“Correct. After learning you were the Turkic spy, His Majesty decided to turn the tables on you – this is why His Majesty agreed to let you go to Taiji Palace the next day. As for the pigeon you released, it also fell into our hands, and we likewise replaced the original with a copy.”

“You’re truly capable!” Wu Yu showed a smile uglier than crying. He understood that after lurking in Great Tang for over ten years, his time… had finally come!

While Liu Hongji spoke, Li Shimin’s gaze remained fixed on Li Yuan, saying heavily: “You clearly knew Li Jiancheng repeatedly harmed me; clearly knew he once wanted to usurp the throne by force; clearly knew he wouldn’t be a good ruler; yet you still helped him without hesitation. Li Yuan, should I praise you or hate you?” This was the first time he called Li Yuan by name directly – not out of rebelliousness, but from utter disappointment.

His words stirred hatred in Li Yuan’s heart: “No matter what Jiancheng did, it’s not your place to point fingers, much less to sit on this throne. It’s mine, it belongs to me! Only I have the right to decide who inherits it. No matter how eloquently you speak, you cannot hide the fact that you committed treason and usurped the throne. History will forever record this – even after a thousand generations, you’ll still be spat upon and condemned for your illegitimate ascension!”

Li Shimin stared at him for a moment, then said word by word: “Even if people spit on me after a thousand generations, I don’t regret that day’s decision – never will!”

In fact, before today, he had felt some regret. After all, the battle at Xuanwu Gate had cost him his brothers and even his father completely. But now, all remorse had vanished. If heaven allowed him to start over, he would make the same choice again!

Li Yuan’s pupils contracted. He clearly felt that at this moment, Li Shimin had changed. Though he couldn’t specify the exact change, he was certain this was no longer the son he knew.

Having said this, Li Shimin unhesitatingly turned his gaze away from him toward Jieli Khan on the high platform, whose face was extremely ugly. He said coldly: “It seems the Khan won’t be getting those five prefectures. If I were you, I’d withdraw troops back to the Turkic lands now.”

Jieli Khan gnashed his teeth hatefully: “Li Shimin, do you think this will let you defend Chang’an? This Khan tells you – even without anyone opening the gates, I can still break Chang’an! When that time comes, I’ll definitely make you kneel at my feet!”

Though things had gone awry, he didn’t intend to return just like that. Yes, he had raised two hundred thousand troops and attacked all the way to Chang’an’s gates. If he slunk back to the Turkic lands after Li Shimin’s few words, he’d be laughed at. Moreover, though Chang’an was fortified, it wasn’t necessarily without fighting chance. If he won, even when reinforcements arrived, he could use Chang’an’s defenses to gradually seize all of Great Tang’s territory, not just five prefectures.

“If that’s the case, then by all means try!” Having said this, Li Shimin coldly commanded: “Loose arrows!”

Following Li Shimin’s words, the archers drew arrows with their reverse hands, pulled their bows taut, and shot toward that platform. Seeing this, Jieli Khan and others hastily crouched behind half-man-high shields, their ears filled with the constant sound of arrows striking shields.

Zhishisili’s mind worked quickly. He seized a shield from a soldier’s hands and said to Jieli Khan: “Khan, I’ll escort you up.” He knew that continuing to stay on the high platform would only make them targets.

The soldier whose shield was taken hadn’t had time to hide behind others when he was struck by an arrow, then hit by many more. When he fell, seven or eight arrows stuck from his body.

As Jieli Khan and his men descended, Li Jiancheng and his brother followed suit, getting down from the platform. Before he could steady himself, someone grabbed his lapels, and angry words filled both ears: “You useless thing! This Khan expended so much effort to save you, yet you’re utterly worthless. What use is keeping you?”

Hearing these words, anyone could tell he had murderous intent. Li Yuanji hastily said: “Don’t, don’t kill elder brother! Though Li Shimin saw through us, but… but we can still help the Khan!”

“Help this Khan?” Jieli Khan stared at him darkly: “How?”

Li Yuanji struggled to control himself from breaking into cold sweat: “My elder brother and I are both skilled at leading troops in battle. As long as the Khan gives us a unit of soldiers, we’ll definitely capture Chang’an for you!”

“Right, killing us brings you no benefit whatsoever – better to let us help you. Besides, today’s events can’t be blamed on me. I did everything according to your instructions. If anything’s to blame, it’s your people being too careless, having their identity discovered without knowing it.”

“Hmph!” Jieli Khan snorted coldly and released his grip. Li Jiancheng sighed with relief: “Reinforcements will arrive tomorrow. The siege should be early rather than late. Yuanji and I are willing to be the Khan’s vanguard!”

Looking at the two of them, Jieli Khan suddenly showed a sinister smile: “Indeed, it should be early rather than late, but you two actually still want to lead troops – simply wishful thinking!”

“No, we really…” Before Li Yuanji could finish, he had already wiped away his smile, saying coldly: “Don’t think I don’t know your capabilities. Rely on you two? Hmph!” Speaking thus, he said to Zhishisili: “Tie these two up and have them well guarded so they don’t escape.”

“Don’t!” Upon hearing this, Li Jiancheng hastily said: “The Khan said we’re on the same boat. For you to do this now… seems inappropriate, doesn’t it?”

Jieli Khan, who had turned around, looked back: “True, this Khan did say such things, but now… you’re not qualified to share a boat with this Khan!”

Turks had always been pragmatic – when useful, they treated you as honored guests; once you lost value, they immediately turned hostile. The words “faith” and “righteousness” meant nothing to them, especially since they and Li Jiancheng had always been using each other.

After tying up Li Jiancheng and his brother, Jieli Khan arranged for soldiers to attack the city. Siege warfare was always brutally bloody – wave after wave rushed up, wave after wave fell down, becoming piles of corpses under the city walls. Ladders towered high, boulders flew crosswise, and the high city walls became their battlefield to see who would win or lose.

This siege continued for a full day. Though many Turkic soldiers climbed the walls despite arrows, hot oil, and boulders, their numbers were too few. Often they died under swords before even charging down from the walls, let alone opening the gates.

Facing casualty numbers one after another, Jieli Khan felt heartbroken. When night fell, he ordered the cessation of forced attacks. In just this one day, Turkic soldier deaths had exceeded five thousand, with thousands more wounded.