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

Would Li Chengqian be afraid?

Having witnessed how crazy his son was at Xuanwu Gate, Li Shimin always felt that the boy was rebellious by nature. He was the eldest son of the legitimate wife, after all. If he weren't the eldest son, he would probably have been tormented to death among his sons.

This kid is afraid?

If Li Shimin had heard such a question before, he would have scoffed.

My son's bravery is guaranteed by the head of my fourth brother, the King of Qi; no one in the world can match him.

However, Li Shimin, as the father, instantly realized that the Crown Prince Chengqian, who was feared by all the officials and aristocratic families, was also afraid.

However, he was not afraid of the rebels, nor of the court officials.

Rather... it was the common people he ordered to be executed.

Although Li Chengqian was clearly trying to restrain and suppress his emotions, Li Shimin, who hadn't seen his son for over a year and whose attention was entirely focused on him, immediately saw through Li Chengqian's worries and tension.

really.

When he patted his shoulder and said, "With me here, don't be afraid,"

For the first time ever, he saw a look of reverence and excitement on his son's face.

The sheer adoration in his eyes, almost bringing him to tears, nearly made Li Shimin lose his temper and order the execution of all the poisoned people.

"Cough cough..."

He coughed twice, trying to remain calm, but the corners of his mouth that he couldn't suppress curled up made his expression look a bit strange.

Fortunately, at that moment, a hurried sound came from the direction of the city gate.

Then, everyone saw rows of traitors being escorted out in shackles, led by none other than Zhang Zhenzhou, the governor of Hongzhou, and the villain Chen Congyun.

However, apart from Zhang Zhenzhou, all the members of the Chamber of Commerce, including Chen Congyun, were tied up and gagged.

To prevent these people from committing suicide out of fear of punishment.

Zhang Zhenzhou was escorted to Li Shimin and Li Chengqian, where he knelt down in dejection and shame.

"This guilty subject kowtows to Your Majesty, kowtows to Your Highness the Crown Prince... This subject deserves death!"

Li Chengqian's expression returned to its cold and ruthless state.

According to the established practice, someone like Zhang Zhenzhou, who surrendered after leaving the city, should at least be given a chance to praise the victor or to reflect on his own actions. Ideally, there should be some poignant and regrettable story involved.

however.

Li Chengqian didn't even bother to give the other party a chance to speak, feeling that the old man's breath was filled with endless stench.

"Take him away and keep him under strict guard. He must not be allowed to commit suicide!"

Immediately, Qian Lou, the commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard beside him, waved his hand, and two men dressed in flying fish robes dragged him away from the left and right.

"Your Highness, Your Highness, I..."

Zhang Zhenzhou was shocked and wanted to say something, but Qian Lou, who was standing next to him, suddenly slapped him across the face.

This slap left Zhang Zhenzhou completely disoriented, his mouth gushing blood, as if some of his teeth had been knocked out.

Qianlou snorted coldly.

"Your wife passed away peacefully, using the most painless and insensible poison from our Embroidered Uniform Guard, and was buried in a place with auspicious feng shui."

Zhang Zhenzhou's pupils contracted, he opened his mouth, but in the end, two streams of hot tears flowed down his face, and his head slumped down limply.

"Take all these people away. Without my orders, no one is allowed to visit or interrogate them!"

Li Chengqian then spoke.

All the merchants involved in the opium trade, including Chen Congyun, were taken away.

What remains are the unfortunate people who have become addicted to opium...

Li Chengqian looked at them with a deep gaze, but his hand on the sword at his waist clenched involuntarily.

Those people who had already heard how the crown prince had dealt with them also wailed and wept, kneeling on the ground and begging for forgiveness.

"Your Highness, I... I'll never do it again. I'll never smoke that rubbish again. Please don't kill me, please don't kill me!"

"Waaaaah, it's all because of that guy surnamed Chen that I've become this awful state."

"Spare me, Your Highness, spare me..."

Standing beside Li Chengqian, Li Tai looked at the crowd of people who had been surrounded by the Six Guards of the Eastern Palace and the Divine Machine Battalion. There were probably nearly 10,000 of them.

He couldn't help but swallow hard.

He looked at his elder brother with a conflicted and nervous expression.

Are we going to kill them too?

Even he, who constantly boasts about blowing someone up to the heavens, hesitated when faced with this choice.

Li Chengqian opened his mouth, his eyes flashing with a mixture of pain and ruthlessness, just as he was about to grit his teeth and give the order.

Suddenly, a voice rang out from the side.

"By imperial decree, all those in Hongzhou City involved in the use, sale, or distribution of drugs such as Fushougao are hereby punished!"

"Kill them all!"

Even Qian Lou, the commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, couldn't help but look at His Majesty in astonishment.

How could the emperor who was imprisoned in the imperial prison by his own son back then have such courage now?

This involves nearly ten thousand ordinary people...

Li Chengqian looked at his father, the Emperor, in shock, only to see Li Shimin staring at Xue Wanche and the commander of the Prince of Wei's personal guards.

"What? Didn't you hear my decree?"

Xue Wanche was startled, and then immediately and decisively accepted the order.

With a wave of his command flag, the soldiers who had surrounded the tens of thousands of civilians raised their weapons and began to advance.

"Speak loudly to them whose decree this is!" Li Shimin shouted from his warhorse.

Immediately, Xue Wanche shouted out the order.

"By His Majesty's decree! All those involved in the consumption, trafficking, or distribution of opium shall be executed!!!"

"kill!!!"

Tens of thousands of people, but they were all powerless and addicted to opium.

When they were escorted out of the city, they were bound with ropes.

Faced with such an order, everyone panicked and tried to shrink into the crowd to hide, crying out for mercy.

however.

Military orders are absolute, and the Six Guards of the Eastern Palace, being the elite of the elite, would never disobey orders.

What a bloody and cruel scene this is!

Among the tens of thousands of people, most were young and strong men, but there were also women, the elderly, and even children.

At Li Shimin's command, the six guards of the Eastern Palace raised their swords against these people. Steel knives or sharp blades were swung out, and screams of agony were accompanied by blood and severed limbs flying everywhere.

Li Chengqian's grip on the sword hilt tightened even more.

Beside him, Li Tai looked at his father, whose face was gloomy but showed no regret whatsoever, and then looked at his elder brother, as if he had suddenly realized something.

Gritting his teeth.

"By order of the King! Divine Machine Battalion! All those involved in the consumption, trafficking, or distribution of opium will be executed!!!"