Chapter 490 The Xuanwu Gate Incident (Part 2)

"I've given you a name, Yimou, what do you think?"

"Is it a compliment to my martial arts and strategy?"

"No, it's just that I feel like you're often emo, like secretly hugging Chengqian and crying..."

"Okay, that's enough."

"If you don't like this name, then let's call her Erfeng. I'm the eldest, and you're the second eldest."

Li Shimin, who was forced to accept the title "Erfeng" (Second Phoenix), was somewhat helpless, but more surprised.

It wasn't that he created the hype, nor was it because he was a brilliant strategist. A fire phoenix truly appeared on the battlefield, frightening the Turkic army and allowing him to seize the opportunity and achieve victory.

As for why only the Turks were frightened, it's naturally because the fire phoenix flew out from his chest!

Yes, that's right, he has a fire phoenix hidden inside him.

Even Li Shimin himself didn't believe it when he heard it, but it turned out to be true.

The Fire Phoenix said it had been sleeping on him for six years, and it would not have appeared if he hadn't almost been shot by an arrow.

"Six years?" The astute Li Shimin immediately noticed this point. "Which phoenix were you when Chengqian was born?"

"It's me. Didn't I greet you before?"

Did you say hello?

"I did call you. I asked you if you wanted me to do anything, but you didn't answer. If you didn't answer, it means you didn't want me to. So I went to sleep. I never expected that I would sleep for six years."

The phoenix spoke with self-assurance, and Li Shimin couldn't help but press, "If I think it's true, then I only heard one phoenix cry at the time, right? Did you speak?"

"Oh, I forgot, that's how you understand me."

"Wait...aren't you speaking human language right now?"

Li Shimin hesitated, not knowing why he saw a hint of guilt on Huo Feng's face. "It's because our connection has deepened that you understood... You know how precious I am, right..."

"so?"

"So, I've been invisible the whole time I've been talking to you, and no one else can see me except you."

"You mean to say that I seemed to be talking to myself the whole way?"

Li Shimin's vision went black. Sensing the danger, the fire phoenix vanished completely from his sight. Li Shimin instantly realized that it must have entered a private space, which he could summon at any time.

Before he could summon the phoenix to reason with him, Yuchi Jingde was pushed to his side by a group of people. He hesitated and said, "Your Highness, the appearance of the fire phoenix is ​​indeed a miracle, but you shouldn't...don't take it so seriously. We're following you not because of the phoenix, so..."

Li Shimin was so overwhelmed by his tactless and ineffective persuasion that he felt increasingly dizzy. Therefore, the strange looks he received along the way weren't because of the chattering fire phoenix, but because of him, who seemed to be rambling incoherently and talking to thin air.

Li Shimin opened his mouth, trying to explain, when suddenly a fast horse galloped from the direction of Chang'an and was stopped outside the formation by the guards.

The man on horseback dismounted, presented a secret letter with both hands, and shouted, "Reporting to the Prince of Qin, an urgent message from the Prince's Palace!"

Li Shimin frowned, and Yuchi Jingde, who was standing nearby, immediately rode forward, took the secret letter, and handed it to him.

Li Shimin unfolded the letter, which was Fang Xuanling's handwriting. The writing was vigorous and swift, and every word revealed his anxiety. The Crown Prince wanted to transfer the guards away from the Prince of Qin's residence under the pretext of guarding the border. The assassins under the Prince of Qi had been patrolling around the Prince's residence for days and even followed the Crown Prince's carriage several times.

The last line of the letter was particularly striking: "There may be unrest; Your Highness is urged to travel day and night!"

Li Shimin gripped the paper in his hand tightly and immediately ordered the army to march at full speed. Ignoring the stares of outsiders, he shouted, "Fire Phoenix, go to the capital and protect the Prince's Mansion for me."

"Okay!"

When it's time to make a splash, there's no need to hide. Under the watchful eyes of everyone, a giant fire phoenix leaps out from Li Shimin's chest, raises its head to the sky, and cries like a sudden downpour, full of majesty and domineering power. With a noble and confident air that surpasses all things, it disappears from everyone's sight.

"My goodness, what a phoenix..." Yuchi Jingde slapped himself hard, unable to help but regret it. Why was he worrying? Did His Highness not know the truth?

There must have been a reason for what happened before; didn't you see that the phoenix has already been tamed?

"Your Highness, now that you have a phoenix, why don't you just ascend the throne?"

"Yuchi Jingde!" Qin Shubao was speechless. Was he scared out of his wits? He dared to say anything.

Before he could offer any help, Li Shimin, with a stern face, said in a tone that was both a response and a promise, "I will not back down any further."

...

Big news has broken in Chang'an.

A huge phoenix, its body wreathed in flames like flowing silk, with golden flames swirling among its crimson feathers, hovered over the Qin King's mansion!

Soon, Li Yuan arrived in his carriage. He lifted the black brocade curtain, his gaze piercing through the heat, staring intently at the legendary phoenix in mid-air, a vague guess forming in his mind.

"Your Majesty! The divine bird is fierce, I fear..." Before the attendant could finish his advice, Li Yuan strode into the Qin Prince's residence without fear, leaving the others looking at each other in dismay and only able to hurry after him.

Empress Zhangsun, accompanied by the people of the Prince's Mansion, stood at the gate to welcome Li Yuan's arrival.

Exempting them from formalities, Li Yuan looked directly at Li Chengqian, "Chengqian..."

"Grandpa, come with me."

Li Chengqian stepped forward and took Li Yuan's hand, trying to lead him inside.

"Father..."

Li Jiancheng tried to stop him, but Li Yuan waved him away, saying, "I know what I'm doing."

After saying that, he followed Li Chengqian straight into the Prince of Qin's residence, and did not forget to give the order that no one was allowed to follow.

Li Yuanji paused in his steps, his face grim as he turned to Li Jiancheng, "Big Brother."

Li Jiancheng's face also darkened. It was obvious that the Prince of Qin's mansion had secrets they didn't know, and these secrets were related to Li Chengqian, and might even be related to the suddenly appearing phoenix.

Looking at the fiery phoenix in the sky, Li Jiancheng could hardly help but think of the rumors coming back from the front lines. If it really was a miracle brought by Li Shimin, how could he compete with him?

On the other side, Li Yuan followed Li Chengqian to the courtyard where Li Chengqian lived. Soon, in the empty courtyard, they saw the familiar white tiger and a fire phoenix of about the same size.

Li Yuan couldn't help but look up at the fire phoenix in the sky, then at the little phoenix playing with the white tiger, and asked hesitantly, "Two phoenixes?"

Li Chengqian shook his head, "No, the one in the courtyard is the real body, while the one in the sky is just a phantom of the phoenix."

Li Yuan, who was also thinking of Li Shimin, asked again, "Does this have anything to do with your father?"

At this moment, the little phoenix lightly leaped down from the white tiger's back, flew to Li Yuan's front, and chirped softly.

Meeting Li Yuan's questioning gaze, Li Chengqian acted as a translator: "It was Erfeng who sent it here. Erfeng is my father."

Li Yuan seemed to be deep in thought. "Erlang is also a phoenix? How come he didn't know?"

"Chirp chirp".

"It said it was there to protect the Qin Prince's Mansion for Aye, and that he was welcome."

Li Yuan: "..."

It's confirmed, it's Erlang's phoenix, just as shameless as him.