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Li Daozong was already aware of that person's true identity, yet he maintained a calm demeanor and steady steps. However, his heart was tumultuous, knowing that this Xuanwu Gate Incident involved Li Mingda, one of the few young princesses who could possess a fief, and the favorite of the current Sage.
Although the Sage had not yet reached fifty, he was nearing the age of discernment. After years of warfare, his health had deteriorated significantly, and in recent years, he had begun to show signs of aging. The court had started to sway in various directions; although the Eastern Palace appeared tranquil, it hinted at an impending storm.
At this critical moment, Li Mingda suddenly fell ill and passed away prematurely, plunging the Sovereign into deep sorrow and neglecting state affairs. This situation was quite intriguing, as some cunning old foxes within the court might have already caught a whiff of blood.
As a member of the royal family, Li Daozong dared not take sides in such matters. Initially, he had chosen silence alongside Li Zhi and others like Wei Gong Li Jing.
The Xuanwu Gate Incident loomed ominously behind him; who lay in the princess's tomb outside Chang'an? The Sage was treating the mourning with near-national mourning standards, leading to nationwide grief. What kind of upheaval would arise from returning Li Mingda to Chang'an? Such outcomes were beyond what Li Daozong dared to contemplate.
Now that the Tuguhun was about to engage in military action, even Li Jing was making a comeback. If Li Mingda's appearance triggered a chain reaction that pulled many into turmoil, those behind the scenes might act out of desperation. In such a scenario, with internal strife and external threats, Li Daozong could face dire consequences.
Having experienced numerous battles throughout his life and becoming a renowned general of the Tang Dynasty, Li Daozong had faced disgrace due to corruption but was reinstated in his later years. He had seen through much by now; thus, upon returning to his quarters, he began to formulate a plan.
Without needing further words, those around him noticed the Commander's troubled expression and tactfully withdrew. Being in military service, Li Daozong clasped his fists and bowed respectfully: "This old minister greets Your Highness!"
At this moment, Li Mingda, who had been hiding behind the Xu Zhen, finally composed herself. The previous signs of distress vanished as her royal demeanor reemerged. She slightly bowed in return: "There is no need for excessive courtesy, wise king. The situation is urgent; I hope you can mobilize troops immediately to escort me back to Chang'an!"
Upon hearing this, Xu Zhen let out an almost imperceptible cold snort. As someone familiar with Tang Dynasty history and having spent three years observing Chang'an's political landscape from a unique perspective as a time traveler, she understood that it was impossible for Li Mingda to return immediately unless Li Daozong were foolish.
Sure enough, Li Daozong frowned slightly, looking troubled but eventually spoke: "This old minister understands your longing for home; however, the current situation is fraught with danger. There are those in the court deceiving the Sage, fabricating plots surrounding... the princess's premature demise... If she were to appear now, it could trigger significant upheaval. Moreover, even if there were troops for protection, I fear I would not be able to ensure her safety..."
Although Li Mingda was merely a delicate young lady at present, upon hearing Li Daozong's words, she felt a chill run down her spine. The reputation of the Xuanwu Gate Incident was well-known; however, she was indeed precious and fragile. From what she learned from Li Dejiang, it was clear that her experiences were far from bearable for someone her age. She had endured countless hardships on her journey—being alive yet treated as dead by everyone else—this experience was excessively harsh for a twelve-year-old child.
Her expression darkened with anger as she retorted: "You are a dignified prince and commander; if you cannot protect me, what use is there in fighting?"
After saying this, she slumped onto a low table in the camp, completely shedding her royal composure as if her inner support had been abruptly taken away.
Her mind was sharp; upon seeing Li Daozong's plain attire earlier, she realized that her ambush and capture were not coincidental but orchestrated by someone behind the scenes. She could even sense just a glimpse of this dark plot's iceberg. This realization heightened her concern for her father and brother's safety; she wanted to return to Chang'an quickly to raise an alarm.
However, Li Daozong's reaction only confirmed that things were far more serious than she had imagined!
As a master of state affairs and an elder prince as well as military leader (Commander), while it might have been somewhat inappropriate for him to be held accountable by Jinyang, the old general understood this predicament and simply stood awkwardly waiting for Li Mingda to regain her composure.
After a moment's pause, Li Mingda sighed softly and collected herself before offering some comforting words to the old general. Then she asked: "Given our current circumstances, what should we do?"
Li Daozong understood Li Mingda's temperament and did not mind her anger. He quickly formulated a plan in his mind and shifted his gaze to Xu Zhen.
Xu Zhen initially intended to hand Li Mingda over to Li Daozong and then leave, preferring to stay out of the impending storm. However, upon meeting Li Daozong's gaze, her heart sank.
She had already analyzed that Li Daozong was reluctant to return the Xuanwu Gate Incident to Chang'an due to fears of ambush from behind the scenes. More importantly, Li Daozong could not fully control the military forces; even those within the barracks were untrustworthy.
Once she revealed Li Mingda's identity, news would inevitably leak. Yet if she did not mention the princess's status, mobilizing a large number of troops would seem suspicious. With war approaching, it would provide those with ulterior motives an opportunity to accuse her of misusing military forces, which would severely undermine her position in the upcoming Tuguhun conflict.
If she only relied on her personal guards, their numbers would be insufficient, and there were always spies in the military monitoring her every move. It was possible that someone had already leaked information about the Xuanwu Gate Incident and Xu Zhen's whereabouts.
The only viable solution was to temporarily protect the Xuanwu Gate Incident within the military under the watch of her trusted aides and send someone to relay the information back to Chang'an.
Since the military had already noticed the identity of the Xuanwu Gate Incident, Li Daozong believed that sending his own men would likely not yield any results in Chang'an. This was precisely why he turned his attention to Xu Zhen.
Although Xu Zhen was not a significant figure, she had managed to protect herself all this time, demonstrating her cleverness and resourcefulness. If she were to carry the information back to Chang'an, who would suspect her?
The Xuanwu Gate Incident had been cherished by Sage, even perfectly imitating Sage's calligraphy style. She had read extensively since childhood and was favored by the royal elders, who loved hearing tales of past heroes. Seeing Li Daozong focus on Xu Zhen made her quickly grasp the situation. However, she knew that with Xu Zhen's cunning nature, it was unlikely she would take such a risk.
Just as Li Mingda was about to sigh in frustration, Xu Zhen responded seriously: "It is not impossible for Old General to seek my service, but I have a few conditions. If Old General cannot agree, then even if you kill me, I will not accept this task. Furthermore, should anything go wrong along the way and the information be intercepted, Old General should be aware of the consequences..."
Li Daozong was an old fox who could see through people's hearts. He thought Xu Zhen would never agree so readily. Hearing Xu Zhenzhi speak now surprised him slightly but he quickly came to terms with it.
For someone like Xu Zhen, remaining under the radar and avoiding attention from behind-the-scenes forces was an advantage. However, delivering information back to Chang'an alone was no easy task; if intercepted, Li Daozong would find himself on opposing sides and self-preservation would become impossible.
Moreover, given Xu Zhen's status, it was unlikely she could boldly enter the palace and say to Li Er: "Hey, your daughter is still alive; I've brought back news—make me a general."
Thus, even if everything went smoothly until reaching Chang'an, finding someone reliable for support became another major headache for Li Daozong. This required exceptional insight into court intrigues; otherwise, mistakenly delivering information into enemy hands could lead to greater troubles.
Considering this aspect, Xu Zhen's requests were not unreasonable. However, Li Daozong did not realize that Xu Zhen was a time traveler—a versatile genius at the pinnacle of magic. The development history of Sui-Tang magic was her primary research topic; she understood clearly about this conspiracy's camp distribution and key figures involved!
Of course, discrepancies might exist compared to Historical Records, but given Xu Zhen's personality, she would never choose uncertain individuals as insiders.
Seeing Xu Zhen agree brought joy to Li Daozong; he quickly ordered for clever and capable servants to attend to Li Mingda while letting Xu Zhen recuperate until she regained her strength before proceeding with their plans. Everything requested by Xu Zhen was granted without hesitation in the military.
Thus, Li Mingda settled down in Liangzhou Camp. Although protected daily by personal guards chosen by Li Daozong and attended by attentive servants from prominent families, without Xu Zhen around, she felt insecure. She wanted to inquire about details from Xu Zhen but hesitated due to her status and remained troubled without mentioning it all day long.
Xu Zhen Although the Snake Venom has been expelled, she has been unconscious for several days. With only medicinal soup to consume and having endured injuries from battles, she is fortunate to be young and vigorous, allowing for a quick recovery.
During these days, she has not been idle. Li Daozong has been at her beck and call, and she has not been shy about it. Apart from demanding exquisite daily meals and clothing, she has spent most of her time in the military Craft Workshop, specifically requesting Li Deqian to assist her.
Li Deqian, the eldest son of Wei Gong Li Jing, is physically weak and timid, yet he became a Craftsman at a young age. He possesses exceptional skills in architecture and mechanics, making him one of the renowned engineers of the Tang Dynasty.
Since Xu Zhen is willing to take risks and now holds vast resources, she must prepare thoroughly for herself.
Li Deqian did not initially understand why this esteemed individual chosen by the Chief of Military Operations would select him instead of his brother Li Dejiang, who is skilled in martial arts and possesses great courage. However, after spending time with Xu Zhen, he came to realize that she is no ordinary person. Her imaginative thinking and creativity are beyond what Li Deqian could aspire to.
At this moment, Xu Zhen is bent over a Table, sketching designs. Instead of using a brush, she employs charcoal made from sturdy wood to illustrate a new object’s design on paper. Li Deqian is puzzled but inexplicably drawn to the nearly completed design.
The two are immersed in their work, completely unaware that someone has entered the workshop!
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