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

Chapter 488: Taking Control of the Entire Palace and Interrogating Wu Mei Niang (Part )

The crescent moon hangs high in the sky, and the jade flowers are scattered everywhere.

Xu An walked in front with a torch in his hand, and Li Chengqian came to Ganlu Gate surrounded by a group of palace maids and guards.

"Your Majesty!" Chai Zhewei bowed to Li Chengqian with a serious expression.

"Yes!" Li Chengqian nodded and said, "Cousin, from today on, you will guard the Wude Gate. Stay closer to the emperor and don't let anyone disturb him."

"Yes!" Chai Zhewei couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief.

"Let's go now." Li Chengqian raised his head slightly.

Chai Zhewei's expression changed, and he immediately bowed and said, "I accept your order."

Li Chengqian slightly turned sideways and watched Chai Zhewei walk towards Wude Gate alone.

Chai Zhewei is the general of the imperial guard, on duty at Ganlu Gate, where he has many confidants. But now Li Chengqian asks him to go to Wude Gate alone, which means he wants him to leave all his confidants at Ganlu Gate.

If he goes to Wude Gate, Chai Zhewei will be alone.

That place was originally Li Chengqian's territory. When Chai Zhewei arrived there, everything was under Li Chengqian's control.

The entire emperor's palace, from the Wude Hall to everything inside and outside, fell into Li Chengqian's hands bit by bit.

Li Chengqian raised his head and looked towards the direction of Xuanwu Gate.

Xue Rengui was guarding the Xuanwu Gate.

That's fine, don't move.

……

Outside Ganlu Palace, Li Chengqian turned sideways and looked at Xu An.

Xu An turned around and waved his hand slightly, and some of the guards guarding the palace were replaced by Li Chengqian's men.

Li Chengqian walked up the steps calmly and then entered the Ganlu Hall.

"Your Majesty!" Wu Meiniang, dressed in a light yellow skirt, led all the palace maids and servants in the hall to salute Li Chengqian.

Li Chengqian glanced at Wu Meiniang and asked, "Where is Master Xuanzang?"

"The master is in the west hall." Wu Meiniang lowered her head slightly, and a large area of ​​brightness appeared in Li Chengqian's sight.

Li Chengqian glanced at him coldly, then walked into the west hall.

Four guards stood in various corners.

Xuanzang knelt alone on the ground, bowed his head, clasped his hands together, and recited scriptures silently.

Li Chengqian calmly walked to Xuanzang's side and knelt down.

Xuanzang finally stopped reading the scriptures, turned sideways to look at Li Chengqian, and said with his head down, "Your Majesty!"

"Master!" Li Chengqian sighed softly and said, "I have doubts in my heart."

"Your Majesty, please ask."

"Everything was clearly moving in a positive direction, so why did Father suddenly become like this?" Li Chengqian continued, his gaze fixed forward as he asked, "Putting aside the matter of Luo Er Suo Bo Mei, what does the Buddha say about this matter?"

"The sea of ​​suffering is boundless." Xuanzang lowered his head.

"Perhaps it's also called the fickleness of fate." Li Chengqian shook his head and continued, "My father is in poor health. I have always been careful and attentive, hoping that he will live a long life. But things don't always go as planned. Unexpected events always occur, forcing people to make painful choices."

Xuanzang sighed silently.

Today, when the Supreme Emperor said to call the King of Wei and the King of Jin, it was doomed and there was no turning back.

The emperor would not give the emperor any chance to depose him.

Not even a little bit.

Not to mention anything else, Cheng Zhijie and Yuchi Jingde alone have enough power to turn everything around.

Back then at Xuanwu Gate, they led 800 people and overturned everything. Now, both of them are generals of the Sixteen Guards.

Others include Zhang Shigui, Qiu Xinggong and other old ministers.

As soon as the order of the retired emperor is spread, a bloody catastrophe will immediately affect the entire Chang'an.

Therefore, the emperor could only block the news and move the retired emperor from the Zhenguan Hall to the Wude Hall.

In fact, Cheng Zhijie, Yuchi Jingde, Zhang Shigui, Qiu Xinggong and other old ministers also knew about the situation of the emperor.

They also knew that the emperor was confused and didn't even recognize people.

Therefore, the words of the retired emperor should not be listened to lightly.

However, it is just not easy to listen to.

Once the emperor's edict falls into their hands, even if it is just a piece of paper, they will act without hesitation.

Even if it causes untold bloodshed, they will still do it.

These are the old ministers.

Xuanzang glanced sideways at the emperor and whispered, "Your Majesty, where is the Duke of Susong?"

"My father-in-law has already gone to the Imperial Guards with my golden order. He has also mobilized the left and right Thousand Oxen Guards to monitor the troops. Anyone who moves unlawfully will be killed." Li Chengqian stood up and said, "So, Master, please return. Today's business ends here."

Xuanzang looked up in astonishment and asked, "So this is nothing for me to do?"

"Yes!" Li Chengqian nodded and said, "Master, is there any need for you to harm my father?"

Xuanzang shook his head slightly and said, "The Emperor is a holy ruler, respected by everyone."

"Then Master, why would you want to harm me?" Li Chengqian turned and looked at Xuanzang.

Xuanzang bowed and said, "Your Majesty's upright governance is a blessing to the world."

"I still have some favorable impressions on Buddhism. After all, in many cases, Buddhism can do things that Taoism cannot do." Li Chengqian stepped aside slightly.

"Thank you, Your Majesty." Xuanzang was finally relieved and stood up.

"The matter of Zoroastrianism." Li Chengqian looked at Xuanzang who was walking past him and said, "That Luo Ersabomei did not harm my father, but his teachings are biased and evil. Please tell the Buddhist community in the world to assist the court in clearing out the Zoroastrians in the world." Xuanzang raised his eyes, and he now completely understood the emperor's plan.

Although the emperor owns the world, it is not easy to completely eliminate a sect.

Taoism actually doesn't provide much help in this regard, but Buddhism does.

Buddhism is rooted in counties and prefectures throughout the country, and if foreign religions like Zoroastrianism want to take root in the Tang Dynasty, they also need to start with the people.

To some extent, they have infringed upon the interests of Buddhism.

As long as the matter is made clear, even if the emperor doesn't say anything, they will try their best to eradicate Zoroastrianism.

"I understand." Xuanzang bowed slightly and said, "I will arrange for someone to do it after I return."

"Yeah!" Li Chengqian nodded calmly.

……

Standing at the threshold of Ganlu Hall, Li Chengqian calmly watched Xuanzang go away.

The reason why we don’t deal with Xuanzang today is not only to use the power of Buddhism to eliminate Zoroastrianism, but also to use him to stabilize people’s hearts.

Xuanzang and Nalosavam were both Buddhists. Li Chengqian's tolerance towards Xuanzang meant his restraint in this matter.

It was also telling veteran ministers like Cheng Zhijie, Yuchi Jingde, Zhang Shigui, and Qiu Xinggong that the retired emperor would not have any problems.

All he needs is a peaceful retirement.

Li Chengqian was not worried that people like Cheng Zhijie and Yuchi Jingde would not receive the message, because Xuanzang's new disciple Kuiji was Yuchi Jingde's nephew.

Zheng Rentai will be on guard duty, and Xuanzang will calm people's hearts, then Chang'an City will be able to calm down.

Li Chengqian turned slightly to look at Wu Meiniang who was standing cautiously on the side.

Li Chengqian turned around and strode towards Wu Meiniang.

Wu Meiniang stood there, and for a moment, even her breathing stopped.

The next moment, Li Chengqian walked past her and went straight into the inner hall.

Wu Meiniang was stunned.

At this time, Li Chengqian's voice suddenly rang out: "Jieyu Wu, come in. I have something to ask you."

"Yes!" Wu Meiniang bowed slightly, then turned and walked into the inner hall.

The palace maids and eunuchs in the hall looked at this scene, and their eyes couldn't help but flicker slightly.

In the inner hall, Wu Meiniang bowed gently to Li Chengqian and said, "Your Majesty!"

"Kneel down!" Li Chengqian sat on the bed and looked at Wu Meiniang indifferently.

Wu Meiniang's expression changed slightly, and then she walked forward uneasily and knelt at Li Chengqian's feet.

Li Chengqian looked at Wu Meiniang's delicate face with a cautious look, and asked, "I want to ask you, before yesterday, has anyone mentioned the Prince of Wei and the Prince of Jin in front of my father, or anything like that, such as Crown Prince Yin, Prince Chao Ci, or the Xuanwu Gate?"

Wu Meiniang looked up in astonishment, then shook her head and said, "Your Majesty, no one dares to mention such a thing in front of the Emperor."

Li Chengqian extended his finger, gently lifted Wu Meiniang's chin, and said softly, "Talented Lady Wu, you should know that your title of Concubine was bestowed upon you by me. I can abolish your title of Concubine right now and let you return to being your Concubine Wu. I can even abolish all your titles and demote you to a commoner."

"Your Majesty!" Wu Meiniang knelt on the ground and couldn't help but take two steps forward.

Li Chengqian looked at her indifferently and pressed hard with his fingers, forcing Wu Meiniang to look up.

In this way, Wu Meiniang's snow-white and straight neck appeared completely in front of Li Chengqian.

"You are guilty of this." Li Chengqian leaned forward slightly, then whispered in Wu Meiniang's ear, saying calmly, "You served the emperor. Now that he is in trouble, you are to blame. Even if I were to execute you right now, no one would say a word."

"Your Majesty!" Wu Meiniang raised her head and said forcefully, "No one really mentions the Prince of Wei and the Prince of Jin, or Crown Prince Yin, Prince Chao Ci, or Xuanwu Gate, in front of the Emperor."

"Master Xuanzang, Master Yin Wencao, Zhang Ananda, Zhang Baozang, don't they have any?"

"Your Majesty, no one dares." Wu Meiniang smiled bitterly.

Li Chengqian finally let her go, but his fingers slid down her neck as he said, "That would be best. If something really goes wrong with Father, I wouldn't mind finding more people to be buried with him."

"Ah!" Wu Meiniang looked up in disbelief.

Burial?

Li Chengqian finally stood up and walked into the main hall. He looked at all the people kneeling in the hall and said indifferently, "You should have heard what I just said. If anyone knows anything, please report it directly."

"Yes!" Everyone in the hall bowed.

Li Chengqian nodded and finally said, "Your Majesty, your father is in poor health. I'm afraid you won't have many opportunities to return to the Zhenguan Palace in the future."

Everyone's expressions finally changed completely.

They were all people who had been following the retired emperor for many years. They could see that the emperor was placing him under house arrest in disguise, but the incident was caused by the retired emperor's fault.

Especially since the retired emperor hasn't sent any more detailed information, they can't do anything even if they want to.

"I am not a cruel person. I will not really let you be buried alive, but the prerequisite is that you have to be obedient." Li Chengqian swept his eyes calmly over everyone, and everyone in the hall finally bowed their heads one by one.

"You are all people around the emperor. I also hope to keep you by my side in the future, and even make use of you. So, get ready." After Li Chengqian finished speaking, he turned and walked out of the hall.

Everyone in the hall couldn't help but look at each other.

With an ugly expression on his face, he could only lower his head helplessly.

……

Standing on the steps of Ganlu Hall, Li Chengqian could see the Liangyi Hall opposite and the Taiji Hall in front of the Liangyi Hall at a glance.

Taiji Hall, Liangyi Hall, and Ganlu Hall.

These are the three most core halls in the entire Taiji Palace.

From this moment on, they all belonged to Li Chengqian.

(End of this chapter)