Traveling through the early Tang Dynasty starts with hanging

It was almost before he was released from office before he summoned himself to the palace for an audience. In fact, Li Shan was a little suspicious and deliberately slowed down on the way. Scout Fan Tu, who was on duty today, checked the arranged secret sentry and found nothing unusual.

Moreover, in Dongshikouzi, he happened to meet Yu Wenshiji, the minister of Zhongshu, who held a banquet in Dongshan Restaurant to entertain some friends from afar. Li Shan asked a few vague questions but did not notice anything strange.

Turning over and dismounting at Zhuque Gate, Li Shan threw away the reins, and Qu Silang, who was guarding here, came up to him, "Alang."

"Summoned by His Majesty?" Li Shan glanced at Su Zhi, the supervisor in the palace not far away.

"Yes." Qu Silang nodded, "Before noon, I heard the Duke of Qinghe County mention that His Majesty summoned Alang to the palace for an audience."

Seeing Qu Silang, Li Shan no longer had any doubts in his heart. He asked Wang Junkuo and a dozen personal guards to stay at the Suzaku Gate, and he walked into the Suzaku Gate with Su Zhi.

Between Zhuque Gate and Chengtian Gate is Chengtianmen Street. Li Shan was thinking in his mind as he walked. It seems that His Majesty is also worried about problems on the Longyou Road, so he will mobilize troops from Liangzhou... The key is that even if they are all Bu Khan does not bring the main force, and Li Shentong, the king of Huai'an, may not be able to withstand it. Behind him, Hezhou and the direct descendant of the East Palace Tianjie Army are even more unpredictable.

"His Royal Highness King Wei Si."

Hearing the sound, Li Shan turned his head and saw Wang Junkuo, with Huo Guogong Chai Shao behind him.

Li Shanben had no doubts. When he saw these two people, he was even more convinced. He stopped and said with a smile, "The third brother-in-law is unable to move now, so brother Junkuo will have to work hard."

During the Shandong War, Li Shan had contacts with Wang Junkuo. After the Renzhi Palace Incident, Li Shan was ordered to control the army, and Wang Junkuo was also under his command.

"The responsibilities should be fulfilled." Wang Junkuo laughed, "Speaking of hard work, Huo Guogong is the hardest. He has been living in the Yamen these days."

"Qu Silang also said that." Li Shan said casually: "Just now he also mentioned that it is his turn to work tonight, so I am afraid he will have to rest here."

"Everything is ready." Wang Junkuo glanced at the direction of Zhuque Gate and then at Chai Shao, "Your Majesty is summoning you at this time. Why don't you let His Highness's personal guards rest here temporarily?"

Chai Shao nodded in agreement, "It's interesting that Jun Hao and Peng Guogong have similar names."

Wang Junkuo laughed and said, "When others heard this, they thought they were brothers."

After chatting for a while, Li Shancai turned and walked towards Chengtian Gate, while Wang Junkuo and Chai Shao chatted for a while and then turned around and walked towards Zhuque Gate.

After passing the Chengtian Gate, Li Shan raised his head and glanced at the setting sun. He had never entered the palace at this time before. No matter what we were talking about later, it would be dark when he left the palace.

Passed through Jiade Gate and Taiji Gate one after another, bypassed Taiji Hall from Yanming Gate on the left, passed through Zhuming Gate and Liangyi Gate, bypassed Liangyi Hall from Xianchun Gate, and not far away was Ganlu Gate. Li Shan suddenly I looked up at the sunset again... I always felt that the gorgeous sunset was tinged with blood.

This was a psychological suggestion without any reason. Although he was summoned by Su Zhi, the supervisor of the palace, and saw Qu Silang, Chai Shao, and Wang Junkuo one after another, Li Shan should be at ease, but he always felt a little weird.

After passing the Ganlu Gate, Li Shan suddenly stopped, turned around and stared at Su Zhi with squinted eyes, "Shouldn't we go left to the Qianbu Corridor?"

"Concubine Wan Gui of Shujing Palace has been ill in the past few days, and seven or eight palace attendants and maids have become ill, so your majesty has sealed the Thousand Steps Corridor." Su Zhi explained and called two palace attendants to carry lanterns.

Su Zhi looked calm, but Li Shan became more suspicious. He hesitated and pointed forward, "Going through Yanjia Hall?"

"Yes." Su Zhi stopped talking and just led the way.

Li Shan followed behind, with a rather gloomy expression. After walking for a while, he suddenly asked: "Your Majesty summoned you today because of military and state affairs, but he summoned you at Linhu Palace. Is the Prime Minister present?"

Su Zhi in front hesitated for a while, "Zhongshu Ling Guan Guo Gong, and the provincial minister Zhong Jiang Guo Gong are both in the Linhu Palace."

"Why not in Liangyi Hall?"

"Your Majesty took a rest in the Ganlu Hall and Linhu Hall after the afternoon," Su Zhi explained: "The official should have summoned His Highness earlier, but the province under the command received successive war reports. Jiang Guogong came to the palace with the war reports and rushed to Linhu. Lake Palace.”

"Battle report?" Li Shan was silent for a while, "Before entering the palace just now, you didn't mention that there was a sudden battle report."

"Jiang Guogong looked quite shocked. He was afraid that the war would be unfavorable, so he didn't mention it outside the palace to prevent the news from spreading..."

It all sounded reasonable, but Li Shan still hesitated.

After passing Yanjia Hall, Li Shan looked back. In early October, the days were not long. When he walked from Chengtianmen to here, the setting sun was mostly gone and the light was quite dim. However, Yanjia Hall could not be seen at a glance. A figure, even a little lifeless.

Continuing forward, after passing the hillside in front is the Linhu Palace. Li Shan turned his head and saw the Ziwei Palace and the Taiji Palace harem behind the Ganlu Gate. He was most familiar with the four places, the Ganlu Palace and the Linhu Palace. , Lingyan Pavilion, and Ziwei Hall where Yuwen Zhaoyi and Xu Wang Li Yuanjia lived.

Li Shan's footsteps gradually slowed down, and suddenly his eyes focused. A figure appeared at the side door of Ziwei Palace. He couldn't see clearly, but the next moment, firelight rose. It was a tall and majestic figure with an impressive figure. His impressive broad shoulders, broad face and high nose show his barbarian heritage.

Li Shan kept walking, but the blood all over his body was coagulated and his body was already a little stiff. It turned out to be his uncle Er Zhuhuan.

During the Renzhi Palace Incident, Er Zhuhuan reported Qiao Gongshan to the prince, causing Li Jiancheng to send Wei Zheng to Phoenix Valley, and then went to plead guilty alone. Although the matter could not be done, Er Zhuhuan's actions were rewarded by the East Palace. The unanimous praise from subordinate officials also gained more trust from Li Jiancheng.

It can be said that under the East Palace, Li Jiancheng relies most on Wang Gui and Pei Shiju, and the person who gives him the most help is Luo Yi, the king of Yan County who is far away in Longyou Road, but it is Er Zhuhuan who he trusts the most.

On this point, it is difficult to say the attitude of the King of Qin. After all, the Erzhu family was a chess piece that Li Shimin pushed past, but Li Yuan should be well aware of it. How could such a person suddenly appear in the Taiji Palace, and he was also the harem of the Taiji Palace? Inside.

What does this represent?

Changlin's army must not have moved, otherwise Chai Shao would not be indifferent... Someone from the Beiya Forbidden Army is keeping an eye on the Forbidden Garden, so it can only be that the East Palace sent guards to sneak into the harem of Taiji Palace. One of the leaders of this group of people is probably you Zhu Huan.

Li Shan's mind suddenly changed. Li Yuan was wary of the East Palace. The fact that the prince was still able to succeed could only mean that there was a spy around Li Yuan... the most likely person was the palace supervisor Su Zhi.

Su Zhi, the superintendent of the dispatch palace, summoned him to see him in the Linhu Palace, but Er Zhuhuan happened to light a torch at nightfall, which happened to illuminate his appearance and exposed it to him.

Thoughts flashed through Li Shan's mind, and he suddenly remembered what Wei Zheng whispered when he was exiled to Lingnan... Beware of Pei Hongda.

"Your Highness?" Su Zhi turned sideways and looked back, "Your Majesty is probably impatient."

A faint voice sounded, "Your Majesty is in Linhu Palace?"

"That's natural." "What about Pei Hongda?"

"Pei Gong has been released from office and returned to his residence." Su Zhi was a little nervous. In fact, at this moment, Pei Shiju was waiting in Linhu Palace.

Li Shan suddenly moved sideways and kicked away the lantern in the hands of the palace man on the left. He lay low and took out a dagger from the side of his boot with his right hand. He jumped forward and pierced the palace man on the right with the dagger. abdomen.

The warm liquid rushed towards his face, and even some of it splashed into Li Shan's mouth. He only felt a fishy smell. Without hesitation, he pulled out the dagger and stamped out the lantern with both feet.

"Your Highness..."

"Disciple who betrays the master!" Li Shan looked ferocious, ready to pounce.

Su Zhi immediately ran away, shouting loudly. Li Shan knew that his judgment was correct, gritted his teeth, dropped the dagger, and ran to the north without hesitation.

It was already dark at this time, and Pei Shiju in the Linhu Palace no longer maintained his calm expression. He stared at Su Zhi in the palace with his hair and hair spread out, "There are Qu Hong, Chai Shao, and Wang Junkuo outside the palace to calm his mind. Li Huairen How could you suddenly get up and run away, what flaws did you expose?!"

If there weren't very certain signs... even the signs didn't work, there must have been very certain evidence, so Li Shan would get angry, kill people with a dagger and escape.

You must know that this is in the harem of Tai Chi Palace, and Li Shan is a cautious and meticulous person. How can he dare to act so boldly if he is not sure?

Su Zhi, who was still stained with dirt, was also a little confused, "Xiaguan...Xiaguan... Outside the palace, Li Huairen was still chatting and laughing with Huo Guogong and Wang Junkuo..."

Pei Shiju took a deep breath and asked in detail, asking Su Zhi to tell everything from beginning to end... But in the end, Pei Shiju didn't find any loopholes.

Indeed, it was indeed suspicious for His Majesty to summon him at Linhu Palace at dusk, but Li Shan was just suspicious at most, so how could he dare to commit murder?

There must be loopholes that I am not aware of.

At this time, there were chaotic footsteps outside, and Prince Li Jiancheng, still dressed in casual clothes, strode into the palace surrounded by more than a dozen guards.

"Li Huairen escaped?"

"Yes." Su Zhi said in a low voice: "Three hundred steps away from Linhu Palace, he suddenly burst out, killed a palace man and then escaped."

"Where did you escape?" Li Jiancheng's face turned pale.

"Li Huairen stepped on the lantern and really didn't know which direction to go."

"Trash!" Li Jiancheng cursed in a low voice and turned to look at Pei Shiju, "Mr. Pei?"

Pei Shiju's expression became even more ugly, and he secretly cursed the wastes in the East Palace... He insisted on taking action before dusk, which would be convenient for detaining His Majesty, but it aroused Li Huairen's suspicion.

It doesn't matter if you are suspicious, but the problem is that the person ran away!

Tai Chi Palace is so big, with three lakes and seven or eight rivers. It was late at night, and the guards from the East Palace who sneaked into Tai Chi Palace's harem didn't have enough manpower. How could they arrest him?

Even if there are enough manpower, a late-night search will definitely cause a commotion. Not all city gates are under the control of the East Palace. If Chai Shao outside Chengtian Gate is alerted, everything will be stopped!

"No arrests." Xu Shimo whispered: "As long as you send people to keep an eye on Xuanwu Gate, Anli Gate, and Jiayou Gate, you must block the news."

Pei Shiju regained his calm expression, but actually he was gnashing his teeth. He didn't care whether Dong Palace could succeed or not, he just hoped to ambush Li Shan, but something went wrong here.

"Your Highness." Wang Gui, who had remained silent until now, asked in a low voice, "Where is Your Majesty?"

"Sent to Shujing Hall." Wei Ting replied: "It's still difficult to control the outside of Jiayou Gate, but there are already people inside the door. This door is not open on weekdays, so it is most appropriate."

Wang Gui nodded slightly. Jiayou Gate leads to Yeting Palace and is indeed closed on weekdays.

"Li Huairen..." Wei Ting said in a low voice, "Where will he escape?"

Even if Li Shan is temporarily safe now, he must escape from the imperial city before dawn, otherwise it will be difficult for him to hide his traces at dawn. After all, although the harem of Tai Chi Palace is large, there are not many hiding places.

It is impossible to escape from the Imperial City through the Ganlu Gate. Chang He, the guard of the Xuanwu Gate, is under the East Palace Gate. The Jiayou Gate is not open even during the day, let alone at night.

"Anlimen?" Zhao Hongzhi asked tentatively.

"The most likely one is Anli Gate." Wang Gui nodded and said: "Although Anli Gate also leads to the Forbidden Garden and is parallel to Xuanwu Gate, it is blocked by the Jinshui River, Shanchi Pond and the East China Sea inside, and there are also rivers outside, and Anlimen is small and not taken seriously on weekdays."

"Li Huairen often goes in and out of Tai Chi Palace, so he should know the inside story." Li Jiancheng rubbed his eyebrows, "I remember two years ago, Li Huairen and Su Dingfang successively controlled the Beiya Imperial Army and inspected various gates of the imperial city and palace city..."

Li Jiancheng looked left and right, pointed at Er Zhuhuan, "You take twenty people and rush to Anlimen immediately."

"We can mobilize troops from Xuanwu Gate." Xu Shimojian said, "Chang He knows the inside story."

"That's right." Li Jiancheng nodded in agreement, "You don't need too many manpower. A hundred people are enough to guard Anlimen, so Chang He will keep an eye on it and don't let Li Huairen escape from the imperial city."

Er Zhuhuan bowed to accept the order and ordered twenty people to leave the Linhu Palace.

It has to be said that Wang Gui and Wei Ting's guess was correct. Li Shan ran all the way, bypassed Wangyunting Pavilion, swam across the Jinshui River, crossed the East China Sea, and was indeed heading for Anli Gate.

We can't say that Wang Gui and Wei Ting are too smart, because Li Shan also knows very well that this is the only way to survive... Now that Li Yuan is under house arrest and Li Jiancheng has controlled the harem of Tai Chi Palace, going to Xuanwu Gate by himself is called committing suicide. .

There are lakes and rivers in the harem of Taiji Palace. Naturally, there are waterways leading to the outside of the palace. The largest waterway is at Anlimen, so Li Shan can only choose here.

In a forest on the east side of the East China Sea Pond, Li Shan was sitting on the trunk of a big tree, breathing heavily and feeling the taste of blood in his throat. He didn't know whether he was running too fast or whether he had just killed the palace man. The blood splashed into the mouth.

There were guards in front of him. Li Shan slowly calmed down his breathing. He could only wait and wait for the guards to leave before trying to leave Tai Chi Palace through the waterway.

The only thought in Li Shan's mind now is, is Li Jiancheng crazy?

Is Pei Shiju crazy?

How dare they take action now?

In other words, they have been forced into a desperate situation and have to fight to the death?

Or maybe they were sure... Li Shan couldn't help but twitch the corner of his mouth. Could it be that King Qin would return to Chang'an at this time?