Chapter 3764 Unfathomable
Li Ji is like an indestructible sharp sword hanging above the heads of the East Palace and Guan Long. Whoever falls on him will be pierced by the sharp blade and defeated. Even if it is simply cut horizontally, without identifying the target, it is enough to change the dynasty...
The East Palace is naturally wary, but after all, it is important to occupy the title. If Li Ji dares to risk the disapproval of the world, the hundreds of thousands of troops under his command will collapse in an instant. How many people will follow him to betray Li Tang is unknown and the risk is extremely high. . But if Guan Long had bad intentions, he would have nothing to worry about.
And the worry that Changsun Wuji had always hidden in his heart was like a thorn, piercing his heart all the time, making it difficult for him to sleep and eat, and it was like a thorn in his back.
This thorn is Li Jizun's imperial edict from His Majesty Li Er to kill all the Guanlong clan...
Although this possibility is almost infinitesimal, it is not impossible. Ten years after Zhenguan, His Majesty Li Er was obsessed with getting rid of the infiltration, suppression, and manipulation of the government by aristocratic families, and was determined to gather all the imperial power and achieve the absolute authority of the three provinces and six ministries in the central government. Government orders were issued and accepted throughout the world.
It would be possible if Li Ji could help him fulfill this last wish. After all, Li Ji's various unreasonable behavior and decisions may not be without this plan...
But the biggest question is whether His Majesty Li Er will have the heart to concentrate the imperial power after his death, thus causing the beautiful country he single-handedly conquered to fall into turmoil, civil strife, and war. He may even be resurrected by the remnants of the former Sui Dynasty and succeed in restoration. Ruined Li Tang Sheji?
Changsun Wuji doesn’t think so.
Although His Majesty Li Er is broad-minded and has a vision that is difficult for ordinary people to match, as long as the throne continues and the blood is passed down, he, the emperor, can enjoy blood and blood in the world for a long time. If the prince does not achieve the ability he expected, the world will be unstable. , the country fell into decline, and the Li and Tang Dynasties were destroyed in one day. Wouldn't it be that some of them were in vain and only left with regrets for a lifetime?
Moreover, although Li Ji and Fang Jun are extremely talented and capable of protecting the heavens, no one can be absolutely trusted in the position of the Ninth Five Supreme Being...
As long as this worst-case scenario does not occur, Changsun Wuji will be confident to clean up the mess. Even if he fails to depose the crown prince of the East Palace as planned, he will try his best to get more benefits from the East Palace. On the one hand, he will enrich the Changsun family. On the one hand, it also gives an explanation to the allies of Guanlong.
But at the same time, how to deal with Qi Wang Li You is another problem...
*****
When the news that the two princes were assassinated in their mansion reached Tongguan, Li Jizheng was playing chess with Zhu Suiliang.
It was already bright outside, but there were layers of clouds in the sky. A breeze blew by, and the raindrops fell down, making a soft crackling sound on the window paper. In a moment, the scattered raindrops connected into fine rain strands, covering the entire dangerous pass of Xiongguan. In the rain, the soldiers all retreated into the camp, closing the doors and closing the doors, and there was silence.
Li Ji paused for a moment, looked at the expected situation, nodded with satisfaction, then picked up the teacup and took a sip of hot tea, then looked up at the light rain outside the window.
"Spring rain is as precious as oil. It rains continuously this spring. It should be a good year."
Zhu Suiliang, who was frowning and thinking about how to turn defeat into victory, suddenly muttered with emotion, but did not raise his head.
Li Ji held the cup to his lips for a moment, then smiled, glanced meaningfully at Zhu Suiliang, drank the tea, and then said with a smile: "I didn't pay enough attention when playing chess. Brother Dengshan will definitely lose this game." .”
Zhu Suiliang was silent and stared at the chessboard for a long time. He suddenly shook his head, stretched out his hand to disrupt the chess pieces, straightened up and pinched his brows: "The British chess players are very good, but I am not as good as me, so I am willing to lose."
Li Ji put down his tea cup and said calmly: "The chessboard is like life. It doesn't matter if you lose, you just have to win it back. But if you lose in life, I'm afraid there will be no chance to come back again."
Zhu Suiliang was speechless.
At just this moment, Cheng Yaojin and Yu Chigong strode in from the outside together. Before they even had time to report, the former came in and shouted: "It's bad, there is bad news coming from Chang'an."
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Li Jian couldn't sit still, his expression was as usual, and asked: "What's the bad news?"
The two sat down, Cheng Yaojin looked anxious: "Bohai King and Longxi King were assassinated in their mansion last night. According to the news from Guanlong, Changsun Wuji and others have determined that it is What Dong Gong did was to scare the clan kings and warn them not to collude with Guanlong and cheat others. ”
Li Ji then sat up straight with a serious expression.
Zhu Suiliang sighed lightly and said: "His Royal Highness the Crown Prince is a little too violent. Although these assassination methods are extremely effective, the consequences will be too great and may be detrimental to his reputation."
Cheng Yaojin said: "I don't think so. The prince has always been too lenient. To put it bluntly, he is indecisive. This time he can be ruthless, which can be regarded as a bit of an emperor."
"How can Duke Lu just look at the surface? Guan Long is simply unable to defeat such assassination methods. He can only fight tooth for tooth and poison with poison. I hope Zhao Guogong can still have some sense, otherwise once he orders a counterattack, there will be a bloody storm inside and outside Chang'an, both in the government and in the public. The country is in danger! ”
Zhu Suiliang shook his head to express his disapproval.
Throughout the ages, assassinations have been repeatedly reported in history books, but no prosperous dynasty has ever practiced such a despicable and violent method.
It hurts Tianhe.
Li Ji looked at things from a different perspective. He asked Cheng Yaojin: "What's happening over there with Fang Jun?"
Cheng Yaojin shook his head and said: "There was nothing unusual. Li Junxian and Li Chongzhen personally led the team to sneak into Chang'an City. After they succeeded, they sneaked out of the city with the cover of the rebel army. Fang Jun led the armored cavalry to respond, and then retreated to Xuanwu Gate. Everything is business as usual.”
Zhu Suiliang frowned: "The prince must have been forced hard by the kings of the clan, otherwise he would not have used such a strategy with endless consequences. He only wanted to frighten the clan and stabilize the royal family. But how could Fang Jun not see the disadvantages of such an approach? ? As a close minister of the Crown Prince, he did not even think of admonishing me in order to sabotage the peace talks, which is a betrayal of His Highness’s trust and love.”
He has never dealt with Fang Jun. Even if he was in this situation, he would not forget to slander Fang Jun. He would do anything to ruin Fang Jun's reputation.
Li Ji glanced at him and spoke without mercy: "So Fang Jun is relied upon as a confidant and a humerus by His Majesty the Crown Prince, and is highly favored. However, you can only flatter him in front of His Majesty, but you have never been seduced by His Majesty." As a confidant.”
When it comes to getting along with the emperor and the prince, what qualifications do you, Zhu Suiliang, have to evaluate Fang Jun?
Your Majesty and the Prince regard me as a minister of humiliation, but while you are trying your best to flatter Your Majesty in front of His Majesty, you are secretly planning to murder His Majesty...
What a world of difference.
Yuchi Jingde, who had been silent all this time, suddenly said: "Today, there are many canal boats going upstream through Tongguan and into the Wei River outside the pass. They are all grain transported by the gates outside the pass. Changsun Wuji's move is because there is indeed a shortage of food in Guanlong, and it is delayed for a moment. We have no choice but to take risks, and it is also testing our bottom line and intentions... How should we respond? ”
Li Ji glanced at him and said calmly: "You also said that you are testing our bottom line and intentions, so why bother to deal with it? Just ignore it."
Yuchi Jingde nodded and said nothing.
If Li Ji ordered the hijacking of canals and cut off Guanlong's grain transportation, then whether he wanted to give Guanlong a fatal blow or blackmail Guanlong to achieve a certain purpose, he would have revealed his own plan.
However, the order "ignore" left Li Ji's position still unclear and unpredictable.
Unfathomable...
At this time, Zhu Suiliang stood up and retreated. Li Ji, Cheng Yaojin, and Yuchi Jingde discussed the situation of Zhang An, and deduced how the princes of the clan would react and how the Guanlong clan would respond after the prince used the "assassination" method. Then they dispersed.
After leaving the government office, light rain fell in the sky. Cheng Yaojin and Yuchi Jingde looked at each other, and they both saw the confusion, helplessness and anxiety in the other's eyes. Then they nodded slightly in greeting, and both rejected the umbrellas held by their own soldiers. That was it. They strode into the rain and returned to their respective places.
*****
Outside the golden door.
The rain fell into the Cao River, and the water on the river was sparkling and rippled. The water boats shuttled back and forth busy entering and leaving the dock, unloading the grain and fodder one by one, and then the soldiers pushed the carts and transported them into the warehouse for supply. The daily needs of more than 100,000 troops.
The warehouses stretch along the side of the tall Rain Master Altar, and densely packed and layered hedgehogs gather together. However, even if all these warehouses are filled with grain, it will be a drop in the bucket for the hundreds of thousands of rebels currently gathered in Guanzhong, and they will not be able to make ends meet.
The sky is bright and the rain is pouring.
Master Sun Ren galloped on his horse, letting the rain hit his face and raincoat. He went straight to the military camp next to the Rain Master Altar. After showing his waist badge and seal, he entered the camp, came to the Chinese army's tent, turned over and dismounted. (End of chapter)