Tiantang

Chapter 108
Chapter 116

The Li family has always had the "custom" of mutiny.

Li Yuan started his career by rebellion, and Taizong Li Shimin directed the Xuanwumen Incident, and shot and killed his brothers before ascending to the throne.As for Li Longji himself, he personally operated two mutinies and became the biggest beneficiary from them.

Li Longji never dreamed that the same mutiny would happen to him - now, he is the emperor, but he is also a coerced and forced palace.

Thinking about this son, he is as cruel and ruthless as he was back then.

Since he raised troops to control Chang'an City and came under the Xingqing Palace, how could he give up if he failed to achieve his goal?

Li Longji knew very well in his heart that Li Wan's proposal to kill Yang Guozhong and depose Prince Li Heng was just an excuse. His real purpose was to force himself to abdicate so that he could take the throne in a legitimate way.

From receiving the news to hastily responding, Li Longji's reaction was not unpleasant, but he did not expect that Li Wan's actions were faster than him.In other words, this son's methods are more ruthless than his. Of course, this also shows that the emperor is getting old. Whether he admits it or not, he gradually shows a corresponding decline in his strategy and mind.

Li Longji stood on the palace gate tower like this, condescendingly staring at the dark horses of the Habayashi guards in front of the palace, and the Rong Wang Li Wan standing in front of the team with his horse.

Of course he was extremely angry in his heart, but at this moment, his mind gradually calmed down.

Only Prince Li Heng beside him, his face was pale and his shoulders trembled slightly.If it wasn't for the fear that the emperor would abolish Li Wan on the spot, he wouldn't have the guts to follow him; and Yang Guozhong was even more panic-stricken.

He found out the news before Li Wan launched the attack, and he was worthy of being a generation of heroes. After knowing that there was no hope of leaving the city, he immediately made a decisive decision and gathered hundreds of family guards to protect his family and fled into the Xingqing Palace where the emperor lived.At this moment, for Yang Guozhong, the safest place in Chang'an City is Xingqing Palace.

Li Longji glared angrily at Li Wan in front of the palace, and suddenly raised his hand and tried his best to reprimand him, "Li Wan, you led troops to force the palace. You have no father and no king, and you deserve death!"

"Habayashi guards, if you lay down your weapons and help me capture King Rong's gang of traitors, I will not only forgive you for the crime of conspiring against the traitors, but also reward you heavily."

Li Longji immediately shouted at the Habayashi guards at the top of his voice.

Li Wan sneered indifferently, indifferent.

Since he raised his troops, he has absolute certainty.It has not been a day since thousands of soldiers and horses of the Yulin Guard have been in his hands, and they have all reached this point. If the good situation can be disintegrated by just one word from the emperor, Li Wan might as well go find a piece of tofu and beat him to death by himself.

Thousands of feather guards remained silent.

To be honest, not all the guards of the Habayashi have a heart for King Rong, and they are willing to seek rebellion from the thief.It's just that almost all the middle and upper-level officers in the Habayashi Guard are controlled by Huo Qing. As ordinary soldiers, they can only obey military orders.If there is any disturbance, I am afraid that they will be killed immediately.

The prince forced the emperor to the palace, and the son demanded power from his father-in the eyes of many soldiers, the guilt of treason was actually greatly reduced.

"Li Wan, evil! Thief! I will execute Ru Lingchi!"

Li Longji's old voice echoed in front of the palace gate for a long time, but it suddenly caused a violent cough.

"My son, Rongwang Li Wan, has met my father."

Li Wan stepped forward on his horse, waving his whip, and said in a clear and calm voice, "In today's court, a traitor is in power, and the prince is incompetent. My ministers lead the guards of the feather forest with eight thousand sons, and I implore the emperor to punish the traitor, the side of the Qing emperor, and the abolition of the prince, so as to set the court order."

"Punish traitors, sideline the Qing emperor, abolish the crown prince, and rule the court!"

Thousands of feather guards raised their arms to respond, roaring in unison, the sound was like shaking the sky.

Prince Li Heng and Yang Guozhong's complexion suddenly changed, and they took a step back subconsciously.

Li Longji's face twitched, and he turned his head and glanced at Yang Guozhong and Li Heng.

Yang Guozhong secretly called out that it was not good, the old emperor had already developed the idea of ​​abandoning his pawns to save the chariot under the coercion of Li Wan, and he had murderous intentions!
Yang Guozhong immediately took a step forward, bowed and said in a low voice, "Your Majesty, I think that the rebels are overwhelming the palace, why don't I let the minister and the crown prince gather the troops and the palace guards, and fight a bloody road from the back door of Xingqing Palace, and break through desperately?" Yanxing Gate, withdraw from Chang'an City, to be safe."

"As long as your majesty ascends to the top, the world's feudal towns will come and kill the rebel party, what's the point?"

Li Heng also stepped forward and whispered, "What Prime Minister Yang said is very true, father, we can't just sit and wait..."

Li Longji smiled coldly and did not respond.

Li Heng and Yang Guozhong took a step back in disappointment, and slowly retreated towards the downstairs of the palace gate, leaving only Li Longji and Gao Lishi, surrounded by several trembling eunuchs and maids, and Li Wan, who was under the palace gate. The guards and horses stalemate.

"Get the arrow!" Li Wan called out, shaking his wrist.

The soldiers behind hurriedly sent bows and arrows.

Li Wan tied the written letter to the bow and arrow, then drew the bow and arrow, aimed at the flag of the palace gate beside the emperor and shot it.

"Be careful, Your Majesty!" Gao Lishi's expression changed suddenly, and he stepped in front of the emperor.

Whoosh!
With a crisp sound, the arrow shot by Li Wan hit the flagpole of the palace gate, and a letter swayed tremblingly in the cold wind.

"Bring it here." Li Longji's voice was hoarse, and he slowly sat on the upper floor of the palace gate.

He was not worried about his own safety, if Li Wan really wanted to lead troops into the palace, he would have done so long ago, and Chen Bing would not have formed a force outside the palace.He knew his son very well, and he would not take that last step unless it was absolutely necessary—if he could force himself to abdicate voluntarily, that would be the most ideal result for Li Wan.

Gao Lishi took the letter and handed it over.

Li Longji took it and glanced at it, his face changed drastically, his shoulders trembled, and endless murderous intent and madness suddenly appeared in his eyes.

Li Wan didn't ask him to abdicate, but threatened him to immediately release Concubine Mei out of the palace safely.If not, he would lead his troops into the palace.Or, send troops out of the city to capture Concubine Yang Gui of Yuzhen Temple and kill her in front of the emperor.

Li Longji tore up the letter angrily, and with a flick of his hand, confetti filled the sky and floated up. The scene was really weird.

Li Wan was indifferent, he expected that Li Longji would not dare to disobey.Having said that, if he got the news that Li Longji was going to kill Concubine Mei suddenly, he would not act a day in advance.

"Your Highness, why don't I attack Xingqing Palace..." Gao Xianzhi leaned forward and said softly.

Li Wan shook his head, "No. This king will give my father two days. I believe that with these two days, my father will arrange everything... This king's move is on the side of the Qing emperor, not the king and father. Wait It needs to be kept in mind!"

"The king will return to the mansion to wait for the time being, and tell Sheng Wang Li Qi that if the group of courtiers can't accept the advice and support the king as the crown prince, the king will not show affection. Tomorrow morning at the latest... This is what the king gave deadline."

Li Wan turned his head and glanced coldly at Li Longji and the others above the palace gate, turned his horse's head and left calmly.

"Everyone..." Gao Lishi bowed tremblingly.

"Let Concubine Mei go out of the palace. But only Concubine Mei, 46 slaves around Concubine Mei, all beheaded, put in a box, and sent out together!" Li Longji said miserably, got up angrily, but couldn't bear it. I staggered for a while.If it weren't for the eunuch beside him with sharp eyesight and quick hands, he might have fallen to the ground.

Supported by the eunuch, Li Longji stared out of the imperial city, secretly praying for the blessing of his ancestors: I hope everything goes well for Zhang Xuan, come back in time, and save me from danger!

But under the city gate tower, Li Longji didn't know that the crown prince Li Heng and Yang Guozhong began to separate from him.

Li Heng and Yang Guozhong knew in their hearts that once Li Wan's rebels stormed into Xingqing Palace, the emperor might not be in danger, but both of them would surely die.

"Your Highness, looking at the situation, the emperor has the intention of abandoning us." Yang Guozhong sneered and said in a low voice, "We can't sit still and become meat on someone else's chopping board!"

"Yang Xiang, is there a way out?" Li Heng also anxiously looked around, seeing that no one was following, he said softly.

"Prince, why don't we gather the palace guards and Guozhong's domestic slaves, there are more than 500 people in total, and we burst out from the back door and head straight for Yanxing Gate. From Guozhong's point of view, Yanxing Gate is small and difficult to guard. Yi Gong, as long as I rush out of Chang'an, I will be able to save the lives of my family!"

"But Father..."

"The emperor will give up you as the prince at any time..." Yang Guozhong sneered, "Your Highness, why don't we take a gamble and fight our way to the death. We rushed out of Chang'an and headed to Jiannan. The ministers should support the prince as emperor, and save money in the future Power, and then summon the feudal towns all over the world, return to Chang'an, and destroy King Rong's rebels!"

"Okay! Ben Gong is going all out this time... Yang Xiang, when will we act..."

Yang Guozhong glanced up at the palace gate with a sullen face, and smiled coldly, "Your Highness, at nightfall, please gather the servants of the Eastern Palace and listen to Guozhong's signal!"

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An army was stationed at the foot of Mount Li.Not the Yulin Guards, but the Jinwu Guards of the twelve guards of the Nanya Imperial Army, with 5000 people, which are actually equivalent to the Palace Guards. The main task is to guard the Huaqing Palace in Lishan.Because the emperor had to stay in Huaqing Palace for several months every year, the surrounding area of ​​Mount Li was also heavily defended.

At the time of You, Zhang Xuan led one hundred feather forest guards and one hundred palace forbidden guards to the foot of Lishan Mountain, which was less than a mile away from the Jinwu Guard barracks.

The Jinwuwei military camp is spread around the foot of the mountain, and the General's Mansion is located on the left side of the official road leading to the Huaqing Palace at the foot of the mountain. Although it is not a government office in the capital, it is tall and majestic.

The 200 sergeants were strictly disciplined and the horses lined up on the side of the official road. Zhang Xuan straddled the horse and stared at the lighted Jinwuwei General's Mansion in silence for a long time without saying a word.

Li Jingzhong took a few steps forward, and whispered respectfully under his horse, "My lord, time is urgent, why don't you go straight to He Jinliang's General's Mansion, announce His Majesty's secret decree, and then lead the 5000 troops back to Chang'an..."

Zhang Xuan shook his head indifferently, "He Jinliang is no better than Jia Yong. This person has a high position and authority. He has been in the army for seven years and has been stationed here. We only have His Majesty's secret decree but no troop dispatching edict. I am afraid that He Jinliang will not obey the call."

Li Jingzhong hesitated for a moment, but he didn't dare to say any more, and silently withdrew.

Xiao Shisanlang hurried forward and leaned into Zhang Xuan's ear and whispered, "Brother, I will follow you for a while. If this guy doesn't listen to the summons, you don't need to be polite to him..."

Zhang Xuan smiled wryly, and said softly, "Brother, the 5000 troops of the Jinwu Guard are not comparable to the 500 men of the Yuzhenguan Outer Habayashi Guard... He Jinliang is a third-rank general, highly regarded by His Majesty, and has great prestige in the army Extremely high...Even if we use coercive means, we can't mobilize the 5000 troops under him!"

(End of this chapter)