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

Fang Yi'ai has never been able to find a sense of presence in Chang'an.

Because there are too many high-ranking officials there besides the emperor and empress, such as prime ministers and generals, how could he possibly be mentioned?

Today, he arrived in Luoyang, intending to show off and satisfy his vanity.

He shook his head and continued, "Your Highness, you may not know, but Li Chengan has committed far too many crimes."

He, relying on his status as the Crown Prince, did whatever he pleased, and was incredibly audacious.

For example, when he was conquering Tuyuhun, he privately mobilized the army of Prince Li Ke of Shu to participate in the battle without the permission of the court.

Who gave him such great power?

For example, he secretly recruited 1 cavalrymen on the border of Gaochang and put Ashina She'er in command there.

Think about it, what kind of behavior is this?

The imperial court has explicit regulations that no one is allowed to recruit soldiers privately; otherwise, it will be regarded as treason.

He formed cliques and cultivated his own faction within the court, including figures like Li Gang, Wei Zheng, and Du He, who were all part of the Crown Prince's faction.

Not only that,

The Crown Prince's true purpose in traveling to Wa (Japan) was not to mediate relations between Goguryeo, Baekje, and Silla.

Li Daozong was granted the title of Prince of Jiangxia for his merits, so Fang Yi'ai called him "Prince".

"Oh, then, what is the purpose of Li Chenggan's trip to Naniwajin?" Li Daozong asked.

Its purpose was to win over and win over King Sanbee, Queen Silla, and Pungjang of Buyeo.

King Yamashiro Ōe was no ordinary man; he was originally the designated heir to the throne by Empress Suiko of Japan, but due to the support of King Soga no Emishi by King Jomei,

Therefore, he lost his throne.

but,

He still commands tens of thousands of naval troops and also possesses an underground armory.

Currently,

King Sanbee has already led his navy to garrison on the border of Silla, training day and night, ready to be deployed by Li Chengqian at any time.

and,

Figures such as Songtsen Gampo of Tibet, Queen Seondeok of Silla, and Murong Shun of Tuyuhun were all willing to pledge allegiance to Li Chenggan.

Li Chengqian's rebellious intentions are now obvious.

They were just waiting for the right opportunity.

therefore,

"Isn't it only natural that the Emperor wants to punish him with death?" Fang Yi'ai said emphatically, implying that Li Chenggan was bound to rebel.

Upon hearing this, Li Daozong was startled, for Princess Wencheng, Li Xueyan, was his daughter.

Princess Wencheng and Songtsen Gampo were already engaged and were about to be sent to Tibet to marry.

If Songtsen Gampo had supported Li Chenggan's rebellion, the consequences would have been unimaginable.

Li Daozong looked at Fang Yi'ai and asked, "Are you saying that Songtsen Gampo would support Li Chenggan's rebellion?"

"Yes, perhaps you have underestimated Li Chenggan."

Li Chenggan was most adept at political maneuvering; not only did Songtsen Gampo support him, but Prince Pungjang of Baekje also did.

Li Daozong remained skeptical: "Since you speak so confidently, and His Majesty is such a wise ruler, surely he was aware of this matter?"

How could they possibly allow Li Chengqian to grow so powerful?

How so?

It's just that the Emperor is too soft-hearted; last time...

My father requested the Emperor to execute Li Chenggan.

Out of consideration for their father-son relationship, the Emperor couldn't bear to do that, and instead imprisoned Li Chengqian in the Dali Temple jail.

then,

Send Cheng Yaojin to sound out Li Chengqian's opinion.

Think about it.

Who is Li Chenggan?

Cheng Yaojin was just a military general; could he possibly defeat Li Chengqian?

Li Chengan fooled Cheng Yaojin.

The emperor then released Li Chengqian from the Dali Temple prison.

He was allowed to remain in the Eastern Palace.

Li Chenggan is very cunning.

He found another plausible reason to go to the Wa (Japanese) country, but in reality, he was cultivating his own power.

but,

Ultimately, the truth will out, and the emperor finally discovered his ambition.

Therefore, an order was given to hunt him down.

If Li Chengqian had no intention of rebelling, why would he run away?

Everyone nodded in agreement, agreeing that Fang Yi'ai's analysis made some sense.

Li Chengan, who was listening outside the window, was furious. He thought to himself, "You, Fang Yi'ai, are there any other ungrateful people in the world like you?"

You ungrateful wretch! I've saved your life countless times.

At the beginning,

During the campaigns in the Western Regions, I personally led every dangerous mission, leaving you to guard the rear.

I never expected you to be such a scoundrel.

Upon hearing this, Zhang Shigui's heart skipped a beat.

I thought to myself, you only know that Li Chengan recruited 1 soldiers on the border of Gaochang, but you don't know that I also recruited 3 men in Hedong. What would be the consequences if this got out?

Thinking of this, Zhang Shigui coughed and said, "I heard that when Emperor Wu of Han and his son Liu Ju had a falling out, the witchcraft scandal broke out."

The father and son fought each other.

However, at that time,

The Han court was not out of control because Crown Prince Liu Ju did not have an army.

He merely organized some servants and attendants.

Even so,

The Han dynasty's army also won a narrow victory.

If Li Chengqian controlled such a large army, it would indeed be a significant hidden danger to the Tang Dynasty.

If Li Chengqian were to raise his arms and incite rebellion, who could control him?

Upon hearing this from outside the window, Li Chengan thought to himself, "Zhang Shigui is indeed a cunning old fox."

People often say that strangers shouldn't interfere with relatives, but instead of advising reconciliation, he's sowing discord and spreading alarmist rumors.

He hoped that he would fight with his father so that he could profit from the conflict.

He recruited soldiers on the border of Gaochang to intimidate the Western Regions and prevent unforeseen events.

But why did Zhang Shigui recruit soldiers in Hedong?

Is it really just about self-preservation?

Fang Yi'ai said to Li Daozong: "If Li Chengqian arrives in Luoyang, no matter what..."

You must also capture him. The Emperor said it would be best to capture him alive, but if that's not possible, killing him is acceptable, and he will be rewarded with the title of Marquis of Ten Thousand Households.

Upon hearing this, Li Chenggan felt a pang of heartache. Was his father really going to poison him?

in fact,

Fang Yi'ai was falsely conveying an imperial edict; Li Shimin did not say he wanted to kill Li Chenggan.

He simply told Chang He to bring Li Chenggan to him.

Li Daozong also couldn't understand what was going on between Li Shimin and his son Li Chenggan.

but,

Since Fang Yi'ai had come to convey the Emperor's decree, he had no choice but to agree: "Your Highness, please rest assured, Prince Consort."

Once Li Chengqian reaches Luoyang, he won't be able to escape even if he had wings.

"That's good," Fang Yiai nodded. "However, I must remind you that Li Chengan seems to have become a different person since he woke up from his illness last time."

He used to be a bit frail and even somewhat simple-minded.

And now his leg ailment has been completely cured; he is wise and mighty.

His martial arts skills are now vastly different from what they used to be.

He once killed a unicorn with his bare hands and defeated a brown bear.

recent,

He also killed a giant crocodile in the East China Sea; his martial arts skills are truly unimaginable.

To use an imperfect analogy, he was like King Jie of Xia and King Zhou of Shang in history—exceptionally strong and brave.

"Oh, is that so? I haven't seen Li Chenggan in a while."

"When did he become so good at fighting?" Li Daozong was also very surprised.

"Isn't that right? You don't believe it, and neither do I."

But that's just how it is.

Some time ago, when we were fighting in the Western Regions, he and Princess Qu Zhili of Gaochang mastered a perfect sword technique.

Together, the two of them actually defeated the giant centipede, which was about ten zhang long.

"Yeah?"

Both Li Daozong and Zhang Shigui expressed their disbelief.

Li Daozong heard that Li Chengqian's martial arts skills had greatly improved, but he was still unsure of his own abilities.

He shouted towards the door, "Someone come here!"

At that moment, an armored warrior entered from outside and bowed, saying, "Your Highness, please give your orders!"

"By my order, immediately close all the gates of Luoyang. All personnel are allowed to enter but not leave. In addition, allocate two thousand soldiers to strengthen the guard and search for Li Chenggan day and night."

"promise!"

The soldier agreed and turned to leave when a loud voice echoed through the palace: "No need for that, I've arrived!"

at this time,

Li Chengan jumped in through the window with clean, swift movements, standing tall and proud in the hall.

Zhang Shigui carefully examined Li Chenggan and found that Li Chenggan had grown taller and stronger than before. He had an inverted triangle body shape, a slender waist and a broad back, and looked very capable. He exuded a fierce aura in his eyes and brows and had an imposing presence that could be seen from a hundred paces away.

Although his face still looked somewhat youthful, he was very composed, possessed a noble air, was energetic and radiant, and his eyes sparkled with wisdom.

Zhang Shigui glanced at Li Chengan, then at his own four sons, and felt a surge of anger. He thought to himself, "How did Li Chengan grow up? He's a dragon among men!"

His four sons were described as wretched and listless, like sickly children.

Everyone was surprised to see Li Chengan arrive.

Fang Yi'ai felt somewhat embarrassed because he had just said a lot of bad things about Li Chenggan, so he felt guilty.

After all, Li Chengqian was the commander-in-chief of the three armies during the campaign against the Western Regions.

He was one of Li Chengqian's subordinates.

Fang Yi'ai felt like he had nowhere to put his hands and feet.

He steadied himself and quickly explained to Li Chenggan, "Your Highness, I was merely acting on imperial orders. This is not my fault."

Li Chengan glared at him, then waved his hand: "Good lad, you're something else. We'll settle our score later."

Fang Yi'ai felt relieved; it seemed Li Chengan wasn't planning on causing him trouble today.

We'll deal with the future when it comes; let's just wait and see.

He stepped aside.

The brothers Li Daozong and Li Yuanjing had a very good relationship.

One of Li Daozong's advisors once advised him: "After Li Shimin passes away, why not make Li Yuanjing the crown prince?"

In other words, if Li Yuanjing becomes emperor, it's the same as you becoming emperor.

At that time, Li Daozong hesitated, because changing the crown prince was no small matter. If anything went wrong, the entire family would be executed.

Li Daozong looked at Li Chenggan and asked, "Chenggan, is there some misunderstanding between you and your father?"

Why did he treat you that way?

Li Chengqian was also stubborn, and he sneered: "Uncle, there is no misunderstanding between me and Father Emperor. Aren't you trying to arrest me?"

"Then let's get started."

"This—" Li Daozong hesitated a bit, after all, he and Li Chenggan were uncle and nephew.

Secondly, he also couldn't figure out what exactly happened between Li Shimin and his son Li Chengqian, and how it had escalated to this point.

Therefore, he did not immediately order the arrest of Li Chenggan.

Seeing that Li Daozong was hesitant, Zhang Shigui became anxious.

Zhang Shigui thought to himself that Li Chengan had been listening outside for a long time, which meant that...

Li Chenggan already knew about his unauthorized recruitment of 3 troops.

This is no small matter. For a general to recruit troops without authorization and fail to report it is a capital offense.

Don't be fooled by the fact that Li Chengqian could recruit 1 troops on the border of Gaochang without any problems; after all, Li Shimin and Li Chengqian were father and son.

but,

If Li Shimin knew that he had secretly recruited 3 troops in Hedong, would he have spared him?

Therefore,

After much deliberation, Zhang Shigui made up his mind that he was determined to capture Li Chenggan.

If we could kill him, that would be the best outcome, and we could also achieve a great feat.

at this time,

The four brothers, Zhang Zhilong, Zhang Zhihu, Zhang Zhibiao, and Zhang Zhibao, looked at Li Chenggan carefully and recognized him.

Zhang Zhilong pointed at Li Chengan: "Father, he's the monk who was with Xue Rengui."

"What?"

"You mean Li Chengan is the monk who appeared at the entrance of the old blacksmith shop?" Zhang Shigui was also somewhat surprised.

"If it's not him, then who could it be?"

It's a bit strange, though. He was bald back then, so how come he has hair growing back on his head now?

Upon hearing this, Li Chengan thought that since the other party had already recognized him, there was no need to hide it: "Zhang Zhilong, you have a good eye."

Yes, I am that monk.

I'm bald because I'm wearing this.

As Li Chengan spoke, he took out the hood from his pocket and showed it to everyone: "See? No matter who it is, as long as they put on this hood, they instantly become a monk."

Zhang Zhilong suddenly realized: "Yes, you are that monk. You are in cahoots with Xue Rengui."

"If you insist on saying it that way, I won't object."

"Where is Consort Xue Ren?" Zhang Zhilong looked behind Li Chengqian.

Because he knew Xue Rengui was very powerful and had suffered losses at Xue Rengui's hands, he was extremely wary of Xue Rengui.

"He didn't come; I came alone."

Zhang Zhilong thought to himself that Fang Yi'ai had just made it clear that whoever captured Li Chengan would be rewarded with the title of Marquis of Ten Thousand Households.

He thought to himself, "If I can't beat Xue Rengui, can't I beat Li Chenggan?"

Looking at the princes throughout history, how many of them were outstanding in martial arts?

As for what others say about how powerful Li Chenggan is, he would never believe it even if you beat him to death.

On the one hand, Zhang Zhilong was eager to make a name for himself;

On the other hand, he also wanted to show off in front of everyone and demonstrate his skills.

Thus,

It would be easier for him to participate in the martial arts exam himself, and besides, he also wanted to regain some face for himself.

Thinking of this, Zhang Zhilong said, "Your Highness, Father, Prince Consort, watch me capture Li Chenggan."

Zhang Shigui also wanted to see how good Li Chengqian's martial arts were, so he nodded in agreement: "Then be careful."

"Don't worry, Dad!"

Zhang Zhilong first practiced his boxing in the hall, which was called "boosting his courage."

Li Chengan glanced at it and thought that Zhang Zhilong's training was somewhat decent.

After Zhang Zhilong finished his boxing practice, he assumed a fighting stance and said to Li Chenggan, "You make your move."

Today, I'll fight you for 300 rounds!

Li Chengan crossed his arms and looked at him sideways: "Zhang Zhilong, I advise you not to get involved in this mess. This matter originally had nothing to do with you."

Xue Rengui didn't intend to hurt you; you deliberately provoked him. Your argument lasted too long, and his arm gave out, causing him to accidentally drop the stone lion.

Besides, you weren't hurt at all, so let's just let it go.

"You make it sound so easy, just letting it go like that? It's only because I'm incredibly lucky and have a great destiny that nothing will happen to me."

The feud between me and Xue Rengui has now been established.

"I'll grab you first, then I'll go grab him."

Upon hearing this, Li Chengan thought, "This kid is really arrogant."

Li Chengan did not want to fight him.

However, things have come to this point.

He had no choice but to take action.

at this time,

Zhang Zhilong used a move called "Hungry Tiger Pouncing on Its Prey," leaping forward and pouncing on Li Chenggan.

but,

In the blink of an eye, things got really funny.

With a loud "bang," Zhang Zhilong was thrown back more than ten feet and fell flat on his back.

Zhang Zhilong didn't even see how Li Chengan made his move before he was hit.

He felt as if he had been struck hard on his left shoulder, and his arm felt as if it were broken; he couldn't lift it at all.

Everyone present was horrified.

When the three Zhang brothers, Zhang Zhihu, Zhang Zhibiao, and Zhang Zhibao, saw Zhang Zhilong fall to the ground, they quickly came over to help him up: "Big brother, are you alright?"

Zhang Zhilong groaned for a long time before finally getting up from the ground.

Enraged, he gritted his teeth and said, "I'm fine, you guys help me beat him up."

"promise!"

The three brothers, Zhang Zhihu, Zhang Zhibiao, and Zhang Zhibao, swarmed forward like vicious dogs, surrounding Li Chenggan in the center.

Zhang Meiren, who was standing next to her, was also worried about her three brothers.

She hadn't expected Li Chengqian to be so capable.

However, she didn't know any martial arts, so she could only watch helplessly from the sidelines.

Facing the combined attack of the three Zhang brothers, Zhang Zhihu, Zhang Zhibiao, and Zhang Zhibao, Li Chengqian showed no fear and calmly fought back.

After about three to five rounds, Li Chengan knocked the three Zhang brothers, Zhang Zhihu, Zhang Zhibiao, and Zhang Zhibao, to the ground again.

Li Chengan's men had already shown mercy to the three brothers, and hadn't attacked their vital points.

"Ouch, that hurts so much!"

The three brothers, Zhang Zhihu, Zhang Zhibiao, and Zhang Zhibao, fell to the ground, some clutching their arms, others their thighs, groaning in pain.

Zhang Meiren went over and helped the three Zhang brothers, Zhang Zhihu, Zhang Zhibiao, and Zhang Zhibao, to their feet, asking with concern, "Brothers, are you alright?"

"It's alright."

The four brothers looked at Li Chenggan as if he were a monster.

Li Chenggan looked very relaxed, as if he hadn't exerted any effort at all.

Zhang Shigui looked at his four sons and was furious: "I always tell you to practice your kung fu more, but you always think you are great and invincible, even thinking that you are already the best in the world. What do you think?"

Only today did I realize that there are always people more capable than me, and that there's always something beyond my understanding.

Although the four brothers, Zhang Zhilong, Zhang Zhihu, Zhang Zhibiao, and Zhang Zhibao, were dissatisfied,

However, seeing their father get angry, they didn't dare to argue back.

"Listen up, all of you! From today onwards, you four brothers will practice your martial arts diligently every day. You're not allowed to do anything else."

"Anyone who dares to go out and philander, cockfight, or dog racing again, I'll break their legs, you hear me?"

The four brothers were so frightened they didn't dare to breathe.

at this time,

Zhang Shigui took off his outer garment, stretched out his arms and legs, and there wasn't a single loose or sagging spot.

He said to his four brothers, Zhang Zhilong, Zhang Zhihu, Zhang Zhibiao, and Zhang Zhibao, "You all step aside and learn how your father will deal with him."

Zhang Shigui was truly anxious. He thought to himself that he had brought his four sons to participate in the martial arts examination, and before the exam even started, they had already suffered two defeats.

Not only was he no match for Xue Rengui, but he was also no match for Li Chengqian. Where could he put his old face?

In any case, he has to save face today.

"Father, you're so old, why are you so angry? I think you shouldn't make things difficult for the Crown Prince," Consort Zhang advised from the side.

Because she was also worried that if she offended Li Chenggan, she would not have a good future.

But Zhang Shigui wouldn't listen: "Girl, you don't need to worry about this. Step aside!"

Seeing that her father was determined not to listen, Zhang Meiren had no choice but to step aside.

Zhang Shigui stood in front of Li Chengqian: "Your Highness, it truly proves the saying, 'A scholar should be viewed with new eyes after three days of separation.'"

"It's been a while since I've seen you. I didn't expect your martial arts skills to have improved so much!"

Li Chengqian stared intently at Zhang Shigui.

Because he knew Zhang Shigui was remarkable.

then,

Zhang Shigui's reputation as being on par with Qin Qiong, Cheng Yaojin, and Yuchi Gong is no exaggeration.

Although Zhang Shigui was a few years old

However, he is physically strong and has not given up his kung fu skills; he is still vigorous despite his age.

This time,

Li Chengan tucked his clothes in and tightened his belt.

Because he knew that what followed would be a tough battle.

Zhang Shigui was renowned for his bravery and was a famously fierce general.

Most people only know that Qin Qiong, Cheng Yaojin, and Yuchi Gong were outstanding in martial arts and had great reputations.

in fact,

Zhang Shigui's martial arts skills are by no means inferior to theirs.

Zhang Shigui's arms swung with the strength of a thousand pounds.

After Li Chengan finished tidying up, he said to Zhang Shigui, "You are already old. If I were to fight you, wouldn't it be an unfair victory for me?"

Zhang Shigui laughed heartily: "Back in the day, Zhao Tuo, the King of Nanyue, lived to be over 100 years old, and the veteran general Lian Po was still able to fight on the battlefield at the age of 70."

I'm not even 50 years old yet, so what does that matter?

Stop talking nonsense and just bring it on!

Li Chengan then carefully examined Zhang Shigui.

Although Zhang Shigui is getting on in years, he's not too old. He's good at taking care of himself; his forehead is shiny, his nose is glowing, and he has a ruddy complexion and is full of energy.

In the past, Zhang Shigui had long dealt with the Turks and was also skilled in wrestling.

then,

He asked Li Chenggan, "Can you wrestle?"

"I only know a little bit."

"Let's wrestle today!"

Zhang Shigui had faced countless opponents on the battlefield and possessed extremely rich combat experience.

In his heart, he simply couldn't believe that Li Chenggan was as powerful as Fang Yi'ai had claimed.

In Zhang Shigui's memory, Li Chengan only had his coming-of-age ceremony this year. Even if he had started learning martial arts at the age of three, he could not have reached that level.

but,

Just now, Li Chengqian seemed to deal with his sons very easily, as if it were effortless.

Zhang Shigui exerted all his strength, took a step forward, and placed his hands on Li Chenggan's shoulders.

Li Chengan immediately felt an overwhelming force approaching.

This is completely different from the situation I just faced when I was facing the four brothers Zhang Zhilong, Zhang Zhihu, Zhang Zhibiao, and Zhang Zhibao.

Li Chenggan thought to himself, "Old ginger is spicier."

Li Chengan dared not delay and stretched out his arms to press down on Zhang Shigui's shoulders.

Both of them were hunched over, their backs slightly arched, facing each other with their heads resting on each other's shoulders.

The two of them wrestled with their arms, each trying to throw the other to the ground.

but,

Once they engage in combat,

Zhang Shigui then realized that he had underestimated Li Chenggan.

Li Chengan's arms were no less strong than his own.

Zhang Shigui felt that it would be extremely difficult for him to bring Li Chenggan down.

The two wrestled for about ten rounds in the center of the arena, with no clear winner.

Li Daozong, a general, watched from the sidelines and was full of praise.

In his memory, Li Chengan was still a thin, very frail scholar.

When did you become so fierce?

Although Li Chenggan spoke casually, saying that he only knew a little bit of wrestling,

but,

In Li Daozong's view, Li Chenggan's wrestling techniques were already very sophisticated.

Even the best wrestlers of the Turks might not be his match.

Little did they know that Li Chengqian had many Turks under his command.

Among them are top-notch wrestlers.

In his spare time, Li Chengan would practice and exchange ideas with them.

Moreover, Li Chenggan learns quickly and can apply what he learns to other situations.

It can be said that the student has surpassed the teacher.

Zhang Shigui originally thought that wrestling was his specialty.

I doubt that Li Chengan could possibly be my match.

However, after more than a dozen rounds, they still couldn't bring Li Chenggan down.

Zhang Shigui was sweating profusely, thinking to himself, "I've already made such a boastful statement, how am I going to salvage this situation?"

Wouldn't that make Li Daozong and Fang Yi'ai laugh at them?

At this thought, his eyes lit up and an idea came to him.

He suddenly released his hands, and Li Chenggan immediately felt a sense of relief.

however,

Before Li Chengan could straighten up,

Zhang Shigui took a step forward with his left foot, and then suddenly wrapped his arms around Li Chengqian's waist.

Zhang Shigui used his left hip bone to press down on Li Chenggan's abdomen.

With a powerful thrust of his arms, Zhang Shigui slammed Li Chenggan forward. It should be noted that Zhang Shigui's arms possessed the strength of a thousand pounds.

With this throw,

Li Chengan was then thrown more than two zhang away.

Li Chengqian's body tumbled in the air, head down and feet up, about to fall.

If this fall lands squarely, Li Chenggan will be smashed into a million peach blossoms.

Just as Li Chengqian's head was about to fall to the ground,

With a sudden burst of strength in his waist, Li Chengqian landed steadily on the ground, feet down and head up.

Zhang Shigui originally thought that his trump card would bring Li Chenggan down, but to his surprise, Li Chenggan was completely unharmed.

Zhang Shigui stared at Li Chengan with a look of surprise on his face.

He wondered what kind of kung fu this kid was using to dodge his move.