In my dream of returning to the Tang Dynasty, I snatched Wu Zetian from my lap.

"Your Majesty, I still believe that replacing the person would be more thorough and better."

"Li Su's status is unsuitable for a political marriage."

"If Your Majesty trusts me and entrusts this matter to me, I will persuade the Tibetan envoy. I guarantee with my life that it will not cause any displeasure between our two countries!"

Li Yuanchang issued a direct military order.

He had no choice. In ancient times, the words "the imperial edict has been issued" were tantamount to a final verdict; even if it was wrong, it could not be changed.

Its severity is second only to the edict of self-reproach, and it would be very difficult to reverse the decision.

Li Shimin and Chu Suiliang exchanged a glance, their eyes filled with suspicion upon hearing that a human head was to be used as collateral.

"Your Majesty, are you acquainted with Princess Wencheng?"

Li Yuanchang was startled.

"Your Majesty, I've met him once or twice."

He dared not say he didn't know her, for that would be deceiving the emperor; Li Shimin would certainly know from Consort Yang as well.

"Are you two close friends?"

"I feel you've gone a bit too far with this matter, even offering your life as collateral. Isn't this issue a little more serious than it seems?"

"Since the imperial edict has already been issued, it can be remedied. Why must it be changed?" Li Shimin asked, staring at him with a puzzled look.

Sweat beaded on Li Yuanchang's forehead again.

"Your Majesty, I am afraid of a second occurrence because of the Tuyuhun incident, so I want to be cautious in everything I do."

"Tibet is far larger than Tuyuhun. If a problem occurs, it will have far-reaching consequences, and it will be a loss for the entire Tang Dynasty."

Li Shimin's suspicions gradually dissipated, but his attitude remained unchanged.

"Don't worry, this time it's different from Tuyuhun. Tubo knows that Princess Wencheng is a distant relative of the imperial family, so there is no risk."

"I will have someone discuss the matter of seniority and hierarchy."

"You don't need to worry about that. Just focus on preparing for the escort of the bride and the alliance meeting with the Tibetan king."

Upon hearing this, Li Yuanchang's face darkened. He should have firmly opposed the marriage alliance had he known.

When asking Li Shimin for people, you should have said you wanted Li Su first, so that Li Shimin wouldn't have had to choose Li Su in the following days.

Of all the women from the imperial family, why was it Li Su who was chosen?

It was clear that Li Shimin was about to leave.

"His Majesty!"

He shouted urgently.

Li Shimin frowned: "Is there anything else?"

His eyes clearly held a hint of suspicion; sending Princess Wencheng to marry a foreign ruler was like stepping on Li Yuanchang's tail.

When Li Yuanchang sensed this slight suspicion, he was forced to shut up. Going too far would make Li Shimin think that his relationship with Li Su was unusual, which would only make things worse.

Li Shimin might just replace him directly, preventing him from escorting the marriage alliance. In that case, he wouldn't even be qualified to participate in the matter and would have to return directly to Liangzhou.

Then you'd truly be left with no one to turn to for help.

As long as we haven't started yet, there's still a chance, in theory.

"Your Majesty, what I meant was to say is to take care of your health and not overwork yourself." He forced a smile.

Li Shimin's expression relaxed.

"The King of Han is very thoughtful."

"You should also take a few days to rest. The road to Tibet is much longer than that to Tuyuhun."

"Yes!" Li Yuanchang replied bitterly.

But that's all he can do for now. As long as he hasn't set off yet, there's still a chance, in theory.

Not long after.

Li Yuanchang walked out of Zhaolu Palace with a solemn expression, unsure of what to do.

After much thought, he decided to go see Li Su first.

Deep within a quiet flowerbed.

"Your Highness, this is probably inappropriate. Princess Wencheng is about to become the Queen of Tibet, and according to etiquette, she should not appear in public."

"Furthermore, the officials from the Ministry of Rites and the Tibetan envoys are all over there today." The eunuch frowned, looking somewhat troubled.

"Lord Chang, I have no other intentions. I am an envoy for a peace treaty, and all matters, large and small, along the way are under my jurisdiction."

"I only wanted to inquire about some matters when I met Princess Wencheng, and I could have done so openly and honestly."

"However, His Majesty is already resting, so I should not disturb him."

"I beg Lord Chang for your help." Li Yuanchang bowed, extremely humble.

The eunuch hesitated.

Li Yuanchang added, "If Eunuch Chang can be lenient, I will remember this favor."

In the past, the eunuch might not have been so interested, since one was in a fiefdom and the other was in the palace, they were completely unrelated.

But Li Yuanchang is different now; he's even been admitted to the Council of State Affairs.

The eunuch hesitated, but finally relented.

"Well... okay."

"However, Your Highness, you will have to wait a while. I will go and make some arrangements first, so as not to be discovered and accused of breaking the rules."

"Alright, I'll wait here for Lord Chang." Li Yuanchang cupped his hands in greeting.

"Thank you for your understanding, Your Majesty."

After saying this, Attendant Chang went to make the arrangements.

Li Yuanchang waited in the same spot for more than half an hour before Chang, the eunuch, finally appeared.

He entered Chengyang Palace smoothly. This was Li Su's temporary palace. To show its importance, the entire palace was extremely luxurious and staffed with a large number of palace maids and eunuchs.

With their departure imminent, Princess Wencheng, Li Su, was surrounded by a large group of people who were instructing her on etiquette and language.

Even knowledge about sex!

Furthermore, with the issuance of the imperial edict, Tibetan envoys flocked to pay their respects, making this place the most crowded spot for the imperial palace staff.

Even for Li Yuanchang, it's not easy to meet people at this critical juncture.

However, thanks to the connection with Eunuch Chang, he eventually managed to overcome all obstacles and meet Li Su alone.

When Li Yuanchang entered the palace, he no longer saw the delicate woman in plain palace dress with eyes like icebergs and amber, but Princess Wencheng, who was extremely noble and dressed in an elaborate and stunning gown!

When the two met again just a few days later, fate played a cruel trick, and everything had changed drastically.

That feeling was no less than the feeling of seeing a thousand years in a glance, witnessing the vicissitudes of life.

"Your Highness!"

Li Su cried out, her voice choked with sobs, and then ran over, throwing herself into Li Yuanchang's arms without a care in the world, before bursting into tears!

Li Yuanchang's heart was inexplicably clenched; any man would feel heartache at that moment.

With eunuchs guarding the outside, he wasn't afraid of being seen.

He patted Li Su on the back guiltily, a thousand words stuck in his throat, unable to be uttered.

Li Su's reaction was already quite clear: she resisted marrying a Tibetan man she had never met.

"Your Highness, they want me to go to Tibet and marry the Tibetan king, are you aware of that?"

She raised her red, tear-filled eyes.

At that moment, Li Yuanchang felt even more guilty.

She pouted and cried like a little girl, shaking her head: "I don't want to go, I really don't want to go, Your Highness, I want to go to Liangzhou with you."

"I don't want to be Princess Wencheng!"

"I don't want to marry a man I don't like!" She was on the verge of a breakdown.

Her resistance was evident in every single strand of her hair.

This isn't being sentimental; it's a kind of despair stemming from the inability to control one's own destiny. Ancient Tibet was hardly a desirable place.

Let's not even talk about those who ate raw meat and drank blood, and were completely uneducated.

Moreover, once she goes there, she will never be able to come back. She will forever live alone in that unfamiliar place, facing someone she doesn't like.