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

The wind on the training ground seemed to freeze at that moment.

Li Chengqian looked at his father, who was gleaming with gold and seemed to have the words "I want to personally lead the army" etched on his forehead, and sighed helplessly.

He pretended not to see Li Shimin's expectant look, turned around, and faced the more than 10,000 soldiers standing solemnly below the command platform.

"Listen up, everyone!"

Although Li Chengqian's voice was still young, it resounded clearly in everyone's ears through a specially made megaphone.

"We won't be frivolous on this western expedition."

"The quality of an army is more important than its quantity. This time, only three groups will accompany me on this expedition."

He extended his first finger, pointing to the silvery-white square formation on the right.

"The vanguard, Huo Qubing!"

"Your subordinate is here!"

Huo Qubing rode out, his tiger-headed golden spear drawing a cold arc in the sunlight.

"Take eight hundred Great Snow Dragon Riders, three horses per rider, and get going! I want those camel riders from the Western Regions to see what the speed of the Tang Dynasty is!"

"Yes, sir! This humble general will make sure that the gates of Gaochang never see the sun tomorrow!" Huo Qubing laughed wildly, his eyes brimming with fighting spirit.

Li Chengqian nodded, then extended his second finger, pointing to the ten menacing red cannons on the left, and the group of Shenji Battalion soldiers carrying long-barreled muskets behind them.

"Central Army, Divine Machine Battalion!"

"Mo Ju, you take these ten 'Truths' and those three thousand musketeers and are responsible for 'reasoning' with us."

"If someone doesn't understand human language, you can talk to them about life with artillery shells."

Although Mo Ju was old, he was still filled with fervor, holding a torch and shouting, "Your Highness, rest assured! This old servant guarantees that wherever the cannons point, not a blade of grass will grow!"

Finally, Li Chengqian's finger landed on the little girl at the very back of the group, riding a mare with an abacus hanging from her waist.

"The head of logistics, Wu Zetian!"

"Meiniang is here!"

The little girl answered crisply. Although her voice was childish, her shrewd and capable spirit made the burly men around her not dare to underestimate her.

"The provisions, military pay, and all the spoils we've plundered along the way are all under your control."

"Remember this: only take in, never give out! Empty the treasuries of Gaochang and Tibet!"

"Yes! Meiniang will definitely scrape the land clean!" Wu Meiniang shook the abacus loudly.

After arranging everything, Li Chengqian took a deep breath and scanned the entire room.

"Brothers, we're not going there to kill people this time."

"Killing is a means, not an end."

He pointed to the ground beneath his feet, then to the distant west.

"We're in it for—money!"

"It's to open up the Silk Road! It's to ensure that gold, spices, and gems from the Western Regions flow continuously into our pockets!"

"Gaochang dares to seize our goods? Then we'll destroy their entire country!"

"The Tibetans dare to bare their teeth at us? Then we'll break their teeth!"

"We will use the swords in our hands and the cannons behind us to establish a Western Regions economic zone centered on Chang'an!"

"From now on, in that land, the words of the Tang Dynasty will be the rule! The copper coins of the Tang Dynasty will be the hard currency!"

"Did you understand?!"

"Roar! Roar! Roar!"

The soldiers were so provoked by this blatant robbery logic... no, this declaration of hegemony that they howled in anger.

It's so great to be associated with a prince like that!

Forget all that empty talk about morality and ethics, it's all about action! It's all about robbing! It's all about getting rich!

Seeing the excited crowd, Li Chengqian nodded in satisfaction.

However, just as he was preparing to announce the start of the campaign...

An arm clad in golden armor forced its way into his line of sight.

Li Shimin simply couldn't hold back any longer.

He stood there for a long time, striking countless majestic and imposing poses, and even deliberately let the sunlight reflect off his golden helmet, trying to dazzle his son.

The results of it?

This unfilial son completely ignored me!

Even that little girl Wu Zetian was given an official position, while he, the emperor of the Tang Dynasty, is still just a background figure here?

"Ahem!"

Li Shimin coughed heavily twice, took a big step forward, and stood directly in front of Li Chengqian.

He puffed out his chest, patted his golden armor loudly, held his chin high, and gave a frenzied spiel in his eyes:

Look at me! Look at me now!

"That... Chengqian."

Li Shimin put his hands behind his back, trying to appear calm and collected, but in reality, he was extremely impatient.

"I think your arrangement is quite good. You have the vanguard, the central army, and the logistics."

"But..."

He paused, his eyes fixed intently on his son.

"How can a large army be without a commander?"

"These tens of thousands of troops need someone with enough influence, prestige, and authority to lead them, right?"

After he finished speaking, he leaned forward again, his big face almost touching Li Chengqian's nose.

The meaning is obvious:

Do you think I'm up to the task?

Am I heavy enough? Am I prestigious enough?

Quickly! Quickly beg me to make you the Grand Marshal!

Li Chengqian's lips twitched as he looked at his father's face, which practically screamed "Choose me!"

He's not blind, of course he can see what Old Li is thinking.

But can he give that up?

Send Old Li to the Western Regions?

Who knows what kind of trouble they'll cause next! Maybe they'll try to show off by charging into enemy lines alone, and then I'll have to go and rescue them myself.

too tired.

Absolutely not.

Li Chengqian blinked, his face showing an expression of sudden realization.

"Oh dear! Father, you're absolutely right!"

"They definitely need a handsome guy!"

Li Shimin's eyes lit up, his back straightened even more instantly, and he had already stretched out his hand to receive the military tally.

"It's alright, don't worry."

Li Chengqian completely ignored the outstretched hand, turned around, and raised the Crown Prince's sword high in front of the entire army.

"Since we're short of a handsome guy, I'll reluctantly take on the role..."

"So I decided—"