Early Tang Dynasty: forge ahead

Chapter 504 I, Li Yifu, am back
Upon hearing the name of Wan Guojun, Di Renjie and Zhang Jianzhi became alert, knowing that they were about to reach the crucial point.

Di Renjie himself is a master of solving cases, and with the assistance of Xu Yougong, he has already smelled something unusual from Wan Guojun.

Zhang Jianzhi is in much the same situation. Su Wuming, who is under his command, is also extremely capable. Since the target is directly on Wan Guojun, and Chen Qingsi is able to see through the anomaly of Wan Guojun's rise, how could a talent like Su Wuming who is good at criminal investigation not notice it?
They all thought that there was something wrong with Wan Guojun, but they didn't think of the deceased Li Yifu, so it was like they had lost the clue and had no idea for the time being.

Di Renjie knew that Chen Qingsi must have known something, but it was just not convenient for him to show up.

"This Wan Guojun is good at interrogation. If you investigate him, you will naturally know his methods. You also know that he once assisted Li Yifu in forcing Zhengze. If it was a normal method, I could still tolerate it, but Wan Guojun's method was used on an upright and honest minister, and my best friend. No matter what, I will not let him have an easy time..."

"I wanted to make him pay for his past actions, but was blocked by a mysterious force. This force was towards Empress Wu..."

"Empress Wu was in the deep palace, but she was helped by a mysterious force. This ability was not inferior to that of Empress Lu and Empress Dou. It made me more determined to oppose Empress Wu's rise to power, and I also began to secretly investigate the power behind Empress Wu."

"The more we investigate, the more we feel something is not right. All the clues are disconnected at certain points, and we can't investigate any further."

"Until I picked up all the broken clues again and found that all the broken clues pointed to one person..."

"Li Yifu!"

Di Renjie let out a low cry.

He also found out that Li Yifu was disconnected. Apart from Yuan Gongyu who was in Lingnan, only Li Yifu knew the evidence of Li Chongde's crime. Wan Guojun had never had any contact with Li Chongde before, but he suddenly became his confidant...

It's full of weirdness.

The connection between them lies in Li Yifu, but since Li Yifu is dead, no one knows what the connection is.

Chen Qingsi admired Di Renjie's reaction and said, "It was Li Yifu! A dead man became the end point of many clues, which made me doubt whether he really died or faked his death. I sent people to Nanzhong to investigate the news and even dug up Li Yifu's tomb. He died not long ago, but because the place where he was buried was very humid, and the craftsmen cut corners when repairing the tomb, the body rotted faster, leaving only a skeleton."

"According to the coroner's analysis, the corpse is most likely a hunter from Nanzhong, but the shape of the corpse and the time of death are almost the same as Li Yifu's. It is no longer possible to prove whether the dead person is Li Yifu."

"Li Yifu has been doing evil for many years. Everyone in Chang'an wants him to be killed. Moreover, the governor is too evil. Once exposed, even the queen will not be able to escape the blame. If he really shows up in Chang'an, he must show himself in a different appearance, at least in front of you and me, so that we can't recognize him."

"Due to my status, I cannot observe clearly, nor do I dare to interfere too much. I am in the open, and they are in the dark. If I take any drastic actions here, I am afraid it will be difficult to find their traces."

"So, I thought of Huaiying. It would be best if you could investigate this matter."

"Originally, the plan was for you to uncover the rat behind the scenes, and I would assist you from behind. Now the war on the front line is tense, and I have to lead the troops to Qinghai Lake. It is hard to predict what is happening in the capital. You have to investigate the case yourselves. I personally think it is Li Yifu who is behind this. But it doesn't count. There is no evidence, and no one will believe it if I tell you. Instead, it will cause trouble."

"What I am telling you today is just to give you a reference target, not to guide you in your own investigation."

"I'm not in the capital, so you should think twice before you act. If we continue to investigate this case, it will cause a huge uproar. Whether to investigate further and how to investigate is up to you to decide."

Chen Qingsi was not worried that the two would retreat.

Di Renjie and Zhang Jianzhi were both politically savvy people. They knew how to protect themselves and would not confront the thieves head-on, but they also had their own political integrity and would not go along with the crowd. Even though Di Renjie and Zhang Jianzhi became the second most powerful people in Wu Zhou, they did not think of letting things take their course, but actively planned to return power to Li's political belief.

Di Renjie and Zhang Jianzhi stayed in the guest room of Chen's house that night.

There was a curfew in Chang'an. Of course, the curfew could not stop Di Renjie and Zhang Jianzhi, but it would definitely leave a record, which would be unfavorable for the future.

The best option is to stay at Chen's house and leave early tomorrow morning.

Di Renjie and Zhang Jianzhi did not stay in two separate guest rooms, but shared one.

The two were good friends with similar interests. It was a rare opportunity for them to sleep on the same bed and have a heart-to-heart talk. They had no intention of sleeping, and naturally talked about the shocking news they had heard today.

"Brother Huaiying has made up his mind!"

Zhang Jianzhi sat cross-legged on the couch, looking at Di Renjie, who was writing at the desk in his inner garments, and asked him something.

Before Di Renjie could speak, he had already made his position clear, saying, "I will take the responsibility for this matter. You have helped me along the way, and I have followed you for many years. I know your character very well. I also believe in your judgment of the situation. Empress Wu is a hen that crows at dawn, and Li Yifu is a treacherous and evil man. If the two of them get together, they will definitely cause chaos in the world. Since this matter has fallen into my hands, I will not let them succeed."

Di Renjie said: "Wait for me a moment!"

After about a quarter of an hour, Di Renjie put down the pen in his hand and handed the silk cloth to Zhang Jianzhi.

Zhang Jianzhi took it and looked at it carefully, which turned out to be a detailed analysis of the case.

After adding Li Yifu to the mix, the previously confusing parts became clear, just like the sun shining through the clouds.

It is obvious that Di Renjie showed his attitude through his actions.

Di Renjie did not believe all of Chen Qingsi's words, which were 70% true and 30% false. He could hear that Chen Qingsi was actually hiding a lot of things.

For example, the details of the investigation, the source of the clues, etc.
But Di Renjie was able to tell that Chen Qingsi was telling the truth, at least his analysis of Li Yifu was a blind spot that he had not discovered at the time.

Although Di Renjie did not express his political stance, it was obvious that given Li Yifu's actions, Di Renjie, who cared about the people, would not stand on his side and would not sit idly by and watch him rise.

"Mr. Chen's analysis is correct. Since Li Yifu has the courage to enter the capital, it means he is not afraid of being discovered. In other words, no one knows him now. This case is too big, and no one can convict without definite evidence. We must first prove that Li Yifu is Li Yifu, so that we can be convincing enough..."
-
Chang'an, Chen's house.

A strong and handsome young man led a sturdy pony to the door and knocked gently.

The concierge was a friendly old man who asked about my origins with a smile.

The young man handed over a letter and said respectfully, "This is a letter from my father. Mr. Chen and my father are old friends, so he specially ordered me to come and serve him."

Everyone in the Chen family was influenced by Chen Qingsi. They never took advantage of their power to bully others. They treated all guests politely, taking letters, inviting guests to the guest room, and arranging mounts for them.

When the letter reached Chen Qingsi, he was reminiscing about the past with his wife and children.

I don’t know when I will return from this battle, so I must take time to spend with my family.

"It would be great if I wasn't pregnant! I can protect you, my dear!"

Li Hongqing said gloomily that she had found out she was pregnant three months ago and the whole family was happy.

But she didn't expect the war to break out suddenly. Li Hongqing looked depressed and felt that she was pregnant at the wrong time.

Chen Qingsi murmured in his heart, I can't take you to the battle even if you're not pregnant.

The current situation is different from that of Baekje.

In Baekje, Chen Qingsi was the uncrowned king and no one dared to say anything. Li Hongqing was not a family member at the time and could not find any fault with him.

Now it is unacceptable that he, the so-called commander-in-chief of the three armies, accepted the order in a time of crisis and took his family to the battlefield.

"Oh, what a pity!" Chen Qingsi was very good at speaking. He looked very sorry, and then he said, "Madam, you don't have to worry about my safety. I fight with my brain, not my fists, so I won't be the first one to rush to the front. Besides, I have also adopted a warrior, whose martial arts are not very good. But God has given me food, and few people can take his sword."

Chen Qingsi's mind flashed with the scene when he gave his handy Mo Dao to Song Lingwen. This "scholar" swung his sword down, and with a simple chop, the entire Mo Dao blade sank into the ground, and Chen Qingsi's feet shook three times.

This is not a scholar who writes, but a fierce warrior with a Mo Dao.

"That's good, that's good!"

After Li Hongqing married Chen Qingsi, it was the first time she experienced separation and she felt a little worried.

Just then, Chen Qingsi received a letter handed over by the handsome young man.

"A letter from an old friend?"

Chen Qingsi took it curiously, but was not able to react at first when he saw that the letter was signed by Zhang Rong.

When I saw the content of the letter, I suddenly realized that it was him.

Zhang Rong was the captain who assisted him in selecting the sites for the three surrender cities in Mobei. He was Huang Heshou's deputy general.

Chen Qingsi was able to finalize the plan of the three surrendered cities in a short period of time, and Zhang Rong, an expert in Mobei, made great contributions.

When chatting at that time, Zhang Rong once praised his son Rendan, saying that his son loved reading since he was young, and also liked riding, shooting and military tactics. He was good at both civil and military strategies, and would be a pillar of the Tang Dynasty.

Chen Qingsi still remembers that he invited his son to Beijing and introduced him to study at the Imperial Academy, but there was no news afterwards.

The year has passed in a flash, and the kid from the past has now become an adult.

Chen Qingsi did not forget the old friendship, thinking of Zhang Rong helping him complete the construction of the Three Surrender Cities, he said with a smile: "The son of an old friend has come to surrender, so we must give him a good reception. I'm going!"

Walking quickly to the living room, Chen Qingsi saw the young man with thick eyebrows and big eyes, a body as straight as a pine tree, and a masculine and heroic aura. He smiled and said, "Are you Zhang Rendan? When I was in Mobei, I heard your father talk about you. You are indeed a chivalrous young man."

Zhang Rendan hesitated for a moment before saying, "My father is fine. He has returned home on sick leave to recuperate."

Chen Qingsi hurriedly inquired about the situation.

Zhang Rendan found it difficult to speak.

It turns out that Zhang Rong's illness is related to Chen Qingsi...

Zhang Rongben went to Mobei because he had no background, and climbed up the ladder by relying on military merit.

However, as Chen Qingsi defeated the Tiele tribes in Mobei and built three surrender cities in Mobei, his troops penetrated directly into the south and north of the desert, making the northern tribes dare not act rashly.

The Tang court also took advantage of the situation to establish a trade zone in the south of the desert and develop in-depth trade cooperation with the herdsmen in the north.

There has been peace in Mobei for many years without any war.

This was fatal to a general like Zhang Rong who relied on military merit for promotion and had no background.

Unable to gain military merit, he was gradually marginalized.

In a fit of anger, she returned to her hometown to enjoy family happiness and carefully guide her beloved son.

I don’t know why, but Zhang Rong developed a lot of health problems due to his idleness.

This time Chen Qingsi took command, Zhang Rong remembered the agreement made in the past, and thinking that his son could not be like him, he asked him to come to Chang'an to join the army.

After hearing the euphemistic answer, Chen Qingsi guessed something and didn't ask any more questions. He just said, "I can accept you, but the battlefield is not a joke. If you don't have some ability, it will be a matter of life and death if you really go to the battlefield. Brother Zhang entrusted you to me, and I can't give him a corpse. You must have some skills in archery, horse riding, martial arts and strategy."

Zhang Rendan raised his head and said, "My nephew is not very talented, but I know all the skills of archery, horse riding, spear and club, and military tactics. I am willing to be tested by my uncle..."

Seeing that Zhang Rendan didn’t seem to be bragging, Chen Qingsi thought to himself: Is this true?
He thought about it and there seemed to be no such person as Zhang Rendan in history. Could he be a pearl covered in dust?

In fact, it is not that there is no such person as Zhang Rendan, but in order to avoid the taboo of Li Dan, the Emperor Ruizong of Tang, Zhang Rendan was later changed to Zhang Renyuan, and Dan and Dan have the same pronunciation...

Chen Qingsi's concept of the Three Surrender Cities was inspired by the historical Zhang Renyuan. When the Later Turkic Khaganate was at its peak, he recaptured the southern part of the desert, overwhelmed the powerful enemy, built three surrender cities, firmly controlled the grasslands in the southern part of the desert, and saved the north from the suffering of war for a hundred years.

The results speak for themselves.

Zhang Rendan was in his early twenties, but he was an expert in archery, horse riding, spear and stick, and he could recite military books and strategies by heart.

Chen Qingsi was overjoyed. He thought this guy was truly a pearl hidden in the dust. He immediately took him under his wing without hesitation.

The martial spirit was at its peak in the Tang Dynasty. When Li Zhi issued an edict, righteous men from Henan and Hebei responded one after another.

In just half a month, 40,000 elite soldiers had been recruited. Li Zhi also transferred 10,000 soldiers from Guanzhong Zhechongfu to Chen Qingsi to raise a total of 50,000 soldiers and asked him to support Qinghai.

The fourth year of Qianfeng, the end of November.

As the commander-in-chief of the Qinghai Road, Chen Qingsi once again led his troops towards the plateau.

When Chen Qingsi left Chang'an, Wan Guojun came to Yongpingfang and met Li Yifu.

"Mr. Chen, Chen Qingsi has already led his troops out of Beijing!"

"Haha!" Li Yifu, who used the alias Chen Yun, laughed so hard that the flesh on his face trembled.

"God is really helping me! Once the little thief is gone, no one will be able to take away my luck. The great things we have planned will surely come true."

Even at this moment, the superstitious Li Yifu still felt that he failed not because he was too arrogant after gaining power, but because Chen Qingsi, the Green Ox of the Tang Dynasty, had taken away his luck, leading to his current misery.

Now that Chen Qingsi is gone, no one in Chang'an will be able to take away his luck, and everything will go smoothly.

"Your Majesty, I, Li Yifu, am back."

The person Li Yifu hated was not only Chen Qingsi, but also Li Zhi, the Emperor of the Tang Dynasty.

He asked himself that he had given everything for Li Zhi, but not only was he demoted, but he was also completely discouraged from ever coming back.

If Empress Wu's men had not appeared in time, he would really be dead now.

(End of this chapter)