In Prince Yong's Mansion, the study door was slowly pushed open, and the room was brightly lit. Prince Yong Li Xi was seen with his back to the door, kneeling in front of the desk, as if praying for something?
At this time, two black figures flashed into the room. They held sharp daggers and ropes in their hands. They advanced step by step and approached Li Xi silently. Li Xi did not notice at all.
Two black figures rushed forward and strangled Li Xi's neck tightly with a rope. His head rolled to the ground. Only then did the two men in black realize that the gorgeously dressed Li Xi was actually a scarecrow.
The two men in black were frightened and turned around to run away, but it was too late, 'Puff! Puff!' More than a dozen poisonous crossbow arrows shot through their chests and backs. The two men screamed and fell to the ground immediately, dead.
In Dugu Mansion in Luoyang, Li Xi sat in the room in shock. It was almost dawn, but he didn't feel sleepy at all.
At this time, the door opened, and Dugu Ming walked in with a smile. Li Xi quickly stood up and saluted, "Thank you, Prince Consort, for saving your life!"
Dugu Ming waved his hand and said: "You don't need to thank me, it's not me who wants to save you, it's His Highness King Qi who wants to save you!"
'ah!'
Li Xi opened his mouth wide and was stunned. It was actually King Qi who wanted to save him.
"What's so strange? His Highness the King of Qi is also a member of the royal family. How could he allow the eunuchs to massacre and kill the royal family at will?"
"I see, hey! I didn't expect that King Qi could help us at the critical moment."
"Sit down!"
Dugu Ming asked him to sit down, and then slowly said to him: "I just got the news that Peng Wang Li Yuan is dead, and two assassins are going to assassinate you, one is Zuo Huan, and the other is named Wang Zhi. You should know them!"
"
Li Xi's eyes widened, "They are my personal guards!"
Dugu Ming said calmly: "They are all warriors from the Plum Blossom Guard Assassination Battalion. They used various connections to place themselves beside you. Their mission was to kill you at the last moment, but they failed and were killed by my men instead."
Li Xi gritted his teeth with hatred and said, "These eunuchs deserve to be cut to pieces by a thousand cuts!"
"Sooner or later they will be cut to pieces by King Qi. I wonder what your plans are in the future?"
Although Li Xi is cowardly and incompetent, greedy for life and afraid of death, he is not stupid at all. He quickly said: "I am willing to obey the arrangements of His Highness King Qi!"
Dugu Ming gave a thumbs up, "Only those who know the current affairs can die well and enjoy glory and wealth. His Highness King Qi is ready to let you serve as Minister of Zongzheng Temple in the future!"
Li Xi immediately understood. He took out the secret edict and tore it into pieces. He bowed and said, "I am willing to do the hard work of His Majesty the King of Qi!"
Dugu Ming praised: "Your attitude is better than most of the royal family, you are a smart man!"
Li Xi hesitated for a moment, "But my reputation is not very good. Taking up the post of Zongzheng Temple may affect His Highness King Qi!"
"I'm just asking you, do you want to hold this position?"
"Of course I do!"
Dugu Ming said lightly: "Reputation is something you talk about. You are said to be dissolute and immoral. But to put it another way, you can also say that you are deliberately destroying your reputation to confuse the eunuchs for the sake of being wise and wise. As long as you don't stop being dissolute in the future, you
You will still be able to accomplish something in the rest of your life, and you will be remembered throughout the ages as an example of enduring humiliation and bearing heavy burdens."
Li Xi sighed and said: "I'm not a fool. My own body was almost destroyed by women. I won't indulge myself like this in the future."
"That's good. When the situation is a little calmer, I will send you to Chang'an and your father will be buried. You have to take on the big responsibility and let your father rest in peace under the Nine Springs!!"
Li Xi's nose felt sore, thinking that his father had passed away and that he had not been able to see him for the last time. He was in such pain that he covered his face and cried.
It was getting daylight, but Luoyang City still did not allow anyone to take to the streets. Thirty thousand Plum Blossom Guards and 20,000 Jinwu Guards blocked the entire Luoyang City, and even the city gates were not opened.
It is up to Li Fuguo to decide when the blockade will end.
In the palace, several eunuchs were listening to reports from various places. Most of them were good news. Qianniu Guard surrendered, Zhang Qingming was imprisoned, and Liu Wenxi became the general.
Peng Wang Li was only executed. Except for the 10,000 Longwu Army led by Li Shanwu, which evacuated towards Shaanzhou, the remaining 15,000 Longwu Army surrendered, and Cui Fang was appointed as the new Longwu Army General.
This means that the military strength in the entire Luoyang area has reached nearly 200,000.
Li Fuguo also ordered Caozhou's 50,000 Guo Ziyi army to return to Luoyang immediately in the name of the emperor's imperial edict.
Of course, there is also unpleasant news. The assassination of King Yong Li Xi failed and Li Xi disappeared. This made Li Fuguo very angry. It was like hunting geese for a lifetime and being pecked out by geese in the end. He was the last person he cared about.
He actually ran away.
King Yong, who is usually so cowardly and incompetent, actually pretended and deceived everyone.
Li Fuguo was so angry that he went crazy and yelled at his subordinates: "I don't believe he can escape. I'm searching all over his house. I have to find every inch. Even if he is hiding in an ant hole, I have to find him!"
"Follow the order!" A plum blossom guard general walked away tremblingly.
At this time, Yu Chaoen advised: "A useless person is nothing to worry about and can't change the world. Your Majesty, don't put too much energy on him. You should focus on the overall situation!"
Li Fuguo said sadly: "But the emperor's will is for him to ascend the throne!"
"Only the Queen knows the emperor's last words. Who knows whether they are true or false? Besides, if the Queen doesn't tell them, who knows? Does she want Li Xi to replace her son as emperor?"
Li Fuguo thought about it and said: "Okay! Ignore Li Xi for now. Since the situation in Luoyang has been controlled, we can announce the death of the emperor and let the queen appear!"
In fact, Li Fuguo couldn't wait any longer. The nights were long and he had many dreams, so he immediately ordered the end of martial law in the city and rang the Jingyang Bell.
Jingyang Zhong is located in Chang'an and Luoyang. Chang'an is on the Hanyuan Hall, and Luoyang is on the Chengtian Gate.
The troops who had been heavily guarded on the streets evacuated one after another. Some people were riding horses on the streets shouting: "Cancel the martial law! Cancel the martial law!"
People began to take to the streets one after another, and everyone was talking about it. I wonder what happened last night?
Li Dai and Zhang Li both caught up on their sleep for a while. They had breakfast and were drinking tea and chatting in the lobby. Last night, Li Dai's house was sealed. They couldn't get out, and the news couldn't get in. They didn't know that last night
What happened?
At this time, Liu Wutong came to report, "Xiangguo, the martial law on the streets has been lifted. All the troops outside have withdrawn, and we can take to the streets at any time."
Li Dai and Zhang Li looked at each other, and they both realized at the same time that King Peng Li was finished, and the eunuchs had taken control of the situation.
Suddenly, a low bell echoed over the whole city, 'dong-dong-'
This is the ringing of the Jingyang Bell. The ringing of the Jingyang Bell means that something big happens in the court, usually the death of the emperor, the emperor or the empress dowager, or the emperor's accession to the throne, the crown prince's canonization, etc.
Li Dai and Zhang Li walked outside the lobby and knelt down to the palace. They both shed tears and deeply mourned the death of the emperor.
After the forty-five tolls of the death knell, Li Dai and Zhang Li stood up. At this time, Liu Wutong brought in an eunuch. The eunuch bowed and said: "The Queen, please invite all ministers to enter the palace to discuss the emperor's funeral!"
This reason was so good that all the courtiers could not refuse and got on their carriages to enter the palace.