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

A cool morning breeze blew in front of the white jade steps of the Taiji Hall.

The “battle for the throne” that just happened, which resembled a street brawl between shrewish women, seemed to be nothing more than a collective illusion created by everyone.

At this moment, all eyes seemed to be rooted to the spot, fixed firmly on that giant globe.

Li Chengqian stood beside the globe, still holding the white jade baton that represented "truth and the distant future." His slightly childish face held a fervor and composure that sent shivers down the spines of the entire era.

"Father."

Li Chengqian's voice echoed across the empty square, carrying a deadly allure.

He tapped his baton twice heavily on the other side of the Pacific Ocean, on the huge landmass he labeled "America".

"You just asked what's on this land that's even bigger than the Tang Dynasty."

"I will tell you now."

Li Chengqian leaned forward slightly, his gaze fixed on Li Shimin's bloodshot eyes.

"That place is called Yindian."

"That is a land favored by God."

"Beneath that land lies more gold and silver than the soil of our entire Guanzhong Plain in the Tang Dynasty!"

This statement came out.

Not only Li Shimin, but even Dai Zhou, the Minister of Revenue standing behind him, gasped in shock.

More gold than dirt?!

What does this mean?

Even at the most prosperous time of the Tang Dynasty, with mountains of gold bricks piled up in the national treasury, it was all painstakingly extracted from all corners of the world using countless silks, porcelains, and overwhelming military force.

"Your Highness...this...how is this possible?" Dai Zhou's voice trembled, his eyes almost bulging out of their sockets. "If such a treasure land truly exists, wouldn't the country there be incredibly wealthy? Even if our Tang Dynasty's fleet is the strongest, what are our chances of success if we cross such a vast sea to seize it?"

Dai Zhou's words reflected the concerns of many military officers present.

Crossing this boundless ocean, which the prince called the "Pacific Ocean," logistical support was a major hurdle. If the enemy was truly a superpower with countless gold reserves, they could easily overwhelm the expeditionary force with money.

"nation?"

Li Chengqian laughed wildly, as if he had heard the funniest joke in the world.

"Old Dai, you still haven't figured it out."

Li Chengqian tapped the continent with his baton, his tone filled with ruthless contempt for the unknown civilization.

"There is no such thing as a country on that land."

"They didn't even have a fully formed written language."

"The people there are called the Indians by me. They still live a primitive tribal life."

Li Chengqian leaned closer to Li Shimin and lowered his voice, like a cunning merchant peddling a priceless treasure.

"Father, can you believe it?"

"They possess mountains of gold and seas of silver, yet they do not know how to smelt them. The weapons they wield are sharpened wooden sticks and polished stones."

"They've never even seen iron! They can't even make a decent wheel!"

"hiss--!"

Li Shimin's gasp for breath could be clearly heard on the silent stairs.

Holding a wooden stick and guarding a mountain of gold?

This is like a three-year-old child carrying a priceless jade disc, parading it around the bustling West Market of Chang'an.

And what about the Tang Dynasty?

What does the Tang Dynasty have now?

There were steam-powered ironclad ships belching black smoke! There were red-coated cannons with a range of a thousand paces, capable of leveling half a mountain! There were muskets capable of continuous firing!

What is this?

This is a group of special forces soldiers, fully armed to the teeth and driving tanks, going to rob a bunch of little kids who are still playing in the mud!

"Not only that."

Li Chengqian gave Li Shimin no chance to breathe; he knew exactly how to break down the psychological defenses of this great emperor step by step.

"Gold and silver may be tempting, but they can't fill your stomach."

"The population of the Tang Dynasty is growing rapidly. In a few decades, the land of Guanzhong will be overburdened."

"If, at that time, a severe drought strikes for years to come, will we have to watch people resort to cannibalism, just like in the previous dynasty?"

Fang Xuanling and Changsun Wuji's expressions instantly turned serious.

As the brains of the empire, they understood better than anyone that food was the most fundamental lifeline of a nation. The Tang Dynasty's current prosperity was built on the foundation of rampant plunder from abroad. Once expansion ceased, an internal food crisis would inevitably erupt sooner or later.

"Chengqian, do you mean there's a way to solve the food problem on that land called Yindi'an?" Li Shimin frowned, his voice low.

"certainly."

A proud smile curved Li Chengqian's lips, a smile born from the absolute confidence modern people have in the great exchange of species.

"On that land, several truly 'divine crops' grow."

"One of them, I call it 'corn.' It's drought-resistant and cold-resistant; just scatter it on any piece of wasteland, and it will produce golden ears of corn, yielding more than three times the amount of millet and wheat currently grown in our Great Tang!"

"There's another kind, called 'sweet potato'."

Li Chengqian deliberately emphasized his words.

"That thing grows underground. No intensive farming is needed; even in barren, sandy soil, an acre can easily yield several thousand kilograms of grain!"

"Several thousand kilograms?!"

Wei Zheng could no longer sit still. He disregarded etiquette and rushed up the steps, staring intently at Li Chengqian.

"Is Your Highness truly speaking of this?! If such a divine object truly exists, the people of the Tang Dynasty will no longer have to worry about famine! This is the foundation for an unshakeable dynasty for all ages!"

"I never lie."

Li Chengqian patted the huge globe, making a dull sound.

"Father, Lord Wei."

"I ordered Zheng He to work day and night in Dengzhou to build those thirty Ming treasure ships that were like sea fortresses."

"I ordered the artisans of the Tang Dynasty to work feverishly to develop steam engines and improve the nautical compass."

"Do you really think I'm going to destroy a broken country like Japan, where even iron tools aren't widely available? Just to dig up that pitiful Iwami Silver Mine?"

Li Chengqian's gaze swept over everyone present, and his boundless ambition was released without reservation at this moment.

"My ultimate goal is to have the invincible fleet of the Tang Dynasty cross this Pacific Ocean!"

"That supercontinent, rich in endless gold and silver, and with high-yield crops that could multiply the Tang Dynasty's population tenfold..."

"It will be completely transformed into the private farm and backyard of the Tang Dynasty!"

silence.

Everyone was stunned and dazzled by this grand and unimaginable blueprint for hegemony.

Li Shimin's eyes were completely bloodshot.

His breathing was as heavy as a draft horse from the Western Regions pulling a heavily loaded train.

He was completely unaware that saliva was even glistening at the corners of his mouth.

gold!

food!

The indigenous people were powerless to resist!

This isn't going to war! It's as if God has sliced ​​up the fattest piece of meat, roasted it, and served it to the Tang Dynasty!

If the Great Khan of the Tang Dynasty could resist such temptation and not take action, what kind of emperor would he be? He might as well just find a block of tofu and smash his head against it!

"go!"

Li Shimin suddenly drew the Tian Ce sword from his waist, its blade pointing directly east, his voice hoarse and distorted with excitement.

"We have to go!"

"Chengqian! Immediately issue the order to build Zheng He's fleet to the point of exhaustion!"

"If fifty aren't enough, build a hundred! If a hundred aren't enough, build a thousand!"

"I will personally lead the army! I will personally lead the mighty Tang army to reclaim all the gold and divine seeds from that continent!"

Li Shimin was now completely consumed by a fervent desire for conquest.

He had completely forgotten about the "abdication" and was preoccupied with how to cross that vast ocean to make his mark in that place called "America".

Looking at my dad's berserk state, as if he'd been injected with chicken blood.

Li Chengqian mentally gave himself a thumbs-up.

He knew that his "distraction tactic" of promising the moon had worked perfectly. He had finally successfully restarted his father, this super-working machine.

"Father is wise."

Li Chengqian smiled and bowed slightly.

But he didn't stop there; instead, he cunningly spun the globe again.

"However, Father."

"Although the Americas are incredibly wealthy, the journey is long and involves crossing dangerous ocean storm zones. This matter needs careful planning and a gradual approach."

Li Chengqian's finger slid down the curve of the globe.

Finally, it stopped precisely on a huge island located in the southeast of the Tang Dynasty, isolated in the vast ocean.

"Before that."

Li Chengqian raised his head, looked into Li Shimin's longing eyes, and a wicked, seductive smile curled at the corner of his mouth.

"Take another look here."

He pointed to the continent known as "Australia".

"Although there isn't as much gold here as in the Americas."

"But there are some fun things here."

"Something fun?" Li Shimin was taken aback, and lowered his sword slightly.

For an emperor who is already invincible and possesses endless wealth, the power of the word "fun" can sometimes be even greater than that of gold.

"Chengqian, what are you keeping secret now?" Li Shimin asked impatiently.

Li Chengqian smiled mysteriously, his gaze lingering on the distant south.

"Father, you've spent your whole life in the Imperial Garden of Taiji Palace, where you've grown accustomed to seeing gentle sika deer and colorful peacocks."

"But you've definitely never seen it."

"A giant monster that stands on two thick hind legs, has a natural pouch on its belly, and is known for its bad temper?"