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

In winter, the wind in Chang'an is biting cold, and it feels like a knife cutting your face.

But today, Zhuque Avenue is as hot as the dog days of summer.

There was no other reason than that exciting news, which, like wings, spread to every corner of the city overnight—

The army has returned in triumph!

The Beiting Protectorate has been established!

Our Crown Prince has returned, carrying with him the grand blueprint to transform the grasslands into the Tang Dynasty's back garden!

"They're here! They're here! We can see the flag!"

Someone shouted, and the previously crowded and noisy crowd instantly boiled over, like water being boiled, bubbling and steaming.

That was a true case of everyone flocking to the streets.

Rooftops, tree branches, walls, and even the stone lions by the roadside were covered with people. Whether they were wealthy merchants dressed in silk and satin or ragged peddlers and laborers, they all craned their necks, stood on tiptoe, and stared intently at the majestic Mingde Gate.

"Boom!"

The dull thud of horses' hooves shattered the winter silence.

The first thing to enter the city was a bright yellow dragon flag fluttering in the wind.

Li Shimin, clad in golden armor and riding the magnificent steed Saluzi, led the procession. Although the long journey had made his face somewhat gaunt and stubble appear, it did not diminish his domineering imperial aura.

"Long live Your Majesty! Long live the Tang Dynasty!"

The people knelt down in droves, and cheers surged forth like a tsunami.

Li Shimin smiled and waved frequently, feeling extremely comfortable.

This is the feeling I want!

This is the kind of grandeur a Heavenly Khan should have!

The veteran generals following behind him, such as Cheng Yaojin and Yuchi Gong, all puffed out their chests, as if they wanted to lift their chins to the sky.

"Hey! General Cheng, catch!"

An old woman by the roadside, seemingly out of nowhere, managed to push past the imperial guards and forcefully stuff a basket of still-steaming flatbreads into Cheng Yaojin's arms.

"This is fresh out of the pot, give the soldiers something to eat! You've worked hard killing those Turkic wolves!"

"Haha! Thank you so much, sister-in-law!"

Cheng Yaojin didn't stand on ceremony. He grabbed a pancake and took a big bite, crumbs flying everywhere. He waved his axe and laughed, "So delicious! This is the taste of home!"

"General Yuchi, these are eggs laid by my old hen; they're good for you!"

"General Qin, these are insoles my daughter made..."

Flowers, fruits, eggs, pancakes...

The people expressed their respect for these guardian deities in the simplest and most enthusiastic way. The scene was so moving that it brought tears to my eyes.

however.

When the magnificent palanquin, uniquely designed and pulled by eight black and white balls, appeared at the city gate in the middle of the procession.

The air on Suzaku Avenue seemed to freeze for a moment.

Followed by.

"boom--!!!"

If the cheers that greeted Li Shimin just now were a tsunami, then this moment is a volcanic eruption, a cataclysmic event!

The sound was so loud that even the roof tiles on both sides trembled.

"Your Highness! It's Your Highness!"

"Our living Buddha is back! Our living Buddha is back!"

Countless people surged forward like madmen, desperately reaching out even when blocked by the Imperial Guards' spears, as if they could absorb a wisp of divine energy just by getting a little closer to the carriage.

"Long live Your Highness! Long live Your Highness! Long live Your Highness!"

This outcry is not just filled with awe, but also with gratitude and reverence from the depths of the soul.

An old man wearing a brand-new wool sweater knelt on the ground, weeping uncontrollably.

"Your Highness! Thanks to your wool sweater, my mother didn't suffer from arthritis this winter! You are our family's savior!"

"Your Highness! Your coal is so easy to burn! It's cheap and warm, we don't have to suffer from the cold anymore!"

"If it weren't for Your Highness stabilizing grain prices, our whole family would have starved to death long ago! We kowtow to Your Highness!"

Those fervent eyes and those heart-wrenching expressions of gratitude converged into an unstoppable torrent, instantly drowning out all previous sounds.

On the carriage.

Li Chengqian still looked like he hadn't woken up yet, wrapped in a thick fox fur coat and holding a hand warmer in his arms.

He lifted a corner of the carriage curtain, looked at the frenzied scene outside, and helplessly pursed his lips.

"These people are so loud, they're giving me a headache."

He casually grabbed a handful of cheese curds he had brought back from the grasslands and tossed them out the window.

"Alright, alright, stop howling. Here, take this to sweeten your mouths, and everyone can go home."

"Wow! His Highness has bestowed upon us elixirs of immortality!"

"Grab it! Eating it will grant you immortality!"

The people went even crazier, and they almost came to blows over a single piece of cheese.

Li Shimin, who was walking at the front, gradually stiffened his smile, which eventually disappeared.

He rode on his horse with his back ramrod straight, but inside he felt like a jumble of emotions—sweet, sour, bitter, spicy, and salty.

He tilted his ear, trying to hear even a single "Your Majesty is wise" amidst the deafening cheers.

But no.

All they said were phrases like "The Crown Prince is benevolent," "The Crown Prince is divinely mighty," and "Long live the Crown Prince."

Even the old lady who had just given him the sesame cakes had thrown away her basket and was now kneeling on the ground, kowtowing to the panda-themed car.

"What... what's going on here?"

Li Shimin's knuckles turned white as he gripped the reins. He felt a pang of bitterness in his heart, a bitterness worse than drinking ten pounds of aged vinegar.

I personally led the expedition, almost losing my life at Longmen Mountain, and killed so many Turks, expanding our territory by thousands of miles.

The results of it?

In the eyes of ordinary people, it's not even as good as a few tattered sweaters or a few pieces of black coal that the unfilial son produced.

"His Majesty……"

Changsun Wuji rode over on horseback, and seeing the emperor's face, which was darker than the bottom of a pot, he cautiously advised, "The people are simple and honest; they only care about immediate benefits. His Highness the Crown Prince's methods have indeed benefited the people, and it's only natural that they are grateful..."

"Is that just human nature?"

Li Shimin snorted coldly, exhaling two puffs of white breath from his nostrils. "I think they're ungrateful! They've forgotten who sheltered them from the wind and rain!"

He turned around and glared fiercely at the dazzling Panda car.

The rebellious son was leaning against the cushion, receiving the worship of the people while Wu Meiniang peeled grapes for him. His smug appearance made Li Shimin's teeth itch with envy.

This is a monster!

A demon specifically sent to afflict me!

"no."

Li Shimin took a deep breath, and the dejection in his eyes vanished, replaced by an indomitable fighting spirit.

"I am the emperor! I am the master of this Tang Dynasty!"

"We can't let him steal all the limelight!"

"Tonight's victory celebration banquet..."

Li Shimin narrowed his eyes, looking at the majestic Taiji Palace in the distance, a meaningful sneer curling at the corner of his mouth.

"I must get my revenge!"

"Old Cheng!"

He suddenly shouted.

"Your subject is here!"

Cheng Yaojin, who was still munching on a sesame seed cake, was startled and almost choked. He quickly urged his horse forward.

"Go tell the imperial kitchen to hold tonight's victory banquet at the highest level!"

Li Shimin gritted his teeth and gave the order.

"Also, bring out those several jars of century-old vintage wine that I have treasured!"

"Tonight, I'm going to have a proper 'heart-to-heart' with that rebellious son!"

Seeing the emperor's murderous aura, as if he were about to go to battle, Cheng Yaojin shrank back and muttered to himself:

This is hardly a victory celebration banquet!

This is clearly a trap!

but……

He glanced back at the Crown Prince, who was still carefree eating grapes.

"Hehe, this is going to be interesting."

"Your Majesty, are you sure you can outdrink His Highness?"

"roll!"