Chapter 332 Take action
The next day, Du Qianyun brought his guards to Tongguan to discuss matters.

Li Heng knew very well that Li Longji had already become suspicious of him. Showing weakness at this time would only make Li Longji become more aggressive. He needed to let Li Longji see his methods.

So he immediately ordered his men to capture Du Qianyun, beheaded him in front of the military gate as a public display, and then annexed Du Qianyun's army.

The news soon spread back to Chang'an, and Li Longji, Yang Guozhong and Li Heng were all shocked.

Yang Guozhong said, "We can't wait any longer. We should summon Prince Shou back to Chang'an to discuss matters. When he leaves the army, we can seize the opportunity to arrest him."

Li Longji asked, "What if he comes back with his troops?"

Yang Guozhong said: "That is treason. The Shuofang Army and the Jiannan Army are on their way. If Prince Shou is treasonous, the sage can go north or south and order the whole country to suppress him."

Li Longji said: "This will drag the Tang Dynasty into an abyss of no return!"

Yang Guozhong said: "I know that the saint has the Tang Dynasty in his heart. The one who can drag the Tang Dynasty into the abyss is not the saint, but the prince. The saint must not indulge traitors!"

Li Longji hesitated for a while, then stood up and walked to the gate, kneeling down and saying, "I am an unfilial grandson, Li Longji, and I am ashamed of my ancestors of the Tang Dynasty!"

After saying this, he bowed three times before standing up and saying, "According to the right prime minister's words, summon Prince Shou to the palace. Once Prince Shou leaves, let Prince Yong Li Lin take over the military power of Tongguan."

"Yes." Yang Guozhong and Gao Lishi accepted the order.

Li Heng asked, "How should we deal with the people in Shouwang Mansion?"

Li Longji said: "You take the Eastern Palace Guards and keep an eye on the people in Shouwang Mansion. If Li Heng brings his troops back, you kill everyone in Shouwang Mansion...!"

"Yes." Li Heng accepted the order and asked boldly, "Where is Concubine Wu Hui?"

Li Longji glared at Li Heng and said, "Don't worry about her."

"Yes." Li Heng took the order.

……

At dawn, Bian Lingcheng went to Tongguan to deliver the message.

The entire city of Chang'an was under martial law, and all the Jinwu Guards and Jingzhao Prefecture officials were mobilized and spread out to every corner of Chang'an.

Li Heng led a thousand guards from the Eastern Palace and kept a close eye on Prince Shou's mansion in the name of inspection.

Chen Xuanli led the Longwu Army and met with Yang Guozhong to discuss how to capture Li Heng.

Gao Lishi led the Flying Dragon Guard, ready to escort Li Longji out of Chang'an City at any time.

Some of the ministers in the court had already packed their luggage, ready to flee at any time, while others were writing memorials, preparing to explain the pros and cons to Li Longji or Li Heng.

For a time, people in Chang'an City were in panic, and all the plants and trees were frightened.

Yang Yuhuan stood at the gate of Prince Shou's mansion, watching the troops coming and going on the street, and knew that something big was about to happen.

She looked around the prosperous Chang'an and sighed: "Such a flourishing city, how can I not linger."

After saying this, he turned back and went into the house, asking the servant to close the door.

Arriving at the courtyard, Yang Yuhuan said to Shi Shouyi: "General Shi, I think something important will happen tonight, so please make sure to escort Li You and Mu Jin out of Chang'an."

Shi Shouyi said: "I have received an order from His Highness to escort the princess out of the city. I will lead the princess out of Chang'an at night."

Yang Yuhuan smiled back and said nothing.

……

Bian Lingcheng rode without stopping and quickly delivered the imperial edict to Tongguan to summon Li Heng to the palace. Li Heng received the imperial edict, sighed, and said solemnly: "All generals, listen to my orders!"

All the generals said in unison: "Yes!"

Bian Lingcheng was startled when he heard the thunderous voices of the generals.

Li Heng said, "Zhang Guangsheng, Li Siye, and Ma Lin will bring their guards and follow me back to Chang'an to meet my father. Gao Xianzhi will stay at Tongguan and serve as the commander-in-chief. The rest of the generals will obey Gao Xianzhi's orders."

"Yes!" The generals took the order.

Li Ying asked Bian Lingcheng, "Bian Zhongjian, are we leaving now?"

Bian Lingcheng said: "Your Highness, the Saint has ordered Your Highness to follow his orders and leave."

"Then let's go." Li Ying stepped out and came to Gao Xianzhi's side, saying, "General Gao, Guan Yu was careless and lost Jingzhou before. Now you are taking my place as the commander of Tongguan, so don't be careless." Gao Xianzhi understood what Li Ying meant and said, "I will never let your highness down."

Li Ying said: "After I return to Beijing, I will take care of your family, you don't have to worry."

Gao Xianzhi bowed and said, "Thank you, Your Highness!"

Li Ying nodded and followed Bian Lingcheng.

Zhang Guangsheng selected thirty guards to escort Li Heng out of Tongguan.

When the Feilong Guards, who had been observing secretly, saw that Li Heng had only three generals and thirty men, they immediately rode back to Chang'an to report.

At the same time, as soon as Li Heng left Tongguan, Li Lin, along with Geshu Han, Wang Sili, and a dozen personal guards, broke into the central army camp and said, "In compliance with the order of the Saint..."

Li Lin didn't finish his words because he saw Gao Xianzhi who was sharpening his sword, Ma Sui, Li Sheng, Hun Yu with sneering smiles on their faces, and a dozen elite soldiers.

Gao Xianzhi said, "Your Highness Prince Yong, I also have a decree from the Holy Lord."

Li Lin was startled and asked, "Do you want to fake the Saint's decree?"

Gao Xianzhi said: "The sage has ordered that Li Lin has colluded with Yang Guozhong to support the crown prince and plot a rebellion. He must be arrested immediately. Anyone who dares to resist will be killed without mercy!"

As soon as Gao Xianzhi finished speaking, the elite soldiers who had been lying in ambush filed in and surrounded Li Lin and others.

Li Lin said: "So you guys had planned this!"

Gao Xianzhi said, "Your Highness Prince Yong, while I was organizing the army at the border, you were abandoning General Li Mi and fleeing in disgrace. Do you want to send us out as well?"

Li Lin was furious, but seeing the enemy situation and remembering the Xuanwu Gate Incident, he immediately threw down his sword and said, "I did not resist."

Gao Xianzhi said: "Take it!"

Upon hearing this, the soldiers immediately arrested Li Lin.

Geshu Han and Wang Sili were also captured.

……

Changan.

Li Longji was sitting in the Purple Palace, his face full of worry.

At this time, the Flying Dragon Guard came to report, saying, "Your Majesty, Prince Shou has set out from Tongguan, bringing with him three generals and thirty guards."

Li Longji breathed a sigh of relief when he heard this.

Yang Guozhong was delighted and said, "Prince Shou did not bring the army back to Chang'an, which shows that he did not see through this plan. The Saint can rest assured."

Li Longji nodded, half believing and half doubting, thinking: "Could it be that Prince Shou really has no intention of rebellion?"

Yang Guozhong continued, "When Prince Shou enters Chang'an City, I will immediately lead my men to capture him!"

Li Longji said: "Let's make arrangements now, and General Chen will go with us."

"Yes." Yang Guozhong and Chen Xuanli accepted the order together.

For the next half day, the Flying Dragon Guards would come back to report on Li Heng's every journey.

Until late at night.

When there was still more than half an hour before Li Heng entered Chang'an, Li Longji felt that he had won the battle, so he asked Shen Zhongjian to call back Li Heng and the Eastern Palace guards, and he moved to Hua'e Tower and summoned Yang Yuhuan into the palace.

Shen Zhongjian took the imperial edict and ordered Li Heng to withdraw his troops first.

Li Heng thought to himself: "Father really didn't waste any time, he got rid of the donkey so quickly!"

But he didn't dare disobey the order and had to go back.

Shen Zhongjian went all the way to the Shouwang Mansion and read out the imperial decree allowing Yang Yuhuan to enter the palace.

Yang Yuhuan received the imperial order and said calmly, "Please trouble Shen Zhongjian to wait in the side hall first. I will pack up and go with you."

"Yes." Supervisor Shen had received a lot of money from Li Heng over the years, so he was willing to wait for a while and went obediently.

(End of this chapter)