My cultivation disguise has been exposed by Xiao Sizi.

Chapter Nineteen: Every sentence shatters the emperor's bones like a knife; the illusion collapses, and the king is utterly destroyed.

"Yes! I am lame, I do not have the countenance of an emperor! And now I am inferior to the King of Wei in every way?"

Within the illusory realm of the water mirror, Li Chengqian's voice was hoarse, like a broken bellows, carrying a chilling and mournful tone.

He stared intently at his enraged father before the dragon throne, the madness in his eyes finally igniting the resentment and unwillingness that had been suppressed for more than ten years.

"Do you really consider yourself a filial son?"

"Our whole family rebelled, and we seized this Tang Dynasty by stepping over the corpses of our own brothers! When we're all dead, will we be able to face our ancestors with dignity?!"

boom!

In reality, Li Shimin, who was standing outside the courtyard gate, suddenly felt his legs buckle and his back slammed heavily against the cold brick wall.

His breathing became completely erratic, he gasped for air like a dying fish thrown onto the shore. Those two sentences were like two poisoned daggers, precisely piercing the most untouchable sore spot in his life.

Li Chengqian in the illusion did not stop at all.

He tilted his head back, tears mingling with the bloodstains on his face, and let out a particularly piercing, agonizing laugh.

Even if you govern the Zhenguan era into the greatest golden age in history! Even if all nations pay tribute and the world submits to your rule!

"In historical records and in the judgments of later generations, there will absolutely be no mention of you being the eldest son in line to the throne!"

"I'll kneel before my mother's spirit right now! You can give me poisoned wine or three feet of white silk to hang myself!" Li Chengqian pointed sharply at the dragon throne, the symbol of supreme power. "You'll sit comfortably in that position until the very end, and don't you dare give it to me!"

Every sentence is like a knife, every word pierces the heart.

On a recliner in the corner, Li Chen stuffed a piece of osmanthus cake into his mouth, chewing it with a crunching sound.

He picked up his teacup to moisten his throat, watching with great satisfaction. The tension of this drama was a million times more exciting than those poorly acted TV series from his previous life.

The hall in the illusion fell into a deathly silence.

The future Li Shimin was so shocked by these words that he staggered back two steps and slumped onto the dragon throne. Looking at his eldest son, whom he had become completely unfamiliar with, his chest heaved violently, and he couldn't even utter a word of rebuttal.

He could only use his status as a father and the supreme authority of a monarch to forcibly suppress this rebellious son.

"Kneel down! I'll make you kneel down!" Li Shimin roared furiously, pointing at the ground, the veins on his forehead bulging like twisting snakes.

Although Li Chengqian was on the verge of madness, he still retained a last shred of fear of his iron-fisted father deep down.

His knees buckled suddenly.

With a loud "bang," it slammed heavily onto the cold floor tiles.

Seeing Li Chengqian kneel down, Li Shimin in the scene breathed a slight sigh of relief. At least this rebellious son hadn't completely disregarded his father and emperor; he still had him in his eyes.

But regardless, the crown prince dared to raise an army in rebellion, and even after his defeat and capture, he dared to so brazenly stab him in the heart. If he is not severely punished, what will become of the emperor's authority!

Li Shimin suddenly turned around, strode to the weapon rack on the side of the main hall, and ripped off a horsewhip woven from raw cowhide.

He turned around, raised his wrist high, and with a sharp whistling sound, lashed the whip heavily across Li Chengqian's back.

"Snapped!"

The dark prison uniform instantly ripped open with a long gash, the flesh rolled back, and blood seeped out.

"You good-for-nothing!"

"You unfilial son!"

The second lash fell without hesitation, with even greater force than the first.

Li Chengqian was jolted forward violently by the blow, his brows furrowed tightly. He gritted his teeth, large beads of sweat rolling down his forehead, but he stubbornly held his tongue, remaining completely silent!

"What exactly do you want?!"

Li Shimin roared, raised his wrist again, and the third whip came crashing down with a sharp whistling sound.

Unexpectedly, Li Chengqian suddenly turned around and raised his head to meet the falling whip without flinching.

"Snapped!"

The whip struck Li Chengqian squarely on the corner of his eyebrow.

His skin and flesh tore open instantly, and blood gushed out like a burst dam. A streak of crimson blood ran down his brow bone, across the bridge of his nose, and dripped continuously onto the floor tiles, creating glaring splashes of blood.

At this moment, Li Shimin in the picture clearly panicked.

His hand, gripping the blood-stained whip, began to tremble uncontrollably, and a flicker of panic and barely concealed heartache flashed in his eyes.

Li Chengqian let the blood flow down his face. His deathly gray eyes were fixed on Li Shimin, his voice icy cold and devoid of any warmth.

"Is Your Majesty using a riding whip a matter of family law or national law?"

"If this is family discipline, is Your Majesty punishing me on behalf of my mother?"

Li Shimin, his weakness exposed, roared angrily, "How dare you mention your mother?"

Li Chengqian refused to back down, his neck stiffening as he roared, his voice echoing throughout the empty hall: "I grew up on my mother's milk, why can't I mention her!"

"You have failed your mother's expectations!"

"I told you to shut up!" Li Shimin roared, interrupting him.

"You killed your brother!" Li Chengqian retorted hysterically.

"Chengqian!!!" Li Shimin's eyes were so red they looked like they were about to bleed, and his knuckles were pale as he gripped the horsewhip.

"Please address me as Crown Prince, Your Majesty!" Li Chengqian said each word with gritted teeth, his voice ringing out like the clash of metal against stone.

Li Shimin looked at his eldest son, whom he now seemed like a complete stranger, and, suppressing the last vestiges of his anger, asked, "Chengqian, what exactly do you want to do?!"

"What does Your Majesty intend to do!" Li Chengqian remained fearless, raising his blood-stained face. "My mother's spirit in heaven will protect me!"

With a snap.

The horsewhip in Li Shimin's hand slipped limply and fell onto the floor tiles.

Li Chengqian let out a chilling laugh. He braced himself on the ground with his hands and slowly, with great difficulty, stood up.

He didn't look at Li Shimin again, silently turned around, and dragged his broken leg out of the hall.

"Chengqian!" Li Shimin shouted from behind, his voice carrying a hint of pleading, "Don't force me!"

"I forced you?!"

Li Chengqian stopped in his tracks. He slowly turned his head, looking at Li Shimin in disbelief. The deathly pallor in his eyes deepened, completely extinguishing the last glimmer of life.

"I'm fed up, I'm not pretending anymore!"

"I know I am no longer the crown prince!"

The utter despondency emanating from Li Chengqian was transmitted through the water mirror of the array plate, like a maggot clinging to a bone, reaching every pore of the onlookers.

"I know I'll be beheaded tomorrow, but Your Majesty doesn't need to do it!"

He gritted his teeth and uttered the most vicious and desperate curse against the Tang emperor.

"I will now don the imperial crown robes bestowed upon me by my grandfather, the Crown Prince! Carrying the heads of Qingque and Zhinu! Holding my mother's memorial tablet, I will commit suicide at my mother's grave!"

"Have them gouge my eyes out and hang them high above the Xuanwu Gate!"

"I'd like to see the good example you set for future generations, and see how many of your descendants will bring swords into the palace!"

Li Chengqian's lips curled into a sickly, mocking smile that sent chills down one's spine.

"Then you, the father who murdered your brother, imprisoned your father, tyrannized your sister-in-law, and killed your son..."

"Then he truly deserves the title of a great emperor for all time!"

Are you satisfied now?!

After saying this last sentence, Li Chengqian paid no attention to Li Shimin's reaction. Dragging his crippled leg, he walked alone into the endless darkness outside the palace.

"Splash—"

The image in the water mirror ended there, transforming into countless tiny water droplets that shattered in mid-air.

The courtyard of the side hall was deathly silent.

A cool night breeze blew by, swirling up a few fallen leaves.

Li Chen picked up his teacup, took a sip, and dusted off the crumbs of pastry on his hands. His smile was incredibly irritating. He thoroughly enjoyed watching this tragic royal ethical saga.

At this moment, Empress Zhangsun, standing outside the courtyard gate, had completely broken down.

"Chengqian... my Chengqian!"

A heart-wrenching, extremely mournful cry shattered the deathly silence of the night sky.

Empress Zhangsun, drawing strength from who-knows-where, suddenly broke free from Li Shimin's support and rushed into the courtyard of the side hall like a madwoman. She grabbed Li Chengqian, who was slumped on the ground, and tears streamed down her face like a burst dam, instantly soaking the crown prince's clothes.

Li Chengqian was completely stunned at this point.

He stared blankly into the void before him, his mind replaying his own frantic curses from the illusion, and the sharp crack of the whip striking his face.

So this is my future?

So, in the end, I still ended up on this path. I ended up plotting a rebellion, forcing the emperor to abdicate, killing my father and sons, and even having to carry my brothers' heads to my mother's grave to commit suicide?

"Hehe...hahaha...hahahahaha!"

Li Chengqian suddenly burst into a particularly mournful laugh. He tilted his head back, laughing heartlessly, his tears mingling with the laughter echoing in the empty side hall.

The laughter was chilling.

Li Shimin stood outside the courtyard gate, his face ashen. He felt a tightness in his chest and a metallic taste rising in his throat.

He stretched out his trembling hands, wanting to step into the yard and go forward to comfort the mother and child who were embracing each other.

"Guanyinbi...Chengqian..."

Li Shimin's voice was extremely hoarse as he took a step forward.

"Don't come any closer!"

Empress Zhangsun suddenly turned her head. Her bloodshot eyes stared intently at Li Shimin like a lioness protecting her cubs.

"You are not allowed near him! You are not allowed near my Chengqian!"

Empress Zhangsun's voice was hoarse and resolute, carrying an undisguised resentment and defensiveness.

The sound of the cold whip lashing Li Chengqian's face in the illusion had completely shattered her rationality.

That was her own flesh and blood, her eldest son whom she had carried for ten months and gave birth to.

Even if it's just a future illusion, she will never allow anyone to hurt him in the slightest.

Li Shimin froze in place, as if struck by lightning.

His hand, which had been suspended in mid-air, fell limply to the ground. At this moment, the dignified emperor of the Tang Dynasty appeared somewhat hunched and desolate.

Princess Changle stood behind Li Shimin, already in tears. She wanted to comfort her mother, but felt sorry for her father, and stood there at a loss.

Under the side hall's corridor.

Li Chen leaned back in the rocking chair, casually picked up a walnut, crushed it, and threw the kernel into his mouth.

"What a show!"

He chuckled softly.

The next three days.

Empress Zhangsun remained inside the Lizheng Hall, refusing to leave. No matter how long Li Shimin stood outside the hall or how many persuasive words he uttered, the doors of the Lizheng Hall never opened even a crack.

The eunuchs and palace maids were trembling with fear, not daring to even breathe loudly.

The atmosphere in the entire palace was oppressively icy.

Crown Prince Li Chengqian remained in the side hall of Li Chen's cold palace.

But ever since he saw the illusion that night, he felt like he had lost his soul.

Although he never stopped chopping wood and starting fires every day, he would often stop midway through, staring blankly into the empty space in front of him. Holding a fire poker in his hand, he could sit in front of the stove for a full two hours.

Sometimes, when he's lost in thought late at night, he'll suddenly tilt his head back and let out a miserable, dry laugh.

Then, like a walking corpse, he shrank back into that cold, dark corner.

That afternoon.

Sunlight filtered through the leaves, dappling the courtyard.

Li Chen lay on a rocking chair, an ancient book covering his face to shield him from the sun.

"Sixteenth Brother..."

Xiao Sizi moved closer to the rocking chair and gently tugged at Li Chen's sleeve.

She pointed to Li Chengqian, who was squatting by the well in a daze, and asked in a low, childish voice, "Why hasn't Crown Prince Brother paid any attention to Sizi these past few days? Is he sick? Sizi offered him osmanthus cake, but he wouldn't eat it."

Li Chen took the book off his face and glanced at the useless man by the well.

"He's not sick." Li Chen yawned and covered his face with the book again.

"He just realized that no matter how hard he struggled in his life, it was all a dead end. His heart was dead."

"What should we do?" Little Sizi stamped his feet anxiously.

Li Chen did not answer.

He felt the massive amount of Heavenly Dao Qi flowing into his soul space, which was being poured in wildly because it had greatly altered the fates of Fang Xuanling, Princess Gaoyang, and even the Crown Prince.

Within his dantian, the true essence vortex, like liquid mercury, had reached a terrifyingly high rotation speed. Faint rumbling sounds even began to resonate deep within Li Chen's bones.

The barrier of the Foundation Establishment Great Perfection stage is about to break.

"What should we do?"

Li Chen's lips curled slightly as he looked down from under the book.

"Once I break through to the next level, and I'm in a good mood, I'll naturally pull him out of the mess left by the King of Hell."