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

The air inside the Taiji Hall seemed to be ignited.

Xiao Yu knelt on the ground, his body trembling like a withered leaf in the wind. He looked up at the eight-year-old boy in front of him. Although he was just a child, his eyes were like those of a young tiger ready to devour its prey, the oppressive feeling making it hard for Xiao Yu to breathe.

"Speak up, Lord Xiao."

Li Chengqian bent down, pinched Xiao Yu's chin with two fingers, and forced him to look at him.

"Do you think that if we kowtow until our heads bleed, give away all our money, and marry our princess to them, the Turks will be grateful for the Tang Dynasty's kindness and start practicing Buddhism from then on?"

Xiao Yu's lips trembled as he tried to argue, "At least... at least it will buy us a few years of breathing room. The Tang Dynasty is weak right now; it can't withstand any more turmoil, Your Highness!"

"respite?"

Li Chengqian abruptly released his grip, as if he had touched something dirty, and stood up, pulling a handkerchief from his sleeve to vigorously wipe his hands.

"That's called barely clinging to life!"

He turned around, facing the assembled civil and military officials, and his voice suddenly rose, like metal exploding.

"You all talk about benevolence and morality all day long, and all you ever say is that it's for the country and for the people."

"But what exactly are you feeling sorry for?"

Li Chengqian pointed at Dai Zhou, the Minister of Revenue, his finger almost poking the other man's nose.

"What you're worried about is the meager amount of money in the national treasury! You're afraid of spending money on war, and you're afraid your accounts won't look good!"

He then pointed to Xiao Yu and that group of pro-peace officials.

"What you're worried about is your peaceful life! You're afraid that if war breaks out, it will disrupt your time spent drinking tea and listening to music at home!"

"Every autumn, the Turks would march south to raid for grain, kill men, and abduct women. The people of Liangzhou were displaced, and orphans were everywhere in Youzhou!"

"Why didn't you cry then? Where are your tears? Did they get eaten by dogs?!"

This barrage of questions, like a machine gun, silenced the entire hall.

Dai Zhou's old face turned a deep purplish-red, while Xiao Yu was so ashamed that he buried his head between his legs, wishing he could disappear into a crack in the ground.

That's incredibly sharp.

This is no court debate; it's a public execution, tearing their faces off and stomping on them.

"Money may be gone, but you can earn it back."

Li Chengqian took a deep breath, his tone becoming low and solemn. He slowly paced in the center of the hall, each step resonating with the heartbeats of everyone present.

"The potatoes are ripe, the salt has been sold, and our Tang Dynasty will have plenty of money in the future. I'm not some spendthrift who doesn't know the cost of living when he's not in charge of the household."

"but!"

He stopped abruptly, his gaze sharp as lightning.

"If your spine is broken, no amount of money can fix it!"

"If the people feel that their court is a spineless coward who only offers women and money for peace, then what's the point of having this Tang Dynasty?!"

"I, Li Chengqian, don't care for such peace! Nor do the people of the Tang Dynasty care for it!"

"good!"

A loud shout suddenly came from the ranks of the military officers.

Cheng Yaojin, his face flushed with excitement, slapped his thigh loudly: "Your Highness is right! I, Cheng, am a rough man and don't understand any grand principles, but I know that a real man doesn't back down!"

"I second that!" Yuchi Gong also stepped forward, his tiger-like eyes filled with tears.

"Your Majesty, I second that proposal!" Li Jing, Li Ji, and other military generals stepped forward in unison, their armor clashing with a powerful clang.

However, what surprised everyone even more was...

Wei Zheng, who usually loved to nitpick the Crown Prince and wanted to find Li Chengqian's flaws with a magnifying glass, actually stepped out from the ranks of civil officials.

His usually serious, dark face now showed an unprecedented level of emotion.

"His Majesty!"

Wei Zheng raised his tablet high, his voice trembling yet unwavering.

"Although His Highness the Crown Prince is young, his words have revealed the very foundation of the nation!"

"Dignity is earned through swords and spears, not by kneeling!"

"Your subject, Wei Zheng, though merely a scholar, powerless to even kill a chicken, still knows the meaning of shame!"

"If Your Majesty decides to wage war, this old minister is willing to donate all of my family's wealth to fund the war effort! Even if it means going to the front lines to sharpen the soldiers' swords, this old minister will have no objections!"

"This battle, for the backbone of the Tang Dynasty, must be fought!"

Wei Zheng's statement completely shattered the last psychological defenses of the appeasement faction.

Even this notorious "sharp-tongued" person supports the Crown Prince. If they still oppose him, they will truly become sinners for all time, spineless cowards.

Xiao Yu slumped to the ground, looking at the disdainful gazes around him, and finally realized that all was lost.

He shakily removed his official hat, placed it on the ground, and kowtowed heavily.

"This old minister... has been foolish!"

"Your Highness is right to reprimand me. This old minister only saw the immediate gains and losses, but forgot the backbone of the Tang Dynasty."

"Your subject... seconded the proposal to go to war."

With Xiao Yu bowing his head, the pro-peace faction completely collapsed.

"We second that proposal!"

"We, your humble servants, are willing to fight for our country, even unto death!"

Just moments ago, the Taiji Hall was in complete chaos, but now only one voice echoed—"Fight!"

Sitting on the dragon throne, Li Shimin looked at the excited crowd below and felt a surge of heat rush to his head, as if every pore on his body was opening up.

This shows that the people's hearts can be won!

This is why the morale of the army can be mobilized!

He looked at Li Chengqian standing in the center of the hall, and that small figure seemed so tall in his eyes at that moment.

This unfilial son, although he's a bit lazy, a bit greedy, and a bit sharp-tongued.

But this fire was lit perfectly!

"good!"

Li Shimin suddenly stood up, drew the Emperor's Sword from his waist, and pointed it straight north.

"Issue my decree!"

"Immediately assemble the army and prepare for battle! Supplies must be secured first, then all troops must move out at once!"

"This time, I will personally lead the army! I swear I will not return until the Turks are annihilated!"

"Long live Your Majesty! Long live the Tang Dynasty!"

The cheers erupted like a tsunami, almost lifting the roof off the Taiji Hall.

Watching this exhilarating scene, Li Chengqian quietly breathed a sigh of relief and reached out to wipe the fine sweat from his forehead.

"Phew... I finally managed to fool them."

He muttered to himself, "These old men are so hard to please, they just keep pushing me to my limit. Why drag this out? Wouldn't it be better to finish this quickly and call it a day?"

"I want to go back to sleep..."

Just as he was about to slip away in the chaos, he suddenly heard a loud crash from the side.

Immediately following was a series of terrified screams.

"Duke of Yi!"

"Second Brother Qin! What's wrong?!"

"Imperial Physician! Summon the Imperial Physician immediately!"

The previously enthusiastic atmosphere instantly froze.

Li Chengqian turned around abruptly and saw Qin Qiong, the man hailed as the God of War of the Tang Dynasty, clutching his chest in pain and falling straight backward in the ranks of military officers.

His sallow face was devoid of any color, and there was a shocking amount of black blood hanging from the corner of his mouth.

"puff--"

Another mouthful of blood spurted out, staining the armor on his chest red.

Qin Qiong was convulsing. His once powerful hands, which had wielded double maces and were invincible throughout the world, were now too weak to even grasp the person next to him.

The old illness relapsed.

Qi and blood attack the heart.

This fierce general, who had shed the most blood for the Tang Dynasty, was so excited upon hearing the news of the war that his already battered body finally gave way.

"Uncle Bao!"

Li Shimin let out a heart-wrenching cry of grief, jumped off the dragon platform, and scrambled over there.

Li Chengqian frowned, and the foot he was about to step out the door with was pulled back.

"trouble."

He sighed, but his hand instinctively reached for his chest.

Looks like I won't be getting any sleep tonight.