Deposed? I couldn't be happier! I wouldn't even be a dog to the crown prince.

"A decisive victory?"

Li Chengqian tossed the still-floating koi into the bucket of water beside him, the splashing water wetting Yuan Tiangang's Taoist robe, but he was completely unaware.

"Old Yuan, have you been sleeping poorly lately? Are your eyes getting blurry?"

Li Chengqian clapped his hands, looking unconvinced. "My father, though not the brightest and a bit impulsive, was still a General of the Heavenly Strategy who fought his way out of mountains of corpses and seas of blood. What ominous sign could he possibly have?"

"Your Highness! This matter is of utmost importance!"

Yuan Tiangang grew anxious, flicked his whisk, pointed to the northern sky, and his voice changed.

"Last night, this humble Taoist priest, at the Star Gazing Platform, used all my life's cultivation to deduce the secrets of heaven, and saw them clearly!"

"The Ziwei Imperial Star, representing His Majesty, is currently trapped in a situation where it is surrounded by the three stars of the 'Kill, Break, Wolf' triad!"

"Seven Killings is a meat grinder, signifying war; Broken Army is a spear that breaks through enemy lines, signifying chaos and conflict; Greedy Wolf is a treacherous star, signifying backstabbing and treachery by villains!"

Yuan Tiangang became more and more excited as he spoke, his face turning red.

"The convergence of these three stars, accompanied by a blood-red aura reaching the heavens, is an ominous sign, a rare occurrence in a millennium! It foretells that Your Majesty's journey will not only end in a crushing defeat, but also... even greater danger, your very demise!"

"Fallen?"

Li Chengqian raised an eyebrow, and the smile on his lips finally faded a little.

He knew that although Yuan Tiangang was a "charlatan" he had summoned, he was truly capable. If he said there was an ominous sign, then nine times out of ten, something bad was really going to happen.

……

The news spread like wildfire, quickly reaching beyond the Eastern Palace.

Although Li Chengqian issued a gag order, how could such a matter concerning the emperor's life and death be kept secret?

In less than half an hour, the prime ministers Fang Xuanling, Du Ruhui, and Changsun Wuji, who were left behind in the capital, rushed into the Eastern Palace in a great hurry.

"Your Highness! Is what Master Yuan said true?"

As soon as Fang Xuanling entered, he asked in a hurry, forgetting to even perform the proper etiquette.

At this time, Li Cheng-

Qian has returned to Lizheng Palace.

He was sitting by the stove, holding an iron skewer, slowly grilling the large koi he had just caught.

The fish was grilled until it sizzled and dripped with oil, its skin golden and crispy, emitting an enticing aroma.

"What's real or fake?"

Li Chengqian didn't even look up, concentrating on sprinkling cumin on the fish. "You've come at the perfect time, Master Fang. My fish is almost done grilling. How about I share a fish tail with you?"

"Your Highness!"

Du Ruhui stamped his feet in frustration. This usually composed prime minister was now completely flustered. "What time is it? You still have the appetite to eat fish?!"

"If His Majesty were to encounter trouble in the northern border, then... then the Great Tang Dynasty would be finished!"

"Yes, Your Highness!"

Changsun Wuji also looked grave. "The court is in turmoil, and we are all counting on your presence. If anything were to happen, we must prepare as soon as possible!"

"Prepare? Prepare for what?"

Li Chengqian finally finished grilling the fish, tore off a large piece of the fattest belly meat, stuffed it into his mouth, and gasped for breath from the heat.

"Are you preparing for the coronation ceremony?"

"Your Highness, please watch your words!"

The three of them turned pale with fright and knelt down on the ground in unison.

If such words were to get out, it would be a crime of treason!

"Alright, alright, I was just kidding. Look how scared you were."

Li Chengqian waved his hand, signaling them to get up.

He placed the grilled fish on a plate and slowly and methodically removed the bones, his calm demeanor a stark contrast to the anxious crowd.

"Relax, relax."

He blew on the steam rising from the fish, looking completely nonchalant. "My father is incredibly resilient. Back then, all those swords and spears at Xuanwu Gate couldn't kill him. With just a few tens of thousands of ragtag troops from Jieli, you think you can bring him down? Dream on."

"But Your Highness, that's an army of 300,000! And Master Yuan has already said..." Fang Xuanling was still worried.

"Yuan Tiangang's teachings are metaphysical; they need to be explained scientifically."

Li Chengqian rolled his eyes. "Besides, celestial phenomena are a matter of belief. Maybe my dad didn't cover himself properly last night and caught a cold, which is why the stars are dim. Drinking more hot water will do the trick."

These absurd and fallacious arguments left the three prime ministers looking at each other, not knowing whether to laugh or cry.

My little darling!

What time is it? Why are you acting like nothing's wrong?

"Your Highness, this matter is truly not to be taken lightly!"

Changsun Wuji earnestly advised, "Why don't you... send a troop to meet His Majesty? It's always good to be prepared."

"Send troops?"

Li Chengqian tossed the fish bones aside and wiped his hands.

"Who should we send? The Great Snow Dragon Cavalry are heavy cavalry, not suitable for long-distance raids. Bai Qi is in Youzhou keeping an eye on Zhishi Sili's 50,000 men, so he can't move them. Yue Fei's Beiwei Army must guard Chang'an, just in case."

"I'm out of soldiers too."

He spread his hands, wearing an innocent expression that said, "Even the landlord's family has no surplus grain."

Seeing his unyielding attitude, Fang Xuanling and the others felt a deep sense of powerlessness welling up in their hearts.

The emperor was a warmonger and insisted on personally leading the expedition.

The crown prince is a salted fish king; even if the sky falls, all he wants to do is sleep.

Can the Tang Dynasty ever recover?

Seeing the sorrowful expressions on the faces of the three old ministers, as if the country was about to perish, Li Chengqian chuckled inwardly.

It's not that he's not in a hurry.

He knew better than anyone that Li Shimin was going to suffer a major setback this time.

But he couldn't show it.

Firstly, we need to teach Old Li a lesson so he'll remember it and won't try to steal credit from us in the future.

Secondly...

He needs to find a reason to reveal his other trump card.

"Alright, alright, stop wailing here."

Li Chengqian stood up, stretched, and said, "The sky isn't going to fall. Just pretend you don't know anything and go about your business."

"With me here, my father won't die."

"Even if the King of Hell wants to take him, he has to ask me first if I agree."

That's a statement that exudes domineering power.

Although it sounded like bragging, Fang Xuanling and the others actually felt much more at ease when they thought about the Crown Prince's previous miracles.

Yes.

When has this guy ever disappointed anyone?

Perhaps... he really does have some backup plan?

The three exchanged glances, their hearts filled with skepticism, and bowed as they withdrew.

Once everyone had left, the Lizheng Hall returned to silence.

The lazy expression on Li Chengqian's face vanished instantly, replaced by a sly smile.

He wrapped the remaining half of the grilled fish in oil paper, tucked it into his pocket, and then said quietly to the air:

"System, stop playing dead, come out and let's talk."

【…】

"If my father really dies outside, according to the inheritance law, wouldn't I automatically become the emperor?"

Li Chengqian rubbed his hands together and asked with an expectant look.

"Does that mean I've completed all the main quests?"

"Is it possible to... retire early?"