Chapter 8

As the sun set in the west,

Luoshixin had just woken up after a long afternoon nap, feeling refreshed. The comfort of waking up naturally after a deep sleep was truly delightful. He stretched his limbs as far as they could go, giving a big yawn. Seeing Muhu standing nearby, he didn’t notice his expression and said, "Muhu, bring me a few cakes, I’m starving."

Muhu seemed not to hear, standing in place and softly saying, "General, Prince Qin has arrived!"

Luoshixin blinked in confusion, the image of a young man with thick eyebrows, large eyes, a high nose, and a broad mouth, his square face full of heroism, flashed in his mind—none other than the Li Shimin he remembered.

Luoshixin suddenly recalled that dream and looked behind Muhu without showing any emotion. It seemed that a group of people were slowly approaching, drawn by the commotion here.

Luoshixin’s gaze fell on the leader, who was not much older, around twenty-five or twenty-six, with a bronze-colored, chiseled face that looked as if it had been carved by a knife. His thick eyebrows arched over a high nose and deep-set eyes, his black pupils sharp like blades, as if they could see through everything—just as he remembered.

Luoshixin searched his memory, and suddenly felt elated. He thought of the faces of Qin Qiong, Cheng Yaojin, and Yuchi Jingde, all of which appeared in his mind. Especially when he thought of martial arts, the techniques of the saber, sword, spear, and fist all came to him... He no longer had to use his long spear like a club, relying solely on brute strength to defeat his enemies.

Looking at his hands and feeling the strength surging within him, a phrase came to Luoshixin’s mind: "Heaven has made you replace the dying me, so live a glorious life for me... Inherit everything I have." His eyes glowed with intense light.

Everyone has a hero’s dream!

Luoshixin was no exception. But besides having a hero’s dream, one must also have self-awareness.

Luoshixin’s original plan was to live a good life using Luoshixin’s identity, utilizing the knowledge in his mind to do something more exciting, not to live as mundanely as he did in his previous life, only to regret it at the end. He didn’t seek a glorious life, but he didn’t want to drift aimlessly either. As for the battlefield, he didn’t want to think about it. After all, he wasn’t the real Luoshixin. Even with a strong body, lacking martial skills was useless. But now that he had inherited everything from Luoshixin, things were different. With these skills, if he didn’t achieve something, how could he face the Luoshixin who had given him everything?

Luoshixin quickly got up and whispered, "Why didn’t you wake me up!" He looked at Li Shimin, who was approaching, feeling a small thrill in his heart.

He was the Qin Prince of the Tang Dynasty!

The famous Emperor Taizong of history!!!

Luoshixin wasn’t a history major, but as a Chinese person, he had a certain understanding of Chinese history, especially during his college years when he was more passionate. He would often be stirred by the phrase "Those who offend the mighty Han, no matter how far, will be punished," and feel proud of the Tang Dynasty’s prosperity and the tribute from all nations, happy about the Song Dynasty’s advanced technology and wealth, and proud of the Ming Dynasty’s indomitable spirit. He would also be enraged by the Five Barbarians’ invasion, hate the nomadic tribes’ massacres, and feel ashamed of the Qing Dynasty’s betrayal.

Although Li Shimin wasn’t the founder of the Tang Dynasty, he was undoubtedly the one who laid the foundation for its strength.

"Don’t blame him!" Li Shimin suddenly smiled, a smile that seemed to melt the ice, making people feel close and as if they were basking in a warm spring breeze. "I saw that General Luoshixin was sleeping soundly and didn’t have the heart to wake him. General has fought for eight days for our Tang Dynasty, and I’m sure he hasn’t had a good night’s sleep. Now that the rebels have retreated, it’s only right for him to rest." He then instructed the guards beside him, "Bring some cooked food." He smiled apologetically, "We can’t drink in the army, but at the victory banquet, I will definitely drink a few cups with the general."

Li Shimin was undoubtedly a skilled politician. Whether intentionally or not, he didn’t put on any airs of being the Qin Prince of the Tang Dynasty, waiting quietly for Luoshixin to wake up.

Luoshixin felt a warm feeling in his heart and said, "Thank you, Your Highness, for your consideration. I only did what I could."

Li Shimin laughed heartily, "To repel twenty to thirty times the number of enemies with just two hundred elite soldiers and two hundred surrendered troops, that’s quite an achievement. It’s a waste to have you guard Ming River. Since Ming River is no longer in danger, General Shiji will take over. You should return to camp with me, rest well, and prepare for the final battle."

Luoshixin didn’t believe Li Shimin’s empty words. He knew who Li Shiji was, a great man who could be mentioned in the same breath as the military god Li Jing. Clearly, Li Shimin had a special use for Ming River, so he entrusted it to the wise and brave Li Shiji. As for Luoshixin, though he had some strategies, he was still known for his martial prowess, like Qin Qiong and Yuchi Jingde.

Li Shimin was skilled in using people. By using Li Shiji’s wisdom and bravery to guard Ming River, he was making the best use of this strategic point. By bringing Luoshixin back to the main camp, he planned to use Luoshixin’s bravery in the final battle.

This was Li Shimin’s clever plan.

If it were the original Luoshixin, he might have been swayed by Li Shimin’s words. But the current Luoshixin was no longer a simple-minded youth. He had many thoughts and saw the key issue, but didn’t point it out, agreeing readily. He didn’t think that his knowledge from the future made him better than Li Shiji, so he didn’t plan to steal the credit.

Military strategy was indeed Li Shiji’s forte, but Luoshixin had his own strengths.

Knowing a thousand years of history and predicting a thousand years of progress, this was something even Li Shiji, Li Shimin, and Li Jing couldn’t match.

"I’m determined to take the lead in the campaign against Liu Heita," Luoshixin thought confidently, "I’ll let this small credit go to Li Shiji."

While Luoshixin was sleeping, Li Shiji had already taken command of Ming River with his troops. Luoshixin made a brief handover with his deputy, enjoyed a hearty meal of beef, and left Ming River with Li Shimin, crossing the river to the camp on the south bank.

Li Shiji had gone out to survey the terrain, so Luoshixin didn’t get to meet this great historical figure, feeling a bit disappointed.

Before they reached the southern bank, two groups of soldiers were already waiting at the ferry.

Li Shimin looked into the distance and smiled, "General, when you were trapped in Ming River, the one most worried was General Shubao and that ox... To rescue you, General Shubao was hit by an arrow on his shoulder, and that ox was so anxious that he fell into the river while trying to get a small boat."

Luoshixin’s eyes welled up. In his deepest memories, the person closest to Luoshixin in the entire Tang camp was Qin Qiong and Cheng Yaojin.

Qin Qiong and Cheng Yaojin were both cavalry commanders, and naval battles were not their strong suit. Cheng Yaojin was even a poor swimmer. They had fought so desperately, all for him!!!