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

The echoes of the collapsing walls of Gaochang still lingered.

The pungent smell of gunpowder mixed with the stench of blood raged wildly in the biting cold winds of the Western Regions.

The once arrogant Gaochang garrison now seemed struck by lightning, aimlessly crying and wailing amidst the ruins.

The massive gap, thirty feet long, was like a mocking maw of an abyss, swallowing up all of Ju Wentai's arrogant confidence.

Lu Dongzan, who was slumped on the ground, was still trembling.

Li Chengqian glanced at him with disdain, covered his nose, moved to the other side of the palanquin, and lazily yawned.

Da Xiang peed right away?

This is only the first round; the best is yet to come.

Li Chengqian didn't even bother to look at Lu Dongzan, and casually grabbed a peeled grape and threw it into his mouth.

"Old Xu, find a sack, stuff this Tibetan minister in, and throw him in the back. He's stinking and ruining my enjoyment of the show."

The lame old servant Xu Xiao nodded respectfully in agreement, picked up the terrified Lu Dongzan with one hand as if he were a dead dog, and casually tossed him toward the intelligence battalion behind them.

Just then, a series of rapid and heavy footsteps, accompanied by the screeching of metal armor, rushed from the direction of the artillery position.

"Chengqian! Chengqian, where are you?!"

Before he even arrived, Li Shimin's powerful and extremely excited roar had already pierced through the smoke of battle.

The current Tang emperor was not even wearing a dragon robe; he was only wearing a leather apron covered in gunpowder ash.

He gripped a newly sharpened, hundred-refined Tang-style horizontal sword tightly in his hand, his eyes bloodshot like those of a Siberian wolf that hadn't eaten for three days.

Li Shimin rushed to the palanquin in three strides, his whole body trembling with excitement.

"The city wall has collapsed! Those barbarians from the Western Regions are terrified!"

Li Shimin slapped his thigh hard with the back of his knife, spittle flying everywhere.

"Quickly! Give the order to charge! Let me go! The Xuanjia Army is arrayed behind us. I'll personally lead the charge, and I guarantee I'll twist that old bastard Ju Wentai's head off and use it as a football within half an hour!"

Looking at his father, who was in a frenzied state of war in front of a vast army, Li Chengqian rolled his eyes speechlessly.

Old Li is a complete warmonger.

After taking that health-strengthening pill, his energy was so abundant that even the military horses raised by the Crown Prince were ashamed of themselves.

"Father, please calm down. Put the knife down, or you'll cut your toes."

Li Chengqian shifted to a more comfortable position, leaning against the furry belly of the iron-eating beast.

"How could such menial and arduous work as beating a drowning dog be troubled for you, the Emperor of Tang, to personally undertake?"

Upon hearing this, Li Shimin became enraged and slammed his sword into the frozen Gobi Desert.

"Nonsense! I've spent my life on the battlefield, what battle haven't I fought? I dared to charge into Dou Jiande's army of 100,000 with only 3,000 men at Hulao Pass!"

"The city gates are wide open, the enemy is in complete disarray, and you expect me to stand by and watch others slaughter people?"

"My hands are itching so badly, I'm practically scratching my heart and liver!"

Li Chengqian sighed and slowly pulled out a clean white woolen handkerchief from the side to wipe his hands.

"Father, your current position is the Grand Commander of the Divine Machine Battalion, not the Vanguard Officer."

"What kind of Grand Commander would carry a cannon into a bayonet fight?"

Li Chengqian pointed to the Tang Dynasty dragon flag fluttering in the wind behind him, his tone carrying an undisguised mockery.

"You are now the pillar of the Tang Dynasty's western expeditionary force, a mascot used to deter foreign tribes."

"A mascot should act like a mascot; it should just stay in the back and keep order."

Li Shimin was so choked by the words "mascot" that his eyes rolled back and he almost spat out a mouthful of blood.

He was a dignified General of Heavenly Strategy, a powerful emperor who swept across the land, but in his own son's mouth, he was just a figurehead!

"You...you unfilial son! You're deliberately trying to suffocate me!"

Li Shimin was furious, but he was powerless against his cunning son who possessed core technology and a god-like army.

After all, he had personally witnessed the power of those ten red-coated cannons.

If he doesn't listen to Li Chengqian, this kid will never let him touch a cannon again.

Just as Li Shimin was about to explode with frustration, a young general dressed in bright armor suddenly darted out from beside the palanquin.

He was born with sword-like eyebrows and bright eyes, and was exceptionally heroic. His eyebrows and features bore a striking resemblance to Li Shimin.

This is none other than Li Ke, the third prince of the Tang Dynasty and the Prince of Shu!

"Big brother! If Father won't go, I will!"

Li Ke was so anxious that he scratched his head and cheeks, his face full of undisguised fervor and desire.

"My five thousand infantrymen were already in formation, and the soldiers were so eager to see the cannons unleash their power that their eyes were practically bloodshot!"

"You can leave the finishing touches to me!"

Li Ke was historically praised as "as brave and decisive as I am," and his personality was most similar to Li Shimin, with an extremely warlike spirit flowing in his veins.

He had been dreaming of making a great contribution since he came out with the western expeditionary force.

Li Chengqian looked Li Ke up and down with great interest.

The third brother usually liked to practice martial arts in Chang'an and always boasted about his superior skills.

Today's crushing defeat is a perfect opportunity for him to practice his skills and, incidentally, shut Li Shimin up.

"Third brother, I always hear you brag about how you are incredibly brave and invincible among the noble sons of Chang'an."

Li Chengqian sat up slightly, his gaze sharpening.

"I'm giving you a chance today."

"Lead five thousand men and charge through that gap to take over the city's defenses."

Li Chengqian stretched out his slender finger and pointed towards the distant Gaochang Palace.

"Go and bring that blind fool Ju Wentai back to me alive."

Upon hearing this, Li Ke trembled with excitement.

He knelt on one knee, clasped his hands together, and even his breathing became heavy.

Before he could speak, Wu Meiniang, who was sitting by the fire pit warming herself, suddenly poked her head out.

The little girl was still clutching the thick ledger of the Eastern Palace tightly in her hands.

"Your Highness, you'd better be careful when you arrest people."

Wu Zetian gave her earnest instructions, her large eyes gleaming with the light of money.

"Ju Wentai's crown is inlaid with seven rubies from the Western Regions, which are priceless."

"If you break the gem, I'll deduct that from your pay!"

Li Shimin, who was listening nearby, rolled his eyes.

Why are all the people in the Eastern Palace so obsessed with money?

Li Ke, however, didn't care about any of that; his mind was now filled with nothing but fervent ambition to achieve great things.

He suddenly stood up and drew his gleaming, hundred-refined sword from his waist with a clang.

The young King of Shu was so excited that his cheeks turned red and the veins on his neck bulged.

He stared intently at the smoke-filled breach in the city wall in the distance, his eyes burning with fierce fighting spirit.

"Don't worry, brother! Don't worry, Meiniang!"

Li Ke turned around and faced the five thousand Tang infantrymen behind him, who were standing ready and exuding a murderous aura.

He raised his sword high, its blade pointing straight at the sky above Gaochang.

"Five thousand Tang soldiers, heed my command! Charge into battle with me!"

"The city has fallen today! But we haven't been able to capture that old dog Ju Wentai..."

Li Ke suddenly turned around, staring intently at Li Chengqian.

"I'll bring you my head, brother!"