Transmigrated into Li Chengqian, he effortlessly ascended the throne and became emperor.

Several palace lanterns swayed in the corridors of the Qin Prince's Mansion, casting long and short, mournful shadows.

A gold-embossed invitation lay forlornly on a rosewood table, the two characters "Eastern Palace" on it gleaming with a cold, eerie light under the candlelight, like the eyes of two venomous snakes lurking in the shadows.

"The Feast at Hongmen".

Li Shimin stood with his hands behind his back, his eyes fixed on the invitation, his voice hoarse as if rolling over gravel.

"Isn't Father going?" Li Chengqian looked up.

Li Shimin sighed, squatted down, and stroked his son's cheek with his rough fingertips: "That's your uncle's territory, and also the Crown Prince's territory. If I go, I'm afraid I won't come back; if I don't go, it would be disobeying orders and showing weakness."

"Father is the Supreme General of the Heavenly Strategy Army, who has he ever feared?" Li Chengqian tossed aside the Nine-Linked Rings and snuggled into Li Shimin's arms like a clingy cat. His soft voice held a barely perceptible firmness. "Yu Nu will accompany Father. Uncle loves Yu Nu the most. With Yu Nu there, Uncle won't have the nerve to scold Father with a stern face, will he?"

Li Shimin chuckled, his eyes filled with doting affection and helplessness: "That's a den of dragons and tigers, not a game for us!"

"I'm not afraid." Li Chengqian raised his head, his long eyelashes trembling slightly. "Wherever Father is, Yu Nu will be there."

……

The Eastern Palace, Xiande Hall.

The air was filled with the sounds of string and wind instruments, and the singing and dancing seemed peaceful and prosperous, but beneath this lively facade lurked a suffocating murderous intent.

Li Jiancheng sat in the main seat, dressed in a bright yellow python robe, with his signature refined smile on his face, though the smile never reached his eyes.

Li Yuanji sat on the left, holding a wine cup in his hand, staring at the father and son who had just stepped into the hall with a sinister look in his eyes, making no attempt to hide his murderous aura.

"Erlang has arrived." Li Jiancheng stood up, adopting the proper posture of brotherly affection. "It's just a small gathering of brothers, no need for formalities."

Li Shimin held Li Chengqian's hand, each step he took was steady and powerful.

He wasn't wearing armor today, only a casual outfit, yet he still exuded an aura of power that seemed to have emerged from a mountain of corpses and a sea of ​​blood.

"How could I, your elder brother, refuse your invitation?" Li Shimin bowed, his tone neither humble nor arrogant.

"Oh, why did you bring Chengqian along?" Li Yuanji interjected sarcastically. "Second Brother really spoils this kid rotten. Bringing him to an event like this? What, are you afraid that Eldest Brother and I will eat you up? You need a little brat for protection?"

Li Shimin's face turned cold, and he was about to lash out when he felt the small hand in his palm tighten.

Li Chengqian peeked out from behind his father, his delicate face almost translucent in the lamplight. He blinked his big eyes and called out in a clear voice, "Fourth Uncle is joking. Yunu missed the cheese in Uncle's palace and begged Father to bring me here to beg for some."

As he spoke, he released Li Shimin's hand, ran up to Li Jiancheng with his short legs, performed a proper bow, raised his head, and revealed a sweet smile that could melt ice and snow: "Uncle, may you be blessed with good health and happiness."

This smile, though carrying a touch of childlike innocence, still made even the shrewd and calculating Li Jiancheng pause for a moment.

This child is so good that it's hard to have any ill intentions towards him—if only he weren't surnamed Li, the same Li as Li Shimin.

"Get up." Li Jiancheng gave you a slight help, his eyes filled with complex emotions. "Since you want to eat, your uncle will have someone prepare it for you right away."

After they sat down, an awkward silence fell over them.

The dancers twirled in the center of the hall, their skirts billowing like clouds, yet they could not conceal the probing and daring undercurrents of swords within the banquet hall.

Li Yuanji frequently raised his cup, his words full of sarcasm at Li Shimin's dejected state after his military power was stripped away, leaving him only able to compile books at the Hongwen Academy.

Li Shimin remained silent, drinking cup after cup of strong liquor from the Western Regions. It felt like a knife down his throat, but it couldn't extinguish the chill in his heart.

Li Chengqian sat obediently beside Li Shimin, holding a bowl of light fish soup in his hands, but his gaze passed over the dancers, observing the movements of the servants without making a sound.

A meek eunuch approached carrying a purple-gold tray. The tray did not contain ordinary dishes, but rather a uniquely shaped glass wine pot, accompanied by several plates of exquisite pastries.

That was specially presented to the King of Qin.

"Second Brother," Li Jiancheng raised his cup, his smile becoming somewhat stiff, "In the past, you and I, brothers, fought alongside Father Emperor to conquer the world; how exhilarating those times were. Although our political views differ now, the blood ties between us cannot be severed. This pot of 'Grape Frozen Wine' is a precious tribute from the Western Regions; your elder brother specially reserved it for you."

Li Shimin reached out his hand, his fingertips just touching the cool body of the pot.

Wow! What a beautiful teapot!

Suddenly, a small, fair hand darted in with incredible speed, snatching the delicate little dish next to the glass pot—on which were several pieces of translucent jerky drizzled with crimson sauce.

Those are "snacks" to accompany drinks.

"Yu Nu!" Li Shimin exclaimed in surprise, instinctively reaching out to snatch her away.

But since Li Chengqian was going to stage this self-inflicted injury ruse, he did not hesitate at all.

Like a child tempted by the aroma, he grabbed a piece of dried meat and stuffed it into his mouth, chewing it heartily.

"It smells so good! Uncle's dried meat is definitely better than the meat at Father's house!"

He mumbled incoherently while licking the sauce off his fingertips, his beautiful peach blossom eyes curving into crescents as if he had tasted the most delicious thing in the world.

Li Jiancheng's expression changed instantly, and his hand trembled violently, spilling the wine from his glass all over the floor.

That dried meat... was prepared for Li Shimin to have with his wine. To ensure everything went perfectly, it was soaked in...

"Yu Nu, spit it out!" Although Li Shimin didn't know the details, his intuition as a military general made his hair stand on end. He grabbed his son's chin and shouted sternly.

"Father?" Li Chengqian blinked, making a confused expression.

Instead of immediate, intense abdominal pain, a burning sensation surged up my esophagus, as if my internal organs were being gripped by a scalding hot hand.

Li Chengqian's face turned ashen at a visible speed, and his originally pink lips instantly lost all color.

"Father...I..."

The white jade nine-linked rings in his hand fell to the ground with a "clang" and shattered into pieces.

The next instant, Li Chengqian's body trembled violently, a metallic taste surged in his throat, and with a "whoosh," a mouthful of dark red blood gushed out without warning.

The blood splattered on Li Shimin's brand-new purple robe, on his moon-white collar, and on his exquisite face, like red plum blossoms blooming in the snow, so tragically beautiful that it was breathtaking.

"Jade slave——!!"

Li Shimin frantically caught his son's limp body, his hands trembling so much he could barely hold the small frame.

The person in his arms was convulsing violently, and with each breath, more blood foam spilled from the corner of their mouth, staining the snow-white fox fur collar red.

At this moment, the majesty of the General of Heavenly Strategy and the forbearance of the King of Qin vanished completely.

Li Shimin felt as if the sky had fallen.

Li Chengqian struggled to open his heavy eyelids and looked at the man in front of him, who was usually as steady as a mountain, now panicking like a child.

He tried to raise his hand to wipe away his father's tears, but found that he didn't even have the strength to lift his hand.

"Father...I don't want to die..." Li Chengqian murmured intermittently, "Yu Nu...want to stay with Father...Father...don't...don't cry..."

Li Shimin suddenly raised his head, his usually deep eyes now bloodshot and red, like a demon crawling out of hell.

He stared intently at Li Jiancheng, who was now deathly pale on the high seat. His voice, no longer hoarse, now carried a chilling calm and madness:

"Li Jiancheng".

This time, he neither called him "elder brother" nor "crown prince."

"I will repay what I have done today tenfold."