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

The north wind howled, and outside Yanmen Pass, the sounds of battle shook the heavens.

The news of Li Shimin's personal expedition was like a shot in the arm, piercing the hearts of every Tang Dynasty soldier.

The emperor himself is risking his life, so what reason do these soldiers have not to fight?

For a time, the morale of the Tang army soared.

"Report—!"

"A great victory! His Majesty personally led three thousand Xuanjia soldiers in a night raid on the left flank of the Turks, killing three thousand enemies and capturing five fortresses!"

"Report—!"

"A great victory! General Yuchi fought bravely on the battlefield, smashing the head of the Tiele tribe's number one warrior with three whip strikes, terrifying the enemy!"

"Report—!"

"A great victory! Our army has penetrated three hundred miles into the grasslands, its advance pointing directly into the heart of the Turkic territory. That brat Jieli has fled at the mere mention of our name, daring not to engage us in battle!"

One after another, urgent reports of victory flew into Chang'an like snowflakes.

The entire city of Chang'an was in an uproar.

In teahouses and taverns, storytellers, their voices hoarse from shouting, recounted with spittle flying how General Li Shimin "destroyed enemy ships and forts with a laugh."

The people spread the word, and every household decorated with lanterns and colorful decorations, as if they were celebrating the New Year early.

"I knew it! His Majesty is the most capable fighter!"

"What Crown Prince? He's not even fully grown yet, how can he compare to His Majesty's divine might?"

"Exactly! Last time at the Wei River, it was definitely His Majesty's doing; the Crown Prince just benefited from it!"

That's how realistic public opinion can be.

Whoever wins, they'll praise them.

Inside the Taiji Hall.

The atmosphere was so festive, it felt like a wedding celebration.

The Minister of War held the latest battle report in his hand and read it aloud with great emotion and intonation. Anyone who didn't know better would think he was reciting poetry rather than reading a military report.

"...His Majesty's divine might is like a prison, personally leading the Xuanjia Army, capturing five cities in three days with unstoppable momentum. The enemy surrendered at the mere sight of them. The might of our Great Tang army has already shaken the northern deserts..."

"Okay! Okay!"

Changsun Wuji stroked his beard, his face glowing, "Your Majesty's skill remains undiminished; the title of General of Heavenly Strategy is truly well-deserved!"

"Yes, yes," Du Ruhui said with a look of relief, "It seems we were overthinking things. With His Majesty's brilliant military strategy, these 300,000 Turkic allied troops are nothing but clay chickens and earthen dogs, utterly vulnerable!"

"Your Majesty, we offer our congratulations! Congratulations to the Great Tang!"

All the civil and military officials knelt down in unison, shouting "Long live the Emperor!"

Those faces were filled with excitement and admiration.

It seems that in their eyes, the war has already been won.

The head of Jieli Khan is already His Majesty's...

It's already in my pocket.

however.

In this atmosphere of universal celebration and fervor.

There was only one place, eerily quiet.

The Eastern Palace, Lizheng Hall.

Li Chengqian was sitting cross-legged in front of the huge sand table, holding a small red flag representing the Xuanjia Army in his hand.

He did not read the official reports of victory that were copied from the palace and filled with effusive praise.

What he was reading were the most authentic and original military intelligence reports that Qinglong sent back from the front lines every hour by carrier pigeon.

"The first battle was a great success, with three thousand enemy soldiers killed and none of our soldiers killed."

"The next day, we captured another city. The enemy put up a little resistance and then fled. Our army suffered more than 20 minor wounds."

"On the third day, they advanced three hundred li without encountering any main force along the way, and the enemy troops collapsed at the first contact."

Li Chengqian's brow furrowed more and more deeply with each secret report he read.

In the end, a lingering gloom had settled over his tender little face.

Something's not right.

He muttered to himself, his finger lightly tracing the lonely marching route on the sand table.

"It's going too smoothly."

"It's as if... someone is deliberately feeding Father Emperor."

Fang Xuanling stood to the side, holding the same secret report in his hand. His face, which was always full of wisdom, was now filled with solemnity.

He was also a master of military strategy, so he naturally saw the danger involved.

"Your Highness, you mean..."

Fang Xuanling's voice was somewhat hoarse, "This is... a plan to lure the enemy deep into our territory?"

"It's not just similar, it is exactly like that."

Li Chengqian sneered, picked up a large black chess piece representing the main force of the Turks, and slammed it heavily onto the sand table.

The chess piece landed precisely in front of Li Shimin's small red flag.

A narrow valley pass surrounded by mountains on two sides.

"Father, he wants to win too much."

Li Chengqian sighed, his eyes filled with complex emotions.

"He was too eager to prove himself, too eager to break free from my shadow. So, he became anxious."

"That old fox Jieli saw right through him. He deliberately retreated step by step, using several empty cities and the lives of thousands of cannon fodder to lure my father, this fierce tiger, into the trap he had dug long ago."

"Once the Xuanjia Army enters this trap..."

Li Chengqian didn't say anything more, but Fang Xuanling was already terrified.

Three thousand cavalrymen, deep in enemy territory, once surrounded, would be in a hopeless situation where they could not call for help from heaven or earth!

"Then... what should we do?"

Fang Xuanling panicked completely. "Your Highness, news of our great victory has already spread throughout Chang'an. If word gets out now that His Majesty is besieged, then...the morale of the people will be completely destroyed!"

Why do you still look so worried?

Looking at Li Chengqian's face, which was so gloomy it seemed to drip with water, Fang Xuanling finally asked the question that had been bothering him, "Didn't you already expect this?"

Li Chengqian did not answer.

He simply stood up, walked to the window, and looked at the clear sky in the distance.

a long time.

He pointed to the unremarkable valley on the sand table, his voice low and deep, carrying a hint of something he himself didn't even realize—

I feel irritable.

"Because of the intelligence from the Embroidered Uniform Guard and my deductions."

"Tonight is the time for Jieli to close the net."

"This is a trap to lure the enemy deep into our territory."

He turned his head, looked at Fang Xuanling, and said, word by word:

"My father... is going to be in trouble tonight."