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

The first rays of dawn appear.

The glazed tiles of Taiji Palace shimmered with a warm light under the sunlight.

Li Shimin rubbed his slightly throbbing temples and arrived at the Imperial Study on time.

He took a deep breath.

Prepare to receive the torrent of memorials that will come forth like a torrent.

Based on past experience, there should be more than a dozen folds waiting for him at this time.

Either the Yellow River has overflowed again somewhere.

Either some censor is going to remonstrate again, saying that he's been using his big guns too much lately.

But when he sat on the dragon throne, he was stunned.

The imperial desk was completely empty.

Not to mention the mountains of memorials, not even a scrap of paper was left.

There was only one exquisite glass cup, emitting wisps of fragrant tea.

Li Shimin somewhat awkwardly withdrew his hand that had been hanging in mid-air.

He turned his head and looked at the old eunuch standing to the side, his tone somewhat bewildered.

"Where's the folding paper?"

"No one's causing me any trouble today?"

The old eunuch's face was all wrinkled from laughing so hard, and his voice was as light and cheerful as a lark's.

"Your Majesty, the imperial edicts were all taken away by the Crown Prince's Palace before dawn."

"Chief Steward Wu said that these are trivial matters and Your Majesty need not trouble yourself with them."

Li Shimin's eyelids twitched violently.

It's Wu Zetian again!

That seven-year-old little girl has now become practically half a housekeeper in the Tang Dynasty.

"What about the Yellow River floods?"

Li Shimin pressed on, somewhat unwilling to give up.

"At this time last year, the Ministry of Works was complaining about being poor every day."

The old eunuch bowed and replied:

"Your Majesty, the matter is settled."

"His Highness the Crown Prince dispatched craftsmen from the Mo family to deliver more than a dozen enormous steam-powered water pumps."

"That thing sucks up water even more powerfully than a waterspout. Before the Yellow River even had a chance to breach its banks, the water was already being channeled into the canals to irrigate the cotton fields."

Li Shimin opened his mouth, but remained silent for a long time.

"What about the powerful and aristocratic families?"

He lowered his voice, carrying a last glimmer of hope.

"Surely those old fogies of the Wang family in Taiyuan have some objections to the monetary policies I'm implementing?"

The old eunuch covered his mouth and chuckled softly.

"Your Majesty is joking."

"The head of the Wang family is currently leading his entire clan in the Western Regions, fighting with His Highness the King of Shu for land to grow cotton."

"I heard they almost came to blows over the title of 'Advanced Planting Collective of the Tang Dynasty'."

"How could I possibly have the mind to discuss any objections with you?"

Li Shimin fell completely silent.

He stood up and paced back and forth in the main hall.

That feeling of having nothing to do made this seasoned general, who had spent half his life on the battlefield, feel extremely uncomfortable.

He felt he wasn't acting like an emperor anymore.

It's more like a mascot that's been worshipped.

"What about the national treasury?"

Li Shimin slapped his thigh and suddenly thought of an excuse.

"That old miser Dai Zhou is probably going to come to me again, crying poverty and begging for money to build the railway!"

The voice just fell.

Dai Zhou's signature, somewhat hoarse laughter came from the doorway.

"Your Majesty! Overjoyed!"

Dai Zhou rushed in, his dark circles almost reaching his chin, but he looked as excited as if he had taken stimulants.

Li Shimin was greatly encouraged.

finally come!

Finally, someone has come to me to solve my problem!

"Minister Dai, is the national treasury out of money?"

Li Shimin's tone even carried a hint of inexplicable expectation.

"It's alright, I'll lead my troops to plunder... cough cough, I'll lead my troops on a friendly visit!"

Dai Zhou shook his head violently, like a rattle-drum.

"No, no, no! Your Majesty, you've misunderstood!"

He waved the thick ledger in his hand excitedly.

"That's too much money!"

"I led men to count the gold all night yesterday; it filled ten warehouses!"

"Now we not only have the money to build railways, but I'm also worried about how to spend all this money!"

"Your Majesty, I would like to request that the entire population of the Tang Dynasty be granted two more sets of brand-new cotton-padded clothing as a welfare benefit?"

Upon hearing this, Li Shimin's legs went weak, and he sat back down on the dragon throne.

I can't live like this anymore.

The country is too stable.

The common people are ridiculously rich.

Even those barbarians who have always loved to rebel are now as docile as domesticated cats.

He, the mighty God of War of the Tang Dynasty, had actually been reduced to counting floor tiles in the main hall.

"That brat Chengqian is really suffocating me!"

Li Shimin muttered to himself, his face full of resentment.

He left the imperial study and wandered aimlessly around the palace.

As he walked, he arrived at the royal hunting grounds.

This place should have been a place for horse racing and archery.

But now, the area is covered with railway tracks, and everywhere are steel behemoths spewing black smoke.

Several imperial guards were sitting in the locomotive, smoking tobacco from the Western Regions, looking extremely content.

Looking at the bustling infrastructure construction scene, Li Shimin felt increasingly lonely.

Being carried by my son is great, but it makes me feel so uninvolved.

He is a father, after all.

I have to do something earth-shattering to surpass that brat in the history books, right?

Thinking about this...

Li Shimin picked up the monocular telescope at his waist and turned it around.

He crossed the bustling city of Chang'an.

We crossed the smooth official road.

Their gaze turned to the distant East.

That was the edge of the Tang Dynasty's territory, Liaodong, where the Sui Dynasty had once suffered a crushing defeat.

"The west is at peace, but the south is kneeling."

Li Shimin narrowed his eyes, a hint of murderous intent flashing in them.

"Those few tiny countries to the east, surely they can provide me with some amusement?"

He muttered to himself.

They yearn for the smoke of battle.

Longing for the piercing whistle of arrows cutting through the sky.

Just then.

A sudden, extremely rapid and chaotic sound of hooves shattered the tranquility of the hunting grounds.

"Report—!"

A Tang Dynasty scout, covered in dried blood and with his battle flag half-torn, rushed toward the Imperial Study like a whirlwind.

Li Shimin's pupils suddenly contracted.

He was all too familiar with these urgent military situations that carried the scent of blood!

"Stop him!"

Li Shimin roared, his whole body like a lion awakened, and with a few leaps he rushed to the middle of the official road.

Upon seeing that it was the emperor himself, the scout tumbled and scrambled off his horse, falling to his knees with a thud.

He held a bamboo tube sealed with sealing wax aloft with both hands.

A pure white feather, dyed scarlet, was tied to the bamboo tube!

"Your Majesty... Liaodong... Urgent report!"

The scout's voice was hoarse, trembling with a hint of despair.

Li Shimin snatched the bamboo tube and crushed it violently.

He unfolded the letter inside.

He was struck dumb by just one glance.

That was extreme anger.

A frenzied rage, almost making him explode on the spot, shot straight up from the top of his head to the sky.

"Yeon Gaesomun!"

Li Shimin gritted his teeth and squeezed out those four words.

The letter in his hand instantly turned to dust under the powerful internal force.

His eyes instantly turned bloodshot.

That suppressed, long-suppressed, and uniquely Tian Ce General's violent killing intent.

At that moment, something earth-shattering erupted!

"How dare you!"

"I haven't even gone to cause you any trouble yet, and you dare to lay a hand on my soldiers!"

Li Shimin suddenly turned his head, looked in the direction where the East Palace was still sleeping leisurely, and let out a deafening roar.

"Chengqian! Wake up!"

"Get out here!"

"This battle, I must fight!"

The old eunuch, terrified, collapsed to the ground and asked through clenched teeth:

"Your Majesty... what... what happened?"

Li Shimin ignored him and just stared intently at the eastern sky.

His eyes were so cold they were chilling.

"East."

"Something's happened!"