My cultivation disguise has been exposed by Xiao Sizi.

The empress spoke softly, yet pressed on relentlessly.

"Since Your Majesty is laughing so heartily now, surely that urgent military matter has been resolved?"

Li Shimin's heart was pounding wildly, like a broken drum being struck.

He nodded repeatedly, his smile looking more like a grimace.

"It's resolved! It's resolved! It's just a small matter, no need for the Empress to trouble herself."

"Now that the military situation is resolved..."

Empress Zhangsun extended her fair, jade-like hand and laid it flat in front of Li Shimin.

Her gaze turned slightly cold, and her tone left no room for argument.

"Then please, Your Majesty, bring out the items."

Li Shimin gasped, but forced himself to play dumb.

"Take...take what?"

"I do not understand what the Empress means."

"not understand?"

Empress Zhangsun's smile gradually faded.

"Those scrolls of photographs of noble ladies. I want to see what kind of breathtaking beauties His Majesty has secretly collected behind my back."

boom!

These words shattered Li Shimin's last psychological defenses.

His eyes suddenly widened as big as copper bells.

Almost subconsciously.

He turned his head abruptly, his eyes filled with endless betrayal, anger, and overwhelming murderous intent.

He stared intently at Qin King Li Chen, who was standing aside watching the show!

Rebel!

This faithless and unfilial son!

They just accepted my hush money, and now they've completely betrayed me!

I am determined to clean house today!

Facing Old Li's gaze that seemed to want to devour him.

Li Chen was startled, like a cat whose tail had been stepped on, and instantly jumped three zhang away.

"Hey! What kind of look is that?!"

Li Chen complained loudly, his face full of grievance.

"You can cultivate immortality however you want, but you absolutely can't speak carelessly! You suspect I'm snitching?!"

"I got paid! I have professional ethics, okay?! I've been in this locked room with you the whole time, we haven't even left the door, what right do I have to complain?!"

"Using brainwaves?!"

Empress Zhangsun watched as the father and son shifted blame to each other.

He let out a soft sigh.

It delivered the most fatal blow.

"No need to look at Chen'er anymore. It wasn't him who said that."

The Empress looked at Li Shimin and spoke slowly and deliberately.

"I asked Si Zi before I came. She portrayed the appearances of those beauties for me so vividly."

Quiet.

The room fell into a deathly silence.

Li Shimin was completely petrified.

He stood there blankly, the image of the little girl with two small buns who followed him around all day asking for candy flashing through his mind.

The Tang emperor looked up at the ceiling of the secret chamber.

His face was filled with despair and a sense of hopelessness.

He let out a long, mournful sigh:

"What a tragedy!"

"My dearest little cotton-padded jacket is letting in so much cold air, I'm practically freezing to death!"

However, lamenting cannot solve the immediate life-or-death crisis.

Under Empress Zhangsun's gentle yet deadly gaze.

With trembling hands, as if walking to the execution ground, Li Shimin slowly and reluctantly retrieved the item from his storage space.

He took out that pile of dazzling photo rolls, untouched.

Empress Zhangsun snatched the scroll away.

He casually infused a wisp of true energy into it.

"Buzz!"

Holographic projections instantly lit up in the air above the secret room.

Empress Zhangsun looked at them one by one.

First, there's that ultimate cross-eyed guy who can look in two directions at the same time.

Next up is that super tank-like chubby girl whose every step causes the earth to shake.

Finally, there's that muscular Barbie with a thick beard and arms thicker than her legs.

The Empress's face darkened visibly, layer by layer.

Like the most oppressive dark clouds before a storm.

but.

After reading it, Empress Zhangsun did not fly into a rage.

Instead, she took a deep breath, and a brilliant yet chilling smile bloomed on her face.

She turned her head and looked at Li Shimin, who was trembling all over, with utmost tenderness.

"Your Majesty, do you find these young ladies from noble families beautiful?"

This is a question that could cost you your life.

Li Shimin was sweating profusely, and his Adam's apple bobbed with difficulty.

He had no choice but to bite the bullet and stammer as he began to try and fool people.

"So...beautiful!"

"Guanyinbi, listen to my explanation. You can't judge things by appearances alone."

"That's called having eyes that see in all directions to prevent wealth from leaking out! That's called being as steady as Mount Tai to protect the house! And that one with the long beard, that's masculine energy protecting him from all evil!"

"I did all this for..."

"Excellent! What a wonderfully auspicious meaning!"

Before Li Shimin could finish speaking, Empress Zhangsun sneered and slammed her hand heavily on the jade table.

A crisp "snap" sound.

"Since His Majesty admires them so much and thinks they are so good!"

Empress Zhangsun's voice suddenly rose, revealing the unquestionable majesty of the harem's ruler.

"Then I shall make the decision today!"

"Bring all three of them into His Majesty's harem!"

"Such a 'stunningly talented' young lady should rightfully fill your harem, Your Majesty, and accompany you day and night!"

Boom!

This statement is a thousand times more terrifying than the thunder from the heavens.

Li Shimin was so frightened that his knees buckled, and he almost knelt directly on the washboard with a "thud".

"Guanyinbi! No!"

"I was wrong! I will never act on my own again! You alone are enough for my harem, what use are those demons and monsters!"

A once mighty ruler, now so humble he couldn't even lift his head.

Just as Li Shimin was desperately begging for mercy and chaos erupted in the secret room.

outside the hall.

Suddenly, a series of chaotic footsteps could be heard.

Crown Prince Li Chengqian, Prince Wei Li Tai, Cheng Yaojin, Fang Xuanling, Wei Zheng, Changsun Wuji, and Li Jing, among other core figures of the Tang Dynasty.

Each carrying an urgent document, they hurriedly entered the Taiji Palace.

"Your Majesty, we have important matters to report!"

As soon as everyone crossed the threshold, they prepared to bow.

As a result, they were all stunned.

In the center of the main hall.

Empress Zhangsun, the mother of the nation, was pointing her finger at the Emperor of Tang and reprimanding him sternly.

"How dare you act so disrespectfully, an elder! How old are you? Still behaving like a child! Aren't you afraid of becoming a laughingstock among the entire court?"

And that emperor who was said to have the power to rule the world and sweep across the eight wastelands, a figure of unparalleled glory throughout history.

At this moment, he was shrinking his neck, smiling obsequiously, not daring to utter a single breath.

And on a chair next to him.

King Li Chen of Qin was sitting with his legs crossed, a handful of melon seeds in his hand, watching the grand spectacle with a delighted expression, all that was missing was a small stool.

The ministers looked at each other, and the atmosphere instantly became incredibly awkward.