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

Chapter 381 Father, the Crown Prince's Head is Here (Part )
Li Zhi took the emperor's handwritten edict, then looked at Quan Zhijie, the chief secretary of the Secretariat, and said gently, "Qian Qing, thank you for your hard work."

"Everything is what I should do." Quan Zhijie bowed solemnly.

Li Zhi nodded in satisfaction. Quan Zhijie was the nephew of Quan Wanji. Although Quan Wanji died because he forced the King of Qi to revolt, he was still poorly regarded by the court.

It implicated Quan Zhijie.

It just so happened that when Quan Zhijie was in the Ministry of Revenue, he was a subordinate of Li Zhi's father-in-law Zhao Zhongjian, and he is now the chief secretary of the Secretariat, a seventh-rank official.

After Chu Suiliang knew that he was Li Zhi's man, he brought him with him.

"Minister Quan, I need one more thing from you." After a brief pause, Li Zhi looked at Quan Zhijie and said, "Take ten guards with you now, and then select ten Jinwu Guards from the Duke of Xindu. Descend Mount Li and bring Pei Su, the Right Guard General, back to the capital with the imperial edict to read it to the Crown Prince."

"Yes!" Quan Zhijie immediately bowed, then asked carefully, "Should we tell the Crown Prince that His Highness is in Mount Li?"

Quan Zhijie knew some of Li Zhi's plans.

Li Zhi calmly shook his head and said, "Just tell him that Your Majesty issued the edict after meeting Princess Gaoyang. If he asks again, just say that Your Majesty is not in good health. That will be enough. The Crown Prince is capable enough to discover that I am no longer in Chang'an."

Where else could Li Zhi be if he was not in Chang'an? Of course, it was Mount Li.

The emperor was critically ill and Li Zhi was in Mount Li. The emperor also issued a handwritten edict, ordering the civil and military officials in Chang'an not to act rashly.

At this time, anyone would think too much.

Will the emperor die of illness tonight? After his death, will he pass the throne to Li Zhi?

Although Li Chengqian was the crown prince, if the emperor left a clear will, he would be deposed that night and Li Zhi would be made the crown prince, and at the same time he would be ordered to succeed to the throne.

Once the imperial edict is issued, at least half of the officials in Chang'an will stand on Li Zhi's side.

Even the rest hesitated.

In order to avoid this from happening, Li Chengqian must find out what happened in Mount Li.

However, because of the emperor's imperial edict, he could not move at all and could not command the civil and military officials in Chang'an.

This kind of thing will bring endless anxiety to Li Chengqian.

If he did nothing and came to Mount Li again tomorrow, Li Zhi would have enough time to control Mount Li and prepare the "last will".

If he moved, he would not be able to command the army. Even if he came with three or five hundred cavalry, his fate would be the same.

dead!
Ji Sizhong would bring his head to Mount Li and let the emperor see the prince's head.

"Go." Li Zhi waved his hand gently. He had done what he should do. What remained was the prince's judgment and the capture of Mount Li.

"Yes!" Quan Zhijie immediately bowed, then led ten guards on horseback and rode out of the palace gate, holding up the imperial edict and shouting, "Your Majesty's imperial edict. Make way, make way!"

"He is a smart man." Li Zhi nodded with satisfaction.

With Quan Zhijie's words, the chaos and fighting caused by the fire would not arouse the suspicion of the more than 500 guards outside the palace. The remaining guards in various parts of the palace were too scattered, and Li Zhi's men were enough to kill them all.

"Once Pei Su leaves, the remaining 150 cavalrymen will be able to charge in." Xue Yuanchao whispered in Li Zhi's ear.

"Hmm!" Li Zhi looked around with a serious expression and said, "Let's go. Take 30 soldiers and go to Zhaoyang Gate to see if it will open."

"Here!"

……

Zhaoyang Gate is located slightly behind the Hot Spring Palace, behind which is an upward mountain path leading directly to the Hall of Eternal Life.

The Hall of Eternal Life has always been the emperor's residence.

Later generations Li Longji liked to live here.

On July th, in the Hall of Eternal Life, when no one whispers in the middle of the night.

Forever and forever, this hatred is endless.

Li Zhi stood at the foot of Zhaoyang Gate. Behind him was the palace which was gradually becoming quiet, and in front of him was the equally quiet and dark Zhaoyang Gate.

The city gates were closed, there was no light and no sound.

Li Zhi raised his head and his gaze fell on the Changsheng Palace which was higher up. It was not an easy task to break into the Changsheng Palace.

but……

War horses and soldiers quickly gathered behind Li Zhi, there were more than three hundred of them.

The high-raised torch completely illuminated Li Zhi's figure.

Dressed in black and golden armor, with a stern expression and a long sword in his hand, he led his troops to force the palace.

"Gee!" Li Zhi urged his horse forward slightly, then raised his head, looked in the direction of the Hall of Eternal Life, and shouted loudly: "Father, Zhinu is here, please let Zhinu in."

"Prince Jin, His Majesty has rested. If Your Highness has anything to say, please come and see His Majesty tomorrow." On the city gate, a torch was finally lit, and Xue Rengui, dressed in a white robe, silver armor, and a long spear with a red tassel, appeared in front of Li Zhi.

"Father, I know you are awake. Now that it has come to this, if you have anything to say, just say it directly." Li Zhi's eyes were still fixed on the Changsheng Palace.

He could see a figure standing in the darkness at the window of the Hall of Eternal Life, looking down at him. "Your Highness, Prince of Jin," Xue Rengui interrupted Li Zhi coldly, gritting his teeth and saying, "If Your Highness does not retreat, do not blame me."

"I've heard that General Xue, with his white horse and silver halberd, is an extraordinary archer. I acknowledge this." Li Zhi looked at Xue Rengui, smiled softly, and then said, "However, General Xue seems to have forgotten that I also have hundreds of crossbows behind me. A single rocket can hit the Hall of Eternal Life directly."

Xue Rengui finally sighed: "Your Highness, why has it come to this?"

"Why is it so? I was just protecting myself." Li Zhi looked towards the Hall of Eternal Life and said loudly, "General Xue, let me tell you a story. There was a man who, more than 20 years ago, killed his own brother, his own younger brother, and his eight nephews..."

Xue Rengui looked at Li Zhi in surprise, then he suddenly turned his head and looked in the direction of the Hall of Eternal Life.

Xuanwu Gate was the emperor's Achilles' heel, and everyone in the world knew this.

But no one ever said this to the emperor in person.

The Hall of Eternal Life remains peaceful.

Xue Rengui turned to look at Li Zhi and said seriously: "Your Highness, the prince is now the prince, and Your Highness is a prince, it shouldn't be like this!"

"Not that bad?" Li Zhi suddenly burst into laughter. He looked at Xue Rengui and said loudly, "Ask him, if our royal grandfather had deposed Prince Yin and the King of Qi, would he have let them go? Would those arrogant and powerful generals under his command have let him go?
Will it, Father?"

The Hall of Eternal Life was still eerily quiet.

"It's no different now." Li Zhi nodded gently and said self-deprecatingly, "Once the crown prince ascends the throne, how many of me and those who follow me will survive? How many of them will have a good future? They and their descendants will all be affected. We have no choice but to fight, only to fight."

After Li Zhi's words, everyone in front and behind tightly gripped their weapons, their faces grim.

"Father, father, you forced all this, you forced all this." Li Zhi looked up with gritted teeth.

"Prince Jin, you are crazy." Xue Rengui's eyes were full of hatred.

"It's me, I'm crazy." Li Zhi looked at Xue Rengui calmly, then said, "Xue Qing, do you know why I am willing to talk so much with you here now? Because I am waiting..."

Xue Rengui leaned forward slightly, wondering what the King of Jin was waiting for.

"I'm waiting!" Li Zhi looked up in the direction of the Hall of Eternal Life and said softly, "I'm waiting for the crown prince's head to be delivered."

Everyone in Zhaoyang Gate held their breath for a moment.

……

Chang'an City, East Palace.

In Chongde Hall.

Li Chengqian sat on the main couch with four people standing in front of him.

The prince's household manager was Changsun Xiang, the prince's chief guard was Dugu Dabao, the prince's servant was Yuwen Zhongfang, and the prince's groom was Li Yanshou.

A light sound of footsteps was heard outside the hall. Xu An walked quickly into the hall and said, "Your Highness, Quan Zhijie said he wanted to send a message to the ministers, the chancellors, the generals, and the generals."

"Let him go." Li Chengqian waved his hand, then looked at Changsun Xiang and the others and said, "Cousin, please excuse me, the three of you, to wait here. I will go into the inner hall to rest."

"Yes!" Changsun Xiang looked at Li Chengqian deeply. The situation was chaotic now and he didn't know what to do, but no matter what, he would follow the prince closely.

Xu An followed Li Chengqian into the hall, then bowed and said, "Your Highness!"

"Have those assassins been sent out?" Li Chengqian looked up with an indifferent expression.

"They've already been sent out." Xu An bowed and said, "Your Highness, the Imperial Censor has arrived at the Lishan camp. The situation is under control. Is it really necessary to send out those assassins?"

"Hmm!" Li Chengqian nodded gently and said, "Father still has expectations for Zhinu. This time, it's time to completely break those expectations."

"Yes!" Xu An bowed slightly.

Li Chengqian sat on the main couch, looking towards Mount Li. It would be a good thing to take the opportunity to destroy some things.

……

"Kill!" Eight hundred cavalrymen rushed down directly from Mount Zhongnan. A dozen war horses galloping along the official road towards Mount Li were almost drowned in an instant.

Ji Sizhong found the body of "Li Chengqian" wearing a black robe with golden python threads. Although his face was covered in blood, he could tell that it was the prince.

With a swipe of the long spear, "Li Chengqian's" head was cut off directly and then held up.

The next moment, Ji Sizhong held up the head of "Li Chengqian" and shouted, "The Crown Prince is dead. Run to Mount Li and rescue the Prince of Jin!"

"The Crown Prince is dead. Flee to Mount Li to aid the King of Jin!"

"The Crown Prince is dead. Flee to Mount Li to aid the King of Jin!"

Amidst shouts, eight hundred cavalrymen headed straight towards Mount Li.

They rushed directly past the Right Guard camp, and the Right Guard did not stop them at all because these people were all dressed as Jinwu Guards.

A moment later, Ji Sizhong had already rushed to the Zhaoyang Gate. He threw the head of "Li Chengqian" to the ground, then bowed to Li Zhi and said, "Your Highness, I have fulfilled your orders. Here is the crown prince's head."

Li Zhi glanced at the heads rolling on the ground, then suddenly raised his head, stared in the direction of the Hall of Eternal Life, and said loudly: "Father..."

(End of this chapter)