Da Tang: Father, can I resign?

Chapter 366 Li Er, your goose is in my hands

In the middle of the Ming army's ten-mile camp, not far from the main camp, there was a temporary wooden wall, with soldiers standing guard at the entrances and exits.

The female members of the Tang Dynasty royal family were settled in this area.

These unfortunate concubines and princesses followed Li Chengqian on a long journey from Chang'an, experiencing fear all the way, and also witnessed a bloody encounter at close range.

In the end, they were captured by the Ming army.

It would be better to just stay in Chang'an and wait for the change of dynasty!
The result is the same anyway, so there is no need to suffer this and risk being shot in the head by a stray arrow.

The encounter in which the Tang emperor was captured was just an insignificant footnote in the battle for supremacy between the Ming and Tang dynasties.

The concubines were not the targets of that skirmish and were far away from the center of the battlefield, so they were simply caught in the crossfire.

But even so, the bloody smell on the battlefield still caused them a huge psychological trauma.

Concubine Yin had a high fever at the time and shivered in the tent assigned to her for several days. She only recovered today and was able to go out and visit friends and relatives.

She came to the military tent in the middle of the camp, knocked lightly on the felt, imitating the sound of knocking on the door, and whispered:

"Is sister feeling better today?"

After a long while, a weak voice came from the tent:
"Come in, I'm still a little dizzy."

With the help of her maid, Concubine Yin slowly lifted the felt at the door of the tent and walked in slowly.

There was a dim light in the tent. A woman with disheveled hair was sitting listlessly on the carpet, with her back against the bed, motionless, like a puppet.

But the woman's eyes were lively, moving around in uncertainty, which showed that she was very alert.

She looked so haggard that she was almost unrecognizable. She was Wei Gui, the imperial concubine second only to the empress in the harem.

She has been like this since being "invited" into the military camp by Li Ming.

"My sister has suffered!"

Yin Fei squeezed out a few tears in a second and sobbed:
"We lowly slaves are a different matter. Sister, you are such a noble and precious person, but you have suffered such a disaster. It's all Li Ming's fault..."

When she heard the name "Li Ming", Concubine Wei's body trembled, and she became so stressed that she almost screamed:

"Keep your voice down! Don't mention his name!"

Yin Fei was so frightened that she shut up immediately.

"This is his territory, be careful there may be ears!"

Concubine Wei's eyes were filled with a bit of neurotic fear.

Concubine Yin didn't dare to say anything more. She opened her eyes wide in surprise and doubt and nodded.

She went there under the pretext of "visiting Concubine Wei" with the intention of finding like-minded girlfriends to diss Li Ming behind his back.

Because of her beloved son, Prince of Qi Li You (the brother who was first adopted by Li Yuanji, then rebelled, and was finally killed for no apparent reason), she hated Li Ming's family, if not to the core, she was also gnashing her teeth.

The cockroach that barely managed to survive in the corners of the harem suddenly became a real dragon and phoenix. How could she not be jealous... No, she hated evil as much as she hated it!
So, she quickly became good friends with Concubine Wei.

Because in the harem, the one who hated Li Ming's family the most was none other than the eternal second in command, Concubine Wei Gui.

Concubine Yin had to step back a little.

only……

"Things are different now, Concubine Yin..."

Concubine Wei's tone was full of helplessness and bitterness.

"God is unjust, allowing villains to rule. We are now prisoners, so we should be careful in what we say and do...

"Think about the methods of that guy...'that person'!"

Yin Fei recalled the bodies of the soldiers who were beheaded in the battle that day. Her psychological trauma was immediately revealed. She was suddenly silent and nodded tremblingly:
"I know...I know. What my sister is teaching me is..."

The two women said nothing more.

Concubine Wei began to tie her hair, climbed onto the couch slowly, and sat there as if the guest did not exist.

The war caused by Li Daliang left her with great psychological trauma.

From that day on, she became weird and afraid of the dark.

The air was filled with awkwardness.

Concubine Yin could no longer sit still, so she said a few irrelevant polite words and was about to stand up and leave.

But a lot of women came in one after another outside the door and blocked her back.

They are all concubines of His Majesty the Supreme Emperor. They have always been on good terms with Concubine Wei and look down on those in Lide Hall.

After the initial few days of shock, they all recovered and, after discussing privately, they all came here to seek warmth from their leader, Concubine Wei.

"Is my sister feeling better?"

"Better, but..."

"Oh, sister, this place is really not a place for human beings to stay! They are detaining us like prisoners!"

"We are still his aunts after all, how can he treat us like this!"

"That's right. Sister, why do you look so bad? Did he do something to you?"

The women started to complain and chatter.

To be honest, Li Ming treated his father's harem well.

In the mountains and wilderness, they were isolated in an independent area with flat terrain, trees and flowers. They were not allowed to sleep in a large dormitory, but each had an independent military tent.

The palace maids and eunuchs who accompanied them were retained as well, and even the soldiers standing guard and patrolling the camp were female soldiers of the Ming Dynasty.

After all, the conditions on the battlefield are limited and cannot be compared with those in the palace.

However, the concubines would not understand Li Ming's difficulties and they just wanted to find fault with him.

Originally, these women didn't have a good impression of Li Ming's family who had risen out of nowhere. They were also very angry because of the bumpy journey, and the encounter a few days ago gave them a big scare.

With the combination of these subjective and objective factors, they have long been full of complaints and are eager to share.

It was inconvenient for Yin Fei to leave her seat and be the one who didn't fit in, so she could only sit there and listen, moving her butt uncomfortably and looking towards the main seat from time to time.

Concubine Wei's face had changed from pale to flushed.

When it comes to her dislike for Li Ming, she can confidently say that everyone here is her younger sister.

Originally, the position of the master of the harem belonged to her.

How could it be taken away by Yang's wife, the traitor?

It’s all because of that little beast Li Ming who’s causing trouble!
Even after Yang openly defected to the enemy country, she was still not deprived of her position as Empress of the Tang Dynasty.

The queen mother of the enemy country also serves as the queen mother of his own country. The emperor would rather let this absurd joke become a reality than to make her his legal wife.

How could this be called rebuilding the Yang family? This was clearly a slap in the face of the Wei family!

In a fit of rage, Wei Gui colluded with Li Tai and Li Zhi, and on the night of the Suzaku Gate Incident, he served as a guide for the assassins who were trying to kill Li Ming.

Although there was a small mistake in the incident, Li Ming was not executed on the spot.

But Li Zhi, his good nephew, still drove the guy out of Chang'an.

She thought that after getting rid of that little rascal, her life would be peaceful from now on.

Who knew that guy would come back so soon!
Not only did that guy want to change the dynasty, he even tried to eradicate the aristocratic families!

There is even a good chance that he will succeed!

And isn't the Wei family a first-class aristocratic family? !

New hatred and old grudges piled up, Wei wanted to kill Li Ming——

"Oh? You're all here?"

Just when the ladies were enjoying themselves.

The felt was lifted up, and a chubby little head poked in.

"Oh? You're all here, that's great."

It was as if the pause button had been pressed, and the entire audience fell silent.

Concubine Yin took a deep breath and almost held her breath.

The other concubines also looked miserable and pale as paper.

If there is anything more embarrassing than being caught licking someone's crickets behind their back, it's that the person being licked happens to have the power of life and death over them...

"The harem... the forbidden area, how can you... enter and leave at will?" Concubine Yan De tried her best to uphold the dignity of the Imperial Concubine Dowager and mustered up the courage to reprimand.

Li Ming laughed shamelessly:
"Because I'm still young, no one would care if I went into the women's restroom, let alone here?"

Concubine Yan De was so angry that her lips were shaking.

I have never seen such a shameless person...

“De Fei, watch your behavior.

"Your Majesty is here, how can you be so presumptuous!"

A stern voice came from the main seat.

Concubine Wei spoke.

She first severely criticized the outspoken Concubine Yan De and other nagging concubines.

Then his expression changed in an instant, he stood up hastily, greeted Li Ming with a smile on his face, and bowed humbly:
"Your Majesty is so kind that you can provide a place for women like me to stay. I am deeply grateful.

"Wherever your majesty goes, spring breezes fill the air and flowers bloom. Today I called my sisters to gather together to enjoy the scenery. I didn't know your majesty was coming, so I hope you will forgive me."

Concubine Yin De quickly added:
"Yes, yes. I wonder if Your Majesty would be so kind as to appreciate it with me?"

Li Ming had a clear mind and knew that even though these people disliked him, they couldn't get rid of him.

But he didn't feel any pleasure from pretending to be cool and then getting slapped in the face.

What's the point of arguing with ants?
Now he just wanted to throw these gossiping old ladies out.

Li Ming frowned and said in a businesslike manner:

"No need, I will arrange for someone to send you back to the capital."

Everyone's expressions lit up at the same time, and one could hear everyone heaving a sigh of relief.

Can I finally go back to Chang'an?
However, Li Ming added:
"It's a long journey to Pingzhou, I have arranged guards to accompany you.

"Now is war time, you must obey the orders of the generals and not act arbitrarily. Do you understand?"

Everyone's expressions dimmed at the same time.

But Li Ming didn't come to bargain with the aunties.

Without waiting to hear their reactions, he turned and left.

When he reached the door, he remembered something and turned back:
"I sent a letter to my mother. When you get to Pingzhou, just follow my mother's orders."

what?
Not only was she taken abducted to the enemy camp, but she also had to bow down and serve as a concubine to that lowly prisoner from Lide Palace?
It would be better to kill them - if it were before, they would still dare to pretend to be chaste and heroic women.

But now, after witnessing the bloody excitement of war up close, they only want to -

"Thank you, Your Majesty, for your kindness!"

Led by Concubine Wei, all the imperial dowagers knelt down in unison and shouted out those words that were full of reluctance and fear.

Li Ming was too lazy to answer and walked straight out of the tent.

…………

Li Mingda was staying next door. She put her ears up against the felt and listened to the noise outside.

"Li Ming is out!"

She ran back to her seat in surprise, sat upright, and put on a cold face.

She had used this method to deal with Brother Zhinu before, and now she planned to do the same to give Brother Xiaoming a warning.

Why do we turn our swords against our fathers and brothers?
Why did they drag the whole world into war when they were just fighting among their own people, causing so many deaths?

She had so many questions to ask her willful and overbearing brother.

However, after waiting for a long time, that childish and precocious face did not crawl into the felt and call her "little Douzi".

Li Mingda sniffed.

Although she was very close to him, Li Ming ignored her and walked straight out of the temporary "harem".

…………

Outside the main military tent, Li Chengqian, the third royal brother, watched the winding convoy leaving the military camp.

"You just let them go like that?"

Li Chengqian couldn't help but sigh.

Li Ming hummed:
"Yes."

Li Zhi looked at the direction they left and was suddenly startled:
"You didn't send them back to Chang'an?"

Li Ming hummed again:
"Yes."

“……” The two brothers didn’t know what to say.

After a while, Li Chengqian broke the silence:

"Brother Ming, do you intend to keep me and my ninth brother by your side forever, instead of sending us somewhere else?"

Li Ming turned his head and looked directly at them:

"That's right. I will be worried if you leave my sight."

It’s not that I’m worried about them running away or rebelling.

Instead, he was worried about the two of them, especially Li Chengqian, who would suddenly explode the moment they left his sight.

I feel tired. I have a strange feeling of fatigue, like raising a goldfish and worrying about killing it...

"...I have traveled a lot, so I shouldn't be so fragile, right?"

Li Chengqian didn't know whether to laugh or cry.

There are many people who are afraid that their ex is still alive, but this person is the only one who is afraid that his ex will die early.

Who knows how long you can breathe? You are highly suspected of diabetes. And Li Zhi also had a stroke later. The genes of the Li family are really...

Li Ming was too lazy to refute him and ordered coldly:
"Anyway, you two will follow me wherever I go. You will eat whatever I eat.

"Eat more vegetables, eat more rice mixed with millet, eat less meat, and don't drink alcohol. Do you understand?"

Li Zhi was surprised:
"Brother Ming, when did you believe in Buddhism?"

“……”Li Ming didn’t want to pay attention to him.

So when Li Ming met them by chance in Puzhou, he deliberately ignored them.

trouble……

"Brother Ming, then our father..."

Li Chengqian hesitated for a long time and finally asked the question that concerned him most.

Since he was captured, the Ming army not only did not relax, but instead began to prepare for war more intensively.

The winner has been decided, the throne has been determined, he doesn't know what the excitement is all about.

Could it be that Li Ming wants to...

"Oh, Li Er?" Li Ming's tone was quite relaxed.

"I sent him a letter."

Li Chengqian and Li Zhi looked at each other.

"May I ask how you told Father?"

"Just a simple sentence." Li Ming put on his most mischievous smile:
"Your harem of children is in my hands."

…………

“'Li Er, your children and harem are in my hands'...hahahaha!
"That little bastard, sure!"

In Jinyang City, the atmosphere was extremely depressing.

Only Li Shimin laughed particularly happily.

(End of this chapter)