In my dream of returning to the Tang Dynasty, I snatched Wu Zetian from my lap.

November 25th.

Li Yuanchang arrived at Suoyangpo, less than 100 li outside Qizhou.

Here, the Kyushu Prefecture troops, having received secret orders, had all taken their positions ahead of schedule, totaling 20,000 men, a vast and imposing force that almost filled the entire plain.

This was just a drop in the ocean during the Tang Dynasty's peak. To think they could rebel against Li Shimin was, frankly, a pipe dream.

Even if we find An Lushan, the rebel who caused the greatest damage to the Tang Dynasty in history, he would still be swept away.

"This humble officer, Luo Bing, Military Advisor of Luozhou, pays respects to Your Highness, Minister, and General!"

"This humble servant, Liu Huan, Military Advisor of Bianzhou, greets Your Highness, Minister, and General!"

"Your subordinate..."

The military advisors of Kyushu had been waiting for a long time, and now they lined up to pay their respects.

"Whoa!!"

Li Yuanchang dismounted from his warhorse, covered in dust, having barely rested along the way.

"Get up, everyone."

"Is everyone here?"

"Your Highness, everyone has arrived." The nine men stood up and clasped their hands in greeting.

Li Yuanchang glanced at it: "Pass down the order, rest for one night, and set off first thing tomorrow morning."

There was no sense of urgency in his eyes, because he already knew the script.

"yes!"

Over the next two hours, Li Yuanchang met with all the officers on the spot, which was considered a brief introduction, and then reorganized the Kyushu army.

After taking inventory of the provisions and large equipment, he went to catch up on his sleep.

After sleeping soundly until dawn the next day, and having eaten and drunk his fill, he officially set off for Qizhou.

Along the way, several sergeants volunteered to be the vanguard and lead the charge.

But Li Yuanchang refused. He was in no hurry to quell the rebellion or launch an attack. Instead, he waited for news from inside Qizhou.

Because they were carrying a large amount of siege equipment, it took them two whole days to reach the city.

Qizhou naturally received word of this, and the city gates were tightly closed, with a dark mass of archers pressing down on the toothed walls.

Li Yuanchang stood at the front of the three armies, looking at the heavily fortified Qizhou City, his gaze filled with hesitation, even astonishment!

This is not what he imagined!

Including the killing of Quan Wanji, the news reaching Chang'an, and the subsequent siege of the city, it has probably been much longer than a month.

In other words, the rebellion of King Li You of Qi lasted for more than a month.

But he clearly remembered that in history, Li Ji quelled this rebellion with almost no war, because when Li You rebelled, not a single county in the entire Qizhou Prefecture responded.

The King of Qi was directly suppressed by his own soldiers.

The reason he was taking his time and not letting the vanguard launch an attack was precisely this: he was waiting for Qizhou to suppress the situation internally.

He could have just gone through the motions and arrested people directly.

but……

But there was no sign of suppression in Qizhou City; instead, it was a scene of desperate resistance.

"Is the King of Han here?!"

At this moment, a loud shout came from the city wall where the standoff had lasted for a long time.

Through his binoculars, Li Yuanchang spotted the royal robes on the young man. It was Li You, a tall, thin young man who was too afraid to even peek out, lest he be shot.

"drive!!"

Li Yuanchang rode his horse out of the army formation and came to the open space at the front, facing the towering Qizhou City alone.

"I am the king!"

"By order of the Emperor, Li You, open the city gates immediately!"

He roared, his voice booming with authority and an overwhelming sense of oppression.

With a legitimate reason for the attack, a massive army, and his established reputation, he quickly suppressed the rebels.

Li You anxiously shouted down, "Seventh Uncle, it's not that I don't want to open the city gates, it's just that your reputation as the Prince of Han is too great. If I open the city gates, I'm afraid I'll die!"

"That Quan Wanji is sowing discord and framing me!"

"I was forced to defend myself!"

"The entire city of Qizhou is in self-defense!"

The sound echoed and lingered for a long time.

Li Yuanchang said coldly, "Prince Qi, you will now open the city gates and return to Chang'an with me to explain the truth. His Majesty will make his decision."

"His Majesty only instructed me to take you back; he did not say he intended to kill you, nor did he mention disciplining the officials of Qizhou!"

"But if you resist arrest, it will be considered a mutiny, and then no one can save you!"

His combination of soft and hard tactics was aimed at Li You, but also at all the rebels.

Upon hearing this, Li You, standing on the city wall, was immediately shaken, and a look of pain appeared on his face, which had been lacking rest.

At this moment, a middle-aged man with a goatee and wearing armor gritted his teeth and said.

"King Qi, don't believe him!"

"He's trying to trick us into walking into a trap!"

"Quan Wanji has already been killed, and so many others in the city have also died. The emperor cannot forget this debt. Once the city gates are opened, the secret of the assassins will be discovered."

"Since we're going to die anyway, why not take a gamble?"

"We have manpower and food supplies, what are we afraid of not being able to hold our ground?"

"Uncle, but..."

"Prince Qi, there are no buts. Once the arrow is released, there's no turning back. Think about how Li Shimin treated you!" Yin Hongzhi glared angrily, his resentment clearly tinged with his own agenda.

Upon hearing this, the King of Qi's expression gradually turned ugly.

The long-term discord between father and son, suspicion and pressure, eventually overwhelmed his reason.

He stood up and suddenly shouted down to the crowd.

"Seventh Uncle, this city gate can't be opened!"

"If you are truly sincere, then lead your troops back and tell my father that I have been wronged. As long as the court does not send troops, I, Li You, will still be the King of the Tang Dynasty!"

"But if you insist on attacking, then it will be a fight to the death!" Li You said hysterically.

In an instant, all the soldiers and assassins on the city wall raised their bows and arrows, their arrows blotting out the sky and covering the open space below.

"Your Highness!"

Many people shouted and were about to rush over.

Li Yuanchang extended a hand, indicating that he should not be nervous.

The dark mass of cavalry, restless and anxious, abruptly stopped.

Looking at the city wall, Li Yuanchang understood that while Li You's rebellion appeared to be the real mastermind behind it all, Yin Hongzhi was the one who actually orchestrated it.

"King Qi, the man beside you must be Yin Hongzhi, right?"

Upon hearing this, the middle-aged man with the goatee's expression changed slightly. He had been seen clearly from such a distance?

He feared Li Yuanchang, and he feared Li Yuanchang's psychological manipulation.

"Your Highness, it is indeed I!"

"The responsibility for the Qizhou incident lies with Quan Wanji. We were merely forced into it. If you truly wish to quell the situation, you should return to Chang'an and seek justice for us!"

"If you wish to bring the King of Qi back to Chang'an and have him drink poison, then try! We swear to be loyal to the King of Qi to the death!!"

"I swear to serve King Qi to the death! I swear to serve King Qi to the death!!"

On the city wall, a large group of people were shouting.

This differs from historical records; historically, there weren't so many people who followed Li You.

Li Yuanchang sneered, "Yin Hongzhi, don't try to fool me. You might fool Prince Qi, but you can't fool me!"

"Who do you think you are, to presume to teach me how to do things?"

Yin Hongzhi's face turned red and contorted in a ferocious expression!

"You only plotted rebellion because of the family feud with the Yin family back then, and for your own selfish interests. You even dragged Prince Qi into it, instigating him to rebel!"