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

Li Yuanchang's gaze was also respectful.

In a cold and ruthless world like the Heavenly Family, it is indeed not easy to have such a love story.

He remembered that in later generations, in Chang'an, there was a huge ginkgo tree in the Zhongnan Mountains, which was said to have been planted by Li Shimin and Empress Zhangsun.

It is hailed as a love that has transcended a thousand years.

At this moment, Li Shimin glanced around and seemed to see Li Yuanchang and others. He wiped away the tears from the corner of his eyes without making a sound, and quickly regained his senses. The aura of the emperor of all ages instantly returned.

Its control and regulation of emotions is terrifying!

He waved his hand, and someone immediately stepped forward to collect the scroll.

"The King of Han has arrived." He smiled slightly, walked slowly over, his mustache exuding the charm of a mature man.

"Greetings, Your Majesty." Li Yuanchang, Li Ke, and the others all bowed.

"How long have you been here?"

"Your Majesty, we just arrived," Li Yuanchang replied.

Li Shimin nodded: "You've come at the perfect time. The flowers in the Imperial Garden are blooming exceptionally beautifully today. Some of them are masterpieces left behind by Empress Zhangsun. It's not interesting for me to appreciate them alone. Come with me for a walk."

Li Yuanchang knew that Li Shimin wanted to have a heart-to-heart talk with him and do some ideological work.

"Yes."

He followed, while Li Ke and the others remained where they were.

Li Yuanchang met his gaze, nodded, and bid him a polite farewell.

The emperor and his minister strolled one after the other through the sea of ​​flowers in the courtyard. Within a radius of a hundred meters, there was hardly a single person.

Li Shimin remained silent, as did Li Yuanchang. After walking a considerable distance, Li Shimin finally broke the silence.

But his first words were not about the Minister of War, nor about how to govern the Xueyantuo, but rather a question.

"Qingque is ill and has repeatedly requested to see me. Yuanchang, what is your opinion?"

Li Yuanchang raised an eyebrow.

Then he blurted out, "The Prince of Wei is His Majesty's flesh and blood, and should be pardoned."

Li Shimin glanced at him with interest: "It's just the two of us here, so you don't need to pretend in front of me."

"The King of Wei has done many wrong things and has frequently targeted you. Don't you hate him?"

Li Yuanchang remained calm.

He certainly hated him, but that's not how you say it. Who knows if Li Shimin has released Li Tai or not? What he hated most was infighting within the royal family.

"I don't hate."

"No matter what, we're all family."

Li Shimin smiled; it would be strange if he believed it.

He suddenly changed the subject: "Since you don't hate them, why are you still holding a grudge about what happened with Tuyuhun?"

Li Yuanchang looked up: "I did not."

"No?"

"Since then, you have almost never addressed me as your subject or brother, and you have complained a lot about me, haven't you?" Li Shimin said.

"No." Li Yuanchang shook his head decisively.

It's like if a woman asks you if you slept with your ex-girlfriend, you have to blurt out, "No."

Li Shimin paused for a moment, looked Li Yuanchang up and down, knew he was lying but had no answer, as if he had punched a cotton ball.

"Then why didn't you stay in Chang'an and become the Minister of War?"

After much build-up, he finally managed to steer the conversation back on track.

Li Yuanchang took a deep breath and said, "Your Majesty, my ambition truly lies elsewhere."

"So your ambition is in Liangzhou?" Li Shimin asked again.

Li Yuanchang shook his head: "I just feel that the affairs in Liangzhou are a bit easier, after all, it is a small place."

"If I had to choose, I think being a leisurely prince would be quite nice; I could even replace the governor of Liangzhou."

He pretended to be indifferent; otherwise, if he didn't want to stay in Chang'an and insisted on going to Liangzhou, the other party would have realized his true intentions.

"Nonsense!" Li Shimin hissed.

"You, a prince, the seventh brother whom I watched grow up, on whom I have placed high hopes, actually say you want to be a leisurely prince!"

"Do you know how many people in the imperial court are eyeing the position of Minister of War? Others spend ten years studying hard and ten years fighting on the battlefield, and they can't even get close to the threshold. How dare you even think about it!"

He said with a hint of disappointment.

Li Yuanchang was helpless; judging from Li Shimin's tone, he knew Li Shimin had no intention of releasing him.

"Your Majesty, the Tang Dynasty is full of talented people, and I am no exception."

"I can return to Liangzhou. If the court needs me, I will come back immediately."

"I am already satisfied to be a prefect."

Li Shimin stopped, put his hands on his hips, and circled around Li Yuanchang.

"I have been emperor for more than ten years, and this is the first time I have ever seen someone like you who has to beg me to become an official."

"Just give me a straight answer: will you accept the position of Minister of War or not?"

He began to apply pressure.

But Li Yuanchang refused to submit to pressure and insisted on staying in Chang'an, saying, "It's not appropriate."

"You!!" Li Shimin was speechless, his eyes wide with displeasure.

But there was nothing they could do about Li Yuanchang; if he didn't want to, they couldn't just kill him.

Furthermore, Li Yuanchang was a meritorious official, and his abilities were too extraordinary, so he had to use him.

"Okay, okay."

"Since that's the case, then a forced relationship won't be happy, and I don't want to force anyone to do something against their will."

"However, you cannot go back to Liangzhou; you must stay in Chang'an!" Li Shimin said, flicking his sleeve.

Li Yuanchang's forehead creased with annoyance. Damn it, they're starting to act shamelessly.

"Your Majesty, this is not in accordance with etiquette."

"Rituals? Hmph, rituals are made by people."

"Since you want to retire, then stay in Chang'an and retire!"

"Perfect timing, the Han Prince's family members have all been brought over," Li Shimin said.

Li Yuanchang was speechless. It would soon be the seventeenth year of the Zhenguan era. Whoever wanted to stay could stay; he wasn't in Chang'an.

"Your Majesty, Liangzhou is my fiefdom, and according to ancestral rules, I should go there."

"Moreover, there are too many things over there that I need to handle. I have lived there for several years and have long since gotten used to it. So please, Your Majesty, have mercy and let me leave." He cupped his hands in greeting.

Li Shimin's eyes also hesitated and struggled for a moment.

From both a moral and logical standpoint, he shouldn't have done that.

But due to a great deal of consideration, the struggle in his eyes eventually disappeared.

"No!"

"You're in Chang'an!"

Upon hearing this, Li Yuanchang was completely speechless.

"Alright, let's not talk about this anymore. I won't force you, and you shouldn't even think about disobeying the imperial decree."

"The war with Xueyantuo is over, but there are still a lot of things to deal with. You conquered Xueyantuo, so you know that area well."

"From this day forward, you will be required to attend court and assist me in handling the aftermath over there."

"..."

In the second conversation, neither side succeeded.

But Li Shimin's meaning was clear: he would not release him. Even if Li Yuanchang did not become the Minister of War, Li Shimin would still use him as the Minister of War.

Li Yuanchang was unwilling to admit anything about this. He wouldn't go so far as to say he would only listen to orders and ignore orders, but he could certainly go through the motions without putting in any effort.

As long as he doesn't become the Minister of War, and as long as he protects himself, then trouble won't befall him.

Not long after, Li Yuanchang left.

It was Li Ke who delivered it again.

However, the two were not familiar with each other, and although they had some conversations, they were basically just polite and courteous exchanges.