My father, Li Shimin, please call me Crown Prince

Chapter 268 Liaodong is the Crown Prince’s Liaodong, not Your Majesty’s Liaodong

In the luxurious and quiet bedroom of Shenwu Palace, the night was deep, with only a few candles swaying gently in the breeze, casting Li Chengqian's figure vaguely on the wall.

Li Chengqian was wearing a black brocade robe with a golden dragon embroidered on it that was faintly visible in the candlelight, highlighting his noble status.

At this moment, he was leaning on the couch, holding a military book in his hand, reading it with a focused expression, immersed in the military strategies between the lines.

Although industry has developed rapidly in later generations, the wisdom of the ancients cannot be underestimated.

Just at this moment, hurried footsteps were heard outside the bedroom, and the eunuch Wen Zhong hurriedly stepped into the hall.

The footsteps were a little hurried, breaking the original tranquility in the bedroom.

Wen Zhong stopped a few steps away from Li Chengqian, bowed respectfully, and then raised his head with anxious eyes, reporting: "Your Highness, something bad has happened! The two imperial censors Lin Zheng and Zhou Xian, because Your Highness claimed to be sick and did not see him, actually planned to pass the emperor's edict to the front line, intending to make the army withdraw."

When Li Chengqian heard this, he paused flipping the pages of the book, raised his eyebrows slightly, and slowly put down the book.

There was no sign of surprise on his face, but there was a barely perceptible flash of coldness in his eyes.

Li Chengqian raised his head, looked at Wen Zhong calmly, and said calmly: "Oh? They really are not giving up. However, Liaodong is now under my complete control. Their actions are just in vain."

There was an unquestionable confidence and majesty in his words.

Wen Zhong looked worried, took a few quick steps forward, bowed slightly, and said, "Your Highness, these two are so bold and reckless, openly going against your will. I'm afraid it will bring many variables to the war on the front line. Your Highness, do you want to take immediate measures to stop them?"

Wen Zhong's eyes were filled with worry, and beads of sweat even appeared on his forehead due to anxiety.

Because he had just arrived in Liaodong, Wen Zhong did not have a very detailed understanding of the prince's reputation in Liaodong.

What is more worrying is that if the war on the front line is really affected by this, it will be a disaster.

Li Chengqian shook his head slightly, a confident smile on his face, a smile that showed a bit of disdain for Lin Zheng and Zhou Xian's actions.

Leaning back in his chair, with his arms folded across his chest, Li Chengqian said leisurely, "It's okay, let them go."

"I want to see how big a storm they can stir up."

"I know everything they do along the way."

"The generals on the front line are all my trusted aides, they can't do anything."

Li Chengqian's eyes were determined. Everything in Liaodong was within expectations and control.

At the same time, on the road leading to the Tang Dynasty's front-line military camp, a strong wind swept past, and the night was as thick as ink.

Lin Zheng and Zhou Xian rode their horses, galloping in the dark night. The fierce wind blew across their faces like a knife, causing pain on their cheeks, but they were too anxious to care about it.

Lin Zheng was riding on his horse. He turned his head to look at Zhou Xian, who was also exhausted, and said, "Brother Zhou, although this journey is difficult, we must get to the front line as soon as possible, otherwise the longer the night, the more trouble we will have. If the prince notices it and sends someone to stop us, all our efforts will be wasted."

His voice was a little hoarse due to fatigue, but his tone was extremely firm, revealing a determination to fight to the end.

Zhou Xian gritted his teeth and said solemnly, "Brother Lin is right. It's just that we have been traveling for days and are exhausted. We are really exhausted. But for the sake of King Wei, we have no choice but to fight."

After saying that, he gripped the reins tightly, squeezed the horse's belly with his legs slightly, urging the horse to speed up.

The horses' hooves raised clouds of dust, which quickly dissipated in the night.
-
After days of non-stop travel, Lin Zheng and Zhou Xian, the two imperial censors who delivered the imperial edict, finally arrived near a Tang army camp at dusk one day.

At this time, the afterglow of the setting sun gently falls on the vast land, dyeing the sky into a brilliant orange-red color, as if covering all things in the world with a layer of dreamy gauze.

However, Lin Zheng, Zhou Xian and his companions had no intention of appreciating the beautiful scenery. They looked tired but determined, and they only wanted to complete their mission as soon as possible.

Just as they were yet to get close to the military camp, the sharp scouts had already noticed something unusual.

The scout rode his horse quickly and approached like the wind, with the spear in his hand flashing coldly. He shouted with a vigilant look, "Who are you? What are you doing here?"

Lin Zheng straightened up quickly and responded loudly: "We are the imperial censors of the imperial court. We are carrying the imperial edict of His Majesty and have urgent matters to convey. Take us to see your generals quickly!"

When the scout heard this and looked at the official uniform on the other party, his heart suddenly tightened and he did not dare to be careless at all.

But it was impossible to verify their identities based on their one-sided statements. After a little thought, he said, "Since you are the imperial censor, follow me to the military camp and leave everything to the general."

On the way to the military camp, Lin Zheng and Zhou Xian took the initiative to chat with the scouts.

After a conversation, they were pleasantly surprised to learn that the commander of this military camp was none other than Wang Cheng.

The two of them were secretly delighted in their hearts. Wasn't this the key person on the contact list provided by the Cui family?

It seems that God is helping us on this trip, and the two of us seem to have seen the dawn of success.

Soon, the group arrived at the military camp.

The scout led Lin Zheng and Zhou Xian to the front of the tent, and then quickly entered the tent to report.

After a while, the tent curtain was lifted and Wang Cheng walked out of the tent with steady steps.

Seeing this, Lin Zheng and Zhou Xian hurriedly stepped forward respectfully.

Lin Zheng smiled and said earnestly, "General Wang, I have long heard of your great name. It is a great honor to finally meet you today. We are carrying an important decree from His Majesty and the situation is urgent. At the same time, this is a token of the Cui family. I hope the general will understand it."

As he spoke, Lin Zheng carefully took out the Cui family's token from his arms and handed it to Wang Cheng with both hands.

Wang Cheng's face was calm. He reached out to take the token and looked at it carefully.

He knew very well in his heart that this token was tangible proof that the two people in front of him were indeed closely connected with the Cui family.

Thinking back to the time, the Cui family had helped him, and he always remembered this kindness in his heart.

However, as time passed, the great talent and strategy shown by Crown Prince Li Chengqian made him believe that following the crown prince was the right choice to realize his ambitions.

But at this moment, he did not reveal his true thoughts, but said calmly: "Two censors, please come in."

Everyone filed into the tent, and after the host and guest took their seats, the atmosphere in the tent became a little solemn.

Lin Zheng knew that time was running out, so after briefly explaining the situation, he got straight to the point and said, "General Wang, there is no time to lose. The Crown Prince is now disobeying the Emperor's orders in Liaodong, and His Majesty is furious. He has ordered the Crown Prince to withdraw his troops immediately."

"We urgently need you to gather the other generals on the list to discuss how to quickly and safely execute His Majesty's decree."

Wang Cheng frowned slightly when he heard this, and said with difficulty: "Two Imperial Censors, the military has always had strict rules and regulations, and all actions must be carried out with caution."

"Summoning the generals with such fanfare will easily attract unnecessary attention. Once the news leaks out, it may cause many changes and affect the overall situation."

Lin Zheng was extremely anxious. He leaned forward unconsciously and spoke more earnestly: "General Wang, His Majesty's decree is as powerful as thunder and lightning. It is extremely urgent and cannot tolerate any delay."

"Now that the crown prince has openly disobeyed the emperor's order in Liaodong, he has committed an unforgivable mistake." "If you can help us succeed at this time, it will definitely be a great achievement. In the future, the king of Wei will definitely look at you differently and reward you handsomely."

"Moreover, the generals on the list are all trustworthy people who share the same ideals as you and me. Why should you worry about the news leaking out?"

Zhou Xian also hurriedly echoed, "Yes, General Wang. Opportunities are rare and will never come back. General Wang might as well think about it carefully. If you can take this rare opportunity to show your majesty and the King of Wei your unwavering loyalty, then General Wang's future will be limitless. Moreover, the Cui family has a deep gratitude towards General Wang. If General Wang can help this time, the Cui family will definitely remember General Wang's contribution and will not treat General Wang unfairly in the future."

Wang Cheng pondered in his heart, but remained calm on the surface. He knew the prince's ambitions and prestige in the army, which made him more determined to follow the prince.

So, pretending to be hesitant, he pondered for a moment and then slowly said, "What the two censors said does make some sense. But this matter is of great importance and cannot afford any mistakes. I must act with caution."

"How about this? I will send my trusted men to quietly contact the other generals and have them come here secretly away from the eyes and ears of the generals."

When Lin Zheng and Zhou Xian heard Wang Cheng's words, they were overjoyed, thinking that Wang Cheng had agreed to help.

Lin Zheng hurriedly said, "Okay, I'll trouble you, General Wang. This matter cannot be delayed and must be arranged as soon as possible. We will wait here patiently."

Wang Cheng bowed and said sincerely, "Please be patient, my two lords. I will make proper arrangements for this matter and will start to handle it right away."

After saying that, Wang Cheng turned around and left the tent with steady steps.

However, as soon as Wang Chenggang walked out of the tent, the hesitation on his face disappeared instantly, replaced by determination.

Then he ordered the deputy general beside him: "Have someone watch them and don't let them go out at will."

The deputy general quickly replied: "As you command."

Wang Cheng did not contact other generals as Lin Zheng and Zhou Xian requested, but immediately returned to his tent and quickly and secretly wrote a letter.

In the letter, he reported to General Su Dingfang in detail and clearly about the purpose of Lin Zheng and Zhou Xian's visit and the fact that they brought the emperor's edict requesting the withdrawal of troops.

After writing the letter, he called his most trusted soldier and said with a serious and determined look, "You must ride the fastest horse, travel day and night, and deliver this letter to General Su Dingfang as quickly as possible."

"We must not slack off during this journey, and we must not let anyone know about this. This is related to the success or failure of the entire battle, and we cannot afford to make any mistakes!"

After receiving the order, the trusted soldier revealed a firm determination in his eyes. He immediately jumped on his horse, raised a cloud of dust, and galloped towards Su Dingfang's tent.

At this moment, Lin Zheng and Zhou Xian in the tent were still looking forward to Wang Cheng successfully gathering the generals. They were completely unaware of the impending crisis and were still immersed in the joy of the plan's imminent success.
-
Soon, the news reached Su Dingfang's tent.

Su Dingfang was sitting in the tent, carefully studying the military map by candlelight. The map was marked with various marks in detail showing the troop deployment and strategic points of both sides.

After hearing the news, Su Dingfang frowned slightly, and the brush in his hand stopped in mid-air. After thinking for a moment, he said, "As imperial censors, these two people dared to secretly pass the imperial edict to the front line with the intention of disrupting the morale of the army. It's really abominable."

"But they are imperial censors after all, so we can't touch them easily."

Xue Rengui, who was standing by, said angrily, "General, what should we do? Let them do whatever they want? If they succeed, the battle on the front line will be ruined."

Xue Rengui's face was full of anxiety, and his hands unconsciously clenched into fists.

After all, this is His Majesty's edict.

Su Dingfang stood up and paced back and forth in the tent. Then a trace of determination flashed in his eyes, and he said in a deep voice: "Liaodong is the Liaodong of the prince, not your majesty's Liaodong."

"Pass on my order. Have a team of elite soldiers disguised as Baekje bandits secretly capture these two people at night. Remember not to make a sound to avoid alerting the enemy. The action must be clean and efficient, and no evidence can be left behind."

Su Dingfang's tone was firm and decisive, and every word seemed to carry unquestionable majesty.

Xue Rengui took the order and left without any hesitation. He had already been the prince's man, even though this time he was disobeying the emperor's edict.

Quickly selected a team of elite soldiers with strong skills.

The action plan was explained in detail to the soldiers, who nodded one after another, their eyes revealing firm determination.

The next day, he went to Wang Cheng’s military camp.

That night, the moonlight was hazy and thick clouds blocked the moonlight from time to time, making the atmosphere around the camp even more gloomy.

Wang Cheng had already known about the situation, so he naturally cooperated fully.

Inside the tent, Lin Zheng and Zhou Xian were sleeping exhaustedly, completely unaware of the impending danger.

Lin Zheng was lying on his side on the bed, snoring softly, while Zhou Xian was lying flat on the bed with his brows slightly furrowed, as if he was worried about the operation even in his dream.

Suddenly, the tent door was thrown open and a group of "bandits" rushed in with sharp knives in their hands.

Lin Zheng and Zhou Xian woke up from their sleep, and before they could react, they were tied up. Lin Zheng's eyes widened and he shouted angrily: "Who are you? How dare you kidnap the imperial censor? Aren't you afraid of the law?"

His voice became a little sharp because of anger, trying to intimidate these "bandits" with his majestic voice.

Xue Rengui, who was disguised as the leader of the bandits, sneered, walked forward, put a knife to Lin Zheng's neck, and said, "What censors? They are just two traitors. Today is the day you die!"

There was a hint of ferocity in his eyes, as if he were really a vicious bandit.

Zhou Xian turned pale with fear, his body trembling uncontrollably, and he said in a trembling voice: "You, what on earth do you want to do? We are the imperial censors of the Tang Dynasty. If you dare to harm us, the Tang Dynasty will not let you go!"

Zhou Xian's eyes were filled with fear, and beads of sweat kept rolling down his forehead.

Xue Rengui ignored their shouting and waved his hand, and everyone escorted Lin Zheng and Zhou Xian out of the tent.

The two were escorted forward in the darkness. There was total silence around them, with only the sounds of their hurried footsteps and rapid breathing.

When Su Dingfang learned that the two had been successfully captured, he immediately wrote a letter to report the whole story to the prince in detail.

In the letter, he described in detail the actions of Lin Zheng and Zhou Xian, as well as the countermeasures he had taken, and asked the prince how to deal with the two people next.

After writing the letter, Su Dingfang handed it to a trusted soldier and told him, "You must hurry and deliver this letter to His Royal Highness the Crown Prince. There must be no mistakes."

A few days later, Li Chengqian received a letter from Su Dingfang.

Li Chengqian was sitting in the study, his desk piled with various documents and maps. He slowly unfolded the letter, read it carefully, and a smile appeared on his face.

This Liaodong is his Liaodong.

No one can cause any trouble.

Most importantly, this incident also brought Li Chengqian closer to generals such as Su Dingfang.

After all, this is His Majesty's imperial edict.

What I brought with me was His Majesty's imperial edict.

(End of this chapter)