The immortal of the Tang Dynasty, but the game starts at Xuanwu Gate?

"Locust plague..."

After everyone had left, leaving only Li Shimin and Empress Zhangsun, Li Shimin sighed deeply, "Guanyinbi, do you think I was really wrong?"

"Why have natural disasters occurred so frequently since I ascended the throne?"

"I have already issued an edict of self-reproach, what more do you want from me?"

"Heaven...is it truly unable to accept me?"

Empress Zhangsun felt a pang of anxiety. As her husband of over a decade, she could sense that Li Shimin was truly lost at this moment.

It should be noted that even in the second year of the Wude era, Li Shimin had never shown such an expression.

Back in the second year of the Wude era, Liu Wuzhou, who was allied with the Turks, sent his general Song Jingang to lead his army south. They swept through the enemy lines and Li Yuanji, the Prince of Qi who was guarding Taiyuan, abandoned the city and fled back to Chang'an. The important town where he started his career was lost without a fight.

Jinzhou, Huizhou, and Jiangzhou fell one after another, and the reinforcements led by Prime Minister Pei Ji were completely annihilated.

At that time, the Li Tang dynasty faced multiple enemies, including Xue Rengao of Western Qin, Wang Shichong of Henan, Dou Jiande of Hebei, and Xiao Xian of the south. Losing Hedong would mean opening the northern gateway wide, allowing Turkic cavalry to directly threaten Chang'an from the south. The Li Tang dynasty instantly went from an aggressive posture to a passive defensive posture on the brink of survival.

Faced with a complete rout, Li Yuan even issued an edict stating, "It is advisable to abandon the land east of the Yellow River and only guard the Guanzhong Plain," which was tantamount to abandoning his original foundation and focusing on Guanzhong.

That year, the entire Tang Dynasty was almost in despair. The Tang army suffered defeat after defeat, and morale collapsed. When Li Shimin volunteered to fight, Li Yuan could only muster 30,000 elite troops, which was almost all the resources that could be mobilized within the pass. It was as if he was gambling the fate of the country with his last bit of chips.

Even in that situation, Li Shimin remained confident and confronted the enemy in the dead of winter for half a year.

And now, this man, born with the appearance of a dragon and phoenix, and the countenance of the heavens and the sun, has clearly ascended the throne and become the supreme ruler.

But at this moment, he showed a look of dejection.

"Erlang!" Empress Zhangsun didn't say much, but looked at her husband with the same tenderness as always, took his hand, and said softly, "When Heaven is about to place a great responsibility on a person, it will first test his mind and strengthen his body."

"This is a principle that I, your concubine, should not be explaining."

"I will only say one thing!"

"Everyone knows that Chen Huai'an has extraordinary talent, and he can strategize and govern the country with ease."

"But this great talent was initially recruited by my elder brother, Li Jiancheng."

Li Shimin's spirits suddenly lifted.

It's not that Empress Zhangsun's words made any particular sense.

Empress Zhangsun's intention was simply to tell him that he was a qualified monarch.

But Li Shimin, who knew more, did not think so.

In his eyes, Chen Huai'an was an enigma. Even Li Chunfeng and Yuan Tiangang said that he was a celestial being descended to earth.

However, this immortal was not highly regarded when he first followed Li Jiancheng. It was only after following him that he began to show his true abilities.

Does this mean that Chen Huai'an, this celestial being, has chosen him?

And he truly was destined by fate.

That's why he received such dedicated assistance from Chen Huai'an.

Empress Zhangsun, unaware of his thoughts, saw that his complexion had improved considerably and pressed her advantage, saying, "Furthermore, the court is now teeming with talented individuals, doesn't that further prove that you, Erlang, are the true Son of Heaven?"

"Also, didn't you say that Mr. Chen has already negotiated the distribution of profits with the aristocratic families, and that many scholars from humble backgrounds will emerge when the next imperial examinations are held?"

"Although the road ahead may be difficult, everyone is encouraging each other. Officials such as Wei Zheng are still comforting people in various disaster areas, Mr. Chen is shouldering a huge financial burden, and officials from the three provinces and six ministries are all busy."

"Jiro... are you going to give up so easily?"

Li Shimin's expression changed; those words were incredibly damaging to him: "Of course not!"

"I was just momentarily confused and didn't quite grasp the situation. I am not one to give up easily!"

"I will also create a golden age, I will make everyone understand that I... am the one destined by Heaven!"

His words were spoken with great conviction.

Empress Zhangsun was relieved and quickly changed the subject: "Speaking of which, it seems that Erlang really intends to match Feng Qiao'er with Mr. Chen."

"Mr. Chen... must have some concerns, which is why he has been avoiding the topic."

At this, Li Shimin was furious: "Guanyinbi, tell me, tell me!"

"He's such a grown man, and he doesn't even have a wife. The key thing is... he doesn't even go to brothels."

"Last time, I received news that some people below were already discussing whether Chen Huai'an had some unspeakable secret, or whether he had homosexual tendencies."

"I kindly found him a wife, but he's ungrateful, saying I only gave him five hundred silk threads as a reward. How can he possibly respond to that?"

Empress Zhangsun frowned upon hearing this.

To say that someone has unspeakable difficulties or even homosexual tendencies is really going too far.

This is an era where reputation can kill; if word gets out, who knows what might happen.

However, Empress Zhangsun understood Chen Huai'an's thoughts and said tactfully, "Mr. Chen must have his own considerations. How about... I see which families in Chang'an have suitable women for marriage, and I can compile a list for Chen Sujin to choose from?"

"No!" Li Shimin firmly refused. "No need to choose. Feng Qiao'er is the best candidate!"

Empress Zhangsun frowned, but after thinking it over, her brows gradually relaxed.

The true nature of Feng Ang sending Feng Qiao'er over is self-evident.

As the eldest son, Feng Zhidai was indeed qualified to be a hostage, but could Feng Qiao'er, a woman, be qualified?

Absolutely not!

Feng Ang sent his daughter over for the purpose of a marriage alliance.

This is a binding relationship far deeper than that of a proton.

Everyone is well aware of this, including Feng Qiao'er herself.

However, Chen Huai'an and others found it difficult to understand Li Shimin's thinking, believing that they should not have married Feng Qiao'er, otherwise it would have created many unnecessary risks.

Any normal person would think this way, because the essence of power is violence!

As a wife who had been by her side for many years, Empress Zhangsun could still guess some of the reason.

In Li Shimin's mind, Chen Huai'an's desire to form a marriage alliance with the Feng family was not primarily his own; rather, it was Li Shimin, as the emperor, who wanted to facilitate it.

Active and passive may sound like they differ by only one word, but they are actually two completely different concepts.

Secondly, Chen Huai'an did not belong to any faction; he was merely a man from a humble background who was promoted to a high position by Li Shimin.

All of Chen Huai'an's power originated from Li Shimin himself.

Li Shimin was never afraid of his ministers having power and strength, but he was afraid of ministers having disloyal intentions.

Chen Huai'an, however, clearly did not.

If they existed, there would be no methods for forging iron or making salt.

"..."