Li Chengqian of the Tang Dynasty: Please say long live His Majesty

Chapter 268 What do you think of the surveillance by the Hundred Cavalry Division and the Thousand Bull Guards? (First update)
In midsummer of May, cicadas are chirping.

Chang'an, East Palace.

Li Chengqian was wearing a black python robe and walked quickly towards Tongxun Gate with a hurried look on his face.

Just as he reached the Tongxun Gate, he suddenly stopped, thought for a moment, turned to Changsun Xiang and asked, "Cousin, what's the situation over there in the Turkic region?"

"It's very quiet, nothing's happening." Chang Sun Xiang hesitated for a moment and asked, "Your Highness, if there's nothing wrong, then the Turks are hiding a huge conspiracy. Can the Prince of Jin handle it in Bingzhou?"

"I've repeatedly written to him, urging him to be cautious." Li Chengqian shook his head and said, "As long as he doesn't act rashly, there will basically be no problem. As for other matters, Wei Ting, the Chief Clerk of Prince Jin, and Dou Xiaoshen, the Chief Clerk of the Bingzhou Grand Military Governor's Office, can handle them properly. Besides, my father should have a backup plan there."

After a brief pause, Li Chengqian said helplessly, "Besides, it's not convenient for me to interfere in Bingzhou's affairs."

Although Li Chengqian was the regent prince, Li Zhi was the governor of Bingzhou.

Even Li Chengqian could only make adjustments to Bingzhou through the Secretariat, and he also needed to go through Fang Xuanling and Yang Shidao.

His arms and legs are too long, and Fang Xuanling and Yang Shidao would be disgusted.

"Finally, even I don't know the exact situation of the Turks." Li Chengqian looked at Changsun Xiang and said, "Even my cousin can see the Turks' abnormality. How could Wei Ting and Dou Xiaoshen not notice? So, as long as Zhinu doesn't move around, everything will be fine... And I can't imagine how he would move around. He's in Taiyuan, so how could he possibly run off to Daibei?"

Zhang Sunxiang was slightly stunned, then nodded and said, "Your Highness, what you said makes sense."

"Let's go. We should focus on the war between Xueyantuo and Western Turkic." Li Chengqian turned around and continued walking towards the Tongxun Gate, saying, "I'm not my father, so I don't have much knowledge of military affairs. If I'm not careful, I'll be in big trouble."

"Yes!" Chang Sunxiang's expression became serious.

……

In the Wude Hall, Fang Xuanling, Yang Shidao, Yu Zhining, Yuchi Jingde, Zheng Rentai, Li Anyan, Zuo Kuangzheng, Ma Zhou, Cui Renshi, Cui Dunli and others were already standing on both sides.

Li Chengqian strode into the hall from outside, and all the ministers bowed.

Li Chengqian sat down on the main couch and asked directly, "What's the situation now?"

"Your Highness!" Cui Dunli, the Minister of War, stepped forward and said with a bow, "Reports from Lingzhou indicate that the vanguard of the Xueyantuo cavalry has appeared outside the Great Wall."

"What about Yunzhong?" Li Chengqian looked up. Lingzhou, Fengzhou, Xiazhou, and Yanzhou were all inside the Yongbei Great Wall. Further east was Yunzhong, the Turkic tribe.

"There is no news from Yunzhong yet." Fang Xuanling stepped forward and bowed.

"That's good." Li Chengqian breathed a sigh of relief, then asked, "What about Anxi?"

"Now that the Xueyantuo have taken action, the Western Turks will only be faster than them." Yuchi Jingde stood up and bowed with a serious expression.

Li Chengqian nodded and said, "First, transfer two thousand cavalry from Shazhou to Anxi for support. At the same time, close the trade routes to prevent them from being affected by the war."

"Yes!" Yuchi Jingde bowed solemnly.

Zuo Kuangzheng, one of the ministers, wanted to say something, but before he could open his mouth, Li Chengqian said, "The remaining 5,000 cavalrymen from Chang'an should have headed north, right?"

"Yes!" Zhongshu Ling Yang Shidao stepped forward and said with a bow, "Use the military strength of the border states to defend the Great Wall. Send scouts outside the Great Wall to investigate the location of the Xueyantuo main force. Then, 5,000 cavalry will suddenly charge out and defeat the Xueyantuo main force. This is the strategy for this battle."

"Okay!" Li Chengqian nodded immediately, then looked at everyone and said, "Who will lead the troops?"

Five thousand cavalrymen left Chang'an. This is the only mobile force that Chang'an can currently mobilize, so people must be used with caution.

"Your Majesty, I request your permission!" Zheng Rentai stood up and bowed, looking serious.

Li Anyan, Zuo Kuangzheng, Xue Wanbei and others also stood up to ask for orders.

Li Chengqian looked at Yuchi Jingde and asked, "Who does Duke E think is best to lead the troops?"

Yuchi Jingde looked at everyone, and finally his eyes fell on Zheng Rentai and Zuo Kuangzheng. After a slight hesitation, Yuchi Jingde said, "The Duke of Susong was the governor of Shengzhou and is very familiar with the grassland situation. I suggest that the Duke of Susong lead the troops."

Li Chengqian raised his eyebrows, and then felt a little funny.

Zheng Rentai was his father-in-law. If he led 5,000 elite cavalry to attack, it would be equivalent to Li Chengqian leading the troops to attack. Even the emperor would not dare to let the prince actually control 5,000 cavalry.

Yuchi Jingde is now older and a bit cunning, so he lets Li Chengqian do all the things that offend people.

Li Chengqian glanced at Fang Xuanling, who smiled without saying anything, and the same went for Yang Shidao.

Li Chengqian took a deep breath and said, "Duke Dai, please follow me."

Li Chengqian stood up and walked towards the inner room. Zuo Kuangzheng hesitated a little, but still followed Li Chengqian into the inner hall.

The door to the inner hall suddenly closed. Although Zuo Kuangzheng was a little surprised, he still walked into the depths of the inner hall and bowed to Li Chengqian, saying, "Your Highness!"

From the moment Zuo Kuangzheng entered the hall, Li Chengqian began to observe his every move, especially the moment the door suddenly closed. Although he looked a little surprised, it was only a moment of confusion, and nothing else.

There wasn't any tension beyond the unexpected.

Li Chengqian sighed in his heart. He was finally sure that the person who was secretly connected with Hou Junji was not him.

……

"Your Highness!" Zuo Kuangzheng stood in front of the desk in the inner hall and bowed earnestly to Li Chengqian.

He was eager for the opportunity to lead the army to war, especially since he was not on the list of the emperor's eastern expedition to Goguryeo, which made him feel a little uncomfortable.

Now that Xueyantuo is invading, he doesn't want to miss this opportunity.

Although Zheng Rentai had a special relationship with the prince, Zuo Kuangzheng knew in his heart that if Li Chengqian really forced Zheng Rentai to lead the troops to war, Fang Xuanling and Yang Shidao would object.

Therefore, this opportunity must be his.

Looking at Zuo Kuangzheng, who looked cautious but full of anticipation, Li Chengqian said, "Duke Dai, this march requires the generals to be extremely capable of observing enemy movements, seizing opportunities, and making decisions on the spot. I'm asking you now: can you do it?"

"Yes!" Zuo Kuangzheng bowed vigorously.

Li Chengqian raised his head and asked calmly, "So, what do you think about the Hundred Cavalry Division and the Thousand Oxen Guards' repeated surveillance and investigations of your family during this period?"

"What?" Zuo Kuangzheng was confused.

"You are the general of the Left Golden Guard. Don't you know that the Hundred Cavalry Division and the Thousand Oxen Guard are monitoring and investigating your family?" Li Chengqian looked at Zuo Kuangzheng indifferently.

The Left and Right Jinwu Guards were in charge of all patrol and security matters in Gyeonggi Province.

It should have been difficult to monitor and investigate a general of the Left Golden Guard, but, let alone the Hundred Cavalry Division, even when Li Chengqian sent people to investigate, Zuo Kuangzheng did not find anything.

Zuo Kuangzheng finally reacted. Although he was still a little shocked, he asked with confusion and grievance: "Your Highness, did I do something wrong?"

Li Chengqian looked at Zuo Kuangzheng, sighed softly, and said, "Before the Qianniu Guards searched Hou Junji's study, someone took a secret letter from Hou Junji's study..."

"Your Highness, it wasn't me!" Zuo Kuangzheng quickly bowed and said, "Your Highness, I was sorting out the soldiers under Hou Junji's command at the time, and there was no..."

Li Chengqian interrupted Zuo Kuangzheng and asked, "I want to ask you, after the incident, did I immediately order the closure of Hou Junji's residence?"

"Yes!"

“Who sealed it?”

"Youjinwuwei!"

Looking at Zuo Kuangzheng who answered without hesitation, Li Chengqian asked calmly, "Then who was in charge of the Right Golden Guard at that time?"

Zuo Kuangzheng was stunned for a moment, then said bewilderedly, "Yes, I!"

To quell Hou Junji's rebellion, Zheng Rentai led 3,000 men from the Left Jinwu Guard, and Zuo Kuangzheng led 3,000 men from the Right Jinwu Guard.

Afterwards, Li Chengqian ordered the Left Jinwu Guard to seal off the Prince of Wei's Mansion and the Right Jinwu Guard to seal off the Hou Junji Mansion.

However, during the blockade of the Right Jinwu Guard, a letter was lost in Hou Junji's study.

Of course, some people will say that Hou Zhiyi did it, but he even betrayed his father, so how could he care about such a letter?

So, if it wasn't him, nor anyone else in Hou Junji's mansion, then it could only be the Right Golden Guard.

"Your Highness, I have never issued such an order." Zuo Kuangzheng suddenly became anxious.

He now finally understood why the emperor did not take him to Liaodong, and the prince was no longer willing to use him as a leading general.

If this kind of thing cannot be explained clearly, then he can't even make any contribution, and even his survival is uncertain.

Zuo Kuangzheng looked at Li Chengqian, his face solemn as he bowed and said, "Your Highness, although Duke Chen and I once followed Duke Wei to conquer the Turks and Tuyuhun together, I was born in Huizhou and was not close to Duke Chen. Why would he approach me with such a conspiracy?"

Zuo Kuangzheng was not Hou Junji's direct descendant, and he couldn't even enter Hou Junji's circle.

"On the day of the incident, if I remember correctly, if nothing happened, you should have been on duty at the Suzaku Gate." Li Chengqian pointed out Zuo Kuangzheng's biggest problem in one sentence.

Zuo Kuangzheng was guarding the Suzaku Gate, so Hou Junji could enter the palace through him. In the end, Zuo Kuangzheng came with three thousand Right Jinwu Guards. As long as he changed sides, Hou Junji still had the opportunity to rush into the palace and take Li Chengqian and Fang Xuanling hostage.

This is Hou Junji’s most perfect plan, and this is the level that Hou Junji should have.

"I was assigned to guard the Suzaku Gate by the Duke of Wuyang County. Is it wrong for me to still give orders to guard the palace gate?" Zuo Kuangzheng's voice could not help but get louder. He looked at Li Chengqian angrily and said, "If I really had any connection with Hou Junji, I would have told him everything long ago. Why did he end up dying in the end..."

Zuo Kuangzheng's voice dropped to a whisper at the end. He looked at Li Chengqian in disbelief and said, "So Your Highness suspected that I had chosen to betray Hou Junji in the end, and that's why you're so suspicious of me now?"

"It's true that someone betrayed Hou Junji. It's also true that someone was in collusion with Hou Junji and agreed to open the palace gates in advance." Li Chengqian looked at Zuo Kuangzheng and nodded calmly. "The Hundred Cavalry Division and the Thousand Oxen Guards have thoroughly investigated, and the final conclusions have come to me. You are indeed not connected to Hou Junji, and that person is not you."

Zuo Kuangzheng was a little unresponsive to the sudden turn of events. He subconsciously asked, "Then why?"

"Because this person is close to you." Li Chengqian pointed a heavy finger at Zuo Kuangzheng, then stood up and walked across to him. Looking him in the eye, he said directly, "This person is right beside you. When Hou Junji initially planned to storm the city, he was responsible for opening the palace gate on your behalf. He might even have stabbed you in the back..."

Treason is never just a dinner party; it is bloody, absolutely bloody.

Zuo Kuangzheng suddenly shuddered, and finally looked at Li Chengqian in disbelief.

"Looks like you've figured out who it is?" Li Chengqian breathed a sigh of relief and returned to the main couch. He then looked at Zuo Kuangzheng and said, "Okay, tell me. Who is that person?"

Zuo Kuangzheng's mouth twitched slightly, and finally he bowed with some difficulty and bitterness and said, "Right Lieutenant General of the Jinwu Guard, and Tian Renhui, Duke of Xindu County."

"The Tian family of Jizhou?" Li Chengqian immediately understood.

(End of this chapter)