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

"Nonsense! Absolutely nonsense!"

Li Shimin's roar almost overturned the glazed tiles of the Lizheng Hall.

He strode in, pointed at Li Chengqian's nose, and was so angry that his face turned red and his neck bulged.

"Qingque is only seven years old! Seven years old!"

"He can't even climb a horse, and you want him to go to the grasslands? To that desolate, war-torn wilderness?"

"You're sending him to his death! I absolutely will not allow it!"

Li Shimin was truly anxious.

Although he was often troubled by Li Tai's "inability to do anything but eat," Li Tai was, after all, his second son and the apple of his eye.

Is the grassland a place for humans to live?

Not to mention the wind and sun, if some Turkic tribe were to feign surrender, or if some ignorant barbarian were to attempt an assassination, Qingque's meager strength wouldn't even be enough to fill their teeth!

Despite his father's furious outburst, Li Chengqian remained remarkably calm.

He didn't even get up from the rocking chair; he just slowly picked at his ear and flicked his fingers.

"Father, I don't like hearing you say that."

What does "suicide" mean?

"The Beiting Protectorate is now part of our Great Tang territory. Bai Qi is stationed there, and Yue Fei is guarding it. That place is even safer than Chang'an."

"Who dares to lay a finger on Qingque?"

Li Chengqian rolled his eyes, his tone full of disdain.

"Besides, I didn't let him go alone."

"I had Huo Qubing accompany me."

"Huo Qubing?" Li Shimin was taken aback.

"Yes, Marquis of Champion."

Li Chengqian counted on his fingers.

"That kid Huo has been living in Chang'an lately and he's been growing all sorts of hair. He keeps saying he wants to go hunting. Let him take eight hundred Snow Dragon Riders to escort Qingque, and let him take a ride on the grasslands while he's at it."

"With him around, do you think anyone in this world could harm Qingque?"

Li Shimin opened his mouth, but the words of rebuttal stuck in his throat.

Also.

Who was Huo Qubing?

He was a ruthless man who dared to kick Jieli's ass with only eight hundred men. With him as a bodyguard, plus Bai Qi and Yue Fei providing support from the flanks, the security level was even higher than that of an emperor personally leading an expedition.

"But……"

Li Shimin was still uneasy, his brows furrowed.

"Qingque... he doesn't understand anything."

"Does he know how to govern a region and appease tribes? If he went there, wouldn't he be laughed at to death?"

"Who told him to go and manage it?"

Li Chengqian scoffed, looking at Li Shimin as if he were an alien.

"I sent him there to be a 'mascot'."

"Mascot?" Li Shimin was completely bewildered upon hearing this new term.

"It's just for show, to keep things in order."

Li Chengqian sat up straight and began to deceive.

"Father, think about it. The grasslands have just been pacified. Although those Turks have been defeated and subdued, they must still be worried. They are afraid that we will settle scores with them later and that we will treat them as slaves."

"At this time, if a fierce-looking general were to arrive, they would definitely be even more afraid."

"But if we go to..."

Li Chengqian made a round, plump gesture.

"Where's that chubby, smiling prince who only knows how to eat, drink, and have fun?"

"What will they think?"

Li Shimin followed his son's train of thought and considered it.

If he were a Turk, and saw that the Tang Dynasty had sent a fat prince who only knew how to eat to take charge...

"They might think... that the Tang Dynasty didn't intend to exterminate everyone? They might even think... this prince is easy to talk to?"

"Bingo! You got it right!"

Li Chengqian snapped his fingers.

"When Qingque sits there, he becomes a living signboard of the Tang Dynasty's 'benevolence and virtue'."

"He spends his days eating and drinking, having parties with the tribal chiefs, and discussing his experience roasting whole lamb. Doesn't that bring them closer?"

"This is called—food diplomacy!"

"It can both appease people's hearts and show the magnanimity of our Great Tang Dynasty."

"The most crucial thing is..."

Li Chengqian lowered his voice, a wicked smile on his face.

"Qingque is watched by you and the Empress Dowager every day in Chang'an. He cries for half a day if he misses a single bite of meat. Sending him to the grasslands is like releasing a tiger back into the mountains... no, it's like releasing a pig back into the forest."

"Let him run wild, eat, and play."

"As long as he doesn't cause trouble, it's just a matter of wasting some mutton, right? Are we short of mutton right now?"

Li Shimin was completely bewildered by this set of fallacies and heresies.

He thought about it carefully.

It seems... there's actually a damn reason to it?

Instead of letting Qingque idly languish in Chang'an, why not send him to the grasslands as a "peace ambassador"? That way, he can also make good use of his talents.

"So... what official position do you plan to give him?"

Li Shimin relented, "A low-ranking official can't maintain order, and a high-ranking one... he doesn't have the ability."

"Don't worry, I've thought it all through."

Li Chengqian took out the imperial seal that he never parted with from his bosom.

"Snapped!"

A crisp sound.

He simply stamped a large, bright red seal on a pre-written appointment letter.

"The Grand Commander of the Beiting Protectorate!"

"hiss--!"

Li Shimin gasped. "Grand Commander? That's a second-rank provincial governor! You're sending him?"

"A nominal position, nothing more."

Li Chengqian rolled up the appointment letter and casually tossed it to Wang De, who was standing to the side.

"The real power was in the hands of the Chief Clerk and the Commander, namely Bai Qi and Yue Fei."

"The Grand Commander Qingque is mainly responsible for eating, gaining weight, and receiving gifts on behalf of the royal family."

That's enough.

Li Shimin looked at the appointment letter, then at Li Chengqian's resolute expression, and finally sighed helplessly.

"Fine, do whatever you want."

"But let me make this clear from the start: if Qingque suffers any injustice over there, or loses weight..."

"I can't lose weight!"

Li Chengqian assured him firmly, "The grasslands are full of meat; it'll be hard for him to lose weight. I reckon you won't even recognize him when he comes back."

"Alright, alright, I don't care anymore!"

Li Shimin waved his hand, deciding to ignore it and walk away with his hands behind his back.

As soon as he stepped out of the East Palace gate, he heard Li Chengqian's "caring" shouts coming from inside.

"Qingque! Come out and receive the imperial decree!"

"Your wish for a vast grassland has been approved by your elder brother!"

……

Fifteen minutes later.

Li Tai held the appointment letter, his hands trembling with excitement.

"Grand...Grand Governor?"

"Big brother, can I really go to the grasslands to eat lamb? Nobody's going to bother me anymore?"

"Yes, nobody cares about you."

Li Chengqian patted his younger brother's broad shoulder and spoke earnestly.

"Once we get there, you'll be the boss."

"Eat roasted whole lamb if you want, drink mare's milk if you want. If anyone dares to stop you, have Huo Qubing beat them up."

"However, there is one point."

Li Chengqian pinched Li Tai's chubby cheeks.

"Don't just focus on eating, remember to write home more often and send back some local specialties."

"Also, don't starve yourself to lose weight."

"The reputation of our Li family depends entirely on your body."

"Don't worry, brother!"

Li Tai pounded his chest loudly, his small eyes shining brightly.

"I'll definitely try my best to eat! I won't let my older brother down!"

"Um... I'll go pack my things now!"

After saying that, the chubby boy turned and ran, even faster than when Li Shimin had chased him earlier.

Li Chengqian smiled as he watched his cheerful figure disappear into the distance, then turned to look at Qinglong.

"Go and send a message to the Imperial Kitchen."

"Give the King of Wei the ten best imperial chefs who make the best barbecue."

"Plant three more cartloads of cumin, chili powder, and salt in his car."

"Even if the family is poor, travel with plenty of resources; don't let the children suffer."

Qinglong's lips twitched.

Three carts of seasonings?

Ten imperial chefs?

This isn't a trip to assume the post of Grand Commander; it's clearly a trip to open a restaurant on the grasslands!

"promise."

Azure Dragon accepted the order and departed.

Li Chengqian stretched and looked at the white clouds floating in the sky, feeling great.

With the biggest "internal threat" gone, the grasslands now have a stabilizing force.

Now, I can finally have a few days of peace and quiet, right?

"Meiniang, let's go."

"Grab the fishing rod, let's go fishing again."

"This time I'm going to catch a big one!"