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

In the imperial study, Li Shimin was immersed in the pleasure of his muscles swelling.

He even felt that he could punch through the red-lacquered pillars of the Taiji Hall.

The kneeling and shouts of the courtiers made him feel like he was floating on air. This sense of control, returning to the top, made him feel like even his breathing was carried by the wind.

Amidst this jubilation, Li Chengqian, who had been watching from the shadows, suddenly let out a soft sigh.

His shout was like a piece of ice falling into a hot oil pan, instantly freezing the lively atmosphere.

Li Chengqian raised his sleeve and pretended to wipe his eyes, as if there really was a tear of "gratification" there.

"Father, I am so moved."

His voice trembled slightly, and his tone carried a chilling air of "filial piety."

At this moment, Li Shimin was full of vigor and vitality. Upon hearing this, he waved his hand boldly, his voice booming like a bell.

"Chengqian, since you have such filial piety, I will certainly reward you handsomely in the future! Tell me, what do you want?"

Li Chengqian shook his head repeatedly, displaying an air of utter nobility, regarding money as dirt.

"Your subject wants nothing. It's just that seeing Father Emperor's hair now as black as ink and his spirit so high, that a huge weight has been lifted from my heart."

He quietly took a step forward and pointed to the several piles of official documents on the imperial desk, each about half a person high and emitting a faint smell of ink.

"Now that Father has regained his youth and his physical strength even surpasses that of the King of Qin in his prime, surely these few hundred pounds of memorials every day are no problem for someone with your god-like physique?"

Li Shimin's smile froze for a moment.

He glanced at the mountain of papers, and his eyes twitched involuntarily.

Those were trade coordination from the Western Regions, rubber development plans from South America, and logistical supply requests for the Pope's Chinese Level 4 exam.

These things used to make Li Shimin dizzy after just looking at half of them.

"Chengqian, what do you mean by that?"

Li Shimin lowered his voice, a sense of foreboding rising in his heart.

Li Chengqian revealed a signature, even somewhat cruel, bright smile.

"Father, think about it. Your son is still young, only a few years old this year. It is the time when he is growing physically and mentally."

"Over the years, I've been trying to ease your burdens, and I'm even losing my hair from worry. If this continues, won't the Tang Dynasty lose a future wise and powerful ruler?"

As he spoke, he nimbly began to back away, his steps so light they seemed to be flying.

"Now that you, Father Emperor, have been reborn, this is a miracle that the Tang Dynasty will never see again in ten thousand years. Therefore, your son has decided that from this day forward, all matters of the court, large and small, shall be handed over to you, the eternally twenty-year-old God of War."

"Your subject wants to return to the Eastern Palace to continue being a salted fish... no, I mean to study more advanced science, and incidentally grow taller."

Li Shimin's eyes nearly popped out of their sockets when he heard this. He took a step forward, his taut muscles almost bursting through his dragon robe.

"Stop right there! How can you, as the Crown Prince, abandon the fate of this Tang Dynasty?"

Li Chengqian had already retreated to the threshold, spreading his hands and smiling innocently.

"Father, you just said that you are full of energy and can fight for another five hundred years."

"Since you are in such high spirits, how could I possibly deprive you of the joy of governing diligently and caring for your people?"

"The prosperity of the Tang Dynasty for the next five hundred years depends entirely on you, Father! If there's anything you're unsure about in the future, just... just handle it yourself, as long as you don't disturb my sleep!"

After saying this, Li Chengqian turned around abruptly without any hesitation.

His movements were as agile as a rabbit that had broken free of its reins. With a cheerful stride, he rushed out of the sight of the imperial study in two or three steps at a time.

"Your Highness! Wait for me!"

Xu Xiao paused for a second, then quickly limped after him.

The attendants of the Eastern Palace ran faster than the wind, disappearing in the blink of an eye at the end of the Taiji Palace square.

Inside the imperial study, the previously bustling air instantly froze into solid ice.

The group of veteran ministers were still kneeling on the ground, staring wide-eyed at their emperor with his thick black hair.

Fang Xuanling coughed lightly and carefully raised his head.

"Your Majesty, that... the memorial from Nanyang regarding the expansion of the port has been shelved for three days. What do you think...?"

Changsun Wuji also joined in the fun, pointing to the thick stack of reports.

"There's also the issue of the Western Regions Telegraph Bureau's budget overrun. His Highness previously told us to listen to your opinion."

Li Shimin stood blankly in front of the imperial desk.

He looked down at his hands, which were full of explosive power and could even crush stubborn rocks.

Then, he looked up at the piles of folded paper that were almost overwhelming him and could never be finished being corrected.

This feeling is like a warrior who has just received an unlimited stamina potion, only to be suddenly told that he has to slay monsters for ten thousand years straight.

His current peak physical condition is filled with a yearning to go out and ride horses, to fight, and to unleash his power.

As a result, he is now being held down on a stool in the imperial study by his rebellious son, Li Chengqian.

Moreover, he could no longer find any excuses to say that he was "old," "had poor eyesight," or "had back pain."

"Chengqian—!"

A harsh and frustrated roar erupted from the imperial study, shaking the entire palace.

Li Shimin finally realized what was happening.

What kind of longevity potion is this?

This is a permanent "lifetime employment contract"!

"Wang De! Go and bring that rebellious son back to me!"

Li Shimin slammed his hand on the table, and with that blow, the already cracked stone pillar finally collapsed with a crash.

Wang De shrank back and answered shakily.

"Your Majesty, His Highness says he's going into seclusion to research 'how to make ice cream even better for the people of the Tang Dynasty,' and he's already welded the gates of the Eastern Palace shut."

Li Shimin was so angry that his face turned red, but he had so much strength in his body that he didn't know where to use it.

He grabbed an imperial brush and actually crushed it into powder.

"Wei Zheng! Didn't you just say you wanted to impeach him? Get out here!"

Wei Zheng, holding his official tablet, took two steps forward with an upright expression.

"Your Majesty, now that you have regained your youthful vigor, let us begin with the first memorial and discuss the tax reform of the Tang Dynasty point by point. Your Majesty, I am prepared; even if it means staying up until tomorrow's morning court session, I am ready!"

Looking at Wei Zheng's old face, which was full of fighting spirit, Li Shimin felt a wave of dizziness.

He plopped down on the dragon throne and let out the most desperate sigh of his life.

"What sins did I commit to deserve such a son?"

Fang Xuanling, barely suppressing a laugh, asked in a low voice.

"Your Majesty, what will you do with this first memorial regarding the importation of Persian dancers... oh no, I mean the importation of stone quarries from the Western Regions?"