Chapter 58: Donning the Armor

Wei Biwu was leading the Brocade-Clad Guards closely behind Li Ji's grand army. All around them were rolling mounds of earth and withered, yellow wild grass, rustling softly as a gentle breeze swept across the plains.

Suddenly, far in the distance, he spotted two horses galloping toward them like fierce gales, their hooves kicking up clouds of dust. The riders were none other than Li Shimin and Yuchi Jingde.

A jolt ran through Wei Biwu's heart, and it began to beat violently against his ribs.

"Hold your positions! Stay silent, and make no rash moves! Any blunder will be dealt with strictly by military law!"

Li Shimin and Yuchi Jingde slowly reined in their horses at a short distance from the Brocade-Clad Guards.

Seated high atop a majestic steed, Li Shimin's posture was as straight as a towering pine. He exuded an extraordinary bearing, radiating an innate imperial aura that shone brilliantly under the sunlight.

With a piercing, fiery gaze fixed straight ahead, he shouted in a booming voice: "Wei Biwu, it has been well with you, I trust?"

His resonant voice echoed through the air, carrying clearly to the ears of every man present, as though it could pierce through time and reach directly into their souls.

Wei Biwu hurriedly dismounted, his movements as clean and swift as lightning cutting across a night sky. He dropped to one knee, showing the utmost reverence. His body trembled slightly, betraying the profound relief within his heart.

"Your Majesty! Your subject is here. I have yearned for Your Majesty day and night!"

Most of these Brocade-Clad Guards were former Thousand-Bull Guards who had served on rotational duty within the imperial palace. Having undergone rigorous training since childhood, Li Shimin's appearance was long deeply engraved in their minds.

At this sight, seeing that General Wei had already dismounted and knelt, the remaining guards, all clad in fish-scale garments, likewise dismounted in unison. The scales of their attire shimmered in the sunlight like rippling waves.

Falling neatly onto one knee together, they shouted in a unified roar: "Long live Your Majesty!"

The sound reverberated like thunder across the empty wilderness, startling a flock of birds resting among the tall grass.

Li Shimin gave a slight wave of his hand, his robe sleeves fluttering in the wind.

He spoke gently: "Rise. Since you already knew I was here, you must have guessed my intentions as well."

Wei Biwu stood up, his posture as straight as a javelin, and replied respectfully: "Your Majesty is wise. This subject was charged with protecting Your Majesty's safety and dared not slacken in the slightest. We are all willing to walk through fire and brave boiling water for Your Majesty."

"Chengqian..."

Li Shimin murmured softly, a smile involuntarily blooming across his face—a smile brimming with immense gratification.

In that fleeting moment, he seemed no longer an emperor, but merely an ordinary father whose heart was filled to the brim and warmed by his son's mindful devotion.

Watching Li Shimin's expression, Wei Biwu hesitated. His lips quivered slightly, and he felt an urge to say more.

Yet the moment the words reached his lips, his tongue somewhat tied itself in knots.

"Your Majesty... Your Maj..."

For a split second, he found himself utterly at a loss for how to address him.

Observing Wei Biwu's tangled and conflicted expression, Li Shimin understood immediately. A flash of understanding crossed his eyes as he considerately offered a way out.

"In this world, there is only one Majesty, and that is the one residing in Chang'an."

He paused, his demeanor as calm and untroubled as a tranquil lake, and continued, "As for me, call me General from now on!"

"Understood! General!"

Wei Biwu responded instantly, his voice ringing loud and firm.

"General, under His Majesty's orders, we have come to protect your safety! We shall not fail our mission."

Hearing this, the corners of Li Shimin's mouth curled upward slightly as he gave a dismissive wave with a hint of nonchalance: "Do I still need your protection?"

His gaze swept over those young yet familiar faces, a tender warmth softening his eyes like winter sunlight.

"In Chang'an, you are the Emperor's Brocade-Clad Guards. But since His Majesty sent you to safeguard my life—"

Raising his voice slightly, imbued with supreme authority and resolute decision, he declared:

"—then from this moment on, you are no longer the Brocade-Clad Guards! You are this General's Thousand-Bull Guards!"

His gaze fixed steadfastly on the distant horizon, where rolling mountain ranges met the edge of an unknown battlefield.

"Follow this General back to the commander's tent! Together, we shall subjugate Xueyantuo!"

Once again, the band of guards dropped simultaneously to their knees. Their eyes burned with reverence and unwavering loyalty—an absolute submission to Li Shimin.

"It is our highest honor to fight alongside the General!"

They shouted in unison: "At the General's command!"

The cry lingered long in the open wilderness, sounding like an oath of allegiance to Li Shimin, carried far away on the wind.

Seeing how these Thousand-Bull Guards—who had once protected him within the palace walls—had now transformed into battle-hardened soldiers, Li Shimin felt a profound wave of emotion wash over him.

"General, before we set out, Prime Minister Fang had a chest prepared," Wei Biwu said, stepping forward with steady, powerful strides.

"His Majesty instructed us to bring this chest along. If the General took the initiative to seek us out, we were to present it to you."

Hearing these words, a spark of curiosity ignited in Li Shimin's eyes, fully piqued.

"Chengqian prepared something for me? Could there be something important inside?"

"Bring the chest up here. Let me see what has been prepared for me."

"At once!"

Wei Biwu clasped his fists immediately, wearing a solemn expression.

Two guards carried a large, heavy chest with steady strides. Walking right up to Li Shimin, they set it down gently and said in unison, "General, please inspect the chest!"

Li Shimin nodded, his eyes locked onto the container, brimming with expectation.

"What on earth is inside?"

He was consumed with curiosity.

Yuchi Jingde stepped forward wielding a long spear. His sturdy, towering frame resembled an iron pagoda, radiating an imposing momentum. With a single, fierce sweep of one hand, the spear whooshed through the air, snapping the chest lid open.

Gazing at the items piled inside, Li Shimin froze in momentary astonishment, his eyes flooding with surprise and nostalgia.

*This... this is the golden armor bestowed upon me by Ayah.*

A turbulent wave surged within his breast, instantly pulling his thoughts back into the past. Those glorious battle scenes and his father's approving smiles emerged one after another before his mind's eye.

He had almost forgotten what this set of golden armor looked like.

It was the very armor Li Yuan had granted him back when he crushed Wang Shuchu and Dou Jiande, marking the moment Li Yuan conferred upon him the title of Prince of Heavenly Strategy—an era of peerless glory.

Tailor-made for him, countless master craftsmen had poured their heart and soul into its creation. Its craftsmanship was matchlessly exquisite, with every single scale resembling a work of art, leaning far more toward ornamental splendor than utilitarian defense.

Yet in Li Shimin's eyes, this golden armor embodied Li Yuan's deep affection—a father's recognition of his son's martial exploits.

It was a silent yet profound sentiment, flowing like a gentle stream to nourish his soul.

Beholding the golden armor, Li Shimin seemed to catch a glimpse of his own spirited, ambitious youth. For a moment, he lost himself, adrift in an ocean of memories.

It was a pity that he had been too young back then to truly comprehend Li Yuan's intentions.

Now, regret came too late.

He gently lifted the golden armor and handed it to Yuchi Jingde, his gaze falling upon a set of black armor resting beneath it.

"This is the Black Armor..."

A tangle of complex emotions welled up in his chest—a nostalgia for bygone days mixed with a deep longing for fallen comrades-in-arms.

It was a suit of armor with extraordinary significance, also known as the Black Armor. These were the dark dragon-scaled helms and armor worn by the elite Black Armor Cavalry once personally led by Li Shimin, the Prince of Qin.

Every inch of the armor had been meticulously rubbed with oil, leaving it gleaming brightly and casting a dark luster under the sun, as though harboring some mysterious, latent power.

Yet, upon closer inspection, the black armor still bore numerous sword scars from the battlefields of yesteryear—some deep, some shallow, crisscrossing one another.

They seemed to bear witness to the ferocious battles of the past, each mark carrying a thrilling chapter of history, a magnificent epic written in the blood and lives of brave warriors.

At the very bottom lay the general's armors belonging to Cheng Yaojin and Yuchi Jingde.

Catching sight of his own armor, a surge of fierce emotion flashed in Yuchi Jingde's eyes like a flickering flame. He stepped forward with hurried strides, gently stroking the plates of steel with a deeply emotional sigh.

"This armor has accompanied me through countless battles of life and death!"

A thousand feelings crowded his heart. That familiar sensation rushed over him, making those days of fighting shoulder-to-shoulder feel as though they happened only yesterday. The battle cries and shouts of his comrades seemed to ring in his ears once more.

Li Shimin returned the golden armor to the chest, handling it with the utmost care as though treating a priceless treasure, and had his men store it safely away.

His gaze turned piercing like lightning, akin to a lion preparing to charge into battle. He commanded in a booming voice: "Arm me and General Yuchi!"

His heart burned with fighting spirit, as if he had been transported back to the era of iron and galloping steeds.

"Yes!"

The surrounding soldiers responded in unison, their voices unified and resonant. Suited in their armor once more, Li Shimin and Yuchi Jingde gleamed under the sun, exuding an invincible aura.

They vaulted onto their mounts, and the fine steeds let out long neighs that pierced the sky, as though excited for the impending battle and eager to gallop across the plains once more.

Li Shimin raised his riding crop high, tracing a graceful arc through the air, and roared with boundless passion: "Lads! Fall in with your General!"

Pride swelled boundlessly in his breast, his voice ringing out with the fierce, stirring force of a charge.