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

Chapter 1663 Wu Sansi, a villain

The city of Luoyang in the early morning is less noisy than before.

Many people in the city were rushing to and fro, constantly buying food for their homes.

Xue Shao rode slowly towards Dingding Gate, and the butler behind him whispered, "The price of grain increased fourfold the day before yesterday, and it increased tenfold yesterday.

Today is not so bad. Although there is still a slight increase, it is only twelve times. Although people are still fighting for their houses, their hearts are much more at ease. "

Xue Shao nodded calmly. He knew that what the people of Luoyang were really afraid of was endless war.

But since Li Xuan read out the late emperor's last will outside Dingding Gate yesterday, the people suddenly felt relieved.

After all, he returned with a reason. Even if he attacked the city, he would not hurt too many people, and he would not massacre the people of Luoyang after the war...

Suddenly, there was an uproar from the front.

Xue Shao waved his hand slightly, and the butler immediately went forward to investigate.

Soon, the butler came back with a strange look on his face. He whispered in Xue Shao's ear, "Someone spread the news in the city that King Peng would flood Luoyang City."

"Flooding Luoyang City?" Xue Shao was stunned, and then he subconsciously said: "Is Uncle Wang trying to attack the heart?"

"Not likely." The housekeeper looked cautiously at the entire team of Qianniu Guards following behind, and then whispered in Xue Shao's ear: "If they were King Peng's men, they should have spread the rumor quietly in the shadows, out of sight, instead of spreading it everywhere in the streets and alleys like now, while Luozhou Prefecture, Luoyang County in Henan, and the Jinwu Guards did nothing about it."

"They are throwing dirty water on Uncle Wang and slandering him, but at the same time, they are making it so that Uncle Wang dare not really flood Luoyang City and is restrained from doing anything?" Xue Shao narrowed his eyes slightly.

The butler stepped back a little and asked carefully, "Will it?"

"What do you mean? Will Uncle Wang flood Luoyang City, or will he be afraid of the current means and not flood Luoyang City?" Xue Shao looked at his housekeeper, then waved his hand and said seriously: "Uncle Wang is not the kind of person who will be bound by the name. He will definitely do whatever he wants, even if it means flooding Luoyang City."

After a short pause, Xue Shao looked towards Dingding Gate in the distance, holding the reins, and said softly: "If there is ever a day when Luoyang City is flooded, it must be Uncle Wang's last resort. By that time, Luoyang City will have been conquered, and the people in the city will not complain, but will praise and thank him for avoiding a bloody massacre."

The butler was stunned, then fell silent.

As they were talking, the group had already arrived at Dingding Gate. Xue Shao looked around in surprise.

Under the city gate, countless soldiers were carrying countless crossbows, rolling stones, kerosene and other weapons for defending the city of different sizes.

A large number of carriages came continuously from the rear, and seemed to have no end.

On the top of the city wall, countless people were also taking action, actively preparing to defend Dingding Gate.

"Luoyang is the capital of the world. The military supplies it has are so abundant that even Chang'an can hardly match it." Xue Shao shook his head slightly and glanced to the side. A Qianniu Guard leader had already urged his horse forward to communicate with the gatekeeper general.

Soon, Yan Huaidan appeared at the door and bowed to Xue Shao, saying, "Son-in-law?"

"General Yan, I have been ordered to leave the city, so I will not go down to pay my respects." Xue Shao nodded slightly.

"You are too kind, Prince Consort." Yan Huaidan bowed, then turned around, looked at the city gate, and shouted, "Open the gate."

With a loud "boom", the inner and outer gates opened at the same time. Afterwards, more than a dozen soldiers came forward to remove the bolt and open the Dingding Gate.

Outside the city, the suspension bridge over the moat was quickly lowered, and everything outside the city suddenly appeared in front of Xue Shao.

Xue Shao subconsciously urged his horse forward, and the soldiers in front immediately made way.

Soon, Xue Shao led a team of Qianniu Guards out of the city, but the steward of the Prince Consort's Mansion stayed behind with a team of people.

……

As soon as Xue Shao left the city, the drawbridge behind him was immediately raised.

The city gates were completely closed at the same time.

Xue Shao was about to move forward when he heard the sound. He was subconsciously startled and turned around. The entrance to the city behind him was completely closed.

Suddenly, Xue Shao gave a helpless smile.

Subconsciously, Xue Shao looked up at the city gate.

Yan Huaidan, dressed in red and golden armor, looked particularly conspicuous.

Xue Shao frowned. Where is the old general Shatuo? Why is he not here?
Thinking of this, Xue Shao's eyes jumped suddenly.

The next moment, he had turned his horse around and headed towards Xingluo Lake in the distance.

……

The vast Xiong'er Mountain undulates from the endless mountains and spreads to the Longmen Mountain.

In the center of Longmen Mountain, over a huge gap, the Yi River roars out.

Between the gaps, the majestic Yique Pass is built against two mountains.

Water can flow through the water gate, and people can flow through the land gate, blocking the entrance to Luoyang from the south and southeast.

The continuous Right Guard Army camp is located in the south of Xingluo Lake.

Facing Yique Pass.

Less than ten miles away from Xingluo Lake in the north is Dingding Gate.

As Xue Shao traveled along the way, he saw countless soldiers digging trenches and setting traps in the north of Xingluo Lake to create a long isolation.

Li Xuan's attitude was very clear. He would not attack Dingdingmen first, but before attacking Dingdingmen, he would take Yique Pass first.

He might not easily take ruthless action against the people in Luoyang City, but the same may not be true for Yique Pass.

Xue Shao was sure that it would not be long before Yique Pass would be captured by Li Xuan.

Xue Shao did not enter the military camp. In surprise, he was taken to the southeast of Longmen Town under Yique Pass.

The Yi River flowed slowly by his side. As long as Xue Shao looked up, he could see the nervous soldiers at Yique Pass.

Countless black-armored cavalrymen spread throughout the vast jungle, and quite a few of them even appeared on the top of Longmen Mountain, trying to cross the mountain. But at this time, crossbow arrows hidden deep in the jungle opposite had already been shot out.

Fight, fight.

In invisible corners, countless scouts were fighting madly, never stopping for a moment.

Li Xuan, dressed in black and without armor, stood calmly by the Yi River, painting the entire mountainous landscape. In the painting, Xiong'er Mountain and Longmen Mountain are clearly visible.

Above it, dense forests sway in the wind.

Standing nearby, Xue Shao seemed to be able to sense the sound of the wind.

The wind blew along the mountains and forests and straight into the entire Luoyang.

Although the shadow of Luoyang is blurry in the painting, there is a straight road leading directly to the Ziwei Palace.

Take Yique Pass, break into Dingding Gate, and go straight to the palace. This is Li Xuan’s plan, simple and direct.

……

"Uncle Wang!" Xue Shao stopped at the side and bowed to Li Xuan.

Li Xuan calmly stopped painting, but the whole painting was not completed.

But it doesn't matter much, it's just a practice piece.

Li Xuan looked up at Xue Shao, nodded calmly, and said, "The prince consort is here, how is the city going?"

Xue Shao's expression became serious, and he said carefully: "After Uncle Wang read out my father's will yesterday, the people in the city calmed down a lot, but... but there are still people making small moves, spreading the news that Uncle Wang will flood Luoyang City."

Li Xuan suddenly smiled, walked to the grass nearby, sat down on the ground, raised his head and looked at Xue Shao: "Please sit down, Prince Consort."

"Thank you, Uncle Wang!" Xue Shao sat down opposite Li Xuan, then looked at Li Xuan with a serious face.

Li Xuan said with a relaxed expression: "This is the way the court does it. Seize every opportunity that can be seized."

"Please forgive my rudeness, Uncle Wang, but may I ask, will you flood Luoyang City?" Xue Shao said with a hint of worry in his eyes.

"If you say no, you're lying." Li Xuan glanced at Li Lang, who was standing on the ground with a teapot, and then looked at Xue Shao and said, "Luoyang is surrounded by four rivers and connected by eight channels. Some places are high and some are low. Only by concentrating the water flow in a certain area and then running it through can we flood an area."

A certain area in Luoyang City will be flooded in the future, and Li Xuan will rely on that water attack to enter the city.

Xue Shao immediately understood that Li Xuan already had the most complete plan to capture Luoyang City.

"There is another thing." Xue Shao took a deep breath, looked at Li Xuan, and said, "Yesterday, someone in the court...someone suspected that the will in Uncle Wang's hand was fake, because they searched the entire palace and could not find a copy of the will."

"There is no copy of the will in the palace?" Li Xuan was stunned. What was going on? Did Li Zhi give him the will just to kill him like Emperor Wu killed Dou Ying?
"It's not just Uncle Wang's. Prime Minister Pei and Duke Jiang also have no copies of the wills in their hands." After a short pause, Xue Shao continued, "So the court suspected that my father had given the will to the Imperial Censor for safekeeping."

"Su Liangsi?" Li Xuan nodded slightly.

"So last night, the Minister of the Central Secretariat Fan Lubing personally led people to the residence of the Imperial Censor, but..." Xue Shao looked at Li Xuan seriously and said, "But the Imperial Censor's residence was empty."

"Oh!" Li Xuan frowned slightly in surprise, then he said thoughtfully: "Brother Su was originally the commander of the secret guards, and he still has some connections in the palace. It is not difficult for him to escape in advance, but if this happens, the palace will be in trouble."

Su Liangsi was ordered by the late emperor to keep the copy of the will. Now the palace wants to get the copy, but Su Liangsi has hidden away.

What does this mean?
This shows that Su Liangsi did not approve of the practices in the palace and did not approve of Empress Wu's practices.

Li Xuan, Pei Yan, Pei Xingjian, Su Liangsi, and other important officials left by Emperor Gaozong did not approve of Empress Wu. As a result, the morale of the court officials was shaken.

"Thank you, Prince Consort." Li Xuan looked up, smiled, and then asked, "How is the princess now?"

"What else can I do? I can just stay at home and take care of the child." Xue Shao sighed and said, "Since my mother did not allow Taiping to visit the palace, Taiping has not left the mansion. But it's good that there are fewer storms."

Li Xuan nodded and said, "Your Highness is here to deliver a letter, right? How is His Majesty doing recently?"

Xue Shao took out the envelope from his bosom and handed it to Li Xuan, saying, "I don't know. There has been no news from your majesty in the palace for a long time."

"No news." Li Xuan paused for a moment while holding the envelope, then squinted his eyes and looked at Xue Shao and said, "That is to say, the Prince Consort did not see His Majesty before leaving the city this time. Then what about this letter? Isn't it from His Majesty to the Prince Consort?"

"No." Xue Shao's face immediately became serious. He looked at Li Xuan and said, "It's the Duke of Liang."

"Wu Sansi, he is a villain." Li Xuan suddenly sneered, then he took out a sachet from his waist, took out a porcelain bottle from it, and then poured out two black pills from it. He ate one himself and then handed one to Xue Shao.

After doing all this, Li Xuan carefully held her breath and took out the letter inside.

A faint fragrance has already dissipated quietly.

"It turns out to be narcissus juice, which has the effects of refreshing the mind, regulating qi and menstruation, and detoxifying. It is usually fine, but when combined with Curculigo, it becomes poisonous, extremely poisonous." Li Xuan narrowed his eyes slightly, looked up at Xue Shao, and said with some pity: "In the future, the Queen will probably have to run away again. At that time, if Xuan gets into trouble, the Prince Consort..."

"I will be hacked to death." Xue Shao stared at the letter, his eyes full of disbelief.

Li Xuan smiled and said softly, "Since the Queen is willing to do something, then I should also return the favor. Come on, please prepare the writing brush and ink."

Under Xue Shao's gaze, Li Xuan unfolded the letter paper and gently wrote two words.

Melon stage.

Xue Shao immediately understood that this was Li Xian’s “Cucumber Lines”.

Plant melons under the yellow platform, and take the seeds when the melons are ripe.

Picking once makes the melon good, picking again makes the melon thin.

You can still pick it three times, but you can pick it and return with the vines.

Li Xuan calmly put the letter into the envelope and handed it to Xue Shao, saying, "Tell the Queen that I look forward to meeting the Emperor at Dingding Gate."

"Yes!" Xue Shao bowed solemnly.

……

In the darkness of night, the gate of Dingdingmen suddenly opened, and countless cavalrymen rushed out of the gate silently.

At the same time, countless cavalrymen also quietly emerged from Xuanyuan Pass in Songshan Mountain and Yique Pass in Longmen Mountain.

In the center of the three places is Xingluo Lake.

The place where Li Xuan’s army camp was located.

Night attack.

(End of this chapter)