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

The wild laughter from Taiji Palace drifted on the night breeze, creating a series of unsettling aftershocks in the air above this ancient capital.

The greed and fervor in that laughter finally landed on the empty plain outside the East Palace and dissipated in the cool air.

Li Chengqian stood in front of the gangway of the supersonic vehicle, the hatch behind him emitting a soft, warm light.

With his hands in his pockets, he listened to the old man's loud, even somewhat manic laughter, and a relieved smile appeared on his lips.

It's a sense of accomplishment from having a well-thought-out plan, and a feeling of relief from finally getting rid of a hot potato.

He gazed at the towering silhouette of the Taiji Hall in the distance, which appeared both futuristic and eerie under the glow of the deep blue holographic light.

The old man eventually fell into the logical trap called "omniscience and omnipotence".

But that's exactly what Li Chengqian wanted.

Rather than having the old man watching me all day, it's better to let him stare at that spinning digital Earth.

The night breeze swept by, carrying away the last trace of the spicy aroma of the hot pot broth remaining in the East Palace.

Li Chengqian closed his eyes and took a deep breath of the cool air.

This feeling of freedom allowed his long-stiffened back to begin to relax little by little.

In contrast to the bright lights and oppressive atmosphere inside the Taiji Palace, the breeze on the tarmac felt exceptionally pleasant.

Li Chengqian stretched out a huge yawn, his joints making a crisp sound.

He turned his head and saw a team of fully armed Snow Dragon Riders silently and efficiently carrying supplies.

The last aluminum alloy box labeled "Special Barbecue Seasoning" was delivered into the cargo hold.

That box contained not only his gluttony, but also his last vestige of perseverance in this chaotic world.

The exhaustion from being relieved of the burden of the entire empire transformed into joy at this moment, flowing through my blood and throughout my body.

He is no longer the crown prince of the empire who had to go bald because of the North American blackout.

He is now just a salted fish about to return to the sea and find the most comfortable position to lie down.

This transcendent pleasure made him want to whistle at the night sky.

"Your Highness, everything is ready."

A cool, slightly amused voice came from the side.

Wu Meiniang had changed out of her sharp purple dress and put on a light beige fitted trench coat at some point.

The night breeze tousled a few strands of her dark hair, outlining soft lines on her stunningly beautiful face.

She stood beside Li Chengqian, and the sharpness that came from his decisive and ruthless nature had completely vanished.

All that remains is a tranquil serenity after all the superficiality has been washed away.

Li Chengqian turned to the side and naturally put his arm around her rounded shoulder.

He pointed to the solitary lamp that burned all night in the direction of Taiji Palace and winked mischievously.

"The mess is completely sorted out, and self-driving is now enabled. Let's go back to Hawaii for some grilled seafood!"

Wu Zetian's eyes held a smile, and her phoenix eyes conveyed a tacit understanding that she understood everything.

She obediently took Li Chengqian's arm and leaned lightly against his broad shoulders.

The two walked up the gangway side by side.

That stride wasn't the resolute step towards the battlefield, but rather the lighthearted step towards life.

When their leather boots stepped into the futuristic cockpit, it meant that the two most brilliant minds of the Tang Dynasty were officially offline.

Xu Xiao stood by the cabin door and gave a final military salute to the city of Chang'an below.

Then, the heavy, airtight hatch slowly closed amidst the hum of the hydraulic push rods.

"laugh--"

The sound of pressure relief seemed to bring a pause to this bustling city.

Inside the cabin, warm yellow ambient lighting instantly illuminated.

Li Chengqian didn't go to the driver's seat, but instead slumped down on the genuine leather massage chair with memory function, which was produced by the system.

He casually unbuttoned his collar, feeling the sensation on his neck.

"Old Xu, activate stealth mode. Don't let those old men's radars detect us."

Li Chengqian gave vague instructions.

The engine began to warm up, and a low-frequency, powerful roar tore through the pre-dawn tranquility of Chang'an.

Through a specially made composite material porthole, Li Chengqian took one last look at the view below.

The enormous capital city was being outlined in a cyberpunk style by countless neon lights.

Beneath that bizarre and dazzling exterior, algorithms are operating at high speed, maintaining a precise and cold balance.

That was the empire he built with his own hands.

But he doesn't want it at all now.

He was more concerned about whether the Australian lobsters in the cold storage in Hawaii had spoiled due to the power outage.

This breadth of thinking is a level that no politician within the Tang Dynasty could comprehend.

The vehicle began to slowly ascend into the air.

With the gravity compensation system in place, people inside the cabin don't even feel the slightest sway.

Li Chengqian looked down at the Taiji Palace, which was getting smaller and smaller, and at the control panel that had shrunk to a tiny dot.

He knew that the palace was now inhabited by a tyrant who craved control over everything.

But so what?

As long as the algorithm is running, Datang, this giant harvester, will continuously generate wealth.

The ultimate destination of this wealth is actually still hidden in those few lines of final code.

What he gave the old man was power.

But what he left for himself was the whole world.

"Your Highness, is the temperature adjusted?"

Wu Meiniang carefully draped a thin blanket over him, her voice soothing and exceptionally pleasant to hear.

"Alright, Meiniang, you should rest for a while too."

Li Chengqian patted the empty seat next to him, his eyes becoming somewhat unfocused and lazy again.

This is the real him.

Not that devil who subjugates the powerful and wealthy in the palace.

It's not the commander-in-chief who strategizes in front of the console.

He was just a lazybones in the tumultuous Tang Dynasty who wanted to stop and watch the sunset.

As the altitude continued to rise, the city of Chang'an below was completely transformed into an exquisite holographic circuit board.

Layer upon layer of clouds spread out beneath my feet, like a giant quilt.

The supersonic vehicle suddenly spewed out two bright blue high-energy tail flames.

The flames were so hot that they had a transparent texture.

It was like a sharp sword slicing through the sky, or the afterglow of a falling meteor, instantly piercing through the thin atmosphere.

Li Chengqian slumped comfortably in the leather seat, his fingertips unconsciously tapping along the edge of the armrest.

He seemed to hear the sound of the waves.

In that instant, all formalities and national sentiments were left behind by the speed of this journey.

He turned his head to face the central control console in front of him, which was flashing a faint blue light.

Slowly extend your index finger.

He pressed down hard on the bright red "silent mode" button, which represented complete disconnection from the outside world.

The touch was realistic, with a crisp mechanical rebound.

As the red light turned on, Li Chengqian felt the last chain deep within his soul snap completely.

Who cares if the market is red or green, who cares if powerful families are alive or dead.

At this moment, he belonged only to that bright blue sea and that free breeze carrying the scent of sea salt.

He slowly closed his heavy eyes.

A wicked smile, born of utter relief, hung on the corner of his mouth—a smile that could infuriate Li Shimin.

The vehicle accelerated again at an altitude of 10,000 meters.

It transformed into a blurry streak of light, moving at incredible speed, and took off once more towards the new dawn on the horizon.

Li Chengqian comfortably slumped in his leather seat and casually pressed a red button on the control panel: "Silence all channels, target Hawaii. Even if the sky falls, we'll deal with it after I wake up."