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

After returning to the Prince of Han's residence, Li Yuanchang received several more letters and also met Cheng Yaojin.

Almost all the important officials from the Zhenguan era who were on good terms with him shared the same opinion: he should tolerate them all!

After much deliberation, he ultimately chose to remain patient for the time being.

But he didn't like having the initiative in someone else's hands, so while he was being patient, he also decided to do something.

That night, he wrote more than a dozen letters, which were secretly delivered by the Black Ice Guard to his trusted confidants in various places.

Immediately afterwards, he secretly met with Kou Zhu.

In the dimly lit study, only one lamp was on.

Wu Yu brought the person in.

"Your Highness!" Kou Zhu, dressed in white and exceptionally robust, bowed.

Li Yuanchang nodded: "Have you made proper arrangements for your mother's funeral?"

"Your Highness, everything has been arranged." Kou Zhu clasped her hands in a fist salute.

Li Yuanchang cut to the chase: "I want you to go to a very far place for three years."

"During this period, your family will be brought directly to the Han Prince's residence by me, so you don't need to worry."

"Are you willing?"

Without any hesitation, Kou Zhu clasped her hands in a deep fist salute: "This humble servant is willing to go through fire and water for Your Highness!"

Li Yuanchang glanced at Wu Yu, who then took out the letter and some tokens and handed them to Kou Zhu.

"Your Highness, what is this?"

"I have a group of friends in the Northern Desert, you have met them, they are the twenty-one tribes that fought together into the Dulu River back then."

"Their army is poorly trained, so you're perfect for the job; you can act as their head instructor."

"In addition, I have prepared some gifts for them. You can take these tokens to the branch of Zuixianfang outside Youzhou City to pick them up. I have arranged everything for you, and there will be someone there to assist you."

"Your first stop is the Qimeng tribe."

"They can be completely trusted, but others can only be trusted to a limited extent. You need to use an alias and do everything you can to help them build their own nomadic army."

Kou Zhu was shocked; this was a heinous crime punishable by the extermination of nine generations of one's family!

This is even more serious than raising assassins!

"Can you do it?" Li Yuanchang's eyes were serious, and he was not joking.

Kou Zhu gritted her teeth: "Yes!"

"Your Highness gave me this life, and I will do my utmost to save it!"

"The imperial court cannot tolerate the Prince of Han, and the Prince of Han need not tolerate them!"

He said emphatically that he knew about it.

Moreover, the conflict between Changsun Wuji and Li Yuanchang had long been public, and now, as the Grand Tutor of the Crown Prince, he was launching a full-scale attack.

Li Yuanchang nodded without explaining anything: "Very good."

"Then go back immediately and say goodbye to your family. The King will send someone to pick them up tomorrow. You should set off immediately."

"From now on, your communication with the Prince of Han's residence will rely on the Black Ice Guard as an intermediary, including letters home."

"Understood!" Kou Zhu clasped her hands in a fist salute again, then took the secret order and left.

After everyone left, Li Yuanchang's deep gaze fell upon the rolling darkness, his eyes sharp and unfathomable.

Wu Yu came up behind him, placed her hands on his shoulders, and gently massaged them.

"Your Highness, are you tired?"

Li Yuanchang looked away and patted her hand.

"some."

"I am weary of all this intrigue and power struggles. All I want is to be a peaceful and prosperous King of Han, but the tree may wish to remain still, but the wind will not cease."

"What chills me even more than Changsun Wuji's relentless pressure is His Majesty's actions; he has turned a blind eye to all of this."

"He felt that my value had been fully realized, and the greater good led him to choose another group of people."

"He might not be wrong."

"But I am certainly not wrong either."

"If it really comes to that, then I was forced into it."

Upon hearing this, Wu Yu dared not interrupt such an important matter, but there was no fear in his eyes, only absolute loyalty.

She wrapped her arms behind her back and pinned up her black hair, revealing her fair neck.

Her face wasn't exactly stunning, just quite good among ordinary people, but her fair skin and mature, womanly features made her a winning combination.

She came to the front, looked into Li Yuanchang's eyes, and slowly knelt down.

Li Yuanchang took a deep breath, closed his eyes, tilted his head back, and held Wu Yu's hand, enjoying a moment of tranquility.

Two days later.

Li Ke was officially summoned to his fiefdom by imperial decree.

This time, however, it wasn't the Anzhou he was familiar with, but a strange and desolate Xiangzhou.

Among the hundreds of prefectures in the Tang Dynasty, Xiangzhou was one of the poorest. During the Zhenguan era, it suffered from multiple droughts, resulting in crop failures. In recent years, it has relied on relief from the imperial court.

This place is far too shabby for a prince.

And this was once again the work of Changsun Wuji.

Not a single official in the court dared to speak up for Li Ke. After all, the outcome was already decided, and it was clear who was in control. No one would take the risk.

Even people like Fang Xuanling chose absolute neutrality in many matters, choosing nothing at all.

However, he would offer friendly reminders amidst the conflict between Li Yuanchang and Changsun Wuji.

Even on the day of his departure, not a single person came to see him off. You must know that when Li Ke first returned, quite a few people fawned over him.

Having received word of the matter, Li Shimin was interested in Li Ke.

But now that it's not Li Ke, these people are hiding like plague gods, pretending not to know him.

Human relationships are fickle; that's always been the case!

However, Li Yuanchang arrived.

The two were not only uncle and nephew, but also admired each other. Li Ke even helped Li Yuanchang take a knife for him, and Li Yuanchang also stood up for him. They were good friends.

"Seventh Uncle, what brings you here?" Li Ke dismounted and looked around warily.

"What else can I do but see you off?" Li Yuanchang said with a smile, appearing very frank and not at all trying to hide anything.

Li Ke smiled wryly, yet was also moved. In this royal family filled with calculations of self-interest, there was still such a pure and upright person as Li Yuanchang.

He felt ashamed: "Seventh Uncle, given the current situation in the court, it is not appropriate for you to come and see me off. You should go back now."

"My departure to Xiangzhou to take up my post can be considered a relief from my suffering."

He joked, and seemed much more energetic, as if he had finally figured things out and let go.

Li Yuanchang nodded: "Leaving Chang'an is a good thing; you made the right choice."

"Try not to come back again in the future!"

He said with a hint of deeper meaning that Li Ke's whereabouts in history are unclear, but he eventually died in the Forbidden City in Chang'an.

After Li Zhi ascended the throne, he apparently recalled Li Ke and appointed him as Minister of Works.

Li Ke nodded, and the intelligent man understood.

"Thank you for the reminder, Uncle Qi. I will keep it in mind."

At this moment, Li Yuanchang took out another box.

"As I am about to leave, I have nothing much to give you, but Xiangzhou is really too poor. Here are some flying coins and grain coupons that you can exchange directly at the merchant house. Take them with you to settle down, establish your own government and build your own army."

Li Ke's handsome brows furrowed: "Seventh Uncle, this..."

Li Yuanchang raised his hand to stop him from speaking, then placed the object in his hand: "Don't say anything more, just take good care of yourself."

Li Ke was moved, gripped it tightly, and then suddenly bowed deeply.

"Ke, remember this in your heart!"

Li Yuanchang smiled and helped the man up, saying that men don't need to say so many mushy things to each other.

"I won't say any more, let's go."

Li Ke nodded emphatically. Before mounting his horse, he turned back with a solemn look in his eyes: "Seventh Uncle, you must be careful in Chang'an as well."

"If we meet again someday, we'll drink until we drop!"

"Good!" Li Yuanchang laughed loudly, displaying his heroic spirit.