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

Upon hearing this, Wu Meiniang raised an eyebrow, her red lips curving into a faint smile, before turning cold and aloof as she looked down at the letter in her hand.

"You two leave now and go tell his men."

"It's like trying to find a lost sword by marking the boat with a mark on the water."

"Let's part ways amicably and wish each other well."

"Tell him to stop contacting me. I'm afraid the Prince of Jin will misunderstand if he finds out."

"Huh?" Wu Yuanqing and the other exclaimed in surprise, looking up abruptly.

"What do you mean, 'huh'? Don't you understand?" Wu Meiniang said in a deep voice, already exuding an air of authority.

Wu Yuanqing and his companion stiffened: "Yes, yes."

"But, but perhaps I should write a letter; we're afraid the Prince of Han might act recklessly!"

"He has a bad temper."

"He won't kill you," Wu Meiniang said calmly.

Wu Yuanqing and his companion were too weary to even shed a tear. They had no desire to face Li Yuanchang, and the rumors they had heard sounded rather cruel. They were afraid of being used as scapegoats.

But since Wu Zetian had already spoken, they had no choice but to comply.

Once everyone left.

Wu Zetian found Song Sanlang again.

"We should go."

"Where to?"

"Leave here. It's no longer safe here. Li Yuanchang's men are definitely watching us from outside. He's currently in Lantian County. He'll be back after the hunt." Wu Meiniang's gaze was sharp and insightful as she looked outside.

Song Sanlang asked in confusion, "I don't understand why you're showing up, yet hiding from me."

"Actually, you don't have to reply to him at all."

When Wu Zetian left, she simply left behind two words: "Teasing the dog."

Song Sanlang was taken aback.

In his view, Wu Zetian was always very well-mannered and had extremely stable emotions, far surpassing those of men; even Prince Jin was controlled by her.

It's hard to imagine that teasing a dog came out of her mouth.

……

three days later.

The imperial chariot set off, and the vast and imposing imperial guards departed from Chang'an, heading towards Wangchuan.

The official start of the autumn hunt has captivated countless people.

From the moment Li Shimin stepped out of Xuanwu Gate, throughout Chang'an, both inside and outside the city, and even along the entire route, the air was filled with shouts of "Heavenly Khan!"

His prestige is unparalleled throughout history!

The same was true in Lantian County, where large numbers of people were welcomed by the news, eager to catch a glimpse of the Heavenly Khan.

Their fervor and their faith cannot be faked.

It must be said that, to some extent, he surpassed all emperors.

Otherwise, it would have been absolutely impossible to perform the Qin King's Battle Song and continue the Tang Dynasty for another thirty years.

The post station was on high alert, filled with soldiers, and the civilians were isolated, effectively eliminating any possibility of crisis.

Li Yuanchang and Fang Xuanling met early in the morning, and at this moment, they gathered all the local civil and military officials and those who had arrived in the first batch, waiting for the emperor's arrival.

"Master Fang, why don't you have a seat? It'll probably be another half an hour."

Fang Xuanling, leaning on his cane, smiled and said, "Thank you for your concern, Your Highness, but I'm not that old yet."

"Standing here is fine too."

Li Yuanchang didn't press the matter, but inquired out of curiosity.

"Lord Fang, His Majesty is away on this hunting trip for a short time. Is the Crown Prince overseeing the state affairs in Chang'an?"

Upon hearing this, Fang Xuanling frowned slightly, then gently shook his head.

Li Yuanchang nodded, it seemed that Li Shimin's anger had not completely subsided.

If you do the math, there are only five months left until the 2.0 version of the Xuanwu Gate Incident in history.

Li Yuanchang had already reminded Li Chengqian and Hou Junji, and now he just wanted to see if they could come to their senses in the meantime. As for the rest, Li Yuanchang did not intend to interfere.

The reason for not interfering in such a significant historical event is simply that the consequences are too great.

Moreover, this matter may be beyond his control.

"By the way, Your Highness, I heard that His Majesty brought one more person with him before setting off on this hunt," Fang Xuanling said.

"Who?" Li Yuanchang asked.

"Prince of Jin".

Li Yuanchang raised an eyebrow, surprised: "Wasn't the list initially only for Prince Wu Yao?"

"It was only the Prince of Wu, but before setting off, Lord Changsun suggested bringing the Prince of Jin along for some experience. His Majesty agreed, and so the decision was made on the spot," Fang Xuanling said.

Li Yuanchang's heart was not at peace; it was as if a stone had been thrown into a lake, causing ripples to spread.

The actions of these top figures, even the smallest gestures, often serve as a "weathervane."

Historically, Changsun Wuji held almost the second most influential position during the power transition in the Zhenguan era.

He represents the political interests of the Zhangsun family; as long as they are Empress Zhangsun's children, anyone can become emperor.

His suggestion to bring the Prince of Jin to a hunting trip, an activity that leans towards "martial prowess and killing," at this critical juncture is quite significant.

He probably also sensed that Li Chengqian was not up to the task and was past his prime.

Li Tai, on the other hand, is ruthless and cunning, making him someone that is difficult for him to control.

After considering all the options, only the Prince of Jin remains.

Most importantly, Li Ke was an absolutely unacceptable candidate to him, even more so than Li Tai. Historically, Li Ke was unjustly killed by Changsun Wuji.

This hunt clearly wasn't intended to allow Li Ke to stand out alone.

At that moment, Li Yuanchang suddenly felt incredibly insignificant in the face of history.

It seems that many things have changed, but the wheels of history are still rolling in the predetermined direction. Is this the torrent of the times?

The power transition within the Li Tang imperial family, the desperate situation of Hou Junji and others, and Wu Meiniang's personal fate... all seem to be unfolding.

Suddenly, a hand landed on his shoulder.

Li Yuanchang looked and saw it was Fang Xuanling.

His hair was white, and his eyes, though cloudy, held a wisdom: "Your Highness, there is no need to worry. Just do your job and observe how things unfold."

This is an extremely kind reminder.

Li Yuanchang listened attentively and smiled, "Thank you, Master Fang."

"..."

Half an hour later, Li Shimin's imperial carriage arrived, a magnificent procession stretching for several miles.

The terrifying Central Imperial Guard was like a giant dragon, all clad in black armor and wielding Tang swords, exuding the killing intent of the pinnacle of cold weapons.

These are not noble soldiers; they are the first elite fighting force of the Tang Dynasty, all of whom have been tempered and refined through countless battles!

Even from several miles away, Li Yuanchang could smell the chill emanating from their longswords!

To think that Li Shimin could be killed among these few thousand people is simply a pipe dream. Even if tens of thousands of troops were dispatched to surround him, they would be killed instead!

This isn't bragging; it's an overwhelming advantage in equipment, ability, and willpower!

Even Cheng Chuliang and Yuchi Baoqi, those two troublemakers, were terrified when they saw the imperial guards around Li Shimin. They didn't dare to speak and their eyes were full of awe.

That was the first generation of the Tang Dynasty, and their father was inside.

As the imperial carriage arrived, countless soldiers and a sea of ​​people knelt down in worship, shouting "Heavenly Khan!" The entire suburbs erupted in cheers.

Li Yuanchang and Fang Xuanling, together with a large number of officials, quickly stepped forward to greet them.

"Your Majesty, I respectfully welcome you!"

"Your Majesty, I respectfully welcome you!"