Chapter 157 Coup

While Li Huazhang was stunned, Prince Linzi asked him again. Li Huazhang responded with a few words while paying attention to Ming Huashang.

The Li family gathered together, and the pavilion quickly became the focus of attention. The ladies outside secretly envied Ming Huashang and Ming Yuji, especially Ming Yuji, who had been in the countryside for seventeen years, and now that she came back, she could socialize with princesses and princesses, which was like a godsend.

However, Ming Yuji herself felt very bored. She had felt this way last time. The topics of these noble ladies seemed meaningless. She thought before that her status was too low and she could not blend into the world of the heavenly beauties. But this time, when she listened to Princess Taiping, Prince Xiang and others talking to Li Huazhang, she still felt exhausted for them.

Everyone kept their secrets to themselves, but they pretended to be very close. Ming Yuji felt that they were more like an alliance with the same surname than a family.

Ming Yuji was quite bored, but she couldn't show it. She could only smile and count the leaves of the trees beside her. When she finished counting one tree and was about to start a new one, she caught a glimpse of a person standing across the road.

He seemed to stand there for a long time, but when Ming Yuji looked over, he turned and left.

Ming Yuji was stunned for a moment. She was very sure that Su Xingzhi saw her, but Su Xingzhi not only didn't say hello to her, but also turned around and left?

Gone?

Ming Yuji was confused and had a subtle sense of grievance. She was used to the fact that no matter what happened, she was always Su Xingzhi's first priority. During this period of time, Ming Yuji had to adapt to the new environment, so she naturally put all her attention into the Duke of Zhenguo's Mansion and never thought about Su Xingzhi.

In her heart, this relationship was as natural as the stars accompanying the moon. It did not need to be maintained or worried about. As long as she looked back, he would always be there. This was the first time she was ignored by Su Xingzhi.

He didn't even have the intention to talk to her. They were just acquaintances and would still exchange a few polite words. Did she become a stranger just because she changed her surname to Ming?

Ming Yuji was stunned when she thought of this. It seemed that this was true. She and Su Xingzhi had no relationship at all. What qualifications did she have to ask him to treat her like a family member?

Ming Yuji was stunned and no longer wanted to listen to the socializing that followed. Fortunately, it was noon soon, and the maid came to ask when the banquet would start. Li Huazhang took the opportunity to suggest going back to the banquet hall.

Most of the maids in Prince Yong's mansion were from the palace. They were well-trained and organized. Qiao Qian's banquet was as orderly as a palace banquet. People thought that there might be spies among them, so they didn't dare to say much at the banquet. They just talked about eating, drinking and having fun. The meal was full of flowers and had nothing to do with itching.

The banquet was finally over, and Ming Huashang breathed a sigh of relief, thinking that she could finally go back and rest. However, the housekeeper came over and bowed enthusiastically to the Duke of Zhenguo Mansion: "Ladies of the Ming family, please stay. This is the first time for you to come to Prince Yong's Mansion, and Prince Yong has specially arranged a pleasure boat to cruise the lake. Please come and have a look."

Prince Yong took the initiative to invite him, so there was no reason for his subjects to refuse. Ming Huashang could only follow the crowd and accept with a smile.

Today, Li Huazhang held a banquet in Chang'an, and half of the court officials came to attend the banquet. The few who were unable to attend also sent gifts through their confidants. After the banquet, the guests left one after another, and only the core group stayed to cruise the lake.

After Ming Huashang boarded the ship, she looked around. On board were either the princes and princesses of the Li family or the sons and daughters-in-law of the Wu family. It would really be out of place for their family to stay here.

Ming Huashang glanced around and said "Huh". She had not noticed the crowds in the banquet hall before, but now that the Li and Wu families were on the same boat, Ming Huashang noticed that the King of Wei was not there.

Ming Huashang quietly asked Ming Yuji: "Why didn't the King of Wei come?"

Ming Yuji shook his head: "I don't know. Just now when I passed by, I accidentally heard the King of Liang and the Crown Princess talking, it seemed that the King of Wei was ill."

Ming Huashang raised her eyebrows: "The King of Wei is ill? Is it serious?"

Ming Yuji said calmly, "King Liang said that the weather was bad some time ago and King Wei caught a cold. It shouldn't be serious."

Ming Huashang swept towards the other end of the boat calmly. Prince Liang and Crown Princess Wei were sitting together, apparently playing back-to-back sixes. Princess Anle snuggled up to Wei and chatted. Princess Anle's husband Wu Chongxun personally rolled the dice for Prince Liang and Princess Wei. They were all having a great time, even more enthusiastic than when they were talking to the Li family just now.

Ming Huashang nodded slightly, leaving the topic unsaid.

The empress has now shown a clear inclination to pass the throne to the Li family. The prince of Wei had been planning for the throne for ten years but it all came to nothing in one day. In addition, his eldest son died some time ago, and his daughter-in-law, Princess Yongtai, and her unborn baby were also lost. The failure of his plan, the loss of his son and grandson, and the shock of the Flower Festival were all combined into one, and even the strongest man could not bear it.

Regardless of why the King of Wei fell ill, and whether he was really so ill that he could not attend the banquet, what is certain is that the King of Liang seemed to be unaffected at all and was very close to the Prince's family.

After the death of Li Chongrun and Princess Yongtai, the Crown Princess only had Princess Anle as her biological child. Princess Anle married Wu Chongxun, the eldest son of Prince Liang. With the natural connection of having children as in-laws, the Crown Princess was naturally close to the Prince Liang's mansion.

Ming Huashang couldn't help but sigh for Li Huazhang. She once thought that the Queen was Li Huazhang's biggest obstacle, but now it seems that even if the Queen recognizes him, he will still face many difficulties.

The Eastern Palace, Princess Taiping, the Prince of Xiang's Mansion, and the old party of Crown Prince Zhang Huai represented by the Duke of Zhenguo's Mansion. How Li Huazhang should deal with these forces is really a headache just thinking about it.

The pleasure boat started moving, parting the water waves and slowly heading towards the center. Ming Huashang didn't want to stay near the Crown Princess and Prince Liang, so she said to Ming Yuji, "Let's go to the front and take a look."

Ming Yuji also wanted to stay away from this place of trouble, so he nodded and said, "Okay."

·

After the pleasure boat leaves the shore, the people on board have nowhere to hide. Everyone can see who is on the boat and where there are people. In addition to enjoying the scenery, it is also the best place to keep secrets.

The singer held a pipa and danced gracefully, the sound of the bamboo covered her footsteps. Princess Taiping pushed the door open and quickly closed it after making sure there was no one behind her.

Inside the house, Li Huazhang was already waiting.

Princess Taiping knew that time was limited, so she didn't say any polite words and asked directly: "Why did you go to such great lengths to see me?"

Li Huazhang proposed the lake cruise, only in a small part to build relationships with the Li and Wu families, but more so to find a pretext for a secret talk with Princess Taiping.

Now the Yongwang Mansion was full of people, and Li Huazhang was not sure who was under him, so it was difficult to talk without being noticed by the empress. Only on the cruise ship could he temporarily create an independent space to ensure that his conversation would not be overheard.

Li Huazhang did not look flustered. He slowly poured tea for Princess Taiping. After Princess Taiping sat down, he said calmly, "The Saint knows everything about your visit to me."

Princess Taiping raised her eyes, a cold light flashed in her eyes: "What do you mean?"

"It's exactly what you're worried about, and it's worse than you expected." Li Huazhang said, "She knew long ago that Liao Yushan had betrayed us and was planning to assassinate us in Furong Garden. She left the palace a day early to celebrate the Flower Festival, just to see what we would do. Including the fact that you successfully obtained the list of prisoners to be expelled from the palace by the Kongheguan, which she leaked to you on purpose."

The light green tea was placed on the sandalwood table, and mist rose from it, but Princess Taiping had no intention of drinking tea for a long time. She narrowed her eyes, her face was solemn, and she did not speak for a long time.

Li Huazhang knew that Princess Taiping was in a bad mood, so he lowered his head and drank his tea slowly, not disturbing her thoughts. Princess Taiping thought for a while, and finally seemed to have made up her mind. She looked at Li Huazhang and said in a low voice: "What do you think about what I told you before?"

Li Huazhang's hand holding the teacup paused slightly, then he suddenly looked up at her.

After Princess Taiping said this, her expression relaxed, as if she had finally admitted what she wanted to do most. Her eyes were like torches, faintly burning with excitement, and she looked calm yet crazy.

Li Huazhang stared at her for a long time, and then he said softly, "Are you going to die?"

Princess Taiping laughed briefly and said, "I originally thought that she was just suspicious of my third and fourth brothers, and at least trusted me. However, the secret that I thought was impregnable was actually just a bait she set for me. We were lucky this time and passed her test, but what about next time, and the next time? No one can defend themselves forever without making mistakes. Instead of waiting for her judgment, it is better to take the initiative."

The news brought by Li Huazhang was like a thunderbolt, instantly crushing Princess Taiping's confidence. She originally thought that the Queen accepted Li Huazhang so calmly because he had saved the horse and made meritorious contributions. Later, Li Huazhang took the initiative to confess, and the Queen was moved, so she generously forgave the matter. She never thought that all her actions, which she thought were absolutely secret, were originally a part of the Queen's chess game.

When she was monitoring people for the Queen, she didn't know that she was also one of the people being monitored.

There is only a thousand days to be a thief, but there is no thousand days to defend against thieves. Attack is the best defense. As long as the queen is still on the throne, the Li family will always be at the mercy of others. She would rather risk her life to force the palace to seize power than to hope for the queen's forgiveness.

Princess Taiping's proposal was crazy. Ordinary people would either break out in a sweat or be overwhelmed by the dream of being the emperor. However, Li Huazhang was neither happy nor afraid. He asked calmly, "She is the emperor. She has controlled the court for twenty years and has great influence in the court. In addition, she has the Northern Guards to protect the capital, and the whole world's troops at her disposal. There are also countless secret guards lurking under the water. What can we use to fight her?"

"If it had been ten years earlier, or even five years earlier, I would not have dared to be an enemy of my mother." Princess Taiping's eyes were fixed on Li Huazhang, and the enthusiasm in them seemed to have vitality, madly tempting others to share the boundless country with her, or fall into hell with her. "But she is old. She is seriously ill and has been unable to attend court for a long time. The King of Wei is ill, and the two Zhang brothers are complaining in the court. Her control over the court has been greatly weakened. And here, you hold The real power of Jingzhao Yin can control the movements of the capital at any time; I have planted a large number of spies in the palace, Shangguan Wan'er can be used by us; Jiang Anhou controls the military power, and his son has just become a fourth-rank general of the Yulin Army. Although the position is not high, it is enough to help us open the palace gate at a critical moment. We now have military power, political power, and control of the palace. Why don't you and I work together to launch a coup, force my mother to abdicate, and return the throne to the Li family ahead of time. "

Li Huazhang said nothing, and Princess Taiping continued, "Today, the time, place, and people are all right. This opportunity is rare. We can't hide forever. If we don't take action now, will it be easier in the future?"

Princess Taiping said so many truths, but Li Huazhang remained unmoved until the last reason finally convinced him.

Yes, the emperor's mind is the most unreliable thing in the world. It is too extravagant to expect a smooth transfer of power. If in the end they still have to rely on forcing the emperor to abdicate to seize power, it is better to do it sooner rather than later. They should take the initiative to plan a coup and at least choose a time that is beneficial to the Li family.

Li Huazhang finally spoke, mercilessly saying, "When the Saint first ascended the throne, the Li family kings raised armies in various places and attacked Zhou Wu together. In less than three months, they were divided and defeated one by one. What followed was a purge of the entire Li Tang royal family. Now that we are taking action, how can you be sure that we will work together and make a desperate effort, and not be betrayed by traitors like when the Prince of Langya raised his army?"

Li Huazhang's words were like needles, not pleasant to hear, but always hitting the nail on the head. Princess Taiping was silent for a moment, then spoke word by word, "Because the Li family today is no longer the Li family of the Yonghui years. I, the Crown Prince, the Prince of Xiang, and you, each of us has escaped death, witnessed the death of those close to us, and was powerless to do anything. Hatred is the best cohesive force."

Her voice choked up, and she rarely spoke with grief. "When my second brother and Xue Shao died, I was filled with grief but could do nothing. I worked hard for ten years and thought I was no longer the naive and incompetent Li Lingyue. But on the day Chongrun was beaten to death, I found that I still could not do anything. I finally understood that fate would not favor me by waiting. Only by taking action can I be qualified to sit at the table and negotiate. Which royal family is like ours? The eldest son and daughter of the East Palace were beaten to death just because they said a few words to the male favorite? What is the difference between such a royal family and the destruction of the country! I would rather the Li family die a glorious death than live in such a cowardly way."

The scene of the blood-red sunset all over the mountains and plains on the day when Li Chongrun and Princess Yongtai died seemed to reappear in front of Li Huazhang's eyes. He closed his eyes tightly, and when he opened them again, there was firmness and determination in his eyes, without any hesitation.

He is calm and cautious, and he will double-check every piece of information and keep it on file. But once he makes a decision, he will never look back.

However, a coup cannot be successful by just shouting a few bold words. The most important thing is how to execute it. Many plans, responses, and alternatives flashed through Li Huazhang's mind, and he was finally stuck on the most critical step.

Li Huazhang asked: "The most important thing for a coup is to keep it secret. Once the news leaks out, it will be a disaster. However, she is best at collecting information. How can we hide from the sight of the commander-in-chief of Xuanxiaowei and plan a coup under their noses?"

Princess Taiping was silent. A coup was different from an ordinary meeting. The army, the court, and the government had to coordinate. How could Xuan Xiaowei not notice so many people coming in and out? Moreover, a coup was very dependent on timeliness. A slight mistake in timing could lead to a huge loss. This required key figures to keep in touch and someone to pass on the message in a timely manner.

Each of these is a key point of surveillance by the Black Owl Guards. Princess Taiping herself has established several intelligence lines and knows best how omnipresent the Night Owls are. Now she has lifted a rock to drop on her own feet. Her biggest obstacle has turned out to be herself.

There was no perfect solution for this problem at the moment, so Li Huazhang said, "Although I have selected the people who will board the ship, there may be some who slipped through the net. If we disappear for too long, it may arouse suspicion from those who have ulterior motives. It is better for us to leave first and think about this matter in the long run."

Princess Taiping sighed slightly, and that was all she could do. She left through the side door, and Li Huazhang drank a cup of tea in the room, then left through the front door in a leisurely manner.

The drums in the cabin were beating happily, and cheers were heard from time to time. The dignitaries were immersed in the pleasure, and no one knew that a conversation that could change the entire dynasty had taken place on the ship not long ago.

Li Huazhang placed one hand on the railing, silently gazing at the rippling lake.

He remembered that it was also a beautiful spring day when they went to Zhongnan Mountain for class. The white horse passed by in a flash, and it seemed like it was just yesterday that Han Jie taught him how to collect intelligence and how to hide his whereabouts. In the blink of an eye, he was about to become an enemy of his former teacher.

This time, the price of failure was particularly high. If he lost to Han Jie, the lives of all the Li family members, including the Zhenguo Mansion, the Xie family and other old ministers of the Li Tang Dynasty, would be destroyed.

Li Huazhang was in a state of anxiety. He did not want to face others when he was in an unstable mood, so he faced the wind and forced himself to calm down. While he was adjusting his mood, a conversation came into his ears with the wind.

"Ladies, please stay. I was so rude not to talk to you in the pavilion just now. I have heard that the Ming sisters are extremely beautiful. Seeing them today, I find that they are indeed as beautiful as the legend says."

Ming? Is there another lady with the surname Ming in Chang'an?

Ming Huashang was being hit on by someone - this realization was more useful than any psychological suggestion, and Li Huazhang immediately calmed down.

Moreover, he also recognized another voice. It was the voice of Prince Linzi, who was famous for his romantic, passionate and sympathetic love for women in the Prince Xiang's Mansion.

Li Huazhang's chaotic thoughts came together in an instant. He walked quickly to the place where they were talking and said casually, "Shangshang, Sanlang, why are you here?"