Tang Dynasty: Taking the Empress Dowager to a brothel, Father Emperor, what a coincidence!

A strong wind whipped up the Tang Dynasty black dragon flag in front of the Taiji Hall square.

Fifty thousand soldiers, fully armored and armed, stood in formation, ready to fight.

At the very front of the army stood a group of people whose painting styles were completely out of place.

Each of the top second-generation elites, including Changsun Chong, had two guards standing beside them.

It stood there quietly, crookedly.

They didn't dare make a sound.

Why are these people so obedient? Just look at the slap marks on Cheng Chumo and Cui Hao's faces and you'll know.

Li Chengqian stood majestically on the command platform, dressed in a suit of gleaming gold-lacquered armor.

Li Shimin slowly walked towards him, with Wang De behind him carrying a tray containing a purple-gold general's seal and a cup of farewell wine.

Li Shimin stopped in front of Li Chengqian, his gaze inadvertently sweeping over the group of "young master soldiers" below, his eyelids twitching uncontrollably twice.

He lowered his voice and said:

"You've gone too far, haven't you? You've wiped out the eldest sons of all the officials in the court. Aren't you afraid they might actually unite and rebel behind your back?"

Li Chengqian said with a smile:

"Father, rest assured, I am helping them educate their son."

Just you wait and see, these old guys are more eager than anyone else for the army to win.

Li Shimin cursed under his breath, "Old fox."

She then picked up a wine glass from the tray and handed it to Li Chengqian.

"Gao Ming, the journey to Liaodong is long and arduous. Do not tarnish the prestige of the Tang Dynasty."

Li Chengqian took the wine cup with both hands, tilted his head back and drank it all in one gulp, then smashed the cup on the ground.

"Your subject will surely crush Goguryeo and uphold the prestige of our Great Tang Dynasty."

Li Shimin then took the purple-gold marshal's seal from Wang De and solemnly handed it to Li Chengqian.

"The seal is bestowed!"

The official's shrill voice echoed across the square.

The entire army knelt down in unison and shouted:

"Greetings, Commander!"

Li Chengqian raised the commander's seal high with one hand, his gaze sweeping across the entire field.

"Soldiers of the Great Tang, stand up for me!"

The army rose to their feet.

"A few days ago, the envoy from Goguryeo stood in the Taiji Hall of my Great Tang Dynasty, pointing his finger at me and demanding that my Great Tang cede thirty-six cities in Liaodong."

Li Chengqian suddenly drew the sword from his waist, its tip pointing straight at the sky.

"They said that the Tang Dynasty was beset by internal and external troubles and dared not start a war."

They say the swords of the Tang Dynasty are rusty, and the horses of the Tang Dynasty can no longer run.

Tell me, are the swords of the Tang Dynasty still sharp?

"Profit! Profit! Profit!"

The army roared in unison, their voices shaking the heavens.

Li Chengqian nodded in satisfaction, then changed his gaze and looked at Changsun Wuji, Cui Minqian, and others in the ranks of officials.

"Today, as I embark on this expedition, I would like to express my special gratitude to a few individuals."

When Changsun Wuji saw that Li Chengqian was acting unpredictably, his heart skipped a beat.

"I want to thank Duke Changsun Wuji of Qi."

The Duke of Qi, being a man of great principle, resolutely sent his eldest son, Changsun Chong, to serve in the army for the sake of the prestige of the Tang Dynasty.

What unwavering loyalty and courage! What selfless sacrifice!

The officials all cast gloating glances at Changsun Wuji.

Changsun Wuji's facial muscles twitched violently, yet he still managed to force a smile that looked more like a grimace as he returned the greeting with clasped hands.

"I also want to thank the head of the Cui family of Qinghe, Lord Cui Mingan."

Cui Mingan swayed and almost lost his balance.

"Lord Cui not only raised 100,000 dan of grain for the army, but also carried his eldest son, whose legs were seriously injured and who could not even walk, onto the command platform."

Even those severely wounded were willing to serve their country with utmost loyalty; such family values ​​are a model for the world.

Cui Minqian gritted his teeth, but still put on a righteous and awe-inspiring appearance, and bowed deeply to Li Chengqian.

Li Chengqian was secretly overjoyed to see these old foxes getting their comeuppance.

"Soldiers! Even the eldest son of the Duke of Qi and the eldest son of the Cui family, these noble sons who only know how to eat, drink and have fun all day long, are not afraid of death and dare to go to the battlefield. What do we have to be afraid of?"

"Wearing golden armor, having fought a hundred battles, I will not return until Loulan is conquered."

As Li Chengqian recited these two lines of poetry, a surge of heroic spirit filled everyone's hearts.

"We will not return until Loulan is conquered..."

Li Jing sat in his wheelchair, repeatedly chewing on the two lines of poetry, his previously cloudy old eyes suddenly gleaming with a sharp light.

Li Chengqian continued shouting:

"Thirty years of fame and glory are but dust and dirt, eight thousand miles of road are but clouds and moon. Do not idly let your youthful head turn white, only to be filled with empty sorrow."

Today we set off on our expedition. I will eat, live, and die with you all.

"As long as Goguryeo remains undefeated, I will not return to Chang'an."

"Kill! Kill! Kill!"

The emotions of the rank-and-file soldiers were completely ignited.

They didn't know any grand principles, but they did know that His Highness the Crown Prince had even brought in top young masters like Changsun Chong and Cui Hao to fight alongside them.

This battle was worth fighting.

Among the civil officials, Kong Yingda was already weeping uncontrollably.

"What a fine saying, 'Don't let time slip by idly, lest you grow old in vain and regret it.'"

"Your Highness is truly talented! Truly talented! I was right about you."

Kong Yingda wiped away her tears while grabbing Wei Zheng's sleeve to wipe her nose.

Surprisingly, Wei Zheng did not shake off Kong Yingda this time; instead, he nodded with slightly red eyes.

"With Your Highness's determination, what is there to fear that the Tang Dynasty will not prosper?"

The military officers were even more excited.

Cheng Yaojin kept wiping away his tears, crying so hard it was heartbreaking.

"Your Highness speaks so well. I, Old Cheng, have never submitted to anyone in my life. Even when His Majesty fought Wang Shichong, I wasn't this excited. Today, I'm truly convinced. Waaah..."

Yuchi Jingde stood to the side and kicked Cheng Yaojin in disgust.

"Alright, stop pretending. What the hell are you wailing about?"

Cheng Yaojin waited for him and said:

"I was moved by Your Highness. You don't understand this kind of patriotism."

"Bullshit!"

Yuchi Jingde exposed him directly without any mercy.

"Do you think I don't know your tricks?"

"You're clearly just reluctant to let your Cheng Chumo go to the battlefield, and you're using this as an excuse to make a fuss."

Cheng Yaojin was so anxious he almost jumped up.

"You bastard, explain yourself. Am I the kind of person who would protect my own? I was just worried about losing my three hundred strings of cash."

"If I had known the Crown Prince had a way, I would have kept myself to search for him..."

The two men were cursing and swearing at each other, which made the surrounding military officers laugh.

The originally somber atmosphere was instantly diluted considerably.

Looking down at the army below, whose morale was soaring, Li Shimin couldn't help but smile.

This little brat is not only good at making money, but his ability to bewitch people is even better than mine.

"All troops, listen up! Move out!"

Li Chengqian sheathed his sword, grabbed the Akhal-Teke horse that Xiao Shunzi had brought, and mounted it.

The army marched towards the outskirts of Chang'an.

Changsun Chong looked back at the city walls of Chang'an every few steps.

"Father, you must bless your son to come back alive..."

Yesterday, I asked His Highness to take care of all your illegitimate children...

It turns out that last night, when Cheng Chumo was chatting with Changsun Chong, he inadvertently revealed to Changsun Chong something he had seen.

For example, Changsun Wuji actually had an illegitimate child outside of marriage, which Cheng Chumo discovered by accident.

After learning about this, Changsun Chong went directly to Li Chengqian.

This won't do. Even Changsun Chong is afraid.

What if your father has many sons and eventually abandons you?

If I kill those people outside, my dad definitely won't be willing to harm me.

When Li Chengqian heard Changsun Chong ask him to get rid of Changsun Wuji's illegitimate son outside the marriage.

He was completely stunned.

Even if he's not the legitimate son, there's no need to be so ruthless, right?

But seeing Changsun Chong's resolute expression, he couldn't refuse, so he agreed.

Poor Changsun Wuji had no idea that his illegitimate children either drowned in the latrine or died of a stroke while riding in a brothel.

Overnight, only Changsun Chong and his two siblings remained of the Changsun family...

Just after the army set off, an inconspicuous carriage followed in the direction the army was heading.