Datang: Just been appointed as the crown prince, the counterattack system is here

Chapter 392 Not bad acting, my foolish little brother! [Seeking monthly votes]

The Li brothers were both surprised to hear that Li Chengqian had returned to Chang'an.

Li Ke, in particular, had his poisonous plan, which he had already decided to carry out, disrupted in an instant, and his face gradually turned extremely ugly.

He had planned everything meticulously, but he never expected that Li Chengqian would return at this critical juncture.

It was as if everything was under Li Chengqian's control.

This feeling made him very uneasy and apprehensive.

Although in his view, even if Li Chengqian returned to Chang'an, the current situation was still under his control.

But he seemed to have an instinctive fear of Li Chengqian, always feeling that he had some oversight that Li Chengqian would target and then destroy.

Li Yin turned pale with fright and stammered, "Big brother! What do we do? He... how did he come back? Wasn't it said that General Lang would stop him from coming back? How... how could this happen?"

Upon hearing this, a trace of solemnity flashed across the sallow face of the plague doctor.

Although he has not yet received any news from Wu Bing or Liu Yun, and is unaware that Duan Shui, Xin Hu, and the other three generals have been killed by Li Chengqian.

But the fact that Li Chengqian was able to return at this time already says it all.

Their second assassination attempt failed.

This is not good news.

Given the garrison commander's fear of Li Chengqian, if two assassination attempts fail, there is a high probability that the garrison commander will personally intervene.

At this critical moment, Li Ke's side absolutely cannot give up. Otherwise, even the garrison commander would be unable to face Li Chengqian, who commands a massive army.

Thinking of this, the plague doctor narrowed his unfathomable eyes, his hoarse voice carrying a hint of urgency: "Your Highness, Prince of Shu, Your Highness, Prince of Liang, no matter why Li Chengqian suddenly returned, we must remain calm! We must not lose our composure!"

"Moreover, the fact that he dared to bring back so few people means either he's bluffing, or he has some kind of arrangement outside the city that we don't know about!"

After a quick analysis, he continued, "Furthermore, the fact that he didn't force his way in but instead wanted to see His Highness Prince Liang could be seen as a test, or as giving us time to react. We absolutely cannot let him enter the city so easily!"

"Otherwise, if he joins forces with Fang Xuanling, Li Jing, and others, or incites the remaining rational officials and people in the city, the situation we have painstakingly built will collapse instantly!"

Upon hearing the plague doctor's analysis, Li Ke and Li Yin exchanged glances, looking at each other in bewilderment.

But Li Ke quickly forced himself to calm down, paced back and forth, and his mind raced.

The plague doctor's words enlightened him.

That's right, we can't let Li Chengqian in.

At the very least, we can't let him swagger in as the crown prince.

In Chang'an today, the people's hearts are with the King of Shu, and all the people of Chang'an believe in the 'divine physician' of the King of Shu's palace.

Even though Li Chengqian was the crown prince and had a certain prestige among the people of Chang'an, his so-called prestige was insignificant in the face of his 'life-saving grace'.

And this is the key to his invincibility.

Thinking of this, Li Ke's lips curled into a slight smile.

"Brother Yin!"

Li Ke abruptly stopped, a ruthless glint in his eyes: "You immediately take a team of elite guards and personally go to the city gate to greet them!"

"Huh?!" Li Yin was a little confused and also a little scared: "I...I'll go?"

"Yes! You go!"

Li Ke was resolute, then solemnly instructed him: "Remember! Be humble and greet him with the courtesy due to a younger brother! But be sure to tell him tactfully that Chang'an is ravaged by plague, and the situation is special. To protect the Crown Prince's precious health and to prevent the plague from spreading, please ask him to rest temporarily outside the city! Just say..."

After thinking for a moment, he said in a deep voice, "Tell them that we have dispatched our most capable physicians, carrying the most precious 'Qingwen Powder,' to the outskirts of the city to prevent the spread of disease to the Crown Prince and his entourage!"

"Once the smallpox epidemic in the city has been completely eradicated, we will respectfully welcome the Crown Prince into the city to take charge of the overall situation!"

Upon hearing this, Li Yin's eyes suddenly lit up: "Brother, do you mean to keep him outside the city? Using epidemic prevention as an excuse?"

“That’s right!” Li Ke’s eyes were sinister as he said with absolute certainty, “This is the best reason! With the plague raging, prevention is the top priority! Even the Crown Prince is no exception!”

"What if he forces his way through?"

"Hmph!" Li Ke snorted coldly, then said expressionlessly, "If he forces his way through, he will be disregarding the lives of millions in Chang'an and undermining epidemic prevention! Do you think he dares to force his way through?"

"Furthermore, think about it carefully. The people of Chang'an are on our side now! Besides..."

As he spoke, he turned to look at the plague doctor, a glint of malice flashing in his eyes, and said in a deep voice, "General, please send someone immediately to spread the news of the Crown Prince's arrival in Chang'an outside the city, especially the news that he refused to take precautions and intended to force his way into the city!"

"be quick!"

"We need to portray him as someone who disregards the overall situation, acts recklessly, and treats the lives of the people of Chang'an as worthless!"

"At the same time, we should increase the distribution of 'Qingwen San' (a traditional Chinese medicine), especially to those families who once supported the Crown Prince or had doubts about him, so that they can feel the grace of the Prince of Shu's mansion and the indifference of the Crown Prince!"

"Furthermore, we must make them have immense expectations for the enhanced 'Qingwen Powder,' and make them believe that the enhanced 'Qingwen Powder' is a miracle drug that can cure all diseases!"

"Hahaha!"

Upon hearing Li Ke's words, the Plague Doctor burst into laughter, a sickly flush rising on his sallow face. He then looked at Li Ke with an admiring gaze: "No wonder Your Highness the Prince of Shu is so strongly supported by the Garrison Commander. Your wisdom is truly remarkable!"

After saying that, he couldn't help but nod repeatedly: "What a brilliant plan, to strike at the heart of the problem and turn the tables! I'll get to it right away! I'll make sure the people of Chang'an see who their true savior is!"

As soon as he finished speaking, he turned around and left the Shu King's Mansion with his men.

After watching him leave, Li Ke narrowed his eyes again, then urged Li Yin, "Brother Yin! Go quickly!"

"Remember, no matter how he threatens, bribes, or even attacks you, you must not let him into the city!"

"We must strictly adhere to the epidemic prevention regulations! If necessary... we can show weakness, we can cry, we can kneel!"

"The more humble we are, the more aggressive he will appear! As long as we stall him, wait for the news of General Lang to spread throughout the city, and wait for the enhanced 'Plague-Clearing Powder' to take effect, he won't be able to cause any trouble!"

"I understand, brother!"

Li Yin gritted his teeth, with a mix of trepidation and determination, hurriedly gathered the guards of the Prince's Mansion, and sped towards the city gate.

"Someone! Bring Mr. Wu here!"

After watching Li Yin leave, Li Ke immediately sent someone to invite Wu Bing.

He was really angry that Li Chengqian had returned to Chang'an without any prior notice.

Moreover, he did not believe that Wu Bing was unaware of Li Chengqian's whereabouts.

After all, the garrison commander had sent two waves of assassins to kill Li Chengqian.

Even if their assassination attempts ultimately failed, they couldn't just let Li Chengqian go unpunished.

Otherwise, what was the point of all the previous investment? Was it just child's play?

Therefore, he firmly believed that Wu Bing was hiding something from him, and that even the plague doctor was kept in the dark.

To him, this was already a betrayal.

"Hmph! If you dare abandon me now, I'll show you what the price is!"

A ruthless glint flashed in Li Ke's eyes before he slowly walked back to the main seat and sat down calmly and indifferently.

Before long, a soldier dressed in black entered with a smile and bowed to Li Ke, who was seated in the main seat: "Greetings, Your Highness! May I ask what business Your Highness has with me?"

"What, Mr. Wu, don't you know?"

Li Ke coldly replied, "Li Chengqian has already returned to Chang'an!"

"Really?"

Wu Bing nodded in realization, then smiled mysteriously: "That's wonderful! Congratulations, Your Highness the King of Shu!"

Li Ke was taken aback for a moment upon hearing this, then frowned and asked, "What's the cause of your joy?"

"Naturally..."

As Wu Bing spoke, his eyes suddenly changed, and several flying needles in his hand shot towards Li Ke with lightning speed.

"you!"

Li Ke's pupils contracted sharply, and before he could react, his body was immobilized by the flying needles.

"Don't be afraid, it will be quick. Although I'm not as stealthy as a Gu Master, as long as you cooperate obediently, I guarantee you'll be fine..." With a smile, Wu Bing took out a bag and walked straight towards Li Ke.

On the other side, at the city gate of Chang'an.

Time passed slowly, but the response from within the city was still nowhere to be seen.

Pei Xingjian's patience had run out. His hand gripped the hilt of his sword, veins bulging. "Your Highness! We can't wait any longer! Li Yin is clearly stalling for time! Let me lead the men and break through the city gates! Let's see who dares to stop us!"

Upon hearing this, Li Chengqian stared at the tightly closed city gate with eyes like a hawk, but did not immediately respond to Pei Xingjian.

Because he heard a faint commotion coming from inside the city, which was not the sound of welcoming the crown prince, but rather a kind of deliberately guided restlessness.

It must be said that the Li brothers' reaction was faster and more ruthless than he had expected.

However, if you think you can control Li Chengqian so easily, then you are underestimating him.

"Not urgent."

After a moment, Li Chengqian's voice, calm before the storm, rang out: "They are waiting, waiting for a legitimate reason to stop me. I am also waiting... waiting for an opportunity for them to reap what they sow!"

After saying this, he looked around and gave an unquestionable command:

"Old Pei! Forget about Li Yin for now. Immediately send men disguised and infiltrating the refugees from different directions to find out three things: First, the true aftermath of the so-called cured, especially the symptoms and fate of those who relapsed! Second, the specific recipients of the Shu Prince's 'Plague-Clearing Powder' and their reactions after taking it! Third, at all costs, capture a few 'interrogators'!"

"promise!"

Pei Xingjian's eyes flashed with a sharp light, and he immediately whispered instructions to the most capable members of the Imperial Guards around him.

Soon, they rode away.

At that moment, the sound of rapid hoofbeats and clashing armor came from inside the city gate.

The heavy city gate creaked open, finally revealing a crack just wide enough for a few people to pass through.

"The show is about to begin!"

Upon hearing the commotion coming from the direction of the city gate, Li Chengqian immediately turned his head to look and then smiled and gave a reminder.

Li Yin, dressed in military attire, led a team of elite guards who appeared to be on high alert, and rode out on horseback.

He gazed at Li Chengqian's entourage from afar, his face filled with a mixture of surprise and fear. Across the moat, he dismounted from his horse, staggered a few steps to the riverbank, and bowed deeply in the direction of Li Chengqian, his voice trembling with exaggerated sobs.
"Your subject, Li Yin, pays his respects to Your Highness the Crown Prince! I was unaware of Your Highness's arrival and have failed to greet you properly. I am guilty beyond measure! I am guilty beyond measure!"

He knelt on the ground, his head hitting the ground repeatedly, his posture extremely humble.

This unexpected gift surprised Pei Xingjian, Lai Fu, and the others.

Although they didn't know much about this King Liang, and hadn't made any effort to find out more.

But this Prince Liang's acting skills are truly remarkable.

The people of Chang'an, especially the soldiers guarding the city, were bewildered to see that the previously ruthless and supreme Prince Liang was now completely different from a mouse in front of a cat when he saw Crown Prince Li Chengqian.

When Li Chengqian saw Li Yin's appearance, a cold smile curled at the corner of his mouth.

Here comes Li Ke's soft knife.

He naturally didn't think that Li Yin's current performance was due to Li Yin's own abilities.

Because the historical Li Yin was an absolute playboy.

Even though history has changed, Li Yin's character and abilities have not changed much.

Therefore, this is clearly the solution that Li Ke instructed Li Yin to devise.

"Sixth Brother, there's no need for such a grand gesture. Please stand up and speak!"

Li Chengqian sat upright on his horse, his tone calm.

Upon hearing this, Li Yin did not rise. Instead, he raised his head, tears streaming down his face, his voice filled with concern and distress: "Your Highness! You...you've finally returned? I heard that you were assassinated on your way back to Chang'an, and I was frantic with worry. I wished I could fly to you and fight alongside you! But...but the smallpox epidemic in Chang'an is severe, and I simply cannot leave! I deserve to die!"

After saying this, he pointed to the still heavily guarded city gate and soldiers behind him, and tearfully lamented with great emotion:
"Your Highness! Chang'an... Chang'an is now a living hell! Smallpox is rampant, and countless people die every day! My brother and I are on the Empress's orders, struggling to maintain order, as if walking on thin ice!"

"In order to prevent the plague from spreading and harming the world, we have no choice but to take this drastic measure: lock down the entire city and implement the strictest epidemic prevention regulations!"

He kowtowed again, his voice filled with grief and pleading: "Your Highness! You are of noble birth, the heir apparent! Now, a plague is raging in Chang'an, and the city is extremely dangerous! Your humble servant... Your humble servant humbly begs Your Highness, for your safety and for the sake of all the people, please do not enter the city!"

"Your Majesty, I have prepared the entourage outside the city and will immediately dispatch the most capable physician from the Prince of Shu's residence, carrying the newly developed and highly effective 'Plague-Clearing Powder,' to provide disease prevention for His Highness the Crown Prince and all those accompanying him!"

"Once the plague is eradicated from the city, my brother and I will open the city gates wide, sprinkle clean water on the streets, burn incense and bow in reverence to welcome His Highness the Crown Prince back to preside over the overall situation!"

"I earnestly hope that Your Highness will understand my good intentions and the hardships faced by the millions of people in Chang'an!"

These words were spoken with tears streaming down his face, full of genuine emotion and humility, yet every word was cloaked in the grand scheme of epidemic prevention, effectively shutting Li Chengqian out of the city.

Furthermore, they cleverly packaged the act of "not allowing the crown prince to enter the city" as a loyal act of "thinking of the crown prince's safety and the well-being of all people."

On the city wall, the soldiers guarding the city and the city's residents who had quietly gathered after hearing the news, heard Li Yin's heartfelt plea and saw his humble posture. When they thought about the increasingly serious epidemic in the city and the 'Qingwen San' being distributed free of charge by the Shu Prince's Mansion, many people's eyes began to change.

A sentiment that "His Highness Prince Liang has truly gone to great lengths" and "His Highness the Crown Prince should not have risked entering the city" is quietly growing.

Pei Xingjian was trembling with rage. Finally, he couldn't help but point at Li Yin and shout, "Li Yin! You're talking nonsense! His Highness the Crown Prince is blessed with good fortune and is protected by Heaven! What is a mere plague worth! You clearly have ulterior motives and want to keep His Highness the Crown Prince out of the city! Open the city gates immediately!"

"Commander Pei!"

Li Yin raised her head, her face still wet with tears. She didn't seem angry at Pei Xingjian's disrespect; instead, her eyes held a hint of grievance and stubbornness.

"The epidemic prevention regulations were jointly agreed upon by cabinet ministers such as Fang Xiang, General Li, and Wei Shaoshi, in order to ensure that Chang'an would not fall and that the world would be at peace!"

"His Highness the Crown Prince is of noble status and should therefore abide by the law and set an example for all people!"

"If His Highness the Crown Prince's entry into the city leads to a failure in epidemic prevention and a spread of the plague, who will bear the responsibility? Will it be Commander Pei who made this decision, or His Highness the Crown Prince?"

After saying this, he kowtowed again, his voice filled with sorrow: "If Your Highness insists on entering the city, your humble servant... your humble servant dares not stop you, but please, Your Highness, step over your own dead body first!"

"Your Majesty, I would rather die on this spot to prove my loyalty than be a disloyal and unjust person who puts personal interests before public duty and plunges the people into misery!"

As soon as he finished speaking, he actually straightened his back, closed his eyes, and looked like a loyal martyr ready to be executed.

This act of feigning retreat to advance, and threatening suicide, instantly thrust Li Chengqian into the eye of the storm.

Countless eyes, both on and below the city walls, were focused on Li Chengqian.

The pressure, like an invisible boulder, crashed down!
Li Chengqian looked at Li Yin kneeling by the moat, appearing loyal and courageous, pleading for the people; he looked at the soldiers and civilians on the city wall, their eyes filled with complex emotions, and listened to the faint clamor from inside the city about Li Yin's attempt to force his way into the city despite the epidemic prevention measures.
He suddenly laughed.

That smile was cold, yet carried a hint of all-knowing mockery.

"Well done! What a noble act of sacrificing oneself to prove one's integrity! What a noble act of King Liang who served his country and its people!"

Li Chengqian's voice was not loud, but it clearly carried throughout the entire hall, carrying an unquestionable authority: "I have seen it all today."

He slowly raised his hand, pointing at Li Yin kneeling on the ground, his gaze sharp as a sword, as if piercing through the thick city walls and heading straight for the Shu King's mansion inside the city.

"But I am a crown prince who doesn't care about the people and acts recklessly. What do you intend to do about it?"

Li Chengqian smiled faintly, then looked around at the soldiers and civilians, and said calmly, "Or rather, what can you do to me?"

Boom!

The whole audience was shocked!

Li Yin and others were stunned by Li Chengqian's words!

How could this happen?
How could he say such a thing? Isn't he the crown prince? Shouldn't he be thinking about the bigger picture?

At this moment, Li Yin felt that his brain was not working properly.

Because Li Ke never told him how to deal with Li Chengqian if he didn't play by the rules.

"No, Your Highness, how could you?"

"Alright, Li Yin, my foolish little brother, your little tricks are no match for me!"

Before Li Yin could finish speaking, Li Chengqian impatiently interrupted him, then his smile vanished, and he said calmly and indifferently, "I will only say one thing now: either open the city gates immediately, or kill without mercy!"

"This"

Upon hearing this, Li Yin's pupils suddenly contracted.

They underestimated Li Chengqian!
(End of this chapter)