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

That's enough.

Li Shimin suddenly spoke and walked straight to the side hall, reaching out to untie the bright yellow round-necked dragon robe that symbolized supreme imperial power but also restricted his hands and feet.

"Gao Shilian!"

"Your subject is here!" Gao Shilian hurriedly followed.

"Prepare the horses. Also..." Li Shimin stopped and glanced back at his somewhat bewildered confidant, "Go and fetch my Bright Armor."

Upon hearing this, Fang Xuanling, who was following behind, was greatly alarmed: "Your Majesty! You are... A son of a noble family should not sit under a dangerous roof. The Turkic army is right across the Wei River. How can you put yourself in such a perilous situation?"

"Perilous situation?"

Li Shimin's lips curled into a cold smile. "Xuanling, hiding in this deep palace, listening to the thunderous war drums outside but not knowing the truth, that is the real danger."

Li Shimin ripped off the winged crown on his head, letting his black hair fall loose, which he then skillfully tied up.

"I want to see for myself whether this Jieli truly has three heads and six arms, or is just a paper tiger bluffing!"

A moment later, heavy footsteps echoed in the hall's corridors.

"Fang Xuanling, Gao Shilian, and Zhou Fan, accompany me out of the palace!"

"The rest of you, each perform your duties. Anyone who dares to propose moving the capital will be executed!"

After issuing this menacing order, Li Shimin strode out of the Liangyi Hall without looking back, leaving behind an unshakeable figure as imposing as a mountain for all the civil and military officials.

……

Xuanwu Gate.

The heavy city gates burst open with a roar, and six riders sped out like arrows, kicking up clouds of dust.

Li Shimin lay prone on the horse's back, and the steed beneath him seemed to sense its master's fighting spirit, its hooves flying at an astonishing speed.

Beyond the Xuanwu Gate lies the vast Forbidden Garden.

The autumn grasses are withered and yellow, and the endless expanse of decaying grasses trembles in the fierce wind.

Further north lies the ruins of the old city of Chang'an from the Han and Wei dynasties.

The ruins are faintly visible among the weeds, and the massive rammed earth foundation still silently watches over this land that has suffered so much.

The prosperity of a thousand years ago has long since turned to dust, and now, the new empire stands at a crossroads of life and death.

Gao Shilian was old, and his face turned pale from the jolting on horseback, but he gritted his teeth and followed closely behind the golden figure.

Looking at the young man's back in front of him, he felt a surge of inexplicable sorrow and heroism.

"Your Majesty! The Wei River Bridge is just ahead!" Fang Xuanling shouted in the wind.

"Whoa—!"

Li Shimin suddenly pulled on the reins, and the warhorse let out a long neigh, its front hooves off the ground, and it came to a steady stop on a high slope on the south bank of the Wei River.

The view here is superb, with the mighty Wei River flowing beneath your feet, and the Turkic army on the other side of the river.

As far as the eye can see, the endless rows of domes resemble poisonous mushrooms blooming on the grassland, densely covering the plains on the north bank.

Banners blotted out the sky, and the neighing of warhorses merged into a tsunami-like roar, shaking even the Wei River.

Li Shimin sat upright on his horse, his narrow phoenix eyes slightly narrowed, his gaze as sharp as a hawk's as it pierced the wide river.

Fang Xuanling, watching from the side, broke out in a cold sweat and whispered, "Your Majesty, the enemy's strength... is too overwhelming. I estimate it to be no less than two hundred thousand, and most of them are cavalry, with extremely high mobility. If we launch a direct attack, our army has no chance of winning."

"Yes, two hundred thousand."

Li Shimin's voice was eerily calm, even carrying a hint of disdainful laughter, "It certainly looks frightening."

His thoughts drifted back to the past ten years.

In the Battle of Baibi that year, Song Jingang's tens of thousands of elite troops were like mad dogs, truly man-eating wolves, and every battle was a blood grinder.

At Hulao Pass that year, Wang Shichong and Dou Jiande's armies attacked from both sides. Dou Jiande also brought an army of over 100,000, and their formation was even more disciplined and menacing than it is now.

Was Li Shimin ever afraid?

No.

He led three thousand Xuanjia soldiers and managed to break through Dou Jiande's army of one hundred thousand.

In my entire life, apart from being tricked and suffering a great loss by that old fox Xue Ju in Qianshuiyuan when I was just starting out, and being disgusted by that peasant Liu Heita's guerrilla tactics a few times in Hebei...

Of the rest, which one wasn't trampled under his feet?

Li Shimin's gaze swept across the Turkic army formation.

Although well-equipped, the ranks were loose, and some people were even washing their horses and laughing by the river.

Although there were many flags, they were disorganized and even separated by a guard distance, showing no signs of preparing to cross the river and launch a strong attack. They had not even built the most basic ladders and battering rams.

Li Shimin slowly raised his riding whip, pointed to the enemy troops covering the mountains and plains on the opposite bank, and said to Gao Shilian and Fang Xuanling behind him, who were extremely nervous:

"Uncle, Xuanling, look carefully."

"If they truly wanted to destroy my Great Tang, they would have already taken advantage of the momentum from the victory at Jingyang and crossed the Wei River at all costs. But what are they doing here? Camping here, basking in the sun, waiting for me to send them money!"

The light in Li Shimin's eyes grew brighter and brighter. "Jieli is taking advantage of my unstable position. He wants to bring a tour group to Chang'an and extort a huge sum of money to take back for the winter."

"Since it's about making money, then it's business. Since it's business..." Li Shimin suddenly spurred his horse, and the steed, Teleg, raised its head and neighed loudly, "That makes things much easier!"

"Your Majesty! What are you doing?" Gao Shilian exclaimed in surprise.

Li Shimin did not answer, but instead spurred his horse forward and charged directly out of the cover of the high slope, arriving alone at the bridgehead on the southernmost bank of the Wei River.

This place is only an arrow's throw away from the Turkic vanguard on the other side of the river.

The wind whipped his scarlet cloak behind him, making it flutter like a raging fire burning on the banks of the Wei River.

The golden, radiant armor shone brilliantly under the midday sun, so dazzling that it was almost blinding.

Li Shimin took a deep breath, focusing his energy in his dantian: "Jieli Khan!!"

The previously noisy Turkic military camp on the opposite bank fell silent instantly, and countless eyes turned to the golden figure on the other side.

Li Shimin reined in his horse, raised his whip, and stood proudly between heaven and earth, his voice booming, each word like a knife:

"I am Li Shimin, the Emperor of the Great Tang Dynasty!"

"The oath you swore by slaying the white horse at the Bian Bridge still rings in my ears! I have not broken my promise, so why have you betrayed me and invaded my territory?!"

The name "Li Shimin" is legendary in the Tang Dynasty, and mythical on the grasslands!

The Turks were martial and deeply admired heroes.

In their legends, Qin King Li Shimin was a star sent down from heaven, an invincible being.

Over the past decade, with each victory of the Tang army, the Qin King's fame had spread throughout the northern deserts.

That stirring song, "The Song of the King of Qin Breaking the Enemy's Formation," was not only sung in Chang'an, but even the herdsmen on the grasslands could hum a few lines.

At that moment, the Turkic soldiers stared blankly at the opposite bank.

That figure, clad in golden armor, gleamed in the sun, exuding an awe-inspiring presence. Though he was only one person and one horse, his aura was as imposing as that of a thousand troops!

That was a true god descending to earth!

It's unclear who started it; perhaps it was an old soldier who had witnessed the magnificence of the King of Qin, or perhaps a tribal chief who was intimidated by this aura.

"It's Li Shimin...it's the Heavenly Khan..."

"It really is him!"

The Turkic cavalrymen in the front row involuntarily dismounted.

Immediately afterwards, this awe spread like a plague.

Whether it was Jieli's personal guards, Tuli's followers, or even the tribal leaders who had originally clamored to rob Chang'an, the moment they saw that golden-armored figure, their inherent worship of the strong overwhelmed their greed.

slam-la-

A shocking scene unfolded.

Across the Wei River, thousands of Turkic soldiers dismounted, lowered their scimitars, and bowed to the lonely yet proud figure on the opposite bank.

Even Khagan Jieli, who had just stepped out from the central command tent, turned pale upon seeing this scene, a hint of undisguised fear flashing in his eyes.

With the power of one man alone, he forced an army of 100,000 to bow their heads.

Just then, from the direction of Chang'an behind Li Shimin, billowing dust rose into the sky like a giant dragon.

The imperial guards left behind in Chang'an, the soldiers of the Twelve Guards, and even the temporarily conscripted able-bodied men all rushed out like madmen after learning that His Majesty had left the city alone.

For a time, battle flags and armored soldiers covered the entire plain along the Wei River.