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

The faint light of dawn had not yet fully penetrated the heavy windows of the Taiji Palace. Inside the painted boats on the shore of the lake, candlelight flickered, emitting a faint scent of ambergris.

Li Yuan lay on his side on the couch, breathing heavily. The founding emperor of the Tang Dynasty was not sleeping soundly, a trace of unresolved sorrow etched between his brows.

A small body was curled up beside him.

Li Chengqian had his eyes tightly closed, pretending to be asleep.

His little hand was unconsciously clutching the hem of Li Yuanming's yellow nightgown; this was an act for Li Yuanming's benefit.

However, his heart was not at peace.

Judging by the time, Li Shimin should already be at Linhu Palace.

What if Li Shimin misses his target?

What if the Crown Prince's two thousand elite troops launch a counterattack?

Xuanwu Gate is both a place of death and a gate of life.

But a military genius like Li Shimin, who thought three steps ahead for every step he took, would never leave himself only one path.

There's still one card left to play.

Li Chengqian's thoughts drifted through the layers of palace walls to the western part of Chang'an.

That was a crucial move that most historians tend to overlook, yet it could have been a lifesaver at a critical moment—Gao Shilian, the governor of Yongzhou, and the group of fugitives he was about to release.

……

West of Chang'an City, Changshoufang.

This area is adjacent to the West Market, a melting pot of all sorts of people, a stark contrast to the elite district of the East City.

The prison of Yongzhou Prefecture was located here, like a moldy scar, exuding an aura of decay and despair year-round.

On a summer morning, the air is filled with the lingering heat and dampness rising from the ground.

"Clang—!"

A loud bang shattered the death row cell's previous silence.

The heavy iron lock was violently smashed open, and the torchlight brutally pierced into the long-dormant passageway.

The prisoners, who had been huddled in the pile of rotten straw, covered their eyes in terror, and the chains dragged on the ground with a screeching sound.

Most of them were dressed in rags, covered in sores, and their eyes held only numbness or ferocity.

Among them were robbers who committed murder and looting, deserters who violated military law, and even prisoners of war left over from the former Sui Dynasty.

"All of you, stand up!"

Gao Shilian, dressed in military uniform and carrying a sword, strode into the prison cell.

This maternal uncle of Empress Zhangsun, and the elder whom Li Shimin relied on most, had no trace of his usual refined demeanor on his face at this moment. Instead, he had a ferocious and fanatical look of desperation.

Dozens of elite guards from the Prince of Qin's residence filed in behind him, each carrying a heavy bundle of bundles.

"Who are you? Breaking out of prison is a capital offense punishable by the extermination of nine generations of your family!" A one-eyed prisoner with a face full of scars asked warily, squinting his eyes.

Gao Shilian sneered, his gaze sweeping over the group of scum and devils like a hawk.

"Death penalty?" Gao Shilian slammed his sword heavily into the filthy ground. "Aren't you all just waiting to die? Executed in the autumn, a single stroke at the execution ground, not even a whole corpse left!"

"I am Gao Shilian, the Prefect of Yongzhou," he announced, his voice booming and echoing through the corridor. "Today, His Highness Prince Qin demands justice from Heaven! This Tang Dynasty was won by Prince Qin himself, sword by sword. Now, the Crown Prince, jealous of talent and scheming to harm meritorious officials, is about to raise an army. This is the time when you need capable men!"

Gao Shilian suddenly waved his hand, and the guards behind him slammed the package in their arms to the ground.

"Splash—"

The package was unpacked, revealing a gleaming horizontal sword, old but still sturdy leather armor, and armor-piercing spikes capable of penetrating heavy armor.

"Put it on!" Gao Shilian pointed at the equipment on the ground, his eyes burning with a crazed fire. "Take your swords and come with me! If we win today, all your past sins will be wiped clean, your wives and children will be granted titles and honors, and wealth and glory will be right before your eyes! This is His Highness the King of Qin's promise!"

The prisoners' breathing became heavy.

For this group of people who were originally destined to die, this was undoubtedly a spider's thread hanging down from hell, no, it was a golden rope reaching to the heavens.

"What if we lose?" someone asked in a trembling voice.

"Defeated?" Gao Shilian laughed loudly, his laughter tinged with a tragic heroism, "Defeated just means dying a few months sooner! Dying on the front lines is better than rotting in this stinking ditch like a dog!"

After a brief silence, the one-eyed prisoner was the first to rush forward, grabbing the leather armor from the ground and roaring, "Let's do it! I should have died long ago. Rather than wait to die, I'd rather gamble for riches!"

"Let's do it!"

"For the King of Qin!"

"Fight your way out!"

Like a flood bursting its banks, the prisoners' fighting spirit was instantly ignited.

Without orderly ranks or unified commands, this makeshift army of over a thousand desperados exuded a nauseating yet chilling aura of wild beasts.

Gao Shilian nodded in satisfaction.

"Set off!"

Gao Shilian mounted his horse, his long sword pointing north, "Fanglin Gate!"

……

On this day, the West Market of Chang'an City was still asleep.

But the once quiet alleyway was violently torn apart by a chaotic sound of footsteps and the clanging of armor.

More than a thousand prisoners, dressed in multicolored armor and wielding sharp blades, stormed out of the Yongzhou prison.

They passed through Changshoufang, crossed Puningfang, and headed north along the straight street.

"My God...who are those people?"

Inside the walls of the neighborhoods along the way, early risers peered through the cracks in their doors, watching the menacing procession with fear.

The stray dogs on the street barked wildly, but under the fierce glares of the prisoners, they tucked their tails between their legs and whimpered as they fled.

"Is that...is that a death row inmate?"

"Shh! Be quiet! Look who's leading the way!"

The commotion awakened half of Chang'an.

Such a large-scale mobilization of armed forces should have been stopped by the Imperial Guards or the local officials who patrolled the streets long ago.

However, a strange scene happened.

As the procession passed the gate of the Chang'an County government office, several yamen runners on duty were leaning against the gate, yawning.

Upon seeing Gao Shilian and the more than a thousand fierce-looking prisoners, instead of sounding the alarm, they turned away in perfect unison, as if admiring the moss on the wall.

The gates of the Yongzhou prefectural government office were tightly shut, and there wasn't even a peek inside.

In this capital city that seemed to belong to Li Yuan and Li Jiancheng, Li Shimin had long since woven an invisible net with his personal charisma, military achievements, prestige, and tangible benefits.

Gao Shilian sat on his horse, his face stern.

Every moment of silence at this moment is an echo of the years of effort put in by his nephew, Li Shimin.

These officials may not dare to openly rebel, but at crucial moments, they would pretend to be deaf and dumb to do favors for the King of Qin, which was a tacit understanding they had long ago.

The convoy traveled smoothly, as if strolling in its own backyard.

As the sun rose higher, its scorching rays shone on the prisoners' contorted faces. Sweat mingled with the musty smell of the prison, creating a suffocating odor.

Finally, the majestic northern wall of the imperial city came into view.

That's Fanglin Gate.

Unlike the perilous Xuanwu Gate, Fanglin Gate connects the Imperial Palace and the North Garden. It has an open terrain and is the back gate of Taiji Palace, as well as the throat leading directly to the West Inner Garden.

The guards at Fanglin Gate had already been replaced by men arranged by the Prince of Qin's mansion. When they saw Gao Shilian's troops arrive, the flags on the city tower waved rhythmically a few times.

Gao Shilian reined in his horse, turned around, and looked at the group of desperate men behind him, panting but with gleaming eyes. A huge weight was finally lifted from his heart.

If Xuanwu Gate was the spear of attack, then Fanglin Gate was Li Shimin's last shield.

If the assassination attempt inside the palace fails, or if the Imperial Guards launch an overly aggressive counterattack, Li Shimin will immediately withdraw from Taiji Palace through Fanglin Gate.

The army of desperados brought by Gao Shilian will form a flesh-and-blood defense here, desperately blocking the pursuers.

Subsequently, Li Shimin could retreat to the Qin Prince's Mansion located in the Hongyi Palace in the north of the city, and defend it from a strategic position.

Furthermore, if the situation completely collapses, this force will escort the Qin King's family out of Chang'an and head straight for Luoyang.

Luoyang was Li Shimin's long-established stronghold, where he had a more elite army, stronger city defenses, and the support of the powerful clans of Guandong.

Once they reach Luoyang, even if the world descends into chaos, it will merely be a replay of the old story of the eighteen rebel kings vying for control of the Central Plains, and it remains to be seen who will emerge victorious.

But this is ultimately a last resort.

The scholar looked towards the Xuanwu Gate. Although he couldn't hear anything from there due to the many palaces, he could almost smell the blood in the air.

"Stand in place!" Gao Shilian ordered in a low voice. "No one is allowed to approach Fanglin Gate. Anyone who disobeys will be executed without mercy!"