The carriage stopped in front of the Zuo Ye Gate.
It was not that it was forbidden to ride horses and carriages in front of the palace, but he had never seen someone like Huang Xuchang who could whip like rain and ride like flying. The guards in front of the Zuo Ye Gate had already tightened their grip on their spears. When the carriage arrived in front of the palace gates, the guards suddenly pulled on the reins and the carriage came to an abrupt stop. Huang Xuchang raised his eyes to look at the thick and lofty palace walls in front of him and felt a kind of dizziness.
Only then did he realize that the clothes on his back were completely soaked and stuck to his body. He hadn't felt nervous during the bloody battles and battles of wits along the way. However, the last part of the road made him so nervous that he was drenched in sweat.
Li Xian had already lifted the curtain of the carriage and stared in a daze at the tightly closed palace gates in front of him. The copper nails as big as the mouth of a bowl sparkled in the sunlight. Li Xian's eyes couldn't help but moisten again.
"Eh? This is … this is Commander Huang? "
An imperial soldier guarding the Zuo Ye Gate looked at Huang Xuchang with a face full of astonishment and didn't dare to recognize him.
Huang Xuchang jumped off the carriage and felt his feet were floating. He looked back and saw that there was no one on the flat square of the palace. Nothing unexpected had happened, but his heart was still beating rapidly.
Huang Xuchang swallowed and quickly walked to the palace gates. He took out his turtle seal from his belt and handed it to the general on guard with both hands. In a deep voice, he said, "Quickly report to the Emperor that Commander Huang Xuchang of the Hundred Cavalry Brigade has returned to the capital to reply to the edict. Right now, he has brought a person and wishes to enter the palace to see the Emperor.
Please allow him! "He had the turtle seal of the Hundred Cavalry Brigade and was a registered imperial guard of the palace. He could enter the palace at any time, but it was impossible for him to bring someone in. Right now, he didn't dare to trust Li Xian with anyone else. He had to watch Li Xian himself to be at ease, so he could only hand over his turtle seal.
The general on guard saw that the person who had come was indeed Commander Huang of the Hundred Cavalry Brigade. His expression was grave and he was dressed in civilian clothing. He guessed that something big must have happened and didn't dare to tarry. He quickly took the turtle seal and said, "Commander Huang, please wait a moment." Then he flew into the palace.
Huang Xuchang finally turned around and walked to the front of the carriage. He put down his foot and respectfully said, "Your Highness, please get off the carriage. We … have arrived!"
Li Xian was so excited that his entire body was trembling. If not for Huang Xuchang supporting him, he might not even be able to get out of the car. Supported by Huang Xuchang, he shakily got out of the carriage. Looking around, other than the giant pillar in front of the palace that he had never seen before, the entire palace was exactly the same as when he left Luoyang.
Before he left the capital, he was the Emperor. He was a high-spirited, ambitious young Son of Heaven who intended to imitate his father and grandfather and create a great cause. Today, when he returned, his back was stooped and his temples were grey. He was already a cautious and ambitious old man in his fifties.
Thinking of this, tears trickled down her cheeks.
Wu Zetian did not attend court today. She sat in Wucheng Hall, accompanied by Wan 'er.
She had come here early in the morning, dressed in splendid attire, waiting for her son, who had been under house arrest in Fangzhou for sixteen years, to come and see her.
"Your Majesty!"
The palace gatekeeper jogged to the Hall of Martial Accomplishment. After catching his breath at the door, he reported in a loud voice, "The Commander of the Hundred Cavalry Brigade, Huang Xuchang, is outside the palace gate asking for an audience. He has brought someone with him, asking for Your Majesty's grace to enter the palace. The tortoise talisman is here. I have already verified it! "
"Huang Xuchang? Who is it? "
The white-haired Wu Zetian, who was too lazy to hide in front of her son, looked at Wan 'er, who was standing prettily to the side with her pair of old eyes.
Wan 'er was slightly startled. She bent down and said in a low voice, "Sage, this person is one of the two Commanders of the Hundred Cavalry Brigade you sent to Fangzhou to welcome back the Prince of Luling. The ceremonial procession has not arrived yet. Why has he returned first and even brought someone with him? Could it be …"
"Oh!"
When people get old, they tend to forget things. Wu Zetian only remembered after being reminded by Shangguan Wan 'er. Although she was a little forgetful now, her mind and wisdom, which had been honed by years of life in the palace and the pressure of power, were not dull because of this. With just a thought, she realized something was wrong. She immediately ordered, "Allow him to bring someone into the palace. Let him see the Emperor in Wucheng Hall!"
The palace gatekeeper received the Emperor's verbal order and hurriedly agreed before retreating.
Wu Zetian looked at the quiet doorway and thoughtfully thought for a while. Suddenly, she said, "Wan 'er, who do you think this person brought with him?"
Shangguan Wan 'er's eyes flashed. She quietly lowered her eyes and said, "Wan' er has no clue. I really have no way to guess."
Wu Zetian lightly tapped the table with her fingers and muttered to herself, "Taiping told me that Xian 'er's return to the capital this time will not be peaceful …"
When the palace gatekeeper returned to Zuo Ye Gate, Huang Xuchang was standing with Li Xian at the palace gate. Although he did not speak or move, his heart was burning with anxiety. When the palace gatekeeper passed on the edict, Huang Xuchang couldn't help but let out a sigh of relief. Withdrawing the turtle talisman, he allowed the palace guards to search their bodies. Huang Xuchang supported Li Xian and walked through the palace gate. After passing through a long city gate, they once again appeared under the sunlight. Only then did they subconsciously relax. It was as if there had been an invisible demon chasing them from behind. Only now did they feel safe.
Under the guidance of the palace attendants, Huang Xuchang supported Li Xian and walked forward. When they arrived in front of Wucheng Hall, Huang Xuchang gently let go of Li Xian and said in a clear voice, "Commander of the Hundred Cavalry Brigade, Huang Xuchang, has received the imperial edict to go to Fangzhou to bring back the Prince of Luling. Today, I am bringing the Prince of Luling to see the Emperor and present the edict to His Majesty!"
At the side, Li Xian's face trembled violently. It was hard to say whether it was joy or fear. His entire body trembled as he said in a trembling voice, "Mother! Son … Li Xian … has returned. He requests to see Mother! "
Hearing the news, Wu Zetian unconsciously stood up. Wan 'er hurriedly went forward to support him. Wu Zetian composed herself and waved her hand at her. Slowly sitting down again, she ordered in a low voice, "Call him in!"
Wan 'er said in a clear and melodious voice, "The Emperor has an edict. The Prince of Luling is invited to have an audience!"
Li Xian's back was bent. It was unknown whether it was because the threshold was too high that he tripped, or because his legs were too weak to stand, but he only took three steps over the threshold before he fell to his knees with a thud. Touching his forehead to the ground, he cried in a sorrowful voice, "Mother! Xian 'er has returned! "
As soon as he said this, tears fell like rain!
…
As the procession to welcome the Prince of Luling crossed the Tianjin bridge, Yang Fan sat on his horse, vigilantly sizing up the crowd. Although he had expected that since he was already here, it was unlikely that there would be any problems, but there was no harm in being careful.
His gaze swept across the crowd and he suddenly saw a pair of familiar eyes. In reality, it should be said that those eyes were looking at him, revealing a look of seeing an acquaintance. Yang Fan's gaze swept back and fixed on that person. It was an extremely delicate and pretty little attendant. His appearance was fifty to sixty percent similar to A Nu's.
Dressed in a man's attire, A Nu smiled at him. It was a very charming smile, and Yang Fan couldn't help but reveal a trace of a smile at the corner of his mouth.
Fortunately, everyone's gazes were focused on the Prince of Luling's carriage. Otherwise, if people saw Yang Fan and a attendant looking at each other and smiling with affection, tomorrow in Luoyang City, there would be an elegant matter of cutting off sleeves and sharing peaches. The common people of the capital never minded this kind of gossip.
The procession turned in the direction of the Imperial Palace, and it was not suitable for uninvolved people to follow. The crowd stopped at the Tianjin bridge and gradually dispersed. The procession escorted the Prince of Luling all the way to the side gate, where Zhang Changzong and Zhang Yizhi entered the Imperial Palace first to report to Wucheng Hall.
After a moment, an edict was sent out from the Imperial Palace. The Minister Counsellor Xu Yanbo was going to lead the Prince of Luling into the Imperial Palace. Gu Zhuting, disguised as the Prince of Luling, looked to Yang Fan for help. Yang Fan nodded slightly, and Gu Zhuting forced herself to remain calm. Bracing herself, she followed Xu Yanbo into the Imperial Palace.
She was a jianghu person, and this was the first time she had been to the Imperial Palace. Seeing the majestic and majestic palace buildings that were like the gates of heaven, a sense of nervousness and awe involuntarily welled up in her heart. However, she believed that Yang Fan would not harm her. Since Yang Fan had nodded and agreed for her to enter the Imperial Palace, there would certainly be no problem. There would not be any crime of deceiving the ruler.
Inside the Eastern Palace, Gao Lishi mysteriously said to Li Longji, "Your Highness, do you know what important matter is happening in court today?"
Li Dan, who was sitting dazedly in the sun, was startled and involuntarily pricked up his ears. Recently, the court had become much more lax in their supervision of him. Ever since Shangguan Wan'er and Fu Qingqing had taken control of the Imperial Palace, there was no longer a petty person like Wei Tuan'er who would come to torment him from time to time. It was rare for him to have a few days of peace and quiet. Could it be that something was going to happen again?
Li Longji had just finished a round of boxing with Gao Lishi in the courtyard. Wiping away the sweat on his forehead, he said to Gao Lishi, "What happened?"
Gao Lishi and Li Longji were about the same age, and he was the only person in Li Longji's life in the Imperial Palace who was very friendly to him and was not a blood brother. Moreover, it was precisely because of Gao Lishi's sympathy and help that their meals and even their clothing for the four seasons had greatly improved. Li Longji was now even closer to Gao Lishi than a blood brother.
Gao Lishi said, "In the morning court, the Emperor sent down an edict saying that the Prince of Luling has fallen ill in Fangzhou. He had already sent someone to bring the Prince of Luling back to the capital to treat his illness. The Princess of Luling and the princes have all returned together and entered the capital today, so the morning court was adjourned. However, the Emperor also said that the Prince of Luling is currently ill and that the officials are not to receive him. He said that he will only receive the officials after the Prince of Luling recovers!"
"Oh?"
Hearing this, Li Longji couldn't help but look toward the palace gates, feeling lost.
Gao Lishi continued, "I estimate that the Prince of Luling should have arrived at the palace by now. Perhaps tomorrow, Your Highness will meet with the princes of the Prince of Luling's estate."
Li Longji was clever and clever. Upon hearing this news, he knew that his grandmother had already decided to remove his father from the position of Crown Prince. Even if his father became the Emperor in the future, he would still be a prince and the throne would have nothing to do with him. However, the son of an Emperor and the son of a Prince were still a level apart in status. When he thought of this, he couldn't help but feel somewhat disappointed.
Gao Lishi appeared to be naive and casually mentioned this matter, but he was actually an extremely intelligent person. Moreover, there was no lack of eunuchs in the palace who were good at figuring out the intentions of their superiors. When this news came out, the eunuchs couldn't help but discuss it in private, knowing that the Crown Prince was going to be replaced. Gao Lishi was Eunuch Gao's adopted son, so how could he not hear these words?
Now that the news had been delivered and his goal had been achieved, Gao Lishi said, "Today, the Prince of Luling will return to court. The palace will certainly be busy. Perhaps Godfather still has something to tell him. This servant will take his leave first!"
Li Longji nodded and watched Gao Lishi leave. Suddenly, he clasped his hands together, his expression full of regret.
To the side, Crown Prince Li Dan leapt up, his entire body trembling, tears streaming down his face. "Seventh Lang has returned to the capital? Seventh Lang has returned to the capital! The Queen Mother intends to change the heir apparent! Heavens! I, Li Dan, can finally escape this cage and see the heavens again! "
… …
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