Tang Dynasty: Starting with 3,000 elite cavalry, a bloody battle to retake the city.

However, before he could press further, Han Ye had already turned around and continued speaking to Li Chengqian, his tone distant and detached:

"Don't have a narrow perspective."

Don't just focus on the Tang Dynasty or the Turks.

"The world is vast, with numerous states and boundless territories... Who can emerge victorious? Who can truly control the rise and fall of nations?"

"Like you princes, fighting tooth and nail for the position of crown prince, is it worth it?"

"Even if we win, it's just a matter of growing old and then ascending the throne."

But how long can one hold that position? A hundred years? Ten years? Or will one be buried in a few years?

Li Chengqian's eyes lit up and his heart raced.

That was absolutely explosive!

This was unprecedented, and it shocked him so much that his worldview was both shattered and reshaped!

From childhood to adulthood, everyone has been instilling one sentence in my ears—preserve the position of crown prince and fight for the supreme throne!

Li Chengqian has walked this path every step of the way, steadily and ruthlessly, yet also numbly.

He was exhausted, like a horse with its throat bound by reins, running forward desperately, but not knowing where the end was.

For him, living was nothing more than completing a predetermined script.

But today, Han Ye's casual remark was like a thunderbolt splitting the dark clouds in his heart!

So... there are other ways to live life?!

Li Yuan's face turned ashen upon hearing this, and he almost lost his temper on the spot.

He was so angry that his beard trembled when he heard Han Ye's rebellious and unorthodox remarks.

This is outrageous! The Crown Prince is the future ruler of the world; how can he listen to such fallacies and heresies?

He abruptly stood up, grabbed Li Chengqian, and shouted angrily, "Enough! Don't listen to any more! Let's go!"

Li Chengqian staggered to his feet, but still bowed solemnly to Han Ye, his voice low and firm: "Thank you for your guidance, sir."

"Guidance my foot!" Li Yuan practically roared, his face as black as the bottom of a pot. "Everything he said was meant to sow discord! Forget it all! Don't remember a single word!"

But Li Chengqian's eyes were different now.

That was the first time he felt like he had climbed out of a deep well and finally seen the light of day.

Han Ye merely smiled faintly at Li Yuan, his tone flippant yet sharp: "See? Some people's brains are rusted to death; they can't stand hearing a single word of the truth."

He paused, his gaze falling on Li Chengqian, and said meaningfully, "If you want to break free from your shackles, the best way is to stay away from these people who live in the past."

Li Yuan felt a lump in his throat, his face turning from black to white, and then from white to green!

Stay away from him?!

He was the retired emperor! He was the founding emperor of the Tang Dynasty! He was his own grandfather!

If this gets out, the entire court will surely tear the roof off!

"Go! Leave now!"

Li Yuan practically dragged Li Chengqian away, his steps so hurried it was as if a ghost was chasing them.

He was filled with regret—if he had known this would happen, he would never have let his unfilial grandson learn any "principles" from that madman!

Every word that guy uttered was a veiled attack on the heart; he wasn't teaching and nurturing people at all, but clearly undermining the foundation of the nation!

The two figures quickly disappeared into the night.

Han Ye stood there, smiled slightly, turned around and continued making Kongming lanterns with Xiao Tuan and the others, his expression calm as if nothing had just happened.

At the street corner, Li Jing had just returned to his residence when he saw the two figures leaving from afar, and his brows furrowed slightly.

He squinted and muttered to himself, "Who are that old man and that boy...?"

Han Ye didn't even look up, and casually said, "Just two passersby who came to chat."

Li Jing: "???"

Chatting?!

Who would dare to go to Li Jing's doorstep and chat with someone? Or would they run away right in front of him? That's not just being audacious, that's having a death wish!

But for some reason, those two figures sent a shiver down his spine; he felt as if he had seen them somewhere before…

But he didn't ask any more questions, shook his head and entered the mansion.

at this time--

After finishing his work, Han Ye quietly left the mansion while everyone was not paying attention.

He bought several jars of strong liquor and some cooked meat on the streets of Chang'an, storing them all in his system space.

Immediately, he leaped out of the city and summoned his Red Hare!

"drive!"

With a long shout, Red Hare swept through the night like fire, its four hooves flying, shattering the moonlight, and heading straight for the depths of the wilderness.

Finally, it stopped in front of a long-abandoned village.

Amidst the ruins, a chilling wind whispers.

Han Ye's gaze darkened slightly, and with a tremor in his palm, the system space opened—

Gongsun Zan, Zhao Yun, Taishi Ci... one familiar figure after another appeared!

"General!!"

Their eyes were bloodshot, they knelt and kowtowed, their voices hoarse and trembling.

When they were taken into the system, Han Ye was covered in blood, his fate unknown.

They endured countless days and nights in the void, their hearts hanging by a thread, fearing that their commander had perished.

Seeing him safe and sound again, I finally breathed a sigh of relief.

Han Ye looked at his loyal brothers, his throat bobbed slightly, and a hint of moisture welled up in his eyes.

Xiahou Dun's three thousand elite cavalrymen were completely wiped out, with not a single survivor.

Only Gongsun Zan's White Horse Cavalry, with a little over a thousand men, survived the calamity.

It's already a stroke of luck.

He took a deep breath, his voice low and hoarse: "Today is their seventh day since death... Let's drink and send our brothers off on their final journey."

As soon as he finished speaking, the wine jar smashed to the ground, and porcelain shards flew everywhere.

He personally filled a large bowl, stood in the center of the ruins, and raised the bowl to the sky.

"Respect to the departed souls—"

"Dry!"

Strong liquor burns like fire when it goes down your throat.

Everyone drank together, tears mingling with the wine, pain and hatred burning together.

At that very moment, the first Kongming lantern slowly rose into the sky above Chang'an.

Then came the second lamp, the third lamp...

Sparks of light floated into the air, like guiding lights for the countless heroic souls on their way home.

In that instant, it seemed as if the world fell silent, just to remember those figures who never retreated.

……

Inside the palace.

Li Chengqian returned with light steps and a smile on his lips, as if he had been reborn.

He admitted that Han Ye's words were like a knife cutting through his dreams, completely shattering his long-held beliefs.

But it was this very act that made him realize what he truly wanted.

The bigger picture—it must be broadened!

Is the mere position of crown prince really worth him spending his entire life fighting for?

Just then, Imperial Censor Xiao walked out of the palace gate.

Li Chengqian stepped forward with a warm smile and cupped his hands, saying, "Your Excellency, please take care. It's chilly at night, so please wear another layer of clothing."

Imperial Censor Xiao was taken aback, and subconsciously returned the greeting: "Your Highness... you're too kind."

But after he had walked a distance, he stopped, turned around abruptly, and looked on in shock.

Am I hallucinating?

He rubbed his ears and muttered to himself, "The Crown Prince... just smiled at me? And even asked if I was cold?!"

"Could he have been possessed by someone?!"

Imperial Censor Xiao is a man of the Fourth Prince Li Tai, a sure-fire member of his team.

In the past, Li Chengqian would either give him a cold look or scoff at him when he saw him, but today he was unusually unusual—he actually took the initiative to nod and greet him in a calm tone!

What's going on?!

Imperial Censor Xiao paused, his brows furrowed, his mind filled with questions, but he didn't ask any more. He simply shook his head and hurried away.

Li Chengqian smiled and walked briskly down the long bluestone path leading to the Imperial Study, as if he had unloaded a heavy burden.

On the way, he bumped into the fourth prince, Li Tai.

As usual, Li Tai glanced at him sideways, let out a cold snort, and turned to leave.

Normally, Li Chengqian would have ignored him, and the two would have gone their separate ways, keeping to themselves.

But today is different.

He actually stopped and waited for Li Tai to approach. He reached out and grabbed the other's wrist, his brow furrowing slightly, and said in a gentle tone, "Fourth Brother, you look terrible, you've lost a lot of weight... Is the food in the palace not to your liking?"

Upon hearing this, Li Tai froze, his pupils shrinking sharply!

He jerked his hand back as if burned, staring at Li Chengqian with a look of surprise and uncertainty, gritting his teeth and hissing, "Brother, what trick are you trying to pull?!"

Li Chengqian was taken aback, then shook his head with a wry smile, his voice low: "I was just concerned about you."

We are of the same lineage, brothers connected by blood, why must we be at odds at every turn?

Li Tai stood there, stunned, his mind buzzing.

We're vying for the crown prince position! And you're talking to me about brotherhood now?!

Li Chengqian, have you gone mad?!

Before he could react, he saw Li Chengqian already walking forward, his sleeves fluttering as he encountered the Third Prince, Li Ke.

Li Ke was sneering, but on the surface he respectfully cupped his hands and bowed, saying, "Your Highness the Crown Prince."

Unexpectedly, Li Chengqian stepped forward personally, grasped his hand, and said sincerely, "We are brothers, there's no need to be so formal. Just call me 'Royal Brother'."

Before he finished speaking, she raised her hand and patted his shoulder, saying earnestly, "Work hard and don't let your father down."

Having said that, he turned and left, his back view composed.

Li Ke stood frozen on the spot, his face turning pale and then red, his lips moving slightly, but he couldn't utter a single word.

A moment later, Li Tai walked over slowly and met his gaze. Both of them saw shock and unease in each other's eyes.

"He...is he insane?"

"I don't know."

"What's the point?"

"I can't see through it."

Their eyes flashed intensely, their palms clenched so tightly they turned white, and their teeth were almost ground to powder.

It's so abnormal!

Li Chengqian's actions today are completely unlike those of the calculating and scheming Crown Prince! And that's precisely why they're so chilling—

What they fear most is not the enemy's aggressive stance, but rather the opponent's sudden "mercy".

Because they simply couldn't fathom what deadly move was hidden behind it.

However, they never dreamed that Li Chengqian was walking into the imperial study step by step, his steps steady and his expression solemn.

He knelt and kowtowed, his voice clear and resonant: "Your subject greets Your Majesty."

Li Shimin, pen in hand, reviewed the memorials without looking up, and said indifferently, "You're back? Finished your talk with that Han Ye? Did you gain anything?"

Li Chengqian took a deep breath and slowly said, "Yes."

Tell me about it.

"Thump!"

With a muffled thud, Li Chengqian fell heavily to his knees, his forehead hitting the ground, the sound like thunder:

"Your Majesty, I humbly request that you reclaim the title of Crown Prince!"

boom!!!

The entire imperial study seemed to be holding its breath.

Even the candlelight seemed to freeze for a moment.

Li Shimin's wolf-hair brush suddenly stopped, and ink dripped onto the memorial, spreading into a dark, blood-like stain.

He slowly raised his head, his gaze sharp as a knife, fixed on his son kneeling on the ground, his voice hoarse as if it were being ground from the depths of his throat:

"What...did you say?"

"Your Majesty, I beg you to reclaim the title of Crown Prince!" Li Chengqian kowtowed again, his tone firm and without hesitation.

Li Shimin froze, his eyes surging with disbelief and rage.