Lanting prelude
Chapter 68 Identity
Chapter 68 Identity
"Xiao Junmo, you, a criminal who was wanted twice by the imperial court, dare to break into the palace in the middle of the night, what is your intention?!" Zhao Dequan said in a low voice, suppressing his anger. "I want to end everything." Xiao Junmo said calmly.
Tai Chi Palace, Anren Hall.
Time flies, and it is late spring and March in a blink of an eye.
It was a beautiful spring day, Li Zhi got up early, had just finished washing, and before he had breakfast, he saw Zhao Dequan trotting to Anren Hall, saying that his father had urgently summoned him.Li Zhi immediately had a premonition that something good was waiting for him, but he pretended to be ignorant, and hurriedly followed Zhao Dequan to Ganlu Hall.
As soon as he stepped into the gate of the palace, he saw only his father and uncle in the palace, and Li Zhi became more and more convinced that his instinct was right.
Sure enough, after seeing the ceremony, the emperor patted the imperial couch and asked him to sit there.
This is a treatment never seen before.In Li Zhi's impression, among all the princes, only the fourth brother Li Tai seemed to have enjoyed this special treatment.
"Pheasant slave, do you know what I was talking about with your uncle just now?" Li Shimin said.
Li Zhi shook his head.
His eyes looked innocent and clear.
"We are discussing and intend to make you the crown prince."
Li Shimin's tone was very flat, but the weight of this sentence was undoubtedly heavier than Mount Tai.Although he had expected this result, Li Zhi couldn't help but feel a burst of ecstasy.
After playing the game of "mantis catching cicadas, oriole behind, with projectiles" after playing for so long, the dust has finally settled.
The way of fools is Yang, and the way of saints is Yin.
This Jin Wang Li Zhi, who looks benevolent and weak, but is actually well versed in tactics, finally had the last laugh.
However, the ecstasy is only in the heart.At this moment, the expression on Li Zhi's face was one of surprise and bewilderment: "Father, my son is only 16 years old, and he has no talent, and his talents and learning are not as good as those of your brothers. How...how can you take on such a big responsibility?"
Li Shimin shook his head and smiled wryly: "Chengqian is rebellious, Qingque is dangerous, Ke'er is selfish, and your other elder brothers are all incompetent, and they are all unworthy to be the heir of the Tang Dynasty. You are a legitimate son and have always been benevolent and filial. Why can't you be a prince?" Prince? Besides, 16 years old is not too young, I started galloping on the battlefield at your age, so you have to learn from me, show the courage to do your part, and don't underestimate yourself."
"Yes, I would like to obey my father's instruction." Li Zhi still looked obedient.
Seeing this, Li Shimin smiled helplessly, and said to Changsun Wuji: "This matter is settled like this, King Li Jin."
Changsun Wuji was overjoyed, so he bowed deeply: "Your Majesty is holy, and I respectfully honor the imperial edict!"
"Pheasant slave," Li Shimin said again, "I can't make this decision without your uncle's strong recommendation, why don't you hurry up and thank you?"
Li Zhi quickly got up from the couch, knelt down and kowtowed: "The pheasant slave kowtows to uncle!"
Changsun Wuji smiled from ear to ear: "Don't be too polite, don't be too polite, get up quickly." Then he helped Li Zhi up.
Li Shimin was thinking about something, and suddenly looked worried: "Tomorrow's court meeting, if I announce this, I don't know how the Manchu civil and military association will feel?"
"Your Majesty, don't worry!" Changsun Wuji hurriedly said, "King Jin is benevolent and filial. The world has returned to his heart for a long time, and all officials will support him. Even if there are one or two dissenting people, it is like a mantis' arm is like a cart, and a mayfly is shaking a tree. I think it is nothing to worry about."
Li Shimin bowed his head and pondered for a long time before saying: "I hope so."
Li Zhi secretly exchanged a look with Changsun Wuji.
it is more than words.
Chang'an Puning Square, Li Shiji's residence.
At the first watch, a first-quarter moon slanted across the sky, looking cold and lonely.
Li Shiji didn't feel sleepy, so he put on an unlined garment and strolled into the back garden.
According to the calculations, it has been more than a month since Li Shiji was brought back to his private residence.For more than a month, he has suffered from insomnia almost every night, one is missing Xiao Junmo who is missing, and the other is thinking about Huan Dieyi who is in prison.
After Xiao Junmo fell off the cliff that day, the emperor ordered the forbidden army to search the bottom of the cliff and the nearby forests for many days, and then expanded the search area several times, but they still found nothing, and finally had to let it go.Although Li Shiji also knew that the possibility of Xiao Junmo surviving was very slim, but as long as the body was not found for a day, he would have hope for a day.
Huan Dieyi was arrested and imprisoned in Dali Temple Prison.Li Shiji was under house arrest and unable to visit the prison, so he wrote letters to many of his close colleagues in the DPRK and China, asking them to visit him on his behalf. Unexpectedly, all the letters fell into the sea, and no one responded to him.Li Shiji simply wrote to Dali Siqing directly, asking him to be lenient and inform Huan Dieyi and Luo Biao of their current situation.Dali Siqing replied very quickly, but only wrote the words "I can't help", which made him dumbfounded.
Since Li Shiji returned to the Tang Dynasty, he has been on the rise and has been highly relied on by the emperor. Therefore, all civil and military officials in the whole dynasty are vying to make friends with him. Unexpectedly, if he loses power today, everyone will avoid him.
In desperation, Li Shiji could only sit in the mansion every day, or look up to the sky and sigh, or feel sad...
It was late spring, and the peach and pear blossoms in the garden had passed their most splendid flowering season. The night wind blew, and the petals were falling one after another.Li Shiji stood under a peach tree with his hands behind his back, staring at the petals fluttering in the wind, dazed.
Suddenly, there was a slight sound behind him.
Li Shiji had spent half his life in the army, and his hearing was very keen. He immediately recognized the sound of someone climbing over the wall and falling to the ground, so his eyes narrowed, and he said without turning his head: "Where is my friend, how dare you break into a private house at night?!"
A figure walked along the dark place at the base of the wall, and stopped a foot behind him.
"Swing Subo down, and Fanglan upside down." The man said leisurely.
Li Shiji was startled, and turned around suddenly, with a look of surprise, joy and mixed feelings on his face.
The man took another step forward, and Xiao Junmo's face emerged from the darkness, and he said with a smile: "Master, I am also the leader of the alliance anyway, you have to save face and correct the incision?"
Li Shiji snorted coldly, and said angrily: "I still want to be a guest, but Xifeng will sigh forever."
Xiao Junmo smiled, and cupped his hands in a serious manner: "Thank you, Mr. Subo, for not forgetting the rules of this alliance."
Li Shiji is Subo.
He is the ninth grandson of Xu Fengzhi who joined the army in the Eastern Jin Dynasty, and this short four-character poem was written by Xu Fengzhi at the Orchid Pavilion.
Li Shiji's original name was Xu Shiji. His ancestral home was Caozhou, and he moved to Huazhou later.At the end of the great cause of the Sui Dynasty, the world was in turmoil, and Xu's father and son were ordered by Zhiyong to defect to Wagang at the helm of Subo.Due to the consistent rules of Tianxingmeng and Zhiyong's certain considerations, although Subo Duo and Wei Zheng's Linchuan Duo are in Wagang, they do not know each other's true identity.In the first year of Wude, Wei Zheng followed Li Mi to the Tang Dynasty, and Zhiyong ordered Xu Shiji not to return to the Tang Dynasty temporarily out of consideration of "dispersion and concealment", and still guarded Liyang.
In the second year of Wude, in order to win over Xu Shiji, Tang Gaozu Li Yuan not only promised to be a high-ranking official, but also gave the emperor the surname "Li".Xu Shiji temporarily accepted Li Tang's solicitation after obtaining Zhiyong's consent, and changed his name to Li Shiji from then on.Soon, his father Xu Gai was captured by Dou Jiande in a battle, and it was difficult to exercise the power of helmsman. Zhiyong then ordered Li Shiji to take over as the helm of Subo, and then ordered him to lead his troops to join Dou Jiande.
At that time, Dou Jiande was very popular in Hebei, and Zhiyong also placed some hope in him, so he ordered Li Shiji to assist him with all his strength.However, Dou Jiande was always wary of Li Shiji, so he kept Xu Gai under house arrest and took him as a hostage.Li Shiji suggested to Zhiyong to rescue his father and return to Tang together, but Zhiyong rejected his proposal considering that Li Tang's side had hidden several sub-rudders, and Dou Jiande only had one Subo helm on his side.
Facing the dilemma of loyalty and filial piety, Li Shiji had to make his own choice.On the surface, he is still under the order of Zhiyong, but secretly he has been planning to assassinate Dou Jiande and rescue his father.Unexpectedly, before he could act, the plan was leaked, and Li Shiji was forced to rebel against Dou Jiande with only a few dozen cavalry, and formally surrendered to the Tang Dynasty.
Zhiyong was naturally displeased with this, so he sneaked into Chang'an and reprimanded Li Shiji face to face.
Li Shiji was young and vigorous at that time, and his father was still in the hands of Dou Jiande, so he was very angry, so he tried his best to defend himself.Zhiyong was furious, and said on the spot that he would remove Li Shiji as the helmsman, but Li Shiji did not show any weakness, saying that he would listen and respect him.The two sides turned their faces and broke up unhappy.Afterwards, Zhiyong alienated Li Shiji and never used the Subo rudder again.Li Shiji was also happy and at ease, so he assisted Li Tang to conquer the world wholeheartedly.
In the fourth year of Wude, Li Shiji and Li Shimin defeated Dou Jiande and Wang Shichong at Hulaoguan and Luoyang in one fell swoop, and his father Xu Gai was able to return to the Tang Dynasty.Afterwards, with the fall of Nanliang Xiaoxian, the situation of Li and Tang's unification of the world gradually became clearer. Although Zhiyong changed his attitude, he still ignored Li Shiji, as if Subo Tuo didn't exist at all.
In the ninth year of Wude, on the eve of the Xuanwumen Revolution, Li Shimin secretly sent someone to win over Li Shiji and persuaded him to deal with the prince together.But Li Shiji knew that Zhiyong was interested in the prince, so he declined Li Shimin and remained neutral.After the coup broke out, Li Shimin won a complete victory. Zhiyong saw that Li Shimin had the potential to be a wise king, so he issued a "sleeping" order to all the sub-rudders, including Li Shiji and Subo helms who had already been put into the "cold palace".
After Li Shimin came to power, he accepted the former opposition and neutral faction with a tolerant attitude regardless of previous suspicions. Therefore, Wei Zheng and Li Shiji were also reused one after another.
Since Li Shiji had a estrangement with Zhiyong as early as the second year of Wude, and has been marginalized since then, he doesn't have much affection for the Tianxingmeng, let alone loyalty.In other words, since returning to the Tang Dynasty, Li Shiji has completely regarded himself as a courtier of the Tang Dynasty, and consciously or unconsciously forgot his identity as the Tianxingmeng.Therefore, when the Biancai case broke out last year and Li Shimin tried his best to solve the mystery of "Lanting Preface", Li Shiji adopted an attitude of watching the fire from the other side. He also spared no effort to perform the duties of General Xuanjiawei.
Of course, if Li Shiji dared to do this, the premise was that he thought that he had been dismissed by Zhiyong long ago, and he could no longer be regarded as a member of the Tianxing League.In addition, he knew very little about the core secrets of the Heavenly Punishment League, let alone what secrets were hidden in the "Lanting Preface".So in his view, even if the mystery of "Lanting Preface" is revealed to the world one day, it may not necessarily involve him.
In the first month of this year, Xiao Junmo returned to Beijing from Qizhou and dedicated the original "Lanting Preface" to the emperor. After that, the emperor did not show any signs of doubting him. Li Shiji became more and more convinced that he was safe.
However, he didn't know that his real identity had already been written by Zhiyong on the lineage list of "Lanting Preface", and he didn't cross it out because Zhiyong verbally announced his resignation, so Xiao Junmo was able to know.
After Xiao Junmo returned to Beijing, considering that the time had not come, he did not reveal his identity immediately.
It wasn't until the eve of Shangyuan Festival, when Xiao Junmo went straight into his room and suddenly called him "Mr. Subo", that Li Shiji turned pale with shock.
That day, Xiao Junmo told him everything, including the identity of the leader of the Heavenly Punishment League.
Li Shiji was stunned for a long time, and it took him a long time to come back to his senses, then he said to Xiao Junmo gloomyly: "Even if your boy becomes the leader, it has nothing to do with me, I am no longer a member of the Heavenly Punishment League!"
Later, Li Shiji also told Xiao Junmo what happened back then.
Xiao Junmo was also stunned for a while when he heard the words, and then smiled and said: "Master, no matter what happened between you and the previous leader, as the current leader, I have the right to restart the sub-helm of Subo."
"Don't do this with me!" Li Shiji kicked over the desk in front of him, "Back then, Zhiyong couldn't do anything to me, so what can you do to me?!"
"I didn't intend to do anything to you either." Xiao Junmo still smiled, "I came today just to ask Master to do me a favor."
"What help?"
"Our Xuanjiawei brothers have worked so hard all year round. Tomorrow, on the Lantern Festival, you will gather everyone for a banquet at the government office and reward you."
Li Shiji was puzzled, and stared at him suspiciously: "What kind of tricks do you want to play, kid?"
Xiao Junmo immediately told him the prince's coup plan and part of his own countermeasure plan, and finally said: "The prince is coming back aggressively, and he is determined to win. If you don't take action, the country will be in danger."
Li Shiji was greatly astonished, and only then realized the seriousness of the problem.He pondered for a while, and said: "This matter must be reported to the Holy One immediately!"
"No. This matter involves too much. If I want to report it, I can't justify myself."
Li Shiji stared at him resentfully, gritted his teeth and said, "Why didn't I see that you are full of schemes?!"
Xiao Junmo chuckled: "Master, the prize is too high. If the apprentice has nothing in his stomach, how can he be worthy of Xuanjiawei's armor?!"
Li Shiji was both annoyed and helpless, full of anger and unable to vent, he had to lift his feet and kicked the desk that had been overturned to the ground.
That day, it was these unusual movements that aroused the suspicion of Huan Dieyi outside...
At this moment, in this quiet garden at night, when Xiao Junmo, who had almost no hope of surviving, suddenly appeared in front of him, the complex emotions in Li Shiji's heart were beyond words to describe.
"Why don't you just die, boy, what are you doing when you come back?!"
In the end, thousands of words in my heart came together into this sentence.
Xiao Junmo scratched his head: "I don't want to part with my master, and I also don't want to part with my junior sister. So, I don't dare to die for the time being."
"You still have the face to mention your junior sister?!" Li Shiji stared and said, "It's fine for me to be implicated by you, but do you know that Dieyi was also implicated by you?!"
"I know, I know..." Xiao Junmo was full of guilt, "Master, I came today to tell you that I have a way to save Dieyi, and I also have a way to restore you to your post."
"Is there a way?" Li Shiji was astonished, "The matter has come to this, what else can you do?"
"I'm going to enter the palace tonight to meet the Holy Majesty."
"What?" Li Shiji felt that he couldn't get his head around at all, "Are you crazy? Do you know that the Holy One is eager to tear you apart and dismember you?!"
"I know." Xiao Junmo smiled wryly, "That's why I'm going to see him. Everything started because of me, so naturally I should end it."
"How do you want to end it?"
Xiao Junmo smiled wryly and remained silent.
"Don't be stupid, kid." Li Shiji said anxiously, "You must not enter the palace, otherwise you will die!"
"Master, it's getting late, you should rest early." Xiao Junmo tried his best to put on a relaxed expression, "I assure you, Dieyi will be able to return home safely in a short time."
After speaking, without waiting for Li Shiji to react, Xiao Junmo turned around and walked into the darkness.
"Stop!" Li Shiji shouted in a deep voice.
Xiao Junmo paused.
"Tell me clearly, what are you going to do?!"
Xiao Junmo stood silently for a moment, then suddenly jumped onto the wall and disappeared into the vast night in an instant.
Li Shiji stood there in a daze, feeling lost.
In the middle of the night, the Tai Chi Palace was completely silent.
When the bang of the second watch sounded in the palace, the imperial study room of Ganlu Hall was still lit.
Zhao Dequan walked slowly in the courtyard outside the hall with his hands behind his back.
The emperor locked himself in the imperial study again to study Wang Xizhi's calligraphy.Whenever this happened, Zhao Dequan and other eunuchs would be sent outside the palace by the emperor, as if he was afraid that they would see some big secret.As a result, the eunuchs suffered a lot. They had to stay up late with the emperor and wait for summons at any time, and they had to stand outside the palace to feed the mosquitoes.
At this moment, several eunuchs couldn't help mumbling together.Seeing it from a distance, Zhao Dequan coughed heavily, and those people hurriedly dispersed, each standing back to his own position.
Zhao Dequan turned around, and saw an eunuch not far away standing upright under an elm tree, as if staring at him.
"Hey, which hall are you from?" Zhao Dequan asked in a low voice.
The man was motionless, like a log.
Zhao Dequan was displeased: "What are you doing there? Come here!"
The man finally moved, but instead of walking over, he waved at him.
Zhao Dequan suddenly became angry: "You little bastard! Your skin is itchy, isn't it?!" Then he strode over, ready to teach this kid a lesson.But at a distance of about ten feet, Zhao Dequan suddenly stopped.
Because he finally saw clearly that this "eunuch" was actually Xiao Junmo!
"Mr. Yijin, please stay safe." Xiao Junmo smiled.
Zhao Dequan was startled, looked around in a hurry, then walked over quickly, pulled Xiao Junmo to a dark place beside him, and said in surprise and anger: "You kid is not dead?!"
"Sir, that's not kind," Xiao Junmo said with a smile, "It's fine to see the lord be rude, how can you curse me to death?"
"You..." Zhao Dequan couldn't help feeling angry when he saw him, and said in a low voice, "How many times have I told you that I am no longer a member of the Heavenly Punishment League, so don't come to me again! You are going to die Just die, why bother to use me as a backstop!"
"Oh, what a pity!" Xiao Junmo sighed seriously, "The descendant of the famous general Huan Wen of the dignified generation, the dignified leader of the Yijin Rudder of the Tianxing League, I think he also assisted the two emperors of the Sui Dynasty to expand the territory and cross the battlefield. , but now he has become a rat who is greedy for life and afraid of death, wouldn't it make people sigh?!"
Zhao Dequan, formerly known as Huan Keyong, was the ninth grandson of Huan Wen, a famous general and powerful minister of the Eastern Jin Dynasty.During the Northern Anniversary, his father, Huan Wei, was an undercover agent placed by the Tian Xing League in the Northern Dynasty. He worshiped Yitong with his military merits and made friends with Yang Jian.At that time, Emperor Xuan of the Northern Zhou Dynasty, Yu Wenyun, was licentious and innocent, and the Emperor of the Southern Dynasty, Chen Shubao, was also addicted to wine and sex. Therefore, Zhiyong, the leader of the Tianxing League, was very disappointed with these two emperors.Looking at the world, he believed that only Yang Jian, the ruler of the Northern Zhou Dynasty, who was calm and resourceful, was the most likely to create a great cause.At this time, Huan Wei also sent him a piece of important information, saying that Yang Jian had gradually revealed his intention to stand on his own in behalf of Zhou.
Originally, the Tianxing League had been serving Zhengshuo of the Southern Dynasty since its establishment, but Zhiyong resolutely changed course after some weighing, and issued an order to Huan Wei, ordering him to assist Yang Jian to ascend the throne and unify the world.Soon after Yu Wenyun died of illness, Huan Wei united a group of important ministers to support Yang Jian as regent, and then participated in the suppression of Yuchijiong's rebellion, and finally successfully assisted Yang Jian in creating the Sui Dynasty, and was honored as a general because of his life.
In the eighth year of Emperor Kaihuang, Yang Jian dispatched more than [-] troops, with Jin Wang Yang Guang as the commander, and He Ruobi, Han Qinhu, Huan Wei and others as generals, and launched an all-out war against the Chen Dynasty.In this war to unify the world, Huan Wei led the navy to attack Jiujiang and smashed the Chen Dynasty's navy. After that, he surrendered a large number of Chen Dynasty generals and took dozens of cities of the Chen Dynasty without bloodshed.
At that time, Huan Wei intentionally took Huan Keyong, who was only over ten years old, with him and let him experience the whole battle.After the fall of the Chen Dynasty, Huan Wei was promoted to the Zhu Kingdom due to his meritorious service, and was promoted to be the governor of Jingzhou. Soon he brought Huan Ke to meet the leader Zhiyong in secret.
In the 17th year of Emperor Kaihuang's reign, the local people in Guizhou rebelled. Huan Keyong, who was only 20 years old, went out with his father and quickly quelled it.After the triumphant return, Huan Wei ascended to the throne of Shangzhu Kingdom, and Huan Ke Yong also worshiped You Yuwei Lang as an official, entered the court, and won the appreciation of Emperor Wen of Sui Yang Jian and King Yang Guang of Jin.
Although Yang Jian, Emperor Wen of the Sui Dynasty, was talented and general, he was mean and suspicious by nature.During the Kaihuang period, many heroes of the founding of the country were convicted one after another, and Huan Wei also failed to escape. In the 19th year of Kaihuang, he was beheaded by Yang Jian on charges of treason, his family property was confiscated, and his wife and children were exiled.Huan Keyong was originally exiled, but was spared because of Yang Guang's intercession and kept his official position.
However, Huan Keyong, whose family was ruined overnight, couldn't accept this cruel reality, so he approached Zhiyong and asked him to use the power of the Tianxing League to overthrow Yang Jian and avenge his father.
Although Zhiyong was deeply shocked and saddened by Huan Wei's experience, he still rejected Huan Keyong's request out of the overall situation.Because the world of the Sui Dynasty at that time had shown a thriving and prosperous scene under the governance of Yang Jian, and the people who had suffered from divisions and wars for hundreds of years finally lived a peaceful life.In other words, the ideal of prosperity that Wang Xizhi dreamed of back then, and the mission of "protecting the world" that the Tianxing League has always upheld, have been achieved in the hands of Yang Jian.Under such circumstances, how could it be possible for Zhiyong to let Huan Keyong disturb the world again for his own personal revenge? !
Therefore, Zhiyong not only rejected his request, but also ordered him to succeed as the helm of Yijin, abandon his personal enmity, and continue to be loyal to the Sui Dynasty.Huan Ke had no choice but to obey.A few years later, Yang Guang seized the throne and succeeded him as the crown prince; soon after Yang Jian died in Renshou Palace, Yang Guang ascended the throne; later, Huan Keyong was reused by Sui Yang Emperor Yang Guang and promoted to General Zuo Wuwei.
As soon as Yang Guangfu came to the throne, Yang Jian's fifth son, Yang Liang, the Han king who was then the governor of Bingzhou, rebelled in Bingzhou.Huan Keyong was ordered to go out to fight, and followed Prime Minister Yang Su to send troops northward, and put down the rebellion in less than two months.In the first year of Daye, Huan Keyong was ordered to go south again and conquered Linyi, a small country.In the next few years, Huan Ke used several battles against the barbarians, assisted Yang Guang to open up the territory, and made many military exploits. He became the general of Youtunwei, and Yang Guang relied heavily on him.
Although the official career was prosperous in Emperor Yangdi's reign, the tragedy of family ruin and death has never been erased from Huan Keyong's heart.He only hid this huge trauma in his heart because of the order of leader Zhiyong and because of Yang Guang's kindness.In the middle and later stages of the great cause, Yang Guang, who was very successful, built a series of large-scale projects that cost the people and money, and devoted all the power of the world to conquer Korea. Huan Keyong repeatedly persuaded him, but Yang Guang hated and alienated him.
From the seventh year of the great cause, the unbearable people rose up one after another, and the heroes of the Quartet also ceded land and became kings one after another. The world that had been peaceful for more than [-] years fell apart in a blink of an eye, and wars raged.
If the state has the way, it will hide, but if the state has no way, it will appear.Seeing that Yang Guang was hopeless, Zhiyong had no choice but to activate the Tianxing League again, and dispatched various sub-rudders to break into the various separatist forces.Among them, Huan Keyong received the order to assist Yang Su's son, Yang Xuangan, who was in charge of the Shangzhu Kingdom at the time, to raise troops to capture the Eastern Capital and command the world.
Although Yang Xuangan is well-known in the world, Huan Keyong knew him well, knew that he was a man of great ambition and talent, and would not be able to achieve greatness in the end, so he raised an objection to Zhiyong.Kezhi never listens.Huan Ke had no choice but to join forces with Yang Xuangan in the ninth year of Daye.
At that time, Yang Guang was on the second expedition to Korea, and immediately returned to his teacher after hearing the news. It only took more than a month to quell the rebellion. Yang Xuangan's body was dumped in the downtown area of Luoyang and chopped into meat paste.Huan Keyong was captured, and Yang Guang thought of his meritorious service and spared his life, but sentenced him to castration and deposed him as a commoner.
Huan Ke couldn't bear the humiliation, and wanted to commit suicide, but finally remembered his father who died wronged, so he gave up the idea of committing suicide, and vowed to overthrow the Sui Dynasty in his lifetime, and assist a real Ming Lord to create a real peace prosperity.However, he no longer wants to follow Zhiyong's orders, because it was Zhiyong's wrong decision that pushed him step by step into the current desperate situation.Therefore, he decided to leave the Tianxing League and find his own path.
Later, Huan Ke used a fake scene of self-immolation to make Zhiyong think that he was dead.Later, he changed his name to Zhao Dequan, and with only a few confidantes in Yijin Tuo, he began to travel around in search of the Ming Lord, and finally joined Qin Wang Li Shimin in the 14th year of Daye.
From then on, Huan Ke was no longer useful in the world. People only knew that there was a prudent and considerate eunuch Zhao Dequan beside Qin Wang Li Shimin.Occasionally, on the battlefield, this seemingly inconspicuous Zhao Dequan could actually contribute one or two strategies to the King of Qin, which led to the victory of the Tang army. Therefore, Li Shimin took him very seriously and kept him by his side until today.
Originally, it was impossible for Xiao Junmo to see through Zhao Dequan's true identity no matter what, because the last rudder master of Yijin rudder recorded in the "Lanting Preface" genealogy table was clearly Huan Keyong who had died for many years.
However, coincidentally, during the Daye period, Yuan Gongwang, the rudder master of Wuyu, was ordered by Zhiyong to sneak into Luoyang to perform a mission, during which he had a relationship with Huan Keyong.A few days before the Shangyuan Festival, Zhao Dequan went out of the palace to buy items for the palace banquet in the West Market, and Yuan Gongwang happened to see him from a distance.Yuan Gongwang then reported to Xiao Junmo.Xiao Junmo was skeptical, but Yuan Gongwang swore that he would not be wrong, because even though Huan Keyong's appearance had changed a lot over the years, there was a mole under his left ear, but he couldn't hide it from Yuan Gongwang's eyes.
Xiao Junmo still didn't quite believe it, and asked Yuan Gongwang: "If Zhao Dequan is really the Yijin rudder master Huan Keyong you said, why didn't he recognize him when he was imprisoned in the palace for several months last year?"
"The Zuo envoy may not have met Huan Keyong." Yuan Gongwang said, "Back then, the leader of Zhiyong had a principle in his work, which was for the safety of the organization. Unless it was absolutely necessary, he tried not to let people in the alliance know each other. I went to Luoyang that time to implement An urgent mission is a special case, otherwise I would not be able to recognize Huan Keyong."
Xiao Junmo dispelled his doubts after hearing the words.At that time, Xiao Junmo was planning how to deal with the changes in the uterus, and this news undoubtedly came very timely.He immediately stopped Zhao Dequan on his way back to the palace, and privately used Yijin Duo's connection code to test him out. In the end, he decided by Zhao Dequan's subtle expression that he was indeed the Huan Keyong who "died by self-immolation" back then!
Afterwards, Xiao Junmo, as the leader of the alliance, asked Zhao Dequan to secretly administer sweat medicine to the prince at the banquet in Baifu Palace.Zhao Dequan was startled and angry, and resolutely refused to follow.Xiao Junmo hinted that he would reveal his true identity.Zhao Dequan sneered: "If you want to expose it, go ahead, if I am a person who is afraid of death, I will not live today." Xiao Junmo smiled and said: "Mr. Yijin, I know that you have died once, so death is right. It's not scary to you. But I know you're afraid of one thing."
"What am I afraid of?" Zhao Dequan asked with squinting eyes.
"What you are afraid of is that you will die unjustly and unworthily, and you will bear an undeserved reputation after death—just like your father did back then."
Zhao Dequan was shocked.
"Mr. Yijin," Xiao Junmo continued, "you have been assisting the Holy One for so many years, and you have worked hard to fulfill your duties. If you end up being punished as a secret agent of the Heavenly Punishment League, then you will definitely die with regret, right?"
Zhao Dequan was furious, and called Xiao Junmo despicable, saying that what he did was pure blackmail.
Xiao Junmo smiled: "I also ask you for this help because of the great Tang Sheji. You decide whether you want to do it or not, and I won't force you." After finishing speaking, he drifted away, making Zhao Dequan turn pale with anger...
At this moment, thinking of Xiao Junmo's "blackmail" again and again, and thinking of what kind of moth he came up with tonight, Zhao Dequan was really angry.
"Xiao Junmo, you, a criminal who was wanted twice by the imperial court, dare to break into the palace in the middle of the night, what is your intention?!" Zhao Dequan said in a low voice, suppressing his anger.
"I want to end everything." Xiao Junmo said calmly.
Zhao Dequan was taken aback: "You...you want to kill the king?!"
Xiao Junmo smiled: "Everything I have done so far is for the Tang Dynasty. Do you think I will kill the king?"
"Then what do you want to do?"
Xiao Junmo looked at him for a while, then suddenly approached him and said a word.
Zhao Dequan frowned, half-believing and half-doubting: "That's all?"
Xiao Junmo nodded: "That's all."
At this time, in the imperial study room of the Ganlu Palace with the doors and windows closed, Li Shimin was lying on the imperial case with a lamp in his hand, concentrating on studying a volume of scriptures.
There is no doubt that it is the "Lanting Preface" that he loves and hates...
At about three o'clock, Liu Jie was awakened by a strange bird call in his sleep.
He listened attentively, his expression frightened, he quickly put on his clothes and got out of bed, pulled on his shoes, and ran out of the dormitory in three steps at a time.
In the courtyard, a familiar figure came out of the darkness.
It really is Xiao Junmo!
They had agreed before that if there was an urgent matter, they would use the call of the turtledove as a signal to communicate.
"I'm sorry Liu Shizhong, I disturbed your sleep at such a late hour." Xiao Junmo said.
"No, no, no, it doesn't matter." Liu Ji waved his hands again and again, both surprised and happy, "Leader, I heard they said that you fell off the cliff, and my subordinates are very sad! Fortunately, God blesses you, and you are finally safe and sound."
"Thank you for your concern." Xiao Junmo smiled lightly, "There is something I haven't finished, I can't die."
Liu Jie immediately reacted: "What the lord is referring to, could it be..."
"You immediately write a secret letter and send it out early tomorrow morning, telling Mingzang that you have discovered my hiding place." Xiao Junmo said, taking out a folded note from his sleeve, "This is address."
Liu Jie took it, and said with an uneasy face: "The lord is planning to..."
"You don't need to ask more about the details, just send the letter as soon as possible. In addition, there is something else that you have to write in..." Xiao Junmo approached and said a few words in a low voice.
Liu Jie frowned slightly, wanted to ask something, but held back.
"Have you heard everything?"
Liu Ji nodded: "Understood."
Xiao Junmo cupped his hands, turned back and hid in the darkness, and disappeared without a sound.
Liu Ji stood where he was, staring at the thick ink-like night in a daze for a while.
If it wasn't for the note in his hand, he really doubted that he was just dreaming.
South of Chang'an City, Shaoling Plain.
A perfectly round sunset hovered over the horizon.Chanshui and Chanshui reflect the afterglow of the setting sun and flow slowly from both sides of Shaolingyuan.There is a village in the southeast of Yuanshang named Fengqi Village, and there is a dense locust forest on the west side of the village.At this time, a group of men in black suddenly galloped out of the forest, startling a group of tired birds that had just returned to their nests.
The lead rider, wearing a bronze mask, galloped up a dirt slope first, then reined in his horse and stopped, looking down at the village of a hundred or so households with smoke curling up from the kitchen.
"Is this right here?" Wang Hongyi asked Wei Laoliu who was following him.
"That's right, Fengqi Village." Wei Laoliu said, "According to what Xuanquan said, Xiao Junmo is hiding in the house next to the Earth Temple at the east end of the village." Wang Hongyi narrowed his eyes and carefully observed the whole village Case.
"Sir," Wei Laoliu looked at him, "Xuanquan's information should not be false, right?"
"Why, are you afraid that Xuanquan will betray us?" Wang Hongyi smiled, "If he really wanted to betray us, he wouldn't look for this kind of place. This place is open on three sides, except for a forest on the west side. We came here just now, startled There are many birds, it can be seen that there is no ambush in the forest. As for this village, it is even more impossible to set up an ambush, didn't you see those children playing there?"
Wei Laoliu followed his words and saw that there were indeed a group of children chasing and playing at the entrance of the village.
"In this world, there is only one thing that can be trusted." Wang Hongyi said suddenly.
Wei Laoliu was a little puzzled: "Mr. are you referring to those children?"
"No, children may also be instigated by adults." Wang Hongyi smiled lightly, "I'm talking about children's laughter, only it can't deceive people."
Only then did Wei Laoliu notice that the group of children were laughing like silver bells, and it suddenly dawned on him—even if an adult arranged for them to pretend to play here, that kind of laughter cannot be faked no matter what.
"Let's go." Wang Hongyi got off his horse and took off his mask at the same time, "Let's walk into the village and don't disturb those children."
In a simple house in the east of Fengqi Village, Xiao Junmo was chopping firewood shirtless. His strong tendon glistened in the setting sun, but the scars all over his body were shocking.
With a bang, a log was split in half by a sharp axe.
Xiao Junmo picked up half of the wood, held up the axe, and was about to chop again, when he suddenly noticed something and raised his eyes subconsciously.
Wang Hongyi did not know when he had climbed over the wall and was standing under a plum tree in the corner, looking at him with a smile on his face.
Xiao Junmo withdrew his gaze, clicked, and split the wood on the ground into two halves again.
"Young man, look at this posture, are you planning to live here?" Wang Hongyi said with a smile.
"How did you find me?" Xiao Junmo split the ax on a piece of wood, and took a cloth towel on the firewood pile next to him to wipe his sweat.
"You don't need to ask." Wang Hongyi still smiled, "You just need to know that I care about you very much."
"It's the way you care about me that made me almost die in Lishan Mountain?" Xiao Junmo sneered.
"Didn't I almost throw my old life there too?" Wang Hongyi walked over from under the tree, "We fell into the trap of Li Shimin, and no one wants to do that."
"Since you got your life back by luck, don't worry about it anymore." After wiping off his sweat, Xiao Junmo took a shirt and put it on, "I'm already tired of these tricks of fighting for power and profit, I advise you to stop too. "
"Stop?" Wang Hongyi sneered, "I, Wang Hongyi, never knew how to write these two characters."
"Then I don't care about it." Xiao Junmo said angrily, "Anyway, I won't participate in your crap."
Wang Hongyi shook his head and smiled bitterly: "Nephew, as the only living flesh and blood of Prince Yin, won't your conscience hurt if you say such things?"
"Don't threaten me with this!" Xiao Junmo suddenly said loudly, "What about Prince Yin's flesh and blood? Since my father couldn't beat Li Shimin back then, why should I fight him today? Just rely on you Wang Hongyi and your Ming Can you hide the rudder? If you really have the ability to deal with Li Shimin, why did you lose so badly back then?!"
Wang Hongyi was at a loss for words, and he sighed after a long while: "Yes, what my nephew said is not unreasonable. The old man did bear the unshirkable responsibility for the defeat that year! But only because of this, the old man wanted to make up for it, wanted to I want to make amends, I want to take back everything that was taken away by Li Shimin back then! Otherwise, how can I be worthy of Prince Yin's spirit in heaven? How can I be worthy of you, my nephew?"
"I don't care." Xiao Junmo shrugged and laughed at himself, "I just ask you not to come to me again, and let me live a peaceful life for a few days."
Wang Hongyi looked at him, and suddenly sighed: "By the way, your mother's appetite has not been very good recently, and she has lost a lot of weight. I often hear her chanting 'Bishamon', oh, what a pity!"
When Xiao Junmo heard the words, he suddenly felt the blood rushing up, rushed over and grabbed his collar.
Outside the courtyard wall, Wei Laoliu and his subordinates sensed something was wrong, and immediately climbed over the wall and surrounded Xiao Junmo with their swords drawn.
Wang Hongyi waved his hand: "Go out."
"But sir, this kid is too presumptuous..."
"I'll let you out!" Wang Hongyi raised his voice.
Wei Laoliu and the others had no choice but to turn over the courtyard wall with his men.
"Wang Hongyi, listen up!" Xiao Junmo said ruthlessly, still grabbing his collar, "If my mother makes the slightest mistake, I will wring your head off with my own hands!"
"Don't worry, your mother is fine with me. I just want to tell you that she hasn't forgotten Prince Yin and has been thinking about him."
When Xiao Junmo heard this, his eye circles immediately turned red, and he slowly let go of his hand.
"Nephew, think about it, if Li Shimin didn't kill your father, then your mother is now the queen of the Tang Dynasty, well-clothed and well-fed, pampered and well-fed, why is she suffering so much?"
"When will you let my mother go?"
"After we kill Li Shimin together."
Xiao Junmo smiled wryly: "It's not like you haven't tried it before. Is Li Shimin so easy to kill?"
Wang Hongyi stared at him: "My nephew, there is an opportunity in front of me to get rid of Li Shimin in one fell swoop."
Xiao Junmo teased a smile: "What are you dreaming in broad daylight?"
Wang Hongyi ignored his teasing, and still looked directly at him: "March [-]th, that is, three days later, Li Shimin will go to Jiucheng Palace to escape the summer heat. This is the opportunity I said."
Xiao Junmo was slightly shocked: "This is a court secret, how did you know?"
Wang Hongyi smiled triumphantly: "To tell you the truth, my nephew, I have people in the court, and they are in high positions!"
"In a high position?" Xiao Junmo showed a look of surprise and suspicion, "What you are talking about... Could it be Xuanquan?"
Wang Hongyi nodded: "He also told me the news about you hiding here."
"This person has been in ambush for many years, and I have been tracking him down for a long time." Xiao Junmo smiled bitterly, "Can you tell me who he is?"
"Not for now."
Xiao Junmo curled his lips: "Then how do you know that Jiucheng Palace is not another trap set by Li Shimin?"
"impossible!"
"Why not?"
"The news has not been announced yet, and this matter is still top secret. Li Shimin only told a few prime ministers, so how could it be a trap? Unless Li Shimin suspected that Xuanquan was among the few prime ministers, he deliberately revealed false information..." Wang Hongyi said Here, he realized that Xuanquan's position had been leaked, so he coughed twice.
"I didn't expect that Xuanquan has already become the prime minister!" Xiao Junmo acted suddenly, "It seems that your Tianxing League is really not simple!"
Now that he had slipped his mouth, Wang Hongyi no longer concealed it: "That's right, because Xuanquan is already the prime minister, once we get rid of Li Shimin, I will have a way to restore your royal status and let you inherit the throne."
"But even if we get rid of Li Shimin, wouldn't there still be Wu Wang Li Ke, Jin Wang Li Zhi and Changsun Wuji? How can I recover my identity so easily and inherit the throne?"
Wang Hongyi chuckled: "Coincidentally, when we go back to Jiucheng Palace this time, the three of them will go together, and it happens to catch them all!"
Xiao Junmo couldn't help pondering when he heard the words.
"How about it, now you still say I'm daydreaming?"
"I'm still a little worried..."
"worry about what?"
"What if, as you said, Li Shimin has suspected Xuanquan and deliberately asked him to deliver false information?"
"Impossible. Li Shimin has always admired him and trusted him. As far as I know, during this period of time, Li Shimin didn't necessarily consult with Zhangsun Wuji for some government affairs, but directly discussed with Xuanquan. Tell me, is this doubting him? look like?"
After Xiao Junmo listened, he fell silent.
"Nephew, I've said so much, but you still can't make up your mind?"
Xiao Junmo was silent for another moment, and then said: "Without the topographic map of Jiucheng Palace, nothing can be done."
This is consent to join.Wang Hongyi was overjoyed: "Why is this difficult? I can get it tomorrow."
"This thing is not easy to handle. Although Xuanquan is the prime minister, he can't control it."
Wang Hongyi smiled: "Who told you that I'm going to ask Xuanquan to get it?"
Xiao Junmo frowned slightly: "Do you have any other insiders?"
"Don't hide it from my nephew," Wang Hongyi smiled reservedly, "There are my people in the imperial army, and there are also the Ministry of Internal Affairs."
Xiao Junmo curled his lips: "In this case, why do you have to ask me to join?"
"How can they be compared with you, my nephew?" Wang Hongyi smiled, "Firstly, you are the orphan of Crown Prince Yin, and if we want to deal with Li Shimin, we will naturally use you as the banner and regard you as our lord; secondly, Li Shimin left the capital , Xuanjiawei must be a retinue, and you are a senior Xuanjiawei, who knows them best, of course I need your help; thirdly, I have lost many brothers in the past year, and the manpower is really limited right now, so... ..."
"How many do you have?"
"The maximum number of people that can be summoned right now is six to seventy." Wang Hongyi said awkwardly, "As far as I know, you seem to have quite a few friends in the world, right?"
Xiao Junmo thought for a while: "I'll call 50 people, it should be no problem."
"Okay!" Wang Hongyi was overjoyed, "Then we can give it a go!"
At this time, Chu Lisang's voice suddenly came from the backyard: "Jun Mo, the meal is ready. Who are you talking to?" Following the voice, Chu Lisang came out from behind the house with a stick around his waist. Oil-stained apron.
As soon as she saw Wang Hongyi, she was stunned, and her face sank immediately: "What are you doing here?"
Wang Hongyi smiled: "Sang'er, dad came over to talk to Jun Mo about something..."
Chu Lisang immediately turned his gaze and stared at Xiao Junmo: "What is there to talk about with a person like him? If you want to talk, let him let Auntie and Dai Lisi go first!"
"Sang'er, you misunderstood father too much." Wang Hongyi was embarrassed, "Dad did this to help Jun Mo protect his mother. Don't worry, father took good care of them..."
"That's enough, stop being hypocritical!" Chu Lisang's eyes were filled with anger, "Didn't you just take them hostage, so that Jun Mo would work for you?!"
"Sang'er, listen to me, Dad is doing this for your own good." Wang Hongyi said urgently, "Jun Mo is from the royal family of Li and Tang, and is the only living flesh and blood of Prince Yin. Once we succeed, he will be able to restore his royal status." , and then become the emperor, then you will be the queen of the world..."
"I'm not rare!" Chu Lisang sternly said, "I'm not as greedy for wealth and honor as you are, and I'm not like you who have no conscience in everything!"
Wang Hongyi was so embarrassed that he had no choice but to turn his attention to Xiao Junmo.
Xiao Junmo pondered for a while, and said softly: "Sang'er, go to dinner first, let's talk later if you have something to say, okay?"
"Jun Mo, I'm warning you," Chu Lisang said coldly, "Don't be a slave to a tiger or help a tyrant!"
"Okay, I got it." Xiao Junmo smiled apologetically.
Chu Lisang snorted heavily, took off the apron around his waist and threw it on the ground, then glared at Wang Hongyi, then turned and left.
Wang Hongyi sighed deeply, with a look of sadness and loss.
"Mr. Mingzang," Xiao Junmo formally called him for the first time, "Have you thought about one thing, if our action fails, you and I are certainly not afraid of death, but what about my mother and Sang'er?"
Wang Hongyi was startled, thought for a while, and said, "I will tell my reliable subordinates to be responsible for sending them away safely."
Xiao Junmo was silent for a while, then nodded helplessly: "It seems that this is the only way to go. Then I would like to ask Mr. to transfer my mother and Doris to stay with Sonny. In case something happens to us, they It’s better to get out in time.”
Wang Hongyi frowned, and looked at him thoughtfully: "This..."
"Why, sir suspect that I have other plans?"
"No no." Wang Hongyi laughed a few times, "We are both on the same boat now, how could I doubt you?"
"Then what are you worried about, sir?"
"I was thinking, it doesn't seem safe enough here..."
Xiao Junmo stared at him.
Wang Hongyi's eyes flickered.
After a long time, Xiao Junmo smiled helplessly: "Forget it, then let Sang'er go and stay with my mother and the others, so you can rest assured, right?"
When Xiao Junmo said this, it was tantamount to sending Chu Lisang over there as a hostage, which not only completely dispelled Wang Hongyi's doubts, but also virtually proved his sincerity and determination to join hands with Wang Hongyi. How could Wang Hongyi refuse?
Wang Hongyi was overjoyed when he heard the words, and immediately agreed.
"But, will Sonny agree to your arrangement?" Wang Hongyi asked.
"I'll convince her."
Wang Hongyi shook his head: "It's difficult, it's hard for you to convince her. I understand my daughter, she has exactly the same temper as me, and no one can change what she believes."
Xiao Junmo frowned and thought, and suddenly said: "I have a way, but..."
Wang Hongyi's eyes lit up: "But what?"
"Sir, you have to play a play with me."
"acting?"
"Yes. I will tell Sonny that I pretended to join forces with you, and the purpose of sending her there is to find out the whereabouts of my mother. In this way, she will definitely agree."
Wang Hongyi was startled for a moment, but immediately came to his senses, and couldn't help clapping his hands and laughing loudly: "Wonderful, really wonderful! My nephew is really witty!"
"Then it's settled." Xiao Junmo looked solemn, "Get the topographic map of Jiucheng Palace as soon as possible, we have to draw up a comprehensive plan."
(End of this chapter)
"Xiao Junmo, you, a criminal who was wanted twice by the imperial court, dare to break into the palace in the middle of the night, what is your intention?!" Zhao Dequan said in a low voice, suppressing his anger. "I want to end everything." Xiao Junmo said calmly.
Tai Chi Palace, Anren Hall.
Time flies, and it is late spring and March in a blink of an eye.
It was a beautiful spring day, Li Zhi got up early, had just finished washing, and before he had breakfast, he saw Zhao Dequan trotting to Anren Hall, saying that his father had urgently summoned him.Li Zhi immediately had a premonition that something good was waiting for him, but he pretended to be ignorant, and hurriedly followed Zhao Dequan to Ganlu Hall.
As soon as he stepped into the gate of the palace, he saw only his father and uncle in the palace, and Li Zhi became more and more convinced that his instinct was right.
Sure enough, after seeing the ceremony, the emperor patted the imperial couch and asked him to sit there.
This is a treatment never seen before.In Li Zhi's impression, among all the princes, only the fourth brother Li Tai seemed to have enjoyed this special treatment.
"Pheasant slave, do you know what I was talking about with your uncle just now?" Li Shimin said.
Li Zhi shook his head.
His eyes looked innocent and clear.
"We are discussing and intend to make you the crown prince."
Li Shimin's tone was very flat, but the weight of this sentence was undoubtedly heavier than Mount Tai.Although he had expected this result, Li Zhi couldn't help but feel a burst of ecstasy.
After playing the game of "mantis catching cicadas, oriole behind, with projectiles" after playing for so long, the dust has finally settled.
The way of fools is Yang, and the way of saints is Yin.
This Jin Wang Li Zhi, who looks benevolent and weak, but is actually well versed in tactics, finally had the last laugh.
However, the ecstasy is only in the heart.At this moment, the expression on Li Zhi's face was one of surprise and bewilderment: "Father, my son is only 16 years old, and he has no talent, and his talents and learning are not as good as those of your brothers. How...how can you take on such a big responsibility?"
Li Shimin shook his head and smiled wryly: "Chengqian is rebellious, Qingque is dangerous, Ke'er is selfish, and your other elder brothers are all incompetent, and they are all unworthy to be the heir of the Tang Dynasty. You are a legitimate son and have always been benevolent and filial. Why can't you be a prince?" Prince? Besides, 16 years old is not too young, I started galloping on the battlefield at your age, so you have to learn from me, show the courage to do your part, and don't underestimate yourself."
"Yes, I would like to obey my father's instruction." Li Zhi still looked obedient.
Seeing this, Li Shimin smiled helplessly, and said to Changsun Wuji: "This matter is settled like this, King Li Jin."
Changsun Wuji was overjoyed, so he bowed deeply: "Your Majesty is holy, and I respectfully honor the imperial edict!"
"Pheasant slave," Li Shimin said again, "I can't make this decision without your uncle's strong recommendation, why don't you hurry up and thank you?"
Li Zhi quickly got up from the couch, knelt down and kowtowed: "The pheasant slave kowtows to uncle!"
Changsun Wuji smiled from ear to ear: "Don't be too polite, don't be too polite, get up quickly." Then he helped Li Zhi up.
Li Shimin was thinking about something, and suddenly looked worried: "Tomorrow's court meeting, if I announce this, I don't know how the Manchu civil and military association will feel?"
"Your Majesty, don't worry!" Changsun Wuji hurriedly said, "King Jin is benevolent and filial. The world has returned to his heart for a long time, and all officials will support him. Even if there are one or two dissenting people, it is like a mantis' arm is like a cart, and a mayfly is shaking a tree. I think it is nothing to worry about."
Li Shimin bowed his head and pondered for a long time before saying: "I hope so."
Li Zhi secretly exchanged a look with Changsun Wuji.
it is more than words.
Chang'an Puning Square, Li Shiji's residence.
At the first watch, a first-quarter moon slanted across the sky, looking cold and lonely.
Li Shiji didn't feel sleepy, so he put on an unlined garment and strolled into the back garden.
According to the calculations, it has been more than a month since Li Shiji was brought back to his private residence.For more than a month, he has suffered from insomnia almost every night, one is missing Xiao Junmo who is missing, and the other is thinking about Huan Dieyi who is in prison.
After Xiao Junmo fell off the cliff that day, the emperor ordered the forbidden army to search the bottom of the cliff and the nearby forests for many days, and then expanded the search area several times, but they still found nothing, and finally had to let it go.Although Li Shiji also knew that the possibility of Xiao Junmo surviving was very slim, but as long as the body was not found for a day, he would have hope for a day.
Huan Dieyi was arrested and imprisoned in Dali Temple Prison.Li Shiji was under house arrest and unable to visit the prison, so he wrote letters to many of his close colleagues in the DPRK and China, asking them to visit him on his behalf. Unexpectedly, all the letters fell into the sea, and no one responded to him.Li Shiji simply wrote to Dali Siqing directly, asking him to be lenient and inform Huan Dieyi and Luo Biao of their current situation.Dali Siqing replied very quickly, but only wrote the words "I can't help", which made him dumbfounded.
Since Li Shiji returned to the Tang Dynasty, he has been on the rise and has been highly relied on by the emperor. Therefore, all civil and military officials in the whole dynasty are vying to make friends with him. Unexpectedly, if he loses power today, everyone will avoid him.
In desperation, Li Shiji could only sit in the mansion every day, or look up to the sky and sigh, or feel sad...
It was late spring, and the peach and pear blossoms in the garden had passed their most splendid flowering season. The night wind blew, and the petals were falling one after another.Li Shiji stood under a peach tree with his hands behind his back, staring at the petals fluttering in the wind, dazed.
Suddenly, there was a slight sound behind him.
Li Shiji had spent half his life in the army, and his hearing was very keen. He immediately recognized the sound of someone climbing over the wall and falling to the ground, so his eyes narrowed, and he said without turning his head: "Where is my friend, how dare you break into a private house at night?!"
A figure walked along the dark place at the base of the wall, and stopped a foot behind him.
"Swing Subo down, and Fanglan upside down." The man said leisurely.
Li Shiji was startled, and turned around suddenly, with a look of surprise, joy and mixed feelings on his face.
The man took another step forward, and Xiao Junmo's face emerged from the darkness, and he said with a smile: "Master, I am also the leader of the alliance anyway, you have to save face and correct the incision?"
Li Shiji snorted coldly, and said angrily: "I still want to be a guest, but Xifeng will sigh forever."
Xiao Junmo smiled, and cupped his hands in a serious manner: "Thank you, Mr. Subo, for not forgetting the rules of this alliance."
Li Shiji is Subo.
He is the ninth grandson of Xu Fengzhi who joined the army in the Eastern Jin Dynasty, and this short four-character poem was written by Xu Fengzhi at the Orchid Pavilion.
Li Shiji's original name was Xu Shiji. His ancestral home was Caozhou, and he moved to Huazhou later.At the end of the great cause of the Sui Dynasty, the world was in turmoil, and Xu's father and son were ordered by Zhiyong to defect to Wagang at the helm of Subo.Due to the consistent rules of Tianxingmeng and Zhiyong's certain considerations, although Subo Duo and Wei Zheng's Linchuan Duo are in Wagang, they do not know each other's true identity.In the first year of Wude, Wei Zheng followed Li Mi to the Tang Dynasty, and Zhiyong ordered Xu Shiji not to return to the Tang Dynasty temporarily out of consideration of "dispersion and concealment", and still guarded Liyang.
In the second year of Wude, in order to win over Xu Shiji, Tang Gaozu Li Yuan not only promised to be a high-ranking official, but also gave the emperor the surname "Li".Xu Shiji temporarily accepted Li Tang's solicitation after obtaining Zhiyong's consent, and changed his name to Li Shiji from then on.Soon, his father Xu Gai was captured by Dou Jiande in a battle, and it was difficult to exercise the power of helmsman. Zhiyong then ordered Li Shiji to take over as the helm of Subo, and then ordered him to lead his troops to join Dou Jiande.
At that time, Dou Jiande was very popular in Hebei, and Zhiyong also placed some hope in him, so he ordered Li Shiji to assist him with all his strength.However, Dou Jiande was always wary of Li Shiji, so he kept Xu Gai under house arrest and took him as a hostage.Li Shiji suggested to Zhiyong to rescue his father and return to Tang together, but Zhiyong rejected his proposal considering that Li Tang's side had hidden several sub-rudders, and Dou Jiande only had one Subo helm on his side.
Facing the dilemma of loyalty and filial piety, Li Shiji had to make his own choice.On the surface, he is still under the order of Zhiyong, but secretly he has been planning to assassinate Dou Jiande and rescue his father.Unexpectedly, before he could act, the plan was leaked, and Li Shiji was forced to rebel against Dou Jiande with only a few dozen cavalry, and formally surrendered to the Tang Dynasty.
Zhiyong was naturally displeased with this, so he sneaked into Chang'an and reprimanded Li Shiji face to face.
Li Shiji was young and vigorous at that time, and his father was still in the hands of Dou Jiande, so he was very angry, so he tried his best to defend himself.Zhiyong was furious, and said on the spot that he would remove Li Shiji as the helmsman, but Li Shiji did not show any weakness, saying that he would listen and respect him.The two sides turned their faces and broke up unhappy.Afterwards, Zhiyong alienated Li Shiji and never used the Subo rudder again.Li Shiji was also happy and at ease, so he assisted Li Tang to conquer the world wholeheartedly.
In the fourth year of Wude, Li Shiji and Li Shimin defeated Dou Jiande and Wang Shichong at Hulaoguan and Luoyang in one fell swoop, and his father Xu Gai was able to return to the Tang Dynasty.Afterwards, with the fall of Nanliang Xiaoxian, the situation of Li and Tang's unification of the world gradually became clearer. Although Zhiyong changed his attitude, he still ignored Li Shiji, as if Subo Tuo didn't exist at all.
In the ninth year of Wude, on the eve of the Xuanwumen Revolution, Li Shimin secretly sent someone to win over Li Shiji and persuaded him to deal with the prince together.But Li Shiji knew that Zhiyong was interested in the prince, so he declined Li Shimin and remained neutral.After the coup broke out, Li Shimin won a complete victory. Zhiyong saw that Li Shimin had the potential to be a wise king, so he issued a "sleeping" order to all the sub-rudders, including Li Shiji and Subo helms who had already been put into the "cold palace".
After Li Shimin came to power, he accepted the former opposition and neutral faction with a tolerant attitude regardless of previous suspicions. Therefore, Wei Zheng and Li Shiji were also reused one after another.
Since Li Shiji had a estrangement with Zhiyong as early as the second year of Wude, and has been marginalized since then, he doesn't have much affection for the Tianxingmeng, let alone loyalty.In other words, since returning to the Tang Dynasty, Li Shiji has completely regarded himself as a courtier of the Tang Dynasty, and consciously or unconsciously forgot his identity as the Tianxingmeng.Therefore, when the Biancai case broke out last year and Li Shimin tried his best to solve the mystery of "Lanting Preface", Li Shiji adopted an attitude of watching the fire from the other side. He also spared no effort to perform the duties of General Xuanjiawei.
Of course, if Li Shiji dared to do this, the premise was that he thought that he had been dismissed by Zhiyong long ago, and he could no longer be regarded as a member of the Tianxing League.In addition, he knew very little about the core secrets of the Heavenly Punishment League, let alone what secrets were hidden in the "Lanting Preface".So in his view, even if the mystery of "Lanting Preface" is revealed to the world one day, it may not necessarily involve him.
In the first month of this year, Xiao Junmo returned to Beijing from Qizhou and dedicated the original "Lanting Preface" to the emperor. After that, the emperor did not show any signs of doubting him. Li Shiji became more and more convinced that he was safe.
However, he didn't know that his real identity had already been written by Zhiyong on the lineage list of "Lanting Preface", and he didn't cross it out because Zhiyong verbally announced his resignation, so Xiao Junmo was able to know.
After Xiao Junmo returned to Beijing, considering that the time had not come, he did not reveal his identity immediately.
It wasn't until the eve of Shangyuan Festival, when Xiao Junmo went straight into his room and suddenly called him "Mr. Subo", that Li Shiji turned pale with shock.
That day, Xiao Junmo told him everything, including the identity of the leader of the Heavenly Punishment League.
Li Shiji was stunned for a long time, and it took him a long time to come back to his senses, then he said to Xiao Junmo gloomyly: "Even if your boy becomes the leader, it has nothing to do with me, I am no longer a member of the Heavenly Punishment League!"
Later, Li Shiji also told Xiao Junmo what happened back then.
Xiao Junmo was also stunned for a while when he heard the words, and then smiled and said: "Master, no matter what happened between you and the previous leader, as the current leader, I have the right to restart the sub-helm of Subo."
"Don't do this with me!" Li Shiji kicked over the desk in front of him, "Back then, Zhiyong couldn't do anything to me, so what can you do to me?!"
"I didn't intend to do anything to you either." Xiao Junmo still smiled, "I came today just to ask Master to do me a favor."
"What help?"
"Our Xuanjiawei brothers have worked so hard all year round. Tomorrow, on the Lantern Festival, you will gather everyone for a banquet at the government office and reward you."
Li Shiji was puzzled, and stared at him suspiciously: "What kind of tricks do you want to play, kid?"
Xiao Junmo immediately told him the prince's coup plan and part of his own countermeasure plan, and finally said: "The prince is coming back aggressively, and he is determined to win. If you don't take action, the country will be in danger."
Li Shiji was greatly astonished, and only then realized the seriousness of the problem.He pondered for a while, and said: "This matter must be reported to the Holy One immediately!"
"No. This matter involves too much. If I want to report it, I can't justify myself."
Li Shiji stared at him resentfully, gritted his teeth and said, "Why didn't I see that you are full of schemes?!"
Xiao Junmo chuckled: "Master, the prize is too high. If the apprentice has nothing in his stomach, how can he be worthy of Xuanjiawei's armor?!"
Li Shiji was both annoyed and helpless, full of anger and unable to vent, he had to lift his feet and kicked the desk that had been overturned to the ground.
That day, it was these unusual movements that aroused the suspicion of Huan Dieyi outside...
At this moment, in this quiet garden at night, when Xiao Junmo, who had almost no hope of surviving, suddenly appeared in front of him, the complex emotions in Li Shiji's heart were beyond words to describe.
"Why don't you just die, boy, what are you doing when you come back?!"
In the end, thousands of words in my heart came together into this sentence.
Xiao Junmo scratched his head: "I don't want to part with my master, and I also don't want to part with my junior sister. So, I don't dare to die for the time being."
"You still have the face to mention your junior sister?!" Li Shiji stared and said, "It's fine for me to be implicated by you, but do you know that Dieyi was also implicated by you?!"
"I know, I know..." Xiao Junmo was full of guilt, "Master, I came today to tell you that I have a way to save Dieyi, and I also have a way to restore you to your post."
"Is there a way?" Li Shiji was astonished, "The matter has come to this, what else can you do?"
"I'm going to enter the palace tonight to meet the Holy Majesty."
"What?" Li Shiji felt that he couldn't get his head around at all, "Are you crazy? Do you know that the Holy One is eager to tear you apart and dismember you?!"
"I know." Xiao Junmo smiled wryly, "That's why I'm going to see him. Everything started because of me, so naturally I should end it."
"How do you want to end it?"
Xiao Junmo smiled wryly and remained silent.
"Don't be stupid, kid." Li Shiji said anxiously, "You must not enter the palace, otherwise you will die!"
"Master, it's getting late, you should rest early." Xiao Junmo tried his best to put on a relaxed expression, "I assure you, Dieyi will be able to return home safely in a short time."
After speaking, without waiting for Li Shiji to react, Xiao Junmo turned around and walked into the darkness.
"Stop!" Li Shiji shouted in a deep voice.
Xiao Junmo paused.
"Tell me clearly, what are you going to do?!"
Xiao Junmo stood silently for a moment, then suddenly jumped onto the wall and disappeared into the vast night in an instant.
Li Shiji stood there in a daze, feeling lost.
In the middle of the night, the Tai Chi Palace was completely silent.
When the bang of the second watch sounded in the palace, the imperial study room of Ganlu Hall was still lit.
Zhao Dequan walked slowly in the courtyard outside the hall with his hands behind his back.
The emperor locked himself in the imperial study again to study Wang Xizhi's calligraphy.Whenever this happened, Zhao Dequan and other eunuchs would be sent outside the palace by the emperor, as if he was afraid that they would see some big secret.As a result, the eunuchs suffered a lot. They had to stay up late with the emperor and wait for summons at any time, and they had to stand outside the palace to feed the mosquitoes.
At this moment, several eunuchs couldn't help mumbling together.Seeing it from a distance, Zhao Dequan coughed heavily, and those people hurriedly dispersed, each standing back to his own position.
Zhao Dequan turned around, and saw an eunuch not far away standing upright under an elm tree, as if staring at him.
"Hey, which hall are you from?" Zhao Dequan asked in a low voice.
The man was motionless, like a log.
Zhao Dequan was displeased: "What are you doing there? Come here!"
The man finally moved, but instead of walking over, he waved at him.
Zhao Dequan suddenly became angry: "You little bastard! Your skin is itchy, isn't it?!" Then he strode over, ready to teach this kid a lesson.But at a distance of about ten feet, Zhao Dequan suddenly stopped.
Because he finally saw clearly that this "eunuch" was actually Xiao Junmo!
"Mr. Yijin, please stay safe." Xiao Junmo smiled.
Zhao Dequan was startled, looked around in a hurry, then walked over quickly, pulled Xiao Junmo to a dark place beside him, and said in surprise and anger: "You kid is not dead?!"
"Sir, that's not kind," Xiao Junmo said with a smile, "It's fine to see the lord be rude, how can you curse me to death?"
"You..." Zhao Dequan couldn't help feeling angry when he saw him, and said in a low voice, "How many times have I told you that I am no longer a member of the Heavenly Punishment League, so don't come to me again! You are going to die Just die, why bother to use me as a backstop!"
"Oh, what a pity!" Xiao Junmo sighed seriously, "The descendant of the famous general Huan Wen of the dignified generation, the dignified leader of the Yijin Rudder of the Tianxing League, I think he also assisted the two emperors of the Sui Dynasty to expand the territory and cross the battlefield. , but now he has become a rat who is greedy for life and afraid of death, wouldn't it make people sigh?!"
Zhao Dequan, formerly known as Huan Keyong, was the ninth grandson of Huan Wen, a famous general and powerful minister of the Eastern Jin Dynasty.During the Northern Anniversary, his father, Huan Wei, was an undercover agent placed by the Tian Xing League in the Northern Dynasty. He worshiped Yitong with his military merits and made friends with Yang Jian.At that time, Emperor Xuan of the Northern Zhou Dynasty, Yu Wenyun, was licentious and innocent, and the Emperor of the Southern Dynasty, Chen Shubao, was also addicted to wine and sex. Therefore, Zhiyong, the leader of the Tianxing League, was very disappointed with these two emperors.Looking at the world, he believed that only Yang Jian, the ruler of the Northern Zhou Dynasty, who was calm and resourceful, was the most likely to create a great cause.At this time, Huan Wei also sent him a piece of important information, saying that Yang Jian had gradually revealed his intention to stand on his own in behalf of Zhou.
Originally, the Tianxing League had been serving Zhengshuo of the Southern Dynasty since its establishment, but Zhiyong resolutely changed course after some weighing, and issued an order to Huan Wei, ordering him to assist Yang Jian to ascend the throne and unify the world.Soon after Yu Wenyun died of illness, Huan Wei united a group of important ministers to support Yang Jian as regent, and then participated in the suppression of Yuchijiong's rebellion, and finally successfully assisted Yang Jian in creating the Sui Dynasty, and was honored as a general because of his life.
In the eighth year of Emperor Kaihuang, Yang Jian dispatched more than [-] troops, with Jin Wang Yang Guang as the commander, and He Ruobi, Han Qinhu, Huan Wei and others as generals, and launched an all-out war against the Chen Dynasty.In this war to unify the world, Huan Wei led the navy to attack Jiujiang and smashed the Chen Dynasty's navy. After that, he surrendered a large number of Chen Dynasty generals and took dozens of cities of the Chen Dynasty without bloodshed.
At that time, Huan Wei intentionally took Huan Keyong, who was only over ten years old, with him and let him experience the whole battle.After the fall of the Chen Dynasty, Huan Wei was promoted to the Zhu Kingdom due to his meritorious service, and was promoted to be the governor of Jingzhou. Soon he brought Huan Ke to meet the leader Zhiyong in secret.
In the 17th year of Emperor Kaihuang's reign, the local people in Guizhou rebelled. Huan Keyong, who was only 20 years old, went out with his father and quickly quelled it.After the triumphant return, Huan Wei ascended to the throne of Shangzhu Kingdom, and Huan Ke Yong also worshiped You Yuwei Lang as an official, entered the court, and won the appreciation of Emperor Wen of Sui Yang Jian and King Yang Guang of Jin.
Although Yang Jian, Emperor Wen of the Sui Dynasty, was talented and general, he was mean and suspicious by nature.During the Kaihuang period, many heroes of the founding of the country were convicted one after another, and Huan Wei also failed to escape. In the 19th year of Kaihuang, he was beheaded by Yang Jian on charges of treason, his family property was confiscated, and his wife and children were exiled.Huan Keyong was originally exiled, but was spared because of Yang Guang's intercession and kept his official position.
However, Huan Keyong, whose family was ruined overnight, couldn't accept this cruel reality, so he approached Zhiyong and asked him to use the power of the Tianxing League to overthrow Yang Jian and avenge his father.
Although Zhiyong was deeply shocked and saddened by Huan Wei's experience, he still rejected Huan Keyong's request out of the overall situation.Because the world of the Sui Dynasty at that time had shown a thriving and prosperous scene under the governance of Yang Jian, and the people who had suffered from divisions and wars for hundreds of years finally lived a peaceful life.In other words, the ideal of prosperity that Wang Xizhi dreamed of back then, and the mission of "protecting the world" that the Tianxing League has always upheld, have been achieved in the hands of Yang Jian.Under such circumstances, how could it be possible for Zhiyong to let Huan Keyong disturb the world again for his own personal revenge? !
Therefore, Zhiyong not only rejected his request, but also ordered him to succeed as the helm of Yijin, abandon his personal enmity, and continue to be loyal to the Sui Dynasty.Huan Ke had no choice but to obey.A few years later, Yang Guang seized the throne and succeeded him as the crown prince; soon after Yang Jian died in Renshou Palace, Yang Guang ascended the throne; later, Huan Keyong was reused by Sui Yang Emperor Yang Guang and promoted to General Zuo Wuwei.
As soon as Yang Guangfu came to the throne, Yang Jian's fifth son, Yang Liang, the Han king who was then the governor of Bingzhou, rebelled in Bingzhou.Huan Keyong was ordered to go out to fight, and followed Prime Minister Yang Su to send troops northward, and put down the rebellion in less than two months.In the first year of Daye, Huan Keyong was ordered to go south again and conquered Linyi, a small country.In the next few years, Huan Ke used several battles against the barbarians, assisted Yang Guang to open up the territory, and made many military exploits. He became the general of Youtunwei, and Yang Guang relied heavily on him.
Although the official career was prosperous in Emperor Yangdi's reign, the tragedy of family ruin and death has never been erased from Huan Keyong's heart.He only hid this huge trauma in his heart because of the order of leader Zhiyong and because of Yang Guang's kindness.In the middle and later stages of the great cause, Yang Guang, who was very successful, built a series of large-scale projects that cost the people and money, and devoted all the power of the world to conquer Korea. Huan Keyong repeatedly persuaded him, but Yang Guang hated and alienated him.
From the seventh year of the great cause, the unbearable people rose up one after another, and the heroes of the Quartet also ceded land and became kings one after another. The world that had been peaceful for more than [-] years fell apart in a blink of an eye, and wars raged.
If the state has the way, it will hide, but if the state has no way, it will appear.Seeing that Yang Guang was hopeless, Zhiyong had no choice but to activate the Tianxing League again, and dispatched various sub-rudders to break into the various separatist forces.Among them, Huan Keyong received the order to assist Yang Su's son, Yang Xuangan, who was in charge of the Shangzhu Kingdom at the time, to raise troops to capture the Eastern Capital and command the world.
Although Yang Xuangan is well-known in the world, Huan Keyong knew him well, knew that he was a man of great ambition and talent, and would not be able to achieve greatness in the end, so he raised an objection to Zhiyong.Kezhi never listens.Huan Ke had no choice but to join forces with Yang Xuangan in the ninth year of Daye.
At that time, Yang Guang was on the second expedition to Korea, and immediately returned to his teacher after hearing the news. It only took more than a month to quell the rebellion. Yang Xuangan's body was dumped in the downtown area of Luoyang and chopped into meat paste.Huan Keyong was captured, and Yang Guang thought of his meritorious service and spared his life, but sentenced him to castration and deposed him as a commoner.
Huan Ke couldn't bear the humiliation, and wanted to commit suicide, but finally remembered his father who died wronged, so he gave up the idea of committing suicide, and vowed to overthrow the Sui Dynasty in his lifetime, and assist a real Ming Lord to create a real peace prosperity.However, he no longer wants to follow Zhiyong's orders, because it was Zhiyong's wrong decision that pushed him step by step into the current desperate situation.Therefore, he decided to leave the Tianxing League and find his own path.
Later, Huan Ke used a fake scene of self-immolation to make Zhiyong think that he was dead.Later, he changed his name to Zhao Dequan, and with only a few confidantes in Yijin Tuo, he began to travel around in search of the Ming Lord, and finally joined Qin Wang Li Shimin in the 14th year of Daye.
From then on, Huan Ke was no longer useful in the world. People only knew that there was a prudent and considerate eunuch Zhao Dequan beside Qin Wang Li Shimin.Occasionally, on the battlefield, this seemingly inconspicuous Zhao Dequan could actually contribute one or two strategies to the King of Qin, which led to the victory of the Tang army. Therefore, Li Shimin took him very seriously and kept him by his side until today.
Originally, it was impossible for Xiao Junmo to see through Zhao Dequan's true identity no matter what, because the last rudder master of Yijin rudder recorded in the "Lanting Preface" genealogy table was clearly Huan Keyong who had died for many years.
However, coincidentally, during the Daye period, Yuan Gongwang, the rudder master of Wuyu, was ordered by Zhiyong to sneak into Luoyang to perform a mission, during which he had a relationship with Huan Keyong.A few days before the Shangyuan Festival, Zhao Dequan went out of the palace to buy items for the palace banquet in the West Market, and Yuan Gongwang happened to see him from a distance.Yuan Gongwang then reported to Xiao Junmo.Xiao Junmo was skeptical, but Yuan Gongwang swore that he would not be wrong, because even though Huan Keyong's appearance had changed a lot over the years, there was a mole under his left ear, but he couldn't hide it from Yuan Gongwang's eyes.
Xiao Junmo still didn't quite believe it, and asked Yuan Gongwang: "If Zhao Dequan is really the Yijin rudder master Huan Keyong you said, why didn't he recognize him when he was imprisoned in the palace for several months last year?"
"The Zuo envoy may not have met Huan Keyong." Yuan Gongwang said, "Back then, the leader of Zhiyong had a principle in his work, which was for the safety of the organization. Unless it was absolutely necessary, he tried not to let people in the alliance know each other. I went to Luoyang that time to implement An urgent mission is a special case, otherwise I would not be able to recognize Huan Keyong."
Xiao Junmo dispelled his doubts after hearing the words.At that time, Xiao Junmo was planning how to deal with the changes in the uterus, and this news undoubtedly came very timely.He immediately stopped Zhao Dequan on his way back to the palace, and privately used Yijin Duo's connection code to test him out. In the end, he decided by Zhao Dequan's subtle expression that he was indeed the Huan Keyong who "died by self-immolation" back then!
Afterwards, Xiao Junmo, as the leader of the alliance, asked Zhao Dequan to secretly administer sweat medicine to the prince at the banquet in Baifu Palace.Zhao Dequan was startled and angry, and resolutely refused to follow.Xiao Junmo hinted that he would reveal his true identity.Zhao Dequan sneered: "If you want to expose it, go ahead, if I am a person who is afraid of death, I will not live today." Xiao Junmo smiled and said: "Mr. Yijin, I know that you have died once, so death is right. It's not scary to you. But I know you're afraid of one thing."
"What am I afraid of?" Zhao Dequan asked with squinting eyes.
"What you are afraid of is that you will die unjustly and unworthily, and you will bear an undeserved reputation after death—just like your father did back then."
Zhao Dequan was shocked.
"Mr. Yijin," Xiao Junmo continued, "you have been assisting the Holy One for so many years, and you have worked hard to fulfill your duties. If you end up being punished as a secret agent of the Heavenly Punishment League, then you will definitely die with regret, right?"
Zhao Dequan was furious, and called Xiao Junmo despicable, saying that what he did was pure blackmail.
Xiao Junmo smiled: "I also ask you for this help because of the great Tang Sheji. You decide whether you want to do it or not, and I won't force you." After finishing speaking, he drifted away, making Zhao Dequan turn pale with anger...
At this moment, thinking of Xiao Junmo's "blackmail" again and again, and thinking of what kind of moth he came up with tonight, Zhao Dequan was really angry.
"Xiao Junmo, you, a criminal who was wanted twice by the imperial court, dare to break into the palace in the middle of the night, what is your intention?!" Zhao Dequan said in a low voice, suppressing his anger.
"I want to end everything." Xiao Junmo said calmly.
Zhao Dequan was taken aback: "You...you want to kill the king?!"
Xiao Junmo smiled: "Everything I have done so far is for the Tang Dynasty. Do you think I will kill the king?"
"Then what do you want to do?"
Xiao Junmo looked at him for a while, then suddenly approached him and said a word.
Zhao Dequan frowned, half-believing and half-doubting: "That's all?"
Xiao Junmo nodded: "That's all."
At this time, in the imperial study room of the Ganlu Palace with the doors and windows closed, Li Shimin was lying on the imperial case with a lamp in his hand, concentrating on studying a volume of scriptures.
There is no doubt that it is the "Lanting Preface" that he loves and hates...
At about three o'clock, Liu Jie was awakened by a strange bird call in his sleep.
He listened attentively, his expression frightened, he quickly put on his clothes and got out of bed, pulled on his shoes, and ran out of the dormitory in three steps at a time.
In the courtyard, a familiar figure came out of the darkness.
It really is Xiao Junmo!
They had agreed before that if there was an urgent matter, they would use the call of the turtledove as a signal to communicate.
"I'm sorry Liu Shizhong, I disturbed your sleep at such a late hour." Xiao Junmo said.
"No, no, no, it doesn't matter." Liu Ji waved his hands again and again, both surprised and happy, "Leader, I heard they said that you fell off the cliff, and my subordinates are very sad! Fortunately, God blesses you, and you are finally safe and sound."
"Thank you for your concern." Xiao Junmo smiled lightly, "There is something I haven't finished, I can't die."
Liu Jie immediately reacted: "What the lord is referring to, could it be..."
"You immediately write a secret letter and send it out early tomorrow morning, telling Mingzang that you have discovered my hiding place." Xiao Junmo said, taking out a folded note from his sleeve, "This is address."
Liu Jie took it, and said with an uneasy face: "The lord is planning to..."
"You don't need to ask more about the details, just send the letter as soon as possible. In addition, there is something else that you have to write in..." Xiao Junmo approached and said a few words in a low voice.
Liu Jie frowned slightly, wanted to ask something, but held back.
"Have you heard everything?"
Liu Ji nodded: "Understood."
Xiao Junmo cupped his hands, turned back and hid in the darkness, and disappeared without a sound.
Liu Ji stood where he was, staring at the thick ink-like night in a daze for a while.
If it wasn't for the note in his hand, he really doubted that he was just dreaming.
South of Chang'an City, Shaoling Plain.
A perfectly round sunset hovered over the horizon.Chanshui and Chanshui reflect the afterglow of the setting sun and flow slowly from both sides of Shaolingyuan.There is a village in the southeast of Yuanshang named Fengqi Village, and there is a dense locust forest on the west side of the village.At this time, a group of men in black suddenly galloped out of the forest, startling a group of tired birds that had just returned to their nests.
The lead rider, wearing a bronze mask, galloped up a dirt slope first, then reined in his horse and stopped, looking down at the village of a hundred or so households with smoke curling up from the kitchen.
"Is this right here?" Wang Hongyi asked Wei Laoliu who was following him.
"That's right, Fengqi Village." Wei Laoliu said, "According to what Xuanquan said, Xiao Junmo is hiding in the house next to the Earth Temple at the east end of the village." Wang Hongyi narrowed his eyes and carefully observed the whole village Case.
"Sir," Wei Laoliu looked at him, "Xuanquan's information should not be false, right?"
"Why, are you afraid that Xuanquan will betray us?" Wang Hongyi smiled, "If he really wanted to betray us, he wouldn't look for this kind of place. This place is open on three sides, except for a forest on the west side. We came here just now, startled There are many birds, it can be seen that there is no ambush in the forest. As for this village, it is even more impossible to set up an ambush, didn't you see those children playing there?"
Wei Laoliu followed his words and saw that there were indeed a group of children chasing and playing at the entrance of the village.
"In this world, there is only one thing that can be trusted." Wang Hongyi said suddenly.
Wei Laoliu was a little puzzled: "Mr. are you referring to those children?"
"No, children may also be instigated by adults." Wang Hongyi smiled lightly, "I'm talking about children's laughter, only it can't deceive people."
Only then did Wei Laoliu notice that the group of children were laughing like silver bells, and it suddenly dawned on him—even if an adult arranged for them to pretend to play here, that kind of laughter cannot be faked no matter what.
"Let's go." Wang Hongyi got off his horse and took off his mask at the same time, "Let's walk into the village and don't disturb those children."
In a simple house in the east of Fengqi Village, Xiao Junmo was chopping firewood shirtless. His strong tendon glistened in the setting sun, but the scars all over his body were shocking.
With a bang, a log was split in half by a sharp axe.
Xiao Junmo picked up half of the wood, held up the axe, and was about to chop again, when he suddenly noticed something and raised his eyes subconsciously.
Wang Hongyi did not know when he had climbed over the wall and was standing under a plum tree in the corner, looking at him with a smile on his face.
Xiao Junmo withdrew his gaze, clicked, and split the wood on the ground into two halves again.
"Young man, look at this posture, are you planning to live here?" Wang Hongyi said with a smile.
"How did you find me?" Xiao Junmo split the ax on a piece of wood, and took a cloth towel on the firewood pile next to him to wipe his sweat.
"You don't need to ask." Wang Hongyi still smiled, "You just need to know that I care about you very much."
"It's the way you care about me that made me almost die in Lishan Mountain?" Xiao Junmo sneered.
"Didn't I almost throw my old life there too?" Wang Hongyi walked over from under the tree, "We fell into the trap of Li Shimin, and no one wants to do that."
"Since you got your life back by luck, don't worry about it anymore." After wiping off his sweat, Xiao Junmo took a shirt and put it on, "I'm already tired of these tricks of fighting for power and profit, I advise you to stop too. "
"Stop?" Wang Hongyi sneered, "I, Wang Hongyi, never knew how to write these two characters."
"Then I don't care about it." Xiao Junmo said angrily, "Anyway, I won't participate in your crap."
Wang Hongyi shook his head and smiled bitterly: "Nephew, as the only living flesh and blood of Prince Yin, won't your conscience hurt if you say such things?"
"Don't threaten me with this!" Xiao Junmo suddenly said loudly, "What about Prince Yin's flesh and blood? Since my father couldn't beat Li Shimin back then, why should I fight him today? Just rely on you Wang Hongyi and your Ming Can you hide the rudder? If you really have the ability to deal with Li Shimin, why did you lose so badly back then?!"
Wang Hongyi was at a loss for words, and he sighed after a long while: "Yes, what my nephew said is not unreasonable. The old man did bear the unshirkable responsibility for the defeat that year! But only because of this, the old man wanted to make up for it, wanted to I want to make amends, I want to take back everything that was taken away by Li Shimin back then! Otherwise, how can I be worthy of Prince Yin's spirit in heaven? How can I be worthy of you, my nephew?"
"I don't care." Xiao Junmo shrugged and laughed at himself, "I just ask you not to come to me again, and let me live a peaceful life for a few days."
Wang Hongyi looked at him, and suddenly sighed: "By the way, your mother's appetite has not been very good recently, and she has lost a lot of weight. I often hear her chanting 'Bishamon', oh, what a pity!"
When Xiao Junmo heard the words, he suddenly felt the blood rushing up, rushed over and grabbed his collar.
Outside the courtyard wall, Wei Laoliu and his subordinates sensed something was wrong, and immediately climbed over the wall and surrounded Xiao Junmo with their swords drawn.
Wang Hongyi waved his hand: "Go out."
"But sir, this kid is too presumptuous..."
"I'll let you out!" Wang Hongyi raised his voice.
Wei Laoliu and the others had no choice but to turn over the courtyard wall with his men.
"Wang Hongyi, listen up!" Xiao Junmo said ruthlessly, still grabbing his collar, "If my mother makes the slightest mistake, I will wring your head off with my own hands!"
"Don't worry, your mother is fine with me. I just want to tell you that she hasn't forgotten Prince Yin and has been thinking about him."
When Xiao Junmo heard this, his eye circles immediately turned red, and he slowly let go of his hand.
"Nephew, think about it, if Li Shimin didn't kill your father, then your mother is now the queen of the Tang Dynasty, well-clothed and well-fed, pampered and well-fed, why is she suffering so much?"
"When will you let my mother go?"
"After we kill Li Shimin together."
Xiao Junmo smiled wryly: "It's not like you haven't tried it before. Is Li Shimin so easy to kill?"
Wang Hongyi stared at him: "My nephew, there is an opportunity in front of me to get rid of Li Shimin in one fell swoop."
Xiao Junmo teased a smile: "What are you dreaming in broad daylight?"
Wang Hongyi ignored his teasing, and still looked directly at him: "March [-]th, that is, three days later, Li Shimin will go to Jiucheng Palace to escape the summer heat. This is the opportunity I said."
Xiao Junmo was slightly shocked: "This is a court secret, how did you know?"
Wang Hongyi smiled triumphantly: "To tell you the truth, my nephew, I have people in the court, and they are in high positions!"
"In a high position?" Xiao Junmo showed a look of surprise and suspicion, "What you are talking about... Could it be Xuanquan?"
Wang Hongyi nodded: "He also told me the news about you hiding here."
"This person has been in ambush for many years, and I have been tracking him down for a long time." Xiao Junmo smiled bitterly, "Can you tell me who he is?"
"Not for now."
Xiao Junmo curled his lips: "Then how do you know that Jiucheng Palace is not another trap set by Li Shimin?"
"impossible!"
"Why not?"
"The news has not been announced yet, and this matter is still top secret. Li Shimin only told a few prime ministers, so how could it be a trap? Unless Li Shimin suspected that Xuanquan was among the few prime ministers, he deliberately revealed false information..." Wang Hongyi said Here, he realized that Xuanquan's position had been leaked, so he coughed twice.
"I didn't expect that Xuanquan has already become the prime minister!" Xiao Junmo acted suddenly, "It seems that your Tianxing League is really not simple!"
Now that he had slipped his mouth, Wang Hongyi no longer concealed it: "That's right, because Xuanquan is already the prime minister, once we get rid of Li Shimin, I will have a way to restore your royal status and let you inherit the throne."
"But even if we get rid of Li Shimin, wouldn't there still be Wu Wang Li Ke, Jin Wang Li Zhi and Changsun Wuji? How can I recover my identity so easily and inherit the throne?"
Wang Hongyi chuckled: "Coincidentally, when we go back to Jiucheng Palace this time, the three of them will go together, and it happens to catch them all!"
Xiao Junmo couldn't help pondering when he heard the words.
"How about it, now you still say I'm daydreaming?"
"I'm still a little worried..."
"worry about what?"
"What if, as you said, Li Shimin has suspected Xuanquan and deliberately asked him to deliver false information?"
"Impossible. Li Shimin has always admired him and trusted him. As far as I know, during this period of time, Li Shimin didn't necessarily consult with Zhangsun Wuji for some government affairs, but directly discussed with Xuanquan. Tell me, is this doubting him? look like?"
After Xiao Junmo listened, he fell silent.
"Nephew, I've said so much, but you still can't make up your mind?"
Xiao Junmo was silent for another moment, and then said: "Without the topographic map of Jiucheng Palace, nothing can be done."
This is consent to join.Wang Hongyi was overjoyed: "Why is this difficult? I can get it tomorrow."
"This thing is not easy to handle. Although Xuanquan is the prime minister, he can't control it."
Wang Hongyi smiled: "Who told you that I'm going to ask Xuanquan to get it?"
Xiao Junmo frowned slightly: "Do you have any other insiders?"
"Don't hide it from my nephew," Wang Hongyi smiled reservedly, "There are my people in the imperial army, and there are also the Ministry of Internal Affairs."
Xiao Junmo curled his lips: "In this case, why do you have to ask me to join?"
"How can they be compared with you, my nephew?" Wang Hongyi smiled, "Firstly, you are the orphan of Crown Prince Yin, and if we want to deal with Li Shimin, we will naturally use you as the banner and regard you as our lord; secondly, Li Shimin left the capital , Xuanjiawei must be a retinue, and you are a senior Xuanjiawei, who knows them best, of course I need your help; thirdly, I have lost many brothers in the past year, and the manpower is really limited right now, so... ..."
"How many do you have?"
"The maximum number of people that can be summoned right now is six to seventy." Wang Hongyi said awkwardly, "As far as I know, you seem to have quite a few friends in the world, right?"
Xiao Junmo thought for a while: "I'll call 50 people, it should be no problem."
"Okay!" Wang Hongyi was overjoyed, "Then we can give it a go!"
At this time, Chu Lisang's voice suddenly came from the backyard: "Jun Mo, the meal is ready. Who are you talking to?" Following the voice, Chu Lisang came out from behind the house with a stick around his waist. Oil-stained apron.
As soon as she saw Wang Hongyi, she was stunned, and her face sank immediately: "What are you doing here?"
Wang Hongyi smiled: "Sang'er, dad came over to talk to Jun Mo about something..."
Chu Lisang immediately turned his gaze and stared at Xiao Junmo: "What is there to talk about with a person like him? If you want to talk, let him let Auntie and Dai Lisi go first!"
"Sang'er, you misunderstood father too much." Wang Hongyi was embarrassed, "Dad did this to help Jun Mo protect his mother. Don't worry, father took good care of them..."
"That's enough, stop being hypocritical!" Chu Lisang's eyes were filled with anger, "Didn't you just take them hostage, so that Jun Mo would work for you?!"
"Sang'er, listen to me, Dad is doing this for your own good." Wang Hongyi said urgently, "Jun Mo is from the royal family of Li and Tang, and is the only living flesh and blood of Prince Yin. Once we succeed, he will be able to restore his royal status." , and then become the emperor, then you will be the queen of the world..."
"I'm not rare!" Chu Lisang sternly said, "I'm not as greedy for wealth and honor as you are, and I'm not like you who have no conscience in everything!"
Wang Hongyi was so embarrassed that he had no choice but to turn his attention to Xiao Junmo.
Xiao Junmo pondered for a while, and said softly: "Sang'er, go to dinner first, let's talk later if you have something to say, okay?"
"Jun Mo, I'm warning you," Chu Lisang said coldly, "Don't be a slave to a tiger or help a tyrant!"
"Okay, I got it." Xiao Junmo smiled apologetically.
Chu Lisang snorted heavily, took off the apron around his waist and threw it on the ground, then glared at Wang Hongyi, then turned and left.
Wang Hongyi sighed deeply, with a look of sadness and loss.
"Mr. Mingzang," Xiao Junmo formally called him for the first time, "Have you thought about one thing, if our action fails, you and I are certainly not afraid of death, but what about my mother and Sang'er?"
Wang Hongyi was startled, thought for a while, and said, "I will tell my reliable subordinates to be responsible for sending them away safely."
Xiao Junmo was silent for a while, then nodded helplessly: "It seems that this is the only way to go. Then I would like to ask Mr. to transfer my mother and Doris to stay with Sonny. In case something happens to us, they It’s better to get out in time.”
Wang Hongyi frowned, and looked at him thoughtfully: "This..."
"Why, sir suspect that I have other plans?"
"No no." Wang Hongyi laughed a few times, "We are both on the same boat now, how could I doubt you?"
"Then what are you worried about, sir?"
"I was thinking, it doesn't seem safe enough here..."
Xiao Junmo stared at him.
Wang Hongyi's eyes flickered.
After a long time, Xiao Junmo smiled helplessly: "Forget it, then let Sang'er go and stay with my mother and the others, so you can rest assured, right?"
When Xiao Junmo said this, it was tantamount to sending Chu Lisang over there as a hostage, which not only completely dispelled Wang Hongyi's doubts, but also virtually proved his sincerity and determination to join hands with Wang Hongyi. How could Wang Hongyi refuse?
Wang Hongyi was overjoyed when he heard the words, and immediately agreed.
"But, will Sonny agree to your arrangement?" Wang Hongyi asked.
"I'll convince her."
Wang Hongyi shook his head: "It's difficult, it's hard for you to convince her. I understand my daughter, she has exactly the same temper as me, and no one can change what she believes."
Xiao Junmo frowned and thought, and suddenly said: "I have a way, but..."
Wang Hongyi's eyes lit up: "But what?"
"Sir, you have to play a play with me."
"acting?"
"Yes. I will tell Sonny that I pretended to join forces with you, and the purpose of sending her there is to find out the whereabouts of my mother. In this way, she will definitely agree."
Wang Hongyi was startled for a moment, but immediately came to his senses, and couldn't help clapping his hands and laughing loudly: "Wonderful, really wonderful! My nephew is really witty!"
"Then it's settled." Xiao Junmo looked solemn, "Get the topographic map of Jiucheng Palace as soon as possible, we have to draw up a comprehensive plan."
(End of this chapter)
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