People in the early Tang Dynasty: I compete with Wu Zhao for the throne

Chapter 1557: The Emperor's Last Will, Everyone's Hearts Gathered

On the second day of May, the sky was dim

In the main hall at the backyard of the Luosu Dao Pacifier's Mansion, Li Xuan opened his arms and let Qu Douer and Liu Shubi help him put on his armor.

Li Xuan was wearing black clothes and black armor, with a tall stature. His face was extremely solemn, and the beard under his straight nose made him look even more majestic.

After putting on his armor, Qu Douer turned around, picked up the black-sheathed sword beside him and handed it to Li Xuan.

Seeing Li Xuan taking the sword, Qu Douer raised her head and asked with concern in her eyes: "Husband, when will you come back after leaving this time?"

Li Xuan smiled, reached out and touched her forehead, then said softly: "If everything goes well, you should be able to come back in November, and no later than December."

"Does that mean my husband won't return to Chang'an this year?" Qu Dou'er looked at Li Xuan with surprise. Even Liu Shubi behind Li Xuan had hope in her eyes.

Li Xuan was in Fanzhou only for the past year. Although he was also running around, he was only a stone's throw away from them, so the two of them felt relieved.

The only time I returned to Beijing was this time, and I stayed there for three months, and it was during the Chinese New Year.

Qu Douer and Liu Shubi felt somewhat uneasy.

Fortunately, Li Xuan came back and stayed for nearly three months. Unfortunately, he is leaving again now.

There was nothing they could do about it as they had the king's order, but if Li Xuan could spend the New Year alone with them in Luosi, they would be extremely happy.

Li Xuan smiled calmly and said gently, "If it is normal, I will not have much chance to return to Chang'an in the next three or two years. I should stay in the Western Regions for a longer time... At worst, Dou'er and Si Niang will go to the Western Regions together."

"Yeah!" Qu Dou'er and Liu Shubi's eyes were full of happiness.

Li Xuan turned around and his expression became serious.

Li Xuan did not tell Qu Douer and Liu Shubi about the truth about the future and her own plans.

In his backyard, Liu Jinyu is able to take charge of the overall situation, Pei Shitong is able to assist, and only Qu Douer and Liu Shubi are a little naive in their behavior.

"Take good care of Sanlang and Wulang. I have given their homework to the Chief Secretary. Ask Uncle Yu to take them to the Chief Secretary for lessons every day." Qu Dou'er and Liu Shubi nodded subconsciously.

The third son Li Zhiyou and the fifth son Li Zhigao are already four years old, and it is time for them to start school.

As for Wang Yinke.

A hint of sneer flashed across Li Xuan's lips.

……

Outside the front yard lobby, Wang Yinke looked towards the backyard with a worried look.

Today is the day that Li Xuan leads his army to the Western Regions. Twenty-five thousand troops have already assembled outside the city.

There were 10,000 Tibetan cavalrymen in the Right Wuwei, 5,000 cavalrymen in the Right Lingjunwei, 4,000 cavalrymen in the Left Weiwei, 3,000 cavalrymen in the Right Weiwei, and 3,000 Tuyuhun cavalrymen in the Right Xiaowei.

These people are all the most elite cavalry.

In the plateau environment, those with weak health will not be able to stay here for long.

These people were selected from the very beginning as elite cavalry who could adapt to the plateau obstacles.

Over the years, their bodies have adapted greatly to the plateau environment.

Their quality is even much better than that of the Tang army on the plateau.

Not to mention the soldiers living on the plateau, who have not been exposed to war for several years.

Once Li Xuan led his army into Changzhou, Wang Yinke doubted whether Cheng Wuting could resist Li Xuan.

Just then, heavy footsteps were heard.

Li Xuan, dressed in black clothes and black armor, was the first to walk out from the backyard.

Yu Ze and Li Zhu followed on both sides and entered the courtyard with Li Xuan.

……

Li Xuan walked up to Wang Yinke and stood still, nodding and saying, "Sima!"

"Your Majesty!" Wang Yinke breathed a sigh of relief, then solemnly bowed and said, "Your Majesty, all the generals have arrived."

"Okay!" Li Xuan nodded, then looked towards the Black Palace on the Red Mountain and said softly, "Let everyone come in. First, go and pay respect to the late emperor, and then arrange all matters related to the march."

"Yes!" Wang Yinke immediately bowed, then turned and waved gently in the direction of the gate of the Pacifier's Mansion.

The next moment, the gate of the Pacifier's Mansion opened, and dozens of civil and military officials appeared outside the gate at the same time.

Dozens of civil and military officials, led by Heichi Changzhi and Xiao Siye, as well as Qiu Zhenmu, Zhang Da'an, Li Duozuo, Wei Hongji, Lun Gongren, Nanju, Tang Zhenxing, Zhuang Cuo and others, walked into the courtyard with solemn expressions.

Wang Yinke, Cheng Chuzheng, Yu Ze, Zhang Hongyu and others stood by with their hands clasped.

Li Xuan said solemnly in front of everyone, "Today, all the generals and governors of Luoshui Road are here. I will not say much. After I leave Fanzhou, the affairs of Fanzhou will be handed over to Zhang Gong, and the affairs of Luoshui Road will be handed over to General Hei Chi, the deputy envoy of pacification. The two will act on my behalf after I leave."

"I obey your command." None of the civil and military officials in the court had any objection.

Firstly, Li Xuan had to leave Fanzhou every year, and it was common for Heichi Changzhi and Zhang Da'an to take charge of the government.

Secondly, Li Xuan enjoyed great prestige among the military and civilians in Luoshui Dao. Over the years, even those who were most disobedient had been severely dealt with.

"Okay, everyone, follow me to pay homage to the late emperor." Li Xuan raised his head, looked towards the Black Palace on the Red Mountain, and then took the lead.

Many civil and military officials followed closely without any hesitation.

In the entire Lushe Dao, apart from Li Xuan, no one else dared to publicly use the portrait of the late emperor for sacrifice.

Not to mention, there is the personal seal of the current saint on that portrait.

This can be seen from the trust that the late emperor and the current emperor had in Li Xuan.

Even those provincial governors who came from aristocratic families no longer dared to express any dissatisfaction with Li Xuan.

Especially when he presided over the marriage of Zheng's daughter into the palace and Zheng's daughter subsequently became pregnant.

In the eyes of officials all over the country, especially those in Luoshui Province, Li Xuan was not only extremely capable, but was also deeply trusted by the emperor and empress, and he almost had the aspirations of becoming the Duke of Ying.

The reason why he is called Duke of Yingguo instead of Duke of Weiguo is because Li Jing is more sensible about how to advance and retreat than Li Ji.

Also, because Li Jing died before Emperor Taizong passed the throne to the previous emperor, Li Ji successfully survived the most dangerous period of the emperor's succession.

Li Xuan's current situation is quite similar to Li Ji's.

……

Walking up Red Hill step by step and entering the Black Palace, what comes into view is the portrait of Emperor Gaozong.

In front of the portrait of Emperor Gaozong, there is a sandalwood box.

Li Xuan did not tell anyone what it was, but everyone knew that Li Xuan had received the secret decree from the previous emperor. As for the content of the secret decree, no one knew.

Yu Ze stood at the upper left and called out calmly, "Kneel!"

With a loud crash, even the generals in heavy armor all knelt down at this moment, crying out in pain: "The late emperor!"

Li Xuan bowed his head heavily to the ground, his eyes filled with tears. He wanted to scream in pain, but due to the deep grief, he could hardly make a sound.

"Get up!" Yu Ze's voice came from the side, and Li Xuan stood up with some difficulty.

Li Xuan took out a memorial from his sleeve and handed it to Yu Ze. After Yu Ze took it, he opened it in public.

Wang Yinke, who was standing near the palace gate, suddenly stared at the memorial in Yu Ze's hand.

He knew that it was a memorial to the late emperor about going to war, but the content could be about going to war in the Western Regions or about attacking the Queen Mother.

Wang Yinke's gaze quickly jumped from Yu Ze's hand to the portrait of the late emperor beside him.

For a moment, he felt extremely hateful.

The emperor actually gave such a thing to Li Xuan. Didn’t he know what he was giving to Li Xuan?

Yu Ze solemnly opened the memorial and read aloud: "The rebellion of the Western Turks has cut off the precious Silk Road, and the late emperor was deeply concerned about it.

The king's power extends to all corners of the world, so he entrusted me with the task of conquering the world.

The former emperor was wise and measured my ability, so he knew that my ability was strong and the enemy was weak when I attacked the enemy. "

The ministers in the hall couldn't help but smile softly. Li Xuan's "Memorial on Going to War" was actually a revision of Zhuge Wu's "The Second Memorial on Going to War" .

However, the last sentence of Empress Wu Zhuge was "Therefore, I know that when I attack the bandits, my talents are weak and the enemies are strong", while Li Xuan's sentence is "Therefore, I know that when I attack the bandits, my talents are strong and the enemies are weak".

Infinite confidence surged in the hearts of the generals, as the strength of Li Xuan's army was witnessed by all the world.

Although the Western Turks were far away, they were no match for Li Xuan.

“But on the day I received the order, I could not sleep well and could not enjoy my food.

Weapons are dangerous tools; war is a dangerous thing.

Therefore, the big is regarded as small, and the strong is regarded as weak, it is all in the difference between looking up and down.

Thinking that it would be advisable to march westwards and reach Bolü first, he crossed the snow-capped mountains in May and went deep into the barren land, eating only once a day.

Now the enemy is tired in Anxi and is busy dealing with the Arabs. The strategy of war is to take advantage of their tiredness. Now is the time to advance.

Compare the front and the back, and look left and right.

The troops came out from the south and attacked from the north, defeated the enemy at the western foot of Tianshan Mountain, and destroyed the army at the source of Yi River.

So that there will be a great victory in the end."

The generals looked solemn. Li Xuan had already told everyone the entire combat strategy of the Western Region.

"We, your subjects, have done our best and will not stop until our death. We, your subjects, have fought hard to celebrate your ascension to the throne."

Yu Ze put away the memorial with a "rustle".

All the generals bowed their hands at the same time and said, "We bow our heads and do our utmost to congratulate Your Majesty on your ascension to the throne."

Wang Yinke at the back finally felt completely relieved.

Li Xuan's article is about the expedition to the Western Regions, and it is not directed at Empress Wu.

Wang Yinke felt inexplicably amused. There was some chaos in the court now, but in fact it was just a power struggle between the Queen Mother and the Emperor and his son.

The final result will be that one side will be strong while the other will be weak. If Li Xuan really wants to send troops, the people of the world will not let him go first.

……

Yes, before Empress Wu took action, Li Xuan had no reason to return to Chang'an.

There was not even a reason to stop the advance, and Li Xian did not give him an imperial edict.

Li Xuan bowed solemnly, stood up with an indifferent expression, then turned to look at everyone and said: "With the blessing of the spirit of the late emperor, the army will surely win the battle."

"With the blessing of the late emperor, our army will win." Everyone bowed in unison.

Li Xuan turned to look at Yu Ze and said seriously: "General Yu, I order you to guard this place and offer sacrifices every day. Anyone who dares to disturb the spirit of the late emperor will be killed."

"Yes!" Yu Ze bowed solemnly.

Li Xuan turned around and looked outside the palace, and said coldly: "Go to war."

"Here!" Everyone cupped their hands at the same time.

Li Xuan strode through the crowd, and only when he walked out of the hall did the others follow closely.

Wang Yinke stood behind the palace door, looking solemnly at the sandalwood box enshrined under the portrait of the late emperor.

He knew that it should contain the last will and testament left by the late emperor to Li Xuan.

He also knew that the last words Li Xuan said were actually directed at him.

He even understood that there was probably nothing in the box, and this hall was a trap set for him.

If he did anything wrong, Yu Ze could kill him with justification.

Turning around, Wang Yinke followed everyone out of the hall.

Hundreds of black-armored right guards are still stationed on top of Hongshan Mountain, with sharp swords and spears, and icy bows and crossbows.

……

Wang Yinke followed the army and continued to follow Li Xuan all the way to Shigatse, where they stayed and garrisoned.

Li Xuan led the Right Wuwei, Right Lingjunwei, Left Guard, Right Guard, and Right Xiaowei cavalry, totaling 25,000 people, and continued forward.

In the Western Regions, there are already 10,000 troops stationed in Luoshui Road, and they even engaged in battle with the Western Turks last year.

Li Xuan's trip will surely cause endless killing in Western Turkestan.

But fortunately, he left after all.

Wang Yinke turned around and looked at the entire Shigatse. He was responsible for transporting all the densely packed food, fodder and military equipment here.

He could finally report to the Queen Mother with ease.

King Peng has no ulterior motives, so everything can continue.

(End of this chapter)