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

The eighth day of the sixth month in the ninth year of the Wude era.

Summer comes exceptionally early and is exceptionally scorching in Chang'an.

The afternoon sun hung brightly in the sky, baking the undulating glazed tiles of the Taiji Palace until they seemed to be smoking.

There wasn't even a breath of wind in the air, only a suffocating heat.

Although the palace servants of the Inner Palace had rinsed the Xuanwu Gate with water for three days and three nights, and although the ambergris in the Boshan incense burner had tried desperately to cover it up, for the civil and military officials kneeling below the Danbi steps, the rusty, fishy smell had already seeped into their bones and could not be dispelled.

Inside the Taiji Hall, the light was dim and oppressive.

On the high throne, Li Yuan, the founding emperor of the Tang Dynasty, sat stiffly.

In just three days, this once spirited emperor, who had risen up in Jinyang and swept across the land, seemed to have all his energy drained away.

His temples appeared gray and withered under the crown, his eye sockets were sunken, and his once eagle-eyed and wolf-like eyes were now just a murky gray.

His slightly trembling fingers gripped the armrests of the dragon throne tightly, his knuckles turning white from the force.

"Your Majesty..." the old eunuch beside him whispered, "The auspicious time has arrived."

Li Yuan's body trembled violently, as if he had been awakened from a nightmare.

He opened his mouth, a dry, hissing sound coming from his throat, but it ultimately turned into a powerless sigh.

"Explain it."

That one sound seemed to drain all the strength from his remaining life.

The palace gates were wide open.

The blinding sunlight rushed in instantly, tearing a hole in the originally gloomy hall.

Against the backlight, a tall, pine-like figure slowly walked towards them.

Li Shimin.

Today, he did not wear his usual military uniform, but instead donned a bright yellow imperial robe symbolizing his status as the crown prince.

His wide sleeves hung down, fluttering in the still hall with each step he took.

He walked slowly, but the murderous aura he exuded, as if he had fought his way through mountains of corpses and seas of blood, made the courtiers on either side feel breathless, even though he was wrapped in fine clothes.

Li Shimin kept his eyes straight ahead, his gaze piercing through the steps and landing directly on the throne.

Sitting there was his father, who was also his last enemy.

Upon reaching the foot of the steps, Li Shimin stopped, lifted his robes, and knelt down heavily.

"Your subject pays respects to Your Majesty."

The sound was loud and clear, like the clash of metal and stone, echoing throughout the hall.

The Imperial Attendant, holding the bright yellow imperial edict, stepped forward shakily and unfolded it.

The main hall was deathly silent, save for the slightly high-pitched voice of the Vice Minister:

"In the ninth year of the reign of Emperor Wude, the year of Bingxu... Crown Prince Jiancheng and Prince Yuanji of Qi conspired to rebel and sow discord, plotting treason..."

Upon hearing this edict that distorted the truth and pinned all the blame on the dead, Li Yuan's facial muscles twitched violently, but he closed his eyes and remained silent.

History is always written by the victors.

The Vice Minister's voice continued, his tone gradually rising, until he reached the most crucial sentence:

"...King Shimin of Qin has achieved unparalleled merit and benefited all people. He is now established as Crown Prince. All matters of state, large and small, shall be decided by the Crown Prince before being reported to the Emperor!"

The Crown Prince was entrusted with all the decisions, and then the matter was reported to the Emperor.

This means that from this moment on, Li Yuan was completely sidelined, becoming a clay or wooden statue enshrined in the deep palace, and the power of the Tang Dynasty was officially transferred.

Among the assembled officials, Pei Ji's body went limp, and he almost collapsed to the ground.

Fang Xuanling, Du Ruhui, and others looked excited, their eyes gleaming.

Li Shimin slowly raised his head and held his hands high above his head.

A palace attendant carried the imperial seal, symbolizing the power of the crown prince, down the steps and solemnly placed it in Li Shimin's hands.

The imperial seal was very heavy. The moment the cool jade touched his palm, Li Shimin's heart clenched.

This is what countless people dream of.

Was it worth it for the stone slabs of Xuanwu Gate to be stained red with blood?

The thought flashed through Li Shimin's mind, but it was instantly crushed.

There's no question of whether it's worth it or not.

Being born into an imperial family means that taking a step back is like falling into an abyss.

Once you've picked up the knife, you must hold onto the handle.

He intended to use this leverage to create an unprecedented golden age, to wash away the blood on his hands, and to prove to the world, to history, and to his aged father on the throne—

Only Li Shimin was worthy of this vast empire.

"Your subject obeys the decree! Thank you for your grace!"

Li Shimin kowtowed heavily, his forehead touching the gold brick, producing a dull sound.

After the ceremony, Li Shimin stood up, slowly walked up the steps, and came before Li Yuan.

The father and son were only a few feet apart.

Li Yuan finally opened his eyes and looked at his second son, who was both familiar and unfamiliar.

"Erlang..." Li Yuan's voice was hoarse, carrying a complex sorrow, "This world... is yours."

Li Shimin bowed slightly, his tone respectful yet revealing an undeniable firmness: "Father is getting on in years and should enjoy his retirement. As for the complicated political affairs, the border wars, and the livelihoods of the people... your son will take care of those worries for Father."

Li Yuan smiled bitterly, a tear glistening in his cloudy old eyes: "Very well, but... Erlang, now that you have achieved your wish, what about the people of the Eastern Palace..."

Li Shimin remained silent for a moment.

"Father, rest assured." Li Shimin looked directly into Li Yuan's eyes and said, word by word, "Although Li Jiancheng has committed the crime of treason, he is still my elder brother. I have ordered the imperial physician to take care of him, and I will never... let him die an unjust death."

Upon hearing this, Li Yuan deflated like a punctured balloon, slumping back onto the dragon throne.

He knew that this was the absolute limit Li Shimin could offer.

"Go..." Li Yuan waved his hand, as if bidding farewell to his era, "I... am tired."

Li Shimin turned his back to Li Yuan and faced the assembled officials.

The sunlight outside the hall shone directly on him, giving him a dazzling golden edge.

In the shadows behind him, Li Yuan's figure grew fainter and fainter, as if being swallowed by the light.

"Your humble servants pay their respects to Your Highness the Crown Prince! May Your Highness live a long life! May the Tang Dynasty last ten thousand years!"

Fang Xuanling was the first to kneel down and shout loudly.

Immediately afterwards, Du Ruhui, Changsun Wuji, Yuchi Gong... all the fierce generals and strategists of the Tian Ce Mansion knelt down, their voices like a tidal wave.

Finally, even Pei Ji, Xiao Yu, and other former officials had no choice but to bow their heads and kneel on the ground under this overwhelming force.

"Your Majesty, we, your humble servants, pay our respects!"

A roar like a mountain collapsing and a tsunami crashed through the roof of the Taiji Hall and soared into the sky.

Outside the Taiji Hall, a falcon, seemingly appearing out of nowhere, circled and cried out under the blazing sun before flapping its wings and soaring into the clouds.

On this day, the Wude Dynasty had effectively come to an end.

The wheels of history took a huge turn here, rumbling and crushing towards that glorious peak.