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

Chapter 1681 Luoyang City fell in an instant

The bloody head lay flat in the box, its wide-open eyes filled with shock and disbelief.

Empress Wu stood in front of the imperial desk, looking at the head in the black box, then suddenly looked at Yan Huaidan and said through gritted teeth, "Was this sent by Tang Zhenxing?"

"Yes, Tang Zhenxing sent the head of General Huang Riyue half an hour ago." Yan Huaidan looked at Empress Wu with a serious expression.

"Damn it." Empress Wu clenched her fists tightly and took a deep breath. She finally calmed down and asked sideways, "How many people know about his affairs?"

"Right Jinwu General Yang Xuanjian and I, and no one else has seen this head." Yan Huaidan bowed solemnly.

With a "bang", Empress Wu slammed her palm heavily on the table and roared, "I am asking about Huang Riyue's service to me. Does anyone know?"

Yan Huaidan knelt down with a "thump" and said directly: "As far as I know, only I and King Liang know about this matter. As for King Liang, I don't know."

"Ask Wu Sansi to come into the palace." Empress Wu shouted coldly, and Qiu Huan immediately turned around.

Only after seeing Qiu Huan running out of Qianyang Palace did Empress Wu slowly turn around, look at Yan Huaidan with a serious expression, and ask, "Do you know what his death means?"

Yan Huaidan bowed his head and did not dare to respond.

Empress Wu shook her head and looked down at Huang Rixing's head with a trace of confusion in her eyes. She said softly, "This means that my last means of counterattacking the traitor King Peng and breaking the current dilemma is gone... I originally hoped that he would assassinate Tang Zhenxing tonight, and then frame King Peng, causing a conflict between the left and right guards, seize military power, counterattack King Peng, and finally..."

Yan Huaidan raised his eyes and immediately understood that the 10,000 elite cavalry that Empress Wu asked him to reserve in advance were meant to rush out at that time.

Yan Huaidan took a step forward and said, "Your Majesty, in addition to Tang Zhenxing, there are also candidates for winning over in other guards under King Peng. All the generals and lieutenant generals can be won over. In addition, there are more than 100,000 elite troops in Luoyang City. I am doing my best to train them..."

Empress Wu waved her hand and said nothing.

The reason why she chose Huang Rikou and Tang Zhenxing was because the left guard was closest to Li Xuan's right guard main force.

If anything happens to them, chaos will spread to the entire Right Guard in a very short time.

When the Left Guard attacks the Right Guard, the army under Li Xuan's command will immediately be in complete chaos.

If it were any other military guards, not only would such consequences not have occurred, but the chaos would have been quelled by Li Xuan in a very short time.

He could even use this method to directly set traps...

Empress Wu took a deep breath and said, "Let Sansi continue to work on the matter of winning over the people. The soldiers in the city should be deployed to the various guards as soon as possible. Tomorrow..."

Speaking of tomorrow, Empress Wu couldn't help but grit her teeth. Her plans were far more than what she had just said, but everything was based on what had just been said.

Without the previous premise, nothing would even make sense.

Concentrating her thoughts, Empress Wu looked at Yan Huaidan and said, "The soldiers in the city must be quickly transferred to the various guards. It doesn't matter if they can't hold the long spear or draw the long bow. As long as they can obey orders to use the crossbow and accurately fire the crossbow arrows, that's enough."

Empress Wu gritted her teeth and said, "There are hundreds of thousands of crossbows and millions of crossbow arrows in Luoyang City. Even if they are piled up, I will pile them up to death."

Light footsteps were heard outside the hall. As soon as a eunuch in blue clothes walked to the door of the hall, Empress Wu looked over with a cold gaze.

"Your Majesty, King Liang is here to see you by imperial decree." The eunuch in blue quickly bowed.

Empress Wu's anger calmed down, she nodded and said, "Scream!"

"Call Prince Liang to see you!" The eunuch in blue turned around quickly and said loudly.

The next moment, Wu Sansi, with his shoulders wet and a little embarrassed, walked quickly into the hall, knelt on the ground, and said in a deep voice: "Your Majesty, I, Wu Sansi, pay my respects to you. May your Majesty live a long and healthy life."

Empress Wu stared at Wu Sansi and said coldly, "Huang Ri is dead, did you know that?"

"I don't know." Wu Sansi was startled and quickly bowed and said, "Your Majesty, I was just receiving the news from the secret guards last night. The two secret guards who delivered the imperial edict to Tang Zhenxing last night were killed by him."

"Today he sent Huang Riyue's head." Empress Wu shook her head, not wanting to reprimand Wu Sansi anymore. She just said calmly, "I think he must have killed two Qianniu Guards and went to see King Peng without even reading the imperial edict after getting it.

King Peng was so meticulous that he could guess what was going to happen next. Although it was a little unexpected, he could still guess it. It was just that they acted too quickly. It would have been better if they could have waited another night."

Yan Huaidan couldn't help but frown slightly. Empress Wu mentioned tonight more than once.

After tonight...

Is there anything else going to happen tonight?
"Take the head away and bury it properly!" Empress Wu waved her hand and sat down on the imperial couch. She watched the eunuch take away Huang Riyue's head, and then looked at Wu Sansi again. Suddenly, Empress Wu frowned and said, "Sansi, what's wrong with your shoulder? What have you done again?"

Wu Sansi was slightly startled, then quickly bowed and said, "Your Majesty, I did not do anything rash. I was working in the secret guards and came here immediately after receiving the imperial edict. As for what's on my shoulders, it was because I came here suddenly and it suddenly rained..."

"It's raining?" Empress Wu stood up suddenly, stared at Wu Sansi and said, "What did you say? It's raining. It's raining today?"

"Yes!" Wu Sansi stepped aside slightly, revealing the main gate of Qianyang Palace behind him, and said, "Your Majesty, listen, it's raining, it just started."

Empress Wu stepped out from behind the imperial desk and walked quickly out of the hall. Only when she walked into the drizzle under the eaves did her expression change slightly.

"Go, tell the Grand Historian Li Yan to come see me immediately, and run fast." Empress Wu could not help but shout, and the young eunuch who delivered the order ran madly into the rain and headed towards the Grand Historian Bureau.

Wu Sansi and Yan Huaidan looked at each other, their eyes filled with confusion and solemn expressions.

They could all see that the current situation seemed very important to Empress Wu, and the sudden appearance of the rain had made her a little flustered.

Just as the young eunuch ran to Chengtian Gate, Qiu Huan rushed out from outside Chengtian Gate on the opposite side.

In the drizzle, Qiu Huan rushed directly to the Qianyang Palace. With a pale face, he bowed to Empress Wu and said, "Your Majesty, something has happened. The Grand Historian Li Yan and his family are missing."

"The whole family is missing. What does the whole family is missing mean?" Empress Wu grabbed Qiu Huan's arm, stared at him with wide eyes.

Qiu Huan fell to his knees with a thump and said bitterly, "After curfew last night, the Grand Historian Li Yan and his family left Xiuwenfang and disappeared without a trace."

With a "pa" sound, Empress Wu slapped Qiu Huan directly in the face, and in an instant, Qiu Huan rolled down the stairs.

Only when he reached the bottom did he quickly kneel up on the ground.

Empress Wu stared at him straight in the eyes, gritting her teeth and wishing she could eat him.

Wu Sansi and Yan Huaidan looked at each other again. The next moment, they both knelt down at the same time and kowtowed solemnly: "Your Majesty, calm down!"

Empress Wu turned around with an extremely cold gaze and looked at Wu Sansi and Yan Huaidan who were already kneeling and kowtowing, and she withdrew her hand that she was about to extend.

Empress Wu turned around and looked at the endless mist outside Luoyang City. A sneer flashed in her eyes, and then she said, "Send someone to the Taishi Bureau to find out how heavy the rain is and how long it will last. Also, call the prince consort over immediately and ask him to go outside the city."

"Yes!" Wu Sansi and Yan Huaidan bowed deeply again.

"Hmph!" Empress Wu snorted coldly and turned to walk into the hall.

Wu Sansi and Yan Huaidan breathed a sigh of relief. Just as they looked up, they heard a creaky sound and the door of the Qianyang Palace on the side had been completely closed.

All the dozen doors in a row were completely closed at this moment.

Wu Sansi and Yan Huaidan's faces were suddenly filled with horror.

The gate of Qianyang Palace was rarely completely closed. Wu Sansi and Yan Huaidan could feel a storm of emotions brewing in the palace, but they had no idea what was happening.

At this moment, the wind and rain suddenly grew stronger in the square in front of Qianyang Palace. …

Bean-sized raindrops kept falling from the sky madly. There was already a thick layer of water in the Yishui River, and it was still rising at a speed visible to the naked eye.

Xue Shao rode past the road on horseback, looking at the military camp in front of the lake shrouded in rain and fog in the distance, his expression couldn't help but become solemn.

A small dam has been built on the river channel on the east side of Xingluo Lake, trying its best to store water.

Further to the northeast, countless soldiers of the Left Guard were excitedly digging up the river bank on the east side, heading straight for the Qixia Gate.

There is no doubt that after the rain ends, King Peng will directly open the dam, causing the flood to flood the city and destroy it.

"Please come in, Prince Consort." A Qianniu Guard who was checking the roadside bowed to Xue Shao, then looked at the team of Jinwu Guards behind Xue Shao and said, "Brothers, just wait here. You can't go to the front."

"Okay!" Xue Shao agreed immediately. The others looked at the densely packed sentry towers within a mile in front of Xingluo Village and could only retreat silently.

After passing through the watchtower and entering the military camp, Xue Shao's footsteps stopped completely in an instant.

He looked at the Xingluo Lake in front of him with horror. The original island in the middle of Xingluo Lake had completely disappeared, leaving only a whole large lake, which was extremely vast.

The surface of the lake was covered with sharpened wooden stakes.

He could imagine that once an ordinary person was hit by these things, his body would be broken into two.

Collecting his thoughts, Xue Shao followed the Qianniu Guards who were leading the way all the way to the big tent, and saw Li Xuan who was standing in front of the sand table, looking at the entire Luoyang... no, there was only Li Xuan from the Ziwei Palace.

On the sand table, the entire Luoyang City has been completely razed to the ground, leaving only the Ziwei Palace.

"The Ziwei Palace is the highest in Luoyang, and it is behind the entire city. After the rain today, the Queen should know that Luoyang cannot be defended, so she can only defend the Ziwei Palace." Li Xuan turned around, looked at Xue Shao, and said, "Son-in-law, how is the princess?"

Xue Shao bowed solemnly to Li Xuan and said, "Hello, Uncle Wang."

"You're welcome." Li Xuan sighed and said, "I really don't want my speculation to come true, but the Queen..."

"Your Majesty died in the Zhuangjing Palace. No one else entered the palace except the Empress's people." Xue Shao shook his head and said, "Taiping is now accompanying my fourth brother in the palace, but my mother did not allow other court officials to enter to pay tribute except for us. Even my third brother did not do so at that time."

"After all, it's a great day for the Queen to ascend the throne. She won't let anything else spoil her fun." Li Xuan shook her head and said, "It's better to stay in the palace. At least it's safe."

As if remembering something, Xue Shao took out a letter from his arms and bowed to Li Xuan, saying, "This is what my mother asked Sanlang to bring to Uncle Wang, but it must have been tampered with."

Li Xuan nodded and looked to the side. A Qianniu Guard had already taken it and threw it directly into the basin of water beside him.

In an instant, a green color seeped out from the envelope and directly infected the entire basin.

Li Xuan turned his head to look at Xue Shao and said with some amusement: "I'm afraid the Queen of Heaven doesn't have any other means."

Xue Shao remained silent.

"Your Highness, please stay in the army tonight, and go into the city with Xuan tomorrow." Li Xuan raised his head slightly.

Xue Shao's face suddenly became awkward. Finally, he bowed and said, "Uncle Wang, Sanlang still wants to go back."

"Okay." Li Xuan heaved a sigh of relief and said, "At the beginning of tomorrow afternoon, you go first and rush into the palace in half an hour."

"Thank you, Uncle Wang!" Xue Shao finally laughed.

At this moment, Li Lang walked in quickly from outside and bowed to Li Xuan, saying, "Your Majesty, Mr. Zi'an is here."

"Wang Bo and Wang Zian, he is back?" Xue Shao was immediately surprised.

Li Xuan smiled and looked at the table. A piece of paper revealed a few lines of words: "The person who pretended to be a rebel against Zhou Wu is not kind and has a humble background. He once served Emperor Taizong and served him in the palace by changing clothes..."

……

At noon, Li Xuan was standing on horseback in the north of Xingluo Lake.

Tens of thousands of black-armored cavalry stood behind him.

Su Baotong, Zhou Qian, Chen Zi'ang, and Wang Bo, who was dressed in a grey robe and had a calm expression.

Li Xuan raised her head slightly. The heavy rain that had been falling all night long had finally stopped completely, but the Yi River beside her was already half full of water.

Behind it is Xingluo Lake, and behind the Yique Pass further away, countless stepped dams have retained a huge amount of Yishui.

Li Xuan lowered his head, looked towards Luoyang with cold eyes, and waved his right hand gently: "Let go."

With a whoosh, a signal cannon shot straight into the sky.

The next moment, loud noises came from the south, north and west of Luoyang at the same time.

The Luo River, Yi River, Jian River and Chan River, the four rivers burst their dams at the same time, and the endless river water suddenly rushed towards Luoyang city like a wild horse.

In Li Xuan's sight, the water of the Yi River, carrying countless sharp wooden stakes, rushed directly towards the Qixia Gate along the modified river channel.

Almost in the blink of an eye, it had rushed to the Qixia Gate. One of the waves suddenly broke out and then hit the city gate hard.

At this moment, the stone bars that were originally blocking the city gate suddenly collided violently with each other.

Suddenly, a spark appeared from somewhere.

The next moment, there was a loud "bang" and an unimaginable powerful impact force directly hit the city gate, causing it to explode outwards in an instant.

Even the flood rushing in from outside was blown up into countless huge waves by the powerful explosion.

Waves fell from mid-air, and in an instant, endless river water rushed directly into the devastated Qixia Gate and into Luoyang City.

The whole Luoyang suddenly opened up.

……

On the shore of Xingluo Lake in the distance, countless soldiers in black clothes and black armor all looked at Li Xuan who was standing in the front under the black banner.

Under the watchful eyes of the crowd, Li Xuan slowly raised the long spear in his hand and said with suppressed anger: "Soldiers of the Great Tang."

"Yes, yes, yes!" Countless soldiers shouted and bowed at the same time.

Li Xuan pointed his spear forward and gritted his teeth, "Go to Luoyang, destroy the false Zhou, kill!"

"Enter Luoyang and destroy the Pseudo-Zhou"

"Kill! Kill! Kill!"

In an instant, countless cavalrymen rushed like a torrent from both sides of the black-armored banner and headed straight for Luoyang City.

The city fell in an instant.

(End of this chapter)