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墨書 Inktalez
Xu Zhen knelt on one knee in the court, with the Armor of Blades bestowed by Taizong placed before her. Li Zhi was indecisive, while Changsun Wuji and Murong Hanzhu frowned deeply. In contrast, Qibi Helix and Asena Sher were filled with gratitude, and the entire court began to truly recognize Xu Zhen.
Undeniably, since her enlistment, Xu Zhen had been brave and fearless, achieving numerous victories in battle. Although she was a junior officer, her military accomplishments were remarkable, having received direct teachings from Li and Li (Li Jing and Li Jue) and being nurtured by Li Shimin. While the title of Grand Minister was somewhat burdensome, it was undeniably well-deserved.
This Xu Zhen indeed gave the impression of being brave yet lacking in strategy. However, today she cleverly maneuvered her way through adversity, using her position as Left Tunwei Grand General to support Qibi Helix and his companion, showcasing her wisdom and earning newfound respect.
After ascending to the throne, Li Zhi replaced most of the generals of the Sixteen Guard. The Imperial Guards were reassigned to the palace guards, while the Qian Niu Guard was moved to lead the army, completely disrupting the control of military power. As a result, soldiers did not recognize their commanders, and commanders did not know their soldiers, making any rebellion unmanageable.
Only Cheng Zhijie, Wei Chi Jing De, and Xu Zhen remained in their original military positions. Cheng Zhijie was a hero who escorted Li Zhi back from the Emerald Palace, while Wei Chi Jing De steadfastly defended the palace. As for Xu Zhen, she was entrusted with a secret edict.
If Li Zhi intended to weaken one of them, it would undoubtedly be Xu Zhen. Had it been the old Li Zhi, he would have seized this opportunity to strip her of her position and let her live comfortably as the Duke of Wuan.
However, after taking power, Li Zhi felt an invisible pressure from Changsun Wuji. He began to understand what worried Li Shimin.
In such circumstances, despite any past grievances with Xu Zhen, he had to think carefully before acting. Weakening her power would leave him without anyone strong enough to counterbalance Changsun Wuji.
The emperor's strategy is fundamentally about balance. Although initially inexperienced, Li Zhi quickly grasped this amidst the turmoil in court.
Both Changsun Wuji and Murong Hanzhu understood that just days ago, Xu Zhen had revealed the secret edict from Taizong, showcasing her status as a trusted minister. If she were further weakened, it would allow Changsun Wuji to dominate entirely—a scenario many would prefer to avoid.
Thus, unexpectedly yet understandably, those officials who had previously harbored jealousy towards Xu Zhen, openly calling for her removal from power, began advocating for her instead. They presented her past achievements in an effort to persuade Li Zhi to retain her.
How could Li Zhi not see through these ministers' intentions? He let out a cold laugh and waited for silence in the court before speaking gently: “My loyal ministers are the foundation of our great Tang. Why speak lightly of loyalty? I have just ascended to this position; many matters await resolution. I need capable hands at this time. Please take care of yourselves for now; I will rely on you all in the future. Mr. Xu, please rise.”
Upon hearing this from Li Zhi, both Qibi Helix and Asena Sher finally felt a weight lifted off their hearts. Xu Zhen expressed her gratitude and exchanged a glance with Li Zhi, their mutual understanding unspoken.
With his mind made up, although he declined the requests from Qibi Helix and Asena Sher to accompany him in honoring the late emperor’s wishes, he still sent them off with a few hundred men to lead an expedition to Khotan, persuading Uighur Khan Fuxin to come to court.
Both Qibi Helix and Asena Sher accepted their orders gladly.
Xu Zhen ultimately resigned from the position of Left Tunwei Grand General after much deliberation. Only by doing so could Li Zhi feel at ease, and indeed, a hint of a smile appeared in the corner of Li Zhi's eye.
After returning from the court, Xu Zhen remained idle at home, collaborating with Yan Lide and Ginger Sage Li Chunfeng to devise a secret grand plan.
As for Ginger Sage, Xu Zhenxin was also worried. During the time in Liaodong, while attacking Gaimu City, Ginger Sage was struck by a stray arrow, and everyone thought he would not survive. The Sovereign was particularly saddened by this.
However, Liu Shenwei followed Xu Zhen's troops, and upon seeing this, Xu Zhen hurriedly arranged for Liu Shenwei to provide aid, ultimately saving Ginger Sage.
Yet, Xu Zhen clearly remembered that according to the Historical Records, Ginger Sage died in the battle of Gaimu City. By saving him, she felt she might be causing trouble. Therefore, after returning from the campaign, she had Ginger Sage resign from his official position and advised him to act low-key and avoid drawing attention.
Like Yan Lide, Ginger Sage was obsessed with creating machinery. The project that Xu Zhen wanted to build was unprecedented for him; he became deeply immersed in it and rarely ventured out, having no desire to meet others.
Li Chunfeng, skilled in calculations and divination, often accompanied Xu Zhen. Having witnessed her incredible actions, he had long regarded her as a divine figure. With both Moya and Qingxiazi being reclusive masters, this gathering of talented individuals was truly delightful.
Despite this, Li Zhi still harbored suspicions towards Changsun Wuji. He first appointed Diezhou Governor Li Jue as a special advisor and inspected the position of Governor of Lizhou. By mid-September, he appointed Li Jue as the Minister of the Left Deputy Director. Finally, Li Jue successfully passed his probation period and officially entered the core team of the new ruler, Li Zhi.
Upon hearing that Li Jue had returned to the capital, Xu Zhen hurried to pay her respects. At this time, he held no official title but carried the titles of General of the Guard and Grand Minister. He lived comfortably and occasionally visited the palace to see Li Mingda, alleviating his longing and enjoying a carefree life.
This was because matters in the court were handled by trusted ministers like Changsun Wuji and Yuzhining Zhu Suiliang. As a result, Li Zhi often felt sidelined and regretted relying too heavily on Changsun Wuji. Feeling gloomy, he changed into civilian clothes to disguise himself and ordered the Imperial Guard to dress up as well before heading to the Ganyesi Temple for some relaxation.
The reason why Li Zhi chose the Ganyesi Temple was not just because it was a royal temple within the forbidden garden but also because his love interest, Wu Mei, resided there among many childless concubines who had taken vows as nuns.
After months of living as a nun—immersed in morning bells and evening drums, away from worldly affairs—Wu Mei shed her enchanting allure but gained an air of elegance. Clad in simple robes that hugged her slender figure tightly, she could not hide her increasingly mature beauty.
Without making a fuss, disguised as a devotee, Li Zhi moved quietly. The Imperial Guard reported that Wu Mei was in the back courtyard's monk quarters. His steps quickened with anticipation.
Arriving at the monk quarters, he instructed the Imperial Guard to stand guard around him before entering alone. Inside, he saw Wu Mei, bent over in prayer with incense sticks. Her slender waist seemed delicate enough to grasp with one hand; her tight monk robes could not conceal her curvaceous figure resembling that of a ripe peach. As she turned to glance back at him, her eyes sparkled with unspoken emotions—a mix of tranquility and an underlying sense of yearning. Instantly, Li Zhi was captivated by her charm!
The Imperial Guards stood like statues outside the monk's quarters. After two hours, Li Zhi finally emerged, walking slowly with a relaxed expression, his face still flushed, but he seemed to be in high spirits.
As he was about to leave Ganyesi Temple, Li Zhi glanced back reluctantly, as if he could see a pair of beautiful eyes gazing at him through the layers of courtyards.
However, when he stepped outside Ganyesi Temple, his smile froze.
Changsun Wuji was waiting outside the temple with the Imperial Carriage and a ceremonial escort, having arrived at some point without his knowledge!
Li Zhi's face turned crimson, as if he had been caught red-handed in a theft! Although Changsun Wuji did not state it outright, it was clear that this "Uncle Yuan" was already aware of his "little secret"!
"The Sovereign has just ascended to the throne, and all the officials are counting on you to continue the Golden Age of Zhenguan. I must speak frankly and advise you not to indulge in frivolities and neglect state affairs..."
Changsun Wuji spoke subtly, but Li Zhi felt guilty and could not maintain his composure. He sensed the piercing gazes of the Imperial Guards and ceremonial escort upon him, making him feel uncomfortable as if being pricked by countless steel needles. At that moment, he could only respond meekly while harboring deep resentment towards Changsun Wuji!
The Holy Presence was halfway back but suddenly stopped, seemingly having been obstructed by someone. The Imperial Guards drew their swords, and Changsun Wuji retreated to the side of the Imperial Carriage.
Through the curtain, Li Zhi saw a middle-aged man dressed as a scholar bowing deeply with blood streaming down his face; he had come to lodge a complaint!
Under normal circumstances, the guards would have dragged such a person away to be dealt with by the authorities. However, Li Zhi had just lost face in front of Changsun Wuji. Thinking that as emperor he should create some legendary tales for the people to recount, this kind of dramatic complaint was precisely what common folk loved to discuss. How could he let such an opportunity slip away?
"Let him come forward to speak."
Once Li Zhi spoke, the guards dared not obstruct him further and brought the man before him. Despite being covered in blood, the middle-aged man remained composed and stood tall while bowing respectfully.
"I am Li Hongtai, a commoner. I have offended the Holy Presence and deserve death a thousand times over. However, I carry the will of countless citizens and must plead on their behalf. I hope Your Majesty will grant me an audience!"
Li Zhi felt displeased upon hearing that his name was similar to Prince Li Tai's and grew even more sullen at the mention of representing the people's will. Nevertheless, having decided to create a tale worth telling, he chose to endure it. Moreover, this man behaved with courtesy and spoke eloquently; he seemed to belong to either a humble scholarly family or a local gentry respected by the populace.
"Please rise and speak. What is your petition? You may tell me."
"Thank you, Your Majesty!" Li Hongtai said with an agitated demeanor. After standing up, he raised his head high and declared emphatically, "Changsun Wuji has usurped power, disturbed the Ancestral Temple, and acted beyond bounds. He is indeed a traitor to the nation. Under the guise of assisting the government, he is actually stealing the state. His household raises private soldiers and forms factions in the court. The people all suspect him of rebellion. Therefore, I present this blood letter signed by ten thousand citizens, requesting the execution of the old traitor Changsun!"
Li Hongtai then knelt down with a loud thud, presenting the letter as if he were ready to sacrifice himself to rid the nation of traitors.
Li Zhi was immediately taken aback. He had intended to create a legendary tale to show the citizens that he was a good emperor. Who would have thought that this person would come forward to accuse Changsun Wuji of usurping power?
Changsun Wuji's face turned ashen with anger, but he could not express it openly. Li Zhi had just been caught in a bind by Changsun Wuji and was newly ascended to the throne, relying on old ministers like Changsun Wuji to maintain state policies. He angrily retorted, "The Grand Commandant is loyal to the country and works tirelessly day and night for the nation. How dare you slander him! You claim to be loyal to the country, but you are actually causing chaos in governance and defaming loyal officials. If you are not severely punished, how can we comfort our loyal subjects? Guards, take them away!"
Li Hongtai continued to shout accusations, but after an official review, he was quickly executed in public.
Ironically, just last month, Li Zhi had asked the Minister of Justice Tang Lin about the prisoners in custody and learned that out of more than fifty inmates, only two deserved death. He had praised this approach greatly, saying that those who manage prisons should do so accordingly. Yet now, in less than half a month, he had recklessly executed someone himself.
The entire court felt a mix of emotions seeing how much Li Zhi trusted Changsun Wuji. The fence-sitters began to lean towards Changsun Wuji's side, which only added to Li Zhi's frustration.
As tensions rose within the court, Xu Zhen remained calm and collected. However, today she could no longer sit idly by; she planned to attend court tomorrow because she had received a secret letter—or rather, she had finally awaited a secret letter from Tuguhun!
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