At 100 years old, he joined the army in place of his granddaughter, and became a national war god.

The guards, holding torches, lined up to lead the way, and the blazing candlelight illuminated the entire prison passage, turning the perpetually dark prison bright and instantly dispelling most of the cold and gloomy atmosphere.

Such a grand scale is far beyond what ordinary inspections can achieve!

Li Yuan's heart suddenly tightened, his mind instantly focused, and his gaze fixed on the end of the passage.

The next instant, a familiar figure slowly appeared in the firelight.

Dressed in the iconic eunuch attire, with a respectful posture and a gentle face, he was none other than Li Fuquan, the Grand Eunuch of the Imperial Palace, who had served the emperor for many years, held a high position in the inner palace, and was known to all!

Li Fuquan walked with composure and a calm expression, respectfully holding a scroll of bright yellow imperial edict in his hands. Behind him followed a group of guards holding torches and jailers, exuding an imposing aura as he slowly walked towards the prison cell.

The moment Li Yuan saw who it was, his heart sank, and an inexplicable tension and fear instantly enveloped him.

His face paled slightly, and the worst possible guess instantly popped into his mind.

Could it be that His Majesty, after much deliberation, ultimately refused to forgive him and sent his personal chief eunuch to the prison today to deliver an imperial decree ordering his execution and ending his life?

Upon realizing this, he felt a chill run through his body, and the flame of hope that had just been ignited almost went out again.

He stood stiffly inside the prison cell, his expression anxious and his mind in turmoil, quietly awaiting the final judgment.

Soon, Li Fuquan walked slowly to the outside of the prison door, his gaze falling on the disheveled and dejected Li Yuan. His face showed no contempt, but rather a gentle smile. He spoke slowly, his tone familiar and polite:

"Your Excellency, it's been a long time. How have you been?"

His voice was gentle, without a trace of murderous intent.

Li Yuan felt slightly relieved, but he still dared not relax his vigilance. He cupped his hands and bowed, his posture humble: "Thank you for your concern, Eunuch Li. This sinful subject... is merely clinging to life."

Before he could say anything more, Li Fuquan straightened his expression, stepped forward half a step, held the imperial edict in his hand, and shouted loudly:

"Your humble servant Li Yuan, receive the imperial decree!"

The imperial decree, solemn and dignified, resounded throughout the entire prison cell.

Li Yuan dared not delay. He quickly straightened his tattered clothes, his knees buckled, and he respectfully knelt down, bowing his head to receive the order, his mind tense to the extreme.

Li Fuquan slowly unfurled the bright yellow imperial edict in his hand, glanced at it, and then read it aloud clearly and distinctly:

"By the grace of Heaven, the Emperor decrees: Former Chancellor Li Yuan, who served in the central government for many years and made great contributions to the state, was punished for his past misconduct, including biased handling of affairs, forming cliques, and framing court officials. He was imprisoned in the imperial prison for several months and received full punishment. His crimes have been atoned for."

"I consider his advanced age and long service, his more than ten years of diligent and hard work in assisting the government, and I cannot bear to be harsh on him. Therefore, I hereby grant him special leniency, pardon all his crimes, spare him the death penalty, release him from prison immediately, restore him to his original position, and allow him to resume his post as prime minister, overseeing the affairs of the six ministries."

"After your release from prison, you must repent and reform, diligently perform your duties, wholeheartedly assist the court, and dedicate yourself to the country and its people. Do not fail my expectations! So be it!"

After the imperial edict was read aloud, every word was clear and distinct.

Pardon his crimes! Spare him from the death penalty! Reinstate him to his original position! Reclaim his position as prime minister!

boom!

These few words of imperial decree, like a thunderclap from the heavens, exploded in Li Yuan's mind!

He was completely stunned, his mind went blank, and his blood boiled instantly. Extreme ecstasy and disbelief swept over him!

He originally thought he was doomed to die and imprisoned for life, but to his utter surprise, His Majesty showed him mercy and not only spared his life, but also directly reinstated him to his original position and put him back in charge of the power of the Prime Minister of the Great Qian Dynasty!

From a death row inmate, he has returned to the pinnacle of power!

The overwhelming surprise overwhelmed him, causing his whole body to tremble slightly with excitement, his hands to shake uncontrollably, and his eyes to instantly well up with tears.

He quickly kowtowed deeply, his voice choked with emotion, and loudly expressed his gratitude:

"Your Majesty, I, your humble servant Li Yuan, thank you for your boundless grace! Long live the Emperor!"

"Your Majesty, I will certainly repent and reform, fulfill my duties diligently, and dedicate my life to assisting you in governing the country and regulating the court. I vow to repay Your Majesty's kindness with my life and will never dare to make the slightest mistake again!"

At this moment, the humiliation, despair, and resentment of the past few months vanished completely, leaving only overwhelming joy and profound gratitude.

Li Fuquan put away the imperial edict, his smile widening. He bowed slightly to Li Yuan in the prison and congratulated him, saying, "Congratulations, Your Excellency Prime Minister! You have survived a calamity and returned to your post. What was lost has been regained, and your fortunes have turned around. This is truly a joyous occasion, worthy of celebration!"

"Thank you, Eunuch Li, for traveling a long distance to deliver this imperial decree. You have worked hard!" Li Yuan quickly returned the greeting with a bow, his posture extremely respectful.

"It's just my job, why talk about hardship?"

Li Fuquan smiled faintly, turned to the jailer beside him, and ordered in a deep voice, "His Majesty's decree is here. Unlock the prison immediately and release the Prime Minister!"

"yes!"

The jailer dared not hesitate and quickly stepped forward to unlock the door. The heavy iron gate of the prison slowly opened.

The cage that had imprisoned them for months has finally been opened again!

Li Yuan staggered to his feet and stepped out of the dark cell, finally leaving behind this suffocating hell on earth.

The moment he stepped out of the cell, the cool air from the depths of the dungeon rushed towards him, and the long-lost feeling of freedom filled his lungs, making him feel refreshed and as if he had been reborn.

After months of being imprisoned in a dark cell, never seeing the light of day, today I finally see the light of day again!

Li Fuquan personally handed the imperial edict to Li Yuan, saying gently, "I entrust the edict to you, sir. This old servant has finished conveying the decree and must return to the palace immediately to report back. I will not stay any longer with you, sir."

"Take care, Father-in-law." Li Yuan quickly bowed and saw him off.

Li Fuquan said no more, turned around and left calmly with a group of palace servants and guards.

In the empty prison passage, only Li Yuan, who had regained his freedom, remained.

He lowered his head and tightly gripped the scalding imperial edict in his hand, his fingertips trembling slightly. Amidst his ecstatic joy, the image of the man in black resurfaced in his mind.

Months ago, the man in black foresaw the rescue, and today His Majesty suddenly issued an edict pardoning him and restoring him to his original position.

Is this really just a coincidence?

Your Majesty's recent actions in court have been strange and abnormal, with you going back on your word and changing your mind repeatedly. You have suppressed Su Mu, abolished his titles and rewards, and reinstated yourself. Every single one of these actions is contrary to the style of an emperor in the past.

Could it be... that all of this was orchestrated by that mysterious man in black?

Who exactly is this person? Why does he possess such extraordinary abilities to secretly influence the emperor's will and disrupt the political landscape of the Great Qian Dynasty?

Countless questions swirled in his mind, shrouded in mystery, making it impossible for him to understand.

After a brief moment of contemplation, Li Yuan suppressed all his doubts.

Daydreaming is useless; regaining freedom and power is the most important thing right now.

He slowly stretched his body, and the depth and composure of an old minister returned to his eyes.

First, return to the Prime Minister's residence, take a bath, change clothes, and wash away the bad luck, shedding the disheveled state of being imprisoned.

He then prepared himself and went to court to meet His Majesty, express his gratitude in person, and regain his footing in the court to once again take control of the central government!

His political game in the imperial court will begin anew from this day forward!