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

"I, General Miyamoto Takekawa, will never change my name or surname!"

"If you've got the guts, let me go, and let's have a samurai-like duel?" Miyamoto Takekawa's eyes were cold, his extreme hatred tinged with a hint of provocation.

Upon hearing the translation, Li Yuanchang immediately laughed.

"You defeated general, do you even deserve to fight against me, the king?"

"Hahaha!" Laughter erupted all around.

Hearing the laughter, Miyamoto Takekawa felt utterly humiliated. His face flushed red, and he struggled and roared, "Baka!"

"You're just using sorcery!"

"Without sorcery, how could you be my match? Without sorcery, the Japanese army would surely raze this place to the ground!"

"You despicable scoundrel!!"

He was hysterical; he was genuinely dissatisfied.

Li Yuanchang remained calm throughout: "Very well, since you insist, then I will give you a chance. Men, remove his shackles and throw his weapon to him!"

"yes!"

boom!

The heavy shackles were quickly removed, and Miyamoto Takekawa, freed from his restraints, swiftly picked up his samurai sword from the ground, assumed a bow-legged stance, and then cautiously surveyed his surroundings.

Li Yuanchang said calmly.

"I have no interest in fighting you. Just pick one of these people. If you win, I'll let you go."

"If you can't win, it's because you're not capable enough."

As soon as he finished speaking, the eyes of Guo Chao, Huang Tu, Wan Jun, and many other close-command generals all turned fierce and locked onto Miyamoto Takekawa.

Miyamoto Takekawa felt an immense pressure. His eyes swept around, sweat dripping from his brow. His gaze swept over Arato, then over Guo Chao, and then over the even thinner bodyguard.

Finally, he roared "Gyokushatter!" and charged directly at Li Yuanchang on the stage with his samurai sword.

Indeed, it was unexpected, and the speed was quite fast. It leaped up and tried to split Mount Hua in two.

But to attempt an assassination amidst so many guards was simply too disrespectful to them; the moment he made his move, almost all of his guards sprang into action.

Several guards blocked his path, and several others retaliated, with Guo Chao drawing his sword like a blur.

But before they could retaliate, a loud bang rang out.

Miyamoto Takekawa, sword and all, was thrown out by Arato, crashing onto a wooden chair with a loud thud. The chair shattered, and sharp splinters pierced Miyamoto Takekawa's buttocks.

"ah!!"

The agonizing screams were like those of a pig being slaughtered. Miyamoto Takekawa was bent over, clutching his buttocks, his face contorted in pain.

Li Yuanchang frowned; it looked painful.

"Tsk tsk tsk."

"Look at yourself, why did you make yourself look so pathetic? Why bother?"

He was met with snickers from those around him, amused by his sarcastic and provocative tone.

Miyamoto Takekawa was filled with shame and humiliation, but the intense pain overwhelmed him.

His men were all pinned down and killed; no one could help him.

At this moment, Li Yuanchang stepped down, strolling leisurely and looking down at him: "Tell me, what other plans does the Japanese Emperor have, and how many troops does he have around him?"

"By the way, judging from your rank, you must be a member of the royal family. How is the defense of Asuka-kyo? Tell me all that, and I'll let you live."

Miyamoto Takekawa, veins bulging, gritted his teeth: "You won't find out!"

"The Emperor and the Tang Dynasty have joined forces; you are doomed!"

Li Yuanchang scoffed: "Even if there's a civil war in the Tang Dynasty, it's not something you Japanese pirates can interfere with. You just have a slight geographical advantage, but do you really think you're invincible? Do you really think you can control the affairs of the Tang Dynasty?"

"Give me back my title, or I will die!"

"Since you are so loyal to your Emperor, then I will grant your wish."

"Guards, execute this man by slow slicing!"

He showed no mercy. The so-called "death by a thousand cuts" was not a single cut, but rather the dismemberment of a person piece by piece, causing them to suffer excruciating pain and die a very cruel death.

Li Yuanchang rarely used such methods to treat prisoners, but when dealing with the emperor's die-hard loyalists, he was somewhat influenced by personal feelings.

"yes!"

"ah!"

Miyamoto Takekawa screamed in agony as he was dragged up, which aggravated the wound on his buttocks, causing him excruciating pain.

But even more agonizing things were yet to come. He was quickly taken outside the palace and subjected to the excruciating punishment of slow slicing.

During this time, many of his subordinates, who were also generals from Japanese noble families, witnessed the entire event.

The screams lasted for the time it takes for an incense stick to burn. Miyamoto Takekawa eventually bled to death in a very tragic manner. His subordinates witnessed the whole thing, and their psychological defenses collapsed one after another.

Under subsequent interrogation by the Black Ice Team, a total of thirty-seven people confessed all the information they knew.

This intelligence included information about the Japanese army, Asuka-kyo (Kyoto), and the Emperor's residence... All of this intelligence eventually formed an information network, gradually tearing away the veil of mystery surrounding the Japanese Emperor.

"Tsk, this Miyamoto Takekawa is Emperor Kōtoku's brother-in-law, no wonder he refuses to surrender."

Li Yuanchang held the compiled intelligence and muttered to himself.

"Your Highness, according to the interrogation, the Emperor of Japan has many brothers-in-law, but Miyamoto Takekawa is the most powerful and capable of them all."

"He led troops to guard Asuka-kyō for many years and was the Emperor's most trusted general. Now that he is dead, the Japanese Emperor's army is almost gone. It is estimated that there are only 10,000 troops left in Asuka-kyō, and some scattered troops in other places."

"Moreover, we now know enough about Asuka Kyoto, and even where the Emperor lives. Perhaps we can take advantage of his weakness and strike him down!" Guo Chao suggested.

Li Yuanchang nodded: "No rush."

"We cannot relax our vigilance until Li Ji withdraws his troops. Otherwise, even if Japan is severely weakened, our army may be forced to fight on two fronts."

"Yes!" Guo Chao clasped his hands in a fist salute.

"However, we can have people from the Thousand Islands make some preparations. This time, Japan's participation in the war has reminded me that the coastline of the peninsula is too long, and hostile forces can easily bypass it and form a pincer attack with the imperial court."

"Japan and I have a deep-seated hatred for each other, so we cannot give them a second chance to strike!" Li Yuanchang's eyes were sharp, and he had already decided to destroy Japan.

He had never thought of this before, after all, it was a matter for the imperial court, but things were different now.

Even if he doesn't fight, the Japanese will still launch a sneak attack on his back.

He no longer needed Li Shimin's approval to do things, so he decided not to leave this potential threat behind.

"yes!"

"Then I will go and deliver the message immediately."

Li Yuanchang nodded, then went alone to the sand table and gazed at the vast landscape.

This sand table not only represents Goguryeo, but also includes the Tang Dynasty, Japan, Baekje, the Mongolian Plateau, and more... The vastness of its territory is truly breathtaking.

If this map is inherited, by the 21st century, it will be incredible; the Han people will definitely have the largest territory on Earth, and the largest coastline.

Even the United States can't compare, since it includes the entire Japanese peninsula.

Oh right, we still need Tibet!

He suddenly thought of another powerful empire that was growing rapidly in the 7th century. The thought of governing such a vast territory, dealing with so many different tribes and historical events, and his current conflict with the court, filled him with confusion and a headache.

It would be almost impossible for them to reconcile.