On the Chengtian Gate, Li Chengqian and Li Jing stood side by side, looking at the ruins of the imperial city in the wind and snow, with smoke and chaos everywhere, and both of them felt heavy in their hearts.
Li Chengqian thought that maybe the entire Tai Chi Palace would be destroyed by this war, and his heart became heavy and breathless...
This is Tai Chi Palace!
Even if Li Jing was willing to die to offset the guilt of damaging the palace, how could Li Chengqian let him do so? Ever since he was appointed as the crown prince by his father, Jin Dian, he had been confused and unmotivated for many years. Not only had he never thought about how to be a prince, he even gave up on himself for a while.
Now that he was on the verge of despair, he seemed to suddenly have an enlightenment. He felt that even if he died, he must have the responsibility of an imperial prince, and he must bravely shoulder the responsibilities that should be borne. How could he just casually push it to his subordinates, and end up with himself? Quiet, looking flawless and innocent?
Both of them were wearing ordinary clothes to avoid being discovered by the enemy troops below the city and firing cold arrows. Although ordinary arrows could not shoot that far and do so much damage, if the rebels got a crossbow and hid it in the army, Killing the two core figures in the East Palace in one fell swoop...
That would be a big joke.
Snowflakes were falling from the sky. Li Chengqian turned slightly and raised his hand to wipe away the fallen snow on Li Jing's shoulder. He said warmly: "In recent years, Gu, the prince, has been extremely derelict in his duties. He has been ignorant and has no desire to make progress. He has made the world laugh and dissatisfied. My father also feels lonely. It is difficult to create a great weapon, so from time to time there is a desire to easily store it. This is also the excuse for Guanlong's rebellion. However, no matter how unbearable it is, Gu is still the prince of the empire, under one person and above tens of thousands of people. I have my own dignity and pride!"
Li Jing was startled by the prince's actions. He felt warm in his heart, but also fearful. He quickly bowed sideways and said: "Your Highness may have many shortcomings, but in the eyes of our ministers, there is one thing that is rare among emperors throughout the ages. , that is the character of benevolence and generosity. At the end of the Sui Dynasty, the world was in chaos, with only one out of ten people left, all industries withered, and all lives lost. The land of China was in a bleak state. Since the founding of the Tang Dynasty, the monarchs and ministers have worked hard to govern and build their homes on the ruins until this Zhenguan era. Once upon a time, the prosperous age began to appear. The world no longer needs a majestic emperor, which will only endlessly consume the energy that has been accumulated with great difficulty. What is needed is step-by-step and steady development. Twenty years later, the glorious prosperous age will shock the world. From ancient times to the present, the people of the world live and work in peace and contentment, with support for the elderly and support for the young. The sick have their own doctors, and those who cultivate their fields have their fields. In the past three generations, has there ever been such prosperity? Therefore, I am willing to work hard and devote myself wholeheartedly for Your Highness. On the one hand, it is the duty of loyal ministers, and on the other hand, it is also for the common people in the world to have a monarch who believes in love and forgiveness... Your Highness, the veteran, all the soldiers of the Sixth Army of the East Palace, and even all the people in the world who support His Highness are willing to go through fire and water. Don't turn your heels!"
Only those who have experienced the tyranny of Emperor Yang of the Sui Dynasty can appreciate the rarity of a loving and forgiving monarch, and how happy it is to live under the rule of such a monarch. It is true that Emperor Yang of the Sui Dynasty's various achievements are astonishing in the past and today. There are few emperors in the past and present who can compare with him, and there are even fewer who can win over him.
However, for the people all over the world, they don't care whether the Grand Canal connects the north and the south, nor do they care whether the candidates are selected from a wealthy family or through the imperial examination. They only care about whether they can live a stable life. Even if they are poorer, they can still rely on hard work. Work to earn money and food, have enough food and clothing, live and work in peace and contentment...
Since the Zhenguan period, the world has been stable, the monarchs and ministers have worked hard to govern, and the warehouses have sufficient money and silk. It has begun to show its prosperity. At this time, the emperor's successor is particularly important. If Han Wu and his ilk had a cosmopolitan mind, they would naturally rely on their sufficient family resources to launch military campaigns and conquer all directions, and finally complete the glorious achievements of the ages, but drag the country into a mess.
Although the prince has no grand ambitions and is no longer as wise and courageous as His Majesty Li Er, but he has self-awareness and is a successful king.
This is really the best thing for the people of the world...
Li Chengqian was touched in his heart. He was self-aware and knew that the reason why these ministers supported him without hesitation and remained steadfast even when his father showed his desire to save people several times was not because of his ability to make people worship him. Personal charisma, let alone a natural leader, is enough to intimidate all parties. It is just because everyone is optimistic about his "cowardly" character, his ability to accept advice humbly, and his ability to govern gently.
My father's mind is as big as the sea, and he can accommodate hundreds of rivers. The ministers are already used to his father's tolerance and accepting advice, so how can they be willing to choose a capable and violent monarch?
He had mixed feelings in his heart, and he didn't know whether he should be disappointed by the "contempt" and "contempt" of his officials, or whether he should be grateful that he did not have such a strong character...
Li Chengqian tightened his cloak tightly and said with a smile: "Gu's character has always been gentle, and his ears are even softer. Normally, if a minister like Wei Gong gives advice, he will listen to it. But this time, Gu plans to be tougher, It is not that he is unwilling to accept advice humbly, but that as a prince, he should have the responsibility and persistence of a prince. My father has a mind as big as the sea and a spirit as strong as a mountain. He is a hero of the world and a hero of the ages. As a son of a man, even if he does not dare to imitate , but you can’t lose the reputation of your father and let the world say words like a tiger father and a dog son, right? This time, I will stick to the Tai Chi Palace and would rather die than retreat!”
Li Jing looked at Li Chengqian's bright and peaceful eyes, and was shocked in his heart. He suddenly laughed, straightened his clothes, knelt down on one knee to perform military salutes, and said loudly: "Your Highness, please allow me to serve you. I am willing to devote my whole life to Your Highness, and I will never give up." !”
It is enough to have a confidant in life.
He was extremely talented but wasted half his life. It is rare for a prince like Li Chengqian to treat him as a national scholar, so he is naturally willing to fight to the death!
Is it possible that Li Chengqian was allowed to stay in Taiji Palace and be destroyed by the enemy, while he led his troops to withdraw from Xuanwumen, and since then he has been wandering around like a lonely ghost, enduring the pursuit and siege of Guanlong's army, panicking like a lost dog?
It is absolutely impossible to do such shameful things.
Although his official career was wasted in his life, he has been highly praised and has an unparalleled reputation among the government and the public. How could he be greedy for life and afraid of death and destroy his reputation in his old age?
He shouted all his life, sincerely.
All the soldiers on the top of the city were infected by his momentum, and they knelt down on one knee one after another. "Hula!" A large number of them knelt down, and they all shouted in unison: "I am willing to devote myself to His Highness until I die!"
"Don't turn your heels!"
The huge shouts swayed with the wind and snow on the Chengtian Gate Tower, and spread far away. The soldiers in Taiji Palace heard it clearly, and their blood surged up, and they shouted in harmony!
"Don't turn your heels!"
Suddenly, Donggong Liusui, who had suffered heavy casualties and was extremely exhausted, regained his energy, and his morale rose sharply!
"call out!"
There was a loud sound that broke through the air, followed by a "snatch" sound, and an arrow as thick as an ox's tail suddenly penetrated the wind and snow, flashed a black light in front of Li Chengqian, and then was nailed to the doorpost of the city gate tower. Above, the arrow cluster penetrated deeply into the doorpost, and the arrow tail decorated with white feathers trembled endlessly, making a "buzzing" sound.
The thick arrow shot right in front of his eyes. Li Chengqian only had time to widen his eyes, his heart was suddenly shocked, and he was stunned...
"Escort!"
"Protect the prince!"
Li Jing's expression also changed drastically, he jumped up from the ground, grabbed Li Chengqian's clothes and carried him back to the city gate tower...
It must have been the loud shouts from the top of the city that alerted the rebels below. Then they found someone standing in front of the city gate tower. It happened that the range of the bed crossbow was within reach, so they fired the arrow. Fortunately, although the bed crossbow was extremely lethal, its accuracy was poor, so it failed to hit the target due to errors, otherwise Li Jing would have regretted his death.
It was the military salute he performed in a moment of excitement that caused the soldiers on the left and right to follow suit, which almost led to a big mistake...
Li Chengqian's face turned pale and his hands trembled slightly. His heroic words just now were indeed touching, but after all, he had been pampered since he was a child, so how had he ever encountered such danger? Just thinking about that crossbow arrow as thick as an ox's tail shot past in front of him, almost smashing his head into pieces, makes his heart palpitate.
At the bottom of the city, an arrow shot onto the city wall inspired the morale of the rebels. They immediately launched a fierce attack under the command of the general. Countless rebels rushed towards the Taiji Palace, Chengtian, Guangyun, Yong'an, Changle, Yongchun and other city gates. Bearing the brunt of the attack, the rebels rushed to the city, setting up ladders and releasing crossbows. They even placed trebuchets in the rear to continuously fire stone bullets into the city.
Fortunately, the Guanlong army did not seize the gunpowder, firearms, various artillery shells, and incendiary bombs in the Foundry Bureau. Otherwise, if they were to attack the city at this moment, how could the Sixth Army of the East Palace resist?
Arrows were like locusts on the top of the city for a while, and the rebels below the city launched an offensive like a tide. The offensive and defensive battles became intense in an instant. Li Jing was afraid that the prince would make a mistake here, so he advised: "Your Highness, please return to Liangyi Palace to take charge. Just let the veteran take command."
Li Chengqian was still frightened by the arrow just now, and he also knew that this was not the time for him to show off his strength. He nodded heavily, obeyed the advice, and turned around under the guard of the imperial guards, wanting to go down from the city and return to the palace.
At this time, I saw Li Junxian and others running from the palace. He didn't stop when he got close, and ran up the stone steps connecting the towers under the city. When he came to Li Chengqian, he took a deep breath, with a face full of surprise. Ruo Kuang: "Your Highness, according to the battle report outside Xuanwu Gate, the Duke of Yue has led his troops back from the Western Regions, raiding thousands of miles to return to Chang'an!"
Above the city, there was silence for a moment, except for the arrows shot from below the city, like locusts.
(End of chapter)
