Li Jiancheng tried to steady himself and shook his head. “Everything I said was from my heart, without a single lie. If you don’t believe me, there’s nothing I can do.” He wasn’t certain whether Li Shimin had truly seen through his thoughts or was deliberately bluffing, so he still clung to his previous words without letting go.

Li Shimin nodded noncommittally, then in the next moment shouted sternly, “Bring a blade!”

Soon, an attendant brought a three-foot steel blade forged from refined iron. As soon as it was in his hand, his right arm began trembling uncontrollably. For someone just recovering from serious illness, holding a blade was truly too strenuous, but he still forced himself to raise the blade and press it against Li Jiancheng’s neck. “Since you refuse to tell the truth, then there’s nothing more to discuss between us!”

At this moment, Li Jiancheng finally confirmed that Li Shimin wasn’t joking or trying to frighten him. His face turned extremely ugly. “You truly intend to kill me?”

The burden of holding the blade made Li Shimin’s complexion even paler than before. “Since you wholeheartedly seek death, I have no reason not to fulfill your wish, do I?”

“Good! Good!” Li Jiancheng squeezed out these two words through gritted teeth and said coldly, “They say that after three days of separation, one should view someone with new eyes—how true that is! You’re much more ruthless now than before!”

Li Shimin said coldly, “Having walked once before the gates of death, if I weren’t more ruthless, wouldn’t I be disappointing my elder brother’s painstaking efforts?”

“Li Shimin, why must you cling to me like a vengeful ghost that won’t disperse? So many people are dead—why are you still alive? Why?” After shedding his last layer of disguise, all his hatred gushed forth like well water, his face twisted like a demon’s.

Li Shimin closed his eyes, saying painfully, “Finally willing to speak your true thoughts?”

“Yes!” Li Jiancheng stared at Li Shimin like a wounded beast. “Every time I see you, I hate you so much I nearly go mad. The first character you learned was taught by me, the first move you mastered was also taught by me. After Mother died, I took care of you in every way. And what was the result? Not only did you usurp my imperial throne, but you repeatedly forced me into desperate situations. Li Shimin, is this what you call righteousness?!”

“Yes, you did treat me well, but that kindness was limited to ten years ago. Ever since Li Yuan raised troops to rebel against Sui, you felt I had stolen your accomplishments and targeted me everywhere. And there’s Liu Wen—you should still remember that name. Li Jiancheng, the one who strangled brotherly affection wasn’t me—it was you!”

Li Jiancheng would never admit this and shouted fiercely, “No! Everything I did was forced by you. If you had been content to be just the Prince of Qin, not stealing military achievements, not fabricating the title ‘God of War,’ how would I have come to this!”

“I stole military achievements?” Li Shimin said mockingly. “How Li Yuan sidelined me during those years, you know very well. If it weren’t for Yuanji and Minister Pei’s constant failure to pacify Liu Wuzhou, Li Yuan would never have let me lead troops. Rather than saying I stole military achievements, it’s more accurate to say you handed them to me!”

Li Jiancheng gritted his teeth. “No matter how you use flowery words, you can’t cover up the fact that you usurped the throne. You’ll forever be scorned by future generations!”

Yunyi spoke up, “Don’t worry. His Majesty is wise and benevolent and will surely become a renowned ruler, remembered through the ages. On the contrary, you—colluding with Turks, poisoning the Qi River, creating epidemics—each of these will make you infamous for ten thousand years!”

Every word she said struck Li Jiancheng’s most painful spots, filling him with great hatred. “Vile woman, someday I’ll kill you, then whip your corpse and feed it to dogs!”

“You’ll never have the chance.” These words came from Li Shimin. He withdrew the steel blade and said coldly, “Li Jiancheng first poisoned the Qi River, then used stones and crossbow bolts to spread epidemic poison, causing thousands upon thousands of soldiers and civilians to lose their lives. Though I have a compassionate heart, his crimes are so heinous they cannot be forgiven. He shall be immediately escorted to the execution ground for beheading. Order Liu Hongji to oversee the execution—there must be no mistakes!”

Before the attendants could respond, Li Jiancheng was already shouting fiercely, “I am your elder brother and the Crown Prince of Great Tang. You have no authority to kill me! None!”

Li Shimin said with sorrowful expression, “My elder brother died years ago. You… are merely a demon occupying my brother’s body!”

“No!” Li Jiancheng screamed frantically. “I am Li Jiancheng! I am the Crown Prince of Great Tang’s Eastern Palace, the future emperor of Great Tang! No one can kill me, no one!” Saying this, he stared at Li Shimin with blood-red eyes. “I am the elder, you are the younger. If you kill me, you’ll surely face Heaven’s punishment!”

“Even if there truly is Heaven’s punishment, I absolutely will not spare you today!” Saying this, Li Shimin no longer spoke with him and shouted to the attendants, “Take him away!”

“Li Shimin, after I die, I’ll surely become a vengeful ghost and join with Yuanji to take the lives of you and that demon woman—definitely!” In endless hatred, Li Jiancheng was forcibly dragged away.

Li Shimin’s body swayed and he pitched forward. Yunyi quickly supported him. “Your Majesty, be careful. Let this subject consort help you sit down.”

As Yunyi helped Li Shimin sit down, a tear with shocking heat fell on her hand. Yunyi crouched down and wiped away the tear tracks on Li Shimin’s face. “If Your Majesty wants to cry, then cry!”

Li Shimin painfully closed his eyes. After a long while, he reopened them and said chokingly, “The first character he taught me to recognize was ‘benevolence.’ He told me that ‘three’ represents the three powers of Heaven, Earth, and Humanity. The character for benevolence comes from ‘two,’ not ‘three,’ meaning one must dissolve human selfishness and hold only the heart of Heaven and Earth, treating others with Heaven’s natural goodness and Earth’s loyal virtue. I’ve always remembered these words, but he forgot them.”

“Li Jiancheng was blinded by desire for power. In his eyes, aside from the imperial throne, nothing else was worth a glance. How could he still remember such things?”

“But he was still my elder brother, yet I personally killed him. I…” Li Shimin’s voice became increasingly choked, unable to continue.

“This subject consort understands Your Majesty’s feelings, but without killing Li Jiancheng, the soldiers’ anger cannot be appeased, and the soldiers he killed cannot rest in peace!”

Li Shimin wiped his face and said hoarsely, “I understand. It’s just that my heart feels somewhat pained.”

Yunyi didn’t speak, only quietly accompanied Li Shimin. No matter how detestable Li Jiancheng was, he was still Li Shimin’s brother. Thirty years of brotherly affection couldn’t be erased just like that. To personally order his execution was the most painful decision for Li Shimin, who had always valued relationships and righteousness. Fortunately, this time, no matter how painful, he gritted his teeth and persevered without wavering.

Two hours later, Liu Hongji came personally to report: Li Jiancheng had been beheaded and displayed to the public!

The moment Li Jiancheng was beheaded, the soldiers surrounding the execution platform in layer upon layer either cheered with joy or wept with emotion.

With Li Jiancheng’s beheading, those dead brothers could finally rest in peace!

The Battle of Luoyang ended completely with Li Jiancheng’s death. Luoyang returned to Great Tang, and the internal strife among the Li brothers also concluded. From this moment forward, no one could shake Li Shimin’s imperial throne.

Great Tang would march toward a glorious prosperous age under Li Shimin’s leadership!

(The End)