

"Second brother, Chengqian must have apologized to you. Look, it's a handwritten apology letter."

Upon hearing the word "apology," Li Shimin's eyes, which had just been closed, snapped open instantly.

A smug smile appeared on his slightly swollen lips.

"Hmph, he apologizes? I am the emperor! He slapped the emperor in the face, does an apology suffice?!"

Despite his displeasure, Li Shimin honestly took the booklet from his empress's hands, his hands which had been clasped in front of his chest.

Open the booklet.

Contrary to expectations, the opening wasn't filled with dense text. Instead, a simple yet novel little figure drawing came into view.

A small figure dressed very similarly to the crown prince was making a prostrate gesture.

There were also several large characters on his head that looked like they were written very carefully.

"Father, I was wrong!"

"Hmm~" Li Shimin let out a pleasant hum, but then seemed to remember that his empress was still there, so he cleared his throat.

He muttered a curse under his breath, feigning dissatisfaction.

"This is supposed to be an apology? I think he's just learned Cheng Yaojin's stubbornness and treachery. I don't accept it!"

As he said this, his hands, quite honestly, turned to the next page again.

This time it's still a simple little figure kneeling on the ground, but this time it's holding a tray with something that looks like a scroll on it.

"Your son received guidance from an immortal in a dream, obtaining a wondrous method for body tempering, which I present to Father and Mother. Your son is far away and unfilial; I hope Father and Mother will take good care of their health."

Li Shimin paused slightly, then turned to the next page. Sure enough, it was a portrait of a little figure drawn by his own crown prince. The little figure had a serious expression, yet it had a unique kind of cute and comical charm.

Li Shimin couldn't help but imagine that the little figure earnestly demonstrating each movement was none other than Chengqian, who was only five or six years old at the time.

"Wow, in the blink of an eye, Chengqian has grown up so much."

Empress Zhangsun looked at her troublesome husband with a strange expression, a half-smile on her face.

"Second brother, you're not angry anymore?"

Li Shimin was taken aback, and then his old face instantly turned red.

"Outrageous! Guanyinbi, do you think I'm someone who can be fooled by such petty favors? He's slapping the face of the emperor, of the Son of Heaven!"

Empress Zhangsun smiled without saying a word, quietly watching Li Er, sometimes saying "How outrageous!" and sometimes "I have suffered injustice for the sake of the country."

It was clear that Emperor Li Er, though still sullen, no longer had the anger he had shown before in his eyes.

He flipped through the booklet page by page.

As the "Golden Strength" movement ended, "Li Chengqian" once again appeared pitifully rubbing his hands on the booklet.

A line of large characters was written on it.

"Father loves his son so much, surely he wouldn't want his son to be bullied by those Turkic cavalry? Please lend me a batch of warhorses, and I will repay Father double the amount in six months!"

"Ugh~ This kind of affectation makes this painting hardly worthy of being considered elegant!" Li Shimin said with a disdainful sneer.

Turn the page again.

Li Chengqian presented another tray: "Your subject has come up with a way to reduce the loss of warhorses in our Great Tang Dynasty. I offer horseshoes and stirrups to Your Majesty, wishing Your Majesty to forge a million iron cavalry and become a sage ruler for all ages!"

"hiss......"

Li Shimin's eyes flickered, and he hurriedly flipped over to the back.

As I turned the pages, I saw my son, looking both adorable and serious, explaining the use of horseshoes and stirrups around a painted horse.

His eyes gradually began to burn with desire.

half an hour.

On the last page, Li Chengqian once again knelt down and apologized: "Father, I was wrong! I beg you to forgive me!"

Li Shimin snorted and casually tossed the booklet aside beside his pillow.

Half an hour passed.

"Guanyinbi, it seems that I haven't practiced calligraphy for quite some time."

Upon hearing this, as if she had been prepared, Empress Zhangsun immediately brought over a small table and placed the memorial and writing materials in front of Li Shimin.

"I wanted to practice calligraphy. What's the point of submitting this memorial to me... Never mind, I'll use this to practice!"

With a few memorials, Li Shimin quickly concluded today's "calligraphy practice task."

Empress Zhangsun finally breathed a sigh of relief, took her things, and left Ganlu Palace.

"Your Majesty, I will have someone bring you food in a little while. Please take care of your health."

Li Shimin, lying on the bed, waved his hand.

half an hour.

The sound of the palace doors closing could be heard.

Li Shimin instantly grabbed the booklet he had just read and began to carefully reread it.

"Hehehe, a million iron cavalry..."

"Hehehehe, the greatest emperor of all time..."

"Hahahahaha!"

outside the temple.

Empress Zhangsun looked helplessly at her brother and sighed deeply.

"Please trouble your elder brother to inform the court officials that His Majesty has been unwell recently and needs to rest for a few days."

Upon hearing this, Changsun Wuji, listening to the eerie laughter faintly emanating from inside the hall, hurriedly nodded and bowed away.

And at the same time.

In the Eastern Palace, King Li Tai of Yue led one person into the Xiande Hall.

"Brother, Third Brother is here!"

Li Chengqian looked up, and Li Ke, who had been brought by Li Tai, was about to bow, but upon seeing his elder brother's face, he froze instantly.

"Your Highness, what's wrong...?"

Li Chengqian waved his hand: "It's just a minor injury, nothing to worry about. My third brother has summoned you today to ask you something!"

Upon hearing this, Li Ke bowed respectfully and said, "Brother, please ask!"

Li Chengqian smiled slightly.

"How about leaving Chang'an with your brother and pulling off a big heist?"

"In other words... do you want to be emperor?"