this novel is healthy

Chapter 1697 Reasonable [Free]

"Yier! What do you think?" Li Shimin did not answer Wu Zetian, but threw the question to Li Yi.

Li Yi thought for a moment, then whispered in Li Shimin's ear under Wu Zetian's expectant gaze, "Grandpa Emperor, I think this is not possible. Wu Zetian is sinister and vicious, and has been in the palace for many years. It is inevitable that there will be some assassins. Wu Zetian is in the cold palace, and I am afraid she can freely communicate with the inside and outside. Keeping Wu Zetian alive is a huge disaster. Even if my grandson is killed by 10 troops today, Wu Zetian's life must not be spared."

"Anyway, my grandson still has several uncles living in the local area. By that time, Wu will be dead and the others will be insignificant. The world will naturally return to the hands of the Li family!" Li Yi said.

"Yes!" Li Shimin nodded in satisfaction, and then said, "But Grandpa Huang can't bear to part with your precious grandson. If you kill Wu, can you deal with the 10 troops outside?"

"Yes!" Li Yi thought for a while, and then said, "I have heard of Lou Shide. Although he was promoted by Wu Zetian, he was born in an aristocratic family. He is upright and kind to his subordinates. He is a gentleman!"

"My grandson has heard that a gentleman can be deceived by tricks. We can first agree to Wu's request and let her go out to persuade Lou Shide to surrender. However, Wu's injuries are serious and it is inevitable that she cannot be cured, so she will die tonight. At that time, we will promote Lou Shide to a higher position, appease him, and return to Chang'an with the court."

"The Wu family has been operating in Luoyang for more than ten years. There are not many people in Chang'an, and there are not many people in the palace. As long as my grandson manages Chang'an well, he will be able to stabilize the world!" Li Yi secretly told Li Shimin about the plan, and thought that he would get Li Shimin's approval again. As a result, Li Shimin shook his head and said, "Grandson, your plan is good, but you take it for granted!"

Li Shimin flicked his long sleeves and said, "You are cheating, scheming, and trying to manage Chang'an. You don't know the safety of Chang'an. Little do you know that the more complicated the plan, the more dangerous it is. The simplest plan is the best plan!"

"Today the Emperor will teach you a trick, just watch!" After saying that, Li Shimin walked directly out of the Mingtang. Li Yi was stunned and immediately followed Li Shimin.

Cheng Yaojin chuckled, grabbed Wu Zetian's neck and went out. Naturally, the ministers were not willing to be left behind. They were also very curious about how Li Shimin planned to deal with the 100,000 troops outside, so they followed him out of the Mingtang.

Sure enough, outside the Mingtang, they were completely surrounded by the army.

One hundred thousand elite troops armed to the teeth surrounded the entire Mingtang. Standing in the front was a veteran in his sixties, wearing armor and looking at the Mingtang with worry.

"General, give the order to march and rescue His Majesty!" A middle-aged man beside Lou Shide kept urging.

His name was Wu Chengsi. He was the nephew of Wu Zetian and one of the few remaining male descendants of the Wu family.

Normally, Wu Chengsi should have attended this crucial succession ceremony, but Wu Zetian was extremely cautious and naturally very nervous about the army. Although the army was commanded by her most trusted Lou Shide, he was not named Wu after all, and his character was too upright. Such a person might also defect to Li Tang.

So at the critical moment, Wu Zetian ordered Wu Chengsi to take 500 personal guards to serve as Lou Shide's deputy. The intention was naturally self-evident, that is, to monitor Lou Shide at the critical moment, and if there was any change, to kill Lou Shide at the first time and take over the army.

Unexpectedly, Lou Shide himself was not in trouble. Instead, there was a calming news from the city, saying that Emperor Taizong of Tang had returned and controlled Wu Zetian. Although Wu Chengsi thought it was nonsense, the one who came to deliver the message was Wu Zetian's confidant, so he and Lou Shide rushed to rescue the emperor. As a result, when they arrived at the Mingtang, they learned from the guards who had fled that the emperor was really in danger.

For the sake of his aunt and for the throne that he might inherit in the future, Wu Chengsi naturally kept urging Lou Shide to charge in.

But Lou Shide was very calm and said frankly that this might endanger Emperor Wu's life, and that they must make sure whether Emperor Wu was alive or dead before doing anything else.

Just as Wu Chengsi was pondering whether to send his men to kill Lou Shide directly and then lead the army to rush directly inside, the door of the Mingtang opened, and an extremely domineering man walked out first, followed by the ministers of the Tang Dynasty and Wu Zetian who was captured by Cheng Yaojin.

"Aunt, I'm so glad you're okay. Your nephew is here to save you!" Wu Chengsi said excitedly when he saw that Wu Zetian was still alive.

When Lou Shide saw Wu Zetian covered in blood, he was in great pain. He pointed his spear at Li Shimin and said, "Traitor, release the emperor immediately, and I will spare your life!"

"Your name is Lou Shide, right?" Li Shimin pinched his shoulder and said, "I remember you. When you passed the imperial examination, there was actually a debate in the court. The examiner said that you were not suitable to be a Jinshi because you had a disability in your legs and were dark and big, not very good-looking. They said that if someone like you passed the imperial examination, it would be a disgrace to the Tang court."

"I was very unhappy when I heard that because my son also lost a leg and was still quarreling with me. So I scolded the examiner and selected you as a Jinshi. Do you remember?" Li Shimin looked at Lou Shide with a smile and said, "It's rare to meet young people from the Zhenguan period. It's not easy!"

"You are really His Majesty Taizong!" Lou Shide was shocked. He opened his eyes wide and repeatedly observed Li Shimin's appearance until Wu Chengsi said angrily, "Lou Shide, don't forget who put you in this situation. Your aunt is still in his hands. If you still have a conscience, lead your troops to rush over and rescue your aunt now!"

"Of course!" Lou Shide's expression tightened, and then he said, "But if we rush over rashly, if these people hurt Emperor Wu in a crisis, I will never be able to atone for my sins. It would be better for me to talk to him and replace Emperor Wu!"

"Hurry up!" Wu Chengsi said impatiently, and Lou Shide immediately became serious. Just as he was about to start the negotiation, Li Shimin grabbed Wu Zetian from Cheng Yaojin and said, "Lou Shide, and all the soldiers, I am not here to negotiate with you, but to reason with you!"

"Speaking of reason?" The soldiers were stunned.

"Look!" Li Shimin narrowed his eyes and said, "You came here to save Wu Zetian. You saved Wu Zetian because she is your master. She can bring you wealth and glory, so she must live!"

"But if she is dead, do you actually don't need to save her?" After saying that, Li Shimin twisted Wu Zetian's head and neck with his left hand. Blood spurted out immediately, but miraculously not a drop splashed on Li Shimin.

At this time, Wu Zetian's eyes were wide open. She had never expected that she would be killed right in front of her own army of 100,000!
(End of this chapter)