Chapter 3850 Suggested Assassination
Xuanwu Gate is always the life gate of Taiji Palace. If you gain it, you will live; if you lose it, you will die.
Zhang Shigui, the Duke of Guo State, who was originally the leader of the "Beiya Imperial Army", guarded the palace, and guarded the Xuanwu Gate under the emperor's orders. When the situation was urgent and the importance of the Xuanwu Gate increased again and again, people suddenly no longer trusted him so much... br>
In particular, Li Ji's various strange actions made the prince realize that there was something unusual. Only then did Fang Jun arrive at Xuanwu Gate at night and have a frank conversation with Zhang Shigui, trying to completely draw him to the East Palace.
But now, although Zhang Shigui has not done anything unusual, he has blocked the Xuanwu Gate on the grounds that the war situation is tense and dangerous, causing the information transmission between the East Palace and Youtun Guard to be interrupted.
Don't say that the prince's character is not firm enough. Anyone faced with such a situation will inevitably worry about gains and losses and be on pins and needles...
Li Junxian pondered for a moment, took a step forward, and lowered his voice: "Your Highness, the Xuanwu Gate is related to the safety of Your Highness. It is not an exaggeration to even say that life and death depend on it. How can it be left to the hands of others? The Duke of Yue certainly has However, Duke Guo has a stubborn character and may not listen to his advice. If he refuses to change his mind, For His Highness, and for the entire East Palace, it is really too dangerous... The final general will be bold and invite himself to the Xuanwu Gate to assassinate the Duke of Guo. If successful, he can cooperate with the Youtun Guards and Yingwai to completely wipe out the "Beiya Forbidden Army". Your Highness enters Only by being able to attack, retreat and defend can you be in an invincible position.”
Li Chengqian sat still for a while, then shook his head and said warmly: "Why did the general assist Yu Gu with all his strength?"
"Hundred Cavalry Division" is the emperor's minions. They are not affiliated with the imperial court's three provinces, six departments and sixteen guards. They are directly ordered by the emperor. This shows their nature and status. But now, Li Junxian has become one of Li Chengqian's most trusted ministers.
Li Junxian was stunned for a moment. Although he didn't understand why the prince asked such a question, he hurriedly said: "Your Highness is kind and generous, and has the demeanor of the ancient sage kings. Therefore, I am heartily convinced and swear to let His Highness drive me and never give up!"< br>
Li Chengqian laughed and said slowly: "The general is also the father's confidant. Now that the empire's orthodoxy is facing a crisis, he resolutely surrenders to Gu and joins hands to face the arrogant rebels. He does not care about his own life and death, but only protects himself. The empire is in full swing, and all the people in Guanzhong are saved from fire and water. But since the general can have such a consciousness, how do you know that the Duke of Guo does not?"
Li Junxian was speechless.
My lord, can this be the same? In normal times, you can naturally try all kinds of ways to subdue Zhang Shigui. Whether it succeeds or not, it doesn't matter. But when is it now? Once the Sixth Army of the East Palace in front cannot withstand the fierce offensive of the rebels and is defeated, you must immediately exit Xuanwu Gate and go to Youtun Guard, and then retreat to the Hexi counties to ensure safety.
But what should we do if Zhang Shigui seals the Xuanwu Gate at the critical moment?
How can you put your life and the safety of the East Palace above whether Zhang Shigui is loyal to the empire and has a righteous mind?
That is His Majesty's die-hard loyalty, the kind who will never give up in the face of His Majesty's orders!
Of course, if His Majesty were alive, Zhang Shigui would never have defected to the East Palace. Now His Majesty's death may indeed shake Zhang Shigui's will... But that is only a possibility!
Li Chengqian saw Li Junxian hesitated to speak and had an unhappy look on his face. He smiled and said comfortingly: "Besides, the victory or defeat has not yet been determined at this moment. If Duke Guo is killed violently, it will directly affect the morale of the troops in the East Palace, and even all the troops." Ministers of civil and military affairs and all parties who are still loyal to their father Furthermore, the "Bei Ya Forbidden Army" was established by the emperor himself. They are elite and powerful. If they can be brought over, the strength of the East Palace will be greatly improved. Therefore, the general's advice is wrong. I will not adopt it as a last resort.”
Li Junxian understood what he heard and said with shame: "The general has not thought well and almost ruined His Highness's important affairs. He deserves death for his crime."
At this time, Xuanwu Gate is the top priority. The prince is worried that Zhang Shigui will cut off his retreat in an emergency. Isn't Zhang Shigui afraid that the prince will suddenly take action and kill him to completely open the Xuanwu Gate?
Therefore, Zhang Shigui must be heavily guarded at this time, and it is almost impossible to assassinate him secretly.
Moreover, although the "Beiya Forbidden Army" is small in number, it is powerful in combat. If it cannot be completely defeated with a lightning strike, it will inevitably cause extremely serious consequences.
To this day, there are still many civil and military ministers in Chang'an City who support the East Palace, and the same is true in all parts of the world. But how many of these people and forces really support Li Chengqian? They just support the identity of the prince and the empire Zhengshuo,
If Li Chengqian did something like murdering Zhang Shigui, once it was exposed, public opinion would surge, which would become the best reason for the rebels to justifiably rise up.
By that time, even if we can retreat to the counties in Hexi under Fang Jun's escort, what can we accomplish? Losing people's hearts and shouting curses will lead to defeat sooner or later...
Li Chengqian saw that Li Junxian understood what he meant, so he smiled warmly and said: "General, you don't have to be like this. We are going through adversity together, and I deeply admire the general's loyalty and ability. Gu is not a merciless person, he is a minister who will accompany him through life and death in times of adversity." , I will never forget it. If one day we wipe out the rebels and cleanse the world, I swear to be rich and noble with you all!"
As a prince, he has been instilled with the most elite education since he was a child. It is not just about learning the Four Books and Five Classics. It is not that important whether the imperial prince is knowledgeable. What is important is to learn the "art of imperial control" and know how to do things. You must know how to manage people.
It’s hard to be too skilled at using methods like this to encourage promises and win over people’s hearts...
Li Junxian burst into tears with gratitude: "Thank you for your great love, Your Highness, I will be willing to die!"
The danger of his job is too great. Throughout the ages, most of those who could serve as the emperor's "eagle dogs" did not end well. Knowing too many royal secrets, seeing all the dirty and sinister things about the emperor, and keeping them in his heart, the emperor will naturally be the best confidant in the world when he is reincarnated, but once the emperor's life is about to expire, how can he stay like this? A hidden danger that could expose all his darkness to the public at any time?
When people are alive, they pursue interests, but when they are about to die, they only care about reputation. Any possibility that can tarnish their posthumous reputation must be killed.
What's more, even if the emperor either couldn't bear it or died violently and left him behind, how could the new king who succeeded him continue to reuse such a minister?
Therefore, the emperor's "Eagle Dog" can either be the most favored person in the dynasty, or be ruined and die. There is no third way.
Logically speaking, before His Majesty Li Er died, he must have arranged for Li Junxian to "die violently", which not only eliminated the hidden danger of damaging his reputation, but also cleared obstacles for the new emperor. But now that His Majesty Li Er died during the Eastern Expedition, there was no time to get rid of him, and the prince encountered the Guanlong rebellion, so he could only reuse him as an important minister holding the "Hundred Cavalry Division", which completed the transition perfectly.
Of course, the prince's kindness, solidity and kindness are also the most important aspects, which allows Li Junxian to put aside all worries and serve the prince wholeheartedly.
……
Heavy rain poured down, and in a courtyard on the east side of Tai Chi Hall that was used as a temporary command post, Li Jing took a sip of hot tea, looked at Cheng Chubi, Li Siwen, Qu Tuguan and other six generals from the East Palace in front of him, and said with a smile: "Mo You must have a bitter and worried look. I have fought more battles than you have eaten. No matter how passive you are in this battle, you will definitely win in the end."
"Do you really mean what Duke Wei said?"
"We are not three-year-old children, you can deceive us!"
Several sluggish generals cheered up instantly and looked at Li Jing with bright eyes, hoping that he could explain the current situation, summarize the strengths and weaknesses of both sides, and how they could come to the conclusion of "a complete victory".
Li Jing not only has a great reputation, but also has unfathomable military qualities. Since the reorganization of the Sixth Army of the East Palace, these young generals have learned a lot about various tactics and strategies under Li Jing and have benefited a lot. Their respect for Li Jing is like the water of a river, flowing endlessly. .
Therefore, although the battle situation was unfavorable at the moment, since Li Jing said such words, there must be some basis for it, and it instantly boosted everyone's morale.
Li Jing took a sip of tea and said calmly: "It seems that the battle is taking place in Tai Chi Palace, but in fact the key to determining this war is not here."
Qu Tu asked curiously: "Where is that?"
Li Jing pointed to the north and said: "Outside the Xuanwu Gate, it is also at Tongguan."
The generals were thoughtful.
Li Jidao: "The most important purpose at the moment is to protect the prince, protect the East Palace, maintain the integrity of the empire, and prevent the rebels from running rampant. So what if Taiji Palace falls? The prince can lead the East Palace to evacuate from Xuanwu Gate..." ( End of chapter)