Da Tang: Father, can I resign?

Chapter 80: Sharpening the Knife to Attack the Tang Emperor

"Brothers, we are so depressed living in the Han area. It's not like we were at ease in the grasslands."

"Yeah, I stand there from morning till night holding a broken stick every day. It's so boring."

"And you have to be humble no matter who you meet, damn it."

"If I see a civil servant who can't even kill a sheep on the grassland, I'll chop off his head with one knife!"

At night, the barracks outside Jiucheng Palace.

The sky was covered with dark clouds, without a single star.

Before the shift change, the lower-ranking officers of the Turkic imperial guards gathered in the yard of the barracks and confided to each other the many grievances that had accumulated over their years of living in Han areas.

From the 996 office worker life to the cool winter and warm summer climate, I complained about everything.

They had been traveling for a whole day and had just arrived, without even having time to rest, and were filled with resentment.

A fully armed general came over.

He was wearing armor, a helmet on his head, and a visor on his face, and he exuded a murderous aura.

The junior officers immediately stood up straight and said no more.

Under the flickering torches, strange shadows danced on the general's visor, making him look particularly eerie and terrifying.

Under the mask, the man spoke in a rough and low voice.

"I know that you were forced to surrender to the Tang Dynasty. I also know that you miss your homeland of the Eastern Turks. I also know that no matter how much you hate the weak and cunning Han people, you have no choice but to serve them humbly."

The atmosphere was extremely solemn, and no one dared to make a sound.

"Why should I know? Because I am the same!"

The general flung aside his helmet and visor.

With the eagle-like gaze and the wolf-like vision, it was none other than the Right Guard General, Ashina Jieshe!
The junior officers pumped their fists in excitement.

"We have endured this kind of life day after day for ten years since the fall of the Eastern Turks. From today on, we don't have to endure it anymore!"

The voice of the association rate suddenly became high-pitched, and the rude voice was quite inflammatory.

"Li Shimin, it was Li Shimin who destroyed our country, expelled us from the beautiful prairie, and forcibly migrated us here to become slaves for the Han people!
"Kill Li Shimin and restore the glory of the Turks!
"Back to the grasslands, I will be the Great Khan, and you will all be Khans too!"

The Turkic guards roared excitedly:

"Return to the grassland and rebuild East Turkestan!"

After the mobilization was completed, these low-ranking officers immediately returned to the camp and organized the Turkic imperial guards according to their respective division of labor as planned in advance.

Ashina Jieshe sat down on the spot, holding torches, and carefully studied the layout of Jiucheng Palace.

A booklet was spread out next to the city defense map.

It was the rotation time and route of the imperial guards of each guard house that he had explored and recorded over the past ten years.

He also mastered Li Zhi's habit of taking a carriage out of the palace at four o'clock in the morning every day.

He had been preparing for this day for ten years.

He pretended to have a generous character, often held lavish banquets, and secretly won over the Turkic and other ethnic groups' imperial guards who were dissatisfied with the emperor.

Inadvertently, a big fish was caught.

It was that big fish that made him really want to kill Li Shimin and Li Chengqian.

"As long as I kill the emperor and the prince for that Li, I will be the Great Khan."

The leader drew his sword and stared at the tip of the sword shining in the firelight.

Rebellion is like this. Low-level cannon fodder just needs to fight for their lives, but as the future Khan of the New East Turkestan (Chang), there are many things to consider about the association rate.

So on the night of the siege of Lide Hall, even though the crown prince and the emperor were by his side, he did not dare to act rashly.

Cherish life.

Let’s not talk about whether the Han imperial guards under his command at that time obeyed orders or could defeat General Tian Ce.

Even if he was lucky enough, he could just take advantage of Li Shimin's unpreparedness and launch a shameless sneak attack like Ma Dai did when he killed Wei Yan.

He also did not live to see the moment when he could leave the palace and return to the grassland to become the Khan.

So I have endured it until now.

He also knew that even if he killed the emperor and the crown prince and survived this time, it did not mean that he would naturally own the throne, pastures, cattle and sheep.

Therefore, he made a deal in advance with the "cunning and weak" Han Chinese named Li.

As long as the king and the prince were killed, that person would mark out a piece of land north of the Great Wall and south of the Xueyantuo Khanate, and migrate the Turkic people who had moved into the Han area there.

"It wouldn't be so troublesome..."

Ashina Jieshe wiped his sword angrily.

According to the original plan, he bribed the Turkic palace maids in the palace and secretly heated the realgar wine, so that Li Shimin and his son could be sent to heaven without any noise.

It is safe and hidden, and no one can discover the trick. He can also hide his merits and fame and return to be the Khan.

This strange method was provided by the partner named "Li".

The association rate didn't believe it at first.

It is non-toxic when cold, but becomes toxic when burned with fire.

How could there be such a counterintuitive and wonderful thing in this world?
Really? He didn't believe it.

The palace was heavily guarded. Out of caution, the association asked the female spy lurking in the Prince of Hejian's mansion to try first.

Because Hejian Prince Li Xiaogong was a staunch supporter of the prince's party, getting rid of him would also make the "partners" happy.

It turns out that this method is effective.

Li Xiaogong, who was addicted to alcohol, died.

However, during the actual operation, there was a small accident -

The Khan who dominated the Central Plains and brutally conquered the grasslands actually didn't drink!
“This is really weird, how can there be a man who doesn’t drink…” Only then did Jiesheli realize his blind spot in thinking.

Of course, it was precisely because Li Shimin did not drink alcohol that the palace simply treated realgar wine as an external medicine, and the supervision was not as strict as that of diet.

This gave the palace maid the opportunity to do something.

Li Shimin was indeed knocked down by the poison, and some of the arsenic absorbed through the skin was enough to trigger his heart disease.

By accident, he almost succeeded!
"Damn it, if it weren't for that brat, that little bastard named Li Ming..."

Ashina Jieshelu clenched his fists in anger, as if he was holding Li Ming's neck in his palms.

If Li Ming had not discovered the secret of Li Xiaogong's death, he would not have needed to act so hastily.

If it weren't for Li Ming's rescue, Li Shimin would have died!

If it weren’t for Li Ming, if it weren’t for Li Ming!
When he was guarding the Taiji Palace, he had the urge to crush the little bastard to death on the spot more than once.

I just endured it.

He swore to heaven that if his plan succeeded, he would take over Li Ming's entire family!

He wanted to rape his five sisters in front of that little beast!
Well, Concubine Yang is in her early thirties and still has charm, so it’s not impossible.

After the extreme insult, he was going to break the naughty kid's neck in front of his sister and mother!

Thinking of this, Ashina Jieshelu couldn't help but curl up the corners of his mouth.

"Ahem, now is not the time to fantasize."

He changed his mind.

Thanks to Li Ming, his current situation cannot be said to be passive.

The imperial court is conducting a thorough investigation and who knows, they might find out about him someday.

It is already very dangerous to continue staying in the Han area.

We must act quickly.

Therefore, he had to take a risk and choose the most unskillful way to kill the king - to kill Li Shimin directly when he was not prepared. It was also God's will that Li Shimin would be killed. Before he could find out the reason, he suddenly had the idea to come to Jiucheng Palace, which was relatively unguarded, to escape the summer heat!

What's even better is that he brought his association rate with him!

“During this period, I rotated more than a hundred Turkic warriors from the Right Gate Guard into the palace.

"With the Turkic people from other guards who have colluded with us before, the chances of a sneak attack being successful are very high!"

Ashina Jieshe was full of confidence. He stood up vigorously and put on his helmet and visor again.

The barracks of the gate guards was right at the palace gate. He planned to wait for an opportunity to break into the palace when Prince of Jin Li Zhi left the palace at four o'clock in the morning!
The time to act is this night!

There was a flash of white light in the sky, briefly illuminating the layers of cumulonimbus clouds.

Then, boom!
…………

"It's thundering again. How scared Xiao Ming must be without me."

Jiucheng Palace, Fengli Palace.

At the royal family dinner, Li Mingda pouted unhappily.

Li Shimin was away due to some matters, so it became a small gathering of the emperor's legitimate sons.

"Don't worry, Li Ming's biological mother is with him in Lizheng Hall." Li Zhi comforted him:

"Besides, this place is three hundred miles away from Chang'an. Maybe Chang'an has already cleared up after the rain."

This answer obviously cannot comfort Li Mingda.

She couldn't help complaining:
"Why didn't Father allow Brother Xiao Ming to come?"

"Because fingers are always of different lengths." Li Tai's face was gentle and he smiled to answer his sister's questions.

Although they were all siblings born to Empress Changsun and from the same mother, for well-known reasons, he was only willing to be confidant with his sister.

"Oh~" Li Mingda nodded obediently, turned around and asked her "Brother Pheasant" in a low voice:
"What do you mean?"

Li Tai always likes to be a riddle teller, and what he says is often beyond the comprehension of her little brain.

Li Zhi sighed and replied softly:
"It means that parents cannot treat different children equally and will always have preferences."

Li Mingda's expression immediately turned bitter:

"This is so unfair. He was destined to be unfavored since birth. Even summer vacations are treated differently and he can't come together. Brother Xiaoming is so pitiful."

Li Fu is even more pitiful, his name doesn’t even deserve to appear... Li Zhi complained in his heart.

Li Chengqian yawned and stood up slowly.

Li Tai said cheerfully:
"It's so late, are you going hunting?"

Li Chengqian knew that this guy was mocking him for leaving early and mocking his Turkic attire, so he laughed:
"Yeah, go shoot some birds."

Li Tai's nickname is Qingque.

Li Tai was not annoyed by his brother's retort, and said leisurely:

"Be careful of the wolves outside."

Li Chengqian was not to be outdone:
"Each each other."

Go ahead and go.

The atmosphere at the family dinner suddenly became tense.

Li Tai was not affected by the atmosphere at all, and his tone was still so calm:

"We've been on the bus all day, let's all go to bed early."

Li Mingda was still mumbling, and Li Zhi pulled her up:

"My royal brother is right. We need to go to bed early today."

Because of his habit of going out at four o'clock in the morning, Li Zhi went to bed very early every day.

Li Tai nodded: "Go ahead."

…………

The atmosphere in the main hall of Jiucheng Palace was even more tense.

"Your Majesty, I am ashamed to bring a guilty minister with you to the other palace."

Hou Junji sat in the main hall, claiming to be a guilty subject, but his attitude showed no sign of shame at all.

Damn it, I crawled in the Gobi Desert for most of half a year and finally opened up a trade route for you, Li Er, but when I came back I was thrown into jail before I could even get warm.

Anyone would be convinced.

Li Shimin smiled bitterly and decisively passed the buck:

"It was all the civil officials in the court who wanted to show that they were impartial and impartial. Jun Ji, you were also careless in your actions, which allowed them to grab your braids and make use of the situation to make a fuss."

Chang Sun Wuji on the side continued:
"The first person to impeach his subordinates was Fang Xuanling, the Chief Clerk of Cao Wangfu."

Fang Xuanling had n titles, from Shangshu Sheng Zuo Pushe, Sikong to Liang Guogong.

However, Changsun Wuji deliberately brought out the most inconspicuous chief historian of a certain royal palace, and his intention was self-evident.

Hou Junji snorted coldly.

If he had not been imprisoned by Changsun Wuji until now, he might have actually believed it.

"Let's stop talking nonsense." Li Shimin got straight to the point:

"I brought Jun Ji here specially this time because I want to talk to you in person."

Hou Junji glanced at Zhangsun Wuji and said in a muffled voice:
"You want me to serve as an official in the Eastern Palace?"

Li Shimin quite liked his quick-witted personality.

Lay everything out on the table and bargain when necessary. This way the conversation will be more enjoyable.

He is much easier to deal with than a certain Shangshu Sheng Zuo Pushe who does not want to reveal his name.

"I have decided to appoint you as the right guard of the Eastern Palace." Li Shimin said decisively.

Among the ten officers of the Eastern Palace, the Right Guard Officer is the highest military rank second only to the Left Guard Officer.

During the Zhenguan period when many famous generals emerged, Li Shimin was extremely generous to this trusted follower of the emperor.

When Changsun Wuji heard the emperor's decree, he suddenly looked up in surprise.

This is different from what was promised.

He originally wanted to pick a position like Siyu Rate or Qingdao Rate and send Hou Junji away casually.

This key position of Right Guard must be reserved for the core staff. How can it be given to a half-way person...

But since the emperor had already spoken, he couldn't jump out to veto.

I could only sit there, digging my toes into the ground in confusion.

Jun Ji, His Majesty has already offered such a high price, so please don't be ungrateful and serve us...

Changsun Wuji felt a sense of pain and pleasure as if his flesh was cut, and looked towards Hou Junji.

The pupils shrank.

He saw the same conflicted expression on Hou Junji's face as his own.

Because of his personality, Hou Junji has always regarded himself as the emperor's lone minister, and has no support from any aristocratic forces behind him.

The dignified Right Guard Commander of the Eastern Palace is a position far beyond his current worth.

An extraordinary promotion, is there anything to be concerned about?

Changsun Wuji didn't know how to describe Hou Junji for a moment.

This guy is not greedy, but stupid!

Damn it, is this guy still thinking about assisting “that” prince?

What is the charm of that naughty kid?
Can a greedy person who embezzles the spoils resolutely abandon the superior position that is within his reach? ? ?
(End of this chapter)