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

"But it's agreed, Your Highness, that you must return with us and disband your troops so that everyone can return to their camps."

"Okay!" Li Yuanchang agreed.

Seeing his decisiveness, Fang Xuanling and Cheng Yaojin looked at him with a hint of uncertainty, feeling that Li Yuanchang wouldn't be so honest.

But even if you're not entirely sure, there's nothing you can do.

Not long after.

After the second conversation, Li Yuanchang led his troops back to the military camp and immediately began planning a rescue operation.

"Your Highness!" Cui He clasped his hands in greeting.

Li Yuanchang glanced at him, then dismissed everyone around him.

Cui He belonged to the Han Prince's Mansion and was also Cui Wanqing's nephew, making him an absolute confidant of Li Yuanchang.

"I have just reached an agreement with Lord Fang and Lord Lu. I estimate that the court will agree to the terms this time and release the relevant personnel of the Prince of Han's Mansion and their families."

"But there will definitely be troops escorting them along the way."

"You shall now lay down your armor and immediately return to Chang'an at full speed to find Ling Shuang, the Chief Justice of the Eastern Palace."

"Give this letter to her. She knows what to do. She will arrange things for you. Just listen to her."

As he spoke, Li Yuanchang wrote.

Cui He clasped his hands in a fist and said, "Yes!"

Li Yuanchang handed him the secret letter and then said, "Go and bring me the map of the wilderness."

"yes!"

"..."

Time flies, and July is here again in the blink of an eye.

The Liao River Incident had occurred six months prior.

In the more than twenty years since the Zhenguan era, any "rebellion" would probably have been quelled long ago.

This matter appears to be Li Shimin's leniency, but in reality, it is not as simple as it seems.

For the emperor, the deaths of a few people were not a big deal; the main reason for this was gunpowder.

When this thing appeared in the Tang Dynasty, it was like nuclear weapons in later generations. No matter how big the conflict or the struggle for interests, it could make people sit down and talk things over.

Changan.

Liangyi Hall.

As the capital of the Tang Dynasty during its golden age, this place was still unprecedentedly magnificent and prosperous. However, the Liaoshui Mutiny remained unresolved for a long time, casting a shadow over the place.

Changsun Wuji sat on the ground.

A dozen meters away from him stood Li Shimin, whose hair was gray.

The atmosphere between the emperor and his minister was extremely quiet.

"Wuji, how many years have you been with me?" Li Shimin suddenly broke the silence.

"Your Majesty, this year marks the thirty-second year since our first meeting."

"Hmm."

Li Shimin's gaze fell into reminiscence and a touch of emotion: "Thirty-two years have passed. How many thirty-two years does one have in a lifetime?"

"If I remember correctly, when the uprising in Taiyuan led to the overthrow of the Sui Dynasty, you followed me all over the country, offering advice and strategies. You were by my side during the capture of Dou Jiande, the defeat of Wang Shichong, and later the Xuanwu Gate Incident, the Wei River Alliance, and so on."

"You've worked incredibly hard all these years."

Changsun Wuji listened to these detailed accounts of his achievements, but he felt no joy at all; instead, he felt as if he had a thorn in his side.

Sure enough, Li Shimin's gaze gradually sharpened.

Why did you do this?

Changsun Wuji trembled: "Your Majesty, what happened?"

Li Shimin was furious: "You dare say you didn't know that Li Wei's troops at the front had launched an unauthorized attack?"

Changsun Wuji suddenly looked up, his face deathly pale: "What, sending troops?"

"Your Majesty, I have no idea!"

For the first time, Li Shimin looked at Changsun Wuji with a fierce gaze.

"During the negotiations, troops were dispatched without authorization, attempting to attack the forces stationed at the Han King's camp!"

"Zhijie and Xuanling almost died on the Liao River. If they hadn't stopped them, the war would have already begun. And the ones who intended to attack them weren't the Prince of Han's men, but actually the court's men!"

"How ridiculous! How ridiculous!"

"I originally thought the Prince of Han was the one most eager to start a war, but I didn't expect it to be someone from the court!"

"What are you up to!" Li Shimin shouted.

Changsun Wuji shuddered, on the verge of tears: "Your Majesty, this old minister truly knew nothing of this matter!"

"We beg Your Majesty to investigate this matter thoroughly!"

"At such a critical juncture, how could this old minister dare to do such a thing!"

"You still say you didn't know!" Li Shimin was furious.

Changsun Wuji wept, "Your Majesty, this old minister has come not to inquire about news, but to resign from my post!"

"I bear responsibility for the King of Han's rebellion."

"To quell the anger of the border troops, I am willing to resign and return to my hometown in Guanzhong to retire."

As he spoke, he presented a letter of resignation with both hands.

Li Shimin paused for a moment, looking at Changsun Wuji who was crying his eyes out. His angry gaze gradually flickered with hesitation.

He kept scrutinizing the old man, trying to find a trace of lying on his face.

a long time.

Li Shimin looked up at the sky and took a deep breath, pinching his brow with his hand. In his later years, he no longer had the energy to attend to everything.

"That's enough!"

"Whether you did it or not this time, I don't want to pursue it any further."

"But from today onwards, no more accidents can happen to the family members of the Prince of Han's household. Just now, a letter came from Liaoshui that the Prince of Han has agreed to withdraw his troops and return to Chang'an to confess his crimes."

"I have also ordered the release of all the family members of the Prince of Han's household, who will be escorted by the Imperial Guards to be settled west of the Liao River."

"I do not wish for any further accidents to occur along the way, not even a slip and fall into the water! The Tang Dynasty can avoid this civil war. If anyone attempts to sabotage the process, they will not blame me!"

Li Shimin's voice sounded tired, but an old dragon is still a dragon, and his last words were still full of pressure.

Changsun Wuji stiffened and wiped away his tears.

"Your Majesty is wise!"

"The return of the King of Han and a peaceful resolution would be the best outcome, benefiting both the country and its people!"

Li Shimin glanced at him: "Put the letter away."

Changsun Wuji choked up again: "Your Majesty, everything started because of this old minister, I hope..."

Li Shimin waved his hand to interrupt.

"alright!"

"Your matter with the Prince of Han is a difference in political views, and your personnel changes in the army were also approved by me."

"Let's not say any more."

"We'll discuss everything once the King of Han returns."

Changsun Wuji cupped his hands in greeting: "Yes!"

He hesitated, then stopped himself from speaking, leaving only the words, "Your Majesty, please take care of your health."

Li Shimin nodded and closed his eyes to rest.

Changsun Wuji lifted his long robe and slowly withdrew, continuing until he returned to his residence.

"Father, how is it?"

Has His Majesty deployed troops?

Snapped! !

A resounding slap landed on Changsun Huan's face, which was filled with expectation.

From the day they learned of Li Yuanchang's mutiny, Changsun Huan, Chai Lingwu, and their former enemies treated it like a holiday, inquiring every day about when Li Yuanchang would die and how many troops the court had sent.

Changsun Huan, dizzy and disoriented from the slap, clutched his burning face and cried out, "Father, why did you hit me?"

"You bunch of bastards, you almost killed me!"

"What happened to Li Wei? What happened?!" Changsun Wuji tried his best to suppress his voice, which was very low, but his features were angry and hysterical.

"Father, didn't you say that..." Changsun Huan said aggrievedly.