My father, Li Shimin, requests Your Majesty to become the Retired Emperor.

It was around midnight.

Li Fan and Li Zhen led five hundred soldiers dressed in imperial guard uniforms, and brought two minor leaders to the front.

The group arrived at the Xuanwu Gate together.

Li Fan and Li Zhen each pulled a dagger from their waists and held it against the backs of the two leaders.

Li Fan said, "Quickly, call for the city gates!"

The tall junior officer trembled with fear and whispered, "Young generals, we sincerely surrender."

Is this how you intend to treat us?

"Enough talk, hurry up and tell them to open the city gates!"

"Yes, yes, I'll tell them to open the door right away, please don't do anything!"

Then the tall leader shouted towards the city wall, "Brothers, it's me, Lao Zhang! Open the city gate quickly, we're back!"

The guards on the city wall heard the sound, bent down, and looked down.

Because it was nighttime, it wasn't very clear.

Sure enough, five hundred imperial guards arrived, led by Old Zhang.

"What do you want?"

"Hey brother, we were on a secret mission from General Chang. Now that we've finished, we need to return to the city. Open the city gates quickly."

The guard on the city wall didn't think much of it after hearing this: "Okay, I understand. You wait here, I'll come down and open the city gate for you."

Sure enough, not long after, the Xuanwu Gate opened.

As soon as Li Fan and Li Zhen saw that Xuanwu Gate was open, they led five hundred soldiers and rushed inside.

These five hundred soldiers wore a red ribbon tied around their right arm as a mark to prevent them from being confused with the imperial guards in the city.

They hacked and killed anyone they saw, and set fires everywhere.

Li Fan led his troops in a fierce battle here, and Li Zhen went straight to Li Yuanjing's residence to ask for his help.

However, Li Yuanjing was cunning. When he heard that Li Yuan had climbed the walls of Chang'an, he persuaded Li Yuanli to withdraw his troops.

Li Yuanjing had a premonition that this battle would be difficult, and the outcome was still hard to predict.

So he went into hiding.

Li Zhen went but couldn't find him.

At this time, Li Yuanli's army had already stormed into Chang'an, killing and burning people everywhere.

The army of Buyeo Kingdom also caught up, and it looked like Chang'an was about to fall.

Li Shimin was so anxious that he personally donned his armor and led his generals to meet the enemy.

Li Jing said, "Your Majesty, it's too dangerous here. Go back and leave this place to me."

Li Shimin said, "The rebel army has already stormed through Xuanwu Gate, and Chang'an is about to fall."

At this moment, I must stand with my soldiers. The city stands, and the people live; the city falls, and the people die!

You must find a way to seize Xuanwu Gate for me and close the city gates.

"Yes," Li Jing reluctantly agreed, "but our army in the city is too small. How can we possibly be a match for the combined forces of Zhang Zhongjian and Li Yuanli?"

"The quality of an army is more important than its quantity!"

"Yes, Your Majesty!" At this point, Li Jing was also desperate. He led his thousand or so men to attack Xuanwu Gate.

However, closing the Xuanwu Gate is easier said than done.

Li Yuanli's army and the army of Buyeo surged in like a tide.

At this moment, Chang He came to Li Shimin's side to protect him: "Your Majesty, it's dangerous here!"

Li Shimin was furious: "Chang He, let me ask you, who opened the Xuanwu Gate?"

Upon hearing this, Chang He's head began to buzz, and he knelt on the ground in fright: "Your Majesty, this humble general knew nothing!"

"I heard that your five hundred imperial guards have returned, but they are imposters. What exactly happened?"

Just then, an arrow flew over and struck Li Shimin's helmet plume.