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

Chapter 404 Li Chengqian: I killed myself? [Seeking monthly votes]

Bai Tong's words, barely audible, sounded like a resounding bell to Li Ke and his brother.

It stirred up a huge wave of shock in their hearts.

They all seemed to have never expected that Hou Junji would rebel!

how can that be!

Wasn't he the Emperor's Grand General? How did he become a pawn of the Imperial Guard?!

Furthermore, are they trying to solidify the charge of Li Chengqian murdering his brothers, intending to overthrow the Tang Dynasty?!
Or do they still want to remove Li Chengqian from the position of Crown Prince?!

The Li brothers' thoughts were in complete disarray; they felt their brains couldn't keep up.

At this moment, Bai Tong's voice rang out again: "Let's go and meet your mission. It will not have been in vain that we cooperated. I, Shouzhulang, value loyalty the most. After you die, we will collect your bodies."

As soon as he finished speaking, he waved his hand, and several guards disguised as Imperial Guards immediately escorted them toward the enraged crowd.

"Look! Brother Li Ke is out! They're the ones who caused this mess for us!!"

There were people acting as spies for the guards, offering 'friendly reminders' in the crowd.

The crowd immediately surged like a boiling sea of ​​anger, completely surrounding the area in front of the Embroidered Uniform Guard's office.

Countless blood-red eyes stared intently at the Li Ke brothers who were being escorted out.

That was the purest, most visceral hatred in the hearts of the people whose health, loved ones, and even hope had been robbed by 'Qingwen San'.

"Li Ke!! You scoundrel! Give me back my son's life—!!"

"You damned scoundrel! You'll die a horrible death!!"

"Kill them! Kill these two scourges!!"

Stones, rotten vegetable leaves, and rotten eggs rained down on them like a storm.

The guards responsible for escorting the goods were caught off guard and were left in a sorry state.

Li Yin was terrified and desperately hid behind the guard, crying and begging for mercy: "It's not my fault! It was my brother! It was all my brother's doing! Spare me!"

Li Ke: "."

Although he knew his younger brother was frightened and was talking nonsense, hearing Li Yin cry out like this still chilled him to the bone.

Even if he weren't under the control of the Mother-Child Gu now, he wouldn't know what to say.

At that moment, amidst the chaos, Bai Tong's eyes sharpened, and he suddenly raised his voice, his perfectly mimicking Li Chengqian's icy tone piercing through the noise: "Silence—!"

"I am here! How dare you be so insolent?!"

This stern shout, carrying the imposing aura of the crown prince, actually caused the frenzied crowd to gasp in shock.

Countless gazes instantly focused on 'Li Chengqian'.

That black, close-fitting outfit, that cold, stern face, that disdainful demeanor—it was none other than the Crown Prince Li Chengqian they knew.

"Your Highness, Your Majesty?"

"Does His Highness intend to let them go?"

"How can this be? They are the culprits who harmed us. Even if they are brothers, we can't let them off so easily, can we?"

Doubt, unease, and a hint of anger at being betrayed began to fester among the crowd.

This is exactly the effect Bai Tong wanted.

Ignoring the filth being thrown at him, he stepped forward, his gaze sweeping over the angry and confused crowd. He deliberately displayed a hint of 'pity' and 'helplessness' on his face, and spoke clearly in Li Chengqian's tone: "Fellow elders! I know the hatred in your hearts, a hatred that gnaws at your very bones!"

"Indeed! The country has its laws! Li Ke and Li Yin are of noble birth, princes of the Great Tang! Their crimes should be judged by my father, the Emperor!"

"Your gathering of a crowd to storm the government office and obstruct the law—isn't this exactly what those behind-the-scenes manipulators want? To let the real culprits go unpunished?!"

These words were spoken in a grand and impeccable manner, even subtly pointing the finger at the 'mastermind' behind the scenes, instantly calming most of the uninformed people.

Yes, His Highness the Crown Prince is the Crown Prince of the Tang Dynasty, so he should abide by the laws of the land!

The crowd's anger was temporarily channeled and suppressed, but they still stared intently at the Li brothers, refusing to disperse.

Bai Tong, however, sneered inwardly.

He intended to use the false identity of Li Chengqian to openly defy the law and kill the Li brothers in full view of everyone.

Even if the people of Chang'an felt good about this, would the Tang Dynasty court and the Tang emperor tolerate someone who abused private punishment, disregarded the law, and murdered his brothers continuing to be the crown prince?

Just then, Li Ke's 'voice' suddenly rang out: "What mastermind? I just want these lowly commoners dead!"

Boom!

Li Ke's 'voice' was like a thunderclap, instantly igniting the suppressed anger that had been channeled.

The Li brothers were utterly horrified.

What's going on?
Brother, how could you say such a thing? Isn't that courting death?

I didn't say that!
The two brothers exchanged glances, both puzzled.

The white crane, which had remained silent all along, revealed a strange smile.

Although she can also use disguise, her greatest skill is ventriloquism, and she can even imitate other people's voices.

This is also why she doesn't speak up easily.

But Bai Tong immediately roared in fury, "Li Ke! How could you say such a thing?! Do you want to die?!"

"Hahaha! Li Chengqian! Do you dare kill me?! Are you going to seek justice for these lowly people? They deserve to die! They have the plague; living is a waste of food and medicine, it's better for them to die!"

Li Ke's 'voice' rang out again.

"Ah!! I can't hold back anymore! I'm going to kill him!!"

The people in the crowd began to shout angrily.

Some of them even rushed towards Bai Tong and the others.

But the Imperial Guards in front of Bai Tong and the others immediately stepped forward, drew their swords, and blocked their way.

"Li Ke!! Shut up!"

Bai Tong roared, then his face contorted with rage: "Guards! Execute Li Ke on the spot!"

Wow!
The whole place was in an uproar!

The entire crowd was stunned!

But soon, cheers erupted from the crowd: "Long live the Crown Prince! Your Highness, kill those two treacherous dogs!"

"Yes, Your Highness! Kill them quickly and avenge our loved ones!"

"No, Your Highness! You are violating the law! You cannot abuse your power!"

"What kind of bullshit extrajudicial punishment is this! His Highness the Crown Prince is the heir apparent! The future emperor! He is subject to the law!"

"Yes! That's right! His Highness the Crown Prince is the law! He doesn't need to be judged!"

Hearing these frenzied shouts, cries for help, and clamors, Bai Tong's lips curled into a barely perceptible, cold smile that vanished in an instant. Then, he roared at the 'Imperial Guards' behind him: "What are you all standing there for! I am the ruler of the Tang Dynasty! I'm in charge now! Kill Li Ke for me! Avenge the people of Chang'an!!"

Upon hearing this, the previously hesitant Imperial Guard immediately pinned Li Ke to the ground, drew their swords, and prepared to kill him with a single blow.

at this time!

"Wait a minute—!!!"

A furious and shocked shout, like a thunderclap, rang out from behind the crowd.

The young imperial guard who had led the way and been slapped by Bai Tong earlier now had bloodshot eyes and a hoarse, distorted voice: "He's not His Highness the Crown Prince! He's a fake! He's an imposter—!!!"

Boom! !
This earth-shattering shout was as if a mute button had been pressed!
The crowd, which had been excited and agitated by Li Chengqian's intention to execute Li Ke on the spot, instantly fell silent.

All eyes turned to Bai Tong.

Bai Tong's pupils suddenly contracted.

Damn it! How could I have been seen through by a mere pawn?!

What exactly is going on? !
Without a second thought, he immediately imitated Li Chengqian's accent and shouted sternly, "Insolence! How dare you slander this Crown Prince! Seize him!"

Soon, several guards behind him pounced on the Imperial Guard who had shouted the order like wolves.

"Protect His Highness the Crown Prince!"

The spies and undercover agents in the crowd also took the opportunity to incite unrest and attempt to create even greater chaos.

"Stop them! Quickly! Protect Kou Zhong!"

Several other loyal Imperial Guards also reacted and drew their swords.

The scene instantly descended into chaos.

Amidst the clash of swords, angry shouts and roars, the people cried out in alarm and pushed each other.

Bai Tong's face turned ashen. Knowing that the plan could not be delayed any longer, he suddenly pulled out a poisoned black dagger from his sleeve and stabbed it into Li Ke's heart without hesitation.

Kill and silence!
There is no proof!

This is the final step!
"Big brother—!!!"

Li Yin's eyes were bloodshot, and he roared in despair.

At the critical moment!
"Boom--!"

The sound of horses' hooves rolled like muffled thunder, approaching from afar.

The earth is shaking!
At the end of the street, smoke and dust billowed into the sky!

Holding a meteorite iron spear, Li Chengqian led a troop of cavalry straight to the scene, shouting angrily, "I am here!"

"Who dares to disrespect me and disrupt my city?!"

A furious roar, like the cry of a dragon from the heavens, carrying the murderous aura of clashing swords and galloping horses, instantly tore apart all the chaos and noise on the street.

Time seems to freeze at this moment.

"What's going on? Why are there two Crown Princes?!"

"So there really was a fake crown prince! Damn it! We've been fooled!"

The people of Chang'an looked at each other in bewilderment.

The 'compassion' and 'majesty' on Bai Tong's face also froze and shattered at this moment.

Instead, he was filled with boundless horror and disbelief. His pupils shrank to pinpoints, and his hand holding the poisoned dagger trembled uncontrollably.

How can it be? !
How could he have arrived so quickly?!
Shouldn't he be being held captive in the Crown Prince's residence by those angry people?!
"Protect His Highness the Prince of Shu! His Highness the Prince of Liang!!"

Pei Xingjian's roar was like a thunderclap.

The elite Imperial Guards following closely behind Li Chengqian surged forward from both sides like a black tide.

The clanging sound of the embroidered spring knives being drawn formed a piercing metallic storm.

They were well-trained, working in groups of three, like precise killing machines, instantly cutting into the chaotic battlefield, their blades flashing like a net, surrounding the guards.

"kill--!"

"Leave no one behind!"

At Pei Xingjian's command, the Imperial Guard cavalry immediately launched a frenzied attack on the guards who were impersonating Imperial Guards.

Although the individual martial arts skills of the guards were slightly superior to those of the Imperial Guards, they were simply outnumbered by the Imperial Guards, who were charging at them on cavalry, and they were no match for them.

"Brother Tong! This place is no place to stay any longer! We are no match for Li Chengqian. Quickly take Brother Li Ke and leave, then we'll make further plans!"

Seeing this, Bai He immediately reminded Bai Tong.

Bai Tong glared fiercely in Li Chengqian's direction, then gritted his teeth and said resentfully, "Let's go! Let's get out of here first!"

"Alright! I'll give the signal! Tell them to do everything they can to hold off Li Chengqian and cover our retreat!"

After saying this, Baihe immediately took out something that looked like a tinderbox, opened the lid, and threw it into the crowd.

Instantly, yellow smoke filled the crowd.

Those guards hidden among the crowd immediately dropped their disguises and began to wreak havoc, creating chaos.

"Ah! Murder! The fake prince's men have killed someone!"

The people screamed in terror, and chaos ensued.

Meanwhile, Bai Tong and his sister quickly led Li Ke and his brother away amidst the chaos.

"Don't let them escape! Chase them!"

Upon seeing this, Pei Xingjian shouted loudly.

Soon, a large group of Imperial Guards chased after Bai Tong and his sister.

Aside from that angry roar, Li Chengqian made no further moves, simply watching them withdraw from the chaotic crowd until they disappeared from sight.

Half an hour later, the guards arrived at a secret stronghold in Chang'an.

The Bai siblings breathed a sigh of relief as if they had survived a disaster, then looked at each other with a puzzled expression.

But Bai Tong spoke first: "What exactly is going on? How did Li Chengqian arrive so quickly?"

"I don't know either. Could it be that they got our plan from Wu Bing?" Bai He asked in surprise and uncertainty.

"impossible!"

Bai Tong directly denied it, saying, "Wu Bing and the others were killed on the spot, so it's impossible for them to have revealed our plan. Besides, the only ones who know about this plan are us, Wu Bing, Liu Yun, and Lord Shouzhu!"

"Then what's going on?"

Bai He frowned, his expression shifting between light and dark.

At this moment, the Li Ke brothers, who had been brought back by Bai Tong and his sister, suddenly came into Bai Tong's view.

He narrowed his eyes, then took out a similarly hollowed-out metal box, used a secret method to stimulate the box, and it made a 'whooshing' sound. Li Ke felt as if he had been freed from his shackles and was able to move immediately.

"This"

Seemingly still not used to the reality of being able to act, Li Ke remained rooted to the spot, silent.

But then Bai Tong said coldly, "Li Ke, do you know about our plan? Did Wu Bing tell you?"

"I?"

Li Ke was stunned for a moment, then instantly flew into a rage: "You damned guards, how dare you betray me! You even used me as a pawn to frame Li Chengqian! You are a bunch of scum, worse than pigs and dogs!"

"Hahaha!"

Bai Tong laughed loudly, then said mockingly, "You call us worse than pigs and dogs? What kind of good person do you think you are? You harmed the people of Chang'an and brought disaster to your brothers and sisters. You deserve to die! Killing you is doing the people a favor!"

"You're talking nonsense."

Li Ke stammered after being scolded, then became furious and embarrassed: "I was misled by you!"

"Ha, stop fooling yourself. You know your own worth. Now, I'll give you two choices: either continue cooperating with us, or..."

"Bam—!"

Before he could finish speaking, the gate to the secret hideout was smashed to pieces.

But then the man said, "He won't give you a chance to cooperate!"

"Li Chengqian!?"

Bai Tong and his sister, Li Ke and his brother, and the guards at the stronghold were all stunned by the person who appeared before them.

"What, you're surprised to see me?"

Li Chengqian smiled, his gaze sweeping over everyone in the room before finally settling on Bai Tong's face. He said mockingly, "It really does look alike, but unfortunately, it's easy to draw the skin of a tiger but hard to draw its bones. In the end, it's just a stinking rat in the gutter!"

"Crown Prince!" Li Yin exclaimed excitedly upon seeing Li Chengqian, as if a savior had descended to earth, and acknowledged his identity.

But for Li Chengqian, this address of "Crown Prince" was as disgusting as swallowing a fly.

He didn't even glance at Li Yin, then walked step by step towards Bai Tong, his voice as cold as ice: "Speak! Where is the garrison commander? And when will Hou Junji's rebel army arrive in Chang'an?!"

Each question struck Bai Tong's heart like a heavy hammer blow.

His mind is still a complete mess; he has no idea why things turned out this way.

Bai He, standing to the side, suddenly realized and exclaimed, "You...you did this on purpose? You deliberately let us go just now?!"

Li Chengqian paused, then a slight smile appeared on his lips: "Otherwise what? Do you think you can escape from my grasp?"

Before he could finish speaking, his body moved.

With a single leap, he rushed towards Bai Tong.

"Tong-ge, watch out!"

Bai He roared first, then immediately attacked Li Chengqian with his sword.

But what about Li Chengqian's martial prowess? He's the kind of person who can kill generals like pigs and dogs, so dealing with them is a piece of cake for him.

He raised his hand and struck out with a palm, knocking Bai He's sword away with a 'bang', and then kicked Bai He in the stomach.

"Ah, uh"

With a scream, Baihe was sent flying like a cannonball.

The guards around them were terrified at the sight, but they didn't dare to hesitate for a moment and immediately rushed towards Li Chengqian.

Li Chengqian dealt with them as easily as cutting melons and vegetables, eliminating them in just a few breaths.

Until she stood before Bai Tong, she looked down at him and said, "Speak!"

Boom!

Bai Tong turned deathly pale, as if struck by lightning.

Just then, a figure outside the door caught his attention: "It's you! Yang Nannan! You turned Wu Bing into a Gu person?!"

"Oh, I didn't expect my beloved to know about us Gu Masters. It seems the Guardian Commander values ​​you highly!"

Yang Nannan smiled faintly, then raised her hand, picked up the bell, and shook it.

With a 'ding-a-ling' sound, a familiar figure appeared in Bai Tong's eyes.

It was Wu Bing who had been transformed into a Gu poison master.

"How was my cooking? Not bad, right?"

"Wait a minute, I'll also refine you into a Gu person to keep Wu Bing company!"

"You...you...you!" Bai Tong was terrified, his face drained of color. He retreated hastily, screaming, "You won't get away with this! Li Chengqian, the evidence against you for killing Li Ke is irrefutable!"

"idiot!!"

Li Chengqian rushed up to him, grabbed his throat, and said coldly, "Do you think I care about that little bit of reputation?"

"To tell you the truth, I've wanted to kill them with my own hands for a long time, and you are nothing more than tools I'm using to kill them!"

Do you know why I let you into the Embroidered Uniform Guard prison?

"I just want you, the Guardians, to take the blame for killing my brothers!"

"As long as I kill you all and take your corpses out, everyone will know that the fake crown prince killed the Prince of Liang and the Prince of Shu, not me!"

"What!?"

Bai Tong, along with the Li brothers, were struck dumb upon hearing this.

It turns out that Li Chengqian was the one playing chess, the truly ruthless hunter who treated his brothers like enemies!
The garrison commander was nothing more than a pawn to hand him the butcher's knife!
"You...you madman, you devil!" Bai Tong's voice was distorted with fear.

"A madman? A devil?"

Li Chengqian's smile grew even brighter, carrying a chilling calm: "Compared to the atrocities committed by those brothers and mother, my methods are too lenient on them!"

Before he finished speaking, a murderous glint flashed in his eyes!
"Crack!"

All that could be heard was Bai Tong's neck being crushed bit by bit.

"Don't get agitated, don't ruin this face... Hmm... I killed myself? How creepy."

Li Chengqian looked at Yang Nannan with amusement.

Yang Nannan couldn't help but raise her hand to her forehead, saying awkwardly, "I'll go close the door!"

After saying that, he left the room without another word.

Until only the brothers Li Chengqian and Li Ke remained in the room, along with the corpses of the guards scattered on the ground.

"My dear brothers, you two discuss it, who should die first?"

Requesting guaranteed monthly votes at the beginning of the month.

(End of this chapter)