After a while, blood suddenly oozed from the corners of Li Shimin's mouth. He ignored it and waved to Li Zhi.
Li Zhi quickly came to his side, picked up his sleeves and stepped forward to wipe them.
Li Shimin shook his head, held his head close to his, and used his inner strength to transmit the message:
"I will degrade their positions and look for opportunities to restore them after you become emperor. They will definitely be grateful to you."
Li Zhi's head banged.
Tears flowed down uncontrollably.
Whether it was to govern the Tang Dynasty or for him, every time Li Shimin said something for him, his heart became more and more sad.
Li Shimin frowned: "Hold it back, you are my son, how can you shed tears in front of all the ministers?"
"Have you forgotten what I taught you?"
"The child has not forgotten!"
"Then let me ask you, what is the way of the emperor?"
Li Zhi choked up and said: "People are the first of the country, and the country is the foundation of the king..."
After saying the last part, Li Shimin nodded: "Don't be afraid of taking care of your children. With the emperor's master and Yuan Tiangang here, you can have no worries about the world..."
"Li Aiqing..."
Li Yunxiao said: "Since I have come to Datang, I will naturally do my best."
Li Shimin nodded: "Open the door."
"Your Majesty, the wind and frost outside are still cold..."
"I said open the door!"
The eunuch heard this and stepped forward to open the door.
Li Shimin walked down slowly. Although his face was pale, he always had a look of indifference on his face.
"Brother Li."
Li Shimin was slightly startled. He hadn't heard such a title for a long time. He couldn't help but turn his head to look at Li Yunxiao.
Li Yunxiao twitched the corners of his mouth and chuckled: "Let's go."
Li Shimin smiled and nodded, with a look of relief on his face.
When he came to the door and looked at the snowy scene outside, he seemed to see many figures in the snow.
There are Changsun Wugu, Li Yuan, or Li Yuanji, etc.
"I have no regrets and miss them too, but...I don't know how to face them..."
As soon as he finished speaking, Li Shimin's palms suddenly released, and a pile of black and white chess pieces fell to the ground, echoing throughout the silent room.
In the chess game between Li Shimin and Li Yuan, Li Shimin finally won the game, and now the chess game between them is finally over.
Li Shimin...is gone...
A generation of emperors, Tian Khan, died here after several years of war in the north and south.
Li Yunxiao came to Li Shimin and took a look.
Now the light in his eyes has disappeared, and it has turned into relief clinging to his face.
Taking a deep breath, Li Yunxiao stood up and left first.
At this time, everyone fell to their knees and cried loudly.
....
Seven days later, Li Zhi came to power and was buried according to Li Shimin's imperial edict. His posthumous title was Wen and his temple name was [Taizong].
At the time of mourning, there was a wailing sound in the hall.
All the civil and military ministers and the princess were sobbing.
Only a few people were special, their expressions were either indifferent or heavy, and they did not shed tears.
The three of them were Li Yunxiao, Yuan Tiangang, and Li Chunfeng.
"Brother Yunxiao, how does this feel?"
Li Yunxiao said lightly: "It feels like bitter wine entering the throat."
Yuan Tiangang said: "The uncomfortable days are still to come."
Li Yunxiao nodded: "I know."
Li Yunxiao looked around and listened to the cries of everyone.
Except for the ministers, almost all of these concubines were crying not for Li Shimin, but for themselves.
The reason is simple. After Li Shimin passed away and the new emperor ascended the throne, there were only three choices waiting for them.
Grant death, be buried with him, become a monk.
Time passed, and after Li Shimin was buried, the ministers dispersed, and Changsun Wuji prepared to take care of future generations, leaving Li Zhi kneeling guiltily in front of Li Shimin's tomb.
Yuan Tiangang looked at Li Zhi from a distance, clenched his palms, sighed, turned around and left, followed closely by Li Chunfeng.
Li Yunxiao did not follow, but came to Li Zhi's side.
"Since you are an emperor, you must put national affairs first in everything. Just being sad can't solve anything."
"It didn't matter what you were like before, but I think you have grown up now."
In the distance, Changsun Wuji saw Li Yunxiao walking over. He thought for a moment and then walked towards this side.
Li Yunxiao saw that Li Zhi was still crying and didn't listen to his words at all, so he couldn't help but step forward and pick him up.
"You look like mud, and you can't hold up the wall! Your father gave you the country and the country and smoothed away the many thorns. How can you be like a woman and only cry!"
Having said this, Li Yunxiao shook his head: "I finally know why "she" is better than you!"
"Emperor...Emperor Master! You hurt me."
Even if he was disrespectful to the man in front of him who had been friends with his father for more than twenty years, he did not want to scold him.
Li Yunxiao looked at Li Zhi who looked frightened, and pulled his collar close to him with both hands.
"Do you think that as the emperor now, you are stronger than millions of people? Now that the prosperous age has begun, you don't have to worry about the future?"
"No, it's not."
"No? What about your power? Is it Changsun Wuji or someone else? Is that his power or your own!?"
Li Zhi was speechless, and Li Yunxiao said in a low voice: "Today I will teach you the most important rule for survival in this world!"
"When I first realized it, I was just as old as you, and I was terrified every day that I would die in the hands of others."
"You have to remember, power! Real power never belongs to those who are born with extraordinary strength, agility, and intelligence."
"no way!"
"He will only belong to...those who achieve their goals at all costs!"
"And you are the emperor now. Your father has taught you so much. You know how to continue the prosperous age, right?"
Li Zhi seemed to be frightened by Li Yunxiao, and the corners of his mouth trembled.
"What a fool!"
Snapped!
Li Yunxiao slapped him directly.
"Li Yunxiao! How dare you disrespect His Highness!"
Changsun Wuji quickly ran over, pointed at Li Yunxiao and shouted.
Li Yunxiao glanced at Changsun Wuji, then at Li Zhi who had stopped crying, and turned to leave without saying anything.
Changsun Wuji didn't say much. Now if we say that he has all the power in the government and the opposition, then Li Yunxiao is as rich as the country, and most of the economic lifeline is in his hands.
He also had several tokens given by Li Shimin, and even he did not dare to touch Li Yunxiao easily.
Changsun Wuji rubbed Li Zhi's face: "Zhi'er should not be as familiar as the emperor's master. He also temporarily..." because of the death of His Majesty.
Li Zhi interrupted him.
"Uncle, the imperial master was right in scolding and fighting well. I know he was doing it for my own good. It was me who was sorry for my father..."
Changsun Wuji patted his shoulder: "Your Highness, don't worry, you still have your uncle here, I will handle the trivial matters for you, but the matter of meeting the envoys from the foreign countries is yours alone."
Li Zhi nodded and bowed deeply to Li Shimin's ranking.
