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

Chapter 421 Heroes Cherish Heroes [Seeking Monthly Tickets]

"System, may I kill Li Shimin?"

Li Chengqian's question was both sudden and direct.

If things had gone according to the usual pace, the system would have given an answer the second after he asked the question.

But this time, the system remained silent.

Yes.

It's not the kind of silence that comes suddenly as you start asking questions; it's the silence that begins as soon as you start asking questions.

Li Chengqian, with a strange expression, asked again, "I say, can I kill Li Shimin and become emperor?"

system:"."

"No, you fucking say something! Or I'll report you!"

system:"."

"Fine, fine! Is this how you play it? Then I'll rush back to Chang'an right now and kill Li Shimin. Anyway, with my martial prowess, I'm practically invincible in the entire Tang Dynasty. I refuse to believe I can't kill him!"

[Hello host, there was a system malfunction just now, and we didn't hear your question clearly. Please ask again. The system is dedicated to serving you.]

"What the hell is this system malfunction?!"

Li Chengqian rolled his eyes, but didn't argue with the system. He then pressed the system for an answer: "Can I kill Li Shimin?"

【cannot! 】

The system responded decisively and quickly this time.

Li Chengqian was a little confused: "Why not? You didn't mention any restrictions!"

The system's rule is that the host completes assigned tasks and receives rewards. Currently, the host's tasks do not include killing Li Shimin, so killing him is not permitted.

"What would happen if I forcibly killed him?"

Li Chengqian asked, unwilling to give up.

[Don't worry, host, you can't kill Li Shimin.]

"why?"

Li Chengqian asked in surprise, "Does he also have a system?"

The host's system is unique; only the host in this world has this system, no one else does.

"Then why can't I kill Li Shimin? Do you underestimate my martial prowess? Or my abilities?"

[The system has no emotions; it only calculates that you have only a 0.01% chance of killing Li Shimin, which means it's almost impossible.]

"Grass!"

Li Chengqian couldn't help but curse, still unwilling to give up, he said, "What if he wants to kill me? Can't I even fight back?"

[The host has a system; Li Shimin cannot kill you unless the host wishes to die. Otherwise, no one can kill the host.]

Li Chengqian: "."

system:"."

Silence, an indescribable silence.

Then Su Dingfang's voice rang out from outside the tent: "Your Highness, the Wolf Fang Guard has prepared three horses, and the provisions and arrows have been counted. We are just waiting to depart at midnight."

"understood."

Li Chengqian calmly replied, then added, "You and Pei Xuan should also go and prepare. We'll set off at dawn and make sure Songzan Ganbu knows where we are!"

"Yes!"

Su Dingfang responded and left quickly.

Li Chengqian did not press the system further, because the system had already given him the answer: he could not ascend the throne by killing Li Shimin.

In other words, he can only execute his own plan.

Now we'll see how Li Shimin launches a counterattack after returning to Chang'an, and how he manages to seize the throne.

"Ugh, I hope this mission ends soon and I can get rid of this damn system."

Li Chengqian sighed helplessly and walked straight towards the sand table map.

……

the other side.

Military tents in Anshi City.

The dim candlelight flickered in the wind, casting an uncertain glow inside the tent.

The strong smell of medicine filled the air, making it almost impossible to breathe.

On his bed, Li Shimin's face was ashen, his lips were cracked, and he occasionally uttered a few indistinct murmurs, mostly words like "rebellious son" and "killed".

The imperial physician knelt beside him, carefully taking his pulse, his forehead covered in cold sweat.

Changsun Wuji, Yun Duan, Yang Shidao, and others stood solemnly to the side, their faces grave, like statues.

The atmosphere inside the tent was even heavier than the night outside.

Outside the tent, faint sounds of suppressed wailing and arguing could be heard.

"Let me in! I want to see His Majesty! What crime has my son Huailiang committed?! Why did the Crown Prince kill him?! His Majesty demands an explanation for the Cheng family!"

Cheng Yaojin's hoarse roar pierced through the military tent, filled with endless grief and indignation.

Before this, he had always been very nice to Li Chengqian, and even spoke up for him several times.

In his view, even if Li Chengqian ascended the throne, the Cheng family would still have a bright future.

In order to curry favor with Li Chengqian, his eldest son, Cheng Chumo, was the first to enter the military academy founded by Li Chengqian.

He couldn't understand why Li Chengqian wanted to kill Cheng Huailiang.
Didn't he go to Yizhou with Prince Li Ke of Shu? I heard he even became the chief clerk of the Prince of Shu's palace.

Even if Li Chengqian and Li Ke had a conflict, would it warrant killing Cheng Huailiang as well? Did he not give him any face at all?

I can't understand it. There are so many things I can't understand.

Yuchi Gong, standing to the side, was equally puzzled.

He knew of the hatred that the retired Emperor Li Yuan harbored towards him, and he also knew of the relationship between Li Chengqian and Li Yuan.

But why take revenge on his son?
If the retired Emperor Li Yuan really wanted revenge, he could have just gone after him!

Anyway, he's already sold his life to the Li family, so whoever wants it can take it!
"Zhijie, calm down! His Majesty is unwell, and the imperial physicians are treating him. Do not disturb him!"

Although Yuchi Gong was equally confused and grieving, he was more restrained. But beneath that restraint lay a volcano about to erupt.

"Calm down? How can I calm down?!"

Cheng Yaojin retorted indignantly, "Yuchi Laohei, didn't your son die too?! And Xiaogong too! What about your Zong'er?! They're all dead! Killed by the Crown Prince's order!"

"And those three hundred-plus lives were the offspring of our old brothers who fought alongside His Majesty to conquer the world!"

Cheng Yaojin's voice was almost tearful; he was truly filled with grief and indignation.

Li Xiaogong, standing to the side, didn't roar loudly, but instead made heavy, repetitive shoving sounds as he pushed the Xuanjia guards, accompanied by a suppressed growl: "Your Majesty, let us in. We just want an explanation."

Inside the tent, Yang Shidao slowly closed his eyes, his eyes gradually becoming moist.

Yun Duan sighed heavily, his heart filled with extreme complex emotions.

As for Changsun Wuji, his expression shifted in the candlelight, and his hands trembled slightly in his sleeves.

He was equally shocked by Li Chengqian's actions, but he didn't think the news was necessarily true.

Because there are too many strange and unbelievable things about this.

Based on his understanding of Li Chengqian, it seemed unlikely that he would do something so foolish.

Unless, there is some ulterior motive involved.

And just then.

"Uh,"

Li Shimin on the bed twitched suddenly, his eyes snapped open, bloodshot, staring blankly at the top of the tent.

"Your Majesty! You're awake!"

Upon seeing this, Changsun Wuji immediately rushed to the bedside, his voice filled with surprise and lingering fear.

"They...are outside?"

Li Shimin's voice was so hoarse that it was almost inaudible.

"It is the Duke of Lu, the Duke of E, and the Prince of Rencheng. Although they are somewhat agitated right now, we will do our best to appease them..." Changsun Wuji replied with difficulty.

"appease?"

Li Shimin coughed violently, his whole body trembling: "What can we do to appease them? They are their precious children! It's Chengqian, that wretched child!"

His breathing quickened again, his eyes filled with overwhelming hatred and pain: "He killed my brothers, and now he's slaughtering the descendants of meritorious officials. He's trying to destroy my foundation, destroy the foundation of the Tang Dynasty!"

"Your Majesty, His Highness the Crown Prince may have had his own compelling reasons. Hou Junji's rebellion has far-reaching implications."

Yun Duan tried to persuade him, but his words were weak and powerless.

"A predicament?!"

Li Shimin abruptly interrupted him, struggling to sit up, but then collapsed weakly: "What predicament could lead to the killing of over three hundred people?! Even Cheng Huailiang and Yuchi Huan were killed?! They were just children! That rebellious son is clearly using this opportunity to eliminate dissidents and establish his authority by killing people! He is taking revenge! Taking revenge on me! Taking revenge on everyone!"

He was breathing heavily, his eyes sharpening and turning cold as he swept over Changsun Wuji: "Fuji, tell me! Has he done anything else?! Is Chang'an already under his control?! Is he about to stage a coup?!"

Changsun Wuji knelt down with a thud: "Your Majesty, please understand! The Crown Prince had no such intention! There must be some misunderstanding! Why don't we return to the capital first?"

Just then, a loud shout suddenly came from outside the hall, drowning out all the noise.

"Shut up, everyone!"

It's Li Daozong's voice!
He had clearly just arrived, his voice carrying an undeniable authority: "Cheng Zhijie! Yuchi Jingde! Xiaogong! Look at the state of yourselves! Storming the palace and disturbing the Emperor's presence, are you trying to solidify the charges of failing to properly educate your sons and allowing them to plot rebellion?! Do you want His Highness the Crown Prince to accuse you of forcing the Emperor to abdicate?!" The area outside the hall fell silent instantly.

Only heavy breathing could be heard.

Li Daozong's voice softened, but remained heavy: "How could I, Li Daozong, not know the pain of my brothers? But at this moment, His Majesty is seriously ill, surrounded by powerful enemies, and His Highness the Crown Prince is still unaware of the situation! If we were to lose our composure first, wouldn't it be a tragedy for our loved ones and a joy for our enemies?! What will become of the Tang Dynasty?!"

After a moment of deathly silence, Cheng Yaojin let out a wild howl, followed by Yuchi Gong's suppressed sobs.

The heavy footsteps gradually faded into the distance, and they were temporarily persuaded to leave.

Inside the palace, Li Shimin listened to the commotion outside, his expression extremely complex.

He hated Li Chengqian's ruthlessness, but he also knew that Li Daozong was right.

A tremendous sense of powerlessness gripped him.

"Daoist Sect."

Li Shimin murmured, a glint of shrewdness flashing in his eyes: "Issue an edict appointing Daozong as the Grand General of Liaodong, in charge of the return journey. Tell the Duke of Lu, the Duke of E, and the Prince of Rencheng that I will give them an explanation once we return to Chang'an. Now, the overall situation is paramount. Anyone who dares to break the rules again will be executed without mercy!"

"promise!"

Yun Duan immediately agreed respectfully, then turned and left the military tent with a chilling aura.

Before long, there was complete silence outside the tent.

Li Shimin lay down heavily, staring at the slightly dim ceiling of the military tent, lost in thought.

"Chengqian, what exactly do you want?"

"I'm the one who owes you something, aren't I? You've come back to collect a debt from me, haven't you?"

"I must have hurt you deeply back then."

"Uuuuuu——"

The sound of drums and horns signaling the Tang army's breakout came in the latter half of the night.

At first, Yang Wanchun thought it was a trick by the Tang army.

After all, they were still clamoring outside the city yesterday, saying that they would definitely break through the city within three days. Now, the commotion in the camp looks like a rout.

"General, should we send out scouts?"

Lieutenant Jin Shun gripped the hilt of his sword, his palms sweating profusely.

After all, they are now basically exhausted. If the Tang army really disregards everything and has the newly transported supplies, it is possible for them to break through Anshi City.

But the cost is far greater than imagined.

At this moment, seeing that the Tang army was showing signs of retreating, the soldiers on the city wall all had bloodshot eyes, the scabs on their armor were cracking and breaking, and they could barely hold their swords and axes.

I don't know if I'm excited or worried.

Because the current situation in Anshi City is very bad.

Especially near the city wall, almost no intact houses could be seen. Even the arrows in the storehouses were almost gone. Women and children picked up sharpened wooden sticks, waiting to perish together with the Tang army when they climbed the ladders.

At that moment, Yang Wanchun pressed down on the gap in the battlement, which had been smashed open by stones yesterday. Three personal guards blocked it with their bodies, and in the end, even their bones were embedded in the brick seams.

"hold on."

His voice was hoarse, like sand being ground, and his eyes were fixed on the Tang army camp.

The lights there were going out one by one, not like the usual build-up before an attack, but more like the panic of someone rushing to escape.

As dawn approached, the first Tang soldier came into view.

They were not the vanguard carrying ladders, but the supply soldiers carrying baggage, staggering westward.

Next came the team carrying stretchers, which were covered with gray cloths, and the blood seeping out could be vaguely seen.

"General! They're dismantling the camp!"

The sentry's voice trembled violently.

Upon hearing this, Yang Wanchun abruptly pushed aside his personal guards and ran frantically down the city wall.

The soldiers guarding the city were stunned for a moment, then surged down as well, the crisp sound of armor plates colliding echoing in the empty streets.

The people peeked out of their dilapidated houses and were so shocked to see the usually calm and collected general running barefoot across the rubble toward the city gate that they were speechless.

"Open the city gate!"

Yang Wanchun gripped the door bolt, his knuckles turning white from the force.

"General! What if it's a trap?"

Jin Shun caught up, but he shook her off.

"open!"

The heavy city gate creaked open a crack, and a cold wind blew in, carrying dust from outside the city.

Yang Wanchun stared at the main force of the Tang army in the distance, as they retreated along the river valley.

Although the flags stood tall and the ranks were orderly, they didn't even bother to look back at the rearguard cavalry.

"Zhenzhen is gone?"

A Goguryeo veteran with a broken arm, leaning against the wall, suddenly burst into laughter, then cried as he laughed: "We don't have to die."

The cries spread like a plague.

The laborers at the city gate dropped the stones they were holding and slumped to the ground. Some grabbed handfuls of dirt and stuffed it into their mouths, chewing until their faces were covered in tears.

A woman holding a baby rushed to Yang Wanchun's feet and offered the child to him, saying, "General, look! He's just a month old. What if the city falls?"

He was interrupted by a loud sob halfway through his sentence.

Yang Wanchun didn't speak, but just stared in the direction where Tang Jun had disappeared, and suddenly felt all the strength drain from his body.

He had thought he would stand amidst piles of corpses, watching the last military flag fall, but he never imagined it would turn out like this.

Like a string stretched to its limit, it suddenly snapped, leaving behind a deafening buzz.

"General, should we give chase?"

"I can't breathe," Jin Shun asked, her eyes gleaming with a vengeful light.

Yang Wanchun shook his head, pointing to the arrow shafts embedded in the bricks of the city wall, to the charred roof beams at the street corner, and to the various scars on the faces of the people: "Let them go. We can defend the city, but we can't defend the starving people in the city."

However, at that moment, a sharp-eyed Goguryeo soldier on the city wall suddenly screamed in alarm: "Tang army! It's Tang cavalry! They're charging towards us!"

Boom——!
These words struck Anshi City like a thunderbolt.

Yang Wanchun, in particular, was completely stunned.

He wondered, what's going on? Is this really a Tang army scheme?!
Damn!

Those despicable Tang soldiers!
"Quickly! Defend against the enemy! No! Close the city gates immediately!"

It was too late to return to the city. He had already heard the sound of horses' hooves. If he had been a moment later, the city gates would not have been able to close.

"General!" Jin Shun roared in frustration.

However, he dared not disobey Yang Wanchun's orders, and could only shout towards the city gate with grief and indignation: "Close the city gate! Don't worry about us!"

Wow!
An uproar erupted from the direction of the city gate!
A sense of sorrow filled the city tower.

But military orders are absolute.

Even if they didn't want Yang Wanchun to die outside the city, they had to obey orders and close the city gates.

However, just as the city gates were about to close, the cavalry that had been charging forward suddenly stopped.

The leader was a former Goguryeo general. Yang Wanchun recognized him at a glance and glared at him coldly, saying, "Sun Daiyin, is it really good to be a dog of the Tang Dynasty?"

"Ah!"

Sun Daiyin chuckled, then shamelessly declared, "Whether being a dog of the Tang Dynasty is good or not, I don't know, but being Yeon Gaesomun's dog is not as good as being the dog of the Tang Emperor!"

"Humph!"

Yang Wanchun snorted coldly, about to retort to Sun Daiyin.

But Sun Daiyin spoke first: "Alright, enough of the nonsense. I am here by order of His Majesty to bestow upon you one hundred bolts of silk as encouragement for your loyalty to the emperor and the country."

After saying this, he waved his hand without saying another word.

Soon, the cavalrymen threw a hundred bolts of silk onto the ground.

Yang Wanchun and his soldiers were dumbfounded.

This is a touching scene.

On the battlefield, they are adversaries who fight to the death.

But once the war ended, they were all able to express a rare sincerity and profound respect for each other.

In the West, this might be called gentlemanly conduct; in the East, it's called heroes appreciating heroes.

Only true heroes know how to appreciate their opponents.

"Alright, His Majesty's decree has been delivered. Farewell."

Sun Daiyin smiled and glanced at the stunned Yang Wanchun and the others, then turned his horse around and led his cavalry away with a thunderous roar, raising a cloud of dust.

I don’t know how much time passed.

A young Goguryeo boy with his hair in a topknot ran over, holding half a moldy pancake, and looked up at the general, asking, "General, can I go outside the city to dig for wild vegetables? My mother is starving to death."

Yang Wanchun finally snapped out of his shock, smiled faintly, then squatted down, touched the boy's dry, yellow hair, and choked up, unable to speak.

The Tang army in the distance had long since become black dots on the horizon. The guards on the city wall were still staring blankly when suddenly someone stuck his knife into the ground, knelt down, and kowtowed three times in the direction of Chang'an.

It's not reverence, it's gratitude.

(End of this chapter)