Tang Dynasty Puppet Doctor

Chapter 171 The Death of Li Xian
Ah Shu excitedly followed the sound of the flute, but when she entered a small courtyard behind the post station and saw Xiao Muchen playing the flute, she dejectedly showed her disappointment.

"So it's Lord Xiao imitating Ah Huan playing the flute again. However, the flute music seems to be becoming more and more like Ah Huan's. I wonder if Lord Xiao can also enter Ah Huan's dreams?"

As she thought this, A-Shu seemed to gradually drift into a dream, dreaming of traveling around with A-Huan, Erlang Zhu and his wife when she was a child, and even visiting the great desert near Dunhuang.

A lone plume of smoke rises straight from the desert, while the setting sun hangs round over the long river!
When she heard the prince recite a line of poetry, she already felt that the poem was as beautiful as a painting, and the scenery in front of her was even more beautiful than the poem described.

Erlang's handsome smile was right in front of me.

Ah Shu smiled happily, but as she smiled, tears involuntarily fell down her cheeks.

"Father! Father! Shouldn't I call you Father?"

If only I had known back then that you were my father, I could have been as filial to you as Ah Huan, so that you wouldn't have left in such loneliness and despair.

However, Ah Huan has already avenged me!

Thinking this, A-Shu reached out to touch the face that was still smiling at her, but the face suddenly disappeared, and the dream collapsed in an instant. A-Shu woke up from the dream and saw that Murong Xian'er was also looking at her in surprise.

"What's wrong? Ah Shu, why are you crying?"

“Mother, I just dreamt of Father… I dreamt that he smiled at me, and his eyes were full of love. I wish I could keep seeing him in my dreams.”

Murong Xian'er's eyes also welled up with tears upon hearing this. She hugged A-Shu into her arms and comforted her, "It's alright. Your father has turned into a star in the sky and is always with us."

"Yes!" A-Shu nodded vigorously, then quickly smiled through her tears. "Mother, we must protect A-Huan and not let her be hurt by others again."

"Yes, Mother can definitely do it!"

At this moment, not only A-Shu, but many people in the post station seemed to have just woken up from a dream. Li Linghuan opened his eyes in surprise and looked at Xiao Muchen, the white-robed man playing the flute by the window. He couldn't help but sigh, "I didn't expect you to have learned Murong Huan's flute hypnotic dream-inducing technique in such a short time. Xiao Muchen, you have finally become like Xiao Lingchen."

As she thought this, a tear involuntarily rolled down Li Linghuan's cheek. She raised her hand to wipe it away, and couldn't help but smile, thinking to herself: Murong Huan, you have finally been awakened by him, haven't you?

But I can't let you meet him right away. What I'm about to do is too dangerous, and only I can do it.

Only when this matter is accomplished will your fate and Xiao Muchen's fate truly change, and the fate of the Tang Dynasty will also truly change!
……

As the music ended, and Xiao Muchen put down his bamboo flute and looked at Li Linghuan again, a fire phoenix flew down from the night sky, flapping its wings and spitting another letter into his hand.

When Xiao Muchen opened the letter and read its contents, his expression changed drastically.

"what happened?"

Sensing that something big might be happening, Li Linghuan quickly came to him and asked.

"The thing you've predicted may happen very soon."

Li Linghuan nodded: "Okay, that's good. Let's get to Chang'an as soon as possible!"

After saying that, Li Linghuan was about to leave when Xiao Muchen grabbed her hand tightly: "Do you know the consequences if this fails?"

Li Linghuan looked at him: "Of course, so we must not fail. Xiao Muchen, you have no other choice now. To the current emperor, you are a loyal subject of the former empress! Now we have won another battle, and our reputation has spread throughout the Great Zhou. Now we have the support of the people. Everyone knows you, Xiao Muchen, and everyone knows your wife, Anxi Jiedushi Murong Huan."

I think you understand the phrase "his achievements overshadow his master" better than I do!

Xiao Muchen understood this principle, but he was too worried and reluctant, so he looked at Li Linghuan and said, "I only need you to agree to one condition."

"you say!"

"No matter what, we must save our own lives, and save Ah Huan and our children's lives!"

Having said that, he pulled Li Linghuan into his arms and murmured,
"Let me hug you. I want Ah Huan to feel that I'm always by her side. She once told me that life is precious and that no matter what happens, you should never give up on life... Ah Huan, you shouldn't give up on life either!"

……

Three days later, Li Linghuan's army finally arrived in Chang'an, where they were greeted with thunderous cheers and the people lining the streets to welcome them. Li Xian also arranged a grand victory ceremony, personally leading all the officials to the city gate to welcome them. After some words of comfort, a grand banquet was held in the Linde Hall of the Daming Palace. At that time, it was just as dusk was falling, and thousands of glass lanterns were lit in the Linde Hall, where countless dancers danced gracefully.

"This battle not only resulted in the beheading of Sun Wanrong and the complete annihilation of the Khitan, but also led to the surrender of the Turks and Tibetans, who dared not invade the borders of our Great Tang again. All of this is thanks to Prime Minister Xiao and the Anxi Military Governor!"

"Gentlemen, this battle is enough to demonstrate the might of our Great Tang Dynasty and make us famous in history. Let us all raise a toast to Prime Minister Xiao and the Military Governor!"

"Yes, yes! We should indeed toast Prime Minister Xiao and Princess Jiahe!"

Cui Shi chimed in, and was the first to hand the poured wine to Li Linghuan. Just as Li Linghuan was about to take it, Xiao Muchen snatched it away and drank it all in one gulp.

"Prime Minister Xiao is truly protective of his wife! He won't even let her touch a drop of wine?"

Xiao Muchen didn't look at Cui Shi again. Just as he was about to take Li Linghuan's hand and return to his seat, Princess Anle, dressed in a hundred-bird skirt, walked towards him like a proud peacock. She was also holding two glasses of Western Region wine. She handed one of them to Xiao Muchen and said, "Would Prime Minister Xiao like to drink this glass of wine from me?"

Li Guo'er's gaze was intense, her bright eyes having long lost the innocent light of her youth, appearing exceptionally alluring yet languid, containing a deep light that was unfathomable.

"can!"

Just as Xiao Muchen was about to take the wine cup, Li Linghuan reached out and intercepted it, holding the cup to his nose and sniffing it for a while, which made Li Guo'er angrily say, "What, does the military governor suspect that I would poison Prime Minister Xiao?"

"The princess would naturally be reluctant to use poison, but I'm afraid she might use some other unclean drugs!"

"you!"

Li Guo'er's face flushed red, and she rushed to Li Xian in a fit of rage: "Father, you see, I have said long ago that this woman is arrogant because she is favored by the emperor. Now that she has military merits, she is even more disrespectful to me!"

"What are you saying, Princess? How could I not respect you? The soldiers of Anxi have just returned victorious from battle, and you're already trying to accuse me of being arrogant and overshadowing your master?"

"You, are talking nonsense!"

"Since it's nonsense, then that's for the best!" As soon as Li Linghuan finished speaking, he turned to Li Xian, "Your Majesty, you just asked me what reward I wanted, and I do have a request for Your Majesty's permission!"

"you say!"

"What I request is to abolish the marriage alliance between our Great Tang and Tibet, and also to bring the Prince of Liang to justice!"

These words caused an uproar.

King Wu Sansi of Liang put down his wine cup, his face instantly darkening.

Li Xian seemed quite surprised, asking in astonishment, "The Prince of Liang has been executed? What do you mean? What law did the Prince of Liang violate?"

Li Linghuan answered, word by word: "The crimes of collusion with the enemy, treason, and betrayal of the country!"

Upon hearing these words, the entire Linde Hall was momentarily stunned, and then everyone gasped in disbelief, exchanging bewildered glances.

"Treason? Is this true or false?" someone couldn't help but ask. "Princess Jiahe, do you have any evidence to accuse her?"

"Of course I have one!" Li Linghuan took out a letter from his sleeve. "This is the secret letter between the Prince of Liang and the famous Tibetan general Lun Qinling. This war between Tibet and the Tang Dynasty was also instigated by the Prince of Liang. Do you all remember the banquet to welcome the envoy during the Mid-Autumn Festival?"

"All of this was planned by King Liang, and Lai Junchen and even Wei Tuan'er were just pawns arranged by King Liang!"

Li Linghuan's words flashed over everyone at the banquet like lightning. Many people lowered their heads in fear. At this time, the Prince of Liang was at the height of his power and was deeply favored by the emperor. To accuse the Prince of Liang at this time was like walking on the edge of a knife.

But then, something even more unexpected happened!

Li Xian didn't say a word, suddenly spat out a mouthful of blood, and collapsed straight to the ground.

Chaos erupted in the Linde Hall, with people and horses stumbling and footsteps clashing. But amidst this chaos, the sound of weapons clashing rang out, and Princess Anle, Li Guo'er, suddenly cried out, "My father... my father has passed away!"

Upon hearing this, the ministers who had come to the banquet were even more at a loss and extremely surprised.

Just as Xiao Muchen was about to chase after Li Xian who had fallen, Li Linghuan stopped him. At that moment, Li Guo'er suddenly pointed at Li Linghuan with tears in her eyes and said, "It was you! You killed my father!"