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

This also greatly signifies the thawing of relations between Li Yuanchang and the new emperor.

Li Zhi had his considerations and reservations.

Li Yuanchang felt the same way. He really couldn't imagine what it would be like if the two sides fought each other for ten years, leaving only scorched earth, and the Tang Dynasty would be in ruins.

At this time, the Tang Dynasty was still at its peak, and the people lived in peace and prosperity. If he really rebelled directly as others said, it would be a premature reenactment of the An Lushan Rebellion.

Ultimately, the ones who benefit most are definitely the foreigners!

Therefore, as soon as Li Shimin died, peace talks began.

On this day, Li Yuanchang personally led a group of people out of the city to welcome him.

Of course, this was not for the sake of the imperial envoy, but to give face to Cheng Chuliang and his companion.

If these two hadn't arrived, we would have at most met, but there would have been no chance of us being greeted.

In the distance, a large group of people appeared on the horizon.

Li Yuanchang had a big smile on his face. Over the years, he had felt guilty because his four good brothers had suffered a great deal of joint responsibility because of him.

If Cheng Yaojin and his group hadn't still been alive, the four of them might have been imprisoned.

At this moment, a large group of people split into two riders and came at lightning speed.

Li Yuanchang didn't even need a telescope to know who it was.

He mounted his horse: "Giddy up!!"

The horse neighed, and the rider left everyone else in the dust.

"It's been a long time since I've seen Your Highness so happy." Situ Lan smiled; she was also there.

"Yes, Princess Consort of Han, I never imagined that it would be so many years since we last parted, and that we would meet again in Goguryeo."

"If it weren't for persecution by the court, I think His Highness would still be in Chang'an or somewhere else right now," Guo Chao sighed.

He had been with Li Yuanchang the longest, and he knew best that Li Yuanchang had no intention of rebelling.

If he had possessed any of these qualities, with Li Shimin's death, the Tang Dynasty would have faced a cataclysmic upheaval, and Li Yuanchang could have easily taken advantage of the new emperor's unstable footing to fight back.

With the help of gunpowder, those once proud and towering city walls were utterly unable to stop the Han army; at most, they only resulted in the deaths of many soldiers and civilians.

But the dead are not even a consideration for scheming rebels.

"Giddy up, giddy up!"

"Big brother!"

"Big brother!"

Cheng Chuliang and Li Chongzhen shouted.

Li Yuanchang arrived on horseback: "My two worthy brothers, hahaha!!"

"Whoa!!"

The three men pulled on the rappelling rope, then dismounted and embraced each other tightly.

Despite not having seen each other for many years, their feelings for each other have never changed. They started out as young men, impulsively beating up the prince consort, and have grown into mature men with their own families and children.

"Brother, it's been so many years! You're still as handsome as ever!"

"You think my older brother looks like a black bull, just like you?"

"Hahaha!"

Li Yuanchang laughed heartily, feeling as if everything had returned to normal.

Then he patted the two of them hard, looking at them who had matured quite a bit and had grown beards.

"My two worthy brothers, I have dragged you down."

"How is everything at your home?"

Upon hearing this, the two men appeared nonchalant and indifferent: "Why is Big Brother bringing this up? It's all trivial, it's all in the past."

"that is."

"After the late emperor passed away, His Majesty granted a general amnesty on the very day he ascended the throne. He not only reinstated the four of us to our positions, but also promoted us by one rank."

"Besides us, many others were pardoned, including Li Ji."

Li Yuanchang nodded upon hearing this.

It is a tradition for a new emperor to grant a general amnesty upon ascending the throne.

The demotion of many people can actually be seen as a deliberate act by Li Shimin to pave the way for Li Zhi.

People like Cheng Chuliang were more or less grateful to Li Zhi; this was a tactic used by ancient emperors to win people's hearts.

"That's good. Where are they? Why didn't they come?"

"Brother, their father is in poor health, and both of them are taking care of him, so..."

Upon hearing this, Li Yuanchang frowned and couldn't help but sigh.

Flowers bloom and fade, a generation withers. Have the once-renowned Yuchi Gong and Tang Jian finally reached their day of departure?

"If I were still in Chang'an, I would certainly pay a visit."

Upon hearing this, Li Chongzhen and Cheng Chuliang couldn't help but think of the current situation, both frowning and feeling troubled and sensitive.

At this moment, Li Chongzhen caught sight of the approaching imperial entourage out of the corner of his eye and immediately interrupted the conversation: "Oh right, brother, I forgot to introduce you."

"This is Chu Yanbu, the eldest son of Chu Suiliang, the Right Vice Minister of the Imperial Secretariat, and the head of the envoy's delegation. He is also the Vice Minister of the Ministry of Personnel."

At this moment, the middle-aged official, who was nearly forty years old, dismounted and led his subordinates forward to offer a clasped-hand salute.

"We pay our respects to His Highness the Prince of Han!"

"oh?"

"So you are the eldest son of the Chu family. No wonder I felt your imposing presence, like a literary star descending to earth, from afar." Li Yuanchang politely cupped his hands in greeting. Although the court had taken the initiative to send an envoy, he did not show any displeasure and his demeanor was quite good.

Upon hearing this, Chu Yanbu smiled.

This sentence essentially establishes that the King of Han's attitude was not cold or hostile.

"Thank you for your kind words, Your Highness."

"This humble official is of limited talent and learning, and entered officialdom through the influence of his father. Compared to His Highness Prince Han's experience of fighting on the battlefield and governing the people of Liangzhou, turning poverty into prosperity, my record is truly shameful."

Upon hearing this, Li Yuanchang raised an eyebrow, thinking that the imperial court had finally sent a reliable person, at least someone who was honest enough, even if it was just empty talk.

Apart from Fang Xuanling, the civil officials sent earlier were mostly from noble families and were arrogant and disdainful of everyone.

Taking advantage of his status as an imperial envoy, he acted recklessly and suppressed others, which was one of the triggers for the conflict.

Since the other party gave him face, he also gave him face, which was completely different from before.

"That's too modest. The Chu family has a strict family tradition, which is known to both the court and the public. Entering officialdom through patronage is not a stain. The key is whether one can use this opportunity to serve the country and its people."

"What the King of Han says is absolutely right. When His Majesty ascended the throne, he promoted us with the same words."

"On this occasion, His Majesty also instructed me to extend my greetings to His Highness the Prince of Han. He has already learned of the assassination attempt by the Japanese Emperor and is furious!" Chu Yanbu said.

Li Yuanchang raised his eyebrows again, his words already sending a strong signal.

"Thank you, Your Majesty." He cupped his hands in a gesture of respect from afar, then said, "It's freezing cold outside, let's not stand here talking. Why don't we head back to the city?"

"I have prepared a complete palace for you all to stay in."

"Thank you, Your Highness!"

The officials from the imperial court were all relieved. On their way there, they had been worried that they would be detained or killed by the mutinous soldiers because of the grudges from the previous war.

But now it seems that Goguryeo is at peace, and the King of Han is very easy to talk to, which is completely different from what they expected.

Even so, they remained cautious, while Cheng Chuliang and his companion were carefree, without any precautions or worries. They were absolutely confident that even if the sky fell, they would be fine.

After the group entered the city and briefly greeted the Han King's concubine and others, they went directly to their lodgings.