Tang Dynasty: Starting with 3,000 elite cavalry, a bloody battle to retake the city.

Han Ye sneered, his pale face showing no fear:

"The teachings of elders should be heeded with respect."

But if it's just about taking advantage of one's age and seniority to intimidate others, then forgive my bluntness—maybe I'll be disrespectful!

These words caused an uproar in the room.

Li Chengqian's eyes widened—was this a reprimand for his imperial grandfather?! In front of so many people?!

Li Yuan was so angry that his beard trembled. He roared, "Insolence! You say I'm ignorant? I've lived to this age, walked more roads than you've crossed bridges, and seen more things than you've read books. You dare question me?!"

"Oh?"

Han Ye suddenly chuckled, a mocking smile curving his lips:

"Then let me ask you—north of the Tang Dynasty, beyond the Turks, what lies?"

Li Yuan scoffed, "Goguryeo! Is there even a question?"

"That's right." Han Ye nodded, then followed up with, "What place is further north of Goguryeo, near the sea?"

Li Yuan was taken aback, opened his mouth, but remained silent.

Han Ye's gaze was sharp as he coldly said, "There is an island by the sea called Yingzhou."

Although it is a barbarian land, it admires the culture of our Great Tang Dynasty, and an envoy is already preparing to travel across the ocean to pay tribute.

Do you know?

Li Yuan's throat tightened, sweat beaded on his forehead, and he remained silent.

Han Ye pressed closer, his voice growing increasingly chilling:

"Let me ask you again—south of the Tang Dynasty, beyond Tibet, at the end of the mountains, an empire is quietly rising, its power growing daily, and it will sooner or later become a threat."

Have you heard of it?

Li Yuan's pupils contracted sharply, his breath hitched, and he became completely speechless.

Han Ye looked up at the sky, then suddenly looked down, and a heavy sound rang out as his fingertips lightly tapped his feet:

"To put it even more mystically—I say this world isn't flat, but a sphere; I say that on the other side of this earth, there lies a continent unknown to anyone… Do you believe it, or not?!"

despair!despair!despair!

The footsteps were clear and resonant, as if they were stepping on everyone's heartbeat.

Li Yuan was forced to retreat repeatedly by the overwhelming pressure emanating from Han Ye, his steps faltering, and his expression suddenly turned solemn.

He was completely stunned.

Crown Prince Li Chengqian, however, stared intently at Han Ye with burning eyes, as if he had discovered some extraordinary treasure.

real or fake? !

Deep in the ocean, there truly exists a mysterious kingdom that reveres the Tang Dynasty—Yingzhou?!

West of Tibet, beyond the mountains, lies a colossal empire comparable to the Tang Dynasty?!

Even more outrageous is—the Earth is round?!

On the other side lies another vast continent, yet no one has ever set foot there?!

Absurd! Utterly absurd!

For some reason, Li Chengqian's heart was pounding, and he had a vague feeling that... what Han Ye said might be true!

Not just him.

Even Li Yuan, who initially dismissed it as nonsense, began to believe Han Ye's cold, solemn, and utterly unjoking demeanor.

This doesn't seem fabricated.

Like...seeing it with one's own eyes.

However, Han Ye was too lazy to explain.

A smirk played on his lips, a cold, icy smile.

He bowed to Li Chengqian with his hands clasped, and said crisply, "Young master, farewell."

Before the words were even finished, the person had already turned and left, their robes billowing, their back view resolute.

Li Yuan only snapped back to his senses when the figure completely disappeared at the end of the palace road.

His cloudy old eyes stared intently into the distance, his lips trembling slightly as he murmured:

"A remarkable person... truly a remarkable person..."

One time wasn't enough, so he repeated it again, his voice hoarse, yet filled with an undeniable tremor.

A sharp glint flashed deep in his eyes.

Unable to contain himself, Li Chengqian lowered his voice and asked urgently, "Grandfather, what he said... is it true or false?!"

Li Yuan shook his head with a wry smile: "I...don't know."

Li Chengqian's eyes widened instantly.

have no idea?!

Even you didn't know?!

This is completely mind-blowing!

Li Yuan pondered to himself, his voice low and slow: "Yingzhou... a barbarian island in the sea, I have heard a few words about it."

Even I only knew his name, but Han Ye described it clearly, as if he had experienced it himself…”

"As for the remote and untouched land beyond Tibet, even our Tang Dynasty scouts have never ventured there."

Only the Tibetan envoy mentioned it briefly, saying there was a great country over there... but Han Ye could even describe the terrain and climate?!

He paused, his tone becoming increasingly complex:

"There's also the saying that 'the earth is round,' and that there's another continent on the other side, unknown to anyone since ancient times... This is absurd and I should have scoffed at it."

"But judging from his expression, it didn't seem like he was bluffing; rather, it seemed like he was stating the facts."

"The first two things still have some clues to follow; how could one know them without some extraordinary encounter? But if those two are true... then what about the third?"

Li Yuan remained silent.

He couldn't believe it.

Yet, one cannot help but believe it.

That's why he called Han Ye a "remarkable person"!

In a flash, he suddenly raised his hand, patted Li Chengqian's shoulder heavily, and said in a deep voice, "Go."

Li Chengqian was taken aback: "Where to?"

Li Yuan puffed out his beard and glared, saying irritably, "Didn't you want to become his disciple? What, standing here like a wooden statue? Get out there and find someone! Do you think he'll take you on his own?!"

A single sentence can awaken someone from a dream.

Li Chengqian was instantly overjoyed—was this tacit approval?!

An incredible opportunity!

Without further hesitation, he bowed, turned around, and ran off quickly, like a child who had just received candy, eagerly chasing after Han Ye.

On the deserted palace road, only Li Yuan remained, standing alone in the wind.

Looking in the direction Han Ye had left, he sighed softly, his voice barely audible:

"If this really happens... what will become of my Great Tang Crown Prince...?"

……

Meanwhile, outside the mourning hall.

Li Shimin had just finished offering sacrifices to Qin Shubao when he slowly stepped out.

A somber mood still lingered between his brows.

Just then, Li Junxian strode forward and whispered, "Your Majesty, the matter has been investigated."

That young man was Han Ye, from Li Jing's household, and the future husband of Li Yingge.

"Um?!"

Li Shimin frowned, his eyes suddenly turning cold.

So it was that son-in-law of the Li family!

A feeling of displeasure welled up inside him.

Li Yingge was personally bestowed the title of "Divine Might Female General" by him; she was a woman who was no less than a man, what an honor!

He originally intended to choose a prominent family for her to marry into, to bring glory to the family.

But Li Jing ended up finding his daughter an unknown, poor boy?!

Wouldn't that tarnish her reputation?!

His face instantly darkened, and his voice was low and thunderous: "Father and Crown Prince, what are you doing surrounding Han Ye?!"

Li Junxian swallowed hard, hesitated for a moment, and finally gritted his teeth and said, "Your Majesty... I heard that Han Ye publicly reprimanded the Emperor Emeritus, leaving him... speechless."

boom--!

These words struck Li Shimin's mind like a thunderbolt!

Reprimanding the retired emperor?!

Scolding his own father?!

In an instant, blood rushed to his head, his face turned bright red, and his eyes almost spit fire!

"presumptuous!"

He roared, his dragon robe billowing, and gave the order with murderous intent:

"Guards! Seize Han Ye immediately! I want to see just what kind of extraordinary person this son-in-law of the Li Jing family is, daring to be so rebellious!"

The Imperial Guards moved at the order, their swords and armor clanging, and the atmosphere instantly became tense.

At this critical moment—

"Wait a minute!"

Li Junxian's face turned deathly pale. He hurriedly stopped him, bowing low and whispering, "Your Majesty, please calm your anger! Allow me to finish speaking... That Han Ye... is probably no ordinary person..."

Li Shimin suddenly turned his head, his gaze sharp as a knife, staring coldly at him:

"Oh?"

"What do you mean?"

Li Junxian's expression was grave. He stepped forward and said in a low voice, "Your Majesty, when Han Ye passed by just now, I carefully examined him—his breathing was labored, and his back was stiff as an iron bow. Clearly, it wasn't a cold, but rather an old wound that hadn't healed! A battle wound!"

boom!

These words struck Li Shimin like a thunderbolt, causing his pupils to shrink sharply.

Battle wounds?!

He suddenly looked up, his gaze sharp as a knife, piercing the void ahead.

Every battle on the border of the Tang Dynasty was under his watchful eye. Whenever a general or soldier was killed, reports would flood the emperor's ears like snowflakes.

But this Han Ye... a commoner boy from Youzhou, actually has the marks of battle all over his body?

absurd!

But what's even more absurd is yet to come.

Li Junxian's voice was extremely low, yet every word was like a nail: "Your Majesty, don't forget—Youzhou is precisely where the Ghost-Faced General once roamed..."

wow——

Li Shimin's eyelids suddenly darkened, his eyes narrowed into slits, and a hint of blood appeared in his eyes.

Youzhou... Ghost-faced General...

When these two words collide, it's like a rusty key suddenly unlocking a chain of memories that have been sealed for many years.

What a coincidence!

It's such a coincidence, it sends chills down my spine!

A young man, wounded in battle, from the hometown of the Ghost-Faced General, appeared at Qin Shubao's funeral and happened to be noticed by him... If all of this was just a coincidence, then God was being far too biased!

Li Shimin's heart suddenly raced, his chest heaved, and his voice trembled slightly: "Go! Go see Father immediately! He spoke with Han Ye; he must have noticed something!"

He paused, then added coldly, "Don't alarm the Crown Prince yet."

"Keep the news under wraps, don't let a single word leak out!"

"Yes!" Li Junxian clasped his hands in acceptance of the order, turned around and stood protectively beside the emperor, the two figures quickly disappearing into the depths of the palace passage.

And at this moment, in the crowd.

Han Ye frowned slightly, his fingertips subtly tightening around the dagger hidden in his sleeve, and muttered to himself, "Damn it."

He noticed it.

That gaze—cold, sharp, and with the scrutiny of someone who had been through countless battles—writhed around his back like a venomous snake.

It's Li Junxian!

Commander-in-Chief of the Imperial Guards, Li Shimin's sharpest weapon!

How could Han Ye forget that brief encounter on the city wall? Although the other party did not say it explicitly, his eyes clearly saw through his disguise!

"Heh..." He forced a bitter smile and sighed inwardly.

This body is not suffering from a cold; it is clearly a mutilated body riddled with old wounds.

Any military officer with a discerning eye could spot the flaw at a glance.

If I stay any longer, I'm afraid I'll be stopped and questioned on the spot.

He quietly withdrew and returned to Li Jing and Li Yingge's side.

Li Yingge immediately looked up, her brow furrowing slightly: "Where did you go? Why did you suddenly disappear?"

Han Ye smiled nonchalantly: "I ran into an old man and chatted with him about everyday things."

Old man?

Li Yingge was taken aback and looked around—the room was full of dignitaries, where did this idle old man come from?

Li Jing was startled.

This is the funeral of the Duke of Qin. Anyone who managed to sneak in must be of illustrious status. The so-called "old man"... who else could it be but the retired Emperor Li Yuan?

But judging from his calm demeanor and composed manner, he didn't seem like someone who had just conversed with an emperor...

Little did Han Ye know that not only did he see him, but he also pointed his finger at him and cursed him as an "old bastard," completely unaware that the man was actually the former emperor!