Lanzhou has come to memorialize. A military intelligence report written by Xiao Liang, a farewell officer from the Governor's Mansion, and a bloody letter written by Qin Mubai on his broken fingers.
Above the court, a pot finally exploded; in the streets and alleys of Chang'an, it was like a bomb was dropped into the quiet deep sea, and the people's voices boiled.
Since Emperor Wude came to the throne in this dynasty, such a tragedy has never happened - a country rebelled and killed a frontier official, not to mention that the one who was killed was the world-famous founding hero, Qin Shubao, the great war god!
Some people cry, some laugh, some are happy, some are worried, some wake up from their dreams as if given a wake-up call, and some are in panic all day long - all living beings look like faces.
In short, Chang'an will never be as silent and peaceful as before.
Facing the bustling ministers and the passionate people, Changsun Wuji cherished his words like gold and said nothing. It was even less likely that Chu Suiliang would make a decision before Changsun Wuji. The two chief ministers of the dynasty behaved like this. The prince of the prison, Jinzi Li Zhi, was already in a state of confusion, so naturally, he took Changsun Wuji and Chu Suiliang to the harem to invite the emperor Li Shimin.
A strange thing happened - the emperor, who was recuperating in the harem and never went out, unexpectedly disappeared. No one knew where he went. He didn't even take his cavalry guards with him, and disappeared into thin air alone.
Everyone knew that this was not Li Shimin's usual style; he was so uncharacteristic, so he must have taken important measures... Everyone looked around and found nothing, so they all speculated, where would the emperor be at such a juncture? Where can he go
…
Li Shimin had left the palace incognito more than once or twice, but this time, no one expected that he would leave the palace incognito, go to Zhongnan Mountain, and walk into an inconspicuous and even a little Taoist temple.
"I, am I really getting old and have become dull and ignorant? When it comes to military and state matters, I don't ask the ministers but the alchemists." Li Shimin held a cup of tea in his hand and mocked himself with a wry smile, "You two, are you willing to tell me today? Any advice?"
There were two people sitting on the left and right of Li Shimin. One was a middle-aged man wearing a snow-clad light robe and a high purple crown. His face was as bright as pearls and jade. The other old man was in a simple green shirt with gray hair and a childlike face with white hair tied in a wooden bun. He looked as if he was outside the country. Fairy.
The old Yuan Tiangang and the middle-aged Li Chunfeng!
"Senior Brother Yuan has been traveling around for a long time and has recently returned to Guanzhong. Since your Majesty knows the way of a wise king, he should discuss military and state affairs with all his ministers. Indeed, he should not come to ask us and others." Li Chunfeng said.
Yuan Tiangang's face was expressionless and his eyes were bright. He sat at the bottom of the table calmly and carefreely, stroking his white beard and saying nothing.
"Since I'm here, there's no reason to go back empty-handed." Li Shimin said, "You should treat me like a foolish king!"
"Whether His Majesty is a foolish king or a wise king is not up to you, and we and I can't say for sure." Yuan Tiangang, who had been silent for a long time, spoke. He spoke very slowly and in a low voice, but it was like having magic power that could penetrate the body and reach the organs. dirty. It seemed that as long as he spoke, no one would ignore his words.
"Mr. Yuan is a master of Taoism and has his own moral integrity. But this time, I have to break your rules." Li Shimin said, "Let's stop chatting. I really want to know how you and Li Chunfeng think about the recent stars and sky. How do you think about it? How is the Qi of the Tang Dynasty?"
Li Chunfeng and Yuan Tiangang looked at each other and sighed at the same time after a long silence.
"Why sigh?"
"Your Majesty, I will tell you the truth." Li Chunfeng, the Taishi Ling in charge of Si Tianjian, said, "As early as four or five years ago, that is, on a certain day in the winter of the tenth year of Zhenguan, a demon star broke through the sky and came to the world."
"Why don't you retaliate?" Li Shimin looked at Li Chunfeng coldly.
"The reason is very simple." Li Chunfeng said, "Weichen didn't discover it at the time. It was only by chance that he found out later."
"Who is the demon star?" Li Shimin asked straightforwardly.
Li Chunfeng lowered his eyebrows and did not look directly at Li Shimin, but his lips trembled unnaturally and he did not answer.
"Is he Qin Mubai?" Li Shimin asked and answered himself, his face already serious, and he said in a deep voice, "Is he a demon star that brings disaster to the country and the people? Is he a demon star that damages the spirit of our country, the Tang Dynasty?"
Li Chunfeng shook his head, cupped his hands and said, "Wei Chen, I don't know."
"I don't know?" Li Shimin frowned and showed his majesty, and said solemnly, "Are you afraid that revealing the secret of heaven will ruin your life or something? Have you forgotten that I am the emperor, and I can decide life or death in an instant?"
"Your Majesty, I forgive you. Wei Chen, I really didn't know." Li Chunfeng forced himself to hold his hands in a calm and humble manner, "Wei Chen practices with Senior Brother Yuan. Wei Chen is good at divination and numerology with Zi Wei, and can deduce fate. Tian Yan. But Wei Chen is not good at studying, and it is really unclear whether this demon star is bad or good for us in the Tang Dynasty. "
"Since it is a demon star, it was born to cause harm to the country and the people. What else can be said?" Li Shimin said, "In this case, I have issued an order to kill it to eliminate future troubles!"
"Your Majesty, wait!" Yuan Tiangang suddenly raised his hand and said in a loud voice.
"Mr. Yuan, what do you have to say?" Li Shimin put his hands on his lower abdomen and looked at him intently with squinted eyes.
"There is a saying in ancient times that good fortune lies behind misfortunes, and misfortunes lie behind blessings." Yuan Tiangang said, "Your Majesty, I have never met Qin Mubai, and I have no chance to meet him. However, I have given him a chance. The people around him have met each other and criticized each other."
"Tell me and listen." Li Shimin said, "Mr. Yuan's fortune-telling and calligraphy are as accurate as those of gods. There should be no mistakes."
"The first time in Pindao's life that his face was misaligned, it was for Qin Mubai's father, Duke Yi Guo Qin Shubao." Yuan Tiangang said, "A few years ago, Pindao had already calculated that Duke Yi Guo would not live to be fifty, oil. Jin Deng's limbs were withered and he died in his hometown after vomiting blood for three battles. However, Duke Yi lived to the age of fifty-five and died in Gaochang, sacrificing his life for his country."
"What does this mean?" Li Shimin asked.
"Your Majesty, don't be impatient. Please listen to Pindao's words again." Yuan Tiangang said, "Thirteen years ago, Pindao gave a face to a child to tell his fate. He has a dragon-shaped face, a phoenix-like face, and great talents. If he were born as a daughter, She must be replaced by Li Tang Jiangshan. Unfortunately, she is a boy."
"Female? Replace me with Li Tang Jiangshan?" Li Shimin couldn't help but smile, "Mr. Yuan, your joke is too much."
"Your Majesty can naturally regard this as a joke, because it will never come true again." Yuan Tiangang took a sip of tea and said calmly, "This is the most inaccurate prediction that I have ever made in my life."
"How do you say that?" Li Shimin asked doubtfully.
"Pindao once calculated that if she were a woman, she would be selected into the harem to serve as His Majesty's minister, serve two generations of Tang emperors and eventually be replaced by Hen Si Chen, and kill most of His Majesty's sons and grandsons." Yuan Tiangang said, "Moreover, this is the number of days. There is no way to avoid it. Even if your Majesty kills him, he will still persevere and replace him with Li Tang, maybe thirty or fifty years later, that's all. This is the destiny of the stars, it is irreversible!”
"Then Mr. Yuan is contradicting himself?" Li Shimin said, "You just made it clear that this can no longer be fulfilled."
"It's not contradictory at all." Yuan Tiangang raised his eyebrows and said in a deep voice, "Actually, I made a mistake back then. That beautiful child was actually a girl disguised as a man! That is, She said that the Li family’s empire would inevitably fall into her hands, and that her majesty’s sons and grandsons would also suffer countless deaths in her hands!”
"I'm confused. What exactly do you want to say?" Li Shimin frowned, slightly sullen.
"What Pindao wants to say is that a few years ago, His Majesty did want to recruit this girl into the harem. As a result, he was not able to get his wish. It is precisely because of this that the Tang Dynasty lost a period of time when the country changed hands and Shenzhou Gengding was replaced. Fate has also prevented a catastrophe for your Majesty's dragon sons and grandsons," Yuan Tiangang said.
Li Shimin was suddenly startled, and couldn't help but widen his eyes: "You mean... Wu Zhao!?"
"yes."
Li Shimin suddenly looked suspicious and frowned: "According to what Mr. Yuan means, is it Qin Mubai, the demon star, who has resolved this disaster for my Li family?"
"That's what I mean." Yuan Tiangang looked directly into Li Shimin's eyes without hesitation and said, "Your Majesty, arsenic is highly poisonous and can still cure diseases; poisonous wine is fragrant and rotten people's liver and intestines. It's just like the spring wind. Junior Brother said, it is hard to say whether this demon star is a blessing or a curse. It is like a sharp blade. Those who do evil use it to do evil, and those who do good use it to reward good and punish evil. "
"You've been talking for a long time, but you haven't said anything at all!" Li Shimin snorted and said displeased.
"God's will is unpredictable, and I really can't say for sure." Li Chunfeng took the words and said, "Your Majesty, there is no need to hesitate, let alone listen to the words of our alchemists and ignore state affairs."
"I'm not that stupid yet." Li Shimin sighed heavily and said, "Actually, I just came out of the palace to relax. Although the palace is big, after the Queen's death, there is no one who knows me personally. The gap between the civil and military officials of the Manchu Dynasty and me is getting deeper and deeper, and I cannot hear the truth. I am also confused and helpless, so I want to ask Tianmai Gua to know what is going on in the world of the Tang Dynasty. In the past few years, there have been many disasters and wars, and the whole country has been in chaos. Is it really time for me to step down and give way to someone worthy of my throne?”
"Your Majesty is young and ambitious, and his ability in governing the country is praised by all the people. Why belittle yourself?" Yuan Tiangang said, "Since ancient times, the laws of nature have been cyclical and yin and yang complement each other. In this Huanghuang world, everything has gone from great chaos to great governance, and from great governance to great chaos." The Tang Dynasty, which had been in peace for more than ten years, suddenly became unrest, and it was inevitable to waste people's money and blood and kill. However, such chaos is not necessarily a bad thing if the world of Kyushu is compared to a person. Lesions accumulate. When the lesions accumulate to a certain extent, they will break out, and they will fall ill... If there are too many lesions accumulated for a long time without getting sick, once they break out, they may become incurable, severe or terminal diseases. The power of the Tang Dynasty is still strong, and His Majesty is still young and in power. Why not take advantage of this opportunity to treat the disease? Do we have to wait until a hundred years later, when the disease of the Tang Dynasty reaches its bones? "
Li Shimin's eyebrows sank, his eyes narrowed slightly, and he fell into deep thought.
After a long time, he said: "Mr. Yuan, according to your words, is it Qin Mubai, the demon star, who triggered the disease hidden in my body in the Tang Empire in advance?"
"Isn't that true?" Yuan Tiangang said, "From the perspective of the eyes, he stirred up trouble and provoked war, plunged the world into chaos, and caused the soldiers and civilians to suffer from the flames of war. He is indeed a heinous demon star in troubled times; but in the long run, he is now These wars provoked by the Tang Dynasty will be faced sooner or later; at this time, the Tang Dynasty's national power is still strong, and His Majesty the Mingjun is in charge of the world - just imagine what will happen if these wars happen a hundred years later, when the Tang Dynasty's national power is declining. ?”
Li Shimin's expression did not change, but the lintel tip trembled unconsciously.
"Your Majesty, in recent years the Emperor's Star has become clear and the Demon Star has penetrated the rainbow, but the Emperor's Star has not declined at all because of this." Li Chunfeng continued, "This is only because His Majesty, the Crown Prince of the Tang Dynasty, was uneasy because of the difficulty of establishing himself; and even though the Demon Star is there, At this time, the turmoil in the star palace is confusing, but sooner or later it will definitely benefit the emperor star, like a assistant or a bi!"
"Have you discussed it? What benefits has Qin Mubai given you?" Li Shimin looked at the two of them with blazing eyes and said, "You often say the words 'the secrets of heaven must not be leaked'. Today, Why did you say so much to me?"
Li Chunfeng smiled bitterly, cupped his hands and said, "Isn't it because His Majesty is the True Dragon Emperor and has the power to kill and seize anyone? Weichen and Senior Brother Yuan are just Fangye Warlocks who make a living by opening their mouths. They are not what the common people exaggerate and spread by word of mouth. Half-immortals, therefore, we are also afraid of death!”
"Haha!" Li Shimin finally laughed, "That's right! After listening to the weirdness for a long time, I finally heard the truth! I don't care what you said or whether you revealed any secrets. I don't care. Today, I just came out to relax. Well, it’s time for me to return to the palace. My precious prince must have lost his mind. If I don’t return to the palace to take charge of the situation, everything will be really messed up!”
"Best farewell to Your Majesty!" The two stood up to see each other off.
Li Shimin walked to the door, turned around suddenly, looked at Yuan Tiangang with frowning eyebrows, and said, "Mr. Yuan, why don't you meet me too? Just ask, how many years can I live?"
"Your Majesty is the Son of Heaven, not a mortal, and a poor Taoist can't stand His Majesty's face." Yuan Tiangang was calm.
"Oh -" Li Shimin looked at Yuan Tiangang, laughed dumbly, shook his head and sighed, "Mr. Yuan often thinks of himself as a foreign expert, but it seems that he is just a charlatan sorcerer."
Yuan Tiangang smiled slightly, bent down and prayed: "Your Majesty, there is no need to provoke me, I have already said everything I need to say."
"Well... I also know that you always only talk about trivial things and never reveal the secrets seriously. For example, you just hide things like "*" from me and refuse to report them." Li Shimin glanced at the two of them sharply. , without further words, he waved his sleeves and walked away.
Li Chunfeng and Yuan Tiangang immediately looked at each other, each broke out in a cold sweat, and it took a long time to recover.
"Junior brother, Brother Yu is leaving again. The emperor's star is dim and difficult to determine, the fate of the country is unpredictable; the alien stars are like monsters and gods, and the Chinese energy is mysterious... Neither you nor I have understood the mystery! However, it seems that Your Majesty We are quite dissatisfied with you!" Yuan Tiangang said.
"Foolish brother is helpless! ... That's all, senior brother, let's leave Guanzhong first! - Where do you plan to travel, senior brother?"
“…Lanzhou!”
Riding in blue clothes under the thin clouds, Li Shimin ran down Zhongnan Mountain and walked more than half a circle around Chang'an City. When Chang'an was about to close its gate, he quietly entered the city through the sparsely populated Yanping Gate. Then he led the horse alone and walked along the aisle in the inner house. The horse's hooves were pounding, and his mood changed.
Duke Yi's Mansion has arrived. From a distance, you can see a twelve-sided square-shaped halberd standing at the Xun Gate.
There are only a few doors and no one is around. The door was half closed and half closed, and there was silence inside.
"Squeak", Li Shimen pushed the door open and entered. A little bit of green brick dust fell from the top of the eaves and fell on his black gauze head.
"Shu Bao's house is such a grand courtyard of the founding hero, but it doesn't even have glazed tiles?" Li Shimin couldn't help but stop and look around. The surroundings were still the same as when he came a few years ago, and there was no change at all. There is no balcony or waterside pavilion. It is simple and simple, but what is ready to express is the unique force and vigor of a military family.
Li Shimin couldn't help but feel sad.
"Uncle Bao, you have followed me for more than twenty years. You have fought in battles through life and death. You have made great military exploits and saved me from danger several times..." Li Shimin groaned in a low voice, his voice slightly choked, "I'm sorry for you... you are old." You are so sick, and yet I asked you to sacrifice your life and sacrifice your life in an expedition, and you ended up dying on the battlefield without returning your body... I am so unbearable!"
At this moment, a servant ran quickly from the back room of the inner house, wiping his tears as he ran. At first glance, he didn't recognize Li Shimin. But it seems that because of his extraordinary popularity, he knows that he is no ordinary person, so he cautiously said: "Where did you come from? What do you do with your honour?"
"Condolences to Duke Yi." Li Shimin said with a smile and handed the horse's rein to the servant.
The palace servant hesitantly took the reins of the horse and couldn't help but ask: "May I ask your surname and name? I can also report back to the palace to welcome the hospitality. The master of the family died in a foreign land and his body has not returned, so he only established a robe and a spiritual throne. , Therefore... I did not notify my relatives and friends to come to express my condolences, and there was no hospitality at home. If there is anything wrong, please respect Haihan."
"To report back to the master, just say that... he is an old friend of Shu Bao. He came here to express his condolences. No need to entertain him." Li Shimin said.
"In that case... I'll invite you, your honor..."
Following the government servant, Li Shimin walked towards the main hall of the residence.
In the mansion, there was indeed no mourning ceremony, but a mourning hall was set up in the middle room. The spiritual hub was dark, bitter, plain and white. On the first spiritual tablet, Qin Shubao's spiritual plaque was placed, and there were incense niches and candles.
When Li Shimin just walked to the door, the Qin family, who were huddled in the hall and were sobbing, were all shocked.
"His Majesty!"
The two legitimate sons of the Qin family, Qin Tong and Qin Bin, who were wearing sackcloth and wearing filial piety, knelt down in a hurry to welcome him. The heartbroken Qin mothers Liu and Shuang'er also struggled to get up and prepared to kowtow.
Unexpectedly, Li Shimin was one step ahead of them, and knelt down in front of Qin Shubao's spiritual hub with a plop, and hissed: "Shubao! Go slowly! - Shimin, I'm sending you here!"
"Bah, bah, bah", three loud noises!
"Your Majesty, you must not sacrifice your husband or your wife. This is absolutely impossible!" The whole Qin family was frightened and hurriedly came to help him.
"Don't help me!" Li Shimin shouted loudly, "This is not a court, and I am not a king today! I am just here to express my condolences to my good brother who has been through life and death, a good brother who makes me regret that I will never pay for it in my life!"
"Bah, bah, bah" were three loud noises again.
The Qin family burst into tears and bowed their heads.
Li Shimin lay on the ground and didn't get up for a while. Naturally, the Qin family did not dare to get up.
"Uncle Bao, Uncle Bao... The twelve halberds of the Xunmen and the eighteen victories in the desert are your contribution, and the Tang Dynasty owes you; the rich family has no colorful tiles, but the family has heroes and martyrs. This is what you repay to me. I also owe you..." Li Shimin fell on the ground and groaned, his voice trembling - "What will you give me in this life?"
"What can I give in return!!!"
Almost roaring!
.
[The next chapter will be updated and will be available before about one o'clock in the morning. ]