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

"material?"

Ashina Yun's body stiffened, his already taut back straightening instantly, as if an invisible hand had gripped his throat.

She bit her lip hard, forcing herself to calm down, and forced a hint of innocence and stubbornness into her bright blue eyes.

"What does Your Highness mean by that? This servant...this servant doesn't understand."

"It's just wine, what else could it possibly have?"

Li Chengqian swirled the luminous cup in his hand, the purplish-red liquid leaving alluring streaks on the cup's surface. He tilted his head, observing the stubborn grassland princess with great interest.

"Can't understand?"

"Okay, then I'll translate it for you."

He suddenly stood up, took a step in front of Ashina Yun, and shoved the wine cup in his hand towards her lips.

"Since there's nothing wrong with the wine, then you should drink it."

"Drink this, and I'll believe you're innocent."

Ashina Yun's face turned deathly pale instantly. He instinctively shrank back and collapsed to the ground.

That's a "tethering mechanism"!

If you drink it, your intestines will rupture and your stomach will rot, blood will flow from your seven orifices, and you will die a horrific death!

Although she was prepared to die, when the moment actually came, the instinctive fear of death made her back down.

"What? You're afraid?"

Li Chengqian scoffed and casually poured the cup of poisoned wine, enough to kill a cow, onto the ground.

"Sizzle sizzle—"

The liquid hit the ground and a puff of smoke rose up. The once smooth bluestone slab was instantly corroded, leaving a charred mark and emitting a nauseating sour smell.

"hiss--!"

Li Tai, who had been hiding to the side gnawing on a lamb leg, was so frightened by this scene that he dropped the meat in his hand and sat down on the ground with a thud, his whole body trembling.

"Poison...poisoned wine?!"

The chubby boy pointed at the corroded floor tile, tears welling in his eyes, "Big brother! She's going to kill you! She's going to poison us!"

"Stay calm, stay calm."

Li Chengqian patted his younger brother's head, looking completely nonchalant. "This little bit of poison isn't even enough to rinse your older brother's mouth."

As someone with a cheat-like system at his disposal, being immune to all poisons is just basic stuff for him. Let alone this little trick, even if he drank arsenic like tea, he would only feel a slight burning sensation in his throat.

"Take it down."

Li Chengqian uttered two words calmly.

Xu Xiao, who had been standing in the shadows, appeared behind Ashina Yun like a ghost, and his withered, claw-like hand grabbed her shoulder.

"ah--!"

Ashina Yun let out a scream as he was lifted up as if he were a chick about to be slaughtered.

"Let me go! You devils!"

"I'm going to kill you all! I'm going to avenge my uncle!"

She struggled frantically, her fingernails scratching bloody marks on Xu Xiao's hand, her eyes filled with venomous fire.

"Tsk tsk tsk, what a nice girl, it's a pity she has a mouth."

Li Chengqian shook his head and sighed with some regret, "I was hoping you would pour me water to wash my feet, but now it seems you're only fit to work in the coal mines."

"Take him away and lock him in the imperial prison."

"Let Shen Lian interrogate her thoroughly and see how many of her accomplices are still in the Eastern Palace."

"promise!"

Xu Xiao, carrying Ashina Yun who was still cursing, strode out.

Silence returned to Lizheng Hall.

Only the still-smoking pool of poisoned wine on the floor tiles proved that what had just happened was not an illusion.

Li Tai huddled in the corner, staring at the corroded floor tile, then at his older brother who seemed unaffected and had returned to his rocking chair. His small eyes were filled with great confusion.

"Brother...you just drank that wine...are you really alright?"

"Nonsense, your older brother is a god descended to earth, what's a little poison to me?"

Li Chengqian rolled his eyes, grabbed a grape and tossed it into his mouth. "But this has reminded me of something."

He squinted, his fingers tapping lightly on the armrest.

"These Turks, although they've been defeated and subdued, are still not honest in their hearts."

"Ashina Yun is just the beginning. Those hundreds of thousands of prisoners on the grassland, as well as those tribal leaders who have seemingly submitted, are probably all plotting something sinister."

"We need to find someone to keep an eye on things and give them a nudge."

"But who should we send?"

Li Chengqian had a headache.

Bai Qi's murderous aura was too strong, easily inciting popular uprisings; Yue Fei was too upright and didn't understand the intricacies of the situation; Huo Qubing was a war fanatic, and if he were put in charge of maintaining order, he would probably flatten the grasslands.

Ideally, they should be someone of high status who can command respect, yet appear harmless enough to put them at ease.

Just then.

A greasy, chubby hand suddenly tugged at his sleeve.

Li Chengqian turned his head and saw Li Tai staring at him with his beady green eyes, looking at him expectantly.

"Big brother, do you think I'm any good?"

"you?"

Li Chengqian paused for a moment, looking his younger brother, who did nothing but eat and sleep, up and down. "What can you do? Go to the grasslands and teach them how to gain weight?"

"I can eat it!"

Li Tai puffed out his chest, patted his round belly, and looked proud.

"Brother, didn't you just say that these people are dishonest because they harbor resentment?"

"Then I'll go! I'll eat roasted whole lamb and drink mare's milk wine in front of them every day, making them drool!"

"and……"

Li Tai's eyes darted around, and he revealed a sly smile.

"I've heard all about it. The lamb from the grasslands is absolutely authentic! It has no gamey smell at all, and when roasted, it's crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, sizzling with oil..."

"I want to try it!"

"And...while you're at it, keep an eye on those barbarians. If anyone dares to cause trouble, I'll sit on them and kill them!"

Seeing his younger brother's greedy look, Li Chengqian was about to kick him away when a sudden idea flashed into his mind.

Hey?

This idea... seems like it might actually work?

Who is Li Tai? He is the Prince of Wei of the Tang Dynasty, the emperor's most beloved son, whose status is noble enough that his presence represents the majesty of the royal family.

Moreover, this kid has a cheerful appearance and a blessed look, so he doesn't seem aggressive and is the easiest person to put on a lower guard.

Let him be a "mascot" Grand Commander, eating and drinking every day, and engaging in "food diplomacy." Maybe that would be more effective than sending a killing machine.

What's this called?

This is called "using one's size to win people over"!

"Alright, Qingque."

Li Chengqian slapped his thigh, as if he were seeing his younger brother in a new light, "I never thought you actually had anything going for you besides food."

"You want to go to the grasslands, right? Fine, you can have that!"

"Really?!" Li Tai was so happy he almost jumped up.

"More real than pearls."

Li Chengqian took out the imperial seal from his pocket and casually stamped it on a blank sheet of Xuan paper.

"Take this and go to the Ministry of War."

"From this day forward, you are the Grand Commander of the Northern Protectorate of the Great Tang Dynasty!"

"Once we get there, don't skimp on the money. Eat whatever you want, do whatever you want. Bring all those Turkic nobles here to keep you company and show them what the grandeur of a Tang Dynasty prince is!"

"Alright! Long live Big Brother!"

Li Tai hugged the appointment letter and kissed it again and again, looking even happier than if he had become the top scholar in the imperial examination.

"I'm going to pack my bags right now! I'm bringing the best barbecue chef from the imperial kitchen! And cumin! And chili powder!"

Watching his younger brother's cheerful departing figure, Li Chengqian's lips curled into a meaningful smile.

That's good now.

With the Bluebird as a "stabilizing force" on the grasslands, coupled with Huo Qubing's military might, even the most audacious barbarians had to behave themselves.

As for the Emperor's side...

"Hehe, the deed is done, he can't refuse now."

……

Half an hour later, at Ganlu Palace.

"What?!"

Li Shimin stared at the appointment letter in his hand, which was stamped with a bright red seal, his eyes nearly popping out of their sockets, and his voice cracked.

"Send Qingque to Beiting as the governor?!"

"He's only seven years old! And he can't do anything but eat! Sending him to that kind of wilderness is like sending a lamb to the slaughter!"

"No! Absolutely not!"

Li Shimin slammed the appointment letter on the table, his beard trembling with anger.

"I won't allow it! Summon that rebellious son to me immediately! I want..."

"His Majesty."

Standing to the side, Wang De cautiously reminded him, "His Highness Prince Wei... departed half an hour ago."

"It is said...it is said that they brought three whole cartloads of seasonings and more than a dozen imperial chefs, saying they were going to...to roast all the sheep on the grassland."

Li Shimin: "..."

He opened his mouth wide and couldn't close it for a long time.

These two brothers...

One is a madman, the other is a fool.

Is there any hope for the Tang Dynasty to ever recover?!