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

Chapter 377: The Dagger Revealed (Part )

Under the cover of night, two thousand cavalrymen escorted Li Chengqian, Li Zhi, Changsun Wuji, Fang Xuanling and others back to Chang'an City.

A group of people from Chunmingmen slowly entered the city.

Li Chengqian looked back in the direction of Mount Li. It took only a little over half an hour to ride from the Hot Spring Palace to Chang'an City.

It was fine when we just left Chang'an City. The fields were wide and everything was in sight, but the closer we got to the Hot Spring Palace, the closer we got to the mountains.

From time to time it spreads from the mountain path into the deep mountains.

Similarly, this also means that once something happens, countless cavalry will immediately rush out from the mountains.

After exiting Chunming Gate, Li Chengqian looked at the people behind him and said, "Zhi Nu, Uncle, Duke Liang, that's all for today. Go back and rest. You've been traveling back and forth all day. Rest early."

"Here!" Everyone raised their hands in unison.

Li Chengqian took the lead and rode towards the imperial palace. Qin Huaidao, Pei Xingjian and others, with thousands of cavalrymen, escorted the prince back to the palace.

The other cavalrymen escorted Li Zhi, Changsun Wuji, Fang Xuanling and others back to their residence, and then returned to their respective camps.

……

At the Prince of Jin's Mansion, Li Zhi washed up briefly, visited Princess Zhao, and then hurried into the study.

"How are the arrangements on my uncle's side?" Li Zhi just sat down and looked at Ji Jiafu beside him.

"Your Majesty, with your majesty away from the capital, the Crown Prince will focus on the war in Kucha, and your majesty will focus on the Crown Prince. This will give my uncle a lot more room to maneuver. Starting today, bows and crossbows will gradually be shipped out of Chang'an." Ji Jiafu bowed and said seriously, "About ten days will be enough time to prepare everything we need."

"It's okay to go slow." Li Zhi waved his hand and said, "We have at least twenty days. Even after twenty days, as long as Father doesn't force his way back to the palace, we still have a chance... Remember, if there's a risk, it's better to pause than to expose yourself. That's the premise. Even if it doesn't work out this year, we still have next year. And if it doesn't work out next year, there's always the future."

"Yes!" Ji Jiafu bowed calmly. He could feel that Li Zhi had an inexplicable tension in his heart.

Ji Jiafu's uncle was Ji Sizhong, the Deputy Director of the Military Affairs Department.

The earliest group of people under Li Zhi were actually trained by Ji Sizhong.

At that time, the emperor allowed it.

After all, Li Zhi was young, and when he went out to take up an official post and govern the local area, he needed a group of suitable people from his own side.

But even the emperor himself did not expect that Li Zhi trained this group of people in order to prepare to deal with him.

Ji Sizhong is the Deputy Director of the Military Affairs Department, and his identity is sensitive.

In the past few years, Li Zhi basically did not use him, so even if some people remembered him at the beginning, he was gradually forgotten.

Now it was time to use him again. He mobilized manpower and material resources through the Military Affairs Bureau and provided great assistance to Li Zhi.

At this time, the role of a Deputy Director of the Military Affairs Department was greater than that of sixteen generals.

As for if it doesn’t work this year, there’s always next year. If it doesn’t work next year, there’s always the future.

How could there be a future?

The emperor's health was obviously failing. He barely managed to survive this winter, but he would not be able to survive the next winter.

Once the emperor realizes this, he will never leave the palace again, and Li Zhi will no longer have any chance.

So, they can only try their best this year.

……

"On the sixteenth day of the twelfth lunar month, inform General Zuo Kuangzheng of the Left Jinwu Guard and General Tian Renhui of the Right Jinwu Guard about the matter involving Gongsun Chang. He should investigate and then take action. On the nineteenth day, inform Tian Renhui that I will meet him that night." After a brief pause, Li Zhi said, "If he is obedient, use him. If he is disobedient, kill him."

"Yes!" Ji Jiafu looked solemn.

"As for the Wei family, I've recommended Wei Hongmin. They owe me a favor. As for the Dou family, we have Dou Huaiqi." After a brief pause, Li Zhi calculated, "At a critical moment, using Tian Renhui's seal of the Right Jinwu Guard General and my seal of the Right Jinwu Guard Grand General, as my uncle, and with the support of both the Wei and Dou families, I should be able to mobilize quite a few people."

"Yes!" Ji Jiafu bowed. The reason why they finally chose Tian Renhui was because Li Zhi was still the General of the Right Jinwu Guard, and the effect of the two working together would be the greatest.

"Of course, it would be best if he is willing to cooperate." Li Zhi smiled lightly. With Tian Renhui, the Dou and Wei families, and Li Zhi's own men, he would be able to surround and kill Li Chengqian to the greatest extent and eliminate any hidden dangers.

"Yeah!" Ji Jiafu nodded. He knew that Li Zhi had never stopped contacting the Wei family, but he just avoided Wei Daijia.

"Also, it's time for Master Bianji to die." Li Zhi looked at Ji Jiafu and said, "Let's have the people from Shanzhou go to Sanmenxia and find a suitable opportunity to allow Master Bianji to go to the Western Paradise to meet the Buddha."

"Yes!" Ji Jiafu bowed seriously.

If all the previous ones were used to deal with the prince, then the affairs of Gao Yang and Bian Ji were used to deal with the emperor.

Although the emperor's health was not very good, it was far from the point of collapse.

Gao Yang is the most important killer and the most needed cover.

"Don't contact Lishan anymore." Li Zhi said solemnly, "Chang He is keeping a close eye on us. Any contact could lead to exposure."

"Yes!" Ji Jiafu bowed slightly.

"When will my cousin come to Chang'an?" Li Zhi looked at Ji Jiafu.

"General Xue will arrive on the seventh day of the twelfth lunar month."

"Tell him to hurry up and meet me at the foot of Mount Li." Li Zhi took a deep breath and said, "It's a good opportunity for him to see Xue Rengui again. After all, although their blood relationship is somewhat distant, they are still blood relatives. It's not a bad thing to see each other more often."

"Yes!" Ji Jiafu nodded seriously. Xue Rengui was the commander of the Lishan Hot Spring Palace. As long as Xue Yuanchao could get close to Xue Rengui, they would have a chance to capture Xue Rengui.

"Manpower from Shanzhou and Luoyang." Li Zhi pondered for a moment and said, "On the 20th of the twelfth lunar month, send a letter at the foot of Mount Li asking them to move. If there is no news, then keep them in place."

"Yes!"

"The rest are Luo Binwang and the people south of Chang'an." Li Zhi pondered for a moment and said, "Don't worry about Luo Binwang. The people over there will be divided into two halves, one half will go to Wugong County, and the other half will go to Qizhou.

Find a loyal soldier, use the name Gongsun Chang, go to Lanzhou, enter the plateau, and then go from Tuyuhun to Songzhou and return to Jiannan.

"Your Highness, are you planning to use Gongsun Chang to attract the Crown Prince and the Eastern Palace's attention?"

"That's more than that." Li Zhi shook his head and said, "I can't just casually say that Tian Ren is in contact with Gongsun Chang. I have to make him feel threatened before I can use him to my advantage."

"Yes!" Ji Jiafu nodded.

"That's all." Li Zhi raised his head, looking towards Mount Li, and said softly, "What remains is to use Gao Yang, Prime Minister Chu, and Consort Wu to control my father, and finally to kill the crown prince." "Kill the crown prince!"

……

East Palace, Chongde Hall.

The emperor toured Mount Li, and the crown prince served as regent in the Eastern Palace.

Li Chengqian sat in the Chongde Hall, looking at the night scene outside the hall, and did not speak for a long time.

This time, the emperor actually let him govern the country in the Eastern Palace, which was very rare.

Li Chengqian turned around and looked around.

The candlelight was dim and the hall was silent.

All the officials in the Eastern Palace had left their posts, leaving only a few eunuchs and maids inside.

Li Chengqian waved his hand and said, "You all can go down. I'll pack up a bit and then go back... I'll go to Yifeng Palace tonight, please inform them in advance."

In October, Zhang Xuan gave birth to Li Chengqian's sixth son.

Li Wei.

"Yes!" Xu An bowed and then led all the eunuchs and palace maids in the hall out.

Li Chengqian smiled, then stood up and walked into the West Inner Hall.

The western inner hall was dark.

A familiar voice sounded from the corner: "Your Highness!"

"An Yan!" Li Chengqian walked to the main couch in the hall and sat down based on his memory. Then he looked at Li Anyan and asked, "How many of the Prince of Jin's men have you figured out now?"

"Luoyang, Shanzhou, south of the city, west of the city." After a brief pause, Li Anyan bowed and said, "Although the King of Jin has a lot of men, he lacks generals."

Li Anyan, Zheng Rentai, and Xue Wanbei were all great generals capable of charging into battle, but Li Zhi did not have such people under his command.

There are quite a few assassins.

"Even for the strongest general, a single crossbow arrow is enough to kill him." Li Chengqian waved his hand and said, "Besides, Zhinu is still plotting against Tian Renhui and Zuo Kuangzheng. And there's also Prime Minister Chu. If he can just fake the imperial decree, Xue Rengui will have to obey."

"Yes!" Li Anyan bowed seriously.

"When do you think Zhinu will take action?" Li Chengqian turned sideways.

"Whenever the Prince of Jin goes to Mount Li, he will take action." Li Anyan bowed seriously and said, "The Prince of Jin can actually mobilize 800 people. They will imitate your majesty's Xuanwu Gate and send people to control your majesty at Mount Li, and then assassinate your majesty outside Chunming Gate. It's all the same tactics as the Xuanwu Gate."

"I won't leave Chang'an." Li Chengqian smiled, then whispered, "Let's find a death warrior."

"Yes!" Li Anyan bowed calmly.

"Be prepared to withdraw our forces." Li Chengqian looked up and said, "Once this is over, our forces must withdraw quickly. Don't give Father a chance to seize any advantage."

"Yes!" Li Anyan's expression became serious.

The emperor himself came out of Xuanwu Gate. It would be strange if you could succeed in rebelling against him by using the means of Xuanwu Gate.

"This game between me and Father is all about how far Zhinu will go." Li Chengqian sighed softly and said, "Father naturally hopes that I can spare Zhinu's life, but if Zhinu seeks death on her own, I'm afraid Father will have to kill her himself."

The emperor killed his own son.

One of the emperor's sons watched the emperor kill his other son.

One of the emperor's sons forced the emperor to kill his other son.

"Tell me, how did Zhinu feel that he had a chance?" Li Chengqian turned sideways and looked at Li Anyan.

"Your Majesty is using Your Highness, and at the same time, he's using Prince Jin to counter Your Highness." Li Anyan shook his head and said, "This is the opportunity. As for now, Prince Jin has been pushed step by step to this day by the power of everyone in front of him, behind him, to his left and right."

"Alas!" Li Chengqian sighed softly and said, "Zhi Nu is gambling. The Princess of Jin is going to give birth to a child early next year. If it succeeds, he can take a step forward. If it fails, he can also leave a way out for himself."

"Yes!" Li Anyan nodded.

"Starting from the twelfth lunar month, I will discuss the war in the Western Regions with my uncle, as well as Prime Minister Fang, Prime Minister Yang, the Ministry of War, and the Ministry of Revenue. I will also invite Duke Lu and Duke E, as well as the Prince of Jiangxia and the Duke of Pengcheng, to discuss the matter together." Li Chengqian smiled softly and said, "I hope this doesn't scare Zhinu."

Zhangsun Wuji, Fang Xuanling, and Yang Shidao.

Minister of War Cui Dunli, Minister of Revenue Yan Lide.

Duke of Lu Cheng Yaojin, Duke of E Yuchi Jingde, Prince of Jiangxia Li Daozon, and Duke of Pengcheng Liu Dewei were all powerful generals in the army.

Li Anyan bowed calmly.

"In addition, Lai Heng, Li Yifu, Cen Changqian, Zhang Da'an, Dai Zhide, Zhang Wenguan, Qin Huaidao, Pei Xingjian, and Liu Renshi should all be called over to study together. They will eventually come into contact with these things in the future." Li Chengqian said lightly.

"Yes!" Li Anyan nodded slightly. The Eastern Palace has enough talents in reserve.

"Alright, that's it," Li Chengqian waved his hand and said, "How much we can gain this time depends on how much trouble Zhinu can cause."

"I'll take my leave." Li Anyan bowed slightly, then retreated into the darkness, and then fell completely silent.

Li Chengqian sighed lightly. Li Anyan was the person he could trust the most. He controlled the most hidden personnel in the Eastern Palace.

Li Chengqian would make up for many things that he himself could not take care of.

"Zhi Nu, it depends on how big a surprise you can bring to me this time." Li Chengqian shook his head slightly, then smiled gently.

He had penetrated Li Zhi deeply enough, but that was all.

Especially recently, he had almost lost all news from Prince Jin's Mansion.

This may have some impact on him, and he needs to be wary of the changes that follow, but the person who is most affected is the emperor.

Everything has come to light.

(End of this chapter)