Elegy of Tang Dynasty

Chapter 552 The Sunset on the Long River Finally Comes

Rejected by Li Ying, Yan Zhenqing left in dismay.

He didn't believe that Fang Youde could turn the tide, because the elite troops under Huangfu Weiming's command this time were in a completely different state from the Western Army that had already been well fed and watered in Chang'an City last time.

Li Heng refused to leave Chang'an for the time being. If Chang'an really fell, how would the new king cope with the situation?
This is a question Yan Zhenqing did not dare to think about in detail. And Fang Youde's strategy of "one cover to block two openings" is also incredible.

On the one hand, Yan Zhenqing was worried that Fang Youde could not win, and on the other hand, he was worried about Li Heng's stubbornness. He fell ill after returning home after being caught in the rain.

As for Li Heng, after Yan Zhenqing left, Li Heng sat alone in the main hall of the Purple Palace for a long time, staring in a daze at the palace door that was rattling in the strong wind.

The flames of the torches in the hall flickered, and Li Ying's shadow reflected on the wall also flickered along with it.

"How is the Emperor doing lately?"

Li Ying opened his eyes, looked at Cheng Yuanzhen beside him and asked.

"Your Majesty, the Emperor has been eating and sleeping well lately. He has gained a lot of weight because of his pampered lifestyle."

Cheng Yuanzhen pretended to be cautious when speaking, lowering his head and not daring to look at Li Heng.

Hearing the provocation in the other party's words, Li Heng did not point it out, but just showed a sneer on his face.

How is it possible that Brother Ji has gained a lot of weight now? This is obviously Cheng Yuanzhen hinting to Li Heng that he should get rid of this old man as soon as possible.

Otherwise, relying on the residual power of being the emperor for decades, Brother Ji can still stir up trouble.

Of course, Cheng Yuanzhen felt that he needed to sneak into the village, without firing a gun, and just kill Brother Ji silently.

"Lead the way, I want to see the emperor."

Li Ying stood up and walked straight towards the main gate of the Zichen Palace.

"Your Majesty, it's raining heavily outside. It won't be too late to go after the rain stops."

Cheng Yuanzhen followed behind Li Heng and suggested in a low voice.

Li Heng answered him by turning around and giving him a cold look.

Cheng Yuanzhen did not dare to persuade him anymore and hurried to prepare the carriage. Daming Palace was still some distance away from Xingqing Palace. In the carriage, Li Heng closed his eyes and said nothing. What emerged in his mind were the humiliations of the past.

It's time to settle the accounts.

The rain outside gradually became lighter.

Li Ying suddenly opened his eyes, stared at Cheng Yuanzhen beside him and asked, "If Huangfu Weiming led his troops to attack Chang'an, how would he deal with the emperor?"

His tone was so harsh that Cheng Yuanzhen felt like he was being stared at by a wild beast.

"Your Majesty, probably... he will be well taken care of in Xingqing Palace and still respected as the emperor. Then, in the name of the emperor, Li Wan will be made the crown prince and he will be crowned emperor. That's it."

Cheng Yuanzhen pondered every word, cold sweat already soaking his back.

It must be said that the eunuchs who could get close to the emperor had some political skills. If Huangfu Weiming broke through Chang'an, Li Heng would definitely not survive, but Ji Ge would definitely not die.

Marshal Huangfu needed Ji Ge's mouth to issue an imperial decree to enthrone Li Wan, maintain a warm scene of "loving father and filial son", and then push all the blame on Li Ying.

The Hebei rebels were no longer rebels, but volunteers who came to the capital to "clean up filth."

Finally, let Brother Ji die of "natural causes", preferably from old age, and then the scene will be over.

If even Cheng Yuanzhen could see it clearly, how could Li Heng not understand it?

Brother Ji is not worried about the Hebei rebels at all now. He even hopes that Huangfu Weiming will come to Chang'an to "rescue him."

Reality is so absurd!
Yan Zhenqing's loyalty was real. He knew that Li Heng would die if Huangfu Weiming entered Chang'an, so he kept persuading Li Heng to leave Chang'an.

But whether his vision is accurate is another matter.

"Yes, all the noble families can surrender, but I cannot surrender."

Li Heng sighed deeply; he already had the answer in his heart.

Not long after, the carriage arrived at the gate of Xingqing Palace.

Zhang Guangsheng, who was on duty, held an umbrella and stepped forward to salute Li Heng, saying, "Your Majesty, is there anything I can do for you?"

After experiencing so many major events, Zhang Guangsheng is no longer the young man from Hexi.

“Seal off the Qinzheng Office Building and expel all the followers of the Emperor, including Gao Lishi.

I want to have a private chat with the Emperor."

Li Ying leaned close to Zhang Guangsheng's ear and whispered.

"This……"

Zhang Guangsheng's pupils suddenly shrank!
Doesn't he understand?
No, he actually knows everything! He also knows that this day will come sooner or later!

As one of the people who knew the inside story back then, Zhang Guangsheng knew everything and knew that Li Ying’s fierce revenge would definitely come!
Zhang Guangsheng even knew why he had drawn his sword against Ji Ge in the past, but was now entrusted with an important task by the new emperor to "look after" Ji Ge who lived in Xingqing Palace.

Because if you kill the king once, you will be a traitor for life. Once you take this path, there is no turning back.

This is similar to some ordinary people who, after killing someone, can no longer turn back and just keep killing people as they go along.

Killing once is killing, killing one person is killing, killing countless people is also killing! Since you have broken the precepts, it doesn't matter if your hands are stained with blood.

"General Zhang, do you have anything to say?"

Li Heng glanced at him and asked back.

Zhang Guangsheng was silent for a moment, but finally he saluted Li Ying and personally opened the door of Xingqing Palace for him.

Then he ordered the Qinzheng Office Building to be sealed off and no outsiders were allowed to approach.

After an incense stick of time, eunuchs and palace maids came out one after another from the two-story building where Ji Ge used to work and handle government affairs.

Li Heng just stared at them coldly, looking at every face clearly and not missing any details.

Finally, he saw Gao Lishi, who was white-haired and walking with one arm. The old eunuch seemed to have lost his former elegance and looked like an old man.

"This person has often deceived the emperor in the past. He is treacherous and treacherous, and his heart deserves death."

Li Heng pointed at Gao Lishi and said.

Zhang Guangsheng understood what he meant and stepped forward personally to put a rope around the old eunuch who had been with Ji Ge for decades.

Take him aside and wait for his fate.

During the whole process, Gao Lishi did not struggle at all. He just looked at Li Heng calmly without saying a word.

At this point, it is useless to say anything. Ever since the main force of the Western Army was defeated by Fang Youde, Brother Ji's era has come to an end.

If Ji Ge lost his power, Gao Lishi would naturally be nothing. Instead of howling like a mad dog, it is better to maintain the last bit of dignity.

Li Heng walked up the stairs of the Qinzhengwu Building step by step, and suddenly a thought flashed through his mind:
What kind of belief did Wei Sanniang hold when she went upstairs that made her choose to jump off the building rather than suffer humiliation?
Thinking of this, Li Heng clenched his fists and couldn't help but let the tears flow down his cheeks.

You repay me with your loyalty, and I will repay you with the lives of my enemies!

It's time to seek justice from that person!
Li Heng wiped the tears from his face with his sleeves. When he dried the tears, all that was left was an extremely cold face.

Like the ice on the top of Tianshan Mountain!
Standing at the door of the former imperial study, Li Heng took a deep breath and gently pushed open the door of the study.

He saw Brother Ji wearing a dragon robe, sitting in front of a desk with a dignified look on his face, as if he was still the emperor who had the final say.

Seeing this scene, Li Heng had an extremely absurd and ridiculous thought in his mind:

Even if it was a dog, if it put on a dragon robe and sat here, it would look somewhat majestic, right?
Some people are now even worse than dogs!
"Why do you come to see me in such a grand manner?"

Brother Ji asked calmly.

His tone was as if nothing had happened, as if Li Heng was a prince paying respects to the emperor.

"I'm here today to ask the emperor to die!" Li Ying looked at Ji Ge without showing any weakness. He straightened his back and saluted Ji Ge with his hands crossed.

This statement seemed to be not unexpected at all.

His face was solemn, and he even roared with a hint of anger: "You want to kill the king? You want to kill your father? Don't you want the throne anymore?"

"I just want justice!"

Li Heng took a few steps forward, came in front of Brother Ji, and overturned the table!

Brother Ji was so frightened that he took several steps back and even accidentally fell to the ground. A rare look of fear finally appeared on his face.

"Fair? I am fair!
I am right! I was sent by God to shepherd the people of the world!

This world belongs to me, what can I do wrong? "

He got up from the ground and retreated to the corner.

Retreating while shouting.

Li Heng ignored him and walked forward step by step.

"Li Heng, listen to me, don't be impulsive!

Don’t you want justice? I will issue you an abdication decree so that you can ascend the throne legitimately!
In this way you will be able to secure your throne. Listen to me, you still have a long time of good times ahead of you, so don't make the mistake of doing so.

You hold the whole world in your hands, and you have everything you want.

There are countless beauties in the world for you to choose from, is it possible that you can't find a good one?
Don't be impulsive, don't come over here, don't come over here!"

Seeing Li Heng approaching step by step, his preaching had no effect, and Brother Ji gradually became incoherent.

Even ended with a hysterical scream.

He was afraid, he was really afraid, he knew that Li Heng didn't want the throne or be emperor.

He just hopes he will die!
Brother Ji had never been so frightened before. All the fears he had felt in his life combined were not as much as what he felt today!

"I said, I just want justice!
I want to ask you for it, you have to give it to me!"

As Li Ying spoke, he walked forward, grabbed Ji Ge's hair, and dragged him towards the window!
"Let go! Let go! I'll give you whatever you want!
Don’t kill me! Don’t kill me! "

Brother Ji endured the severe pain in his head and begged bitterly!
At this time, Li Heng seemed to be deaf. He turned a deaf ear to Ji Ge's pleas for mercy and kept dragging him to the window!
"I'm asking you, did Sanniang fall from here back then?"

Li Heng looked at Brother Ji with a gloomy expression and questioned him word by word.

"I don't know, I really don't know, it's been a long time, I forgot!

It's not my fault! I really didn't force her! It's none of my business, she wanted to jump, it was too late for me to hold her back!
I really didn't mean it. I just wanted to chat with her, I didn't mean anything else! She misunderstood!"

Until this moment, Brother Ji was still trying to argue. It was a pity that Li Heng was now as cold as ice and as hard as iron.

"I wanted to slowly find some fun for you, but unfortunately Huangfu Weiming is coming.

If he feeds you with good food and drinks and lets you die of old age, I will be so sad that I can’t live anymore and will spend every day in regret.”

Li Heng pinched Ji Ge's neck with his right hand and muttered to himself, as if trying to convince himself.

For Li Ying now, knowing that Brother Ji is safe is a bolt from the blue.

Since the Hebei rebels led by Huangfu Weiming were here to send the new emperor off.

Then let Brother Ji go first before I go. Otherwise, Li Heng will feel unwilling and will not be able to close his eyes even if he dies.

"Don't kill me! Don't kill me!
Since ancient times, those who killed their kings and fathers have never had a good death. Even if you kill me, you won’t have a good end either!
Let me go, you can have whatever you want!"

Brother Ji begged for mercy while threatening, his neck was strangled, making him feel suffocated.

At this moment, he wanted to kneel down and beg for mercy but couldn't!
Li Heng wanted to kill the king, and he really dared to do so!
Brother Ji already understood Li Heng's intentions.

In fact, if Li Heng just wanted to seize power and clear the obstacles to the imperial power, he could have poisoned Ji Ge to death and then announced his death to the public, and put an end to it. This approach would not be conspicuous.

But Li Heng didn't just want to kill Brother Ji.

Li Heng wanted to announce it to the public, he wanted everyone to know that he killed Brother Ji with his own hands, to fulfill the promise he made to himself after Wei Sanniang died.

Because of this upset, Li Heng couldn't live a happy and comfortable life.

Is this kind of secretly delighted activity like walking in brocade clothes at night what he needs? Not really.

What Li Ying wanted was to speak out freely and kill the king, which was even clearly recorded in history books.

I killed my father and I killed my king, so what?

I just want justice!
"No...no, no."

Brother Ji was still struggling, but was pushed down directly from the Qinzhengwu Building by Li Heng!
Boom!
With a dull thud, Brother Ji fell from the second floor to the grass.

The huge stone that had been weighing on Li Heng's heart for many years finally fell to the ground.

However, just as Li Heng was in a trance, recalling the past and feeling extremely empty inside, he saw a scene that shocked him!
Since Xingqing Palace had been neglected for a long time, the weeds on the ground near the Qinzhengwu Building were very thick, forming a cushion-like buffer layer. After falling from the second floor, Brother Ji did not die!

Li Heng even saw Brother Ji get up from the ground, screaming and running towards the gate of Xingqing Palace!

Is this even possible?
Li Ying quickly shouted to Zhang Guangsheng, who was already in a daze downstairs, "Catch him! Don't let him run away!"

The latter was awakened from his dream when he heard Li Heng's cry, and he stepped forward to control Ji Ge himself.

How could an old man in his seventies possibly be a match for a soldier like Zhang Guangsheng? When Li Heng ran down from the Qinzheng Office Building, Brother Ji had already been held down by Zhang Guangsheng's shoulders.

The guards around him didn't dare to breathe, let alone step forward.

“Ah, ah, ah, ah.”

The fall just now seemed to have frightened Brother Ji so much that he was unable to speak, and he could only make an "ah ah" sound from his throat that had no clear meaning.

He looked at Li Heng with horror and tried to step back, but was held down by Zhang Guangsheng and could not move.

At this time, Cheng Yuanzhen stepped forward, knelt on the ground, hugged Li Heng's leg tightly, and cried and begged: "Your Majesty, please think twice, you can't do this, you can't do this!"

He already knew what Li Heng was trying to do. He had just failed to kill Brother Ji, and now Li Heng was going to "finish the job"!
"roll!"

Li Heng kicked Cheng Yuanzhen to the ground.

Now no one can stop him from killing Brother Ji, no one!
Li Ying drew the sword from his waist and stabbed at Brother Ji!
However, since the sword itself was only a ceremonial sword, it was not sharpened. Li Ying himself was not a strong man, so he could not kill someone with a blunt sword.

So this seemingly "ferocious" stab only made Brother Ji scream, but it didn't even cut the dragon robe.

Li Ying was so angry that his eyes turned red!

Why is this old immortal blessed by God? Why can’t he be killed? Why!
Li Heng took a quick step forward, threw Brother Ji to the ground, and strangled him by the neck with both hands.

"You are not dead yet, why are you not dead yet! Go die!"

Li Ying roared like a madman, no longer caring about the people watching.

The incident happened suddenly, and Zhang Guangsheng and others were stunned!
"Quick! What are you all standing there for? Stop His Majesty!"

Cheng Yuanzhen, who was lying on the ground and had not yet stood up, hurriedly shouted to Zhang Guangsheng and other guards.

Everyone worked together to separate Li Heng and Ji Ge. Cheng Yuanzhen stepped forward cautiously, but found that Ji Ge had already died.

This old emperor who had ruled the Tang Dynasty for decades was strangled to death by his own son Li Heng in such a humiliating manner, like a fight between wild dogs.

Ji Ge's eyes were wide open, his face was full of fear and unwillingness, and he died with his eyes open.

The drizzle hit the face of everyone present, and no one said a word.

(End of this chapter)