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

Chapter 552: My Lords, Join Me in Killing the Bandits (Part )
Daci'en Temple.

The main hall has majestic golden statues.

Li Chengqian bowed and personally placed the tall incense into the incense burner, then put his hands together and bowed to Sakyamuni Buddha.

Su Shu, Li Xiang, Su Yi, as well as Zhangsun Wuji, Fang Xuanling, Tang Jian, Yuchi Jingde, Cheng Zhijie and others, all saluted Sakyamuni Buddha with their palms folded.

At this moment, a burst of hurried horse hooves sounds suddenly came from outside Da Ci'en Temple.

Li Chengqian suddenly looked up and turned sideways to look at Yin Yuan beside him.

Yin Yuan bowed, then turned and left quickly.

Soon, Yin Yuan returned and bowed to Li Chengqian, saying, "Your Majesty, the Qianzhou army has arrived."

Li Chengqian stood under the Buddha statue, turned to look at Yin Yuan, frowned, and said, "Has the Qianzhou military report been delivered to Da Ci'en Temple?"

"Yes!" Yin Yuan bowed and said, "The military report came via the Ziwu Road, so we entered Chang'an City through the Mingde Gate. Your Majesty happened to be at the Da Ci'en Temple, so we came directly here. Your Majesty, would you like to receive it?"

"No need!" Li Chengqian shook his head and said, "It's disrespectful to handle military affairs under the Buddha statue."

"Yes!" Yin Yuan bowed and then stepped aside.

Xuanzang stood aside and breathed a sigh of relief.

If Yin Yuan had brought the military report directly, the emperor would have opened it in front of the statue of Sakyamuni Buddha, which would have been somewhat offensive to the Buddha.

Fortunately, Yin Yuan and the emperor acted very sensibly.

Li Chengqian turned around and bowed to Sakyamuni Buddha again.

The monks on one side recited Buddhist scriptures softly.

Suddenly, Li Chengqian looked up, turned sideways to look at Zhangsun Wuji, and asked, "Uncle, when the military report reaches Chang'an, shouldn't it be sent to the Ministry of War first? The Ministry of War will send it to the Ministry of Public Security and the Ministry of Chancellery, and finally to me?"

"That's right!" Changsun Wuji nodded, then added, "But the important officials in the court are all in Da Ci'en Temple right now. There's nothing wrong with sending them here."

"Military reports are a matter of great importance. I understand." Li Chengqian nodded, then said, "But in the current situation, if he had delivered it to me before I left the Great Hall, Yin Yuan would have taken it in... Yin Yuan!"

"Your Majesty!" Yin Yuan immediately stood up and bowed.

"How many people are there delivering the military report?" Li Chengqian asked directly.

"There are three people, covered in dust, who came from Qianzhou. I have checked their tokens and there is no problem. The military reports in their hands are also correct." Yin Yuan frowned and bowed.

"Do you know any of these three?" Li Chengqian's eyes turned cold.

"No!" Yin Yuan took a deep breath and said, "They are under the command of the Right Thousand Oxen Guard..."

"My dear Xue Gu!" Li Chengqian turned to look at Xue Gu and Wu Ren behind him and asked, "Take your men and go quietly to see if anyone in your group knows them. If so, check the military report yourself. If not, take the three of them to the Big Wild Goose Pagoda on the east side."

"Yes!" Xue Gu Wu Ren bowed solemnly, then turned around and left quickly.

"Your Majesty, since they are problematic, why don't you just take them down?" Su Shu asked with some doubts.

"Three people can't do anything." Li Chengqian shook his head and said, "But if they are just one of the groups, it's hard to say."

……

Under the Big Wild Goose Pagoda.

Three dusty Qianniu Guards, carrying packages on their backs, stood at the south gate of the courtyard.

There was a scar on the leader's right cheek.

Two guards were standing behind the gates on both sides.

The Qianniu guards on the three Qianniu guards have been removed.

It was even briefly searched.

But nothing was found.

At this moment, a steady sound of footsteps came from the west gate of the courtyard. Then, Li Chengqian, dressed in a black robe with a gold-thread dragon pattern, came out with the ministers accompanied by Master Xuanzang.

There is no queen.

Li Chengqian came to the Big Wild Goose Pagoda, glanced sideways at the three Qianniu Guards, and then looked at Zhang Ananda.

Zhang Ananda bowed and quickly walked to the three Qianniu Guards. He flicked his whisk and asked, "Where is the military report?"

"Here." The leading Qianniu Guard took out the military report from his arms and handed it to Zhang Ananda.

Zhang Ananda took it, nodded and said, "Wait!"

"Yes!" The three Qianniu Guards bowed solemnly with calm expressions. They had just returned from Qianzhou. If the emperor wanted to ask about the military situation in Qianzhou, it would not be enough to just look at the military report. He had to ask the three of them in person.

Zhang Ananda turned around and checked the military report in his hand.

The fire seal on the military newspaper was intact and showed no signs of damage.

Zhang Ananda had just breathed a sigh of relief when suddenly, his expression changed slightly.

The bottom of the military newspaper is a little thicker than the bottom of ordinary military newspapers.

Ordinary people might not be able to notice the difference at all, but Zhang Ananda has been exposed to these things for many years, and now with Li Chengqian's reminder, he immediately realized that something was wrong.

Ten steps away, Zhang Ananda suddenly threw the military report in his hand, then quickly turned around and faced the three Qianniu Guards. As he retreated quickly, he shouted angrily: "Capture them, there's something wrong with them!"

The three Qianniu Guards were unable to react for a moment, and Zhang Ananda recognized their identities so suddenly.

Quick footsteps were heard beside him, and two sharp spears were stabbed towards the two Qianniu Guards on both sides. But at this time, the three men ignored them and bent forward. The next moment, three crossbow arrows shot out from behind them and shot towards Li Chengqian fiercely.

Li Chengqian looked calm when a team of guards suddenly rushed out from behind him, holding round shields in their hands, and stood directly in front of him.

"Ding ding ding" all three crossbow arrows were blocked.

at the same time.

Dozens of guards jumped up from the courtyard walls on both sides at the same time, holding crossbows, aiming at the three Qianniu guards, and pulling the trigger directly.

Hundreds of crossbow arrows rained down upon the three Qianniu Guards almost instantly.

Countless crossbow bolts pierced through Sanqian with a clang of "ding, ding, ding," and blood instantly spurted all over the ground. The scarred Qianniu Guard in the middle was in a difficult situation, having been protected by his two companions. Unfortunately, not only were they pierced by the long spears, but they were also pierced by the crossbow bolts, leaving him with scars as well.

Even if he is not dead now, he is just breathing his last breath.

He looked at Li Chengqian under the Big Wild Goose Pagoda in a daze. He still couldn't understand what went wrong between them.

but.

At the last moment, the scar-faced Qianniu Guard pulled hard at his sleeves. The next moment, a flash of fire suddenly flashed from his sleeves, and then in a very short time, it spread to his whole body.

The smell of kerosene finally wafted through the flames.

The breeze blew directly into Li Chengqian's nose, and he frowned slightly.

How did they seal up the kerosene smell?
The flames quickly burned on the body of the scarred Qianniu Guard. He struggled and grabbed the sleeves of his two companions with his hands.

The flames spread immediately.

"Burn my remains, the blazing fire. What joy is there in life, what pain is there in death? For good and evil, only light can prevail. Joy, sorrow, and grief will all return to dust..." In the flames, the scarred Qianniu Guard stared at Li Chengqian, his eyes inexplicably filled with pain and joy. Suddenly, he finally shouted in Turkic: "Only the great light."

The people watching this scene couldn't help but shudder.

They were not unfamiliar with Zoroastrianism, but if Zoroastrianism and the Turks were connected, the foundation of the entire Tang Dynasty would be shaken.

The flames were burning. On the top floor of the Big Wild Goose Pagoda, a figure in gray Taoist clothes stood in front of a tiny window, looking at everything outside.

The sunlight shone on the brick wall next to him. Although it did not shine on him, making him invisible as if he did not exist, his face was clearly reflected on the smooth brick surface of the brick wall.

Yuan Tiangang.

Yuan Tiangang.

No one could have imagined that Yuan Tiangang was hiding on the Big Wild Goose Pagoda in Da Ci'en Temple.

This is not the Main Hall. The Main Hall is too spacious and there is no corner where people can hide.

Not to mention that three days ago, the imperial guards sealed off the Da Ci'en Temple and searched it inside and out countless times, making it almost impossible for any outsider to hide.

Only the top floor of the Big Wild Goose Pagoda, which is only an inch in size, has no one coming.

There is only a tiny hole here that allows you to see outside.

And there is no guarantee that the emperor will come.

But Yuan Tiangang was lucky, he saw everything that happened under the Big Wild Goose Pagoda.

His eyes were calm and fell gently on Li Chengqian.

There was a hint of anticipation in his eyes.

Assassination, self-immolation, Turks, and unstable political situation. He believed that as a qualified emperor, Li Chengqian should be able to think of this.

The sudden and enormous pressure and the strong visual impact brought by the self-immolation are not something that ordinary people can bear.

Especially a little kid who has never experienced the trials of blood and fire.

Moreover, Yuan Tiangang’s methods are more than that.

"Kill!" At the moment the flames started to burn, shouts of fighting suddenly came from the east and west gates of Dunyifang, as well as the side gates on both sides of Da Ci'en Temple.

Moreover, at the same time, there were bursts of high-pitched roars: "Burn my broken body, raging fire, what joy is there in life, what pain is there in death...Burn my broken body, raging fire, what joy is there in life, what pain is there in death..."

……

Under the Big Wild Goose Pagoda, roars of fighting were heard everywhere, and there was unbearable chaos.

"Your Majesty!" Zhangsun Wuji was the first to rush to Li Chengqian's side. Looking at the somewhat stunned Li Chengqian, he asked hurriedly, "Your Majesty, are you alright?"

"It's okay!" Li Chengqian's voice was eerily calm. He glanced at Zhangsun Wuji with a somewhat indifferent expression, then smiled softly and said, "Uncle, I really didn't expect that I would have the same deterrent power as my father, to the point where others would have no choice but to assassinate me."

As soon as the emperor's voice came out, the ministers were slightly stunned. They instantly remembered the scene when the late emperor was assassinated in Jiucheng Palace.

Inexplicably, they relaxed.

Li Chengqian looked forward and said calmly, "Come here, give me a knife."

"Here!" Yin Yuan handed the Qianniu Sword in his hand to Li Chengqian without any hesitation.

Li Chengqian reached out and grasped the hilt of the knife, then held the blade upright in front of his eyes, letting the bright blade reflect his face.

At this moment, Li Chengqian was terrifyingly calm.

It’s just life and death. Is there anyone in this world who knows what death feels like better than him?
"Come here!" Li Chengqian waved the Qianniu Knife in his hand and shouted loudly: "Give each of the nobles present a knife. Gentlemen, you have all fought on the battlefield. Are you afraid of such a small scene?"

Yuchi Jingde and Cheng Zhijie, who were standing on the side, smiled grimly and bowed to Li Chengqian: "We will obey your majesty's order."

Li Chengqian nodded, looked at the two men and said, "The two generals will command the nobles and guards on the battlefield to guard the entire courtyard."

At this time, Yin Yuan had already arranged for someone to hand a Qianniu Sword to each minister present, and everyone grasped the handle skillfully.

At this moment, their expressions inexplicably calmed down.

Li Chengqian looked at this scene and nodded slightly.

At this moment, people are afraid of chaos, as chaos can easily lead to accidents, and they are also afraid of suspicion. If he, as the emperor, lets the guards escort him away alone, it will inevitably make these old ministers feel lonely and sad.

So now we have to trust them to the greatest extent possible.

"My lords, today you are fighting alongside me to kill the enemy and face powerful enemies, just like you followed your father back then." Li Chengqian raised his head and looked at everyone with trust in his eyes.

"Yes!" Everyone bowed solemnly. For a moment, an inexplicable excitement came from the bottom of their hearts. Then, under the command of Yuchi Jingde and Cheng Zhijie, everyone stood guard at the gates of various courtyards.

Although there were bursts of fighting sounds in the distance, they didn't know how many people were trying to assassinate the emperor, but an excited impulse surged in everyone's heart.

Now they follow the emperor to fight side by side, just like they followed the previous emperor.

no difference.

(End of this chapter)