Tang Dynasty: A Guide to Avoiding Pitfalls for Li Er at the Start

Chapter 355 His surname was Li, his given name was Shimin, and he was from Didao, Longxi.
"So you are Lu Gui."

Li Shimin sat upright on the stone bench, his gaze falling on the intruder. His originally peaceful expression instantly turned cold, and his brows furrowed sharply.

Lu Gui glanced at Li Shimin, who remained seated, and then at Wen He and Li Chengqian standing to the side. He immediately snorted coldly, his tone full of arrogance: "Insolence! I am the Zheng County Magistrate appointed by the imperial court. How dare you commoners remain seated in front of me? Get up and pay your respects at once!"

"salute?"

Changsun Wuji suddenly stood up from the side. His coarse clothes could not hide his sharp aura. He let out a cold snort with a hint of pressure.

"You, a mere county magistrate of the sixth rank, dare to demand that we bow to you?"

Seeing this, Zhang Daguang, who was standing behind Lu Gui, felt a chill run down his spine.

Only then did he realize who the four people opposite him were.

Isn't that the same group of people we met outside the city the other day?
Seeing this, he quickly stepped forward and whispered, "Sir, is there some misunderstanding? That young man... seems to be someone sent by the Ministry of Personnel to study. Shouldn't we ask him first?"

Upon hearing this, Lu Gui immediately turned and glared at Zhang Daguang, his tone becoming increasingly stern: "Misunderstanding? What misunderstanding! These people look fierce and their eyes are shifty; they must be villains posing as scholars!"

"What, Zhang Daguang, are you trying to plead for them, or are you questioning my judgment?"

Zhang Daguang turned pale from the reprimand and quickly lowered his head, not daring to say another word.

He was just a lowly rogue, and Lu Gui, though only a sixth-rank official, could easily decide his life or death. A single word from him could plunge him into the abyss, so he dared not utter another word.

"What a brilliant 'judging by facial features' approach!"

Li Shimin's voice rang out again, his face growing increasingly gloomy. He lightly tapped the wooden table with his fingertips, making a soft "tap-tap" sound.

"Judging people based solely on their appearance, it's truly an eye-opener for me to have a county magistrate like you in Zheng County."

Changsun Wuji stood beside Li Shimin, his expression calm, but he knew the truth in his heart.

His Majesty is truly enraged.

Wen He yawned to the side, her eyes full of disapproval.

He really didn't understand why he should waste time with this fool. He could have just ordered the Hundred Riders and Xuanjia Guards lurking around to capture and interrogate him. There was no need for this kind of maneuvering.

Lu Gui, oblivious to the change in atmosphere inside the room, assumed that Li Shimin and the others were afraid of his official power. He sneered and said, "You lowly commoners, how could you know the might of this official! Within Zheng County, whoever I say is a villain is a villain! If you don't explain your background today, I will make sure you taste the flavor of the county jail!"

Upon hearing this, Wen He couldn't help but chuckle and glanced at Lu Gui.

This person is truly beyond redemption. He called the emperor a "lowly commoner" and even dared to threaten to imprison him. What's the difference between this and lighting a lamp in an outhouse?

It's like they have "courting death" written all over their faces.

"presumptuous!"

Li Chengqian could no longer hold back. He suddenly took a step forward, pointed at Lu Gui, and shouted angrily, his eyes wide open.

"How dare you be disrespectful to my father!"

Before he could finish speaking, Li Shimin sternly stopped him: "Gao Ming, step back!"

"Aye!"

Li Chengqian felt wronged, but dared not disobey his father's orders. He could only angrily step aside, his eyes still fixed on Lu Gui, wishing he could rush up and teach him a lesson.

"Father?"

Standing behind Lu Gui, Zhang Daguang was completely bewildered by this address.

Didn't they say before that the man in plain clothes was a "stableman"? How could he be the young man's "father"?
Lu Gui, however, paid no attention to this detail, assuming that Li Shimin was afraid of him, and a smug look appeared on his face: "Hmph, you all know what's good for you! It's good that you know to be afraid."

This is the trick he usually uses to deal with ordinary people.

First, they intimidate you with their official power; then, they extract information and threaten you further; finally, they fabricate a charge and throw you into jail. What crime you are convicted of and how you are punished depends entirely on their word.

He took a few steps forward, pointed directly at Li Shimin, and said in an increasingly arrogant tone: "Judging from your appearance, you must be the leader of this group, right? Hurry up and state your name! Where do you live? What do you do for a living? Also, what exactly are you trying to do by pretending to be traveling scholars? If you dare to hide even a single word, I will make sure you know what the court's punishments are like!"

Wen He stood to the side, unable to suppress her laughter.

He now fully understands the saying, "Those who do evil will not live."

Li Shimin also laughed, but it was a laugh born of extreme anger.

He slowly stood up from the stone bench, put his hands behind his back, and his aura changed instantly.

That was the majesty of someone who had been in a high position for many years and ruled the world; even though he was wearing coarse clothes, it made the air in the whole room seem to freeze.

He looked at Lu Gui and spoke clearly and forcefully, enunciating each word: "My surname is Li, my given name is Shimin, I am from Didao in Longxi, and I live in Daxing Palace in Chang'an. I am the Emperor of the Great Tang Dynasty!"

The moment the words left his mouth, the entire room fell into a deathly silence.

The sound of the wind outside the window and the voices of people in the distance seemed to be dispelled by this sentence; you could hear a pin drop on the ground clearly.

Lu Gui's smug smile froze instantly. His eyes widened, his mouth opened wide enough to fit a fist, and he stood motionless as if frozen in place, his blood seemingly frozen in place.

Zhang Daguang knelt down with a thud, his face ashen, his whole body trembling, and he didn't even dare to lift his head.

Emperor of the Tang Dynasty!

They actually dared to yell at the emperor and even slander him as a "wicked thief"!
My entire family!
The thugs he brought also knelt down.

Those outside were even more stunned.

This is His Majesty the Emperor?!

Good heavens! I actually saw the emperor! It must be because my ancestral graves are emitting auspicious smoke!
"No! Impossible! You audacious traitor, how dare you impersonate His Majesty the Emperor!"

Lu Gui let out a desperate roar.

He simply couldn't believe that the man in plain clothes before him was the emperor who ruled the Tang Dynasty.

How could His Majesty the Emperor, who resides in the Daxing Palace in Chang'an and is worshipped by all the people, appear in this remote little town of Zheng County and mingle with a group of "traveling scholars"?

This must be a scam!

The other party fabricated the identity to scare him!

"presumptuous!"

Changsun Wuji stepped forward, shouting angrily, his aura as cold as frost, "How dare you speak such arrogant words and slander the Emperor in front of His Majesty! Lu Gui, do you know that this is a crime punishable by the extermination of nine generations of your family!"

Lu Gui acted as if he hadn't heard, only shaking his head frantically and repeatedly muttering, "Fake! It's all fake! You're trying to trick me into confessing, deliberately impersonating His Majesty! I don't believe it! I absolutely don't believe it!"

He stared intently at Li Shimin, trying to force himself to calm down.

"That scoundrel."

Li Shimin ignored Lu Gui's madness and turned his gaze to Zhang Daguang, who was kneeling on the ground and trembling. His voice was calm but carried an undeniable weight.

Upon hearing this, Zhang Daguang trembled violently, lowered his head even further, and even his breathing became cautious. He responded with a sob in his voice, "I...I am here! Your Majesty, spare my life! Your Majesty, spare my life! This matter...this matter has absolutely nothing to do with me! It was Lu Gui who said there were bandits causing trouble and asked me to bring the thugs to arrest people. I never expected...I never expected that he was trying to frame Your Majesty!"

As he spoke, he kept kowtowing, his forehead hitting the ground with a "thud," and blood quickly seeped out.

Although he was just a minor official, he knew how serious the crimes of "deceiving the emperor" and "slandering the emperor" were. At this moment, he only begged His Majesty to spare his life, considering that he had been "deceived".

"What are you shouting for?"

Upon hearing Zhang Daguang's pleas for mercy, Lu Gui became even more agitated and struggled to get up.

"He's not His Majesty! He's a traitor! A fraud! Zhang Daguang, don't be fooled! Quickly lead the Bad People to capture them, and I will reward you handsomely!"

But in Zhang Daguang's eyes, who in the world would dare to risk the extermination of their entire family to impersonate the emperor?

The man in plain clothes before me possessed an aura that was far beyond that of an ordinary person.

He dared not pay any attention to Lu Gui, and kept kowtowing and begging for mercy, not daring to even lift his head.

"Rebel!"

Li Chengqian, who was standing to the side, could no longer contain his anger. He stepped forward and kicked Lu Gui hard in the knee.

Lu Gui cried out in pain as a piercing pain shot through his knee. He instinctively reached out to grab Li Chengqian's ankle, wanting to pull him down with him.

"brush."

A crisp sound of a sword being drawn rang out, and Wen He's horizontal sword was instantly drawn. The cold blade pressed tightly against Lu Gui's chest, and the chill of the blade made Lu Gui stiffen all over, and he didn't even dare to breathe.

"You dare point a knife at me!"

Lu Gui remained defiant, glaring angrily at Wen He, attempting to intimidate him with his status as "county magistrate."

Wen He sneered, his eyes full of disdain: "Stop shouting. You've been dead since the moment you slandered His Majesty. Even if I were to behead you now, His Majesty would praise me for doing the right thing. After all, a traitor who dares to lay a hand on the emperor is only a source of trouble if left alive."

"You!" Lu Gui was speechless after being rebuked. He was so angry that he glared and puffed out his beard, but he dared not move an inch.

With the blade pressed against his chest, he could clearly feel the deadly chill and knew that Wen He was not bluffing him.

Wen He ignored him and turned to Zhang Daguang, who was still kowtowing, and said, "Zhang Daguang, stop kneeling and get up. His Majesty has important matters to instruct you on. If you are late, it will be a responsibility you cannot bear."

Upon hearing this, Zhang Daguang immediately stopped kowtowing, stood up shakily, still bowing and keeping his head down, not daring to look directly at Li Shimin, his voice trembling: "Yes...yes! I'll get up right away!"

Li Shimin looked at him and calmly instructed, "Go to the county office immediately and tell Cui Bing, the magistrate of Zheng County, to come to the guest house to see me as soon as possible. Remember, do not make a sound. Only let him come alone. If the news leaks out, you will be held responsible."

"Yes, sir! I... I'll go right away!"

Zhang Daguang hurriedly bowed and saluted, afraid of wasting even a moment. He turned around and pushed aside the still-dazed bad guys behind him, stumbling and running towards the outside of the inn, his steps so fast it was as if a flood or ferocious beast was chasing him.

"Halt! You stop right there!"

Lu Gui watched Zhang Daguang run away and roared anxiously, trying to break free from the guards' restraints to stop him. However, Wen He's sword was still pressed against his chest. If he moved even slightly, the blade would dig into his flesh. He could only watch helplessly as Zhang Daguang disappeared through the door.

The moment Li Shimin sent Zhang Daguang to invite Cui Bing, the last shred of hope in his heart completely collapsed.

If the person in front of me were an imposter, I would never dare to act this way.

He knew the regulations of the Tang Dynasty all too well.

Before taking office, a county magistrate, regardless of rank, was required to pay homage to the emperor in Chang'an. Although Cui Bing had served in Zheng County a few years earlier, when His Majesty was still the Prince of Qin, Cui Bing had served as a low-ranking official in the Prince of Qin's palace and must have seen His Majesty's face.

Once Cui Bing arrives, the truth will be immediately revealed. What imposter would willingly lead someone to verify it?
Cold sweat trickled down Lu Gui's temples, soaking the collar of his light green round-necked robe. His hands, hidden in his sleeves, trembled uncontrollably, and even his legs were shaking slightly.

He's starting to believe it to some extent now, but he's just unwilling to admit it.

"Are you scared?" Wen He sheathed her sword, her gaze falling on his slightly trembling trouser leg, her tone carrying a hint of nonchalant amusement.

Lu Gui suddenly looked up, his eyes filled with fear and disbelief.

He stared at Wen He's face, then suddenly remembered the rumors circulating among the aristocratic circles of Chang'an. His eyes narrowed sharply, and he asked in a trembling voice, "Who...who are you?"

Wen He smiled gently, leaned casually against the door frame, and lightly stroked the scabbard at his waist with his fingertips, saying indifferently, "I am Wen He, a Hundred Riders."

"Hundred Riders, Killer Star!" Upon hearing the words "Hundred Riders," Lu Gui's pupils constricted sharply, and he cried out in disbelief, his face instantly turning ashen.

Lu Gui suddenly looked up at Li Shimin, his pupils filled with terror and despair.

At this moment, he finally believed the identity of the person in front of him one hundred percent.

Wen He, the Hundred-Rider Killer, holds the title of Viscount of Gaoyang County and is only eleven years old this year. Who else could have such a person as his personal bodyguard and dare to call him by his name? It could only be the current emperor.

What chilled him even more was the boy who had just kicked his knee.

If the person before him is His Majesty, then the young man is very likely a prince, or even... Crown Prince Li Chengqian!
He actually attacked the crown prince and even boasted that he would take down both the emperor and the crown prince.

This is far beyond what the word "death penalty" can describe; he might not even be able to save his family!
Cold sweat streamed down Lu Gui's face, dripping onto the ground and spreading into a small wet patch.

He opened his mouth, wanting to beg for mercy, but found his throat so dry that he couldn't make a sound. He could only watch helplessly as Wen He took a step forward, her expression suddenly turning cold and stern.

Where are the hundred riders?!

Wen He gave the order; his voice was not loud, but it carried a penetrating power that echoed in the quiet courtyard of the guesthouse.

The next second, a unified response came from all directions: "Here!"

The men who had been scattered around the guesthouse, disguised as diners, shopkeepers, and passersby, all quickly stepped out, their movements surprisingly swift.

Some drew gleaming short knives from their sleeves, while others untied crossbows from their waists.

Others simply lifted their shirts to reveal the dark, fitted clothing underneath, with the words "Hundred Riders" embroidered on their chests standing out prominently in the sunlight.

In the blink of an eye, more than twenty riders formed a circle, trapping Lu Gui and the unruly men he brought in the middle, with blades and crossbow bolts all aimed at them.

Those thugs had never seen anything like this before.

Upon seeing the Hundred Riders reveal their identities, they were terrified and their limbs went weak.

They were just ordinary clerks in the county government, good at bullying the common people, but how could they dare to lay a hand on His Majesty's personal guards?

Before the hundred riders could advance, they clattered and threw their swords to the ground, knelt down, heads bowed low, trembling all over, not daring to even breathe.

"You... you..."

Lu Gui looked at the suddenly appearing Hundred Riders, his lips trembled, and his legs went weak. If he hadn't been supported by the Hundred Riders beside him, he would have collapsed to the ground long ago.

He finally understood that he had truly failed this time, failed by the Emperor, failed by the Hundred Cavalry, and had no chance of turning things around.

Wen He walked up to Lu Gui, looking at him coldly: "Lu Gui, what do you have to say now? Will you voluntarily reveal who instigated you, or do you want us to torture you?"

Lu Gui opened his mouth, tears suddenly welling up, his voice trembling with sobs: "Your Majesty... I know my crime. I shouldn't have been instructed to kidnap the scholars. I beg Your Majesty to spare my life! I'm willing to confess, willing to confess everything I know!"

He was no longer arrogant as before; now he only wanted to save his life, even if it meant betraying his family.

Li Shimin sat on the stone bench, looking at him calmly, his tone completely unwavering: "I'm giving you a chance. If you tell the truth, I can spare your family's lives. But if you dare to conceal even a single word, don't blame me for being ruthless."

"I dare not! I dare not conceal anything!"

Lu Gui immediately kowtowed, his forehead hitting the ground with a "thud".

“It was my cousin Lu Hong who asked me to do it. He said that those traveling scholars were lecturing to the common people and that it would shake the foundation of the aristocratic families. He asked me to find a way to drive them away. If I couldn’t drive them away, then… then tie them up and throw them into the mountains to feed the wolves. I was confused for a moment and agreed to his request. Black Tiger and Xiao Tong are also his men. I really wasn’t the mastermind.”

Wen He stood aside, coldly watching Lu Gui's disgraceful behavior.

Such people, who would disregard human life for the sake of their family's interests, deserve to die a hundred times over.

"I ask you again, besides Zheng County, are there any other places with manpower?"

Li Shimin did not believe that such a situation only occurred in Zheng County.

Those aristocratic families never cared about the lives of the poor and commoners.

I fear that many more people are in danger elsewhere.

"Yes, yes, we have sent people to all three counties of Huazhou. As for other places, I really don't know."

Lu Gui banged his head until it bled profusely.

However, no matter what, Li Shimin was not going to give him a way out.

"Drag him away and lock him up!"

"Your Majesty, please forgive my family! Your Majesty!"

Lu Gui knew he was doomed, but he still wanted to save his family's lives.

"Fuji, take him back to Chang'an immediately, summon the Left and Right Guards, the Left and Right Imperial Guards, and the Golden Guards, and control the four gates of Chang'an. Without my decree, no one shall enter or leave!"

A murderous glint appeared in Li Shimin's eyes.

Manpower was deployed to all three counties of Huazhou.

What about the rest of the regions?

What about the area around Chang'an?
Does the Lu family alone have the guts to do this?

"Your subject obeys the decree!" Changsun Wuji bowed and accepted the order without the slightest hesitation.

He understood His Majesty's thoughts at that moment. Lu Gui was not only a key witness but also implicated the Lu family of Fanyang. He had to be brought back to Chang'an as soon as possible for rigorous interrogation and could not be allowed to linger in Zheng County, lest things get complicated.

After receiving the order, he turned and walked quickly out of the house, his steps hurried yet steady.

Upon arriving outside the guesthouse, he made a hand gesture towards the shadows. Soon, more than ten Xuanjia Guards, clad in black armor and carrying long swords at their waists, emerged from their hiding places. Each of them stood tall and exuded a chilling aura.

The surrounding people were all taken aback.

When did such an army appear in Zheng County?!

These men were so fierce and menacing, even more so than the ordinary guards.

"Immediately escort Lu Gui, Zhang Dagang, and the other criminals involved into the carriage. Keep them under strict guard along the way and prevent them from contacting anyone. Return to Chang'an at full speed and imprison them directly in the Dali Temple prison to await His Majesty's decree!"

Changsun Wuji gave a stern order to the commander of the Xuanjia Guards, his tone carrying an unquestionable authority.

"If there is even the slightest mistake, military law will be applied!"

"The general will obey the order!"

Just as Changsun Wuji's escort team carrying Lu Gui left Zheng County, two figures hurriedly ran up the street corner.

Zheng County Magistrate Cui Bing's blue official robe was wrinkled beyond recognition, while Zhang Daguang, who was running behind him, was covered in sweat, and even his hat was askew.

Even now, Cui Bing's heart is still pounding wildly.

When Zhang Dagang stumbled into the county government office and stammered that His Majesty had personally visited Zheng County, his first reaction was that Zhang Dagang was playing a trick on him.

Zheng County is just a remote county on the outskirts of Chang'an, where even merchants are rarely seen. Why would Your Majesty condescend to come here?

But looking at Zhang Daguang's pale face and trembling hands...

Then someone else came to report that an army had appeared in Zheng County.

The army also displayed the banner of the Xuanjia Guard.

He was startled and, without even having time to straighten his official robes, followed Zhang Daguang to the inn.

As soon as Cui Bing arrived at the entrance of the inn, he was stunned by the scene before him.

The once bustling inn was now deserted.

A dozen or so men dressed in black, with knives at their waists and sharp eyes like eagles, stood guard around him. When they saw him coming, they immediately stepped forward to stop him, their tone cold and hard.

"Martial law is in effect here. Unauthorized personnel are not allowed to approach!"

"Your humble servant, Cui Bing, is the magistrate of Zheng County. It was... His Majesty who sent me!"

Cui Bing hurriedly took out his seal and handed it over with both hands, his voice trembling slightly.

After the guards checked the seal, they stepped aside to make way for him and said in a cold voice, "Go in."

Cui Bing nodded, took a deep breath, and led Zhang Daguang quickly into the inn.

As soon as I entered the courtyard, I saw the innkeeper and several waiters huddled in a corner, their faces pale and their eyes vacant.

The shopkeeper was still clutching the ledger, but his lips twitched and then grinned, his expression shifting constantly, as if he were suffering from hysteria. He kept muttering, "Your Majesty...it really is His Majesty..."

He had heard clearly when Li Shimin revealed his identity.

He never expected that this person would be His Majesty.

He had run an inn for half his life, and the highest official he had ever served was the county magistrate. He had never even seen the emperor.

This is truly a blessing from a past life.

But the thought that he had actually made His Majesty the Emperor stay in an ordinary guest room filled him with fear.

However, even more shaken than the shopkeeper were Meng Zhou, Wu Sheng, and Zhao Lei, who were standing in the other corner.

(End of this chapter)