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

Chapter 1624 Seizing the Power of the Sixteen Guards of Chang'an
Under the city of Chang'an, Li Xuan took the imperial edict and mounted his horse.

Looking up, Li Xuan gave Xue Guwu a cold look, then immediately turned his horse and headed towards the Right Guard Army under the city.

Emperor Gaozong's last will was held high, and no one dared to act rashly.

War horses galloped wildly under the city of Chang'an. Li Xuan held the imperial edict high in his hand and flew past the central army at a high speed, shouting at the same time: "Emperor Gaozong's will is for the prosperity of the country, the people to live in harmony, the stability of the country, and the prosperity of the Tang Dynasty. Today, the central government is in chaos. Peng Wang Xuan, as the Grand Marshal, is in charge of the military power of the world. I hereby order..."

Throughout Chang'an City, everyone's eyes were on Li Xuan.

Emperor Gaozong's will appointed Li Xuan as the Grand Marshal to assist in state affairs and command the military power of the whole country when the country was in turmoil and the central government was in unrest.

According to convention, the position of Grand Marshal was only awarded posthumously in the Tang Dynasty.

Fang Xuanling, Li Tai, Li Zhong, Li Yuanli and others were all awarded titles posthumously.

However, after Li Dan ascended the throne, he appointed King of Han as Taifu, King of Huo as Taishi, King of Shu as Taibao, King of Lu as Taiwei, King of Ji as Situ, and Li Xuan as Sikong.

When Li Chongzhao ascended the throne in Yangzhou, Li Xuan was appointed as the Grand Commandant.

However, whether it was Li Dan or Li Chongzhao, this approach was intended to win over the hearts of the people to the greatest extent possible.

At that time, Li Dan's position was completely nominal.

Li Chongzhao gave the title to Li Xuan because he was already the Minister of Works, and then he was made the Grand General of the Right Guard and the Grand Commandant, so he could prevent chaos.

Only in Li Zhi's will was Li Xuan appointed as Grand Commandant.

The Grand Marshal held great power, participated in state affairs, and commanded the military power of the world.

Of course, there are huge limitations here.

If the government is stable and Li Xuan rashly raises an army, then the position of Taiwei will be invalid, and anyone in the world can use this will to directly kill Li Xuan and grant him the title of Duke.

Li Zhi originally imagined that the situation in the court and the country would be in chaos to an unimaginable degree, but even he did not expect that all this would happen so quickly.

Li Xuan ran very fast in front of the central army, and continued to shout: "Chang'an, the capital of the Tang Dynasty, is an important place, and it must not be stained by war. Order that the sixteen guards of Chang'an, the Left Guard, the Right Guard, the Left Xiao Guard, the Right Xiao Guard, the Left Mighty Guard, the Right Mighty Guard, the Left Leading Army Guard, the Right Leading Army Guard, and other guards, return to the barracks immediately, take off their armor, put their bows and crossbows into storage, and avoid getting stained with blood."

Li Xuan rode his horse at full speed, from the Right Guard and the Right Xiaowei on the left side to the Left Guard and the Left Xiaowei on the left side, and read out his own military order from the Grand Commandant loudly.

……

Under the city of Chang'an, listening to Li Xuan's military orders, everyone looked at their superiors in confusion.

King Peng returned to the capital to quell the rebellion according to the late emperor's will.

Logically speaking, the soldiers who were guarding Chang'an should have resisted with all their might. However, Li Xuan only approached Chang'an and did not attack the city. He did not even start a war with the Sixteen Guards and did not fire a single crossbow arrow. Not to mention that he still had the emperor's last will in his hands, so they would not take the initiative to attack Li Xuan.

However, not attacking Li Xuan does not mean that they have to obey Li Xuan's orders.

Even though he had the late emperor's will, granting him the title of Grand Marshal and giving him military power over the entire country, not every soldier had to obey his orders.

They were all looking at their superiors, but these people couldn't help but look at their superiors. In the last moment, many eyes were actually focused on Xue Guwu.

On top of the city gate, Xue Guwu smiled.

After all, he was the defender of Chang'an City appointed by the Queen Mother. Although Li Dan's succession had some problems, he eventually ascended the throne.

Approved by both the government and the opposition.

How could it be possible for Li Xuan to make tens of thousands of troops obey his orders just by holding the late emperor's will?

"Pass the order!" Xue Guwu finally came to his senses and said sideways: "Crossbows ready!"

When Li Xuan arrived today, he set up the late emperor's mourning shed and tortured Ma Zongsi in public. He then took out the late emperor's will and appointed himself as the Grand Marshal.

Fearing various situations, Xue Guwu did not dare to shoot a crossbow at Li Xuan.

At this point, Li Xuan has finally revealed all of his cards.

Xue Guwu finally reacted and turned sideways to give orders.

When the guards at the city gate heard Xue Guwu's order, they looked at him in surprise.

Are you crazy? He is the Grand Marshal of the dynasty, in charge of all the military power. They must be crazy to attack him.

Not to mention the common soldiers, even the captains, lieutenants, lieutenants, generals, and lieutenant generals, none of them dared to take action.

In addition to being the Grand Marshal, Li Xuan was also the heir to the throne, a close confidant of Emperor Gaozong and Emperor Zhongzong, and the prince's tutor to the new emperor Li Chongzhao.

Not to mention, there is also the Left Prime Minister Liu Rengui in Chang'an.

Even Emperor Li Dan of Luoyang was not necessarily willing to take action against Li Xuan.

Seeing the soldiers hesitate, Xue Guwu frowned tightly and looked directly at his personal soldiers.

The personal guards on one side immediately stepped forward to grab the crossbow.

At this moment, at the city gate, Li Xuan had returned to the outside of the Jinguan Gate.

Li Xuan saw all the movements at the Jinguan Gate with an extremely cold look in his eyes.

He held up the Emperor Gaozong's will in his right hand, and then shouted to everyone, "All the troops, I, as the Grand Commandant, order all the troops to return to the barracks in an orderly manner from now on. The Right Guard General Qiu Zhenmu."

"I am here." Qiu Zhenmu bowed solemnly and stepped forward.

Li Xuan looked at him calmly with a serious look in his eyes. He took out his seal of the Right Guard General from his body and said quickly, "I want you to lead the Right Guard back to the camp with the order of the Right Guard General. Is that okay?"

"It's feasible. I'll obey your command." Qiu Zhenmu rode forward, took the seal of the Right Guard General from Li Xuan's hand, then turned to the right without any hesitation.

Go directly to the right side where the Right Guard Army is located.

On the city wall, the Zuo Qianniu guard who had already grabbed the crossbow immediately aimed it at Qiu Zhenmu who was closer to the city wall.

"Wait!" Liang Xing, the General of the Left Gate Guard, immediately stepped forward and pressed down the crossbow.

More guards from the left gate stepped forward to stop them at the same time.

Xue Guwu's face suddenly darkened: "General Liang, what are you going to do?"

Liang Xing clasped his fists and said, "General, please listen to what I have to say. General Qiu was acting under military orders. Please send someone out of the city to stop him. Please forgive me for not allowing the hidden arrow to hurt people."

"No, you?" Xue Guwu couldn't help laughing. How could anyone dare to stop him? "Someone come here!"

Xue Guwu's personal soldiers immediately drew their swords. At Liang Xing's side, more personal soldiers also pointed their spears at Xue Guwu.

Xue Guwu gritted his teeth and looked at Liang Xing, asking, "Why?"

Liang Xing looked at Qiu Zhenmu outside the city with a complicated expression and said, "Although I am a humble general, my family has received great favors from Duke Tan. Today, I don't ask for anything else, but I only ask the general not to hurt anyone from behind."

"Duke Tan, Master Qiu?" Xue Guwu immediately understood. Qiu Zhenmu was the grandson of Duke Tan, Master Qiu. Master Qiu had served as the General of the Left Guard.

Of course, Master Qiu has passed away for many years, but the Qiu family has never declined.

After Master Qiu died, Qiu Xinggong took over his position. After Qiu Xinggong died, Qiu Shenji was trusted by the Queen Mother of Heaven.

After Qiu Shenji died, Qiu Zhenmu took over his position.

Now he is the General of the Right Guard.

Over the past few decades, the Qiu family's in-laws and old friends have already formed a complete circle of interests.

There is no doubt that Lianghang is also a member of this circle.

Of course, any requests or interactions are not important. What is important is the future.

Liang Xing saw clearly that Li Xuan was now at the gate of the city. After his several actions, not only were the left and right guards at the gate of Chang'an City uneasy, but even the left gate guard was also feeling uneasy.

Therefore, at the critical moment, Liang Xing chose to stand up and stop Xue Guwu from attacking Qiu Zhenmu.

Or to put it more directly, he was helping Li Xuan. "General!" A personal soldier behind him couldn't help but remind Xue Guwu at this time. Xue Guwu turned around subconsciously and saw Qiu Zhenmu had already rushed to the front of the right guard formation.

……

Qiu Zhenmu stopped his horse and looked solemnly at all the right guards. Everyone couldn't help but tighten their swords and spears.

Almost everyone on and below the city wall was looking at Qiu Zhenmu.

Five thousand soldiers of the Right Guard lined up against the city wall, with their swords and spears pointed forward, and countless crossbows were silently aimed at Qiu Zhenmu.

As long as someone loosened his hand, the crossbow arrow would be fired and could kill Qiu Zhenmu with one arrow, but the strange thing was that no one took action.

Qiu Zhenmu raised the token of the Right Guard General and said loudly: "I, under the order of the General, will lead the Right Guard back to the barracks immediately. All the garrison officers who are willing to follow my command, please stand up immediately and follow me back to the barracks."

The five thousand right guards could not help but look at their commander.

Situ Xun, the Right Guard General standing at the head of many soldiers, immediately looked at Qiu Zhenmu with a complicated expression.

Now, he is the person with the highest official position in the entire Right Guard.

After Li Xuan led Right Guard General Qiu Zhenmu and Right Guard Lieutenant General Yan Tao to the Western Regions, Right Guard General Ma Sizong was promoted to General of the Left Jinwu Guard, and Right Guard Lieutenant General Zheng Sheng and other Ma Sizong's confidants also followed.

Those who are still able to command the troops in the Right Guard are neither Li Xuan’s confidants nor Ma Sizong’s confidants.

They were left in Chang'an because they were too deeply influenced by Li Xuan.

At this moment, Li Xuan and Qiu Zhenmu wanted them to return to the camp, and Situ Xun didn't know how to decide for a moment.

"Boom, boom, boom!" The sound of war drums rang out on the city wall.

Situ Xun's face couldn't help but change. This was Xue Guwu's order for them to advance.

Looking at the tens of thousands of his comrades across from him who were wearing white linen mourning clothes, Situ Xun suddenly felt infinite hatred for Xue Guwu. Did he really want them to die?
"I am willing to obey your orders and return to the camp." A captain stood up behind Situ Xun.

Situ Xun looked sideways and immediately understood that this person was originally arranged by Qiu Zhenmu.

It is perfectly normal for the Qiu family to arrange a confidant to join the Right Guard.

Moreover, Qiu Zhenmu has arranged more than one over the years.

Not everyone was willing to follow him on the expedition to the Western Regions, and many were unwilling to do so, and finally stayed in Chang'an.

"I am willing to obey your orders and return to the camp." The two captains stood up.

"Boom, boom, boom!" The sound of war drums on the city wall became more and more urgent, but at this time, more and more Right Guard officers began to stand up and obey orders.

In a very short time, half of the people had stood up. Qiu Zhenmu breathed a sigh of relief and did not wait any longer. He shouted loudly: "All soldiers, follow me back to the camp immediately."

After Qiu Zhenmu finished speaking, he turned his horse around and headed towards the Right Guard Camp.

The captain who stood up first did not hesitate at all. He immediately waved to his men and followed Qiu Zhenmu to the camp.

The more urgent the sound of the war drums on the city wall, the more generals and soldiers were willing to follow Qiu Zhenmu back to the barracks.

Finally, the Right Guard General Situ Xun looked back at the city wall. The next moment, he stood up, waved his hand, and began to return to the barracks with all the remaining Right Guard soldiers.

After a while, there were only a hundred or so people left on the right guard position, some squatting or lying on the ground, without moving.

However, the soldiers on the city wall saw clearly that it was not that these people did not want to move, but that they could not move.

Endless blood was already flowing out from beneath their bodies.

They are already dead.

……

Nothing is ever safe and secure.

There has never been any such thing as unparalleled loyalty.

Only when all enemies are killed will the world be at peace.

Li Xuan raised his head, held up the late emperor's will, and said loudly: "Left Guard General Tang Zhenxing."

"I am here." Tang Zhenxing rode up to Li Xuan's side and bowed solemnly.

"I order you to take the order of the General of the Left Guard and lead the Left Guard army back to the camp." Li Xuan directly threw Wang Xiaojie's order of the General to Tang Zhenxing.

"Yes!" Tang Zhenxing immediately bowed, turned around and quickly ran towards the Zuowei army.

With the Right Guard leading the way, when a Left Guard captain stood up, more Left Guard soldiers followed suit.

Although Tang Zhenxing does not have the same background as Qiu Zhenmu, he has spent more time as a left guard.

A moment later, most of the Left Guard soldiers followed Tang Zhenxing towards the Left Guard camp.

Only about 300 Zuowei soldiers were left there, and forty or fifty corpses were lying on the ground.

Li Xuan turned sideways and said, "Order the Right General Li Duozuo to lead the left and right Generals back to the main camp, and order the Left Guard Lieutenant General Huang Ze to lead the left and right Guards back to the camp."

More than a dozen Qianniu Guards rushed frantically towards the north and south gates on both sides.

Li Xuan held up the Emperor Gaozong's will and said loudly, "General Ren Enci of the Right Guard, General Li Gu of the Right Guard, lead the left and right guards back to the camp immediately."

"Here!"

……

Under the city of Chang'an, the army of sixteen guards that guarded the city quickly dispersed and returned to the camp in the eyes of Xue Guwu who could not believe his eyes.

There were only a thousand people left in the city.

Li Xuan held up Emperor Gaozong's will and waved it forward gently.

The next moment, tens of thousands of soldiers dressed in white linen mourning clothes pressed towards the city gate at the same time.

Flags are waving and white banners are standing in rows.

Xue Guwu looked up and saw himself in the center of the army. Dozens of carts carrying hidden crossbows and dozens of catapults were already aimed at the city gate.

Li Xuan gently urged his horse forward and looked up at Xue Guwu: "General, how about opening the door?"

Xue Guwu clenched his fists tightly and said nothing.

Time passed by bit by bit, and the setting sun was slanting.

Xue Guwu stood on the city gate, the afterglow of the setting sun making his eyes dark.

Suddenly, there was a loud noise coming from the east of the city, and the gongs and drums in the city were beating wildly.

"That should be the direction of Qixia Gate."

Li Xuan looked up at Xue Guwu and said calmly, "There are always people willing to return to the orthodox command at the fourteen gates of Chang'an City. In addition, there is the Jinguan Gate. Over the years, I have always left from the Jinguan Gate and have a good relationship with the guards here. What do you think they will do at night?"

Xue Guwu's face suddenly changed and he couldn't help but take a few steps back. At this moment, a commotion came from the north city.

Xue Guwu glanced at Liang Xing, the General of the Left Gate Guard, gritted his teeth, turned around and immediately went down the city gate.

The sound of hurried horse hooves sounded and faded away.

……

The sound of hurried horse hooves approached and stopped.

Immediately, Liu Rengui appeared on the city gate.

(End of this chapter)