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

After a while.

The gates of the Eastern Palace, which had been sealed off for a long time, were opened from the inside.

Li Yuanchang walked out, his face expressionless.

"Take the body away."

The hundred riders stiffened, then bowed and said, "Yes!"

A hundred riders filed in, only to find two strangled corpses lying on the cold ground, while Li Chengqian sat slumped on the ground with disheveled hair and lifeless eyes.

At this moment, he was not the Crown Prince of the Tang Dynasty.

He was just a pitiful person who was driven mad and lost his loved ones.

Li Yuanchang glanced back at him, knowing that day was not far off.

Immediately afterwards, the 100 cavalrymen began searching the Eastern Palace, burning musical instruments, books, Turkic clothing, and anything that was considered frivolous or decadent. Everything was burned, leaving nothing for Li Chengqian.

Li Yuanchang, as someone sent by Li Shimin, witnessed and carried out the entire process.

Such a commotion naturally alerted everyone in the Eastern Palace, and the Crown Princess, Lady Su, was certainly aware of the situation.

When she arrived, she saw a large number of musical instruments being burned, and two corpses were clearly visible.

She understood instantly.

But there was no joy or relief on her face. Instead, she looked as if she had been struck by lightning. Her stunningly beautiful face turned pale instantly, and her tall figure seemed to have withered considerably.

Now that something like this has happened, how does His Majesty view the Crown Prince?

How can the already precarious father-son relationship be mended?

Tears streamed down her face. She stood there in a daze for a long time, looking at another familiar figure in the distance. She wiped away her tears and finally decided to do something.

"Your Highness, the Crown Princess requests an audience." A rider approached Li Yuanchang and whispered something in his ear.

Li Yuanchang turned around, and their first eye contact in two years, she was still so noble and beautiful.

There was no unfamiliarity in their eyes, only a hint of complexity.

Since that incident, the two have never met again, and no third person knows about it.

However, after Li Yuanchang learned of his troubles, Su Qing sent him a condolence message and also wrote letters to Situ Lan to offer assistance.

"call!"

He took a deep breath, then exhaled, and walked towards the other side.

"Your Highness, the Prince of Han!"

Everyone bowed.

"Your Highness has arrived just in time. Come and help me see if there's anything else in the Eastern Palace that needs to be burned." Li Yuanchang spoke loudly so that the Hundred Riders could hear him.

"Yes." Su Qing understood immediately.

After the hundred riders let him pass, Li Yuanchang took Su Qing to a secluded place.

Their eyes met, and Su Qing's gaze flickered with a hint of evasion before she suddenly knelt down in front of Li Yuanchang.

Li Yuanchang was startled. Although he was of a higher generation, according to etiquette, he was required to pay his respects to the Crown Princess.

"Your Highness, what are you doing?" He quickly helped her up.

Su Qing refused to get up, only pleading in a sorrowful voice, "Please, Seventh Uncle, save the Crown Prince!"

"Ugh."

Li Yuanchang sighed.

"Your Highness, I have warned you many times, but the Crown Prince will not listen. You can't blame anyone else."

"Don't worry, he'll be fine. His Majesty only wants to kill those two people."

Su Qing looked up, tears streaming down her face: "But Seventh Uncle, what's next?"

"The Crown Prince was never popular, and there was much talk about him in the court. Rumors of his removal had been circulating for more than just a day or two."

"Now that this has happened, what will happen to the Crown Prince? What will happen to the Eastern Palace?"

"Please, Seventh Uncle, save the Crown Prince! I beg you!"

She pleaded desperately.

Li Yuanchang was forced to kneel on one knee, otherwise he really couldn't bear it.

"Your Highness, I'm sorry, but there's nothing I can do about this."

"Now it's up to the Crown Prince himself," he politely declined.

Su Qing was unwilling to give up, like a drowning person grasping at a last straw: "Seventh Uncle, how could you be powerless!"

"You are the Minister of War and concurrently the Grand General, one of His Majesty's most trusted men. His Majesty has entrusted you with this matter, so surely you can speak up, can't you?"

"The Crown Prince was confused for a moment, he will change, please, Uncle Qi."

Her face was full of pleading, and she had given up all dignity.

Li Yuanchang sighed inwardly. It was she who had won him over in the first place, and now it was she who was pleading for his life.

This woman is really unlucky to have been stuck with such a useless man as Li Chengqian.

It's fine if the crown prince is a little incompetent, but to learn from the Turks and engage in homosexuality is just ridiculous.

Su Qing didn't make a choice at all. She was the Crown Princess, and her personal fate, and even the fate of her family, were tied to the Eastern Palace.

Seeing that Li Yuanchang was unwilling to help, Su Qing bit her lip, her brows furrowed, and lowered her voice: "Seventh Uncle, please speak up for the Crown Prince for the sake of our past relationship."

Li Yuanchang felt ashamed.

What about our past relationship?

What is Su Qing implying?

"I'm sorry, Seventh Uncle, I really have no other choice."

"If you are unwilling to help, that's fine too; you've already done more than enough."

Su Qing looked somewhat embarrassed and regretted saying those words.

She also knew that although Li Yuanchang rejected Li Chengqian, he had played a major role in dealing with Li Tai and had repeatedly reminded him of his role.

But Li Chengqian didn't take it seriously, and she tried to persuade him countless times, but to no avail.

We have only ourselves to blame for things coming to this point.

Li Yuanchang sighed again.

"Get up first."

"The Crown Prince will be fine for the time being. I will do my best." He reassured him, but did not fully agree.

Upon hearing this, Su Qingqi's beautiful eyes suddenly lit up, and she looked at Li Yuanchang.

"Shhh."

Li Yuanchang made a shushing gesture.

Su Qing nodded gratefully.

Li Yuanchang helped the man up.

"The Crown Prince is still inside. Go and make him write a letter of repentance."

"I'll see if I can quell some of His Majesty's anger."

Su Qing felt as if she had instantly found a pillar of support, and subconsciously felt that what Li Yuanchang said would be effective.

"well!"

She nodded repeatedly, then wiped away her tears, straightened her palace attire, and immediately got to work.

"Crown Princess," Li Yuanchang suddenly called out.

Su Qing turned her head.

Li Yuanchang was momentarily dazed. He found it hard to understand why such a beautiful and tall woman would engage in homosexual activity.

If it were her, Su Qing would get pregnant once a year on average.

"Don't you hate the Crown Prince?"

Su Qing was stunned for a moment upon hearing this, and then a bitter smile appeared on her lips.

"This is my fate."

After saying that, she left.

A single sentence, "fate," encapsulates the helplessness of life and thoroughly exposes the bloody reality of feudal society.

"..."

The entire operation lasted for two hours.

The decadent interior of the Eastern Palace was burned to the ground, and all the musicians and other idlers were taken away.

Suddenly, the entire East Palace seemed much quieter, and every tile exuded the coldness of the deep palace.

Su Qing eventually obtained Li Chengqian's letter of repentance and handed it to Li Yuanchang.

Li Yuanchang didn't say much, and left with the letter of repentance and the two corpses to report back.

When he left, a large number of imperial guards took his place, effectively sealing off the Eastern Palace.

But not a single rumor or discussion circulated, as if nothing had happened. The abilities of the emperor of all time were no joke; he wanted to nip such a scandal in the bud.