Chapter 85

"This... what is this called?"

"What exactly is going on? Has His Majesty taken a love potion? After going to Tubo once, he actually wants to cede Jiannan Circuit to them? Isn't this ceding territory to seek peace?"

"It's too outrageous! What exactly is going on?"

Everyone stared at each other, extremely angry, but also helpless.

They all understood Li Er's temper.

Once a decision was made, it could never be changed.

"Minister Fang, you went to Tubo with His Majesty, what exactly is going on?"

Cheng Cheng Yaojin was clever; after seeing Li Er leave, he turned and asked Fang Fang Xuanling beside him.

Everyone else also stopped nagging and pricked up their ears to listen.

"Sigh!" Fang Fang Xuanling let out a long sigh, shook his head and said: "His Majesty has his own difficulties, you generals should just follow orders."

"What kind of talk is that! To just abandon the defense so confusedly, how can we be reconciled?"

Cheng Cheng Yaojin's stubborn temper also flared up, and his thunderous voice buzzed in the commander's tent.

"Enough! Even if I told you, what would be the use?"

"Have you ever felt the terror of the Great Qin iron cavalry? They wiped out the Turkic cavalry that dominated the world in three hours."

"Have you ever witnessed the horror of Qin Mu? He took the head of a general from among ten thousand troops without changing his expression."

"Hehe, yeah! Who could believe it?"

Fang Fang Xuanling laughed self-deprecatingly, stopped paying attention to Cheng Cheng Yaojin and the others, and left the commander's tent silently.

Cheng Cheng Yaojin and the others looked at each other, and after a long time, they stomped their feet heavily.

"Hey!"

"Withdraw the troops!"

Changancheng.

Duke of Zhao's Prefecture.

Empress Zhangsun Zhangsun Wuji was discussing government affairs with Li Li Chengqian.

"Your Highness the Crown Prince, I wonder how you have been lately?"

Empress Zhangsun Zhangsun Wuji sat calmly on his chair and glanced at Li Li Chengqian nonchalantly.

"It's alright for now."

"It's just that that old immortal Wei Zheng always comes to bother me when I'm playing."

"All day long, he either tells me to be diligent in government affairs or asks why the officials of the Six Ministries are being transferred so frequently."

Li Li Chengqian waved his hand impatiently.

He was baffled!

Why did his father want to keep this old bastard.

If it were up to his temper, he would have chopped him to death long ago!

"Wei Zheng?"

Empress Zhangsun Zhangsun Wuji's eyes opened wide.

This person was a stubborn mule who wouldn't turn back until he hit the south wall.

He must never be allowed to find any handle!

"Your Highness the Crown Prince, we must be more careful in our actions in the future, and we must never leave any handle."

"Otherwise, once your background is exposed, we will lose everything."

Empress Zhangsun Zhangsun Wuji warned solemnly.

"Uncle, don't worry!"

"I'll just say that I arranged all these things, and I use those people because I'm used to them." Mentioning his background, Li Li Chengqian's eyelids twitched, and he hurriedly became serious.

Absolutely no one must know about this!

Absolutely not!

"That's good."

Hearing Li Li Chengqian take everything upon himself, Empress Zhangsun Zhangsun Wuji finally felt relieved. Anyway, there was only one principle.

"I doubt Wei Zheng would dare to say anything more."

No matter what, one must never bring trouble upon oneself.

Even if there were any mistakes in the future, the responsibility would all be Li Li Chengqian's own!

It was he who learned of his background, feared losing his wealth and status, and thus wanted to rebel.

It had nothing to do with him, Empress Zhangsun Zhangsun Wuji.

"Father, news has come from the front that His Majesty has returned."

Just then, Empress Zhangsun Chong walked in hurriedly.

"His Majesty has returned?"

Empress Zhangsun Zhangsun Wuji stood up abruptly.

"Yes, they say he just returned from Tubo not long ago, and will be back in the capital in one more day."

"Your Highness the Crown Prince, our plan is temporarily suspended, and everything remains unchanged."

"When the time comes, just say that the deployment of officials in the Six Ministries and Nine Ministers was to better stabilize the court situation while His Majesty was away, after all, these are troubled times."

"You must not let anything slip."

Empress Zhangsun Zhangsun Wuji said to Li Li Chengqian with a serious expression.

"Don't worry, Uncle. I have already memorized these words by heart."

Li Li Chengqian promised, patting his chest.

"Father, there is one more piece of news, you will definitely be surprised when you hear it."

"What news?"

"After His Majesty returned, he ordered the Jiannan Circuit garrison to withdraw all defenses and announced that Jiannan Circuit had been ceded to Tubo. Also, the Empress and Princess Changle do not seem to have returned with His Majesty."

"What did you say!?"

Hearing this news, Empress Zhangsun Zhangsun Wuji was shocked.

His Majesty actually ceded territory to seek peace?

After paying such a high price, the Empress and Princess Changle were still not rescued.

What exactly is going on?

No!

After His Majesty returns, these things must be figured out.

The always sharp Empress Zhangsun Zhangsun Wuji smelled something abnormal.

And at the same time.

This news was also spreading Wu Li Ke wildfire in Changancheng.

"Have you heard? His Majesty is coming back! They say he has made peace with Tubo, do you know how they made peace?"

"Who doesn't know? This matter has already spread throughout the capital, saying that His Majesty suffered humiliation in Tubo and, in order to survive, ceded Jiannan Circuit to Tubo."

"Hmph! What a great shame."

"Still Tubo? Don't you know? Our Great Tang's number one traitor, Qin Mu, has already destroyed Tubo and built a country there identical to our Great Tang, with the country name Great Qin! I heard that most of the people there are no different from our Central Plains, and their living habits are almost exactly the same."

"Hiss! Truly strange! How could there be such an unbelievable thing?"

"Who says it isn't?"

Various rumors and gossip continued in the capital.

Some were furious, some were sighing, and some were indifferent.

In such a prosperous capital, people had long since lost their original purity.

The court was in turmoil, and the world was uneasy.

Amidst the rising winds and clouds, the pattern of the world was quietly changing.

Three days later.

Li Er finally returned to Changancheng.

It is said that that night.

The lights in the Ganlu Hall of the Imperial Palace did not go out all night.

The next day.

Li Er announced that a Grand Court Meeting would be held in the Taiji Hall.

All civil and military officials of the third rank or above in the capital must attend.

And all princes, nobles, and aristocratic families were also on the invitation list.

Violators would be executed immediately!

As soon as this news was released, it immediately caused an uproar.

Not attending court means immediate execution?

Isn't this a bit too exaggerated?

There has never been such a rule in any dynasty!

The autumn wind was bleak.

The air in Changancheng was filled with a murderous atmosphere.

No one knew what Li Er had experienced in Tubo.

But everyone reached a consensus.

At this critical juncture.