Li Shimin's gaze followed the Kongming lantern as it rose until it disappeared into the distant horizon. Only then did he withdraw his gaze and return to his seat in the Ziyun Tower.

Where is Li Jue?

"Grandpa, I'm being punished by kneeling at the door!"

Li Shimin frowned slightly upon hearing this. He knew this grandson all too well; if he could kneel properly, he wouldn't be Li Jue!

"Come back here!"

"promise!"

"You have rendered meritorious service in controlling the epidemic in Chang'an, and I should reward you with something, but I really don't know what to reward you with. Tell me what you want!"

"I?"

Li Jue wanted to curse when he heard this. If this old man didn't want to reward me, he should have just said so. How dare he come to ask me?

However, just as Li Jue was at a loss for words, Li Tai, who was watching the drama unfold, spoke up.

“Father, I feel that Li Jue’s merits are too great, and there is no more reward or title to bestow upon him.”

"Why don't you just follow the example of Emperor Gaozu and appoint him as the General of Heavenly Strategy, with the title of Grand General of the Three Departments, and also the Grand General of Xingtai in Shaanxi East Circuit? Hahaha!"

Upon hearing Li Tai's words, everyone in the Ziyun Tower turned pale with fright, and Li Jue glared at Li Tai with resentment.

Is this bastard trying to kill me?

Li Shimin was so enraged that he grabbed a wine cup and smashed it over the head.

"Shut your dog mouth!"

"He wants to imitate me, but I have no intention of imitating your imperial grandfather!"

"Grandpa, don't listen to my fourth uncle's nonsense. I really never wanted to become a general!"

Upon hearing this, Li Shimin spoke in a somber tone.

"So you want to become the Grand Administrator of Shaanxi East Circuit?"

"No, no, no, how could I dare to have such a thought? But if you insist on giving it to me, Grandpa, I'm not unwilling to..."

"roll!"

"You uncle and nephew, are you trying to drive me crazy?!"

Li Tai chuckled upon hearing this.

"Father, I was just joking with you, why did you take it so seriously?"

"But then again, since you've already appointed Li Jue as Minister of the Imperial Secretariat, it wouldn't be too much to give him the title of General of the Heavenly Strategy, would it?"

Upon hearing this, Li Shimin glared coldly at Li Tai.

"How dare you say that!"

"Men, drag this guy out and give him twenty lashes!"

Li Tai panicked when he heard he was going to get a beating and hurriedly begged his father for mercy.

"Father, spare my life!"

"Father, I know I was wrong, please don't punish me, waaaaah..."

When Li Jue heard Li Tai plead for mercy, instead of helping him, he stepped forward and fueled the fire.

"Grandpa, twenty strokes are too few. He should be given at least two hundred strokes to teach him a lesson for his foul mouth!"

Li Shimin nodded upon hearing this.

"right!"

"Give him two hundred lashes, and teach that foul mouth of his a lesson!"

Upon hearing this, Li Tai became furious and said...

"Li Jue, you ungrateful little thing, your fourth uncle is only saying this for your sake!"

"Fourth Uncle, you're trying to kill me!"

"You don't know anything!"

Although Li Tai didn't want to be beaten up at all, he was still dragged out by the Hundred Cavalry, and soon after, screams of agony echoed back.

Li Shimin was in high spirits when he heard Li Tai crying and begging for his parents.

"Li Jue, I hereby appoint you as the Governor of Yongzhou and concurrently as the Prefect of Jingzhao, giving you full authority over matters concerning the capital region. What do you think?"

"this……"

Li Jue never expected happiness to come so suddenly. Just moments ago, Li Shimin was shouting for war, but now he had given him such a good official position.

"Grandpa, your grandson will definitely do his best!"

Li Shimin smiled slightly upon hearing this, thinking to himself that his reward had truly touched this grandson's heart.

"Go check if your fourth uncle has been beaten to death."

"If he's not dead, bring him back!"

"promise!"

Li Jue happily went outside, expecting to see Li Tai being beaten up on the ground. But to his surprise, Li Tai was standing to the side, leisurely eating melon, while two Hundred Cavalrymen were vigorously hitting a sandbag.

"Your Highness, it's time to shout!"

"oh oh!"

"Father, spare me! Ah... Oh... Ah... Ah... Ah..."

Just as Li Tai was engrossed in his "howling," he suddenly saw Li Jue walking over and immediately asked curiously.

"Why have you come? Has your grandfather come to pardon me?"

Li Jue looked annoyed when he heard this.

"Do you still need a pardon? Haven't you already pardoned yourself?"

Li Tai chuckled upon hearing this.

"Don't go back and tell anyone!"

“These two are old friends of mine. They didn’t want to see me suffer, so they spared me from the beating.”

Li Jue snorted coldly upon hearing this, then glared fiercely at the two captains of the Hundred Cavalry Division.

"I'll remember you two. If you ever dare not help me again, I'll report you to His Majesty!"

Upon hearing this, the two quickly agreed and then patiently explained.

"Your Highness, it's not that we don't want to help you, but His Majesty always punishes you personally. Even if we wanted to go easy on you, we wouldn't have the chance!"

"Uh..."

Li Jue was so angry he was about to go crazy when he heard this.

"Ugh, that's not fair! Why doesn't your dad beat you himself?!"

Seeing that Li Jue was acting innocent after getting the benefit, Li Tai wished he could kick him into Qujiang Pool.

"Do you think your grandfather is so idle that he spends all day beating his son and grandson?"

"Otherwise what?"

"To tell you the truth, your grandfather has never even hit your father, let alone me. If he wanted to hit us, he would order the eunuchs or the Hundred Cavalry to do it!"

"Oh oh oh..."

"According to you, I should feel honored that your father hit me?"

"That's right!"

Li Tai patted Li Jue's head and said meaningfully.

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