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

The warm sunlight streamed through the floor-to-ceiling windows of the Eastern Palace, casting dappled patterns on Li Chengqian's custom-made genuine leather rocking chair.

He held the Tang Dynasty passport, which made nobles all over the world kneel and grovel, in his hand, and let out a meaningful sneer.

Li Shimin stood to the side with his hands behind his back, his once mighty eagle eyes now filled with complex emotions.

"Chengqian, did you even hear what I just said?"

Li Shimin gritted his teeth, his voice low, carrying a hint of undisguised bitterness.

"Now, in Chang'an, and even throughout the world, who doesn't know your name, the Crown Prince of the Eastern Palace?"

"When I, the emperor, walk down the street, the common people at most think I'm rich and powerful. But if your face were to appear, they would kneel down and kowtow to you on the spot."

Li Chengqian lazily rolled over, without even lifting his eyelids.

"Old man, the way you're talking... I hear a hint of stale vinegar in your words."

He casually tossed his passport onto the table, pointing to the gleaming emblem of the Eastern Palace Qilin.

"Look at this passport, and look at the steam-powered armored vehicle you're riding in. Which one doesn't bear the insignia of my Crown Prince?"

"Even the telegrams held by ordinary people in the Tang Dynasty had anti-counterfeiting codes printed in the corners, indicating that they were produced under the supervision of the Crown Prince."

Li Chengqian opened his eyes and looked directly at the nominal supreme ruler of the Tang Dynasty, his tone playful.

"The world only knows about the Eastern Palace, but not about the Taiji Palace. Isn't this what you wanted to see?"

"In the first place, you insisted that I oversee the country, and that I indulge in these 'wicked arts and sorcery.' Now that I've turned the world upside down, you're talking to me about prestige?"

Li Shimin blushed with embarrassment and angrily flung his sleeves.

He had to admit that he was now in a very awkward situation.

In name, he was the Khan of Ten Thousand Khans, the greatest emperor of all time.

In practice, however, he was more like a tool responsible for stamping official documents.

The economic lifeline of the Tang Dynasty was in the hands of the Crown Prince. All advanced technologies came from the Crown Prince's workshops. Even the telegrams of greeting sent back by the princes who were expanding their territories overseas always passed through the Crown Prince first.

Li Shimin sat back in his chair, sighed heavily, and looked somewhat unfocused.

"Sometimes I think that I, as the emperor, have less power than you, the steward of the Eastern Palace."

"You hold the power of life and death, you control the allocation of finances. What can I do now besides decide what to have for lunch?"

This feeling of being sidelined by one's own son would have made any other emperor take action long ago.

But Li Shimin couldn't move, nor dared to move.

Without Li Chengqian, the Tang Dynasty carriage, which had already gone completely mad, left him with no idea how to brake.

Li Chengqian sat up from the rocking chair, grabbed a peeled lychee, and stuffed it into his mouth.

"Old man, this is what happens when you have a narrow perspective."

"I told you long ago, I wouldn't even take the emperor's throne. I get up earlier than the rooster and go to bed later than the dog, and I still have to deal with the spittle of Wei Zheng and his gang every day."

"I don't need that title. As long as I live comfortably, and as long as no one can touch this privilege, does it matter who sits on the dragon throne?"

Li Shimin was stunned for a long time, and his finger pointing at Li Chengqian was trembling slightly.

"You unfilial son... do you think I'm your servant?"

"Don't put it so harshly, this is called 'cooperation between ruler and subject, and division of labor between father and son'."

Li Chengqian patted the residue off his hands and slumped back down.

"You're responsible for being worshipped in front, while I'm responsible for enjoying life behind. You can't understand the highest level of this kind of life."

The father and son were bickering as usual when Wu Zetian walked in with light steps.

She held a newly sealed top-secret report in her hands, her expression unusually solemn.

"Your Highness, Your Majesty, this is a joint report submitted by the Western Regions and Southeast Asia offices."

Wu Meiniang placed the official document in front of Li Chengqian, her voice clear and crisp.

"A preliminary plan for the large-scale introduction of overseas workers has been completed."

Currently, the kings of more than a dozen small countries have expressed their willingness to export one-third of their country's able-bodied laborers in exchange for three years' worth of food supplies from the Tang Dynasty.

Li Chengqian opened the envelope and quickly scanned the letter.

As he read on, a chilling smile gradually appeared on his face, which had maintained a lazy expression.

"Importing laborers? That's a nice-sounding name."

Li Chengqian's slender fingers lightly traced the "cost budget" section of the report.

"They only provide meals, but don't pay them wages, and they expect them to build the most dangerous railway tracks?"

Li Shimin also leaned over and glanced at it a few times, his brows furrowed tightly.

"Chengqian, isn't this method a bit too ruthless? What if these foreigners cause trouble within the territory of the Tang Dynasty? That would be a real threat."

Li Chengqian closed the official document and looked out the window at the newly expanded Chang'an city.

"Cause trouble? Old man, are you underestimating the deliciousness of Tang Dynasty food, or overestimating the backbone of those people?"

"I gave them a chance to live and let them come to the Tang Dynasty to build civilization. This is my way of redeeming them."

Li Chengqian stood up, straightened his collar, and a deep, capitalist-like smile appeared on his lips.

"Reply to those kings and say that I approve. But there is one condition: all the laborers brought in must undergo three months of 'love for Tang' education within the territory of the Tang Dynasty."

"The first thing I do every morning is to shout 'Long live the Tang Dynasty! Long live the Crown Prince!' in the direction of Chang'an."

Li Shimin's eyelids twitched as he listened, and he cursed his son inwardly for being so ruthless.

"What if we don't shout?"

Li Chengqian shrugged, his tone indifferent.

"Those who don't shout are probably not fortunate enough to enjoy the white steamed buns of the Tang Dynasty. I think the rubber plantations in South America are a good place for people with backbone to reflect."

Wu Zetian smiled faintly and asked in a low voice, "Your Highness, how should we define the identities of this group of people? Should we call them foreign guests?"

Li Chengqian pointed to the stack of reports on the table, his eyes cold.

"What do you mean by foreign guests? On the construction sites of the Tang Dynasty, they only have one identity: 'participants in the construction of Tang Dynasty civilization'."

"As for welfare benefits... give each of them a set of coarse cloth work clothes, with the mark of the Eastern Palace embroidered on their chests."

"I want them to understand that being able to work in the Tang Dynasty is a stroke of good luck for them."

Looking at his son's ruthless and heartless manner, Li Shimin suddenly felt a chill run down his spine.

He originally thought he was the soul of the Tang Dynasty, but now he realizes that Li Chengqian is the soul that controls everything.

"Chengqian, aren't you afraid that future historians will call you cruel for doing this?"

Li Chengqian laughed heartily, walked to Li Shimin's side, and patted his father's shoulder forcefully.

"Brutal? Old man, you've forgotten again."

"History is written by the victors, but even more so by those who have mastered printing and paper."

"I not only want to plant the flag of the Great Tang all over the world, but I also want people all over the world to feel that being enslaved by the Great Tang is an unparalleled honor."

Li Shimin remained silent for a long time, looking at the labor report filled with data and blood and sweat.

"You little rascal, you're truly a prodigy."

Li Chengqian waved his hand and lay back down in the rocking chair.

"Whether it's demonic or not doesn't matter; what matters is that I'm hungry."

"Old man, if you're really that bored, go check if the braised deer tendons are ready yet in the imperial kitchen?"

Li Shimin was furious and pointed at Li Chengqian, yelling, "You want me to hurry up and cook for you? I am the Emperor of the Tang Dynasty!"

"Oh, are you going or not?"

"...Just you wait! I'm going to see if that cook has been slacking off!"

Li Shimin walked out of the side hall, cursing and swearing.

Watching the old man's departing figure, Li Chengqian winked at Wu Meiniang.

"Look how tiring it is to be an emperor; you still have to supervise whether the head chef is slacking off."

Wu Meiniang chuckled softly, her beautiful eyes sparkling.

"But His Majesty seems to be enjoying it."

Li Chengqian snorted coldly and looked at the report.

"As long as he's enjoying himself, that's good. After all, there are even more interesting things waiting for him."

"Your Highness, what's so interesting?"

"I'm planning to implement a points-based residency policy for these overseas workers. What do you think?"