Haimen (Part 2)

Since the plan of rebellion was decided, Li Lin gathered the staff of Prince Xuan's Palace together to discuss countermeasures, and Chen Yun and Chen Feng also participated.

The next day, Li Lin was summoned to the main hall early in the morning. In front of many ministers and under the dim sunlight, he was questioned by Emperor Li Lieo.

"Your Majesty, today I received a divination from the Imperial Astronomical Observatory. They said that the celestial phenomenon is Taibai passing through the sky, and Your Majesty will rule the world. What do you think?"

"Isn't this a clear sign that I'm going to rebel and you're trying to punish me? Father, oh father, do you still want your son dead?" Li Lin hesitated, his heart filled with hatred. But Li Lie'ao raised his eyebrows, his sharp gaze seeming to hold him over a fire pit.

Hesitation only made people more suspicious, so Li Lin followed his plan from yesterday and went with the flow. "Father, perhaps the celestial phenomenon is meant to express that the world is the country, and the country is the family, and it is also a reminder that I should think about my family. And Taibai Jingtian, isn't it the nickname of Concubine Rong and Concubine Li, Taijing, Baidian?"

"What do you mean?"

"I would like to take this opportunity to denounce the Crown Prince and the Prince of Qi. They were always there for the Crown Prince, and I was cherished by the Queen Mother. Now that the Queen Mother has passed away, why did the Emperor become alienated from me?"

Upon hearing Li Lin's accusation, Li Lie'ao wanted to rebuke him, but Changsun Chanhai interrupted him, saying, "Your Majesty, when the Crown Prince and the King of Qi plotted rebellion, Your Majesty was already wrong not to punish them severely. If you continue to protect them now, you will damage the reputation of the royal family."

Li Lie'ao slammed the table in anger. "You all keep blaming me. Have you ever considered the difficulties of being a father? In that case, I announce that the Crown Prince and the King of Qi will be summoned to the palace tomorrow for a confrontation. As for Changsun Chanhai, for his reckless remarks in court, he will be demoted to the second rank as a warning to others! Dismiss the court!"

At noon, Chen Yun was sitting alone in the Xuanwang Mansion. Changsun Chanhai, Huang Jian, Gongsun Jin, and Mei Feiyang came to pay him a visit.

Chen Yun asked the four of them to sit down, and then he spoke bluntly, "Everyone, I summoned you four today to ask you one thing... What did His Majesty do to the Xuanwang Palace?"

As soon as the words were spoken, everyone felt uneasy and the atmosphere became serious.

Mei Feiyang remained silent, just looking down at the ground, his hands unconsciously clenched into fists.

Seeing that they all objected, Chen Yun said calmly, "Gongsun Beijia, what did His Majesty do to the Xuanwang Palace?"

Gongsun Jin: "Yuchi Muyan's bribery by the current Crown Prince failed, so he sent an assassin to kill him. Although he escaped unscathed, His Majesty imprisoned him for treason. The murderer of the Princess's father was murdered in prison by hired assassins, but the result was not achieved. Cheng Zhi, Qin Jingbao, Fang Zaiqiao, and Du Rufei were demoted and restricted from any contact with the Xuan Palace."

Chen Yun continued, "Prince Xuan and the late Princess Pingyang Shao built a vast empire for the Qiankun Kingdom. Now, out of suspicion, he leads his other children to frame his own son. He treats things unfairly and I heard he even considered moving the capital. Humph! As a father, he's unqualified. As an emperor, he's unqualified. As a ruler, he's unqualified. Isn't that right?"

Changsun Chanhai stood up, bowed respectfully, and said, "Princess, I dare not speak rashly on such a matter. Your Highness the Xuanwang is a member of the royal family and should enjoy his dignity. Rebellion is truly treasonous. As a subject, how can we, like him, get involved in it?"

Everyone was silent. Seeing this, Chen Yan decided to take a tough approach.

"With the passing of my mother, Your Majesty has lost his judgment. If you fail to handle small issues properly, you could even face the demise of the nation. How can the people endure the king's games? Therefore, I will represent Chen Yun internally and Changsun Yun externally. From now on, the Changsun family and everyone related to me will be implicated."

Gongsun Jin thought: "The princess brought me here today, probably to win over these people. Since I am the Xuan Wang's people, I will definitely be in danger from now on..." So Gongsun Jin knelt down and said: "Your Majesty, I am willing to be loyal to the Xuan Wang and the Xuan Wang's princess!"

Huang Jian thought to himself, "She's got a point. Even if I tell on her, I'll just be kept in the dark. Besides, I'm her godfather. I can only take a gamble." So Huang Jian knelt down and said, "Your Majesty, I pledge allegiance!"

Mei Feiyang thought to himself: "The princess summoned me today, could it be that she wants these people to be loyal to her? If they are virtuous people, then they are really loyal to her." Then he knelt down and hurriedly persuaded: "Duke, we serve the country and the people, please understand your original intention."

Changsun Chanhai had no choice but to kneel down, and the two of them swore allegiance together.

Changsun Chanhai was puzzled: "First, I have plenty of money, and second, I hold a high position. Alas! My integrity is ruined in my later years!"

At this time, staff members from Xuanwang Mansion came out from all directions.

Chen Yun has already gained support for Li Lin, and what follows is the real battle for the throne.

At night, in the bedroom of the palace, Li Lin walked into the room and sat next to the three sleeping children.

"Xin'er and Ziyin are growing up very fast. Shengxi is getting chubby."

Li Lin lay in bed, sighing at the ceiling. "Alas, something I don't want to happen is going to happen tomorrow. Why do people always look for trouble?"

Chen Ying picked up a pair of chopsticks and an apple from the table, walked to the bed, and then inserted the chopsticks into the apple.

Chen Ying put Li Lin's head on his thigh and said, "Watch." When Chen Ying tapped the top of the chopsticks, the apple moved upwards.

"See? It's the principle of inertia. When you strike the top of the chopsticks, the chopsticks are instantly forced downward, while the apple remains stationary due to inertia, moving upward relative to the chopsticks. The same is true for you. When you're struck, you're stationary relative to yourself, but moving relative to the other person. So the difference is simply whether you're moving or the other person is. You always have to face it."

Li Lin lifted Chen Yun's hair and said affectionately, "I always thought I would have to fight alone until you stepped into my world."

"So, I am your benefactor."

"If I die, Ying'er, you should remarry! It will be better to have someone to take care of you."

Chen Yun threw the apple away and pointed to a small bottle on a table in the distance.

"That's the poison I brought with me. If you're not here, I have no reason to stay."

"Are you pleased with me?"

"Yes."

"When does it start?"

"I don't know. This feeling comes out of nowhere."

Li Lin held Chen Yan's hand and closed his eyes with peace of mind.

Chen Yun said, "Second brother, remember, any king will gain the world, but only if he gains the world while taking less losses can he be a true monarch."

The next morning, it was dawn and the fog was thick. Li Jiancheng and Li Ji were riding horses outside the door when Concubine Li stopped them halfway.

Concubine Li: "Your Highness, we have received a secret message today that Prince Xuan intends to harm you two. Please do not enter today."

Li Ji sneered: "What's possible with him?"

Li Jiancheng said, "Old Four, don't be careless. Let's take it one step at a time."

Concubine Li ran over and took Li Jiancheng's arm again. "How about this? I'll arrange for the Eastern Palace Army to go to Haimen for you in advance, just in case something unexpected happens."

"Then I would like to thank our lovely Concubine Li."

"You're welcome. I'm here to protect the Crown Prince and the King of Qi."

Li Ji nodded, but left without saying anything else. Li Jiancheng followed.

Elsewhere, in the wilderness, Li Lin, clad in black armor and a sword at his waist, gazed resolutely at the soldiers arrayed before him. Chen Yun, dressed in a red suit, stood on a high platform with a dashing demeanor, shouting encouragement to the soldiers.

"Soldiers! His Majesty the Xuanwang has the world at heart. He wishes to restore order and bring peace to Qiankun Kingdom! Everyone knows that everyone associated with the Xuanwang Mansion is being targeted. If we flee today, we will be hunted by traitors. If we betray, we will also be hunted. The only way is resistance. If you sacrifice yourself, your families will be taken care of. If you win, we will feast on delicious food and fish! Moreover, we cannot lose! So! Are you willing to follow His Majesty the Xuanwang, fight your way through blood and create a new era of prosperity?"

The soldiers were ignited by Chen Yun's words and shouted, "We are willing to follow His Majesty the King Xuan and the Princess, fight our way out and create a prosperous era!"

Chen Yun nodded with satisfaction and then began to arm the soldiers. She personally handed each piece of fine armor to the soldiers.

The soldiers solemnly took the armor and quickly put it on.

Soon, Chang Zhi opened the city gates to welcome a group of cavalrymen who arrived to support him. Among them was Li Lin. This was a precursor to war.

An hour passed and it was dawn.

In the palace, Li Lie'ao sat impatiently in the Taiji Hall awaiting the arrival of the three princes. Changsun Chanhai beside him said, "Your Majesty, why don't you go to Linhu first? Then have someone pass on the message. We can also think of ways to mend our brotherly relationship while we're at it."

Li Lie'ao had no choice but to agree and let all officials leave the court.

Li Lieo didn't know that a major event would happen in the history of Qiankun Country next.

On the other side, Huang Jian and Chen Feng came to the prison.

The prison guard looked at Huang Jian with an embarrassed expression: "Sir Huang, this... this is a serious criminal of the imperial court. Without the emperor's order, this cannot be allowed!"

Chen Feng grabbed the prison guard by the collar and glared at him, "It's already late, and you still care about the imperial decree! There are rebels outside, and the soldiers inside are not enough to resist. If you don't release these soldiers, can you bear the consequences if they are investigated later?"

The prison guard was intimidated by Chen Feng's aura, his legs went limp, and he almost collapsed to the ground: "Sir, please spare my life, sir, please spare my life, I will let you go right now, right now."

Soon, the prison door was opened and the imprisoned soldiers rushed out.

"Thank you, Lord Huang, thank you, Lord Chen!" The prisoners saluted with their fists clasped.

Huang Jian waved his hand. "We are facing a formidable enemy, so there's no need for formalities. All of you, quickly follow us to join His Majesty the Xuan King and fight against the treacherous villains together! Otherwise, today will be the day of our death. Do you understand?"

The soldiers responded in unison: "We are willing to follow you, sir, and follow His Majesty the Xuanwang!"

Li Jiancheng and Li Ji entered the palace gate and then came to the Linhu Palace. Li Ji looked around and found it was abnormally quiet.

"Brother, there's something unusual. I'm afraid we should go back today."

At this time, Li Lin came slowly from behind the hall on horseback wearing armor.

"Armor?"

Li Jiancheng frowned, because it was impossible for him to wear armor without a special reason. Especially the bow and arrow on Li Lin's shoulders and the sword at his waist made people more suspicious.

Li Ji immediately took out a bow and arrow from behind him, and shot it at Li Lin without saying a word.

Li Lin dodged to the side, the arrow grazed his cheek and pierced the pillar behind him. His eyes were stern, and he shouted loudly, "Crown Prince, King Qi, you two are both wickedly ambitious. Today is your end!"

Li Jiancheng's eyes widened in anger as he shouted back, "Li Lin, how dare you plot treason! You won't be able to escape today!"

At this moment, the Xuan Wang generals from all directions gathered on horseback near the Linhu Palace. The sound of their galloping hooves was like a torrent of water about to be swallowed up.

Li Jiancheng and Li Ji fled on horseback, and Li Lin took out his bow and arrow to catch up with them.

Li Lin kept pointing his bow and arrow at the distance.

Duan Zhihao approached and said, "Xuan Wang! I'm here to help you!"

Li Lin calmly said "hush" and stared ahead like an eagle hunting.

The next second, an arrow flew off the string, directly shooting Li Jiancheng from a distance of 300 meters away, knocking him off his horse. Li Jiancheng lost his life instantly.

"The second brother's archery skills are unparalleled in the world. He can kill the boss from such a long distance. We can't stay any longer..."

Li Ji panicked when he thought of this, and quickly drew his bow and shot two arrows behind him, but Li Lin used the bow handle to knock the arrows away.

At this time, the palace guards arrived and surrounded Li Lin's team from the outside, and the two teams started fighting.

Between the swords and spears, light and shadow flashed, and for a moment, the entire battlefield was dyed white and red. The sound of swords clashing, shouts and screams continued.

Although Li Ji was terrified, his instinct for survival kept him fighting. He charged left and right, constantly looking for opportunities to strike back. Li Lin and the soldiers fought fiercely, blood splattering everywhere.

Yuchi Muyan led seventy cavalrymen to arrive one after another. One of the soldiers shot Li Ji off his horse with an arrow. The panic of the horses also caused Li Lin's horse to be frightened and flee.

Chen Feng rode his horse against the wind through the crowd, and then the prisoners with weapons rushed towards him.

Li Lin's horse went out of the palace gate, and the soldiers of the Eastern Palace just arrived.

Chen Feng rode out of the Hai Gate and shouted, "Close the door quickly!"

Gongsun Jin gritted his teeth, closed the door of Haimen by himself, and then turned to face the soldiers from the Eastern Palace who were riding towards him.

Chen Feng and Gongsun Jin stood side by side, raised their swords, and roared in unison: "Come! Grandpa will fight you!"

Along the way, no matter how Li Lin tried to control the horse, he couldn't stop its restlessness. Soon the horse rushed into the woods, and Li Lin was thrown out by the violent shaking of the horse's back, and his whole body was hanging on the tree branch.

At this time, Li Ji ran over, took some effort to control the frightened horse, and then quickly rode on it.

Li Ji rode his horse towards Li Lin, who struggled to break free. However, Li Ji galloped past him and snatched the bow from his shoulder.

When Li Lin was about to escape, he looked back and saw Li Ji riding a horse behind him. Then he put a bow on Li Lin's head, twisted it, and pulled it. The string tightened around Li Lin's neck, and Li Lin was dragged along with the horse.

Li Ji: "Second brother, since you are so unkind, I will avenge my eldest brother!"

"Don't talk to me about righteousness! Since we're fighting, there's no brotherhood! You forced me to do all this!"

Li Lin's face flushed as they scraped against the ground. When they reached the palace gate, Li Lin decisively drew his sword and cut off the horse's leg, sending Li Ji plummeting to the ground.

"Let me in, you treacherous villain!"

Li Ji looked up at the direction of the voice and saw Yuchi Muyan riding a horse towards him. "Oh no! Yuchi Muyan is too strong. I can't beat him." Thinking of this, Li Ji hurried back to the city gate.

Yuchi Muyan immediately took out his spear and threw it, piercing Li Ji from behind.

Li Lin stood up, still in shock, but immediately gave an order: "Yuchi, take the heads of the King of Qi and the Crown Prince to my father, and protect him at the same time."

Yuchi then rode back to the palace. Outside the Hai Gate, Yuchi Muyan held up Li Ji's head and whipped his horse, shouting, "Grandfather doesn't want to fight you to the death. Now that your two masters have been executed, please leave immediately! As if nothing happened!"

Upon seeing this, the officers and soldiers of the Eastern Palace looked at each other in bewilderment, and then fled away.

On the other side, Li Lieo had just come ashore from the boat by the lake, and Yuchi Muyan came to Li Lieo covered in blood and threw the head on the ground, scaring everyone back a few steps.

"Who is causing trouble today? What are you doing here, my dear?"

"Prince Xuan raised an army to kill the Crown Prince and the King of Qi because of their rebellion. His Highness was worried about alerting Your Majesty, so he sent me as a guard."

Li Lie'ao asked the people around him, "What do you think we should do?"

Changsun Chanhai said, "Li Jiancheng and Li Ji were originally devoid of strategy and meritorious service. They were jealous of Prince Xuan's achievements and prestige, and so they hatched a treacherous plot. Now that Prince Xuan has condemned and executed them, the whole nation will be united in their loyalty to the man with the greatest achievements. If Your Majesty could decide to make him Crown Prince and entrust him with the affairs of state, no further trouble would arise."

Another official wanted to say something, but Feiyang quickly pulled these people apart.

Li Lie'ao closed his eyes, exhaled deeply, and thought to himself, "It seems... the outcome is decided. After all, the prophecy cannot be overcome. Years of control have finally failed. If this is the case, it would be better to retain my throne, retire after achieving success, and preserve my integrity. Otherwise, they will kill me on a trumped-up charge."

Thinking of this, Li Lie'ao nodded and said, "Okay! This is exactly what I have always wished for!"

By noon, the staff of the Crown Prince's and Prince Qi's residences had been apprehended. All the sons, attendants, and personal stewards of the Crown Prince's and Prince Qi's residences were taken into custody and slaughtered. The rest of the residences were imprisoned in the Ye Court, awaiting their fate. The Haimen Incident thus came to an end.