Chapter 198 Banquet
December 19th.
In recent years, Prince Qiao has been exiled to Junzhou and rarely sees people from Chang'an. Recently, Prince Yong and his wife came, and Prince Qiao was very happy. He has been feasting for several days. Last night, the banquet lasted until midnight. The masters were drunk and slept in the house today.
In the courtyard east of Prince Qiao's mansion, the servants did not hear anyone calling out from inside and thought that Prince Yong and his wife were still asleep, so they all kept watch from a distance, not daring to disturb the distinguished guests.
But in fact, the two people in the room had already woken up. Ming Huashang pinched her brows tiredly, thinking that having fun was also a physically demanding job. In order to perform a complete role, she had been staying in the front hall every day until the banquet was over. If she continued to make trouble like this, she would be exhausted before Prince Qiao caught her.
Fortunately, such a life of debauchery will soon come to an end. Ming Huashang held the latest urgent report in his hand and said to Li Huazhang: "The news just came from the Chang'an stronghold. Last night, Empress Wei summoned the prime minister to the palace and announced that the emperor had passed away. She asked Shangguan Wan'er to draft an imperial edict to make the fourth prince Li Chongmao the new emperor. The report of the new emperor's succession is on the way. I'm afraid that in a few days, the various military governors and provincial governors will know that Chang'an has a new emperor."
Li Huazhang was not surprised and said, "We have spies in Chang'an, as well as Prince Qiao and the governor of Jiannan. They will receive the news in two days at the latest and will definitely be on guard. We must act before they get the news. There is no time to waste, let's do it tonight."
Ming Huashang was in a dilemma: "But, Chuzhou's troops were only transferred on the afternoon of the 17th, and I'm afraid they haven't gone far yet. Is it too risky for us to act now?"
"This is actually a good opportunity," Li Huazhang said. "Once the army is on the move, the situation is out of our control. With so many people on the road, communication is not smooth, and the journey is tiring. Let's not even talk about whether the message can reach them. Even if the messenger can find the main force and turn back, it will cause a lot of turmoil. We are well-rested and have a great chance of winning. We might as well take a chance and capture Junzhou before they can react."
Ming Huashang always believed in her brother. If he said he could succeed, he would definitely do it. She no longer hesitated and stood up and said, "Okay, I will go and tell them to act according to the plan tonight."
At noon, Princess Qiao had just finished dressing up and invited Ming Huashang to have lunch. After lunch, Ming Huashang suggested taking a walk in the garden to digest the food. On the way, she said to Princess Qiao: "We are sorry to have troubled Prince Qiao and Princess Qiao to entertain us these days. Tonight, I would like to invite everyone to Wangxian Tower. My husband and I will host and reward. Bring along the people close to my brother and sister-in-law. Thank you for your care these days. Let's have fun together."
Princess Qiao heard this and said quickly, "How can this be possible? You are here as guests in Junzhou, how can I let you spend money?"
"Yes." Ming Huashang held Princess Qiao's hand and said with a smile, "It's only right to return the favor. The princess has been bothering her so much these past few days. If you and Prince Qiao don't go, we will be embarrassed to continue living in Prince Qiao's mansion."
Ming Huashang was sweet-looking, and her eyes were crooked when she smiled, which was very contagious. Princess Qiao was flattered and felt very comfortable. She smiled and said, "Okay, I'll tell the prince. You guys are just too polite. We are brothers, why do you have to be so fussy about this?"
"Yes, they are all brothers." Ming Huashang thought of Prince Qiao's deliberate attempt to kill Li Huazhang, his eyes darkened, and he smiled softly, "We are family, so I won't be distant with you, sister-in-law. There is one more thing I want to ask you for help with, Prince Yong has a cold personality and is not good at socializing, so I would like to ask you to invite all the civil officials, military officials, and local gentry from Junzhou. We are new here, and if we don't invite everyone, it would be impolite."
Princess Qiao was very happy. Upon hearing this, she took it and said, "No problem. Leave it to me. I will make sure you guys have a great time tonight."
The news that Prince Yong was going to host a banquet spread quickly. It was said that Prince Yong had booked the entire Wangxian Tower, and all the famous people in Junzhou received invitations. This was the son of Prince Zhang Huai, a legitimate grandson of the emperor, and a member of a prominent family. Everyone in Junzhou felt proud and dressed up happily to attend the banquet.
The banquet started at twilight hour, and Wangxian Tower was already bustling with activity. The road in front of the gate was blocked by carriages and horses. The lights in the tower were bright, and the fragrance was as warm as spring. It was the middle of winter, but the beauties were wearing light skirts and walking up and down the floors. The flower ornaments that fell from their foreheads were swept away by the shawls, and from a distance they looked like they were covered with a layer of gold powder. Prince Qiao and Princess Qiao were the last to arrive. Ming Huashang and Li Huazhang came out to greet them in person. Prince Qiao walked up the stairs and smiled, "I'm late. I've kept you waiting for a long time."
"Where?" Li Huazhang looked at Prince Qiao with clear eyes and said slowly, "I am very happy that Prince Qiao is willing to come. The others are inside, Prince Qiao, please come in."
Prince Qiao finally enjoyed the treatment that he could not have dreamed of in Chang'an. When Li Huazhang was a minister, he was famous in the capital. After he was restored to his status, even though his biological mother was not his legal wife, he was still noble and elegant because he was the only child of Crown Prince Zhang Huai. The people around him were all heirs of various mansions. At first it was Li Chongrun, then it became Li Chongjun, and no matter what, it would never be his turn, Li Chongfu.
But now, Li Huazhang still had to greet him at the door and hold a special banquet for him. Li Huazhang, who was so highly regarded by the Empress Dowager and the ministers, now seemed to be nothing more than this.
As Prince Qiao entered the gate, he was greeted by the bustle and splendor, as if he had instantly returned from the cold and gloomy Junzhou to Chang'an, where all nations came to pay tribute. People passing by stopped to talk and greeted him. Prince Qiao was treated with unprecedented attention, and he felt like he was already drunk even though he hadn't drunk any wine.
Li Huazhang saw Li Chongfu's expression, but he remained calm. He invited Li Chongfu to the seat of honor as a distinguished guest and toasted him three times. When others saw this, they couldn't help but toast as well. Seeing that Li Huazhang, who was known for his coldness and aloofness, was so enthusiastic about him, Prince Qiao became more and more interested and accepted all the drinks. After a while, his face turned red.
King Yong gave King Qiao enough face today. Not only did he take the initiative to toast King Qiao, but also the people around King Qiao toasted one by one. Everyone was in high spirits and drank one cup after another. As they toasted and exchanged cups, it was already the 10:00 pm
Ming Huashang was watching singing and dancing with the ladies on the second floor. The place was much quieter. She glanced at the hourglass, called the maid calmly, and said softly: "Go downstairs to remind His Highness that it is the hour of the night."
The maid didn't understand what was going on, so she took the order and left. She quickly walked through the lights and the wine table, knelt down behind Li Huazhang, and said respectfully, "Your Highness, the princess asked me to remind you that it's the 10:00 pm"
Li Huazhang nodded calmly and stood up without any hurry. When the others saw him, they thought that Li Huazhang was going to toast again, but he walked down the platform empty-handed, passed through the banquet hall where people were toasting, and stopped in front of the main entrance. The crowd fell silent unconsciously. Li Huazhang looked around and said with his hands behind his back, "Thank you all for coming today. I have prepared a show for you. Please forgive me if I am not entertaining you well enough."
When the people on both sides heard that there was more to come, they all said, "King Yong is too polite."
Li Huazhang smiled faintly, took out a fire arrow from his sleeve in full view of everyone, said "you're welcome" in a clear and noble manner, then lit the fuse and released the fire arrow.
Although he was in such a place, his eyes were bright, his demeanor was clear, and he was as dignified as the snow on the mountain. The wine, sex and wealth seemed to have no chance to infect the corners of his clothes. Prince Qiao felt that something was wrong with Li Huazhang. The show was in the wine house, why did he need to set off a firecracker? But he had drunk too much and his mind was not working. He just staggered and saw the firecracker shot into the sky and exploded into fireworks with a bang. Li Huazhang stood sideways in front of the door. Behind him, fireworks were falling silently from the sky. He opened his lips gently, his voice was still so gentle and polite, and he said calmly: "The show begins."
A group of dancers dressed in foreign costumes came in one after another. The strange thing was that they were all men. They walked behind Li Huazhang and automatically separated into two lines like a stream. Li Huazhang, wearing a dark purple round-necked robe, stood at the door of the dazzling and gorgeous banquet hall. He was out of place, but he was like a pillar in the stream.
The dancers walked onto the central stage, forming a formation of three or five, beating drums and singing. However, unlike the usual banquets, they sang the song of Lanling King's Battle. Everyone showed a look of understanding. It turned out that Li Huazhang had specially prepared a program. Someone raised his wine glass and said from a distance: "Prince Yong is thoughtful. It is rare to see such a murderous song recently. Prince Yong's taste is indeed different from others."
Li Huazhang looked at them and smiled softly: "You will like it."
The tower stood quietly in the darkness. It was almost time to change guard. The soldier on the watchtower yawned. He heard an explosion and was alert, but then he saw that it came from the direction of Wangxian Tower and relaxed.
He looked at the Wangxian Tower with envy, which was shining brightly in the dark and looked like a palace in heaven. Even from such a distance, he could almost hear the singing and dancing inside. While he was lost in thought, under the shadow of the city wall, a man in black quietly polished his short knife, sheathed it, and casually patted the dirt off his body: "The show begins."
Because the governor, the imperial guard, and the military commander were all attending a banquet at Wangxian Tower, the curfew tonight was in name only. In the barracks, the soldiers were drinking and playing finger-guessing games. Zhao Xing walked in from outside and saw that the discipline was so lax. He couldn't help but frowned: "For those on duty, drinking and gambling are not allowed in the barracks."
"Captain Zhao," someone said, "Prince Qiao is attending a banquet in Wangxian Tower, so he won't even notice us. We've been working hard for a year, and it's rare that Prince Yong has sent us some good wine. Let's relax for a while."
Zhao Xing was helpless, but he knew that the law could not punish the masses. Everyone was drinking happily, and no one would listen to him, so why spoil the fun? He waved his hand to push the wine pot away, frowned and walked away, just to avoid seeing it. He fast walked, so he didn't see it. The black shadow flashed by under the treetops, as if the wind blew the tree.
Su Xingzhi leaned against the wall and gestured to the other side, indicating that there was no one in front. Ming Yuji nodded, took out the whistle, and blew a piece of bird language to tell the Xuanxiao Guards outside that they had successfully infiltrated the camp of the palace soldiers.
Then, she put away her whistle, looked at the oblivious military camp in the darkness, and whispered inaudibly, "The show has begun."
A maid with an unremarkable appearance hurried upstairs and whispered something in Ming Huashang's ear. Ming Huashang heard that Ming Yuji and Su Xingzhi had successfully infiltrated the military camp, and Xie Jichuan had also taken his men to the tower, and nodded silently. Princess Qiao saw that Ming Huashang's eyes were cold and there was no smile on her face, so she couldn't help asking: "Princess Yong, what are you talking about? Why are you still talking so much at the banquet?"
Ming Huashang tilted her head, her eyes like those of a deer, and she smiled innocently: "I'm watching a show."
Soon, other wives of officials came to talk to Princess Qiao, but she didn't take it seriously and immediately turned around to attend to other social events. Ming Huashang silently calculated the time. According to the pace, Ren Yao's elite troops should be arriving at Junzhou City soon. She hoped that Xie Jichuan would be able to open the city gate in time.
Outside Junzhou City.
Torches on the city wall could already be seen from here. Ren Yao quietly climbed down the slope. When the accompanying generals saw Ren Yao coming back, they hurried over to him and asked, "General, what should we do now?"
They only had 500 people, so they couldn't attack the city like a normal siege. They could only take it by wits. Ren Yao thought for a moment and said, "Send a vanguard to climb the wall, kill the people on the lookout, and open the city gate. The rest of the people will disguise themselves, quietly approach the wall, and rush in once the city gate is opened."
The generals looked at each other in bewilderment. The tactics were fine, but the problem was, who would open the city gate?
The cooperation between Ren Yao and Li Huazhang was a secret, so now except for Ren Yao, the others did not know that Li Huazhang would send someone to support them inside the city wall. The others naturally thought that they had to climb up the city wall, kill the people on the tower, then rush down the tower, pass through the enemy's formation and open the city gate. It can be predicted that this is a road pounded with blood, and if you are not careful, you will lose your life, and the credit will go to the people behind.
Based on what?
Everyone was silent, silence is better than words. Ren Yao realized the attitude of others, frowned, and was about to say something when a voice suddenly interrupted from the side: "General, I would like to ask for your help."
The lieutenants turned around and were surprised to see that the reckless young man was actually Jiang Ling. Of course they knew this man, the son of Marquis Jiang An and the confidant of Princess Taiping. Unfortunately, the emperor changed his ministers, and now it was the Wei family's turn to be in power. The once majestic Princess Taiping had to bow her head and admit her guilt, not to mention the vassal family of Princess Taiping? The Jiang family lost power, and Jiang Ling was also neglected. However, he was the prince after all, and the Yulin Army did not dare to offend him too much. They still treated him with courtesy, just like a free man kept in the Yulin Army.
Jiang Ling had been living a leisurely life, but he went crazy a while ago and insisted on following the team to Junzhou. The Yulin soldiers thought he was here to get credit, and since the superiors didn't say anything, they acquiesced. But now this second-generation marquis who can't be provoked is acting crazy again, saying he wants to lead the advance team to attack the city gate?
What a joke, the army also has social etiquette, this kind of dangerous mission is usually carried out by the powerless soldiers, how can the prince lead the troops? The deputy generals were all silent, and tacitly let Ren Yao say the offending words. Ren Yao frowned when he saw Jiang Ling, and now he could not bear it any longer, and scolded: "What are you doing? Go back and obey orders."
Jiang Ling lowered his eyes, but refused to move. He said stubbornly, "Yes, but I still want to say that I am willing to be the vanguard and open the city gate for the troops. The general will send someone anyway, so why can't I?"
Although the other deputy generals did not understand why Jiang Ling did this, they were very happy to see someone willing to die. One of them said, "General Ren, what Prince Jiang said makes sense. He has been in the Yulin Army for a long time, is familiar with the troops, and is skilled in archery and horsemanship. It is most appropriate for him to lead the troops."
He is not good at archery or horsemanship! Ren Yao cursed in his heart, but in front of everyone, Jiang Ling, the fool, was stubborn and refused to change his words. Ren Yao couldn't cover up for him, so he could only hint again: "Prince Jiang, you are a man with a title, have you really thought it through?"
Jiang Ling heard her call him "Prince Jiang" like everyone else, and smiled bitterly in his heart, even though he had been in the Yulin Army for three years. He lowered his eyelashes, his eyes bitter and calm: "I know it very well."
Jiang Ling refused to repent. In front of everyone, Ren Yao could only agree helplessly. As he said, he had been in the Yulin Army for three years. After receiving the military order, Jiang Ling gathered a team of people shortly after returning. They took advantage of the cover of night and crossed the plain like a gust of wind and stuck to the base of the city wall.
Gong Yong, who was traveling with her, was not happy and said angrily, "General Ren is really ungrateful. Jiang Tou'er took care of her so much in the early years, but now that she has found a backer, she betrays him and lets Jiang Tou'er be a cannon fodder. If you think about it carefully, Jiang Tou'er's official title is higher than hers. If she hadn't flattered the queen, would she have been able to give orders?"
"Shut up." Jiang Ling looked up carefully and said coldly, "I took the initiative to ask for orders. It has nothing to do with General Ren. General Ren was just doing his job impartially. Also, you are not allowed to discuss state affairs. If something goes wrong, I can't protect you."
Gong Yong knew that the world had changed and that the gossip of the Wei family was not allowed, but he just couldn't get over it: "Let's not talk about others, but what does Ren Yao rely on? When she first joined the Yulin Army, she was nothing. It was you who deliberately found someone to replace her and secretly taught a lesson to those who wanted to take advantage of her. You offended so many people because of her, and now that she has gotten close to you, she pretends not to know you. Such a fickle woman..."
"Enough." Jiang Ling has always been carefree and does not have the bearing of a young marquis at all. Now his face is completely cold and the light in his eyes looks murderous. Gong Yong can't help but feel a chill down his spine and can't utter a word.
It turns out that Jiang Ling is not as reckless as he appears. He can be cruel sometimes, but he just didn't want to be discovered. But Gong Yong's words just now completely angered Jiang Ling.
Jiang Ling's razor-like gaze swept through the crowd, and those who were seen by him could not help but bow their heads. Jiang Ling said coldly: "I have said that all of this is my own choice, and it has nothing to do with anyone else. Gong Yong, you will receive forty military sticks when you go back. If you dare to discuss the appointment of a general again, don't blame me for being merciless and punishing you according to military law."
One of the soldiers couldn't bear to watch and said, "Jiang Tou'er, your punishment is too severe. Gong Yong is just standing up for you."
"If you recognize me as the boss, you must sincerely support him. You can be disrespectful to me, but you must respect her." Jiang Ling's tone softened uncontrollably as he finished speaking, just like the moon hanging in the wilderness, lingering and sad. "She is a woman, and it is not easy for her to gain a foothold in the officialdom full of men. Sometimes, she has no choice. She has done the best within her ability."
She was very nice and it was not her fault that she did not like him. Although they were not meant to be together, he still liked her very much.
Jiang Ling looked up at the unreachable city wall. He had waited under the city wall just now to calculate the patrol team's rules. Now that this round was over, the patrolmen would not be back for a while. Jiang Ling took out the iron claw from behind his back, turned it in his hand with full force, and threw it towards the city wall: "Everyone, follow me."
The girl he likes deserves the best in the world. As long as she is happy, he is willing to do whatever it takes to make her happy.
The rope climbed up the wall silently like a tentacle in the dark night, and several dark shadows climbed up quickly like spiders. Gong Yong's iron claws didn't hold on tightly, and with only a few steps left, the iron claws suddenly broke open, and Gong Yong was about to fall backwards as soon as his hands loosened. At the critical moment, a hand reached out from the side and grabbed Gong Yong's arm tightly.
Gong Yong looked up in shock and saw Jiang Ling half of his body clinging to the outside of the city wall. He gritted his teeth, veins bulging on his arms, and forcibly pulled Gong Yong up the wall.
Gong Yong followed up with an effort, and his hand finally reached the brick. He immediately grabbed it and jumped into it. After this experience, both of them were panting. Gong Yong wiped the cold sweat from his forehead and didn't know how to thank him. Jiang Ling seemed to hear his thoughts, patted his shoulder hard, and said with a smile: "You still owe forty military sticks, go back alive to receive the punishment."
Gong Yong looked up and saw Jiang Ling's dark, bright, pure eyes. He couldn't help but smile, and raised his fist to gently bump Jiang Ling. Jiang Ling didn't care, and smiled and said, "Let's go and get to work."
The unpleasantness between the two men was resolved with a smile. Gong Yong knew that this young general Jiang was generous and magnanimous, but there were also some things that he would never allow anyone to offend.
That is, another general in their army.
Jiang Ling sneaked on the city wall, moving towards the city, killing patrol soldiers along the way. There was a lookout in front of him. Jiang Ling hid under a piece of wood. Hearing a sound approaching from above, he suddenly turned over and passed through the crack in the wood, drawing his sword and attacking the opponent's throat. However, the opponent seemed to be prepared, and he stepped back and raised his sword to block the sneak attack.
The moonlight tonight was like a pool of cold water, faint and cold. The blade swept across the moonlight, quickly reflecting a shadow of snow, illuminating the eyes of both people at the same time.
Jiang Ling was stunned. He looked at the masked man who only showed a pair of eyes and asked uncertainly, "Xie Jichuan?"
The force on the knife loosened, and the man in black put the short knife back into the sheath with a clang. He said unhappily, "How did you pass the assessment? Didn't anyone tell you to call your colleagues by their code names when you meet them during a mission?"
Jiang Ling scratched his head, and then he remembered that this was indeed the case: "Oh, I forgot. You know, every time I took an assessment, I was either the last or the second to last. I really can't remember."
Xie Jichuan thought of another person who was competing fiercely with Jiang Ling for the last place - Ming Huashang, who was now suspected to be the person in charge of Xuanxiaowei. He rolled his eyes and became more worried about himself: "I actually have to work with you guys for the rest of my life, it's ridiculous."
More and more soldiers fell down, and someone finally noticed something was wrong. The shouts and cries on the city wall became more intense. Jiang Ling and Xie Jichuan repeatedly stopped them, but they finally let someone beat the war drums on the city wall. Zhao Xing had just laid down when he suddenly heard the drums of the enemy attack and suddenly jumped up: "Oh no, someone is attacking!"
He hurriedly put on his clothes and went to the front to gather soldiers. When he stepped out of the gate, he felt something was wrong and instinctively stepped back, just in time to avoid a hidden weapon. Ming Yuji saw that his attack missed and was about to chase again, but Su Xingzhi rushed over from behind and whispered, "You go to the front to kill the others, leave this to me."
Ming Yuji glanced at him quickly, worried about his wound. Su Xingzhi had already drawn his sword and started fighting with Zhao Xing, saying, "Let's go, we can't keep the secret of Wangxian Tower secret for much longer."
Zhao Xing had just woken up, his head was still buzzing, and he suddenly woke up after hearing their words. So that's it, the so-called Yong Wang banquet was just a trap. Yong Wang gathered all the senior officials of Junzhou to Wangxian Tower, and this group of men in black sneaked into the barracks to assassinate the middle-level generals. The top leaders lost contact, the middle-level non-commissioned officers who were not qualified to attend the banquet were killed, and the soldiers below were leaderless and lost their fighting power, and could only be slaughtered. At this time, their accomplices opened the city gate, and the army outside the city could drive straight in!
What a clever and vicious plot. Just killing a few people would turn the tide of the battle. Zhao Xing hurriedly blocked the horizontal sword. He didn't know what the other person was doing, but his arms were very strong, so Zhao Xing had a hard time holding on. He stared at the face of the person covered by the black cloth, trying to see something in his eyes: "Who are you?"
Why did they want to launch a surprise attack on Junzhou? Why did they get Prince Yong to cooperate? Why did they know where he lived? Why were they able to plan such a large-scale operation silently?
Su Xingzhi said nothing. He noticed that Zhao Xing's eyes moved to the left, which meant that he was planning to sneak attack with his knife. He pretended to fall into the trap, and when Zhao Xing approached, he drew a dagger with his left hand and stabbed Zhao Xing in the abdomen without hesitation, killing him with one blow.
Zhao Xing stared at Su Xingzhi until his death, wanting to know who killed him. Su Xingzhi pulled out the dagger, carefully wiped off the blood, sighed and closed his eyes: "I am used to holding farm tools, and my left hand is actually stronger. You and I have no grudges, in the next life, remember to stay away from people with the surname Li, and don't get involved in the affairs of the royal family."
In the Wangxian Tower, there was endless singing and dancing, and the drums on the stage covered up most of the strange noises. But those who had the courage to join the prince in seizing the throne were not all good-for-nothings. After all, someone still felt that the noise outside was strange. He opened the window and saw shouts and screams coming from the direction of the city gate, and the military camp was on fire. The guest was startled, and suddenly reacted: "No, there is an enemy attack!"
These words were like a drop of water falling into the ocean, instantly creating ripples, and panic spread rapidly as if it had legs. The officials stood up half drunk and half awake, and immediately wanted to leave, but it was too late. Li Huazhang was sitting at the top, still looking elegant and noble. He clapped his hands three times, and the exotic dancers on the stage immediately changed their expressions, and drew their weapons from under the stage, swinging their knives at the officials.
Prince Qiao suddenly sobered up from his drunken stupor. He looked up and found Princess Qiao lying on the table on the second floor, not knowing whether she was dead or alive. Ming Huashang, who had been like a vase, was gone. He tensed up and pretended to be calm, saying, "Prince Yong, what are you doing?"
Li Huazhang turned around and actually smiled at Prince Qiao, his voice still as polite as ever: "The show is only halfway through, please stay here and watch the whole show, Prince Qiao."
At this point, how could Prince Qiao not understand what Li Huazhang wanted to do? He stood up and wanted to run. However, just as he moved, the wine pouring girl behind him, whom he had never looked at, suddenly pulled out a dagger from her sleeve and pointed it at Prince Qiao's throat, just a hair away from his blood vessels. Prince Qiao was almost scared to death and said tremblingly: "Prince Yong, what do you want to do?"
"I've already said it." Li Huazhang stood up calmly, his face as cold as snow, "Please stay upstairs and watch the show. Anyone who dares to leave will be killed."
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