When the boiling popular resentment reached its peak, Li Jiancheng and his companion, who had been hiding for a long time, stepped forward. In their words, Li Shimin naturally became a villain who murdered his brother to seize the throne and forced his father to abdicate.

Under his honeyed words and Jiang Yuan’s fanning the flames, everyone believed Li Jiancheng’s words. Occasionally there were a few who didn’t believe, but they were all secretly eliminated.

In this way, Luoyang city was completely under Li Jiancheng’s control. Li Jiancheng knew well that fifty thousand soldiers were not enough to ensure he could hold Luoyang city, so before Chang’an could get news, he successively sent Jiang Yuan and others to lead troops to attack and occupy the surrounding areas of Luoyang. Although those places were more or less defended by military forces, no one knew that Luoyang would suddenly send people to attack, and all were caught off guard.

By the time Chang’an received the news, Li Jiancheng had already controlled several nearby prefectures and counties, greatly enraging Li Shimin. After the Turks retreated that day, he searched extensively around Chang’an without finding them. He had guessed that Li Jiancheng must have fled elsewhere, but never imagined that Li Jiancheng had not only escaped to Luoyang but had also used some method to control Luoyang, making all the generals and soldiers inside obey his commands.

Given Li Jiancheng’s nature, since he had controlled Luoyang, he would never surrender it. This meant that to recapture Luoyang, they would inevitably have to cross swords and attack Luoyang city with piles of white bones!

Bad news came one after another: Wang Zhengfeng was killed, Jiang Yuan had defected, and the prefectural cities around Luoyang had fallen!

Li Shimin shut himself in Xiande Palace for a full day and night. Even when Yunyi and Zhangsun Shi came, he refused to see them. After Yunyi persuaded Zhangsun Shi to leave, she remained worried and kept guard outside Xiande Palace. Even though the night was deep and the dew heavy, and Ruyi repeatedly tried to persuade her, she refused to leave.

“Clang, clang, clang!” When the third watch was struck, the palace doors that had been tightly closed for a day finally opened. Li Shimin, looking haggard, walked out from inside. Seeing Yunyi waiting outside, he was startled and asked in surprise: “You’ve been here all along?”

Yunyi lowered her eyes and said: “This concubine cannot share Your Majesty’s worries, so can only accompany Your Majesty here. Earlier, Her Majesty the Empress was also keeping vigil outside the palace.”

Li Shimin rubbed his face and shook his head: “I’m fine!”

Yunyi looked at him and said: “The Luoyang matter has become a foregone conclusion. The only plan now is to order someone to lead troops to break through Luoyang and recapture it from Li Jiancheng and his companion!”

“I understand!” Li Shimin gazed at the pitch-black sky where not even a single star could be seen, saying in a deep voice: “From the previous Turkic siege of the city to the current loss of Luoyang, all are sins I created with my own hands. If I hadn’t trusted Li Jiancheng lightly then, hadn’t spared his life, these two great disasters wouldn’t have occurred!” Speaking to this point, he said hoarsely: “In the Chang’an battle, thousands of soldiers died, and the one who pushed them to their deaths was none other than me! It was me!”

Hearing this, Yunyi hastily grasped his hand and shook her head: “No, the one who killed them was Li Jiancheng, it has nothing to do with Your Majesty!”

Li Shimin shook his head mournfully. By the lamplight, Yunyi saw the deep pain in his eyes. “Yunyi, for the first time I hate myself—why was I so womanishly compassionate? Why didn’t I finish them off with one stroke and eliminate future troubles forever!”

“Because Your Majesty is a benevolent and kind ruler. This point, this concubine understands, and the people of the realm also understand. This concubine believes they will not blame Your Majesty!”

Li Shimin smiled bitterly: “Perhaps they truly won’t, but I… cannot get past this hurdle in my own heart.” After a pause, he continued: “Yunyi, do you know that this time in going to recover Luoyang, regardless of whether we ultimately win or lose, those who die will all be Tang subjects, my people. How can I bear this in my heart!”

“This concubine understands, so this time, Your Majesty absolutely must not spare Li Jiancheng and his companion again. They should take responsibility for the fresh blood staining their hands!”

“Spare them?” Li Shimin repeated in a murmur. The next moment, he shook his head: “Rest assured, I will never spare them again!” He spoke these words through gritted teeth, without the slightest hesitation or delay.

“Today I went to Taiji Palace to tell Li Yuan about Li Jiancheng occupying Luoyang. Do you know what he said? He said that as long as I yield the imperial throne to Li Jiancheng, there would be no problem, and also said that this imperial position originally belonged to him. Do you know, at that moment, I even wanted to kill him! Kill this person who cannot distinguish right from wrong, who cannot tell good from evil!” Li Shimin clenched his fists tightly. If not for that trace of reason remaining then, Li Yuan would have already become a dead man.

Yunyi didn’t speak, only took his hand and struggled to pry open his tightly clenched fingers one by one. In this short time, his palm was already covered with deep nail marks.

“He is after all Your Majesty’s father. No matter what wrong things he has done, Your Majesty cannot kill him, otherwise you will certainly be criticized by people throughout the realm, which would be extremely disadvantageous to both the Tang and Your Majesty!”

“I know!” Li Shimin squeezed these three words out from between his teeth. It was precisely because he knew that he had exhausted all his strength to suppress that murderous intent. But he was also no longer willing to call Li Yuan “Father Emperor,” because Li Yuan was not worthy!

“Right now the most urgent matter is to recapture Luoyang before Li Jiancheng’s power continues to expand.” After a pause, she asked: “Has Your Majesty decided which general to send to campaign against Luoyang?”

Li Shimin met her gaze and said word by word: “I will lead the imperial expedition personally!”

Yunyi looked at him in shock, then immediately shook her head repeatedly: “No, Li Jiancheng is full of schemes and also sinister and vicious. Your Majesty absolutely must not personally go to take such risks. General Li Jing is battle-tested and exceptionally brave. This concubine privately believes that sending him will definitely be able to recover Luoyang. If Your Majesty is still not at ease, then send Master Liu along as well!”

Li Shimin said with firm expression: “I know you mean well for me, but the trouble was stirred up by me, so I must personally go to clean it up, and I must personally kill those two with my own hands, to comfort the spirits of those innocent generals, soldiers, and common people!”

“But…” Before Yunyi could continue, Li Shimin had already said: “I have overcome so many difficult and dangerous obstacles before—do you think I will be defeated here?”

“This concubine doesn’t mean that, only feels that with General Li present, it’s sufficient to subdue Luoyang city. Why must Your Majesty personally go take such risks?”

Li Shimin gazed far toward the direction of Luoyang, saying coldly: “Without making this trip, even if Luoyang is recovered, there will still be a thorn in my heart, so… I must go!”

Hearing this, Yunyi knew she couldn’t dissuade him. She sighed helplessly and said: “Then when does Your Majesty plan to depart?”

Li Shimin said in a deep voice: “I have already ordered people to assemble the great army. We will depart for Luoyang in five days. I hope… this will be the last internal strife!”

“This concubine believes everything will certainly be as Your Majesty wishes!” Yunyi’s words made Li Shimin show his first smile of the day. Even though it was so faint, it was still a smile after all.