Simultaneous travel: My sons all have the qualities of an emperor

Chapter 427 Filial Piety and Compassion: The Finishing Touch in Conquering the Barbarians
"I want to control all the armies in the land!"

Li Shimin looked at Gu Ming and spoke each word clearly and forcefully, as if carved from gold and jade.

The generals behind Li Shimin were shocked, and the eunuchs and palace maids in the hall trembled violently, driven by instinctive fear.

The King of Qin is trying to force the emperor to abdicate!

Oh no, when gods fight, innocent bystanders suffer; their days are numbered.

The maids present all looked ashen-faced, lamenting how their lives could be so miserable, to have encountered such a once-in-a-century event.

Gu Ming remained silent, only smiling. This reaction surprised Li Shimin, giving him a strange sense of powerlessness.

Even now that things have come to this, why can his father still laugh? He has control of the entire palace, and the bravest soldiers in the world are all by his side.

Who in this world has any chance to resist? Even the greatest tyrants of old would perish here!

"Father, please issue an imperial edict!"

Li Shimin suppressed his unease and went on to say that he would force the emperor to abdicate.

Gu Ming laughed heartily, as if coaxing a child, and said, "Shimin, go back. You are still my Prince of Qin, the Supreme General of the Tang Dynasty."

Seeing Gu Ming's nonchalant demeanor, Li Shimin's anger naturally surged, and he could not back down!

In addition, his current actions constitute treason and usurpation.

This is the punishment of exterminating nine generations of one's family... well, it's the sin of causing oneself and one's followers to suffer a terrible death.

In short, the die was cast and there was no turning back. If he did, needless to say, those behind him would probably stomp Gu Ming and his men into mincemeat.

"Father, abdicate. I will grant you the title of Emperor Emeritus so you can enjoy your later years in peace."

Gu Ming paused slightly, which caused a burst of laughter.

His black robes fluttered as he approached, raising his eyes to look at Li Shimin: "All things in heaven and earth, those I bestow upon you, are yours only. If I don't give them to you, you cannot take them!"

Upon hearing these words and seeing Gu Ming in his flowing black robes, Li Shimin felt that his father was even more majestic than when he wore the dragon robe.

Before he knew it, this outstanding man, with his dragon-like appearance and heavenly countenance, was overshadowed by Gu Ming in terms of aura, like a subject facing a king.

"what!"

Li Shimin bit his tongue, the metallic taste of blood filling the air, which solidified his resolve. He then drew his sword from his waist, pointed it at Gu Ming, and tears welled in his tiger-like eyes.
"Father, don't force me to be the one who kills my father!"

Gu Ming laughed loudly, "Come on."

Li Shimin's heart sank. His father today was so different from the indecisive and indecisive ruler of the past.

"I have offended you, but I will not take your life. It is just that Father Emperor will have to suffer a little."

Zheng!
Li Shimin drew his sword; he had no way out. His eyes were filled with pain and sorrow, but no matter what his emotions were, he always managed to do the right thing.

The group of arrogant and fierce soldiers behind him also sighed inwardly, already foreseeing the outcome.

Some are even wondering how to cover up the truth about Gu Ming's death, and whether the Emperor died of a cold or from a sudden illness.

After all, there are no wise rulers in the world who kill their fathers.

Gu Ming chuckled softly, his aura no longer concealed, and was revealed.

Facing the sword that had accompanied Li Shimin on his campaigns and drunk the blood of countless people, he merely flicked his finger.

clang!
A clear voice rang out, and a strange force came, making Li Shimin unable to control the longsword in his hand. The longsword was shaken out, drawing an arc in the air before sticking into the ground.

Li Shimin stared in disbelief at his father, wondering when he had acquired such a skill.

In his memory, Gu Ming was somewhat brave and strong, but he could only be considered a good fighter among ordinary people. In recent years, he had fought on the battlefield and his body had suffered many hidden ailments.

He was exceptionally brave and skilled, even among the generals, and his archery was unparalleled. Yet, after only one exchange, his sword was knocked away from his hand.

Not only was Li Shimin surprised, but even generals like Yuchi Jingde and Cheng Yaojin were dumbfounded. They suspected Li Shimin of rigging the match, but they had no evidence.

Changsun Wuji was sweating profusely. If Li Shimin really threw the match and released Gu Ming, then everyone in this match, including their families, would die.

"King Qin, do not hesitate! This is a time of upheaval, and Crown Prince Li Jiancheng may arrive with two thousand men at any moment."

Li Shimin was already sweating profusely. Hearing Changsun Wuji's words, he was so angry that he almost laughed. He really thought that Changsun Wuji didn't want to.

Then he clenched his fist and charged at Gu Ming, each move aimed at Gu Ming's joints, but he couldn't touch them at all. Each time he was just a little bit short, giving people hope, but he just couldn't grasp it.

"Almost, always just a little bit short."

Even with Li Shimin's temper, he was now filled with shame and anger.

Shocking! A burly man tried to beat an elderly man, but his punches and kicks were too weak to even touch him.

He immediately said, "Let's go together!"

Generals like Yuchi Jingde, Cheng Yaojin, and Qin Qiong had their doubts, after all, it was the emperor, but they thought about what they were doing.

Fuck him!

If the emperor doesn't die, they will die.

Thus, Yuchi Jingde, spear in hand, charged forward menacingly; Cheng Yaojin, wielding his large, ornate axe, cried out in alarm; and Qin Qiong, with his double maces, declared themselves invincible, having fought their way across both banks of the Yellow River…
These men were all generals and top-notch fighters. In particular, Gu Ming was now unarmored and unarmed. If the ancient overlords were in his place, they would definitely suffer a crushing defeat.

Gu Ming didn't care. He faced the crowd rushing towards him with a calm and collected demeanor, walking with his hands behind his back like a butterfly flitting among flowers. Although he was in the hall, he gave people a sense of being detached from the world.

Bang bang bang.

With each sound, the generals felt their hands and feet go numb, their bodies lose all strength, and one after another they collapsed powerlessly.

Before long, only Li Shimin remained standing, sword in hand, looking around in bewilderment.

Where did he go? Is this still his father?
So fierce? !

"Shimin, do you still want to attack your father?" Gu Ming asked with a smile.

Bang.

Li Shimin's sword slipped from his hand again and fell to the ground. What was the point of fighting in this situation?

With such strength, they easily defeated a group of generals. Even if they called in the soldiers outside, they might not be able to do anything about it.

Immediately, Li Shimin said dejectedly, "Father, the victor is king and the loser is villain. Your son is willing to bear all the blame, but today's events are entirely my responsibility."
As for Yuchi Jingde and the others, the Emperor may demote them, strip them of their positions, and take away their military power. He only wishes to give them a sliver of hope, to let them serve as lowly soldiers. Now that the Turks are at the city gates, the Tang Dynasty cannot do without them.

For a moment, Yuchi Jingde and the others were all deeply moved. This was a true wise and benevolent ruler. It was just a pity that the emperor favored the crown prince.

Gu Ming smiled without saying a word, and Li Shimin thought that Gu Ming was unwilling, and looked sad.

“Father, the Turks are wolves in sheep’s clothing. Without them, our Tang Dynasty would be in danger. All the mistakes are my fault.”

Gu Ming said leisurely, "When did I say I was going to kill you?"

Li Shimin was stunned, as were the generals. "Of course, although I am magnanimous, you must bear the responsibility for your actions."

Li Shimin's state of mind at this moment was hard to describe. His father had rebelled, yet he wasn't killed. Was his father the only one with true tolerance?

"Father, please speak freely. I am willing to bear all the blame."

Li Shimin immediately knelt down, his attitude completely clear.

Gu Ming laughed and said, "If that's the case, then you should destroy that Turkic army for your father."

???

Li Shimin looked completely bewildered and cautiously asked, "Father, should we destroy, retreat, or make peace?"

"Of course we should destroy them. They're practically at our doorstep. If we don't wipe them out, wouldn't it make our Great Tang seem useless and unable to protect its people?"

Li Shimin gasped in shock. Just then, the sounds of battle arose outside. It was Li Jiancheng leading his troops, a full two thousand men, who were about to do the same thing as Li Shimin.

Half an incense stick later, Li Jiancheng obediently knelt in front of Gu Ming, but his body couldn't help trembling and would occasionally twitch violently.

He was just about to put on a show of filial piety and wipe out his second brother's entire army when his own father suddenly appeared, unleashing his full power and mowing down the two thousand soldiers like cutting grass.

What the hell is this human being?
If you have this skill, why didn't you use it when you were conquering the world?

Li Jiancheng shouted in his heart.

"You two brothers," Gu Ming sighed, lamenting the enduring nature of the Li family's bloodline.

“Since you have committed a sin, you must atone for it. As I said before, Shimin, go and destroy the Turks, and Jiancheng, you go and take away Yuanji’s incompetent military power. Of the three of you, he is the most despicable.”

Gu Ming issued the order, and Li Shimin, seeing that his father had made up his mind, gritted his teeth and said, "Father, may I ask how many troops you will give me for this campaign against the Turks? Will you accompany me?"

After witnessing Gu Ming's martial prowess, Li Shimin decided that annihilating the Turks did not seem impossible.

If one can defeat two thousand men, then it is not difficult to take the head of the enemy general amidst ten thousand troops, thereby throwing his command into chaos, and then carry out the annihilation.

Gu Ming blinked: "Who said I was going to give you military power and go with you? I meant you would quell the Turks by yourself."

Li Shimin's face turned deathly pale. So, after all that talk, he still wants to die. What difference is there between facing the Turkic army alone and death?!

After a long while, Li Shimin kowtowed to express his gratitude; he had no right to resist.

"Your subject... obeys the order. Your subject is going now. I hope Your Majesty will take good care of your health in the future." Li Shimin's eyes were filled with tears, and he had a feeling of "the wind is howling and the Yi River is cold."

Gu Ming feigned surprise and said, "The Turkic army is stationed south of the Yellow River. How are you going to get there? Why don't I see you off?"

"Your subject will ride away on horseback."

Gu Ming laughed heartily: "Too slow, too slow. Please wait a moment while I finish the last stroke."

Li Shimin was puzzled; why were they talking about painting again?

Then, in front of this group of the most noble and even the bravest people in the world, Gu Ming took out his unfinished painting and his paintbrush.

Everyone was puzzled and just looked on in confusion.

So, in front of everyone, Gu Ming picked up his brush and gently added the dragon's eyes to the painting.

The moment the dragon's eye was touched, a sense of dread washed over everyone, as if there really was a dragon in the painting, ready to take flight at any moment.

And then, something incredible happened.

Suddenly, dark clouds filled the sky, followed by a flash of lightning and a clap of thunder. A strong wind arose, so strong that tiles fell from the sky, making them feel as if they could be blown away at any moment.

Everyone was terrified. What on earth was going on?
"hold head high!"

A voice, neither gold nor jade nor stone nor iron, belonging to this world, resounded throughout the heavens, its power immense, as heavy as the heavens and as heavy as thunder.

Even seasoned warriors present were terrified upon hearing this voice. Some strategists and civil officials were so frightened that they fell to the ground, speechless.

Amidst the raging wind and rain, the painting was shattered, revealing a massive dragon whisker. Immediately afterward, a colossal creature roared down upon the world, rising into the air and floating among the clouds, its body undulating, exuding boundless majesty.

"A dragon, that's a dragon!!!" Changsun Wuji had never been this nervous, not even when he was plotting a rebellion. Now he was so frightened that he screamed until his throat was hoarse and his voice was distorted.

Above the clouds, a creature appeared, with antlers like a deer, a head like a camel, eyes like a rabbit, a neck like a snake, a belly like a clam, scales like a fish, claws like an eagle, paws like a tiger, and ears like a cow—undoubtedly a true dragon.

But none of those present mocked him, for they were all utterly astonished.

Even the renownedly brave Yuchi Jingde was now trembling, and exclaimed, "My goodness!"

Cheng Yaojin, who was usually incredibly bold, cried out in despair, "Mother, I'm scared!"

Li Shimin and Li Jiancheng felt as if they were not in the human world, but in a dream.

In Chang'an, countless people witnessed this scene. Some exclaimed that it was a miracle, some were terrified, some knelt down and kowtowed, and some were filled with anxiety, revealing the myriad aspects of human nature.

At this moment, a strong wind and rainstorm raged, but Gu Ming remained completely dry.

"Shimin, you should ride the dragon to break the Turkic war. Do you have confidence?"

Li Shimin was first taken aback, then a sense of disbelief arose in his heart: "Riding the dragon, huh? Me!"
Li Jiancheng, though afraid of the dragon, couldn't help but feel jealousy towards Li Shimin. Throughout history, there had never been anyone who could ride a dragon; they were figures from mythology.

But his own second brother had such an opportunity.

Gu Ming laughed loudly: "Aren't you coming down?"

Then the dragon bent down and bowed to Li Shimin. Li Shimin felt a strange sensation in his heart, as if he were communicating with the dragon.

He couldn't help but exclaim, "Soaring through the clouds!"

Then, clouds and mist rose from beneath his feet, lifting him high, and he flew into the body of the true dragon.

After a long while, Li Shimin felt the sensation under his feet, as if in a dream. At this moment, he felt that nothing—nothing—would compare to his current state of being, no matter what the world, the emperor, or any power!

"Go on, go on, your father will wait for your good news." Gu Ming waved his hand casually, and the wind and rain stopped abruptly, and a sword flew into the sky, which was the sword that Li Shimin had dropped on the ground earlier.

Li Shimin said excitedly, "I will certainly not fail in my mission."

He then pointed his sword at the Yellow River: "Go!"

Then the dragon roared and led Li Shimin toward the Turkic army stationed south of the Yellow River, like a god riding a dragon, majestic and awe-inspiring.

Meanwhile, the Turkic army was still discussing how to take a bite out of the Li Tang dynasty.

His general, who was in the center, frowned when he saw a soldier in a panic: "What's the matter that you're in such a hurry?"

The soldier cried out in despair, "General, there's a dragon... there's a dragon!!!"

???

The Turkic general was furious: "Have you ever seen a dragon? Don't talk nonsense."

(End of this chapter)