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

"Your Majesty, I pay my respects!"

Li Yuanchang bowed and clasped his hands from a distance.

From deep within the palace, Li Shimin's weary, hoarse voice rang out: "Come in."

Upon receiving the order, Li Yuanchang took off his shoes and stepped into the depths of the palace.

The place remained empty; Li Shimin had locked himself here alone, and the portrait of Empress Zhangsun once again appeared on his desk.

Perhaps he was also blaming himself, repenting, and feeling lost. How did his eldest son become like this?

"Your Majesty, the man has been executed, and his body has been handed over to the Inner Palace. In addition, everything in the Eastern Palace that should not have been there has been burned to ashes in accordance with your order."

"Hmm," Li Shimin replied in a low, guttural voice.

Li Yuanchang took a deep breath and then took out the letter from his pocket.

"Your Majesty, this is what His Highness the Crown Prince asked me to pass on to you."

As he spoke, he first glanced at Li Shimin's expression, and only spoke after realizing that it was permissible.

"When he was executed as he pleased, he did not resist and handed over the man voluntarily. The entire Crown Prince's palace cooperated with him."

Although he knew that Li Chengqian would not be deposed or die because of this, he still tried his best to say some good things about Li Chengqian.

Anyway, these words are half true and half false, and nobody knows for sure.

This was actually giving Li Shimin a way out.

Li Shimin, who had been making no move until now, showed a slight change in his expression as he looked at the letter in Li Yuanchang's hand.

His arm clearly indicated that he wanted to look, but he stopped.

Two breaths of silence.

He waved his hand: "Burn it."

"Yes."

Li Yuanchang stopped begging for a look, and by this time, Li Shimin's high blood pressure, which had been so badly aroused, had finally recovered.

When offering help, one should be mindful of the timing and the appropriateness of the situation.

The letter was burned to ashes; Li Shimin had no interest in reading it.

But the effect was achieved; knowing to repent is better than knowing one's mistakes but not correcting them.

"Your Majesty, if there is nothing else, I will take my leave now. Please get some rest."

"etc."

Li Shimin suddenly called out to them.

"Does Your Majesty have any further instructions?" Li Yuanchang asked.

"Do you think I have failed?" Li Shimin suddenly asked.

Li Yuanchang shook his head: "Your Majesty is the Heavenly Khan, the first person from all nations to pay tribute, how could you fail?"

Li Shimin gave a self-deprecating laugh, with a sense of impending decline: "But I can't even educate my own son properly."

"One, Chengqian; the other, Qingque—they've broken my heart!"

Seeing his expression of existential doubt, Li Yuanchang couldn't help but sigh inwardly.

The education of the royal family is mostly the same. If there is any problem, Li Yuanchang believes it lies in the high pressure.

Li Shimin wanted to mold Li Chengqian, but not everyone is as capable as him. Not only did he fail, but he also ruined the man.

Li Tai was also spoiled by him; he used one knife to sharpen another, and the result was...

It's impossible for Li Shimin to bear no responsibility.

But he couldn't say that.

"Your Majesty, perhaps..."

"Perhaps everyone has shortcomings, and perhaps life will always be filled with some regrets."

"You are the greatest emperor, the most successful emperor. Perhaps if we lower our expectations a little, we won't have so much dissatisfaction."

Upon hearing this, a glint flashed in Li Shimin's eyes.

"Do you think my expectations of them are too high?"

"No."

"I think Your Majesty is setting too high a standard for yourself. It's too tiring. Your Majesty could try to relax and take a break," Li Yuanchang said.

He meant it. As long as Li Shimin could maintain a calm mindset, everyone under him would be much more at ease.

When he got anxious, the court officials got anxious, and all sorts of criticisms and rumors about changing the crown prince began to fly around.

If this continues, not only will Li Chengqian remain incompetent, but he might even rebel next year!

Li Shimin remained silent, pondering the words carefully. This was the first time he had heard such advice, which was meant to put him at ease rather than wary.

This was quite refreshing for Li Shimin.

"If they were half as sensible as you, I could truly enjoy my old age in peace and comfort," Li Shimin finally managed to say after a long silence.

Li Yuanchang cupped his hands and said, "Your Majesty, I dare not. I also often make mistakes."

Li Shimin ignored this humility; in his view, the mistakes Li Yuanchang made were nothing at all.

"It's just the two of us here, you and I. We are ruler and subject, and also brothers."

"I have a question for you, and you shall answer me truthfully."

Upon hearing such a serious tone, Li Yuanchang immediately lost the will to answer; it was definitely not a good answer.

"Forehead……"

"Stop joking around, I want you to answer truthfully!" Li Shimin saw that he was trying to change the subject.

Li Yuanchang had no choice but to bite the bullet and say, "Yes."

"Do you think Chengqian can still be the crown prince?" Li Shimin asked, casting a glance his way.

Li Yuanchang's forehead instantly broke out in a fine sweat.

He knows it!

This means that even Changsun Wuji, the uncle, didn't know how to answer. Who the hell would dare to answer such a question about succession?

"Your Majesty, you are still young, you have plenty of time," he replied tactfully.

Li Shimin lamented, "I am getting old; how many new gray hairs have appeared this year."

"My health isn't what it used to be; my chronic headaches keep coming back."

"My old friends are like fallen leaves in the wind, one after another withering away; I am already old."

"I need to carefully consider what to do next."

At this moment, he appeared incredibly candid, directly discussing this extremely sensitive topic with Li Yuanchang.

In fact, Li Yuanchang was also part of his plan for the future; otherwise, he wouldn't have been directly transferred back to Chang'an to take charge of the Ministry of War.

Given Li Yuanchang's current abilities and status, a single word from him could influence Li Shimin.

After all, the opinions of the assistant ministers are also very important.

But this was too painful for Li Yuanchang; no matter what he said, it was wrong.

For a long time, the entire palace was extremely quiet.

Li Yuanchang struggled to speak for a long time but couldn't get a word out.

"You don't even tell me the truth?" Li Shimin said with some displeasure.

Li Yuanchang frowned: "Your Majesty, it's not that I don't want to tell the truth, but that I have no truth to tell, only positions and perspectives."

"Your question will elicit a different answer from everyone you ask."

"But if Your Majesty insists on an answer, then my answer is to support all of Your Majesty's decisions. I am a subject of the Great Tang, and Your Majesty's subject."

"Your Majesty's position is my position."

Upon hearing this, Li Shimin suddenly smiled.

Not long ago he had a deadpan expression, but now he's smiling again.

"King of Han, King of Han, you really know how to talk."

Even when he doesn't answer my questions, his responses are so irresistible.

Li Yuanchang forced a smile and said, "I am speaking from the heart."

"Alright, I trust you."

"I won't force you anymore."

"You can leave now."

"Let me be alone for a while." After laughing, Li Shimin felt a little better, but overall he was still very depressed.

Li Chengqian's affair was a huge blow to him.

"Your Majesty, please calm down and don't get anxious," Li Yuanchang reminded him again.

He knew that if the father and son continued like this, they would reach that point, and the blow would be even greater.