My father, Li Shimin, requests Your Majesty to become the Retired Emperor.

Li Tai thought to himself that Xue'er was too cunning. If it weren't for this girl tempting him, how could he have been captured by Su Wan and the others?

Li Tai was so angry he wanted to bite her.

Xue'er snatched the dagger from Su Wan's hand, walked up to Li Tai, and with a "thud," stabbed it into Li Tai's left thigh, three inches deep.

Xue'er pulled out the dagger, and blood immediately spurted out.

"Ouch, that hurts so much! You little brat, you hit me way too hard! You almost killed me!" Li Tai cried.

"Master, you are being too kind. Why be polite to this kind of person?"

Su Gui, pull open his shirt, I'll cut him open and take out his heart and liver to see if they're red or black.

Why was he so ruthless towards the Crown Prince? He must be heartless.

"Alright!" Su Gui was also willing to cooperate, rolling up her sleeves and grabbing Li Tai's collar.

Li Tai was terrified: "Sister-in-law, spare my life!"

Didn't you ask me to divide my troops with you? Then let's do as you say.

Have Su Gui take my tiger tally to the military training ground to muster the troops, and also, have the navy arrayed on the Wei River.

"As long as you don't kill me."

Su Wan cast an approving glance at Xue'er, thinking to herself that Li Tai was a bastard who wouldn't budge and was instead pushing her away.

"He's like someone who won't shed a tear until he's in his coffin," Xue'er said, wiping the blood from the dagger on the sole of her shoe. "Don't think I'm a weak woman; I'm very skilled at slaughtering pigs and sheep."

Upon hearing this, Li Tai thought to himself that this girl was really ruthless. But then again, Xue'er had been influenced by her mistress, Su Wan, and had become quite feisty herself.

Over time, even the kindest people can become ruthless.

Su Wan pondered for a moment: "You give us a navy but not warships, that won't do. Ten thousand sailors should be given at least a hundred warships."

"Our warships, each capable of holding over a thousand people, what do you need so many for?"

"Then you can leave it at that. Just give me a straight answer: are you going to give it or not?"

Li Tai gritted his teeth and said, "Fine, fine, a hundred warships it is."

Su Wan nodded to Su Gui.

So Su Gui took the tiger tally and went to muster the troops.

At this moment, Su Wan took a long towel, walked to Li Tai, bent down, and bandaged the wound on Li Tai's thigh.

While bandaging her wound, Su Wan said, "Qingque, what can I say about you?"

Just now, I was trying to reason with you, and you said this wouldn't work and that wouldn't work. But then Xue'er came along, stabbed you in the back, and suddenly you're okay with anything.

What's the trouble with this?

If you had agreed earlier, none of this would have happened.

So, you brought this on yourself; you have no one else to blame.

Upon hearing this, Li Tai inwardly groaned, thinking to himself, "Good for you, Xue'er. I've been so kind to you, and I've already said I'm willing to let you be my wife."

It's truly disheartening that you treated me like this.

You didn't just stab my thigh, you stabbed my heart! My heart is bleeding.

Luckily, I have thick skin and thick flesh. If I were the kind of person who is thin and weak, wouldn't you have killed me with that knife?

Li Tai grew angrier the more he thought about it, his heart burning with anger.

Xue'er brought hot water again, and Su Wan washed her hands.

Xue'er then handed Su Wan a white towel.

Su Wan wiped the water off her hands.

She looked at Li Tai and said slowly, "Qingque, before you leave, your sister-in-law has a few words of advice for you."

Your expedition to Goguryeo and Baekje is of great importance. You must take it seriously and not be careless or negligent, and you must not underestimate the enemy.

You should know that Yeon Gaesomun is extremely difficult to deal with.

Back then, Emperor Yang of Sui led an army of one million to launch three eastern expeditions against Goguryeo, but failed to conquer it.

In the end, he suffered a crushing defeat and even lost his life.

Don't follow in his footsteps.

Also, Yeon Gaesomun, Buyeo Ryung, and Inugami Oda-kubi are not good people. You have to be careful and not open your heart to them.

They are your enemies; don't get your hopes up.

Upon hearing this, Li Tai thought to himself, "Su Wan, you've said something wrong."

Yeon Gaesomun, Buyeo Ryung, and Inugami Oda-no-kyuu took my money, so they have to do things for me.

Otherwise, I'll make them return the money they took, and double it. They don't want to do anything, they just want my money. Do you think my money is so easy to take?

Yeon Gaesomun, Buyeo Ryong, and Inugami Oda Kyuu once promised me that they would support me in becoming the Crown Prince of the Tang Dynasty.

If this goal is achieved, everything will be fine.

Otherwise, they would be derelict in their duties and would be severely punished.