Chapter 517: Why Aren't You Dead Yet?

How can an indulgent old man, already nearing seventy, run faster than the hulking, sturdy Qiu Ba?

Even if these Qiu Ba are all armored, they still shouldn't be unable to catch up!

As they pursued, Zhang Guangsheng gradually sensed that something was amiss, but now their force of fewer than a thousand was chasing the man in the dragon robe, scattering the enemy troops along the way.

Even if Zhang Guangsheng ordered a halt, the large contingent could not stop.

Li Longji ran madly east along the Wei Riverbank. A huge crowd of Qiu Ba with torches chased behind, a sight so comical that it made people reluctant to look directly.

Just as the pursuit became hard to give up, Li Longji seemed unlucky, stumbling over a stone on the riverbank!

Zhang Guangsheng, overjoyed, quickly stepped forward, lunged up and slammed Li Longji hard beneath him, preventing him from moving.

"Taishang Huang, you truly know how to run, making us chase hard!"

He chuckled coldly, helped the Li Longji beneath him to his feet, turned around, and was instantly pale as earth with fright!

"Why is it you?"

Zhang Guangsheng asked back, his face full of terror.

Gao Lishi, bruised and battered, smiled proudly, looked around and said, "No need for more words, just kill him. Want to catch a saint? Dream on!"

Seeing his confidence, Zhang Guangsheng knew trouble was brewing.

Soon, Yan Zhenqing, who had been running behind, huffed and panted forward, and upon seeing Gao Lishi in the dragon robe, thought silently, "This is bad!"

He and Zhang Guangsheng both fell for Ji Ge's Golden Cicada Shedding Shell plan! This time they're doomed!

"Quick, hurry to the imperial tent over there; you can definitely find him, the Taishang Huang hasn't run far!"

Zhang Guangsheng shouted anxiously, understanding that they were now racing against time.

If they capture Ji Ge before Li Guangbi and the others return, this round is won.

Otherwise, everyone can wash up and go to sleep. Walking the Yellow Springs Road together is not lonely at all.

However, their luck seemed poor; soon shouts of killing came from the west, growing louder and nearer!

It was Zhang Boyi who sensed something wrong and returned with his troops to guard the carriage!

Zhang Guangsheng cursed the other's blind loyalty in his heart, yet there was nothing he could do.

Now that the two sides are fighting, Zhang Guangsheng has no chance of winning.

Suddenly, inspiration struck him; he grabbed Gao Lishi's robe, pulled him to his side, and ordered his troops to form a circular formation for defense.

In fact, the Qiu Ba under his command were all quite frightened, their hot blood already cooled. Capturing a fake Taishang Huang had left their hearts as cold as ash.

Many of them, former members of the Jinwu Guard and Qian Niu Guard, had seen Gao Lishi before and had long recognized that the one in the dragon robe was not Ji Ge.

Zhang Guangsheng ordered the formation; these men reflexively formed a circle. Then Zhang Boyi's troops rushed forward, encircling Zhang Guangsheng, Yan Zhenqing, and the hundreds‑to‑a‑thousand‑strong force they led.

"Whoever dares move, I will kill the Taishang Huang!"

Zhang Guangsheng placed his broadsword across Gao Lishi's neck and shouted.

Standing a bit far away with poor lighting, Zhang Boyi could only see the conspicuous dragon robe, not Gao Lishi's face.

At this moment, he also didn't know whether Ji Ge had truly been captured by Zhang Guangsheng, and was reluctant to issue orders, fearing a trap! In such a setting, a mistaken command could mean a loss of life at best, or the whole clan's extermination at worst.

"Do not heed his nonsense; I am right here."

At some point, an old man emerged from Zhang Boyi's surrounding troops. Zhang Boyi stared and realized this was the real Li Longji.

Who, then, was the person captured on the other side?

Zhang Boyi was momentarily confused, but upon seeing Ji Ge's imposing demeanor, he instantly understood: this one was definitely real, the other likely fake—most probably Gao Lishi.

"Degenerate ruler, Gao Lishi is your most important henchman, no less than your own hands and feet.

We cannot kill you, but killing him to vent our anger is the same."

Zhang Guangsheng shouted at Ji Ge.

His display seemed reckless, but was actually meticulously calculated, perfectly grasping Ji Ge's mindset.

Sure enough, Ji Ge's expression shifted, and he let out a long sigh, saying, "I know you have all been misled by the Crown Prince and forced to be loyal to him. I now pardon you; I will not pursue any of the past deeds. Release Gao Lishi!"

As soon as he finished, Zhang Guangsheng shouted, "Taishang Huang, please make an oath!"

Ji Ge nodded slightly and said, "I swear to Heaven, pardoning all crimes here without pursuit. Should anyone break this, I shall not die a good death; the Great Tang will collapse and perish!"

To utter such a vicious oath, Ji Ge truly is a ruthless man.

The Qiu Ba under Zhang Guangsheng sheathed their broadswords, voluntarily clearing a path.

Gao Lishi was also released, without having his hands or feet cut off.

However, just as everyone relaxed, Ji Ge ordered Zhang Boyi: "Zhang Guangsheng and Yan Zhenqing now bear resentment toward me and intend to assassinate me. Capture those two; the rest are of no concern."

Can one still swear like this?

Zhang Boyi was stunned, shocked by Ji Ge's shameless depravity.

Ji Ge's oath meant past offenses could be let off, but he didn't say that now, just because you are unsightly, you cannot be dealt with!

If you want to add crimes, why worry about lacking words? Just pick a pretext, seize a few people, and no one will object!

Sure enough, the personal guards beside Zhang Boyi stepped forward, binding Zhang Guangsheng and Yan Zhenqing with thick ropes; the Jinwu Guard, Qian Niu Guard, and other southern yamen troops behind them, all former guards, acted as if nothing had happened, watching coldly from the side.

They seemed to have no intention of intervening.

The world's warmth and coldness, like drinking water, only the person knows.

Zhang Guangsheng, bored, allowed Zhang Boyi's personal guards to bind him, while Yan Zhenqing stared in disbelief at Ji Ge, unable to believe an emperor could be so shameless.

In front of everyone, he flip‑flopped, playing word games!

"Zhang Guangsheng, you were once my confidant, and I entrusted you with great responsibilities.

I want to know, why did you rebel? Why did you raise a blade against me? Where have I wronged you?"

Ji Ge looked at the bound Zhang Guangsheng, pressed to the ground and unable to rise, and asked coldly.

Logically, even if Zhang Guangsheng served under Li Chang, he shouldn't be the one taking the initiative.

Ji Ge didn't understand why Zhang Guangsheng was so eager to work for Li Chang.

Hearing these words, Zhang Guangsheng, whose expression had been fairly calm, was thoroughly enraged.

"Old bastard, why don't you just go die!"

Zhang Guangsheng suddenly revealed a vicious look and cursed at Brother Ji at the top of his lungs!

Such crude language left everyone around dumbfounded.

Brother Ji's face flushed red with anger, and his entire body could not help trembling.

Seeing this dog emperor keep his mouth shut, Zhang Guangsheng seemed to grow even angrier.

He continued cursing:

"Trusted confidant? Valued? You old thief, it's easy to talk when it's not your problem!

I couldn't even afford to eat in Chang'an, and you talk to me about being valued?

I held that lousy post of Left General of the Golden Guard for five whole years, getting only ten strings of cash a month—not even enough for drinking!

The little rice issued after the autumn harvest barely fetched any money when sold; I couldn't even afford New Year's goods or firewood for the holidays!

Chang'an is expensive beyond measure—food, clothing, shelter, travel, entertainment, socializing all cost money. Your pitiful salary wasn't worth a fart!

If someone hadn't been helping me out all along, I'd have starved in the streets long ago!"

Hearing this, the Western Army soldiers nearby all fell silent. Many of them felt the same way—though the place was Liangzhou rather than Chang'an, the effect was identical.

In truth, Tang officials' salaries were not high to begin with, and for most officials, salary was not their primary source of income.

Most officials were aristocrats or from prominent clans, with pedigree, family, landholdings, and vast networks of connections. Some even had wealthy merchants attached to their families who could regularly funnel them money and goods.

These men's official posts could bring enormous economic benefits to their families.

So there was no need at all to fight over that meager salary—that money wasn't even enough for drinking in Chang'an!

What they cared about most was whether they could become officials, what kind of officials they could become, and what benefits those posts could bring.

Yet nothing in this world is absolute.

The Tang also had officials like Zhang Guangsheng, who only held office and could only rely on their salaries. They had no family to lean on, nor the spare capacity to cultivate networks of connections.

Naturally, they lived hand-to-mouth.

In fact, Zhang Guangsheng was short of money every month, and it was Fang Chongyong who had entrusted Wang Yunxiu with keeping him supplied. If you don't look after your brothers, why would anyone call you big brother?

At this moment, Zhang Guangsheng grew more and more worked up, pouring out his grievances in front of everyone, glaring at Brother Ji and cursing:

"Others get promoted to military commissioner in five years, but I'm stuck holding the post of Left General of the Golden Guard for five years—can't advance, can't retreat.

Five hundred men under my command, patrolling the streets all day with nothing to do—not even as good as a camp commander!

No battles to fight for merit, no rewards given, salary that pitiful. Day in and day out in Chang'an, I couldn't afford to offend any faction of the powerful and noble, living like a worthless turtle's grandson!

Old bastard, is this what you call being valued? I was loyal to you through and through, and this is how you repay me?"

It was clear that Zhang Guangsheng harbored tremendous resentment toward Brother Ji!

He was not the type to have the bone of rebellion growing from the back of his skull, but when treatment stayed like this year after year with no hope whatsoever in sight, even a loyal man would grow that rebel bone.

For someone like Zhang Guangsheng, with no power, no influence, and no background, what choice was there besides proving himself with a blade?

Either kill the enemy or kill your superior—otherwise, who would bother listening to him?

Brother Ji, including the well-connected Guanzong noble families, had always been all talk and no action—how could they bother with a small fry like Zhang Guangsheng? They'd casually toss out a few hundred strings of cash, finding money on their persons a nuisance, and say "come to my estate and take what you need."

Don't assume the things Zhang Guangsheng spoke of were trivial matters "not worth mentioning" in the eyes of the powerful—when they landed on any one person, they were enough to crush him. That Zhang Guangsheng had endured for so many years before erupting showed he had truly been more than fair to Brother Ji.

"You deserve death!"

Brother Ji flung out those four words in shame and fury. Knowing he was in the wrong, he dared not meet Zhang Guangsheng's gaze, and instead turned to look at Yan Zhenqing and demanded, "Lord Yan, you are a chancellor I promoted. Your Yan family putting down roots in Chang'an was also thanks to the protection and favor of my Li imperial clan. You have already risen to chancellor—why must you go against heaven's will and be disloyal to me?"

If Zhang Guangsheng's resentment was understandable—never receiving promotion or important assignment, unable even to afford meals—then Yan Zhenqing had no such excuse.

He was a chancellor promoted by Brother Ji.

Without Brother Ji's promotion, he would have been nothing!

Brother Ji believed he had never done anything to wrong Yan Zhenqing.

"Retired Emperor, the shattered realm of the Tang today is all your doing.

The one going against heaven's will is you, not this Yan!

This Yan has always been loyal to the Tang.

As for the Retired Emperor's questioning, this Yan has nothing to say."

Yan Zhenqing looked at Brother Ji with a calm expression, his gaze steady and composed, showing not the slightest trace of guilt.

"Take them away. After we breach Chang'an, behead these two before the Vermilion Bird Gate of the Imperial City. Display their heads on the city gate for three days as a warning to others!"

Brother Ji coldly gave this order to Zhang Boyi, then turned and walked away.

He seemed to have forgiven the soldiers of the Southern Guard forces such as the Golden Guard and the Thousand Bull Guard. But whether he would settle scores later, only heaven knew.

All the soldiers present felt that this old emperor was petty and narrow-minded, and vaguely regretted following him all this way.

……

That summer's end, Chancellor Yan Zhenqing and Grand General of the Golden Guard Zhang Guangsheng led over twenty thousand troops to block Brother Ji's sixty thousand Western Army soldiers in the area of Weinan County.

However, under the masterful command of the Western Army's main general Li Guangbi, the troops Yan Zhenqing had cobbled together were first terrorized into attempting flight, then ambushed en route, divided and surrounded, and pursued all the way to the walls of Chang'an by Gao Xianzhi's cavalry.

Out of every hundred men, not even one made it back. Only a very few heaven-blessed sons of fortune managed to return to Chang'an, telling everyone they met how fearsome and invincible the Western Army was.

Panic swept through Chang'an. Some wanted to flee the city, while others felt there was nowhere to go and couldn't bear to leave behind their land and property in Chang'an.

News from the front naturally reached Li Chang's ears as well.

That day, upon learning that Gao Xianzhi's forces had encamped at Ba Bridge, seemingly waiting for Li Guangbi's troops to join them, Li Chang, working in the Purple Celestial Hall of the Daming Palace, could no longer sit still.

Things were desperate now—if he didn't run, he wouldn't be able to!

Li Chang was still hesitating, but Cheng Yuanzhen, along with certain officials in Chang'an who supported Li Chang, had already made preparations to flee. As long as Li Chang gave the word, they would immediately sprint away without a moment's pause.

Unfortunately, Li Chang did not want to leave so wretchedly.

Just as he was arguing endlessly with his ministers, Li Jiaqing, a general under Fang Youde's command, entered the hall with a dozen or so armored bodyguards. He walked straight up to Li Chang, clasped his fists in salute, and said, "Your Majesty, Commander Fang requests that you go to Longzhou to take refuge. As for defeating the Western Army and restoring Your Majesty to power in Chang'an, he has his own plan—please do not worry, Your Majesty."

"This…"

Li Chang was just about to say something when Li Jiaqing exchanged a glance with the personal guards beside him. Two soldiers stepped out from the ranks and led Li Chang and Cheng Yuanzhen toward the rear hall of the great hall, apparently intending to leave through the North Gate of Daming Palace.

The officials around Li Chang wanted to follow, but they were stopped by Li Jiaqing and his men.

This band of soldiers immediately drew their horizontal blades and growled in low fury at the ministers within the Purple Radiance Hall: "Why are you following His Majesty? Go wherever you please, we don't care, but if you dare go to Longzhou, the Western Army won't kill you — Commander Fang will hack you lot down first to sacrifice the flag!"

With that, paying no heed to the already terror-stricken ministers in the hall, Li Jiaqing strode off with a dozen or so personal guards!

Fang Youde's trap was already set, the business that needed doing was done, and there was no need to listen to these fat, bloated nobles groan and wail.

Li Jiaqing sneered as he walked.

These base, scheming creatures — let that old emperor deal with them.

He muttered a silent complaint in his heart.