My father, Li Shimin, please call me Crown Prince

Chapter 406 We Cannot Let His Majesty Go
Su Dingfang's idea was quickly approved by Li Chengqian.

It would be very difficult to breach the walls of Xuanwu Gate.

In fact, Li Chengqian himself also contributed to this, namely the cement.

The city walls of the Tang Dynasty were all made of rammed earth. Because of the dust, for aesthetic reasons, Li Shimin had all the rammed earth city walls paved with cement.

This significantly increased the difficulty of bombarding the enemy with artillery fire.

But Su Dingfang's idea was to blow down the city gate.

It wasn't cannons, but gunpowder, or explosive charges.

The fact that Su Dingfang could see this shows that he had a high level of understanding of gunpowder after using it for a long time.

While artillery bombardment offers a distance advantage, it conversely reduces the magnitude of the explosion.

Using a battering ram, with a large amount of gunpowder piled inside, would naturally result in an extremely terrifying explosion.

With hundreds of kilograms of gunpowder exploding simultaneously, how could the iron-clad city gate withstand it?

However, this siege will inevitably be brutal and bloody.

Because attacking through the city gate would mean being surrounded and killed by a large number of soldiers behind Xuanwu Gate.

They certainly couldn't just stand by and watch the Crown Prince's army enter the city.

"Proceed according to plan!"

Li Chengqian set the tone.

Everyone took a deep breath and bowed respectfully: "Yes, Your Highness."

The next first step is to modify the battering rig.

There are many craftsmen in Daming Palace now, so it's not too difficult. The renovation itself isn't too troublesome either.

While building the Daming Palace, Li Chengqian also created a large number of siege weapons, which are now going to be put to use.

"Your Highness."

The crowd filed out, but Du He lagged behind and stayed behind.

"I have something to report, concerning Lord Hou Junji."

After being released, Hou Junji was reinstated as Minister of Personnel.

However, this time he did not come, nor did he participate in the attack on Xuanwu Gate; he had another mission.

Those were guarding the other gates of the imperial city.

To prevent His Majesty from evacuating.

Although Li Chengqian felt that Li Shimin would not back down, who could say for sure? What if they went through all the trouble of capturing Xuanwu Gate, only to have Li Shimin leave Taiji Palace after being persuaded by his ministers?

This can become very awkward.

Li Chengqian naturally couldn't gamble based on his feelings, so he instructed Hou Junji to keep an eye on things and pursue the emperor immediately once he left.

"Hou Junji? What is it?"

Li Chengqian frowned slightly.

Du He replied, "There seems to be some unusual activity at Hou Junji's place, perhaps."

Li Chengqian waved his hand: "At this point, there's no need to say more."

Upon hearing this, Du He could only nod and bow, "Yes, Your Highness."
-
Tonight, Chang'an is as calm as before a storm.

The Chen State Duke's Mansion.

Hou Junji gathered with his former subordinates and generals.

The candlelight flickered in the bronze lanterns, casting the shadows of the many generals on the gray brick walls, making them appear ghostly.

Hou Junji leaned back on the folding chair in the main seat, his knuckles tapping on the gilded wine pot on the table beside him. The aroma of wine emanating from the pot mingled with the smell of rust from his armor, creating a stagnant atmosphere in the sweltering summer night.

Standing before him were more than twenty former generals, most of whom were the same group that had followed him in conquering Gaochang and roaming the Western Regions. Now they were divided into two rows, their eyes sparking with excitement when they met.

"Master Hou!"

Niu Da, who was first in the left column, took half a step forward, and the hem of his iron armor swept across the ground with a "whoosh" sound.

"It's not that we, your humble servants, are afraid of death, but it's that His Highness the Crown Prince..."

He paused, swallowing back the words "like an egg striking a rock," and instead said in a deep voice, "Xuanwu Gate is impregnable. General Li Jing will arrive in Chang'an within days. When you followed His Majesty in conquering the world, when did you not always calculate the odds of victory before sending troops? This battle now..."

Li Shimin had great prestige, and besides, everyone sitting here had fought half their lives.

I have my own views on the current situation.

In fact, most people don't have a high opinion of the crown prince.

"General Niu's words are inappropriate!"

Shi Danai on the right suddenly stood up, his hand on the hilt of his sword. The high nose of the Turk cast a shadow in the candlelight.

"The Marquis was imprisoned for three years because of His Highness the Crown Prince. Who sent him cold food behind bars? His Majesty is magnanimous? Back then, the Marquis captured the King of Gaochang alive, and upon his return, he was imprisoned with just a word about 'stealing treasures.' Is this His Majesty's 'magnanimity'?"

"His Highness the Crown Prince has just returned to Chang'an and has already done his utmost to ensure the Marquis's reinstatement. Is this act of kindness really worth less than a few words of 'abandoning darkness and embracing the light'?"

As a Turk, Shi Danai was more like a retainer of Hou Junji.

“Shi Danai!” Niu Da’s face darkened. “The battlefield is not a place for sentimentality! How did His Majesty treat Li Jiancheng’s former subordinates back then?”

"The Crown Prince caused trouble for the first time, and His Majesty didn't even implicate the former members of the Eastern Palace. If the Marquis is willing to turn against him, who dares to say His Majesty won't..."

This was Li Shimin's reputation, and many generals nodded in agreement with Niu Da's words.

If one abandons darkness and embraces light at this time, His Majesty will certainly not pursue the matter and will even reward them.

"shut up!"

Seeing that many of his former subordinates were tempted, Hou Junji suddenly looked up, his cloudy pupils reflecting the candlelight like two extinguished will-o'-the-wisps.

He had served in the military for thirty years, and the scar at the corner of his eye would twitch slightly when he was emotional. At this moment, the scar was twitching as it traced across his cheekbone: "Do you think His Majesty is a bodhisattva? During the Xuanwu Gate Incident, His Majesty personally beheaded Jiancheng and Yuanji and hung their heads on the city gate for all to see! Now that the Crown Prince wants to rebel, will he tolerate it?"

Hou Junji was still quite clear-headed. Niu Da was right. If there was a rebellion, His Majesty probably wouldn't pursue the matter, but that didn't include him.

Because he has already been labeled as the crown prince, while his son-in-law is still serving as a general in Liaodong.

How can His Majesty tolerate him?

The Crown Prince's decision to send the eldest grandson of the Emperor to Liaodong was clearly intended to establish a separatist regime.

If the Crown Prince dies, it is certain that the eldest grandson of the Emperor, Li Xiang, will immediately declare himself king.

The hall fell silent instantly, with only the soft rustling of the iron eaves fluttering in the night breeze.

Hou Junji grabbed the wine jug and took a big gulp. The wine dripped down his beard and onto his scarlet official robe, leaving dark stains.

These former subordinates were brothers who had fought alongside him for many years.

Now that the Crown Prince is about to start a rebellion, these brothers who have followed him through thick and thin are thinking of exchanging his head for wealth and status.
"My lord, I am only doing this for your own good."

Zhang Fugui, the second from the right, advised in a low voice. He had been a scout commander under Hou Junji and was the most cautious: "Although the Crown Prince's cannons are powerful, the walls of Xuanwu Gate... are made of glutinous rice mortar and are even thicker than those of Tongguan!"

"And then there's General Li Jing..."

Li Jing's reputation as a military genius was built upon his numerous military achievements.

Hou Junji was only Li Jing's deputy general at the time.

"enough!"

Hou Junji slammed the wine pot to the ground, the sound of it shattering startling everyone: "You keep saying His Majesty is magnanimous, but have you ever thought about the Crown Prince's kindness to me?"

"If it weren't for the Crown Prince saving me, would I still be sitting here right now?"

"Now that the Crown Prince is about to succeed, you all want me to betray my master for personal gain?" His voice grew louder and louder, hoarse from his prison years, like sandpaper rubbing against a stone slab: "You say the Crown Prince has a low chance of winning? But when the Emperor Emeritus raised his army in Jinyang, among the eighteen rebel kings in the land, who had faith in him? During the Xuanwu Gate Incident, when Crown Prince Jiancheng held the Eastern Palace's armored soldiers in his hands, who had faith in His Majesty?"

"Now the Crown Prince has over 70,000 elite troops in Liaodong, artillery, and fierce generals like Su Dingfang and Xue Rengui. How can he not win?"

Hou Junji trusted his own judgment, and besides, in matters of such a coup, no one could say for sure until the very end.

"My lord, times have changed!"

Niu Da said urgently, "His Majesty is now the Emperor, and the people support him! The Crown Prince... the Crown Prince is, after all, plotting rebellion, and his cause has no legitimate cause!"

Hou Junji suddenly laughed, his laughter tinged with the metallic stench of blood: "Treason?"

"Back then, His Majesty murdered his brothers and forced his father to abdicate. Wasn't that treason? Now it's the Crown Prince's turn. He's just following in his father's footsteps! What are you following me, Hou Junji, for? Is it to achieve merit and establish a career, or to betray your allies and become opportunists?"

He suddenly stood up, and the horizontal sword at his waist was drawn half an inch from its sheath with a clang, the cold light making everyone's faces turn pale.

Shi Danai immediately stepped forward, his hand on his sword, followed by three or four generals who stood up as well. The sound of armor clashing echoed throughout the hall. Niu Da's men instinctively took a half step back, their hands on the hilts of their swords, but they didn't dare to actually draw them.

"My lord, don't be misled by the crown prince!"

Zhang Fugui was sweating profusely with anxiety: "If His Majesty truly wanted to kill you, he wouldn't have spared your life back then! Now that you've repented, it's not too late! This humble general has heard that His Majesty has already issued an edict, as long as..."

Hou Junji's gaze was like a knife, piercing Zhang Fugui's face: "Where did you get so much 'hearsay' from?"

"Was it a message from a palace spy, or did you yourself want to ask His Majesty for a reward?"

Zhang Fugui's face turned deathly pale, and he stammered, "This humble general...this humble general was only worried about the Marquis..."

Hou Junji sneered: "Worried about me?"

As soon as he finished speaking, Hou Junji suddenly stepped forward two steps and drew his sword!

The blade flashed, drawing a silver arc in the candlelight.

With a muffled thud, Zhang Fugui's head rolled to the ground, blood gushing from his neck and splattering all over Hou Junji.

"what--!"

A short scream rang out in the hall. Someone instinctively drew their knife, only to see Hou Junji holding a blood-dripping sword, turning towards Niu Da, whose face was ashen.

No one expected that Hou Junji would suddenly strike at this moment.

After all, they were all brothers who had followed Hou Junji through thick and thin for many years.

"General Niu!"

Hou Junji's voice was eerily calm, as if he had just chopped off a piece of wood, not a human head: "What did you just say? Say it again."

Niu Da's Adam's apple bobbed, sweat dripping from his temples into his armor. He looked at the severed head on the ground, then at the undisguised killing intent in Hou Junji's eyes, and suddenly knelt down with a thud: "My lord! This humble general was wrong! This humble general was foolish! This humble general is willing to follow my lord through fire and water!"

Hou Junji looked at him coldly.

Sometimes, Hou Junji's silence doesn't mean he doesn't know.

After years in prison, many of these former brothers, who had enjoyed wealth and luxury, have changed their minds.

Hou Junji already had a plan when he was summoned this time.

"Too late." Hou Junji flicked his wrist and slashed down with his sword.

Niu Da screamed and raised his arm to block, but the blade severed his wrist and then slashed into his shoulder.

Amidst the splattering of blood, Hou Junji kicked him to the ground, the blade scraping against the iron armor on his chest, sending sparks flying.

Then, with a swift stroke of his sword, he slit Niu Da's throat.

Although everyone was wearing armor, nobody was wearing helmets at this time.

"Who else?"

Hou Junji looked around at the crowd, drops of blood from his blade falling onto the blue bricks, spreading out dark circles: "Who else wants to 'abandon darkness and embrace the light'? Who wants to exchange my head for an official position?"

The remaining generals were all pale-faced. The two factions that had been arguing just moments before were now cowering in place, not daring to even breathe loudly.

Shi Danai gripped the hilt of his knife tightly, nodded emphatically to Hou Junji, and his eyes were filled with ruthlessness.

"I went to prison three years ago!"

Hou Junji's voice lowered, carrying an almost manic stubbornness: "How many of you thought I was dead? That I, Hou Junji, would never rise again?"

"It's the Crown Prince, it's His Highness the Crown Prince! He hasn't abandoned me! Now he's going to do what His Majesty did back then. If I betray him now, how can I possibly live with myself?"

After a pause, Hou Junji kicked aside the corpse at his feet, his blood-stained boots leaving a trail of crimson footprints on the ground: "His Majesty is magnanimous? He is magnanimous towards useful people!"

"Back then, Wei Zheng criticized him, and he tolerated it because Wei Zheng could help him govern the country. Now, if I, Hou Junji, were to turn against him, he would only think of me as an ungrateful dog, someone he would get rid of sooner or later! Rather than being beheaded by him on some pretext in the future, I'd rather fight alongside the Crown Prince!"

Hou Junji's frank statement left many generals looking at each other in bewilderment.

"Your Excellency is right!"

Suddenly, Shi Danai roared, drew his sword, and pointed it at the hesitant generals: "Anyone who dares to utter another word of 'surrender' will suffer the same fate!"

Several generals who had previously wavered were so frightened that their legs went weak, and they all knelt down and kowtowed repeatedly: "This humble general dares not! This humble general is willing to obey the Marquis's orders!"

Hou Junji took a breath, leaned his sword on the ground, and the blood on the blade flowed down the lines of the brickwork, accumulating into a small puddle in the cracks between the bricks.

He looked at the trembling crowd before him, his gaze slowly shifting from violent to cold and hard: "The Crown Prince ordered me to guard all the gates of the imperial city to prevent His Majesty from evacuating. Listen—"

He walked to the wall, pointed to the map of Chang'an hanging there, and pointed the tip of his knife at several key points such as Mingde Gate, Tonghua Gate, and Kaiyuan Gate: "Shi Danai, you take a thousand men to guard Anfu Gate, which is the only way His Majesty can go west."

"Wang Junkuo, you will lead a thousand men to guard Yanxi Gate and keep an eye on the east side."

"Li Mengchang, you lead a thousand men to guard Shunyi Gate. The rest of you follow me to guard Zhuque Gate, which is the main gate of the imperial city and is of utmost importance!"

Hou Junji's forces were not large; his old troops, including himself, numbered only a few hundred.

Fortunately, the Crown Prince allocated some troops to him, some of whom were Liaodong soldiers and some were from the Right Jinwu Guard.

"Master Hou."

A general asked cautiously, "If...if His Majesty really intends to evacuate, what will we do..."

"Stop him." Hou Junji's voice was completely calm: "The Crown Prince said that His Majesty must not be allowed to leave Taiji Palace."

"But...but that's His Majesty..."

"shut up!"

Hou Junji turned his head sharply, his eyes flashing with a fierce light: "From now on, there will only be His Highness the Crown Prince! If anyone dares to mention the word 'Your Majesty' again, Zhang Fugui and Niu Da will be the examples!"

All the generals clasped their hands in unison: "Your subordinates obey!"

Hou Junji nodded and sheathed his sword, the scabbard making a soft "whoosh" sound as it rubbed together.

He walked to the door, pushed open the heavy wooden door, and the cool night wind, carrying the smell of blood, rushed in, making him shiver.

In the distance, the faint sound of ramming could be heard from the direction of Xuanwu Gate, indicating that the imperial court was reinforcing the city's defenses.

"Go, all of you." He turned his back to the crowd, his voice weary yet resolute. "Prepare your weapons and armor. Remember! Only acknowledge the Crown Prince's orders, not any imperial edicts."

The generals left the hall one by one, their footsteps fading into the courtyard. Hou Junji stood alone at the door, gazing at the moon obscured by dark clouds, recalling a similar moonlit night many years ago when he followed Li Shimin in battle, and they defeated Dou Jiande's army of 100,000 with only 3,000 cavalry at Hulao Pass.

At that time, His Majesty's eyes shone with light, and he promised them "shared wealth and honor."

But wealth and status are always in the hands of the victors.

He raised his hand to wipe the bloodstains from his face, his fingertips touching the old scar on his cheek. He suddenly chuckled softly, the laughter sounding particularly jarring in the quiet night.

"Your Majesty, Your Majesty."

Hou Junji muttered to himself, "You were able to kill your brothers at Xuanwu Gate back then, so why can't your son do the same today?"

No one knew that Hou Junji wasn't just eyeing His Majesty.

There were also the King of Wei and the King of Jin.

If the Crown Prince suffers a defeat in battle.
(End of this chapter)