I, the military god of the Tang Dynasty, have risen since I destroyed the Turks

Chapter 756: Imperial Methods
In the imperial study of the Qianqing Palace, ambergris rose from the gilded incense burner. Li Zheng stood in front of the window with his back to the door, looking at the falling snow outside. His bright yellow dragon robe was particularly dazzling under the candlelight. He was playing with a white jade ring in his hand, and his knuckles turned slightly white due to the force.

"Your Majesty, Lord Wei and Prince Pingnan have arrived." The old eunuch Li Dequan walked in quietly and reported in a low voice.

"Xuan." Li Zheng said without turning his head, his voice so calm that no emotion could be heard.

Wei Xiaobao followed Shang Kexi into the imperial study, his eyes rolling around as he looked around. The twenty-something Lu Dinggong was wearing the uniform of a second-rank military officer, but he had seven or eight sachets hanging around his waist, which jingled as he walked. He had his signature flattering smile on his face, but his back was already soaked with cold sweat.

"Your Majesty, I am Wei Xiaobao/Shang Kexi. I pay my respects to your Majesty." The two men saluted in unison and knelt on the golden brick floor.

Li Zheng slowly turned around, his sharp eyes swept over the two people. He was thirty-five years old, with a resolute face and a powerful aura between his eyebrows. "Stand up." He said briefly, walking towards the dragon throne behind the imperial desk.

Wei Xiaobao stood up and secretly glanced at Shang Kexi. The Prince of Pingnan was over fifty years old, with gray hair on his temples, but his figure was as straight as a pine tree, and his tiger eyes were bright and spirited. Shang Kexi looked normal at the moment, but Wei Xiaobao noticed that his hands hidden in his sleeves were trembling slightly.

"Do you know why I called you here?" Li Zheng picked up the teacup and gently blew the tea leaves on the water.

Wei Xiaobao rolled his eyes and said with a smile: "Your Majesty is so busy, yet he still remembered to summon me. He must have something good to reward me with."

Li Zheng sneered, and when he put down the teacup, there was a crisp clinking sound. "Master Wei is optimistic." He deliberately emphasized the word "Master", and when he saw Wei Xiaobao's smile froze for a moment, a trace of satisfaction flashed in his eyes.

"Your Majesty, please understand. " Wei Xiaobao's knees went weak and he was about to kneel down again, but Li Zheng raised his hand to stop him.

"No need to pretend." Li Zheng took out a few letters from the drawer of the imperial desk and threw them on the table. "The letter from Hong Antong of the Shenlong Sect to Chen Jinnan of the Tiandihui, and the secret agreement between the Pingnan Palace and the Yunnan Mu Palace, are all here."

When Wei Xiaobao saw those familiar wax seals, he felt as if he had fallen into an icy cave. He had seen similar letters in Lichun Courtyard, which were written by Master Hong himself, and had the unique snake-shaped seal of the Dragon Sect. He forced a smile and said, "Your Majesty, these must have been framed by someone."

Shang Kexi suddenly stepped forward and knelt on one knee: "I am guilty!"

The sound was like a thunderclap. Wei Xiaobao stared at Shang Kexi with wide eyes, unable to believe that the always shrewd King Pingnan would confess his guilt on the spot.

Li Zheng seemed to have expected this, with a slight smile on his face: "Oh? What crime did the King of Pingnan commit?"

Shang Kexi raised his head with a frank look in his eyes: "I was confused for a while, and was instigated by the traitors. I did have the intention of being disloyal. But seeing that Your Majesty has worked hard to govern the country since he ascended the throne, and the world has been peaceful, I have long since come to my senses. Today I have seen the face of the emperor, and I know that it is the will of heaven. I am willing to repay Your Majesty with my life and soul!"

The imperial study was completely silent, with only the sound of the copper clock ticking. Wei Xiaobao's forehead was covered with beads of sweat, and he cursed Shang Kexi in his heart, saying that Shang Kexi was an old fox, and that he had played a beautiful trick of retreating in order to advance, but in fact he was putting him on the fire.

Li Zheng was silent for a long time, then suddenly laughed: "Great! What a good 'God's will'!" The laughter stopped abruptly, and he slammed the table and stood up, "Then how do you explain your conspiracy to launch an attack in Yangzhou on the 15th of next month while I am on a southern tour?"

Wei Xiaobao's legs went limp and he fell to his knees. Only the core members of the Tiandihui and the Shenlong Cult knew about this plan, but the emperor even knew the exact date and location, so it was obvious that there was a traitor among them.

"Your Majesty is very observant!" Wei Xiaobao rested his forehead on the ground, "Although I am just a nominal figure in the Tiandihui, I am loyal to Your Majesty and have no second thoughts! I have long wanted to report the activities of those traitors!"

Li Zheng walked slowly to Wei Xiaobao, his dragon boots stopped just an inch away from his nose. "Master Wei, I remember that among your seven wives, two are from the Dragon Sect? And that Miss Shuang'er, it seems that she is the Master of the Qingmu Hall of the Tiandihui?"

Wei Xiaobao was trembling all over, not daring to look up. He thought of Princess Jianning's savagery, Su Quan's cruelty, and Shuang'er's tenderness, and felt mixed emotions. These women were his weak points, and the emperor had obviously known them clearly.

"Your Majesty." Wei Xiaobao's voice was choked with sobs. "Your servant." "That's enough." Li Zheng suddenly turned around, his sleeves making a gust of wind. "I called you here today, not to listen to your quibbling." He walked back to the imperial desk and took out a roll of yellow silk from another drawer. "This is the iron certificate of immunity from death, and it has been stamped with the imperial seal."

Wei Xiaobao and Shang Kexi looked up at the same time, with a look of surprise and doubt in their eyes.

"I can pretend that what happened today never happened." Li Zheng's voice suddenly softened. "The southeastern coastal defense needs to be reorganized, and the chieftains in the southwest need to be appeased. These are all major issues related to the safety of the country. You are smart people, and you should understand what I mean."

Shang Kexi was the first to react, and he kowtowed heavily: "I am willing to defend Lingnan for your majesty, and I will do my best until my death!"

Wei Xiaobao also hurriedly expressed his loyalty: "I am willing to go through fire and water for your majesty, without hesitation!"

Li Zheng nodded with satisfaction and pushed the certificate of immunity from death to the table: "Take it. Remember, I can give you wealth and honor, but I can also take everything back."

Just as Wei Xiaobao reached out to take it, Li Zheng suddenly held down the iron certificate: "Wait. I have something else to say." He clapped his hands, and the side door of the imperial study opened, and four Jinyiwei escorted a disheveled man in.

"Master Hong!" Wei Xiaobao cried out, then realized that he had said something wrong and quickly covered his mouth.

The leader of the Dragon Sect, Hong Antong, was chained and bloodstained, and he no longer looked as majestic as before. When he saw Wei Xiaobao, his eyes flashed with hatred: "Wei Xiaobao! You traitor!"

Li Zheng watched the scene coldly and said slowly: "Master Hong has confessed the whole plan. Lord Wei, how do you think I should deal with him?"

Wei Xiaobao knew that this was the emperor's final test. He took a deep breath, pulled out a dagger from his boot, and walked towards Hong Antong: "The traitors and traitors must be killed by everyone!"

Hong Antong struggled frantically: "Wei Xiaobao! Have you forgotten who promoted you from a small eunuch to the White Dragon Envoy? You ungrateful person."

Before he finished speaking, Wei Xiaobao's dagger had already pierced Hong Antong's heart. Blood splattered on his face, warm and sticky. Hong Antong stared at the hilt of the knife in his chest with wide eyes, looking at it in disbelief, and slowly fell to the ground.

Wei Xiaobao turned around and knelt down, holding the bloody dagger in his hands: "Your Majesty, please understand!"

Li Zheng watched this scene in silence for a long time before he spoke: "Very good." He signaled the Jinyiwei to drag the body away, and then personally took the immunity certificate and handed it to Wei Xiaobao, "My dear minister, you are so loyal, and I am very pleased."

Wei Xiaobao took it with both hands, and it felt cold to the touch. He knew that from this moment on, he had completely become the emperor's pawn.

Shang Kexi watched coldly from the sidelines, secretly shocked by the emperor's thunderous move. He originally thought that Li Zheng was young and easy to deceive, but he didn't expect him to be so cunning.

"Prince of Pingnan." Li Zheng suddenly called out, "Prince Mu's Mansion in Yunnan"

Shang Kexi immediately responded: "I understand. I will write a letter to draw a clear line between myself and Mu Jiansheng and persuade him to stop before it is too late."

Li Zheng nodded with satisfaction: "It's getting late, you can leave now. Remember, I will see you in Yangzhou on the 15th of next month."

Walking out of the Qianqing Palace, a cold wind blew in his face. Wei Xiaobao then realized that his inner clothes were soaked, and he couldn't help shivering when the cold wind blew.

(End of this chapter)