Chapter 4583 No entry into the city
[I don’t know when it started, but I suddenly felt that time flies by so fast. When I look back, those long-distant past events in my memory seem like yesterday...]
The north wind whistled under the city wall along the base of the wall. The city was brightly lit like daylight and crowded with people. Li Tai sat on the ground and panted heavily. His whole body was sore and exhausted. He kept cursing in his mouth, turning over and over again, all greeting Fang Jun's eighteenth generation. Ancestors...
Although there is no solid evidence, Li Tai believes that Fang Jun is the biggest suspect. The reason is that only Fang Jun would care about friendship and spare his life. If it were the clan or Li Chengqian, they would probably kill him to achieve the best effect.
But Li Tai will never be grateful just because Fang Jun spared his life...
Officials, soldiers, and even doctors were constantly using ropes to come down from the top of the city. While treating Li Tai and the injured guards under his command, distributing food, setting up camps, and sending soldiers to track the enemy's tracks.
When Jia Dunyi, the governor of Luozhou, also came down from the city and saluted in front of Li Tai, he looked guilty and said: "Your Highness Haihan, the city gate is closed in the middle of the night. Although there are enemies rushing to assassinate Your Highness, we dare not open the city." .”
Luoyang is the capital of the East, its political status is second only to Chang'an, and it is the military and political hub of the "Land of Three Rivers". City defense security is naturally the top priority. The prince of the imperial court suddenly arrived in the middle of the night, followed by pursuers. Who dares to open the door rashly?
Once something goes wrong, officials at all levels in Henan Prefecture and Luozhou will be in trouble, and at least they will be impeached and dismissed by the imperial censor. And if a rebel army takes the opportunity to break into Luoyang City, then Yin Yi of Henan and the governor of Luozhou will be punished. , I am afraid that the three tribes will be wiped out...
Jia Dunyi was an upright man and reserved in accepting courtesy. At this moment, when he saw Li Tai describing himself as embarrassed and furious, he expressed a few words of concern and asked: "Today is just the 13th day of the first lunar month. Why didn't His Highness celebrate the Yuan Dynasty in Chang'an instead of leading the guards to Luoyang? ”
Li Tai spat out bloody spit, glared at Jia Dunyi and said, "Your Majesty appointed me to stay in Luoyang. Could it be that the letter has not arrived in Luoyang yet?"
His attitude was very bad, but he was lucky enough to survive an assassination attempt. Jia Dunyi disagreed with him and shook his head: "I naturally know that, but the government offices at all levels have not yet been opened for business, and His Highness's appointment document cannot be delivered according to the normal process. Luoyang, so I cannot treat His Highness as a superior official. Your Highness has a distinguished status. I naturally dare not turn you away, but it is more in line with the procedures to wait until dawn before entering the city..."
The implication is that if you are my Shangguan and the one appointed by the imperial court to stay in Luoyang, you can naturally enter the city at this moment; but now you have not completed the procedures for fulfilling your duties. If I admit that you are a Shangguan, it will be a private grant and a violation of the procedures. , You are still the king of Wei, so you cannot enter the city in the middle of the night.
In short, those who stayed in Luoyang could enter the city, but His Highness the King of Wei could not.
Li Tai was very angry. When he saw the serious and uncompromising old official, he was so angry that he took out a scroll from his arms and threw it in Jia Dunyi's face. He angrily said: "You old official, do you think that I am a traitor?" Want to raid Luoyang City in the middle of the night? This is your Majesty’s order, keep your eyes open and take a good look!”
Jia Dunyi took the scroll, wiped the spittle on his face, unfolded it and read it carefully under the torch, then put away the scroll, but still shook his head: "Although His Majesty's handwriting is here, it can only prove that His Highness's words are here." Coming to Luoyang is indeed a business trip, but it cannot replace the performance of your duties. You cannot enter the city now.”
Li Tai laughed angrily: "You are sure that Gu intends to rebel and wants to raid Luoyang City in the middle of the night, right?"
Jia Dunyi shook his head and said seriously: "That's not the case. It's just that the official is the governor of Luozhou and is responsible for guarding the city. His Highness came here at night and was chased and assassinated. This is a serious matter. The official must wait until dawn to inform Henan. Yin, your Highness can only be allowed to enter the city after it is confirmed that it is safe.”
A prince like you suddenly appeared outside Luoyang City in the middle of the night. Who knows what you want to do? Besides, being attacked and killed by pursuers was a big deal. He was just a Luozhou governor, so how could he have the right to let Li Tai enter the city?
Not only him, not even Henan Yin dared to let Li Tai enter the city at this time unless he knew the whereabouts of his pursuers.
Li Tai did not get angry when he heard this, but was stunned for a moment, then wiped his face and said expressionlessly: "Who told you that I was assassinated?"
Jia Dunyi: "...with so many cavalry chasing His Highness, could it be that the captains and soldiers in the city got it wrong?"
Could it be that His Highness broke his head?
So many people are chasing you, isn't it an assassination attempt?
Li Tai shook his head decisively: "It's okay, I have never been assassinated."
Jia Dunyi was a little confused and looked around: "Then what happened to the guards who were killed and injured along the way?"
Li Tai insisted: "It was caused by excessive fatigue, difficulty in traveling at night, and the horse's misstep."
Jia Dunyi's eyes widened. You think I can't see the knife wounds and arrow wounds on the soldiers and horses, right?
It's just that although he has an upright temperament, since he can become a third-rank official like the governor of Luozhou, he certainly has a lot of political wisdom. After thinking about it for a while, he understood why Li Tai did not admit that he was assassinated.
Dare to attack and kill the prince, is that something ordinary people can and dare to do? Therefore, even if this matter is reported to Chang'an and His Majesty knows about it, I am afraid that he will not be able to uphold justice for the King of Wei. Moreover, His Highness the King of Wei competed with His Majesty for the throne in the early years, and now it is also the biggest threat to the throne. Who knows what will happen to Your Majesty after knowing this matter? What a reaction...
And if the murderer behind the scenes dares to bear such terrible consequences, his plans are naturally bigger.
Maybe it’s just a huge whirlpool...
King Li Tai of Wei did not want to get caught up in the whirlpool and would rather suffer a loss himself, while Jia Dunyi was even less willing to get involved in a court battle for no apparent reason.
He nodded immediately and said: "Your Highness is loyal to the country and has a strong sense of responsibility. He galloped to Luoyang day and night to fulfill his duties, causing the accompanying guards to fall from their horses and be injured or even die in the line of duty. He is truly a role model for us."
Li Tai stared at Jia Dunyi with a sinister look and sneered: "Everyone says that Jia Jingyuan is honest and honest, but it turns out that he also knows how to flatter people."
Jia Dunyi felt a little ashamed and clasped his fists and said: "His Highness has worked tirelessly for the academic administration of the empire. He not only called on the wealthy people in the world to donate money to fund education, but also often used the royal family's funds to make up for the shortcomings of the academic administration. Who doesn't admire the students in the world? I am a lower official. I feel the nobleness of His Highness's move. When I see Your Highness today, I feel admiration and admiration in my heart, not because I am afraid of the power of a tiger or to curry favor with power."
"Haha."
Li Tai sneered and ignored Jia Dunyi.
Jia Dunyi didn't take it seriously. When he saw that the tent on the other side had been set up, he hurriedly said: "Your Highness, please go to the tent to drink a cup of hot tea, so that the doctor can take care of the injury. Otherwise, if you get frostbite, you will be in trouble." Something bad is happening.”
The reason why Li Tai was not allowed to enter the city in the middle of the night was due to system limitations, which was blameless. However, if Li Tai's injuries worsened or even turned into frostbite, that would be another matter.
Li Tai was also afraid of death, so he naturally followed the good example, struggled to stand up, and followed Jia Dunyi to the tent set up nearby.
A stove has been placed in the tent, and the charcoal fire has just been lit. There is a kettle sitting there. Li Tai sits next to the stove. The coldness all over his body is slowly dissipated by the fire, and he exhales a long breath.
The doctor took off Li Tai's armor and clothes, and saw that there was no sword or sword on his body, but mostly bruises from falling and rolling. He applied ointment and helped Li Tai put on his clothes.
The water in the kettle was already boiling. Jia Dunyi took out a teapot and brought some tea leaves to make tea. Li Tai waved his hand and asked the attendant to take out the tea leaves and put them into the teapot, and then poured in the tea. The faint fragrance of tea filled the tent.
Jia Dunyi sniffed and praised: "This is the best tea from the Fang family. Unfortunately, it is too expensive. I have a meager official salary and have to support my family, so I can't afford it."
Li Tai glanced at the old official and saw that although the official uniform he was wearing was straight and straight, the fabric at the hem and cuffs was slightly darker, which was obviously sewn on at the back. He was known to be an upright and thrifty official. , then he said to the chamberlain: "Give Jia the Governor a pound of the tea you brought."
"Oh, thank you for the reward, Your Highness!"
After receiving a bag of tea from the chamberlain, Jia Dunyi smiled so hard that the creases at the corners of his eyes deepened, and he treasured it in his arms with a smile on his face.
After putting away the tea leaves, the two chatted for a while while drinking tea. Jia Dunyi asked tentatively: "How do you plan to report what happened tonight?"
Li Tai said: "What happened tonight? Nothing happened tonight."
Jia Dunyi knew that Li Tai was determined to take this dumb loss and settle the matter, and did not want the situation to escalate and cause huge turmoil...
I couldn't help but sigh secretly in my heart.
Sometimes the trees want to be quiet but the wind is not stopping. Now that Li Tai has come to Luoyang to serve as the eastern capital, he will naturally bring the battles in the court. In the future, if the officials of the entire Luoyang City want to be as calm as before, they are afraid that they will never be able to get it again. .
……
Li Tai drank hot tea and a bowl of hot porridge. The fatigue of two days of running and the fear of being assassinated came to him. He couldn't hold on any longer. He lay down on the bed made of two wooden boards, fully clothed, and snored. The beating was loud.
Jia Dunyi did not dare to sleep. While guarding Li Tai, he kept sending people to investigate and find out the whereabouts of the assassin cavalry. However, until dawn, he could not get any clues about the assassin cavalry.
In a way, this is a good thing.
If he really discovers the cavalry, it may be a huge trouble...
At two o'clock in the morning, the big bell in the city's bell tower rang, and this ancient and important city in the world slowly woke up in the dark night.
Like Chang'an, Luoyang City was built with squares and was bounded by the Luoshui River that ran across the city. Luoyang No. 74 and Luobei No. 29 totaled 103 squares. It did not cancel the curfew system like Chang'an, and still followed the Tang Dynasty regulations. At the beginning, the "morning bell and evening drum" stipulated that the gate of the square would be closed when the drum sounded in the evening and the gate would open when the clock sounded in the morning.
Li Tai was awakened by the sound of the bell. He washed his face and mouth under the service of the chamberlain. He walked out of the tent and looked around in the faint morning light. Only then did he realize that he was on the west side of Shanglin Garden. The valley water stretched across the front from north to south and merged into the right. On the other side is the rolling Luoshui River. On the other side of the valley is one of the twelve gardens built in the Sui Dynasty, and it is also the outer wall of Luoyang City.
At this time, the city gate slowly opened, and the suspension bridge was lowered just above the valley water. A group of people rode out from the city gate, crossed the suspension bridge, and came straight.
Not long after, the group of people came to a halt and reined in their horses. They all turned over and dismounted. One of them, wearing a purple robe, came with a long stride. He stood outside the tent, saluted and said loudly: "Henan Yin Pei Huai Festival, see His Highness the King of Wei!" (End of Chapter)