His Majesty Li Er did not show up for many days, and all the civil and military officials who came to visit were blocked outside the Lishan Palace by Li Junxian.
In addition, the imperial doctors who were treating His Majesty Li Er were all left in the Lishan Palace, which immediately made the situation in Chang'an City even more undercurrent.
Rumors that His Majesty Li Er was terminally ill spread like wildfire, and in a short period of time, all kinds of rumors spread in Chang'an City.
Gradually, the rumors turned into that His Majesty Li Er was unconscious and his life was in danger, so he did not allow the ministers to see him.
Li Junxian, who was responsible for the safety of the palace, did not give any explanation. He increased the number of guards at the Lishan Palace and asked Cheng Yaojin to lead the Youwu Guards to guard the palace.
As the saying goes, there can be no waves without wind, but there will be no wind from a hole!
Such a big fanfare made many people more certain about the news that Li Er was seriously ill.
In Chang'an City, due to His Majesty Li Er's favor for King Wei in recent years, King Wei's supporters have been able to compete with the prince's power.
After the death of His Majesty Li Er, the topic of who is more suitable to ascend the throne and proclaim himself emperor has become the most discussed issue among civil and military officials.
The forces between the King of Wei and the Crown Prince criticized each other, almost losing their minds.
Of course, in addition to the fight between the King of Wei and the Crown Prince, various forces are also ready to take action.
Recently, Li Yuanchang felt inexplicably restless, and he even wondered if there was something wrong with his plan.
He checked his plan over and over again in his heart, every detail, every aspect, and even combined it with the news secretly sent by Fan Monk, and took the trouble to deduce it in his mind.
From beginning to end, Li Yuanchang did not find any loopholes. Every design and step, even the amount of pills Li Er took every day, were flawless.
Unconsciously, Li Yuanchang breathed a sigh of relief.
I can only attribute the restlessness in my heart to being too nervous.
After all, what comes next will be an earth-shattering event.
In the secret room of the Han Palace, Hou Junji was called to meet by Li Yuanchang.
As soon as they met, Hou Junji showed displeasure and said: "Your Majesty, the limelight is very tight now. Why don't you just ask someone to send you a letter if you have something to do? Don't you know that someone is leading the left guard army to plan how to approach the Lishan Palace?"
?”
Li Yuanchang disagreed and said with a smile: "General Hou is so caring. I am really happy for His Royal Highness. However, this time I asked General Hou to come here just to solve this problem."
Hou Junji looked puzzled and asked: "The mobilization of soldiers can easily attract Chaoyang's attention. Is there any way that the prince can make the Zuo Wei army go to the vicinity of Lishan Mountain without anyone noticing?"
Li Yuanchang laughed: "General Hou's thinking is too complicated. He is a fan of the authorities!"
Although he was a little unhappy with Li Yuanchang's pretense, Hou Junji still asked patiently: "How do you say this?"
Li Yuanchang did not try to be too pretentious. He collected his thoughts and said, "It is the law of our court that only the emperor has the right to mobilize large-scale soldiers."
"As far as I know, the left and right guards who protect the imperial city are somewhat special. Since the left and right guards each need to mobilize 500 guards every day to jointly protect the safety of the palace and His Majesty, therefore, it is not necessary to mobilize these guards.
With the emperor’s permission, I must be right!”
Hou Junji nodded and raised the question in his heart: "Although the general can mobilize 500 sergeants, or even more, these people can't leave the camp and reach Lishan except to defend the palace. What's the use of this?"
"
Li Yuanchang took a sip of tea in a leisurely manner, and then continued: "The role of the left and right guards is to protect the safety of the palace and the emperor. Now the emperor is critically ill and is no longer able to handle the affairs of the government, and may even be in a coma."
"Since the Zuowei Forbidden Army protects the emperor's safety, of course these Forbidden Army can go wherever the emperor is."
"General Hou, as the leader of the Left Guards, why not lead the imperial army to Mount Li to protect His Majesty?"
"As for the purpose of the guards sent by General Hou, only God knows and the earth knows what you know and what I know..."
After Hou Junji thought about it for a moment, his eyes lit up and he felt that Li Yuanchang's words were quite reasonable.
Yes, the emperor has not shown up for many days, obviously there is something wrong with his health.
As long as he used the excuse of protecting the emperor's safety, who would dare to stop him from transferring the left guard troops to the Lishan Palace.
Alas, it seems that I am still too nervous, the authorities are obsessed with me!
Thinking of this, Hou Junji's face softened and he seemed relieved, and asked again: "It is said that in addition to the hundred cavalry, the Lishan Palace also has some right guards led by Cheng Yaojin. If someone brings five hundred guards, what if he wants to
I am afraid that I am unable to force the palace by force. I wonder if the prince has any countermeasures?"
Li Yuanchang was confident and said firmly: "General Hou, don't worry, of course I will not let you face it alone."
"Some people from the Jiangnan noble clan have contacted me. They can provide some dead soldiers. Together with my disciples, there are about a thousand people in total. We can guarantee that everything will be safe."
"Of course, the Jiangnan nobles have conditions. They demand that once the new emperor ascends the throne, the imperial order to set up a shipping office in Jiangnan will be immediately withdrawn!"
"I plan to let some of these people follow you to force the palace in Lishan, and some of them will follow me to carry out assassinations in Chang'an City."
"Let's take a two-pronged approach. Once General Hou takes control of the Lishan Palace, I can take advantage of the chaos and take control of the entire Chang'an City."
Hou Junji was shocked. He really didn't expect that this elegant prince would hook up with the Jiangnan family without saying anything.
Not only that, but with such a thorough plan, the Li family really didn’t have a fuel-efficient lamp.
But they ignored Li Yuanchang and these dead men Hou Junji.
If it were a frontal battlefield, Hou Junji would definitely have the confidence to defeat these dead soldiers with 500 left guards.
After all, the main role of a dead soldier is assassination.
However, having the help of dead soldiers is definitely a big help.
So Hou Junji couldn't help the joy in his heart, and he geared up and said: "Your Majesty is so careful, great things can be accomplished, and the left guard troops staying in Chang'an City will also cooperate with Your Majesty."
"Since everything is ready, let's make a date without further delay. Success or failure depends on this."
"When the time comes, we will launch an attack together and control Chang'an City and Lishan Palace together. The prince will definitely not forget the prince's kindness."
Li Yuanchang coughed slightly and said again: "The king summoned you here today because there is actually another important matter. Since these dead soldiers do not have identity documents, they can only ask the general to get some left guard clothes for them.
I wonder if it would be convenient to sneak into Chang'an City?"
"It's simple. Your Majesty, please wait. I'll have someone send it to you right away when you get back." Hou Junji happily agreed.
Li Yuanchang added: "We have been working hard to contact His Highness the Crown Prince for his great cause. According to General Hou, His Highness the Crown Prince still refuses to agree to this day. Do you want to try to persuade him again?"
Originally, Li Yuanchang wanted to drag Li Chengqian into trouble and put a label of rebellion on his head.
If Li Chengqian did not participate, the position of the crown prince should not be taken lightly. Wouldn't it be unfair for him, Li Yuanchang, to be the emperor?
Hou Junji was also worried: "The prince is indecisive, and he still has extravagant hopes for His Majesty. If we tell the truth, it will definitely lead to opposition and even destroy our plan!"
"However, when we go to Lishan this time, a certain society will invite the prince to go with us. By then, it will be a foregone conclusion. Even if the prince doesn't want to ascend the throne, it won't matter."
"And when we support the prince to ascend to the great treasure, a person with the power of following the dragon will not be able to escape. As the uncle of the prince, the prince will definitely be regarded as a great minister."
Hearing that Hou Junji decided to drag Li Chengqian into trouble, Li Yuanchang was ecstatic in his heart, but on his face he lamented: "I hope His Highness the Crown Prince can understand our painstaking efforts!"
But he complained in his heart, hoping that his nephew would not blame his uncle for being too cruel.
The emperor's throne is so attractive, who wouldn't want to sit on it and enjoy the scenery?
The two continued to discuss for a while, and the specific actions were finalized.
Hou Junji was just about to stand up and say goodbye. He seemed to have thought of something and looked a little embarrassed, so he hesitated and said: "Your Majesty, Yang Fan has a concubine. It was originally the son-in-law of the general who wanted to introduce her to a certain person as a concubine, but the woman was...
Yang Fan occupied it."
"This daughter-in-law is so charming and charming. I would like to ask the prince to tell the dead soldiers not to destroy the flowers with ruthless hands when assassinating Yang Fan's mansion."
Although Hou Junji didn't like Yang Fan, Yang Fan did have a good taste. Each of his concubines was prettier than the last. Of course, Hou Junji was a little worried about Wu Shun introduced by his son-in-law.
Hearing this, Li Yuanchang was speechless!
Did you know that what you were about to do was going to be a brain-destroying thing?
When the incident came to an end, his mind was still full of dirty thoughts. He was indeed a gangster.
However, now it was necessary for Hou Junji to charge forward. Even if Li Yuanchang felt contempt in his heart, he had to agree.
"Don't worry, General Hou. I will definitely give strict instructions to those dead soldiers, and I will capture all of Yang Fan's concubines as soon as possible and hand them over to you unharmed!"
But there is a sneer in my heart, wait until this king ascends to the throne of God, you people are all rebellious officials and traitors, and you are destined to enjoy the beauty like flowers and jade!
Hou Junji was overjoyed and thanked him profusely.
Whether it's the Wu sisters, Xiao Shiyun and Xu Hui, they are all beauties that are one in a million.
Once a man has seen these girls' slim figures and charming temperaments, who can forget them?
What's more, it's so satisfying to be able to bring a woman who is your enemy into your own room.
Hou Junji has never forgotten the fact that he was dismissed from office after being sued by Yang Fan.
Now that Li Yuanchang had set up an assassination plan, he suddenly remembered that Yang Fan's mansion was also a target.
Once all the people in Yang Fan's family are killed, won't those charming beauties die in fragrant glory?
It is really a waste of natural resources for him to die without even having a kiss.
Therefore, Hou Junji only gave the reminder just now.
However, Hou Junji's behavior made Li Yuanchang despise him.
Originally, he wanted to keep Hou Junji's life for his own use, but this guy actually ignored important matters for the sake of a woman. He deserved to die!
In Li Yuanchang's heart, he secretly sentenced Hou Junji to death.
It is best to get rid of these reckless men who only think about their lower body as soon as possible after they ascend the throne, otherwise they will not bring disaster to themselves.
Seeing the lewd smile on Hou Junji's face, Li Yuanchang finally understood why this guy would let his soldiers burn, kill and plunder the enemy's money and women every time he went on a campaign!
It’s true that a dog can’t change its habit of eating shit.
Watching Hou Junji's leaving figure, Li Yuanchang was full of ambition and hesitation, feeling that all the plans were perfect and success was just around the corner.
He raised his head and cast his gaze out the window. His armor was so bright that he squinted his eyes.
The snow is really white!
However, Li Yuanchang knew that soon the color of the snow would turn red...
****
The cold wind is blowing, the snow is falling, and the Guanzhong area is plunged into a vast expanse of white.
The entire Lishan Mountain is also covered with silver, and even the usually strong pines are covered with crystal stripes of snow.
On such a freezing day, of course there are very few people in the mountains.
Without the chirping of insects and birds, without the hustle and bustle of life, the entire Lishan Palace seemed deserted and silent.
I just heard the sound of rustling in the distance, and looking around, I saw a patrol team of more than a dozen people trudging along the trail with difficulty.
From their movements and the constant soft complaints from their mouths, we can guess how difficult it is to patrol in this kind of weather.
Even if these patrolling Imperial Guards knew that the ghosts would not come out to cause trouble in such weather, they still had to follow their usual patrol route.
After all, the emperor is in the Lishan Palace, and no one dares to be careless.
Although the emperor was unconscious, he could not bear the pressure of a strict supervisor.
If they don't complete the patrol mission according to the route, time and location, Li Junxian, the leader of the Hundred Cavalry, will not let them off lightly.
The patrol team walked for a while, and the young soldier who was second in the queue complained softly: "Captain, the path up the mountain is almost covered with heavy snow. Only the road in front is passable. Why do we still patrol these unused paths?"
Isn’t it unnecessary?”
The person who walked first was named Zhang San, and he was the team leader who had just been promoted.
After hearing this, he shook his frozen hands and said: "It's such a cold weather, why can't you seal your mouth? We only need to follow the orders, why bother so much?"
"As long as we patrol the main road and complete our mission, brothers from another team will naturally take over for us."
After saying that, he turned to the subordinates behind him and said: "Everyone, please cheer up and don't shrink back. Officials come to see His Majesty every day on the Palace Avenue. Don't let anyone sneak in and disturb His Majesty's cultivation."
"Promise!" These soldiers were all enthusiastic young people. After hearing the words, they immediately agreed loudly, and the mist from their mouths kept spraying out, as if they were trying to expel all the cold air from their bodies.
When Zhang San and his party arrived at Lishan Palace Avenue, they saw rows of carriages and groups of soldiers appearing at the end of the road.
This group of people gradually gathered into a stream, swarming towards the Lishan Palace, and soon arrived in front of Zhang San and the others.
Looking at these soldiers wearing Zuowei uniforms, Zhang San was a little surprised.
But after all, the Zuo Wei Army belongs to the Tang Dynasty army, so I can only ask loudly: "May I ask which general is the leader of the Zuo Wei Army brothers, and why do you come to the Lishan Palace?"
As soon as he finished speaking, he saw the left guard soldiers separated to both sides, making way for a road that was more than ten feet wide.
I saw a general wearing bright armor and riding a tall horse who came forward and shouted loudly: "General Hou Junji of Zuowei has come to see Your Majesty. Please pass the message on your behalf."
Faced with Hou Junji's strong force, Zhang San had to quickly raise his hands and said: "My subordinate Zhang San has seen General Hou. General Li Junxian ordered that no one can enter the palace. Please wait a moment. I will go and ask General Li to come to you immediately."
Come."
Before he finished speaking, Li Junxian led a pair of men and horses at a gallop and said with a smile: "Li Junxian, the last general, has met General Hou. As the imperial guards who protect the palace, the Left Guards cannot easily leave the Chang'an City garrison.
, I wonder if the general and his troops are coming to the Lishan Palace to have an official?"
Li Junxian had a hidden knife in his words and questioned Hou Junji. The meaning was obvious.
Lishan Palace is dozens of kilometers away from Chang'an City. You, Hou Junji, came here with your troops. Do you want to rebel?
Having already found a reason, Hou Junji was unafraid and said: "General Li has never been so sharp-tongued. However, the duty of the Left Guards is to protect His Majesty's safety. Now His Majesty is staying at the Lishan Palace.
, I brought troops here to protect His Majesty’s safety, what’s wrong with that?”
Li Junxian waved his hand and refused: "Your Majesty has General Cheng's right guard and Baiqi to protect you. There will be no trouble in terms of safety. General, please go back and I won't worry about you."
Hou Junji did not retreat, and said with a sullen face: "General Li has no right to order this general, let alone the right to command the left guard army. Unless there is an order from your majesty, the Japanese general has the right to station here for protection today."
His Majesty?"
Hearing this, Li Junxian was embarrassed.
His Majesty Li Er's pretending to be ill should not be known to others, including Hou Junji of course.
Once Hou Junji is allowed to meet the emperor, he will definitely be discovered, and all the previous calculations will be in vain.