Chapter 109 one hundred and eight
Li Chengqian and Hou Junji were shocked by the words that came out of Haitang, a seemingly weak woman, and Hou Junji tremblingly said, "You, do you want father to plot against you? No, I am Hou Junji." Ji must not do such an infamous thing!" Haitang turned her begging eyes to Li Chengqian: "His Royal Highness! What about you? What do you think?" Li Chengqian avoided his wife's eyes and murmured: "Father has always favored me. Plus, I have high hopes, I have already done something wrong to him, how can I continue to walk into this quagmire? Haitang, quickly take back this sentence and beg God for sin."
Haitang said with a look of disappointment: "You are all men, but your bones are so soft! Don't tell me, do you still want a hidden princess in Tang Dynasty?" Hou Junji was almost knocked down by these words, and took a few steps back, sit on the chair.Haitang shed tears and continued, "The palace is a cold place. In front of the supreme authority, there is no brotherhood between father and son. A thought of kindness will bring you death. Your Royal Highness! Daddy! Don't let me Can I be a woman to bear the pain of losing the two most important men in my life? I really can't bear it!"
Haitang's gaze made Hou Junji unable to back down any longer. He glanced at the trembling prince, sighed, and stood up: "If you do something to His Majesty, let alone the prince, even I don't have the face. How about that?" , let’s take the Flying Tiger Army to Xiangyang, where my old troops are everywhere, we can at least protect ourselves.” Haitang seemed to have seen a life-saving straw: “That’s fine, as long as I can leave this suffocating You can go anywhere!"
Hou Junji called out: "Heng Lian, prepare your horse—" No one answered, and Heng Lian, who was still in the hall just now, disappeared.Li Chengqian pushed open the door and called the guards outside to ask, only to find out that just a moment ago Heng Lian seemed to have left the palace gate with a letter.Li Chengqian's face changed drastically. Could it be that another Chang Sheng appeared in the East Palace?He hastily summoned a few guards from the Eastern Palace and ordered them to chase after him.After a while, the guards led Heng Lian in.
Li Chengqian looked at him coldly and said, "Did you send a letter?" Henglian's face changed, and Li Chengqian asked sharply, "Is that so?" Henglian didn't dare to speak, and lowered his head, Li Chengqian asked again: "Who did you send that letter to?" Heng Lian hesitated and said: "This, villain can't say!"
Li Chengqian said angrily: "You are my personal bodyguard, what can I not even say? Could it be that you are also an undercover agent like him?" He was referring to Chang Sheng, and Heng Lian did not respond, as if tacitly acquiescing.Li Chengqian looked up to the sky and smiled miserably: "I didn't expect that you are also an undercover agent!" He quickly pulled out the sword from the wall, pointed at Heng Lian, and asked forcefully, "Who sent you here! Is it Li Tai or Li Ke?" Heng Lian shook his head and said, "The villain really can't say that."
Li Chengqian was so angry that his face was livid, he put his sword close to the tip of Henglian's nose, and shouted: "Are you going to tell me?" Henglian said with a playful smile as usual: "Your Highness, don't make such gestures with that thing, the slave is timid." Li Chengqian looked at Heng Lian and said, "You are deceiving me to be soft-hearted and won't kill you?" Heng Lian said, "Your Highness is a kind person, and he wouldn't do that."
Li Chengqian was furious: "Will I be merciful to a second official like you?" After speaking, he stabbed out with a sword, and Haitang screamed: "Don't—" But the sword had already pierced Henglian's chest, A stream of blood spurted out and splashed on Li Chengqian's hands and face.The smile on Heng Lian's face froze, his eyes widened, he couldn't believe it was true, he mumbled a word: "Your Highness, are you going to kill me?" Then he tilted his head and fell down.
A drop of blood fell from the tip of Li Chengqian's little finger and dripped in front of his toes. Li Chengqian shuddered violently and shouted hysterically: "I—killed someone!" Hou Junji hurriedly ordered to the guards: "Quick, Take the prince out of the city."
Li Shimin had indeed returned to Chang'an. He sent Ma Xuanliang, who had gone south in advance, to the outside of Chang'an city. When he found out that all the officials in the city were preparing to persuade them to enter, he was shocked and went back to Suizhou to report to Li Shimin.Li Shimin, who forced his father to abdicate to come to power, was very tense in his heart. He didn't dare to be careless, and let Li Shiji's army escort him south secretly.Arriving outside Chang'an City, after clarifying the situation in the city, Li Shimin sent Li Shiji and other generals into the city with his handbook to control the Sixteenth Guards, and he himself entered Chang'an under the escort of the brigade.
When Emperor Luan drove into the palace, Li Chengqian, Hou Junji and others had disappeared. Li Shimin came to the prince's bedroom and saw a brand new crown there. He walked over and stroked it with his fingers, then grabbed it hard. Throw it on the ground.
Li Shimin asked angrily: "Where are the others?" Ma Xuanliang who was on the side replied: "Someone saw Hou Junji and others dragging the crown prince out of the west gate to Mount Zhongnan." A group of court ladies came over, and when she saw her husband, the queen plopped down on her knees: "The concubine welcomes your majesty back to court."
Li Shimin glared at Empress Changsun and snorted, "You have raised a good son. Before I lie down in the mausoleum, he is about to jump on the dragon chair." Empress Changsun knelt and walked a few steps to Li Shimin's feet He begged: "It's all a lowly concubine who can't teach his son well, and let Qian'er commit a heinous crime. Please punish the concubine's crime and forgive him! I beg you, Your Majesty."
Li Shimin didn't go to see Empress Changsun, but just ordered to Ma Xuanliang: "Get your horse ready!" Empress Changsun still knelt behind and cried, "I beg you, Your Majesty! Please punish the concubine's crime and forgive the prince." Ma Xuanliang led the horse and asked, "Your Majesty, where are you going?" Li Shimin jumped on the horse and said, "Go to Tongguan."
Li Shimin rushed out of the city gate with only a few dozen guards, all the way to the east, it was almost dark, the wind was roaring, and the yellow sand was rolled up all over the sky, and it was impossible to distinguish anything dozens of steps away. They rushed forward In a fit of anger, he finally saw a cavalry troop galloping along the official road. Li Shimin waved his whip vigorously and chased after him. A figure he was familiar with appeared at the end of the troop.Li Shimin yelled sharply: "Hou Junji! Hurry up and get off the horse and plead guilty!"
Hou Junji reined in the reins, stopped the horse, and turned around, Li Shimin was standing on the side of the road looking at him inviolably.Although he had 3,000 elite soldiers, and this person had only dozens of guards, Hou Junji still felt a chill rising from the bottom of his spine, and all his self-esteem and desire for survival collapsed in an instant.Hou Junji hurriedly jumped off his horse, bowed his head, walked a few steps on his knees, and climbed up to Li Shimin: "Your Majesty! Why are you here?"
Li Shimin snorted: "I knew you didn't have the guts to bring the Flying Tiger Army back to Chang'an. Do you want to escape to Xiangyang or Lingnan? But don't think about it. There is no place for traitors!" Hou Junji knelt down, not daring to say a word.
Li Shimin asked again: "Where is the prince!" Hou Junji replied tremblingly: "In the car in front, your majesty, it has nothing to do with the prince. He was coerced out of the city by his ministers, and all the crimes should be borne by the ministers." Li Shimin He said coldly: "Who should bear the responsibility for what crimes? Let's talk about it after the matter is clarified. You once told me that the Flying Tiger Army is the Flying Tiger Army of the imperial court. The Huns are still alive. This sharp weapon is still of great use to the country. You They must be taken back to the Zhongnanshan barracks immediately, this is an opportunity for you to perform meritorious service and atone for your sins! After finishing this matter, you will come to Chengqing Palace to plead guilty."
Hou Junji buried his head deeply on the ground, and replied, "Yes!"
A few old crows chirped uncomfortably on the palace wall.A small courtyard in the corner of the Left Guard barracks was heavily guarded.In a dimly lit room inside, the crown prince Li Chengqian was imprisoned. He huddled in the corner of the kang in a daze, his hair disheveled, and the expression of the former state reserve had disappeared.
The door creaked open, Li Shiji walked in, and glanced at Li Chengqian.Li Chengqian raised his head, looked at him in horror and said, "Don't kill me——don't kill me——" Li Shiji flashed away, revealing Li Shimin's face from behind him, looking at Li Chengqian with complicated eyes, Li Chengqian couldn't help but feel Yi Lin.