Tang Dynasty, my wife Wu Zetian

Chapter 254: Obeying His Majesty's Will

Li Hong took leave to go to Taiji Palace. When he returned to the East Palace, it was just 3:00 p.m. and classes were still going on in Chongwen Hall.

Li Hong returned to Wentang to continue his studies. After class, Xue Na came to him quickly and asked anxiously:

"Your Highness, what did His Majesty say?"

Li Hong waved at him, and the two of them walked out of the literary hall together and came to a corner of the corridor.

"It's okay. Father didn't blame your mother." Li Hong said with a smile.

Xue Na breathed a sigh of relief, his eyes reddening as he said, "Your Highness, thank you very much. If you hadn't sent people to capture those Persian assassins, the consequences would have been disastrous."

Li Hong chuckled and said, "You're smart enough to realize that something's wrong. Otherwise, I wouldn't be able to help you."

Xue Na suddenly asked, "By the way, Your Majesty, how are you going to deal with those Persians?"

"Father asked me to take care of it. I was thinking of driving them out of Chang'an. What do you think?"

Xue Na nodded repeatedly: "This is the best. After they leave, mother will return to normal."

After Xue Na and Li Hong separated at Chongwenguan, they went out of Changle Gate and Anshang Gate together.

Outside the Anshang Gate, the carriages from various mansions had been waiting for a long time.

Xue Na looked around and soon found his own carriage. He stepped on a low stool and entered the carriage.

Liu An sat in the car, took his school bag, and said with a smile, "Why are you a little later than usual today?"

Xue Na said seriously, "Mother, I have something to tell you."

Liu smiled and said, "Tell me, as long as it's not about buying fighting cocks or fighting insects, mother will agree to it."

Xue Na muttered, "That's not the case. That Persian prince is a bad man. He deceived you. Don't go to the Zoroastrian temple anymore!"

Liu was stunned for a moment, with an expression of disbelief on her face.

"Ner, what are you talking about? The humble priest is the messenger of Goddess Nana, how can he be a bad person?"

"It's true. He tricked you into putting your father's seal on your head a few days ago, saying he wanted to let his brother enter the Tang Dynasty. This was all a lie. He wanted to let a group of Persian villains enter the Tang Dynasty and assassinate the Arab envoys!"

Liu shook her head and said, "You're getting more and more unreasonable. Who told you all this?"

Xue Na said anxiously, "This matter was personally investigated by His Royal Highness the Crown Prince. How could it be false?"

Liu was stunned and asked, "Why is he involved with His Royal Highness the Crown Prince again?"

Xue Na then told Li Hong everything about how he had asked him for help.

Liu was shocked and angry. She said, "How could you, child, tell the prince about our family affairs without saying a word? Isn't this asking for trouble?"

Xue Na said: "Your Majesty also knows."

"What?" Liu asked in shock.

Xue Na squeezed her hand and said with a smile, "Mother, don't worry. His Royal Highness the Crown Prince has already interceded for me. His Majesty will not punish me."

Liu was speechless, staring at her son who was just over ten years old. She couldn't believe that such a young child could do such a thing without telling her.

After a long while, she finally sorted out her thoughts and said, "According to you, the lowly priest is using me?"

Xue Na nodded repeatedly and complained, "Yes, I told you a long time ago that he had bad intentions, but you just didn't believe it."

After a long silence, Mrs. Liu still found it hard to believe her son's words. She said in a deep voice, "Ne'er, you are not deliberately teasing your mother, are you?"

Xue Na said anxiously, "Every word I said is true. If you don't believe me, you can ask His Royal Highness the Crown Prince."

Liu thought to herself, "Although he is the crown prince, he is younger than you. These two kids are making such a fuss, don't let them harm the humble priest."

Xue Na saw that his mother didn't believe him and said, "His Royal Highness the Crown Prince said that the lowly priests will be expelled from Chang'an in a few days. You will know then."

Liu's face changed color and she asked, "Did the prince really say that?"

"Then there is still a holiday?"

Liu was stunned and asked, "Your Majesty also agrees?"

"Yes, His Royal Highness the Crown Prince told His Majesty the situation, and His Majesty asked His Royal Highness to handle it."

Liu was secretly shocked. Since the emperor asked the prince to deal with it, it meant that the prince was not fooling around and this matter was very likely to be true.

The next day, after Liu sent Xue Na to Chongwenguan, she no longer went to the Zoroastrian temple, but only sent people to keep an eye on the movements in the Zoroastrian temple.

At noon, a servant came to report that Bilus had arrived at Xue's house and wanted to see her.

Liu became even more suspicious and refused to see him, claiming to be ill.

Two days later, the servants who were sent to keep an eye on the Zoroastrian Temple came to report that the Zoroastrian Temple had been surrounded by the Zuo Nei Leader of the East Palace.

Persians including Peroz have been escorted out of Chang'an by the guards of the Eastern Palace.

……

Outside Chang'an City, Sanqiao Town.

When Bilus came to the Tang Dynasty, he hid in Sanqiao Town and was hunted by the Arabs. Later, he was brought to Chang'an by Xue Rengui to meet the Tang Dynasty emperor.

Now that he has returned to Sanqiao Town, what awaits him is the fate of being expelled from the Tang Dynasty, and his heart is filled with sorrow.

The oil lamp in the room was dim, as if it would go out at any moment, just like his fate at the moment.

A man walked into the house and whispered to Belus, "Your Majesty, there are not many soldiers guarding us. We still have time to run."

This man was his appointed military minister and chief priest, named Litan, whose rank was second only to his. Bilus ruffled his hair with both hands and said, "What good will it do if I escape? If I'm caught again, I'll probably be executed!"

Litan whispered, "We can go and assassinate the Arab envoy. If we succeed, your reputation will surely soar. Then, when we return to Persia, people will follow you."

Bilus growled, "Another assassination? I was expelled from Chang'an because I listened to you!"

Litan stared at him and said, "Your Majesty, you haven't forgotten your status as the king of kings, have you? Do you want to live in Chang'an forever?"

Bilus said solemnly: "No, I have never forgotten to restore my country."

Litan said, "Then why are you so hesitant? The Tang people are about to go to war with the Arabs. If you don't take action now, you will be forgotten by the people!"

Bilus gritted his teeth and said, "Then we shouldn't resort to assassination. We should seek the support of the Tang Emperor!"

Li Tan shook his head and said, "It's useless. It's been more than three years. The Tang Dynasty Emperor has never seen you and has long forgotten you."

"No, the Emperor of the Tang Dynasty has not forgotten you!"

A voice came from outside the house, followed by the sound of footsteps, and several armored Tang Dynasty soldiers walked in.

Belus and Litan's expressions changed.

Litan drew his scimitar, held it in front of Bilus, and said sternly, "What do you want to do? Where are the guards outside the house?"

The leading Tang soldier said, "Don't be nervous. Your guards outside the house were only knocked unconscious. I didn't hurt them."

Bilus stood up, raised his hand to stop Litan, took two steps forward, and looked at the Tang Dynasty soldiers.

"Did the Tang Dynasty Emperor send you here?"

"good."

"He sent you to kill us?"

"If His Majesty wanted to kill you, would he have to wait until now?" The Tang Dynasty soldier shook his head.

Bilus asked, "What's your name, General?"

"I am the General of the Internal Guard, Wang Jishan."

Bilus said in a deep voice, "I've heard of the Inner Guards. You are the most secretive guards around the Tang Dynasty emperor. Please tell me, what exactly does your emperor want to do?"

Wang Jishan said slowly, "Prince Bilus, are you willing to submit to the Tang Dynasty?"

Bilus clenched his fists and shouted, "For the past three years, I have always longed to join the Tang Dynasty!"

Wang Jishan said, "That's good. Your Majesty allowed you to stay in Chang'an because the time was not ripe before. Now the time has come, and we can act."

"Wait a moment." Bilus raised his hand and said, "Since Your Majesty needs me, why did you expel me from Chang'an?"

Wang Jishan stared at him and said, "Do you know why it was the Eastern Palace's army that drove you out of Chang'an?"

"Because I took advantage of the Xue Mansion, and the young master of the Xue Mansion had a close relationship with the Crown Prince, the Crown Prince proposed to His Majesty that I be expelled from Chang'an."

Wang Jishan smiled faintly: "Do you think it's reasonable for His Royal Highness to do this?"

Bilus was stunned for a moment: "What do you mean?"

"You just said it's reasonable?"

Bilus was silent for a while, then nodded.

Wang Jishan said, "That's good. If even you, the person involved, think it's reasonable, then the Arab spies won't be suspicious either."

Bilus's face changed color and he asked, "A spy from the Arab world?"

Wang Jishan said in a deep voice, "The Arabs have spies in Chang'an who have been secretly watching you. His Majesty wants to help you restore your kingdom, but he doesn't want the Arabs to be on guard, so he is taking advantage of this incident to have His Royal Highness the Crown Prince expel you from the country."

Bilus' eyes gleamed as he said, "So, Your Majesty the Emperor is truly willing to help me restore my kingdom?"

Wang Jishan said, "Of course."

Litan suddenly said: "Since you knew that there were spies in the Arab world, why didn't you arrest them instead of going through so much trouble?" There was still doubt in his tone.

Wang Jishan glanced at him and stretched out a hand to hold it tightly.

"Because they are already under my control, keeping them around is useful. Besides, the Arabs know you are in Chang'an. Only if I pretend to expel you will they let down their guard."

Bilus and Litan looked at each other and nodded.

Wang Jishan asked, "Any more questions?"

Bilus said: "No, may I ask how your country plans to help me restore my country?"

Wang Jishan crossed his arms and said in a deep voice, "Prince, this is a bit too naive."

Bilus' heart trembled, and he hurriedly said, "I am sorry for my words. May I ask how I can be of service to you?"

Wang Jishan said slowly, "It's very simple. If you help us defeat the Arabs, then His Majesty will enfeoff you and help you restore your kingdom."

Bilus' heart was lifted and he performed a Persian etiquette.

"Your proposal is very reasonable. I am willing to lend a helping hand to the Tang Dynasty."

Wang Jishan said, "Since your Highness is so understanding, the rest will be easy. From today on, you and your men will hide in the inner palace and help us gather intelligence on the Arabs."

Bilus glanced at Litan and saw him nod, then said, "Everything is subject to the will of the Emperor of the Tang Dynasty!"

(End of this chapter)