Book 63: Chapter 3: Xuanwu Gate Incident

Kou Zhong and Li s.h.i.+min walked side by side out of the Yeting Palaces north gate in the direction of the Xuanwu Gate, accompanied by w.a.n.g Xuanshu, Zhangsun Wuji, Yuchi Jingde, thirty Flying Clouds Guards, and thirty Dark-Armored Elite Troops.

The Xuanwu Gates north gate was open, the Imperial Guards were serving on sentry duty as usual, there was not the slightest bit of difference.

Kou Zhong was still thinking about Yang Xuyans heartfelt words before his death. Actually, everybody has a demon of desire in his heart, one thing goes wrong, he would fall under its control, becoming its slave, and just like Yang Xuyan, only death would end it. It was not that he, Kou Zhong, did not have the inner demon to pacify and rule the earth by force, only luckily he had finally escaped from the quagmire of this desire, so much so that the Central Earth did not fall into an endless fire of war.

When he thought about galloping to his hearts content in the prairie, gazing at the vast and infinite horizon, beyond the realm of knowledge, he felt even closer to himself, approaching the center of life. After he decided to help Li s.h.i.+min to unify the world, the horizon of his mind opened up infinitely, and the decisive moment was precisely before his eyes.

The Xuanwu Gate guards stood respectfully to salute, the deep and long gateway represented the shortcut to the future.

The high-ranking military officer guarding the gate was Jing Junhong, Chang Hes deputy. He hurried forward and spoke in heavy voice, Reporting to Qin

w.a.n.g

and

Shaoshuai

, the s.h.i.+elds are arranged inside the gateway, your ministers and generals will defend the entrance to the death.

From Kou Zhong and Li s.h.i.+mins perspective, the three layers of gateway were quiet, no one was in sight. The two sides of the city walls were guarded by the Imperial Guards as usual. The east and west, two forts and the six sentry-towers stood tall and upright on either side, the atmosphere was solemn and respectful.

Li s.h.i.+min nodded and said, Jing

Qing

[subject] be careful, dont seek to kill the enemy, only seek to defend yourself.

Jing Junhong respectfully said,

Mojiang

understands, I am willing to serve Qin

w.a.n.g

and

Shaoshuai

to the death.

Kou Zhong clearly felt the effect of Qin

w.a.n.g

and

Shaoshuai

. The reason why his alliance with Li Yuan was welcomed by the army and the people in the whole city was because he had become the most terrifying and most formidable enemy of the Great Tang Kingdom, his threat was especially above the allied armies from beyond the Great Wall. Now he has given up everything and handed over the throne to Li s.h.i.+min, while Li s.h.i.+min has always been regarded as a hero by the House of Tang, from top to bottom, plus knowing that Li Yuans resistance has completely gone, hence from top to bottom they were of one mind, giving their allegiance to him and Li s.h.i.+min. Even without the Dragon Tally, Jing Junhong would still happily follow Chang He to surrender to their side.

The guards saluted together.

Jing Junhong issued an order, the nearly a hundred imperial guards holding up the rear and lining up on both sides of the gateway all moved forward, revealing dozens of large steel s.h.i.+elds leaning against the wall behind them.

Li s.h.i.+min made a signal to start moving, before walking side by side with Kou Zhong into the gateway. The Flying Clouds Guards and the Dark Armored Elite Troops rushed in from both sides, grabbed the steel s.h.i.+eld and darted forward.

w.a.n.g Xuanshu shouted loudly, Formation!

The warriors dashed toward the gateway, which was as long as five

zhang

deep, and laid out a defense on the pa.s.sage outside, which was more than twelve

zhang

wide, separately making three rows. The front row sat on the ground, the second row squatted, and the back row stood up, each with s.h.i.+eld held high, forming a s.h.i.+eld formation that could withstand arrows and darts attack, the last row of s.h.i.+elds was raised at an angle, shaped like an iron barrel, impenetrable.

At the same time, hundreds of Changlin troops charged out from the second layer of the gateway. Arrows and darts flew like locusts, Ding! Ding! Dong! Dong! all of which were blocked by the steel s.h.i.+elds and flew away.

The sound of horses hooves rumbled across the sky, coming from the East Palaces north gate, indicating that Li Jiancheng, as revealed by Chang Hes secret letter earlier, was leading the Changlin Army to attack from the East Palace, to cut their retreat route.

On the Yeting Palaces side, the sound of footsteps was thunderous, a.s.sisted by Xu Ziling, Ba Fenghan, Hou Xibai, the three thousand elite troops under Ma Chang, Song Faliang, Song Shuang, and Song Bangs command, poured out of the Yeting Palace to meet Li Jianchengs troops head-on.

Kou Zhong and Li s.h.i.+min knew even more that Li Xiaogong would lead Cheng Mos five-thousand-man imperial guards to enter the East Palace from the traversing square at this time, to cut off Jianchengs escape route, so that in the event of a defeat, Jiancheng would not be able to retreat to the East Palace. The two-thousand-man Dark Armored elite warriors, with Li Jing in command, a.s.sisted by Qin Shubao and Cheng Yaojin as his lieutenants, started off from the

Yanjia Gong

, so that Ke Dazhis five-hundred-man Changlin Army at the Xuanwu Gate was attacked from the front and rear, with no way to advance or retreat. Without waiting for Li s.h.i.+mins orders, Jing Junhongs men completely retreated into the gateway and formed a defensive formation, so that Kou Zhong and Li s.h.i.+min had no fears of trouble in the rear.

Kou Zhong turned to Yuchi Jingde and Zhangsun Wuji and said, Ill have to trouble two gentlemen to remain at the main gate to hold out the disposition of troops for Jing

Fu Tongling

[Deputy Commander].

Yuchi Jingde and Zhangsun Wuji you looked at me I gazed at you, simply because their duty was not to leave Li s.h.i.+mins left and right, to risk their lives to protect Li s.h.i.+mins safety.

Li s.h.i.+min smiled and said, With

Shaoshuai

here, do you still have to worry about this kings safety? Besides, this king has enough strength to protect himself. Why havent you obeyed

Shaoshuai

s command? Otherwise, if the main gate is lost, we could forget about even one of us able to escape alive.

He has not even finished speaking, the sound of killing outside the Xuanwu Gate shook the sky. The Changlin Army, using fast horses, lances and arrows, charged straight into the first layer of the gateways.

Everyone could imagine Li Jianchengs predicament at this moment. Were it not for Chang He throwing his lot to them, Jing Junhongs men would have cooperated rather than stopping the attack, allowing the Changlins Army to march straight in unchallenged, and together with Ke Dazhis men attacked from front and rear, two sides, and killed them all that not a single armor would remain.

Yuchi Jingde and Zhangsun Wuji hurriedly accepted the order and left.

Li s.h.i.+min and Kou Zhong looked at each other and laughed. He said, Ke Dazhi should be sensible, right?

Kou Zhong turned his gaze around calmly, the s.h.i.+eld formation under w.a.n.g Xuanshus command had not returned a single arrow, while the enemys arrows practically could not damage their side the slightest bit. This moment, the arrows momentum was exhausted, no longer as swift and fierce as before. Only one way left for Ke Dazhi to advance. The imperial guards gushed out from the top of the wall, the watchtowers, and the east and west fortresses. Everyone held a crossbow, but they held their bows unmoving. What Li s.h.i.+min meant by Ke Dazhi should be sensible was in reference to this, because they were living high and looking down, they could easily shoot dead any adversary.

Kou Zhong paid no attention to the intense offensive and defensive battle in the rear, he shouted loudly, Dazhi still has not pulled back?

Ke Dazhi voice rang out, Stop!

Ding! Dong! The incessant sound of the arrows. .h.i.tting the iron s.h.i.+eld stopped abruptly. This side quieted down, it made the ruckus outside the Xuanwu Gate even more prominent.

Kou Zhong lightly tapped Li s.h.i.+min on the shoulder, then somersaulted forward, crossing over the iron s.h.i.+eld formation, to face the enemys panic and frightened expression.

Ke Dazhi stepped out of the rank, the saber was still inside the scabbard, he let out a hoa.r.s.e bitter laugh and said, I, Ke Dazhi have never been in such a distressed situation of being surrounded by enemies on all sides.

Shaoshuai

indeed have a reaching-perfection strategy, Dazhi is convinced!

Li s.h.i.+min soared into the air and landed at the top of the city wall. Chang He appeared beside him and shouted loudly, Qin

w.a.n.g

Wanshui

[ten-thousand years, Long Live]!

The army of the wall, the fortresses and the watchtowers cheered in unison and echoed it. And then the Dark Armored Elite Troops cutting off Ke Dazhis escape route responded. Their voices soared straight into the skies. Although they still called Li s.h.i.+min the Prince of Qin, but this moment he was already regarded as the Great Tangs Son of Heaven, otherwise, they would not have cried out,

Wanshui

.

Long live Qin

w.a.n.g

!

The third round of cheering came from outside the wall, indicating that Li s.h.i.+min and Kou Zhong were in control of the overall situation.

Kou Zhong smiled and looked at Ke Dazhi, he said, Its not that you, Ke Dazhi are not doing your best in battle, its just that Jiancheng is incompetent and unpopular. Ha! You and I are brothers once, we are brother from the beginning to the end. No need for you to surrender this time, as long as you say a word, we can go to

Fu Ju Lou

for a drink and chat. Of course, your men could leave swaggeringly. As for

Taizi

s men, as long as they are willing to change and vow loyalty and devotion to Qin

w.a.n.g

, Qin

w.a.n.g

will not investigate the past.

Ke Dazhi responded with a wry smile, and then he turned his powerful body around, sweeping his gaze across the officers and soldiers of his side first, and after seeing that everyones face was ashen, he shouted, Did you hear that?

Hearing that, Li Jianchengs side high-ranking military officers, among whom Feng Liben occupied the highest rank, responded, We are willing to surrender to Qin

w.a.n.g

and let Qin

w.a.n.g

deal with us. And then he shouted his order, Abandon the weapons and surrender! and took the lead to toss his weapon first, and was the first to kneel down. Shortly afterwards, all soldiers and generals of Jianchengs side abandoned their weapons and knelt down, leaving only the three hundred Tujue warriors, quietly waiting for Ke Dazhis order.

Ke Dazhi spoke calmly in Tujue language, We can keep our weapons, bows and arrows, but we must withdraw from this conflict.

Turning to Kou Zhong, he said, Where should we go to rest, please

Shaoshuai

bestow instruction.

Kou Zhong spoke cheerfully, Li Jing

Jiangjun

will make proper arrangements for Dazhi. Qin

w.a.n.g

and I will deal with Jiancheng first, and then come back to you for a drink, ha! Heaven really does not treat us, two brothers meagerly.

Kou Zhong, Li s.h.i.+min, and Chang He stood side by side on top of the outer wall, the whole situation appeared before their eyes.

Ma Changs three-thousand-man elite soldiers moved outside the Xuanwu Gate in neat formation, forming a battle array, pressing on Li Jianchengs nearly three-thousand-man Changlin Army to withdraw to the Xuanwu Gates right side, arraying themselves in battle formation to meet them. Outside the Xuanwu Gate, there were corpses lying everywhere. It could clearly be seen that the attack on the Xuanwu Gate caused heavy losses on Jianchengs side, they worked to no avail.

Li Xiaogongs army to take over the East Palace has not yet shown their trace, but they should appear at any time.

Kou Zhong shouted loudly, Receive Qin

w.a.n.g

s order, those who are willing to surrender will be spared death.

Li Jiancheng rode his horse out of the ranks, his pair of eyes bursting with flames of anger and anxiety mixing together, he shouted wildly, Chang He, how dare you betray me, I promoted you in vain, how can you still be considered a human being?

Upright and unafraid, Chang He responded,

Taizi

s heart harbors ill will, yet you blame me for being in the wrong. Chang He only knows where the righteousness lies, I have no time to take everything else into consideration. If

Taizi

is willing to surrender, Qin

w.a.n.g

can remember the brotherly affection and spare you the death penalty.

Magnificent army with thousands of men and horses standing opposite each other outside the Xuanwu Gate, yet the crow and peac.o.c.k made no sound, only two mens dialog reverberated outside the gate.

Li Jiancheng spoke sternly, You want me to surrender? You have been poisoned, only strong in appearance but weak in reality. Officers and soldiers! Charge! Victory will belong to us.

Hearing that, Kou Zhong and Li s.h.i.+min you looked at me I gazed at you, Li Jiancheng let out a cry and charged like a madman towards the troop formation under Ma Changs command.

On the Changlins armys side, no one was willing to throw away their life with him. Everyone reined in their horses on the spot, only Li Jiancheng, one person remained, riding his horse to charge against the battle array of the Shao Shuai and the Song Familys allied armies. Whats more pitiful was that Li Jiancheng unexpectedly appeared to be oblivious that no one was following him, he even continuously yelled, Charge! Charge! Charge!

While Kou Zhong and Li s.h.i.+min cried inwardly, Not good!, Ma Chang thundered, Release the arrows!

Kou Zhong, in company with Li s.h.i.+min arrived outside the imperial study room. Li Shentong and Feng Deyi came out to meet them. The former said, After

Huangshang

woke up, he insisted on coming to the imperial study, we did not dare to stop him.

Knitting his brows, Kou Zhong asked, Does he know what happened?

Feng Deyi replied, Xiuning

Gongzhu

explained it clearly to

Huangshang

, but

Huangshang

just listened without saying a word.

Li s.h.i.+min asked, Wheres Xiuning?

Li Shentong replied, Still in the imperial study, keeping

Huangshang

company.

Kou Zhong stopped Li s.h.i.+min, who was about to enter the imperial study, he spoke firmly, It would be best for me to go alone to see him first.

Li s.h.i.+min was staring blankly for a moment, finally he nodded his agreement.

Li Shentong said to Kou Zhong,

Shaoshuai

, come with me.

The two men entered the heavily guarded imperial study room, straight toward the outside of the study rooms door. Li Shentong spoke over the tightly closed door, Reporting to

Huangshang

,

Shaoshuai

is asking for an audience.

A moment later, the door opened, revealing Li Xiunings jade countenance. Meeting Kou Zhongs gaze, her pretty eyes emitted a complex expression that made Kou Zhongs heart tremble. She spoke softly,

Shaoshuai

, please come in.

Kou Zhong and Li Xiuning brushed past each other, Li Xiuning gently closed the door for him from the outside, leaving only Kou Zhong and the Great Tang Emperor Li Yuan sitting behind the dragon desk.

Li Yuans spirit has not yet fully recovered, his face pale, under the reflection of the vast s.p.a.ce of the study room, not only did he look even more lonely and desolate, it also looked like he has suddenly aged for many years.

He silently watched Kou Zhong approaching, and then asked in a heavy voice, Jiancheng?

Kou Zhong spoke in deject, We originally intended to save his life, but he obstinately persisted in going about things the wrong way, and was shot by random arrows outside the Xuanwu Gate.

Li Yuans dragon body trembled, he raised his head up to look at the beam of the roof, tears rolled out of his pair of eyes, suddenly he rose up to his full height, put his hands behind his back and moved to the back window. With his back against Kou Zhong, he said, Li Yuan has not thanked

Shaoshuai

for your kindness in saving my life.

Kou Zhong walked over and stopped in front of the dragon desk; he sighed and said,

Huangshang

need not take it to heart.

After a moment of silence, Li Yuan said slowly, How are you guys going to rectify the desperate situation?

Kou Zhong respectfully said, Now all the civil and military officials are gathered outside the

Taiji Dian

, waiting for the alliance ceremony. If

Huangshang

is willing to take this opportunity to announce the successor of your choosing to the ministers, Kou Zhong can represent the Shao Shuai Army, the Song Family Army and the Jianghuai Army, to swear an oath to vow loyalty and devotion to the Great Tang, this way, the Great Tangs great undertaking of unifying the world is eighty-, ninety-percent completed, please

Huangshang

make the decision.

Li Yuan spun around like a whirlwind, the refined light in his pair of eyes flaring greatly, he spoke coldly,

Shaoshuai

s achievements did not come easy, unexpectedly you are willing to give it up so easily?

Kou Zhong calmly said, If I, Kou Zhong, speak one word of lie, let me never be reincarnated.

Huangshang

should understand the pain and pleasure of being an emperor better than anyone else. I, Kou Zhong, do not hesitate to give up the throne, it is to give up the pain and obtain the pleasure, let s.h.i.+min

Xiong

undertake this responsibility, and I would be glad to see it happen. Currently the Great Tang is still at a critical moment where success or failure is uncertain, so it is necessary to immediately stabilize the heart of the army, to boost morale, to be millions of people of one mind [idiom: people united] to face an attack of the allied armies from beyond the Great Wall.

Huangshang

, please note clearly.

Li Yuans countenance relaxed, he sighed and said,

Shaoshuai

is indeed a very good lobbyist.

Smiling wryly, Kou Zhong said, Let bygones be bygones, we must face the future. Changan is completely under s.h.i.+min

Xiong

s control, we only wait for

Huangshang

to declare his holy will to the ministers.

Li Yuan spoke in deject, Its finished! This time our Great Tang fell into the danger of being overturned by treacherous evil, yet

Zhen

is powerless to defend myself. I, Li Yuan, bear the greatest responsibility for all this. I have no face to sit on this position.

Shaoshuai

, please invite s.h.i.+min to come and see me, I will immediately give up the t.i.tle of Emperor. After the pledge outside the

Taiji Dian

, I will retreat to the

Anyi Gong

. As for Jiancheng and Yuanji, I will explain to all the civil and military officials that they colluded with outsiders, intending to destroy the alliance and a.s.sa.s.sinate

Shaoshuai

, and were executed at the Xuanwu Gate.

In order to give him enough face, Kou Zhong promptly went down on his knees and said, Thank you for the dragon kindness,

Weichen

[this small official] Kou Zhong still has a request, ten thousand times hoping that

Huangshang

will accept it.

Li Yuan walked around the desk, helped him up, and said with a wry smile, To be honest, after I know that

Shaoshuai

is also the divine doctor, Mo Yixin, not only I admire

Shaoshuai

very much, but also really like

Shaoshuai

. It is rare that you win without being arrogant, Jiancheng and Yuanji really saw only the other riders dust and had no hope of catching up [idiom: far inferior]. Whatever it is, please speak up.

Kou Zhong spoke awkwardly, Dong

Fei

wants to settle in Luoyang alone.

Li Yuan was slightly startled, fortunately, he immediately caught the meaning behind Kou Zhongs words, a desolate smile escaped out of the corner of his mouth, he nodded and said, As

Shaoshuai

requested, with Shunis temperament, she is indeed not suitable to live in guarded palace for a long time. Yin

Fei

also must leave the city with her father; I dont want to see them again in the future.

Kou Zhong stepped out of the imperial study room, the waiting-outside Li s.h.i.+min, Feng Deyi, Li Shentong, and Li Xiuning hurriedly crowded around him.

Yet Kou Zhong said, Bi Xuan and the others sudden departure gave me an ominous premonition.

The four people could not see through his brains, they did not understand why he suddenly said something that had nothing to do with his meeting with Li Yuan.

Li s.h.i.+min nodded and said, It is indeed suspicious.

Kou Zhong said, We have no choice but to plan for the worst. We must a.s.sume that the allied armies from beyond the Great Wall already sneaked up on Guanzhong, hence the reason Bi Xuan left immediately after receiving the report, because success or failure will not be determined inside the city but outside the city. For the enemy, the more chaotic we are, the more beneficial it will be for them. Based on Bi Xuans position and status, it will not be appropriate for him to directly intervene in political struggles. Whats more, Bi Xuan thinks that we are bound to lose, so there is practically no need to trouble his good-self to make a move.

Li Shentong nodded and said,

Shaoshuai

s remark is very true. Tujue people have always come and gone like the wind, attacking people when they are unprepared. How could they be willing to miss the golden once-in-a-thousand-year opportunity to break through Changan, to take advantage of the chaos?

Feng Deyi slapped his forehead and praised, Fortunately, we are now the sky clears after the rain [idiom: new hopes after a disastrous period], Changan has not been shaken at all. What instructions does

Huangshang

have?

His last sentence spoke out everybodys thoughts.

Li Xiuning spoke with slight displeasure, Kou Zhong!

A smile spread from the corner of Kou Zhongs mouth, suddenly he grabbed Li s.h.i.+mins both hands; laughing aloud, he said, Taking advantage while s.h.i.+min

Xiong

, this rival has not become a dragons hand, I have to grab it first to get my moneys worth.

Li Shentong and Feng Deyi were pleased beyond their expectations. It should be noted that if Li Yuan was still occupying the imperial throne, although his power has been substantially transferred into Li s.h.i.+mins hands, he was still officially the Great Tangs Son of Heaven, those who betrayed him would not pa.s.s auspicious days. If Li s.h.i.+min became the emperor, that would be a completely different matter.

Staring blankly, Li s.h.i.+min said, Dont exaggerate.

Kou Zhong laughed and said, s.h.i.+min

Xiong

knows my character well, but this time you are mistaken. Your

Fuhuang

wants to see you immediately, and you should know that I dont speak half an empty word. The alliance ceremony will become the succession ceremony, and it will also be the ceremony of me, Kou Zhong swearing an oath of loyalty and devotion to Li s.h.i.+min

Xiong

, ha!

Li s.h.i.+min calmed down instead, he said, How should we deal with Xielis army?

One reaction showed Li s.h.i.+mins strong point. Not only did he not get carried away by the good news, but he also grasped the deep meaning behind Kou Zhongs mention of the allied armies from beyond the Great Wall. Because the decision has to come to him, Li s.h.i.+min, he must seize the fortunate timing to make a decision.

Kou Zhong said, Since I have received the new emperors trust and approval, this matter will be handled by

Weichen

immediately. The information will be sent via flying pigeons, to guarantee that within nine days, the elite troops to save the country in times of danger from all sides of the Great Tang Kingdom will a.s.semble on the Guanzhong Plain, to the north of Changan, and to the south of the Great River, to show the courage, spirit, and unity of our Central Earth army and people to the invading foreign tribes.

Finished speaking, he let go of Li s.h.i.+mins hands.

Li s.h.i.+min laughed and said, I will still say the same thing, what Kou Zhong says is what I, Li s.h.i.+min say.

Finished speaking, he went to have an audience with Li Yuan.