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

The horses' hooves, wrapped in cloth, trod on the heavy rammed earth road of Chang'an, producing a dull, thunderous sound as if muffled by a drum.

This 800-strong force was like a silent black tide emerging from the depths of hell, carrying a chilling aura that froze the air as it sped through the deepest darkness before dawn.

Li Shimin took the lead, his scarlet cloak, after that brief moment of tenderness, was tied tightly behind him again, fluttering wildly like the blood-red sunrise about to burst forth.

His face was hidden in the shadow of his helmet, only his eyes shone brightly in the afterimage of the passing torches.

Ahead, the majestic Xuanwu Gate loomed like a giant beast in the night.

This is a gate between life and death.

Over the past few years, Li Jiancheng and Li Yuanji have tried countless times to kill him, and tonight, this place will become an altar for the change of power in the Tang Dynasty.

Silence reigned atop the city wall.

There were no shouts, no warnings, and even the patrol lights seemed to deliberately avoid this side.

Li Shimin reined in his horse, which snorted restlessly and exhaled a cloud of white mist.

Beneath the city gate, a figure had been standing for some time.

The man, clad in black armor and with his hand on his sword, showed no panic upon seeing the menacing army from the Prince of Qin's residence. Instead, he strode forward to meet them.

It was Chang He, the General of the Central Army, who was in charge of guarding Xuanwu Gate.

In Chang'an, a city rife with betrayal and scheming, Chang He was the deepest thorn in Li Shimin's side.

Two years ago, when Li Jiancheng thought he could win over this general from humble origins with gold and silver, Li Shimin used the bond of friendship forged on the battlefield to firmly grasp the key that locked the north gate of the palace.

"Your Highness," Chang He knelt on one knee, his voice extremely low, "This humble general has been waiting here for a long time."

Li Shimin looked down at him, his gaze sharp: "How is the situation in the palace?"

"Everything is as usual. The Crown Prince and Prince Qi's spies have been transferred away under the pretext of troop rotation. At this moment, everyone at Xuanwu Gate is on our side." Chang He raised his head, his rugged face showing a resolute determination born of desperation. "Your Highness, please!"

In this life-or-death moment, trust is a luxury more precious than gold, yet they have now entrusted it to each other.

As Chang He waved his hand, the heavy city gate winch emitted a teeth-grinding clattering sound.

Two heavy wooden doors covered with iron slowly opened inward, like a giant mouth waiting to devour everything, or a road leading to supreme power.

"Come with me!"

Li Shimin squeezed the horse's belly with both legs.

With a neigh, the black horse carried the King of Qin, who was about to rewrite history, across the threshold of destiny.

Eight hundred elite troops followed closely behind, entering in single file.

Once you enter Xuanwu Gate, you enter the forbidden area of ​​Taiji Palace.

This place should have been heavily guarded, with sentries every three steps and guards every five steps.

However, the scene presented to the generals of the Prince of Qin's mansion at this moment sent chills down the spines of Hou Junji, Zhang Gongjin, and others who had followed Li Shimin for many years.

Everything went too smoothly.

It went so smoothly it was almost unbelievable.

Those imperial guards who should have been loyal to the emperor and obeyed the crown prince did not stop or warn anyone when they saw the banners of the Prince of Qin's residence.

They either silently lowered their weapons and paid their respects, or turned around very naturally, giving up the checkpoints they had been guarding.

Even more remarkably, some emerged directly from the shadows and silently joined Li Shimin's ranks, guiding them in the right direction.

Only at this moment did these proud and fierce soldiers of the Qin Prince's Mansion truly realize just how terrifying power their master had hidden beneath his years of forbearance.

Li Shimin did not seize power just tonight.

In every day of the past, in every seemingly yielding smile, in every drinking session with the Imperial Guard generals, he had already been eroding and replacing the foundation of this palace little by little.

"Gongjin," Li Shimin said coldly, showing no sign of relaxation despite the smooth progress, "You lead two hundred men to immediately take over the defense of Xuanwu Gate. No one is allowed to enter, no one is allowed to leave; not even a fly can be let out!"

"Yes, sir!" Zhang Gongjin accepted the order and immediately set up defenses inside Xuanwu Gate, completely cutting off this escape route.

"Junji." Li Shimin's gaze swept to the deep palace passage on the right. "Take a hundred men to control the side gates connecting the East Palace and the Taiji Palace. Remember, do not alert the East Palace. Just cut off the reinforcements' route."

"Yes, sir!"

As orders were issued in an orderly manner, the imperial garden defenses that originally belonged to the Tang emperor fell smoothly into the hands of the Prince of Qin within just half an hour.

It all fell into place naturally; nothing more.

Finally, Li Shimin reined in his horse in the woods near Linhu Palace.

This was the only way to Li Yuan's palace, and also the dead end for Li Jiancheng and Li Yuanji when they entered the court.

The swaying shadows of the trees obscured the figures of the eight hundred armored soldiers.

Li Shimin dismounted and gently stroked the sword at his waist. The cool touch gradually calmed his chaotic thoughts.

Changsun Wuji rode up to his side, looking at the desolate palace walls around them, a trace of worry flashing in his eyes: "Your Highness, although the palace defenses are under control, but... what if those two don't come today?"

This is a fatal problem.

If Li Jiancheng and Li Yuanji change their minds at the last minute, or if they sense something amiss and feign illness to stay home, then Li Shimin's current large-scale military campaign will be a difficult situation for him to resolve.

Once daybreak, news of the hundreds of armored soldiers lying in ambush in the forbidden garden will spread, and the charge of treason will be confirmed.

Upon hearing this, Li Shimin's lips curled into a cold and confident smile.

He turned around and looked towards the inner palace—that was Li Yuan's bedroom, and also the location of the painted boats on the sea pond.

"Not coming?" Li Shimin chuckled lightly, the smile not reaching his eyes. "Wuji, why do you think I sent Yunu to accompany Father?"

Changsun Wuji was stunned for a moment, then his pupils contracted sharply, and he gasped.

He had always thought that sending the young prince into the palace was just to appease His Majesty, but now, looking at Li Shimin's composed expression, he suddenly understood.

This is a double insurance.

Li Shimin stretched out his hand and slowly clenched it in the air, as if he had grasped the lifeline of the entire Tang Dynasty.

"If my elder brother falls into my trap, I will settle this score with this knife right here and now."

"If they don't come, or if they sense something is wrong and flee back to the East Palace... that's fine too."

"Now all the guards of Taiji Palace are under my control, and my father only has Yu Nu by his side. If I take control of the Secretariat and the Chancellery now, and issue an edict in my father's name, saying that the Crown Prince and the Prince of Qi are plotting a rebellion, I will order the Prince of Qin to lead troops to punish them—"

Li Shimin turned his head, looking intently at his brother-in-law, "—Do you think the Ministry of Personnel will not recognize this edict?"

Changsun Wuji felt a chill run from the soles of his feet straight to the top of his head.

Ministry of Personnel?

That was Li Shimin's stronghold, which he had built up over many years. At this moment, half of the prime minister's power and all of the military power of the Tang Dynasty were actually in Li Shimin's hands.

Even if Li Jiancheng didn't come to his death, as long as Li Shimin controlled the source of the emperor's legitimacy and, with the palace defenses already under his control, a single imperial edict would still put Li Jiancheng in a predicament, only the execution would change from being killed on the spot to being captured and killed by imperial decree.

This is the real killer move.

Whether it was the inferior strategy of fighting with force or the superior strategy of holding the emperor hostage to command the feudal lords, Li Shimin had already paved the way.

Li Chengqian, who seemed innocent and naive and kept saying he wanted to go boating with his grandfather, actually became the most perfect, softest, yet most unbreakable link in this grand plan.

"Yu Nu, that child..." Changsun Wuji murmured to himself, feeling both affection for his beautiful nephew and a vague sense of awe. "She is truly a lucky star bestowed upon the Qin Prince's mansion by heaven."

"He is my son," Li Shimin corrected, his tone carrying a hint of barely perceptible pride and tenderness.

He recalled that before he set off, that small figure shivering in the cold wind, yet with a determined look in her eyes, wanting to share his pain.

—Father, can you please not kill your uncle with your own hands?

This sentence came to mind again.

Li Shimin took a deep breath, closed his eyes, and felt the darkness of the last moment before dawn.

"Your Highness!"

A suppressed gasp interrupted Li Shimin's thoughts.

The scouts at the outpost darted out of the woods like cats and knelt on the ground: "They've arrived! The Crown Prince and Prince Qi's carriages have passed Xuanwu Gate and are heading towards Linhu Palace!"

coming.

Li Shimin suddenly opened his eyes.

Now that we're here, there's no need to take the second step.

This is the will of Heaven, that they shall perish here.

"Give the order." Li Shimin's voice was cold and hard, devoid of any emotion. "Silence the entire army and prepare to engage the enemy."

He reached behind him and took the large bow hanging on the saddle.

It was a powerful bow with a draw weight of three stones; very few people in the entire Tang Dynasty could draw it.

Li Shimin picked up a long arrow and gently stroked the cold arrowhead with his fingers.

I promised Yu Nu that I would try my best not to do it myself...

He silently repeated it to himself, and then his gaze hardened.

But if it's for the sake of the Tang Dynasty, and for giving Yu Nu a peaceful and prosperous era, what does it matter if one carries some sins for a lifetime?

If they cannot be killed in one blow, and if they are allowed to escape, the Tang Dynasty will surely be plunged into a bloody civil war.

Li Shimin was well aware of this.

A pale, fish-belly white dawn broke over the eastern horizon. The first rays of sunlight brought no warmth, but instead illuminated the land that was about to be soaked in blood.