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

Li Shimin gripped the vial of purple liquid tightly with his fingers, his eyes gleaming like a wolf's.

His initial thoughts of retirement, which he had already half-heartedly abandoned, are crumbling at an astonishing speed in the face of this captivating fluorescent light.

Seeing his father's unworldly appearance, Li Chengqian not only didn't restrain himself, but instead took a half step forward.

He lowered his voice, his tone carrying a seductive hook.

"Father, don't just look at its glow. If you were to describe its medicinal effects, even the gods in heaven would be tempted."

"Once this 'Nine-Turn Longevity Elixir' enters your body, it's not just about extending your lifespan. It can cleanse your marrow and bones, reversing the yin and yang of your dragon body, directly returning you to your peak state of twenty!"

"Twenty years old?"

Li Shimin's Adam's apple bobbed laboriously as he recalled his heroic figure during the battles of Qianshuiyuan and Luoyang, where he rode his horse and swept through thousands of troops.

Back then, he was as strong as a bow and as capable of taming a wild horse; he could stay awake for three days and three nights and still be full of energy.

Li Chengqian raised an eyebrow and continued to escalate the situation, his voice carrying a mocking tone that suggested he was enjoying the spectacle.

"Of course, your full head of white hair will turn black overnight. Your loose muscles will become as hard as refined iron."

"Not to mention your old ailments like backaches and leg pains, I guarantee you'll be incredibly virile then, able to sleep with ten women a night... cough cough, anyway, you'll be the strongest man in the Tang Dynasty!"

Li Shimin's face flushed, but instead of scolding him for being frivolous as usual, he subconsciously straightened his back.

Return to youth.

For an old emperor sitting at the pinnacle of power, yet feeling his life slipping away every day, these four words were more lethal than any spear or halberd.

Seeing that the time was almost right, Li Chengqian suddenly became serious, and his tone became poignant and sincere.

"Father, I am an unfilial son. I have been lazy since childhood, and I am truly unable to shoulder the heavy burden of the affairs of the Tang Dynasty."

"Seeing you toiling away in the Imperial Study every day, seeing your hair turn white with worry over your troublesome younger brothers, my heart aches!"

"That's why I begged and pleaded with my grandfather and grandmother, and even made a solemn oath with the Imperial Preceptor Yuan, in order to obtain this tube of elixir."

Li Chengqian's eyes were slightly red, and his acting skills reached a grand slam level at this moment.

"Your subject has no ambition. Let whoever wants the throne take it. Your subject only asks that Your Majesty live to be a hundred years old, forever be the pillar of the Tang Dynasty, and forever protect your subject so that you can live a life of leisure in the Eastern Palace."

"As long as you are alive, the sky over the Tang Dynasty will not fall. If you don't drink this medicine, I will truly cry myself to death in front of the Taiji Palace!"

These words were a combination of offense and defense, both making his desire to "become a salted fish" public and giving Li Shimin a noble reason to "continue to work".

Li Shimin was deeply moved, and his hand holding the medicine tube even trembled slightly with excitement.

He looked at his son, and his initial doubts were overshadowed by a deep fatherly affection.

"Chengqian...you child, I misunderstood you before."

Li Shimin took a deep breath, and the exotic fragrance filled his nostrils, making him feel as if he were floating.

that power.

longevity.

And that coveted peak physique.

Who in this world can resist such temptation?

What Qin Shi Huang and Emperor Wu of Han sought but could not obtain, is now truly in the hands of Li Shimin.

"If I were twenty years younger, which of the treacherous officials and rebels in this world would dare to harbor even the slightest disloyalty?"

Li Shimin muttered to himself, the long-extinguished flame of ambition in his eyes suddenly exploding as if doused with hot oil.

His original idea of ​​retiring to hold his great-grandchildren seemed so humble and ridiculous under the glow of that purple light.

Holding a great-grandchild?

If I could regain my youth, I could personally conquer a vast universe for my great-grandchildren!

"I haven't had enough of being emperor in this lifetime!"

Li Shimin's breathing instantly became heavy, like a bellows being pulled at full capacity.

He pushed aside the dragon throne behind him, appearing both majestic and mad in the center of the magnificent palace.

"Chengqian, since you have such filial piety, I will... I will protect this Tang Dynasty for you for another fifty years!"

"Fifty years isn't enough! Five hundred years would be better!"

Li Chengqian was secretly overjoyed, encouraging him wildly from the side.

Once the old man drinks this medicine, all the troubles of the Tang Dynasty will fall on his shoulders.

All I need to do is continue developing new toys and occasionally go out to sea. This life is so wonderful that I can hardly believe it.

"Give it to me!"

Li Shimin let out a low shout, his voice surprisingly carrying a fierce fighting spirit unseen for many years.

He stared intently at the purple liquid in the tube, as if he could see his future, eternal legacy reflected in the changing colors.

"Whether it was refined by Yuan Tiangang or concocted by you, I accept it!"

Li Shimin did not hesitate any longer.

His right hand, which was usually holding a horse's reins and a vermilion pen, steadily pulled out the cork.

A soft "pop" sound.

The already pleasant fragrance became extremely intense at this moment, even transforming into a thin layer of purple mist that lingered around Li Shimin's nose.

"I haven't seen enough of this land. I haven't traveled all over this world."

"Chengqian, watch closely, the golden age of the Tang Dynasty has only just begun!"

Li Shimin tilted his head back, and the dreamlike purple liquid traced a graceful arc.

He opened his mouth and drank the entire tube of "Nine-Turn Longevity Elixir" in one gulp.

The purple liquid flowed down his throat, and Li Shimin felt an indescribable heat bursting in his chest and abdomen.

It didn't feel like drinking water; it felt more like swallowing a warm, comforting sun.

"Father, how does it taste?"

Li Chengqian stepped forward and asked with a concerned expression.

Before Li Shimin could speak, he suddenly froze on the spot, and a faint purple light seemed to flow beneath his skin.

His bloodshot eyes suddenly became incredibly bright.

"hot……"

"I feel like every bone in my body is burning hot!"

Li Shimin roared in a low voice, gripping the edge of the imperial desk tightly with both hands, his grip on the hard redwood leaving several deep dents.

"It's done!"

Li Chengqian took two steps back, a glint of triumph flashing in his eyes.

"This is the thrill of genetic evolution, old man. Just enjoy this process of regaining your virility."

Outside the palace, a bright moon hangs on the treetops.

Unbeknownst to anyone, in this seemingly peaceful night, the old emperor of the Tang Dynasty, who had already begun to consider abdication, was undergoing a momentous transformation.

The person who started all of this was just dusting off his hands and getting ready to go home and sleep.

"Your Majesty... are you alright?"

Hearing the commotion outside, Wang De asked a question tremblingly.

Li Shimin's loud, resonant laughter, with a hint of metallic tremor, echoed from the inner palace.

"I'm fine! I'm perfectly alright!"

"By my decree, anyone who dares to be late for the morning court tomorrow will have their head ripped off by my own hand!"

Li Chengqian walked to the door, listened to his father's energetic roar, and nodded in satisfaction.

"With this kind of stamina, it seems old man Wei Zheng is in for a rough time tomorrow."

"Your Highness, is that medicine really without any side effects?" Xu Xiao suddenly appeared out of nowhere and asked in a low voice.

Li Chengqian curled his lip: "The side effect is that he can forget about retiring for the rest of his life."

"What if His Majesty discovers in the future that he can't grow wings and can't fly?"

"We'll talk about that later. Let's fill his schedule with work for now."

Li Chengqian looked up at the dark night sky and murmured to himself.

"Old man, now that your virility has been restored, all those overseas laborers of the Tang Dynasty are counting on you to educate them."

Inside the imperial study, Li Shimin looked at his rapidly darkening hair in the mirror and let out another hearty laugh.

"Chengqian, bring me another pot of wine!"