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

On the banks of Qujiang Pool, the winter wind is firmly blocked out of the windows by thick double-pane glass.

This “sunshine-controlled greenhouse,” which cost tens of thousands of taels of silver to build, is now a sanctuary where the most powerful people in the Tang Dynasty while away their time.

The room was warm and cozy, with lush green vines climbing up the steel frame and several colorful butterflies fluttering among the flowers out of season.

Li Chengqian was wearing only a thin silk shirt, casually lounging in a rattan chair, holding half a watermelon that had just been taken out of the cellar's ice bucket.

He scooped out a piece of the reddest and sweetest melon flesh with a spoon and stuffed it into his mouth, while mumbling indistinctly imparting the "art of the emperor" to Wu Meiniang beside him.

"Meiniang, you must remember, the most tiring job in this world is not carrying bricks, but being the one who watches others carry bricks."

He swallowed the watermelon, a smug, mischievous grin spreading across his face.

"Therefore, the highest level of laziness is definitely not lying there doing nothing; that's just being a low-level salted fish."

"A true master is someone who puts the most capable people in the most suitable positions, while you yourself only need to hold onto the remote control that determines their livelihood."

Wu Zetian was carefully peeling the glistening grapes when she heard this and chuckled softly.

"The most capable person Your Highness is referring to, is it perhaps His Majesty, currently in the Taiji Palace with dark circles under his eyes, reviewing memorials from around the world?"

"You can't just say things like that." Li Chengqian chuckled and shifted to a more comfortable position.

"I did that so that Father Emperor could relive the heroic spirit of the King of Qin in his prime. Look at him now, handling those hundreds of pounds of paper every day, how energetic he is! He's even lost all his white hair."

"As long as Father Emperor is on the throne, I can peacefully eat watermelon here all day long."

"This is what is called 'filial piety and parental love'. As long as the old man doesn't retire, my position as crown prince will be the most secure safe haven in the world."

Li Chengqian waved his hand, signaling Wu Meiniang to put the reports that had just been delivered aside.

Recently, he has even lost interest in drawing blueprints himself.

"Go, give all the drafts of these generator improvements and the so-called cement formula optimization plan to Mo Ju."

"Tell him that I'm only giving him the direction. As for the rest of the details, let him and those old scholars from the Ministry of Works figure it out themselves."

"If he can't even handle this simple matter, he can forget about opening his fifth rubber tire factory in Chang'an."

Previously, he had to teach those craftsmen how to perform standardized operations step by step. Now, thanks to his "knowledge decentralization," the Tang Dynasty has cultivated a large number of scientific research enthusiasts with basic logical thinking.

As long as a concept is introduced, Mo Ju and the Ministry of Works can go crazy and engage in involution on their own.

Li Chengqian, biting his spoon, looked at the bleak winter scene outside the greenhouse and felt exceptionally relaxed.

"Your Highness, aren't you afraid that Lord Mo and his team won't be able to figure it out and will delay the project?" Wu Meiniang asked softly.

"What's there to be afraid of?" Li Chengqian snorted casually.

"The Tang Dynasty has no shortage of people. If one Mo Ju is not good enough, replace him with ten. If ten are not good enough, then put a bounty on his head."

"A generous reward will surely bring forth brave men; this is a truth left to us by our ancestors."

"All I need to do now is enjoy life and occasionally point out the moon to them, and they'll do everything in their power to build me a ladder."

If these remarks were to reach Li Shimin's ears, he would be so angry that he would crush a few more pillars in the imperial study on the spot.

But reality is just that cruel.

The emperor was so engrossed in global affairs that he was enjoying peak physical strength thanks to the "longevity potion".

Meanwhile, the Crown Prince, who truly controls the technological lifeline of the Tang Dynasty and global profit sharing, is researching how to make winter watermelons taste more soulful.

"Your Highness, your method of shifting the blame to His Majesty and conveniently dumping the technical pressure on the Ministry of Works is truly a radical solution."

Wu Meiniang smiled secretly and fed him the peeled grapes.

"Even if the whole world wants you to ascend the throne in the future, you can point to His Majesty and say, 'Your Majesty is in good health and cannot overstep your bounds.'"

"Brilliant!" Li Chengqian slapped his thigh triumphantly.

"The concept of official titles is only for those who want to become officials."

"As far as I am concerned, as long as I have real power and enough resources, I don't care who sits on that dragon throne and burns their backside."

"Here, make me another bowl of ice cream, with extra crushed peanuts."

Sunlight streams onto the all-glass walls, refracting a dreamlike glow.

Just as Li Chengqian was about to close his eyes and take a long nap in the greenhouse.

Suddenly, a strange sound came from above.

"Buzz—!"

That wasn't the bird call common in the Tang Dynasty, nor was it the dull thunder of winter.

It was a rhythmic, penetrating metallic vibration, as if some enormous object was violently rubbing against each other in the void.

Li Chengqian suddenly opened his eyes, his brows furrowing slightly.

He had never heard such a sound before in the Tang Dynasty.

But this frequency gave his modern soul a strange sense of familiarity.

"What's that noise?" Wu Meiniang was startled, and the grape bowl in her hand trembled slightly.

The Imperial Guards outside the greenhouse drew their swords and looked up at the sky with wary expressions.

"Boom—!"

The roar grew louder and louder, and even the glass of the greenhouse was trembling slightly.

Li Chengqian immediately turned over and stood up, strode to the glass wall, and looked up at the clouds above Qujiang Pool.

Amidst the thick cumulus clouds, a massive, silver-gray figure could be seen appearing and disappearing.

Unlike birds that flap their wings, it trails two long white plumes of smoke as it cuts through the sky with an arrogant and domineering manner.

"Xu Xiao! Get in here!" Li Chengqian shouted.

Xu Xiao, his face covered in soot, stumbled into the greenhouse, panting heavily.

"Your Highness...Your Highness! Something has happened!"

He pointed to the approaching black dot in the sky, his voice tinged with an uncontrollable fervor and terror.

"That madman Mo Ju... he's sent himself to heaven!"

Li Chengqian froze for a second, then his eyes widened.

"You mean, he actually managed to put an internal combustion engine with wings?"

Xu Xiao nodded vigorously, gesturing wildly to indicate the name.

"Just now! In his lab on the outskirts of the city, he strapped that black-smoking machine to a few planks of wood."

"We all thought he was going to commit suicide, but that thing actually flew up along the runway!"

"Now he can't stop in the sky, he's wandering around Chang'an City!"

As Li Chengqian listened to the increasingly close roar of the engine, a strange smile appeared on his lips.

These people, once they get going, they're willing to risk their lives.

Just then, a simple monoplane, resembling a kite, flew over Qujiang Pool.

Mo Ju, with his hoarse voice and a scream of relief after surviving a disaster, floated down from the sky.

"Your Highness—help! How are we supposed to land this thing?!"

Li Chengqian looked at the black dot teetering precariously in the clouds and sighed helplessly.

"The old man is down there approving official documents, I'm down there eating watermelon, and you're up there like a birdman."

"The style of the Tang Dynasty is really getting out of control."

Xu Xiao said anxiously, "Your Highness, if this falls into the palace, His Majesty will surely have Mo Ju skinned alive!"

"Let it fall, the old man is in good health now and can handle it."

Li Chengqian picked up the spoon again and calmly looked up.

"But before that, Xu Xiao, go get me a loudspeaker. I need to tell him not to try to take advantage of the Crown Prince's territory."

"Your Highness, aren't you concerned about the aircraft's specifications?"