A strange atmosphere filled the air above the crowd at the entrance of the courtyard. Bai Chun's beautiful face was full of worry. She looked at Li Hong several times but hesitated, wanting to say something but not daring to say it.
Li Hong didn't bother to pay attention to their expressions. Needless to say, he knew that suddenly calling him back to the palace made them wonder if there had been some big change in the palace, and whether there would be any danger if he went back in such a hurry.
Just when everyone was getting ready to set off, Bai Chun suddenly appeared in front of Li Hong. He looked around and saw that there was no one around. There were only a few palace maids and Hua Meng and the others. He did not dare to look at Li Hong and looked down on himself. He bowed his head and said in a low voice: "Sir, if you only have the personal guard to accompany you back, you may lose the etiquette. Take the helpless left guard with you back to the palace. Your guard of honor cannot be missing."
Li Hong looked at her strangely, reached out and caressed Bai Chun's beautiful cheek, making Bai Chun look up at him, and said slowly: "Bringing more people back will only make people feel that there is something wrong with me." , tell me what information Jingwei received."
Judging from Bai Chun's appearance, she knew that there must be some information that made her feel that it was unsafe for her to return to the palace like this.
Bai Chun showed a bitter smile and said with some difficulty: "The queen also summoned Pei Wang Li Xian and Ying Wang Li Zhe to enter the palace. I'm afraid they are already in the palace now."
Li Hong smiled, patted her shoulder, and suddenly put his cheek to Bai Chun's ear. The two of them were cheek to cheek, making Bai Chun shy for a while. He only heard the gentle voice in his ear: "You guys are so beautiful." Wei's skills have declined, or do you still want to hide something from me? Isn't there anyone above the court?"
Bai Chun frowned again, and suddenly ignored the gazes of Xia Zhi and the guards, he hugged Li Hong's neck and murmured: "Bai Chun originally didn't plan to tell me, for fear that I would be upset. Your Majesty is in the court today. I fainted because I was discussing with the ministers whether to grant you the title of Minister of the Province."
Li Hong pushed Bai Chun away from his arms, patted her cheek again, and said, "Don't worry, some things are not as bad as you think. Summarize all the information you have, and you will be able to find out what you have in mind to overturn what you have in mind." You are not good at this point. After all the information is gathered, you cannot quickly sort out all the clear context. You cannot sew up complete clues by making connections here and there. You have to look forward. I have taught you. How many times."
Bai Chun was startled and looked at Li Hong in surprise. Li Hong smiled, suddenly picked up Bai Chun from the waist, put Bai Chun on the back of his war horse, and then rode on again: " Discuss while walking.”
Under the protection of the personal guards, Bai Qi was thrown to a woman again by Li Hong. This time it was not An Xiaohe, but Pei Wanying.
Now he is no longer as afraid of Bai Qi as when they first met, and occasionally touches Bai Qi's huge head, but Sun Simiao doesn't like Bai Qi very much, and Bai Qi doesn't like him either. In Li Hong's eyes, Sun Simiao sees it Bai Qi's eyes made Bai Qi angry. He always felt that Sun Simiao wanted to dissect Bai Qi and study the surgical operation Li Hong mentioned.
Li Hong knew what Bai Chun was worried about, and he also understood why Bai Chun didn't tell him about the disputes in the court. He was just afraid that if he knew about it, he would speed up his coveting of the post of Shangshu Ling, and if he really messed up The position will only allow people in the dark to succeed. This is what Bai Chun is really worried about.
And there is another important reason, that is, I don't know if it is a woman's natural sensitivity or the sixth sense. Although Bai Chun and Wu Mei get along well, Bai Chun is very guarded against Wu Mei.
This time, Wu Mei urgently summoned Li Hong back to the palace, including recalling Li Xian and Li Zhe, which made Bai Chun feel that the matter was not as simple as it seemed. It was the undercurrent surging under the calm that made Bai Chun worried. for the sake of.
What's more, his coveting of Shangshu Ling is now known to everyone in Sima Zhao's mind. No matter whether this rumor is just speculation from the court, or whether he ordered Bai Chun to let Jingwei take the initiative to release the rumor.
Now, in Bai Chun's view, the position of Shangshu Ling has become a double-edged sword for him, with both pros and cons.
Just as Li Zhong and Helan Minyue said at the beginning, if they want to inherit the throne from the position of prince, the price they have to pay and the road they have to take will be much more difficult than that of their father.
Along the way, Bai Chun stayed in Li Hong's arms obediently, listening to Li Hong's analysis of this return to the palace and his requirements for Jingwei. But what puzzled Bai Chun was that Li Hong actually asked Jingwei to come from Lingnan East Road. The five Lingnan governorates, that is, the five governor's offices, Guangzhou, Guizhou, Rongzhou, Yongzhou and Annan are looking for a few cooks, or they can find them from Chang'an and Luoyang. They must be cooks under the jurisdiction of these five governor's offices. Just fine.
Bai Chun could only nod silently, and immediately arrange for Jingwei to take care of the matter when she returned. As for what the prince, who was always very particular about food, wanted to do with the Lingnan cook, she didn't ask much and just fulfilled her duties.
It was much faster than when going to Lantian, and there was no carriage to slow down the speed. Li Hong and his party arrived at the gate of Chang'an City when the sky was getting dark and the city gate was already closed.
"Sooner or later I will tear down this city gate!" Someone was so angry that he was not allowed to enter!
The dignified Yin of the Jingzhao Prefecture, the Minister of the Ministry of Revenue, the Protector-General of the Anxi Protectorate, and His Royal Highness the Crown Prince of the Tang Dynasty were unexpectedly turned away by the city's military guards. The fish charms and tokens were all taken away for inspection.
Li Hong raised his neck and looked at the tower and almost cursed. The girls Bai Chun and Xia Zhi beside him couldn't hold him back. Hua Meng and others guarded Li Hong, looking at the tower with vigilant eyes. They knew that the powerful crossbows on the tower must be pointed at them at this moment.
"No one is on duty. Come down if you can!" Li Hong cursed at the silent tower.
The generals in charge of the troops above also knew that this was His Highness the Crown Prince, but without orders from above, they did not dare to open the city gate, otherwise they would definitely be the unlucky ones.
All I could do was wipe the sweat away while urging the soldiers next to me to hurry up and urge the adults who were inspecting the fish charms and tokens.
Just when someone couldn't wait any longer and was about to break down the door, the gate of Chang'an City slowly opened, and a middle-aged man wearing Mingguang armor walked out quickly: "General Cui Zhibian, the last general on the right guard Yulin "His Royal Highness."
"Is there anything else that needs to be checked?" Although Li Hong was angry, he still had to abide by the changed rules after the curfew.
Moreover, looking at the heavily armed armored soldiers behind Cui Zhibian, the city guards tonight are obviously much stricter than usual. In the past, I could take Xiaoxue and the others out of the city at will, and there were also some officials who used their connections to help. Others open the door of convenience.
But today's city defense was obviously different from usual. Arrows flashed with cold light on the city towers, and at the city gate were soldiers and generals with solemn expressions as if they were facing a powerful enemy. Li Hong also had some doubts in his heart unconsciously.
The four maids, Xia Zhi and Xiaoxue, vaguely protected Li Hong and Bai Chun inside. The eunuchs Hua Meng also had cold eyes flashing, with one hand on their waist, looking at Cui Zhibian warily.
Yu Tuqi led two hundred personal guards, with piercing eyes and hands on their weapons. If there was any slight movement, they would rush forward without hesitation and stand in front of His Royal Highness to protect his safety.
"Your Highness, please." Cui Zhibian looked at Li Hong, respectfully returned the fish charm and token to Xiaoxue next to him, and said sideways.
Li Hong nodded slightly. Cui Zhibian was also a famous military general in history. I had never heard of him rebelling or anything like that. Now that the city gate is heavily guarded, it obviously has nothing to do with him.
The Guards once again escorted Li Hong to the East Palace. Cui Zhibian even planned to send troops to escort him, but Li Hong refused.
The cavalry of more than 200 people walked on the dark and quiet streets of Chang'an City. Except for the occasional watchman and patrolling city guards, the deserted streets and the hustle and bustle of the day were like two separate places. world.
Just after Li Hong and the others left, a small gap in the second-floor window of a house at the city gate slowly closed. Everything that happened to His Royal Highness just now was seen by him and remembered in his heart.
Slowly pass by the Zhuque Gate that enters the imperial city from Zhuque Street. Turn right and not far away is his East Palace. Opposite the Zhuque Gate is naturally the Tai Chi Palace that he has demolished to nothing.
Just as the cavalry stopped at Jiafu's entrance to the East Palace, Li Hong said calmly: "Everyone will go back to the East Palace. Bai Chun will follow me into the palace to pay homage to the emperor and the queen."
Xiaoxue, Hua Meng and others were all stunned, with unclear expressions. They all wanted to speak, but were intimidated by the faint power of His Highness the Crown Prince and did not dare to speak easily.
Although it was not the middle of the night, the Imperial City and Taiji Palace, including the Daming Palace behind them, were also brightly lit. However, as soon as they came back and entered the Daming Palace without waiting for a summons, would there be any changes at this sensitive moment
Bai Chun's delicate body trembled slightly, but looking at Li Hong who looked as calm as usual, he still felt relieved for no reason, thinking that His Highness the Crown Prince would not make fun of his own life.
Dang, dang, dang... A loudspeaker sounded in the distance, and Xiaoxue whispered with a pun: "It's the time of the year, it's so late, I really don't think so."
Li Hong walked up to her easily, stretched out his hand and gently pinched Xiaoxue's white cheek, and said disdainfully: "Don't think I don't know what you are thinking. Go back quickly and you will sleep with me tonight."
"Ah? Yes, I obey." Xiaoxue is the shyest among the women. She was startled when she heard Li Hong's words, but looking at the prince's relaxed expression, although her face turned red to the root of her neck, Still nodded quietly.
Yu Tuqi's duty was to protect the safety of His Highness the Crown Prince. After Bai Chun and Li Hong left, Yu Tuqi immediately strengthened the defense of the East Palace, and he placed powerful crossbows in every corner.
(End of chapter)