Li Ji didn't say a word, kept his feet, and nodded slightly to the guards standing at the entrance of the tent. A guard near the door turned sideways and opened the curtain of the tent door.
Li Ji entered first.
Fang Jun walked to the door and looked around. He saw that these people were all the emperor's personal guards who guarded the Taiji Palace in the past. They were all descendants of the emperor's relatives. Many of them even knew each other and could even exchange a few words with each other. However, At this moment, these guards were not squinting, and they regarded Fang Jun as if he were nothing.
These are the true confidants of the emperor, and they can sacrifice their lives for the emperor anytime and anywhere. Whenever His Majesty Li Er leaves the palace, they will never leave the palace, even if His Majesty Li Er goes to war personally, he will take them with him. These people are guarding here at this moment, which seems to have explained the importance of this tent...
Fang Jun took a deep breath and walked into the tent.
The door curtain was lowered behind him, causing the light in the tent to dim instantly, but this was enough to make Fang Jun look down upon the furnishings in the tent.
In the deserted tent, there was only a huge coffin placed in it. The fresh wood exuded a unique aroma, and the clear wood texture could be seen on the unpainted coffin. In the empty tent, it was very strange. People feel as heavy as Mount Tai.
Although Li Ji had already reported the news of His Majesty's death to the Prince of the East Palace, at this moment, he still felt as if a piece of the situation was weighing on his heart, making him breathless and his heart twitching.
Perhaps His Majesty Li Er was not the best emperor. He killed his brothers, forced his father to abdicate, and was even a little willful. His advantages were as clear as his shortcomings. But in the years since he came to the Tang Dynasty, His Majesty Li Er has always treated him with great favor and trust, which can even be described as indulgent. Although he beat and scolded him from time to time, he never really disliked him and would always condone his deviance in the end. way of doing things.
Having a broad mind and accepting advice with an open mind are noble qualities that many wise kings and saints have never really possessed.
However, now, the hero who held the sun and moon in his hand and founded the dynasty, who is destined to leave a mark in history and be admired by countless descendants, has left his magnificent and solemn palace and can only join this world. In the coffin.
Even though he heard the accurate news from the prince, he always had a kind of suspicion or extravagant hope - thinking that this was just a drama written and directed by His Majesty Li Er in order to achieve the richness that he wanted to accomplish. Great achievements.
After all, in the past, although the emperor may have been injured or sick during the Eastern Expedition to Goguryeo, he still returned to Chang'an City alive and well, and continued to lead this huge empire to prosperity step by step, laying the foundation for an empire that has been second to none from ancient times to the present. Glory and prosperity.
But now, facing this huge coffin, all doubts and extravagant hopes are shattered...
Seeing Fang Jun first in a daze, then a look of pain and sorrow appeared on his face, until he slowly knelt in front of the coffin, tears falling silently one after another, Li Ji did not persuade him, but just said lightly: "In my heart If you have anything to say, there’s no harm in telling His Majesty.”
Then, he turned around with his hands behind his back and walked out of the tent.
The moment the door curtain was opened, the cold wind rushed in, blowing up the ashes of the burned yellow paper in the pottery pot on one side of the coffin, and scattered ash flakes spiraled up, flying in the air, like autumn leaves...
Life and death, success or failure, just a dream in the dust
*****
Li Ji did not return to the main tent of the Chinese army, but stood in the "passage" between the two tents with his hands behind his hands. He let the cold wind pass through the gap and lifted up his clothes to make a sound, but he did not feel the cold at all.
Because his heart is on fire.
He clearly knew that what he was doing now would bring about earth-shaking changes to the empire, and would eliminate all the shortcomings in the court since the Han Dynasty in one fell swoop, making the imperial power reach an unparalleled level of concentration, and truly command the center and the world. Jing Cong, rather than the government orders not leaving the capital, the world belongs to the imperial court in name, but in fact it is all under the control of the famous families.
Not only is his military ability unmatched by anyone in the world, but his political talent is also at its peak. He deeply understands that the existence of aristocratic families may seem to consolidate the foundation of the world, but in fact the interests of the families must override the interests of the empire. As long as the families exist, the empire will There is always a risk of falling apart.
The calamity of clan influence goes deep into the foundation and cannot be reconciled.
…
There was a sound of footsteps behind him. Li Ji turned around and saw Fang Jun, who looked slightly excited. He smiled silently, reached out and patted Fang Jun on the shoulder, and said warmly: "Things here are beyond your control. It's better to speed up." It’s best to go back to Chang’an as soon as possible. The current situation is unpredictable, so don’t let a moment of negligence lead to lifelong regrets.”
Fang Jun deeply understood the meaning of this sentence, nodded slowly, and said: "In that case, I will take my leave first. Oh, Li Siwen is now the deputy general of the Sixth Army of the East Palace, leading an army alone to fight. His valor and military exploits are outstanding, and His Highness the Crown Prince is very fond of him."
Since the day the rebels started their troops, Donggong Sixth Leader has been fighting hard against an enemy force that is ten times his own. His numbers have been severely reduced but he has not retreated. His fighting spirit has always been strong. He can be called the right-hand man of the prince and has made great contributions. At the same time, Li Siwen, Cheng Chubi, Qu Tuquan, Qin Huaidao and others were naturally regarded as humerus by the prince. It is conceivable that as long as the East Palace can survive this crisis, given the character of the prince, these people will be cited one by one for their merits , not only is it easy to get promoted, but he will also stand at the center of power for the rest of his life.
The future is bright.
Li Ji smiled and said calmly: "In troubled times, a man should take his fame immediately. Life and death are determined by fate, and wealth is in the sky. What kind of fortune is in the sky, not only do you have to fight for it with your own hands, but you also have to leave it to fate. After all, there are swords and guns in battle. Wu Yan, even if he is the commander-in-chief of an army, his life may be taken away by a cold arrow... Go back and tell him that his father's title and merit are not worth relying on. Only the merit he has earned with his sword and gun is the foundation for his life. .”
These words seemed like a father's expectations for his son, but they still did not reveal any of Li Ji's own tendencies...
Fang Jun cupped his fists and saluted: "That's it, I'll take my leave now."
"Um."
Li Ji nodded, still holding his hands behind his back, standing still like a javelin, with a military aura all over his body, and warned: "This time you ambushed Changsun Anye at Yanling Pass, the news must have been spread back to Chang'an, how could Changsun Wuji Are you willing to give up? He will definitely calculate your return route and ambush you to avenge your eldest grandson Anye, so you must be more careful and don't be careless, lest you lose your life."
From Luoyang to Chang'an, the Guanlong army had already controlled Tongguan, so Changsun Anye could walk calmly through the "North and South Xiaodao Road", but Fang Jun could only return by the original Shangyu Road. In this way, Changsun Wuji could calmly arrange his troops to ambush Fang Jun on the road he must pass, and intercept and kill him.
Fang Jun was deeply convinced. Seeing how Changsun Wuji was willing to disobey the imperial decree and recall Changsun Anye from his exile in Lingnan, he knew how much he valued him. Although he has been living in seclusion in the mansion without seeing any use, but sending eldest grandson Anye to persuade Li Ji at this time, doesn't it just show his status in eldest grandson Wuji's heart?
Such a good helper and his own brother died tragically at Fang Jun's sword. It would be strange if Changsun Wuji didn't go crazy. It is only natural that he should send troops to intercept and kill him on the way...
However, there are only two roads connecting Guanzhong and Luoyang. Taking the "North-South Xiaodao Road" requires passing through Hangu Pass and Tongguan all the way. It is like rushing into the rebel camp, surrounded by rebels dozens of times larger than our own. If you intercept and kill him, you will definitely die.
In contrast, the terrain of the ancient Shangyu Road was more dangerous and narrower. Even with a huge force, it was difficult to deploy an elite army. They could only send an elite army to intercept and kill them in an ambush halfway.
What kind of elite army does Guanlong have? If it were more than ten or twenty years ago, the Guanlong soldiers who had gone through battles from north to south would have their robes stained with blood. All of them were strong soldiers who had been in battle for a long time. It would not be easy to select an elite group from them that could equal one to ten. . However, times have changed, and twenty years of pampered and luxurious life have long worn away the bravery of the soldiers of Guanlong. Today, except for the soldiers of the Sixteenth Guards, the rest of the Guanzhong disciples are not only indescribably elite, but even vulnerable to a single blow.
Otherwise, it would not have resulted in the current embarrassing situation where the rebels have a strength advantage of several times or even ten times, nor can they shake the Sixth Army in the East Palace...
Fang Jun is confident that he can lead his soldiers to fight back to Chang'an all the way back to Chang'an.
He saluted Li Ji again and said, "British sir, take care."
He turned around and strode away, and met up with his own soldiers outside the camp. They galloped all the way, followed the original path up the Luoshui River, and went straight to the ancient Shangyu Road.
Li Ji stood there and watched Fang Jun go away, his eyes were deep and he didn't know what he was thinking. When there was a noise behind him, he turned around and looked, but it was Zhu Suiliang who poked his head out of the small tent, looked at each other, nodded slightly to him, and seemed to call him over.
Li Ji walked outside the tent, took a deep breath, straightened his clothes, and walked in with a solemn expression.
The cold wind blew the flags, fluttering fiercely, and you could see a small tent next to the Chinese army tent and the tent where the coffins were parked...
