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

Li Shimin felt his head buzzing.

He looked at his son, who looked aggrieved and as if he had been greatly abused, and he was so angry that his teeth itched, but he was helpless.

赏？

What should we reward them with?

money?

This rebellious son has more private savings than the national treasury; more than half of the Ministry of Revenue's coffers are from what he just earned. Giving him money would be an insult.

right?

He held the seal of regent and commanded three invincible armies that disobeyed the emperor's orders and only recognized the crown prince. Aside from not wearing the dragon robe, what difference was there between him and the emperor?

woman?

Li Shimin glanced at his son's small frame, which wasn't even as tall as the table, and his old face flushed. If this reward were given, Empress Zhangsun would probably tear down the Ganlu Palace.

"What...what do you really want?"

Li Shimin took a deep breath and helplessly spread his hands. The powerlessness of an emperor made him look particularly weathered at that moment.

"You've emptied my imperial treasury, and even used the imperial seal to crack walnuts. Just tell me, do you want this chair I'm sitting on?"

"Don't!"

Li Chengqian jumped back in fright, waving his hands repeatedly with a look of disgust on his face.

"Father, please don't repay kindness with enmity! That chair is rock hard; I'll get hemorrhoids if I sit on it for too long. I don't want to."

"I just feel that the credit for this should be clearly calculated."

Li Chengqian started counting on his fingers and began to explain the details to his father.

"Look, you personally led the expedition, which was commendable in its spirit, but the result... was that you were trapped in a ravine and had to eat tree bark."

"It is I, your beloved son, who has traveled a great distance, bringing food, drink, and three heavenly soldiers to rescue the person."

"How should we calculate this merit of saving the emperor?"

"Also, the suppression of the rebellion in Youzhou was done by Bai Qi, and Bai Qi is one of my men."

"The destruction of the Turks was done by Huo Qubing, and Huo Qubing is also one of my men."

"Turning the grasslands into pastures was my idea."

"If all these achievements are ultimately recorded in history books with just one sentence: 'Your Majesty is divinely mighty and pacified the northern border,' wouldn't I be at a great loss?"

Li Chengqian blinked his big eyes, his face showing a clear "I don't want to suffer a loss" expression.

The officials and civil servants were drenched in cold sweat, burying their heads in their trousers, wishing they had gone deaf on the spot.

In this world, only His Highness the Crown Prince dares to settle accounts with the Emperor like this.

This isn't settling accounts; it's practically exposing the emperor's underwear!

Li Shimin's face flushed red and then turned pale, and he was so choked up that he couldn't speak for a long time.

Although I really wanted to argue, upon closer reflection...

This unfilial son speaks as if everything he says is the truth!

Aside from being used as bait, it seems I really didn't do anything else on this expedition?

"So what do you want?"

Li Shimin, having given up all hope, said, "How about I kowtow to you?"

"No, no, no!"

Li Chengqian quickly helped his father up, chuckled, and said, "Your son just wants some security."

"What kind of guarantee?"

"A get-out-of-jail-free card."

Li Chengqian stretched out his hand, "The kind of gold medal that no matter what terrible things I do, even if I make a huge mess of things, you can't hit me, scold me, or cripple me. You still have to provide for my food, drink, and entertainment."

"in addition……"

He straightened his chest, his face filled with reverence.

"Your subject wishes to be granted a title."

"What title? General of Heavenly Strategy? Or Heavenly Khan?" Li Shimin frowned.

"Tacky! So tacky!"

Li Chengqian shook his head, his eyes gleaming with longing.

"I want to be—the Salted Fish King of the Great Tang Dynasty for Life!"

"No need to attend court, no need to review memorials, no need to deal with those trivial matters. You just need to enjoy life and occasionally come out to clean up your mess."

"How about it? This request isn't unreasonable, is it?"

"puff--"

Cheng Yaojin couldn't help but laugh out loud, then quickly covered his mouth and pretended to cough.

Looking at his son's pathetic state, Li Shimin felt both angry and amused, yet also heartbroken.

Other people's princes, in their quest for power and profit, are practically burning the midnight oil.

My own husband is even worse; he's so shameless, trying to be lazy.

"OK."

After a long while, Li Shimin let out a long sigh, as if a heavy burden had been lifted from his shoulders.

He slowly walked up the steps and sat back on the dragon throne, his expression becoming more solemn than ever before.

"Draft an imperial edict."

The eunuch quickly spread out the imperial edict and picked up his pen to wait.

Li Shimin's gaze swept across the main hall, his voice booming and resounding throughout every corner.

"In the first year of Zhenguan, although I personally led the Northern Expedition, it was thanks to the strategic planning and decisive action of Crown Prince Chengqian that the tide was turned."

"The credit for saving the emperor, the achievement of quelling the rebellion, and the merit of expanding the territory all belong to the Crown Prince alone!"

"From this day forth, Crown Prince Li Chengqian shall be above all other princes, and shall not bow before the emperor, nor has he hasten his steps into the court; he shall carry a sword and wear shoes in the palace!"

"Bestowed with an 'Iron Certificate of Red Ink,' granting immunity from death nine times, except for treason!"

"Furthermore, the Crown Prince's request is not a matter of national importance, and he need not attend court. He is permitted to... act as he sees fit within the Eastern Palace!"

boom--!

The imperial edict shocked the entire hall.

This is hardly a reward.

This is clearly a package deal, giving half of the Tang Dynasty's territory, along with the emperor's face, to the crown prince!

From this day forward, the glory of the first year of the Zhenguan era in the history books of the Tang Dynasty will no longer belong to Li Shimin, but to that eight-year-old boy.

Li Shimin sat on the high dragon throne, looking down at his son who beamed with joy upon hearing "there is no need to attend court," and a bittersweet smile appeared on his lips.

He knew that from this moment on, he had become a background figure.

He became the "escort emperor" overshadowed by his son's brilliance.

But he doesn't regret it.

Because he saw the future of the Tang Dynasty, which was shining with unprecedented brilliance in the hands of that seemingly lazy young man.

"Thank you for your great favor, Father Emperor!"

Li Chengqian shouted, but did not kneel down; he simply cupped his hands in a casual gesture.

He accepted the imperial edict as if he had received a long-term meal ticket and a vacation pass; he was so happy he almost blew snot out of his nose.

"It's done!"

"Finally, I don't have to get up early! Finally, I can legitimately slack off!"

Li Chengqian turned around with satisfaction, looking at the civil and military officials who were shouting "Long live the Emperor!" to him, feeling that he had reached the pinnacle of his life.

He yawned widely, and drowsiness washed over him like a tidal wave.

"Um... are you alright now?"

"I'll go to sleep now if there's nothing else."

After saying that, he walked straight to the regent's throne below the dragon throne in full view of everyone.

He plopped down on his bottom.

I adjusted to a comfortable position.

Close your eyes.

"Whoosh—whoosh—"

In just three breaths, even and sweet snoring filled the solemn and dignified Taiji Hall.

Quiet.

A deathly silence.

Everyone was dumbfounded.

Is this the Crown Prince who was just awarded the title of "General of Heavenly Strategy Plus"?

Is this the peerless genius who turned the tide and shook the northern desert?

Amidst the throngs of officials paying homage, he just... fell asleep?

Li Shimin sat on the dragon throne, listening to the snoring sounds around him, his facial muscles twitching wildly.

He glanced at the ministers kneeling below, then at his son sleeping soundly beside him.

A deep sense of powerlessness arose spontaneously.

I, the emperor…

Wasn't it really unnecessary?

Just then, a gentle breeze blew through the hall, lifting a corner of Li Chengqian's robe.

No one noticed that the boy, who was smacking his lips in his sleep, had a faint smile on his face.

Volume One: The Salted Fish Turns the Tide, A Perfect Ending.

The crisis was resolved, the territory expanded, the wallets bulged, and the old man became obedient.

The Tang Dynasty is about to enter a period of rapid, high-speed development.

but……

The tree wants to be calm and the wind does not stop.

In the distant Western Regions, in the Tibetan Empire atop the snow-capped mountains, and even further west.

Countless pairs of greedy, jealous, and fearful eyes are watching this awakening Eastern dragon.

The wind is about to rise again.

But now...

Let me get a good night's sleep first.

Even if the sky falls, there's the Emperor as a backdrop to hold it up.