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

Deep within the long corridor of the Eastern Palace, the subdued light illuminated Wu Meiniang's astonished face. She had just drunk the pale blue medicine, its warm energy seeping into her limbs and bones. Before her, Li Chengqian underwent a breathtaking transformation amidst the interplay of light and shadow.

It was a miracle of time reversal. The few strands of gray hair that had been deliberately displayed to maintain the "crown prince's dignity" had quietly turned black, and the deep weariness at the corners of his eyes, along with the disguised fine lines, had vanished without a trace in just a few seconds. His face had returned to the appearance of his twenties, full of vigor, with a habitual, cynical smile on his lips.

"Your Highness, you..." Wu Meiniang subconsciously reached out, her fingertips touching Li Chengqian's warm cheek. It wasn't an illusion; it was real, surging vitality.

"Scared?" Li Chengqian took her hand in his, his palm hot and strong. He leaned back lazily in his leather swivel chair, letting out a few of his signature chuckles. "If I hadn't pretended to be a bit older, I'd probably be sitting on that cold dragon throne by now, worrying about tens of thousands of telegrams from around the world every day."

Li Chengqian rubbed his neck, as if a heavy burden had been lifted. He removed the aged disguise maintained by his internal energy and system items, and this feeling made him feel much lighter.

"That's the wisdom of a salted fish," he said, spreading his hands earnestly. "The old man's just had his fill of fun; he feels he's only twenty, the perfect age to make a name for himself. If he found out I'm immortal and have even more energy than him, guess what he'd do?"

Wu Meiniang smiled, her initial surprise turning into deep helplessness: "His Majesty will definitely hold the coronation ceremony immediately, and then take Mother to Antarctica to fish for penguins."

"Clever." Li Chengqian snapped his fingers, a sly glint in his eyes. "So I have to be 'old,' and 'old' just right. I have to cough a couple of times now and then, walk a beat slower, and tell him my back and legs ache. Only when he feels that his son is physically weak, or even might pass away before him, will his sense of responsibility as an old father burst forth, and only then will he be willing to continue being that 'top-notch employee' at Taiji Palace."

This logic sounds absurd, but in the unique family environment of the Li family, it reveals a kind of clarity that is impossible to refute. Li Chengqian's move of "showing weakness" directly dumped the most arduous tasks of the Tang Dynasty onto his energetic father, while he himself became the most leisurely player in this prosperous era.

"So, will Meiniang have to keep up the act with His Highness now?" Wu Meiniang felt the vitality surging within her body, and she knew that her appearance would be forever frozen at its most radiant moment.

"Pretend, of course we have to pretend." Li Chengqian took out another exquisite little porcelain bottle from his pocket and handed it to Wu Meiniang. His eyes were gentle and deep. "This is a diluted elixir of immortality. It will allow you to accompany me through all the changes of time in this world. There are many days ahead. We will watch the flags of the Tang Dynasty fly across the starry sky and see those cables spread across the seabed."

Wu Meiniang accepted the porcelain vase, and the last trace of unease in her heart dissipated. She had originally thought that the passage of time would be an insurmountable chasm between them, but she never expected that Li Chengqian had already prepared eternity for her.

"Your Highness, you are truly the most caring person in the world, and also the laziest."

"Laziness is the primary productive force, after all." Li Chengqian laughed and pulled Wu Meiniang toward the observation deck. "Come on, before the old man goes to sleep, let's go see his plan for the cross-sea bridge. I heard he recently wants to build a world wonder in Gibraltar. That old man, once he gets going, he really doesn't leave any chance for future generations."

The two stood side by side on a high place, the evening breeze blowing. Below them lay Chang'an, brightly lit all night, the imperial center with its towering buildings. And on this night when their secret was accomplished, the fate of the Tang Dynasty was quietly led by these two men who held eternity in their hands to another unknown dimension.

Time flies, and the scene begins to leap rapidly in a strange rhythm.

The walls of Chang'an were constantly being reinforced, and the trams that used to run on the ground were gradually replaced by lighter and faster suspended tracks. The ginkgo tree in the East Palace turned green and then yellow, yellow and then green again, witnessing the prosperity year after year.

In Li Chengqian's view, decades had passed, but they were nothing more than the constantly fluctuating numbers of the nation's fortune on the system panel. Some of those once young ministers had retired after achieving their goals, while others had become leading figures in academia. Only the two masters of the Eastern Palace remained unchanged, preserving their original appearance through the cracks of time.

The rumors about "His Highness the Crown Prince's secret to eternal youth" circulated among the people for half a century, eventually becoming a well-known miracle.

On this day, the solemn atmosphere in the main hall of the Eastern Palace was completely shattered.

Several midwives, sweating profusely, moved in and out, carrying steaming golden basins. Outside the room, several richly dressed, distinguished young men paced anxiously back and forth. Some of them controlled the Tang Dynasty's global trade, while others commanded the most elite mechanized legions, but at this moment, they all held their breath.

Li Chengqian sat in a rocking chair under the eaves, still holding the fishing rod in his hand, but the hook was suspended in mid-air and not in the water. He maintained his illusion of being an "old and frail man," but his eyes were clearer than ever before.

"Wow--!"

A clear and powerful cry suddenly shattered the silence before dawn, echoing deep within the hall.

Li Chengqian's fishing rod trembled slightly, and a satisfied smile appeared on his lips.

"She gave birth? She gave birth!"

"Congratulations, Your Majesty! It's a little grandson of the Emperor!" A member of the Imperial Guard rushed over, his face filled with ecstasy.

Li Chengqian stood up, brushed the dust off his long robe, and amidst the noisy cries of the baby, he seemed to see the continuation of the Tang Dynasty for the next thousand years.

"Your Highness, look, this child looks just like you." Wu Meiniang walked out of the palace. She still had that elegant and refined appearance, but her eyes now held a touch of elder's loving kindness.

Li Chengqian looked at the little life in the swaddling clothes; it was the new bloodline he had left in this world.

"Being like me is good; being like me makes life easier." He teased the baby's delicate face, then turned to look at the still brightly lit Taiji Palace. "Let's go, let's tell the old man the good news. He's been talking about wanting a great-grandson; this will keep him busy for a while."

"Your Highness, are you sure His Majesty still has the strength to take care of the child?"

"Taking care of children is much easier than writing official documents, and he's happy to do it." Li Chengqian laughed and strode out of the East Palace gate.

Under the golden dawn, the new generation of the Tang Dynasty, with each cry, began their own chapter of an era where the sun never sets.

"Grandpa, slow down, your legs are so weak..." A young grandson of the emperor hurriedly stepped forward to help him.

"Ah, I'm getting old, I'm getting old, I'm useless now." Li Chengqian leaned on his grandson's shoulder, muttering to himself, but his eyes were full of triumphant smiles.

"So, what do you think about this lunar landing project...?"

"Ask your great-grandfather! I can't handle that kind of brain-taxing work right now!"