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

Inside the Cui family home, the atmosphere was eerily quiet.

Just moments before, Cui Shanwei and several others were all taken away, and it's highly likely they won't be coming back.

Although the Cui family of Qinghe wasn't attacked by a group like the Lu and Zheng families, their current situation is really awkward.

On one hand, Cui Shanwei and others have been arrested and will soon be beheaded. Logically, they should be angry and seek revenge.

However, given the current situation, if they do that, they will likely follow in the footsteps of the Lu and Zheng families.

There was a long silence.

Cui Junsu, who was a retired Yellow Gate Attendant during the Wude era, said in a deep voice: "Be prepared. Remain neutral. It's impossible to fish in troubled waters."

"Targeting the Lu and Zheng families together is our only option right now."

At the Qinghe branch of the family, Cui Shiji was furious: "What do you mean by 'only choice'? Shanwei has just been taken away and will soon be beheaded. Are we still supposed to help Li Shimin?"

"He killed our people, and now he expects us to lick his boots like dogs? What kind of logic is that?"

"Foolish!" Cui Xuantai of Qinghe Xiaofang scolded, "The Lu family and the Zheng family are destined to decline, and their influence in the court is being rapidly eliminated."

"Of the original allies, only my side remains. Do you think we have a chance against Li Shimin's alliance?"

"Look at today, so many aristocratic families from both the North and South have gotten involved. Everyone wants to take a piece of the pie from both sides. Do you want us to end up like that?"

Cui Junsu sighed, "Alas, no one wanted things to develop to this point. So many impeachment memorials, plus all the evidence, can't be prepared in a short time."

"Li Shimin and the Li family of Zhao County must have planned this all along."

"Originally, this matter should not have happened so quickly. It was their poisoning of Chen Huai'an that caused the pent-up undercurrents to erupt."

"It's too late to say anything now."

Cui Shiji was speechless, his face extremely grim: "Isn't there any other way? How could the death of Chen Huai'an cause such a huge mess?"

Cui Junsu shook his head and said, "Under normal circumstances, of course, such a big mess wouldn't happen, but this is an abnormal situation."

"Moreover, he was poisoned to death under mysterious circumstances, which gave Li Shimin a perfect excuse to eliminate all threats."

"Stop talking nonsense, we've already lost."

Choi Hyun-tae sighed, "Your long-standing glory has made you somewhat lose sight of yourselves. It's better that you lost."

"Put away your arrogance."

"At least for us, the situation hasn't gotten so bad that it's unacceptable. If we step in now, we might still be able to take a lot of damage from both of them."

"It's too late, there won't be another chance."

"..."

The following day, public opinion was in uproar, and blood flowed continuously at the execution ground in Dongshi.

Li Shimin, who was in the Eastern Palace, did not sleep all night. He sat in the hall, looking extremely lonely.

Empress Zhangsun, accompanied by Li Chengqian and Li Lizhi, slowly entered carrying a meal.

Seeing her husband's condition filled her with heartache.

"Erlang, you haven't eaten or drunk anything since yesterday. Please have something to eat," Empress Zhangsun said softly.

"Father, Mother stewed mutton herself, it smells so good, Father, have some!" Li Lizhi said to Li Shimin in a coquettish tone.

Li Shimin managed a weak smile, turned to look at Li Chengqian, whose eyes were red-rimmed, and then fell silent again.

"Father... has the master really left?" Li Chengqian asked, crying.

"Sigh~" Li Shimin didn't know how to answer, and could only sigh.

The Lu family has already admitted it, and the news has also spread from the Duke of Anguo's mansion, so there's no way it could be false.

Even now, he doesn't even know how to face Chen Huai'an.

If... if he had agreed to Chen Huai'an's request and let him quietly be a schoolteacher.

If they don't enter the complex world of the imperial court, will the other party... be able to live a good life?

Seeing this, Li Chengqian immediately understood.

He bit his lip hard, trying his best not to cry.

"His Majesty."

At this moment, Zhang Anan cautiously walked in, not daring to breathe: "Wang Bai from the Duke of Anguo's mansion is outside requesting an audience, saying that the Duke of Anguo has something to pass on to His Majesty."

Li Shimin's heart skipped a beat, and he abruptly stood up: "Where is he? Bring him in quickly!"

"Yes, Your Majesty!"

Zhang Anan dared not delay and quickly went out to bring Wang Bai in.

"This humble subject, Wang Bai, pays his respects to Your Majesty."

"No need for formalities." Li Shimin rushed over to him and hurriedly asked, "Where are the things Huai'an left for me? Where are they? Quickly, bring them out!"

"Your Majesty, this is... the gentleman asked me to pass it on to Your Majesty."

Wang Bai held the letter that Chen Huai'an had asked him to deliver in both hands.

Li Shimin looked sorrowful and reached out to take the letter: "Was this left by Huai'an before his death?"

Wang Bai remained silent; this was a difficult question to answer.

But in Li Shimin's eyes, his silence was already a tacit agreement.

Empress Zhangsun, Li Chengqian, and Li Lizhi dared not utter a word and remained silent.

Li Shimin's fingers trembled slightly as he opened the envelope.

"Your Majesty, by the time you see this, I will already be dead."

"Do not be sad, do not grieve."

"After my death, the Lu and Zheng families will surely fall, and the power of the Shandong aristocratic families will inevitably decline. This is both a good thing and a crisis."

"Your Majesty must be very careful."

"Next, I offer some humble opinions for Your Majesty's consideration..."

Li Shimin felt increasingly distressed, and tears welled up in his eyes: "Even at this moment, are you still thinking of me and the people?"

"Huai'an, what am I to do with you!"

Li Shimin burst into tears like a child.

Empress Zhangsun felt heartbroken seeing this, so she came over and gently patted her husband's back, keeping him company in silence.

After a while, Li Shimin calmed down a bit, but he still couldn't stop his grief, so he called Li Lizhi over: "Lizhi, come and help your father see what Huai'an said next."

"Okay, Father." Li Lizhi obediently walked over, took the letter, and slowly read the contents.

"In my life, I have tasted all kinds of suffering in my youth, and in my youth I was full of vigor and ambition, vowing to be the best in the world, riding the spring breeze with swift hooves, and seeing all the flowers of Chang'an in a single day."

"But cruel reality shattered all my fantasies."

"I thought I would just drift through life aimlessly until I met Your Majesty. Only then did I realize that one can do something different in this life."

"I am already very satisfied, but I regret that I have not been able to accompany Your Majesty for long enough to continue to assist you."

"It is a great pity that we could not witness the arrival of the Tang Dynasty's golden age, when all foreign lands submitted and all nations came to pay tribute, and that His Majesty performed the Fengshan ceremony at Mount Tai during a time of peace, prosperity, and abundant harvests."

"His Majesty......"

Keep moving forward, don't be sad for me, don't stop.

"The living are merely passersby, the dead are those who return home."

"Heaven and earth are but a fleeting inn, and we share the same sorrow for the dust of eternity."

"Brother Li...take care."

"..."