The atmosphere in the study was serious and a bit tense. This gave Li Chengqian a headache, so he had to change his words gently: "Currently, the rebels are still entrenched in Tongguan, and the country is in turmoil. You are all the pillars of the empire, and you should unite as one to maintain the political order." , we should be more tolerant and share our kindness with each other. If we are always so tit-for-tat, wouldn't it make our loved ones miserable and our enemies happy?"
Fang Jun and Cen Wenwen quickly stood up, bowed their hands to the ground, and said, "I know you are guilty, Your Majesty, please calm down."
"Hey... come to your senses quickly," Li Chengqian waved his hand and said with a smile: "Both of you are my humerus, assisting me to achieve great things, what's the crime? It's just that we will get along more harmoniously in the future. Taifu Cen is older, Duke of Yue, you must be very respectful and don't wait too long."
"Here."
Fang Jun bowed his head and obeyed the order, and then the two of them took their seats again.
…
Since noon, groups of "Hundred Cavalry Division" soldiers have all left the military camp and taken over the important roads in the imperial city. In the Taiji Palace, there are posts every three steps and sentries every five steps. Everyone entering and leaving must be strictly checked. If Some people who could not tell where they belonged or what they were doing were arrested on the spot and detained for interrogation.
For a time, the imperial city and palace city were filled with rumbles and murderous intent.
Xuanwu Gate.
In the barracks inside the gatehouse, Li Xiaogong visited again and sat and drank with Li Daozong.
Li Xiaogong looked a little sad. He picked up the cup and took a sip of the wine. He let out a breath, pointed at the towering Xuanwu Gate outside the window, and said with emotion: "Back then, we followed the late emperor to conquer the north and south, and conquered half of the Tang Dynasty. However, we were defeated by the hidden prince. Pressing forward step by step, we almost wanted to destroy the entire army and wipe out our entire family... It was from here that we fought to the death with His Majesty, fighting to carve out a piece of life in the desperate situation, and then seized it and created the prosperous age of Zhenguan. Time flies, and in the blink of an eye, things change and people change..."
Li Daozong was stunned for a moment, silent for a moment, then filled the wine glass, touched it with Li Xiaogong, and drank it all in one gulp.
His eyes were also a little deep, recalling those years when he conquered the world with a golden sword and an iron horse.
Unlike his father, Li Xiaogong, he and His Majesty Li Er are cousins. They have more frequent contacts and closer feelings, and their admiration and admiration for His Majesty Li Er is also deeper. In contrast, his loyalty is purer.
Compared with Li Xiaogong who would compromise after considering the interests of all parties, Li Daozong believed that he would never betray His Majesty Li Er under benevolent circumstances.
Even after the death of His Majesty Li Er.
So he took a sip of wine, calmed down, and said calmly: "When I was very young, I followed the late emperor. Every time I was bullied, the late emperor stood up for me, so I felt like a brother and a father to the late emperor. Later, Emperor Gaozu raised troops in Jinyang under the late emperor's advice, and we, the Li family of Longxi, began to compete in the world with drums and horns contending, golden swords and iron horses. When the late emperor went into battle, I would protect his flanks. When the late emperor was humiliated, I would stand firm. When the sword came forward, the late emperor reversed his fate under the Xuanwu Sect and struck with all his might. I followed him to kill the general and seize the flag, even at the cost of becoming a traitor in the eyes of Emperor Gaozu... I owe all my glory in this life to the late emperor."
Li Xiaogong was silent for a long time, and then slowly said: "But now the late emperor has passed away, the new emperor has ascended the throne, the empire is changing with each passing day, the change of imperial power has been completed, the Li Tang Dynasty will be passed down for thousands of years, as the Li Tang royal family , we have more important responsibilities.”
He has noticed something wrong with Li Daozong. Although he has not expressed any opposition to the new emperor's accession to the throne, and he has firmly guarded the Xuanwu Gate, his loyalty to the new emperor or to the Tang Empire has , none can compare to his loyalty to His Majesty Li Er.
This is an extremely dangerous hazard.
After all, His Majesty Li Er's favorite successor to the throne during his lifetime was the King of Jin. Although he never changed his throne until his death, it was not because he didn't want to, but because he wanted to balance the forces of all parties... But if he is loyal to His Majesty Li Er, it is better than being loyal to the empire. , will you always have the obsession to fulfill His Majesty Li Er's last wish in your heart?
So before Li Daozong could speak, Li Xiaogong had already continued: "Don't forget, the late emperor may have had the intention of changing the throne, and he also liked the king of Jin more, but the reason why he never changed the throne from beginning to end was because the late emperor wanted to maintain the stability of the court. Let the empire be passed down from generation to generation, let this prosperous age continue for a long time, the people live and work in peace and contentment, the army is powerful all over the world, and the country is long-lasting, this is the late emperor's greatest last wish."
These words are almost equivalent to expressing his attitude: Don't use the late emperor's last wish as a cover. Would the late emperor be willing to see his sons kill each other and fight with each other after his death, which would destabilize the empire's regime and harm the country? Cause chaos in the world?
His Majesty Li Er is a British monarch.
Since he is a British master, he has perseverance and perseverance and a broad mind, and he will never ignore the prosperity and decline of his family and country just because of his own likes and dislikes.
It would be extremely foolish for anyone to express his loyalty to His Majesty Li Er by opposing the Crown Prince and supporting the King of Jin.
The late emperor is alive in heaven, and he will never feel relieved by this.
Li Daozong remained silent, raised his glass, and drank slowly.
Seeing that he was unmoved, Li Xiaogong couldn't help frowning and whispered: "Don't think that everyone is a fool. People's hearts are unpredictable, but there are always clues. There are always people in the royal family who are unwilling to surrender to Your Majesty, so Today, a large number of imperial guards have been added to the imperial city... Don't have any illusions. Although the King of Jin is still stationed in Tongguan, the throne is as stable as Mount Tai, and it is impossible for anyone to follow the old emperor's example again."
What are the past events of the late emperor?
Naturally, it was the Xuanwu Gate incident that reversed the fate of the late emperor.
The fundamental cause of the Xuanwu Sect's change did not lie in the bravery of His Majesty Li Er and his generals, but in the sudden counterattack of Prince Yin's confidant Chang He, who was then the guard of the Xuanwu Sect. This was the key to the reversal of victory. .
And now you, Li Daozong, are in charge of the Xuanwu Sect...
Therefore, Li Xiaogong's words are not only advice, but also a warning - times are different, and the situation is different. Nowadays, if anyone tries to imitate the Xuanwu Sect's old deeds, even if he succeeds by luck, will he have the prestige and prestige of His Majesty Li Er back then? Can the appeal quickly pacify Chang'an and even the entire Guanzhong?
If not, it would be a disaster for the country and the people, and the empire and the country would be put in dire straits for the sake of one's own selfish interests.
Li Daozong remained silent, even holding a pot to pour wine for Li Xiaogong, then clinking glasses with him and drinking slowly, looking a little absent-minded...
Li Xiaogong stopped talking and sipped wine and ate vegetables.
A muffled thunder sounded in the sky. Outside the window, dark clouds piled up and rolled, and the sky suddenly turned dark.
Soon, the raindrops fell.
In an instant, the wind and rain came up, and the rain came in torrents.
After finishing the bottle of wine, Li Xiaogong refused Li Daozong's order to get the wine, and stood up and said: "There are still some things in the house, let's talk about it another day."
Li Daozong nodded, ordered someone to fetch the coir raincoat, and handed it to Li Xiaogong himself.
The latter put on his raincoat, held his bamboo hat in his hand, looked at Li Daozong and asked, "Don't you have anything you want to tell me?"
Li Daozong paused and asked without answering: "I wonder what my uncle thinks of the British Duke's unwillingness to get involved in the struggle for the throne and always staying out of the matter?"
Li Xiaogong was stunned, narrowed his eyes slightly, and said slowly: "Li Ji is a foreign minister. As a clan member, how can we make general comments?"
Li Daozong shook his head and said, "I may be different, but uncle, how are you any different?"
If Li Ji was the first person in the outer dynasty, then Li Xiaogong was now the first person in the clan. The things that Li Ji was worried about were also likely to happen to Li Xiaogong.
Li Xiaogong remained silent.
After a long while, he turned around without saying a word, put the bamboo hat on his head, strode out and walked into the wind and rain.
Li Daozong stood at the door and looked at each other until his figure turned into Chongxuan Gate and was no longer seen, then he raised his head slightly and stared at the Xuanwu Gate Tower not far away.
The rain was pouring down, and the heavy curtains of water blocked the majestic city floors, making everything as far as the eye could see bewildered.
*****
Xingyang, the Zheng family's mansion.
In the flower hall, Zheng Rentai, who was dressed in a silk brocade robe, looked as harmonious and wealthy as an official. He looked at Yu Wenshiji opposite him with a smile, and sighed: "The Duke of Ying is not young anymore, and now he still has to do it for the king of Jin. Your Highness is running around, and his loyalty is admirable."
Yu Wenshiji rushed to Chang'an, Tongguan, and Xingyang one after another, almost non-stop all the way, covered in dust and looking haggard. Hearing Zheng Rentai's words, he smiled bitterly and said: "In the past, we were sheltered under the wings of Zhao Guogong, but now we have to stand up and face the wind and rain. Naturally, you are worried and sleep hard at night, not daring to slack off for a moment, for fear of failing the trust entrusted by His Highness the King of Jin... General, you are now rosy and full of vitality. You must have healed from the wounds you suffered before, right? "
