Tang Dynasty: Father, if you don't rebel, I will!

The journey from Luoyang to Chang'an could not rely entirely on shipping.

However, during the Tang Dynasty, the waterways were widened, and further improvements were made to some navigation canals based on the Sui Dynasty's practices.

The journey from the Luo River into the Yellow River, and then from the Yellow River into the Wei River, was much faster than land transport.

Throughout the journey, everyone in Li Tai's cabin dared not even breathe loudly.

Li Tai held two short-handled flintlock muskets with handles made of whale bones and inlaid with gold and precious stones.

The gunshots echoed with the roaring rage rising in Li Tai's heart.

However, this caused great harm to the water birds along the way.

"You dared to sell the imperial grain reserves privately and even dared to steal the imported reserve grain that my brother used for digging canals and the western expedition... Sixth Imperial Uncle, if I don't chop you into eight pieces, I'm not Li Tai!"

"Humph!"

Meanwhile, the fleet was sailing at full speed towards Chang'an.

Changan.

The officials of the six ministries looked at Empress Zhangsun, who was standing beside the throne, and then at the imperial edict from His Majesty the Emperor that Fan Qi was showing them.

Everyone looked panicked, as if the sky had collapsed at that moment.

"Your Majesty, Your Majesty has run away?! No, Your Majesty... ran away?!" Duan Lun, the Minister of Works, kept repeating this sentence in a dry and stilted manner.

The colleagues around him all looked as if they had seen a ghost.

"Slap!" Tang Jian, the Minister of Rites, suddenly slapped himself across the face. The sound was so loud that it even echoed in the Taiji Hall.

It's clear that this person is always very calm and composed, no matter what happens.

Moreover, he always acted in a leisurely and unhurried manner, just like Tang Jian, the Minister of Rites who was already preparing to retire. At this moment, however, he could no longer remain calm.

"Your Majesty, His Majesty has run away. Does this mean he's not coming back? What should we do?" Tang Jian stammered, looking terrified, having completely lost his composure.

Panicked eyes fell on the Empress.

Empress Zhangsun sighed inwardly. Who could have imagined that her imperial husband would collude with Fang Xuanling and Du Ruhui to quietly pull off such a big scheme?

Even she, the mistress of the harem, is now caught off guard.

Fortunately... in the present Tang Dynasty, no powerful ministers dare to cause trouble.

"You have already read His Majesty's decree. The Prince of Wei will arrive in Chang'an soon. At that time, all affairs in Chang'an, including overseeing the government and coordinating with Taiyuan Prefecture, will be handled by the Prince of Wei."

Seeing that everyone still looked uneasy, Empress Zhangsun couldn't help but sigh.

spoke again.

"I will assist in governing from the sidelines. Of course, if any of you gentlemen can go to Taiyuan Prefecture and persuade the Crown Prince to return and oversee the country, not only will I be willing, but His Majesty will also be very happy."

Everyone: "......"

Wasn't that exactly what Wei Zheng was going to do?

Now he's probably about to be escorted and exiled by the Embroidered Uniform Guard to the freezing cold of the North Sea.

"Ahem, Your Majesty, we have no objections, but... what if His Highness Prince Wei, like His Majesty, also quits?"

Empress Zhangsun snorted coldly.

"This is what I will be discussing with you all next... This time, with Qingque returning to Chang'an, all the departments must be prepared to deal with him. We absolutely cannot allow him to become like his incompetent father!"

Everyone: "..."

Okay.

Your Majesty, you are truly a good person who would sacrifice family for the sake of the country.

Meanwhile, Empress Zhangsun and the officials of the Six Ministries in Chang'an were like hunters who had lost a deer and were forced to use all their strength to catch the last rabbit.

When Li Tai was to assume the regency, the process of paving the way and cutting off his escape route was underway.

On the dock more than 30 miles from Chang'an.

"Boom!"

The landing board had just been lowered.

Li Tai, however, had already instantly mounted a warhorse and charged off the cargo ship amidst a series of neighs.

"Dou Cai! You stay here and immediately transport the grain to Bingzhou. You must deliver it to my elder brother, the Emperor, within half a month!"

"Musketeers! Follow me to Chang'an!!!"

"drive!!!"

As Dou Cai watched the Prince of Wei's figure disappear in an instant, he thought of the messages that His Majesty's Hundred Cavalry had been secretly passing to him these past few days, and he couldn't help but take a deep breath.

If, if His Highness the King of Wei could agree, to remain in Chang'an to oversee the country.

Although this prince certainly has no interest in that position, ... their Dou family of Luoyang will undoubtedly be able to advance further because of it...

Just as His Majesty had conveyed to him, he wanted this Prince Wei to truly remain in Chang'an.

The officials from the six ministries didn't carry that much weight.

Even the current Empress and His Majesty's imperial decree to oversee the country may not be able to control this prince.

Only......

"Quickly! Immediately notify the dock workers to dispatch horse-drawn carriages and convoys! Contact the Bingzhou canal transport fleet!"

In Chang'an, one can still see government-employed people responsible for sweeping and cleaning the official roads.

At this moment, the fire and killing intent in Li Tai's eyes gradually appeared before his eyes as the massive outline of Chang'an came into view, and the movement of his whip in his hand became even more intense.

"Everyone, make sure the shields are on full display for me in a minute! If anyone gets away from the Prince of Jing's mansion... I'll treat them to a bullet for breakfast today!"

The five hundred musketeer cavalry behind him immediately tensed: "Yes!!!"

The gates of Chang'an were wide open.

However, the Imperial Guards who were supposed to immediately intercept the imposing cavalry of King Wei and his men instead saw the musketeer cavalry approaching from afar, carrying banners bearing the character "Wei".

Without hesitation, he immediately ordered all the people standing by the city gate to get out of the way.

Make way for it.

Without even blinking, the King of Wei brandished his whip and charged through the city gate in an instant.

"Tsk tsk tsk... It seems that His Highness Prince Wei is truly enraged this time. I wonder if he will faint from anger if he finds out the truth."

Chang He, who was originally supposed to be the garrison commander of Xuanwu Gate, was now watching Li Tai's troops rushing towards the Jingwang Mansion along Zhuque Avenue in the blink of an eye.

He shook his head slightly and sighed.

He didn't offer any further explanation when faced with the questioning look from his lieutenant beside him.

A wave of his hand.

"The fortress..."

"Wait! General Chang! General Chang, don't close the door yet!"

A loud, anxious shout startled Chang He.

Turning his head, he saw the carriage emerging from a small alley on the side, and then looked at Prince Jing, Li Yuanjing, peeking out of the carriage window. He immediately gasped.

"Your Highness, what is this...?"

Li Yuanjing's face was somewhat pale. He had seen clearly from his hiding corner how Li Tai led his men in and rushed in.

That murderous expression made him, who had been hesitant, immediately make up his mind.

"Please allow me to leave the city before you close the gates again. I would be eternally grateful!"

As Li Yuanjing spoke, he solemnly cupped his hands in greeting.

Upon seeing this, Chang He hesitated and glanced in the direction where Li Tai had disappeared. With one less target, the officials of the Six Ministries in Chang'an were in for a rough time.

However, seeing that the other party even produced an imperial edict that Li Shimin had prepared long ago, he was surprised.

Chang He could only sigh and let them leave the city.

"Hurry! Speed ​​up! Speed ​​things up for me! Get to Taiyuan Prefecture immediately! If we're too slow, I'm dead!"

"Everyone get out of here!"

laugh......

Amidst Li Tai's roar, a smoky jar was slammed directly onto the gate of the Jingwang Mansion.

A loud "boom" was heard.

The imposing, vermilion gate, three or four meters high, was suddenly smashed open by a tremendous force.

Then came screams of agony.

Li Tai, however, was like a demon god bursting forth from the clouds.

He had a short-handled flintlock pistol on each side of his waist, and two more on his back, which were holstered in a cross pattern.

Each held one in their hand.

"Sixth Imperial Uncle! Your nephew Qingque has come to see you!"

"Why didn't you come to greet us!"

A middle-aged man dressed as a butler was knocked to the ground by the shockwave. Just as he was about to get up, grimacing, Li Tai had already pressed a flintlock pistol against his forehead.

"Where is that scoundrel Li Yuanjing?!"

"Wang Wang Wang Wang..." The butler stammered, his voice trembling with fear. Just when Li Tai thought the butler was about to say something, he saw the latter suddenly roll his eyes.

"Clatter..."

He was so frightened that he fainted on the spot.

"Damn it!" Li Tai cursed under his breath.

"Guards! Charge in! Search! Surround the entire palace, even the dog holes!"

"Yes!!!"

Instantly, the entire Prince Jing's mansion descended into chaos.

however.

This mansion was only recently moved into by Li Yuanjing, so not only were there few people, but many rooms were also empty, and it was easy to tell at a glance whether anyone was hiding there.

However, after searching for a while, Li Tai's face turned completely gloomy.

"You bastard! You're fast enough... Let's go! To the Embroidered Uniform Guard headquarters!"

Li Tai had just led his men out of the Jing Prince's mansion in a menacing manner when a series of carriages approached, causing Li Tai's angry expression to pause slightly.

"Qingque!"

Empress Zhangsun's cold voice rang out, and Li Tai quickly composed himself and handed the flintlock pistol in his hand to his subordinate behind him.

He then hurriedly approached Empress Zhangsun's carriage and said, "Your subject greets Your Majesty."

"Mother, if you are pleading for that scoundrel Li Yuanjing, then I must disobey your orders. He has touched things he shouldn't have, and even if Father were here today, he could not save his life!"

Empress Zhangsun's expression was complicated.

She sighed softly from inside the carriage.

"Qingque... your father should have already left Luoyang by now."

"Your Majesty has said it! Li Yuanjing is doomed! Father Emperor can't make it back in time. No matter how well Li Yuanjing hides, I have plenty of ways to dig him out!"

Li Tai's voice was resolute, as if he wanted to learn from his elder brother and was determined to get revenge on his uncle today to show off his own abilities.

The officials from the six ministries who alighted from the carriages behind them couldn't help but change color slightly.

"Ahem... Your Highness, the King of Wei, His Majesty has a decree for you..."

Tang Jian held a scroll of imperial edict in his hands.

After nervously confirming that His Highness did not have the Bingzhou firearms at the moment, he coughed lightly and cautiously stepped forward to speak.

Li Tai looked at the officials, who all seemed to be on high alert.

Then look at Empress Zhangsun, who is sitting in the carriage with a face full of helplessness and guilt.

A sense of foreboding made him swallow hard.

He stiffly turned his head to look at his mother.

"Mother...you just said that Father Emperor left Luoyang...is he going back to Chang'an?"

Empress Zhangsun: "..."