Da Tang: Father, can I resign?

Chapter 265 Li Shimin Explodes

Under the bright moonlight, Li Shimin saw flickering flames on the top of the mountain where the Xueyantuo army's headquarters was located.

Then, he vaguely saw the outline of a group, probably a carriage, rushing down the mountain at an exaggerated speed, heading towards the ridge where he was.

Then, there was a loud clanging sound, which was particularly clear in the silent snowy night.

The outline stopped abruptly below the ridge, probably having hit something, not too far from where they were hiding.

"Cheng Qian, that car... don't you think it looks like Shi Lang's car?"

Li Shimin squinted his eyes and muttered softly, as if he was talking to himself.

How did that black, mountain-crashing thing become the vehicle of the fourth prince, Li Tai? Besides, why would a prince of Anle go all the way to the front line for no reason...

Li Chengqian had a thousand complaints in his mind and didn't know how to answer.

Ashina She'er and Qibi Heli were almost crying after hearing this.

It’s over, it’s over, Your Majesty/Tian Khan has really been frozen silly…

Just when the three of them were greatly puzzled by Li Shimin's strange ideas.

Torches suddenly lit up around the dark shadow, illuminating the entire scene.

It was indeed a carriage, and the compartment was surprisingly large.

Surrounding this huge wreckage was a large group of soldiers holding torches, who seemed to have suddenly emerged from the snow and surrounded the carriage tightly.

Ashina She'er and Qibi Heli couldn't help but widen their eyes and cold sweat broke out on their foreheads!
Only then did they realize that without them noticing, a Red Turban Army had quietly approached them!

To an outsider, it was just a classic nighttime sneak attack, but to an expert, the scene before their eyes was nothing short of a horror story from the Tang Dynasty.

As veterans who had fought in wars and led troops, they knew very well that fighting a night battle was not just about taking the troops out for a stroll late at night.

Concealment in night combat is an even more profound subject. It is not something that can be done by simply giving an order to the soldiers or wrapping the horses' hooves with cloth.

It not only requires precise organization at the command level, but also requires high coordination among grassroots officers and soldiers.

In the pitch-black night, in the rugged mountainous areas, how to ensure that the soldiers do not go the wrong way and do not fall behind, how to ensure the discipline of the soldiers, how to achieve coordination between the troops without exchanging information...

It's all problems.

The night combat capability demonstrated by the Red Turban Army was simply amazing!
This undoubtedly shows that the personal military qualities of those soldiers are simply terrifyingly high!
What's even more frightening is that if the carriage hadn't hit the rock, it would have attracted more Red Turban troops...

This group of unauthorized "battlefield observers" was discovered!

Just when the two Hu people were feeling extremely frightened, with horror written all over their faces.

The look of horror on Li Shimin's face was even greater than that on the other two.

"Li Tai? Really Li Tai?!"

His face was pale, his lips were trembling slightly, and his eyes were almost popping out.

At the foot of the mountain, among the torches, that obese man, who else could it be but Li Tai!

What shocked Li Shimin most was another old acquaintance who was present.

Li Jing.

Unexpectedly, his worst guess came true. Li Jing had actually been pretending to be sick for so many years. He was actually in Liaodong and participated in the battlefield!
That means that all my previous speculations were true?
Did Li Jing really rebel, collude with Goguryeo, and usurp Li Ming's political legacy in Liaodong?
Li Jing marched into Hebei not to defend his country, but to fight for territory?

As if a nightmare had come true, Li Shimin's breathing suddenly became rapid.

Under his gaze, Li Jing rode his horse closer to Li Tai and the two began to talk.

Because of the distance, I couldn't hear clearly what was being said.

But Li Shimin knew that this was definitely not a good thing to say.

Because Li Jing did not dismount, he just sat on the saddle, looking down at the people.

Under normal circumstances, who would dare to be so rude to a prince?
Whoa...

Li Shimin tightly grasped the snow in his hand, muttering unconsciously:
"Li Jing is seriously ill. Whenever he attends court and discusses matters with the prime minister, he is silent and seems very dull and inflexible...

"Sure enough, is it all a trick? What is he going to do to Li Tai and my Qingque?!..."

Yes, Li Shimin did use Li Tai as a whetstone to sharpen the crown prince, and he was the first to eliminate him in the competition for the throne.

But this did not prevent him from affectionately calling Li Tai "Qingque".

Li Shimin had no intention of letting Li Tai inherit the throne, but this did not conflict with the fact that he loved his son Li Tai as a father.

Li Shimin showered his fatherly love on his three legitimate sons born to his first wife, Empress Zhangsun.

It's just that his love for Li Tai was not as much as that for the eldest son, but it doesn't mean that he would treat him as a weed on the roadside, or the illegitimate son of some beauty or talent (except Li Ming).

Therefore, he did not regard Li Tai as a tool to help the prince grow, and he actually felt guilty towards the fourth son.

Therefore, even though he had already realized deep down in his heart through the information from Ashina She'er and Qibi Heli, that Li Tai was one of the people who had forced him into such a situation.

However, Li Shimin, a man with rich emotions, found that he had extremely complicated feelings towards his son who plotted rebellion, and he could not hate him at all.

Even if there is to be punishment, he has to be the one who personally determines the sentence.

How could it be the turn of a mere subordinate and a few soldiers!
"You bunch of traitors, what on earth do you want to do? Are you going to attack my Qingque..."

Li Shimin was cursing with gritted teeth.

Then I could hear Li Tai's roar intermittently:

"I am just a tool in his hands... His favor is just a show... So I must resist, even if it means the destruction of the Tang Dynasty..."

It was still Qingque's familiar voice, but this time what came out was not the intimate "Father", but steel nails that pierced Li Shimin's heart.

then.

He was not mentally prepared at all.

The soldiers from Liaodong rushed forward and chopped off Li Tai's head without hesitation. Their movements were quick and efficient without any delay.

Li Shimin's breath was choked.

He stared at his son's head rolling to the foot of the mountain, as if he could see his empty eyes through the night sky.

His mind buzzed and went blank for a moment.

The hidden wounds from the war in his early years, the hidden diseases accumulated from years of enjoyment, and the weakened constitution from months of wandering...

At the moment his son was killed in front of him, all the lesions in his body were triggered at the same time, turning into an invisible hammer, hitting his right temple heavily.

Unprecedented pain came over him, and Li Shimin's eyes went dark...

…………

"call……"

Li Jing let out a long breath, looked at Su Dingfang and Xue Rengui with some difficulty, and then looked at the soldiers who had followed him through life and death.

It’s hard to judge everyone’s expressions.

Although the soldiers of the central army came from Goguryeo, they were all elites educated by Jiumu (Pyongyang Evening News) and could understand Chinese.

However, at this moment, they all wished they didn't understand.

Because the words Li Tai said before his death were really explosive——

The reason why this idle prince colluded with the Xueyantuo to rebel and the reason why the whole world was in chaos.

The root of the problem actually lies in Emperor Li Shimin’s incredibly imaginative method of educating children!

Either he uses one son as a cushion for another son, or he sets up a big arena and lets the four sons play a game of thrones to determine the winner and the loser, and decide life and death.

It would be strange if there were no problems...

"Could it be that the traitor framed Your Majesty?" Xue Rengui still wanted to save the emperor's reputation.

Su Dingfang shook his head with an awkward expression:
"When a man is about to die, his words are good. I don't think they are false. Besides, the legitimate princes are indeed..."

It is true that your Majesty's somewhat "radical" education policy has caused me some mental illness.

Let’s not talk about Li Tai, who was in the mood to perish together with his foe.

Li Chengqian is a typical example. He usually wears strange clothes and behaves strangely, and it is clearly written on his face that "I have a mental illness".

This was even more true of Li Zhi. At a young age, he was more patient than Sima Yi. He pretended to be a good boy, but at the critical moment he would suddenly show his fangs and bite, and then act as if nothing had happened.

If they come to power one day, who knows how fierce the purge will be.

Compared with these three somewhat...extreme brothers, it's a miracle that His Highness Li Ming didn't grow up crooked.

Your Highness just has some strange ideas occasionally, what can the child do wrong...

"Ahem, don't be disrespectful to the royal family."

Li Weigong, a loyal minister of the Tang Dynasty, coughed dryly and wiped the blood of a royal family off the knife.

"Let's go back to camp. It's getting late."

Outside the range of the torch, it was pitch dark.

Therefore, Li Jing and his companions did not notice that there was someone lying on the ridge not far away.

They set off and returned to the main battlefield along the main peak of Hengshan Mountain.

At this point, the battle was declared over.

The Tiele people surrendered or fled, and the Weizhou army brought by Li Tai gave up resistance as a whole without much resistance.

The Red Turban soldiers from Liaodong and Goguryeo were busy cleaning the battlefield, collecting the enemy's armor and weapons, and collecting the bodies, which seemed to be busier than the battle itself. In the temporary tent at the foot of the mountain, Zhishisi's troops were squatting on the ground, washing dishes in doubt.

They obeyed Li Jing's orders and surrendered to the Red Turban Army.

During the day, he was an accomplice of the invaders, and at night he prepared dinner for the Red Turban Army. This was the ups and downs of life.

Zhishishili himself naturally did not have to wash the dishes, but among all the surrendered soldiers, he was the one who worried the most about his future.

It doesn't matter to the soldiers whether they stand on the same side or not. It's just a matter of eating at a different place. Their superiors generally won't make things difficult for them.

However, as the commander-in-chief of the surrendered army, Zhishi Sili had a lot to consider.

Li Ming has a good reputation, and his words "do not kill those who surrender" are absolutely binding, so Zhishi Sili's life safety is not in danger.

The question is, what should he do with his Zhishi tribe and the Turks in the Tang Dynasty?
This was also done by the Turks themselves. They surrendered and then rebelled again. Not only did Ashina Jieshelu and Ashina Simo betray Your Majesty, but even a man like him named Zhishi became an ally (affiliate) and friend (servant) of the Tiele people.

Will the new Lord Li Ming still have the same trust and tolerance towards foreign races as His Majesty Li Shimin did...

Zhishi Si Li thought about it over and over again, and was so worried that he almost pulled out all the hair on his head.

"Thunder, lightning, rain and dew are all grace from the Lord. What can I figure out by myself?"

They felt that working in isolation was not a good idea, and the Red Turban Army did not have anyone dedicated to guarding them.

Zhishisili just left the tent and wandered around the camp.

He saw a man who looked like an officer and went up to him to try to get close to him.

"My brave warrior, shall we continue to stay in Hebei or return to Liaodong?"

Unexpectedly, the officer shouted very excitedly:
"loyalty!"

Ha Le Zhi lost his mind and was startled.

What's wrong with this guy?
Under his confused gaze, the officer continued to speak strange words in an emotional voice.

Things like "There is no two suns in the sky, and in my heart there is only one sun, His Highness Li Ming" and "Your Highness's kindness is not over yet" are hard to understand.

Then there was a bunch of gibberish in an incomprehensible language.

After struggling for a long time, Zhishi Sili finally figured it out.

This officer is from Goguryeo!

Most of the soldiers who defeated Xueyantuo were Goguryeo people!

Zhishi Sili was pondering the personnel ratio of the Red Turban Army in confusion, and suddenly it became clear.

Even the Goguryeo people who had invaded Liaodong were given important positions under Li Ming.

The Turks have no reason to do that!
The premise is to be loyal to China and to Li Ming.

"If I don't apply to change my surname to a Chinese one, I wonder if His Highness will grant me the surname Li..."

Zhishisili was just thinking about the lawsuit when he saw Li Jing leading the central army back to the camp.

He immediately greeted him cordially:

"I am ashamed to be defeated. I kowtow to Lord Li Wei...?!"

He almost shouted the last word.

It wasn't that he meant to be rude.

But the thing in Li Weigong's hand was really terrifying.

It's a human head.

On a battlefield where tens of thousands of people were beheaded, human heads were not a rare thing.

What is rare is the original owner of the head——

What Li Tai was holding in his hand was the head of King Wei Li Tai!

"The King of Wei is indeed... Alas, it is all his own fault."

Although he had a premonition deep in his heart, when he actually saw with his own eyes the miserable state of his old boss, he was still filled with grief.

Li Jing nodded:
"Well, the rebel king has been beheaded by our army."

After half a day of high-intensity command, the fat old man seemed to be a little thinner and more majestic.

No, no, no, this is your majesty's beloved "Blue Bird" King of Wei. How can he be casually labeled as a rebel king without a trial? Zhishi Sili's heart was beating fast, and he looked extremely regretful:

"Really? The King of Wei accidentally fell off a cliff and died in an 'accident'..."

"No, it was our army that killed him." Li Jing insisted, seeming not to understand the hint of the Turkic prince consort who married Princess Jiujiang.

Admit it if you want, it has nothing to do with me anyway... Zhishi Sili, who had long been influenced by the Confucian philosophy of "self-preservation", gave up the topic and raised a more relevant question:

"I wonder how Lord Li Wei will deal with us?"

"Assist our army in combat." Li Jing said concisely.

"Expel the other Xueyantuo tribes out of Hebei as well?" Zhishisili asked.

Li Jing glanced at him and smiled slightly:
"Your vision is not broad enough. You need to learn more from His Highness Li Ming."

Zhishishili was stunned for a moment, and after thinking for a while, his brows gradually relaxed, and he pointed his finger upwards:
"Do we have to... continue the Northern Expedition?"

"Before I came to the front line, His Highness specifically told me: 'Is the territory of the Tang Dynasty a dry toilet on the side of the road? The Tiele people can come and go as they please.'" Li Jing smiled even more, with a fierce light flashing in his eyes:
"You too, have been fighting for your former slave for such a long time. Aren't you upset? Aren't you aggrieved? Don't you want to vent your anger?"

Zhishisi was in a trance for a moment, and suddenly he was overwhelmed with emotions. He knelt on one knee without hesitation:

"I am willing to follow His Highness Li Ming until death!"

…………

Li Shimin had a nightmare.

In his dream, his hands and feet were tied tightly and he was thrown into the vast ocean.

He couldn't move at all, and could only float up and down with the waves...

"what!"

Li Shimin woke up in shock.

It was daybreak and in his dim vision he found himself sitting on a horse, rising and falling with the horse's movements.

How did I ride a horse in my dream? He was wondering when the person sitting in front of him spoke up, looking so surprised that he almost cried:
"Your Majesty, you finally woke up!"

It was the voice of Qibi Heli.

Li Shimin tried hard to open his eyes wide, and then he realized that he was tied to Qibi Heli.

It was he who was riding the horse and carrying himself on his back.

"I am..."

Li Shimin seemed to be drunk for a long time. His mind was a mess and his ears were ringing. He didn't know how he fell asleep.

He didn't even know why he was in this icy and snowy place, and why he was staying with Qibi Heli.

He couldn't think of anything. It was as if his brain was rusted and he couldn't think at all.

"Your Majesty, you finally woke up. We were so scared! If anything had happened to you, we wouldn't know..."

Qibi Heli was so emotionally agitated that he could hardly control himself and could not speak.

Li Shimin suddenly felt irritated and unbearable due to his crying and shifted his gaze to the other side.

A rider followed closely behind him on the left, guarding him loyally.

That man was also a Hu general, he seemed to be... Ashina She'er?

"She'er, I...what happened?" he asked.

Looking at the haggard appearance of Tian Khan, Ashina She'er felt sorry for him.

Your Majesty, please take a rest for a while, we will talk when we get to the camp... He was just about to say this.

From the right rear, Li Chengqian's voice rang out, his voice cold and gloating:

"Father, it was Li Tai, the traitor who caused us to be displaced. He was killed by Li Jing.

"You fainted after witnessing this scene. We quickly tied you to the horse and are now on our way back to the camp in the col..."

I remembered what happened, the unbearable scene, everything came back to me...

Li Shimin suddenly felt a surge of anger in his heart, breaking his tolerance threshold and causing him to have an unbearable headache. He roared angrily:
"Shut up!"

The three of them fell silent immediately.

All that could be heard around was the whistling north wind and the sound of horses' hooves stepping on the snow.

What's wrong with me? They are all loyal subjects who risked their lives to protect me. How could I be so impatient and speak without thinking...

After venting, Li Shimin became annoyed again. He kept reflecting on himself in his heart and subconsciously wanted to raise his right hand to knock his head.

The right hand did not move at all.

Ok?
Li Shimin felt something was wrong and wanted to move.

The right half of his body, from his hands to his feet, was completely out of control.

(End of this chapter)