Prince Qin's Residence.
Li Chengqian suddenly opened his eyes and sat up from the couch, a trace of bewilderment still lingering in his eyes. Just now, he had a dream, a very absurd one.
In the dream, he was not the Prince Qin Heir of Great Tang, the Prince of Zhongshan, but a wandering soul, 'personally' witnessing the short life of Cao Ang, the eldest son of Emperor Wu of Wei.
This absurd experience left the eight-year-old Li Chengqian still immersed in that peculiar dream, especially the final moment when Cao Zixiu gave his horse to Cao Cao, allowing the Emperor Wu of Wei to escape.
"Da da! Da da!!"
Suddenly, some movement outside the house startled the newly awakened Li Chengqian.
After a moment of being stunned, Li Chengqian's expression changed slightly. He remembered some recent events, and in recent days, people had been frequently moving in and out of the residence.
Li Chengqian was not stupid. He knew that his father was about to rebel. Otherwise, their family would not be able to survive, his mother, Qing Que, Li Zhi, Ke Di...
"Creak!"
While Li Chengqian was pondering, the door was pushed open, and a gentle-looking woman walked in with a lamp in her hand. Seeing Li Chengqian sitting on the couch, a hint of worry flashed in her eyes.
However, the woman hid it very well, not revealing it. She placed the lamp on the desk, quickly walked to the bedside, and showed a gentle and amiable smile on her face, softly saying.
"Chengqian, did you have a nightmare?"
While speaking, the gentle woman also reached out and gently wiped the sweat from Li Chengqian's forehead with a handkerchief, her voice very soft, just like when he was a child.
"Don't be afraid, mother is here. Have a good sleep, and you'll be fine when you wake up."
Li Chengqian's gaze fell on the short Sword hidden in the woman's sleeve, a look of absent-mindedness flashing in his eyes. At this moment, there was not much panic in his heart, perhaps because in the dream, he had personally witnessed the Death of countless people, or perhaps, he had not fully awakened from the dream.
The dim light flickered slightly, making it impossible for Princess Consort Changsun to see the expression on her eldest son's face clearly, only feeling that her Chengqian was a little strange today. In the past, he was very dependent on her.
In the faint light, Li Chengqian looked at his mother's watery, tender eyes, and suddenly spoke.
"Mother, is father going to rebel?"
"Hmm?"
Li Chengqian's words made Princess Consort Changsun pause for a moment, but she was not surprised. How could she, as his mother, not understand her children? They were all as clever as their father and had seen it long ago.
"Chengqian, don't be afraid, mother is here, mother will protect you!"
"No!"
But to Princess Consort Changsun's surprise, Li Chengqian denied it without even thinking. When Princess Consort Changsun looked at her child in astonishment, she met a pair of shining eyes.
"Mother, I am father's son, the eldest son of the General of Heavenly Strategy."
Although Li Chengqian did not say what he wanted to do, the sentence 'the eldest son of the General of Heavenly Strategy' was enough to explain his thoughts.
Li Shimin's rebellion was imminent, so why did Princess Consort Changsun come to Li Chengqian's room alone? Because he was the eldest legitimate son of Li Shimin, the Prince of Qin!
At this time, Li Chengqian was the most dangerous, because no one knew if there would be a treacherous villain who, when Li Shimin led his troops into the palace, would be blinded by greed and take Li Chengqian's head in exchange for a high position.
The Prince Qin's eldest legitimate son, if he died at this critical moment, could directly demoralize the army. An army without morale, even if the person leading the troops was the General of Heavenly Strategy, would still be a rabble in front of the Imperial Guards.
"Chengqian!"
Princess Consort Changsun whispered, wanting to say something, but was interrupted by Li Chengqian.
"Mother, Chengqian has grown up, Chengqian should share the burden for Father, Mother!"
That one word 'Mother' caused Princess Consort Changsun's tears to flow uncontrollably. She didn't want her child to take risks, which was why she had come to protect her child personally.
But Li Chengqian's calling her 'Mother' made Princess Consort Changsun understand the determination in his heart. Moreover, as Li Chengqian said, he was the eldest son of Prince Qin, and this was also his responsibility. If he appeared alongside, it would naturally greatly boost morale.
Besides, being in the residence might not be truly safe. It's easy to dodge a spear in the open, but hard to guard against a hidden arrow. Who knew how many people were secretly watching her child?
Li Chengqian reached out and gently wiped away the tears on Princess Consort Changsun's face, with no trace of worry on his face. Instead, he said with a smile.
"Mother, today I can only trouble you to dress your child."
"Chengqian has grown up!"
Princess Consort Changsun looked at her child's tender face, which already showed some composure, and sighed. As she spoke, Princess Consort Changsun took the initiative to get up, walked to the wardrobe, and picked up a set of black robes. But at this moment, Li Chengqian's voice came from behind.
"Mother, just get your child that white robe."
"Chengqian!"
Princess Consort Changsun suddenly turned her head, the tears she had finally stopped, surged out again. What a clever woman Princess Consort Changsun was! She understood Li Chengqian's thoughts almost instantly.
White clothes, on the battlefield, were a standing target, but sometimes, a standing target also had its uses, such as bait!
The Prince Qin Heir, at a critical moment, was enough to drive countless soldiers crazy...
"Mother, Prince Qin's Residence can be without Chengqian, but it cannot be without Father. Qing Que, Li Zhi, and the others are still young, they still need Mother, they need Father."
After Li Chengqian got off the couch, he stood in front of the bronze mirror, waiting for Princess Consort Changsun to dress him. However, Princess Consort Changsun, standing in front of the wardrobe, began to tremble as she held the clothes.
She knew that her child was right. If Li Shimin died, their entire Prince Qin's Residence would not have a good end. Her eldest son would definitely be executed, and her other children would either die tragically or live a life worse than Death.
But how could she bear to send her child to Death with her own hands?
"Mother, after your child returns with Father, can you help your child ask Father for a Sword?"
Hearing Li Chengqian's words, Princess Consort Changsun, after stopping her tears, nodded gently and said with some choking.
"My child, don't worry, when you return, you can have whatever you want, Mother will give it to you. You must protect yourself well, don't be reckless, understand?"
"Mother, don't worry, your child promised Li Zhi that he would teach her to ride a horse. How can the children of my Li family not be able to ride horses and shoot arrows?"
A bright smile appeared on Li Chengqian's face, coupled with that white robe, under the dim light, it actually emitted a bit of a shimmering white light.
But now, the Sea Race Empress actually said that she was already married? Married to his mortal enemy, the Profound Heaven Saint Emperor!
What made Tang Yi even more uncomfortable was the look in the Sea Race Empress's eyes when she looked at the Profound Heaven Saint Emperor. That complex look of hatred mixed with trance, it was obvious that the Sea Race Empress had once had feelings for the Profound Heaven Saint Emperor.
However, the Sea Race Empress's gaze was always on the Profound Heaven Saint Emperor, and she didn't even notice the eyes of the people around her.
A pair of eyes as deep as the deep sea, stared closely at that face that could not see the expression clearly. The Sea Race Empress subconsciously took two steps forward, trying to see the expression on his face.
But it was these two steps that startled Tang Yi and the others beside her. Tang Yi even raised his hand, wanting to hold the Sea Race Empress, but the next moment he stopped abruptly.
"Your Majesty, don't go in!"
However, just as Tang Yi spoke, the Sea Race Empress had already walked into the Profound Heaven Hall. But the entire empty hall did not have any movement, but the clouds and smoke that had never dissipated, gave the Sea Race Empress more of an ethereal temperament.
Although there was no movement, the Sea Race Empress's footsteps were also stopped there. After the complex emotion on that stunning face was suppressed, the Sea Race Empress asked with a solemn expression.
"Now, I have come. Didn't you say that when I came, you would give me an answer?"
"Why did you kill my father back then? Why did you kill my cousin and my entire clan?"
However, for some reason, even though she was questioning the Profound Heaven Saint Emperor, the Sea Race Empress's tone carried a hint of inexplicable sorrow.
Standing outside the hall door, Tang Yi's face became even more gloomy, and his gaze subconsciously turned to the Sea Race experts beside him. He saw that the faces of the Sea Race Great Saints were also filled with shock.
"Young Hero Tang, it is rumored that you have a treasure in your hands called the Time-Space Divine Mirror, which is said to be able to see all the secrets in the world. Why not use that Time-Space Divine Mirror to help Her Majesty the Empress solve her doubts?"
An old man who had been standing beside Tang Yi said with a smile, his sincere appearance seeming to genuinely want to help the Sea Race Empress solve her doubts.
Upon hearing this, another old man on the other side, whose eyes were somewhat impatient, also flashed a hint of joy, and then followed up with words of persuasion.
"Brother Wenren is right. It is said that the Time-Space Divine Mirror is a treasure with infinite divine power. It can just help Her Majesty the Empress solve her doubts. At the same time, it can also find the irrefutable evidence of the Demon Emperor's many sins and judge his crimes in the name of the world."
The old man had a righteous and awe-inspiring look on his face, and the words in his mouth were so righteous and stern that he looked like a righteous man who was always worried about the Sky Spirit Continent.
"Of course, if possible, please also help us investigate the whereabouts of the many sacred artifacts that were snatched away by the Demon Emperor back then."
"Senior Yuwen is right. Your Majesty, please retreat from the hall. After I use the treasure to investigate, I can help Your Majesty solve your doubts!"
Tang Yi's face was originally a little ugly, but soon, Tang Yi thought of one thing, that is, he could feel that the Sea Race Empress was still a virgin, just a nominal marriage contract, and he didn't care.
If he could help the Sea Race Empress solve her doubts and let the Sea Race Empress see the Profound Heaven Saint Emperor's brutal crimes with her own eyes, the Sea Race Empress would definitely completely break off that trace of affection for the Profound Heaven Saint Emperor. Wouldn't it be his turn to win the beauty then?
"As for the treasures, they originally belonged to the families of all the seniors, so they should be returned to their original owners."
Wenren Zhi and Yuwen Hui, who were standing next to Tang Yi, looked at each other, and their eyes flashed with a smile. The look in their eyes as they looked at Tang Yi was full of satisfaction, but also with a hint of sarcasm.
A fool is a fool, and fortunately, he is a fool. If he were another shrewd fox like the Profound Heaven Saint Emperor, they would really not be able to handle him.
Did he really think that these top families really wanted to help a lucky kid from the countryside? What they wanted was just to break the Sword hanging over their heads, and at the same time, retrieve the treasures that were snatched away by the Profound Heaven Saint Emperor back then.
These top families were just following behind Tang Yi to cheer him on. If they won, they would share a piece of the pie, and maybe even be able to obtain a territory each. Even if they lost, they would just compensate with some treasures, and then push all the blame onto Tang Yi and the others. Don't ask, just say they were forced.
If it weren't for this time carrying the momentum of a great victory to besiege the Profound Heaven Saint Emperor, who was besieged and betrayed by his own people, these top families would not have sent top experts to come.
After all, the Profound Heaven Saint Emperor was a real ruthless person. If they dared to disobey his will, it wouldn't be some kind of nine-generation elimination game, but they would be directly arrested and imprisoned in the Ink Abyss to mine until they died.
However, all of this will pass. The Profound Heaven Saint Emperor, who once dominated an era, will eventually fall. This Sky Spirit Continent is still the world of their families and sects!
"Your Majesty, please withdraw first, and be careful of being accidentally injured by the Extinction Formation in the Profound Heaven Hall."
Yan QiongYu, who was standing outside the hall door, reminded her. The Sea Race Empress hesitated for a moment, and then withdrew from the Profound Heaven Hall.
However, when she withdrew, the Sea Race Empress suddenly felt something and looked back into the hall. She saw that the man sitting high on the throne had his arm resting on the throne suddenly drooping down.
For some reason, the Sea Race Empress felt inexplicably blocked in her heart, as if she had lost something important. Even Yan QiongYu, who was standing outside the hall, subconsciously frowned under her Willow Eyebrows on her cold face, and then relaxed again.
Seeing the Sea Race Empress withdraw from the hall, Tang Yi did not hesitate. His hands quickly formed seals, and soon, a mirror that seemed like jade but was not jade appeared in front of everyone out of thin air.
The mirror had nine edges, less than a foot high and less than a foot wide. Each of the nine edges was decorated with special patterns. The mirror surface was hazy, and nothing could be seen clearly. Even the entire mirror was somewhat illusory, with a kind of faint sense of nothingness.
As soon as the Time-Space Divine Mirror appeared, Tang Yi's face turned obviously pale. Obviously, with his strength, summoning this divine mirror put a lot of pressure on him.
After taking a deep breath, Tang Yi's face became solemn, and then, the hand seals on his hands changed again. Suddenly, Tang Yi's hands paused, and then, a stream of spiritual power was injected into the Time-Space Divine Mirror.
"Buzz buzz!!"
The Time-Space Divine Mirror trembled for a moment, and in the next instant, a ray of light flew out from the Time-Space Divine Mirror, passed through the empty Profound Heaven Hall, and landed on the figure on the divine throne.