Yang Fan's thousand cavalrymen charged into the Jin Wu Guards. When they reached the central tent, they put down the poles, saved their brothers, dragged their horses, and turned to leave. They came and left quickly, but in just a short while, they had already turned the entire Jin Wu Guards upside down.
Gao Chu and the others were hung on the poles for a day and a night. They were fine at night, but during the day, they did not even have a drop of water to drink from the scorching sun. By the time they were put down, most of them were already unconscious. Looking at the situation, if this dragged on for another half a day, they would really die of thirst. Wu Yizong was truly audacious, actually daring to imprison the soldiers of his camp until they died because of a small dispute.
These people were carried onto horses and immediately poured some water down their throats. Everyone woke up one after another. Chu Kuangge, Huang Xuchang, and the others had saved their brothers and were about to return to the cavalry camp in high spirits, but were stopped by Yang Fan.
Was this a robbery by the Greenwood Mountain Stronghold? You're going to leave after the fight? Don't forget that there was still the Son of Heaven above. After such a shocking act, you're just going to go back to camp? Yang Fan led them away from the Jin Wu Guards and went straight to the capital to find the Emperor.
Lu Maofeng did not participate in the attack on the Jin Wu Guards. When Yang Fan led his troops out of the camp, he had already rushed to the capital. Today, the one guarding the Black Tortoise Gate was Dugu Huizhi. Lu Maofeng did not have time to find Zhang Tongxiu and then find the second Zhang through him. Instead, he went straight to the Black Tortoise Gate and asked Dugu Huizhi to send a message inside.
Not long after, Fengchen Commander Zhang Yizhi sent out a little eunuch, who handed him a token to enter and exit the palace, and led him straight to the Fengchen Guards. Lu Maofeng stayed in the Fengchen Guards for less than an hour before quietly leaving the palace. Meanwhile, the two brothers, Zhang Yizhi and Zhang Changzong, rushed to Lichun Tai to serve the Empress.
Before Yang Fan rushed to the palace, Zhang Changzong had just played the flute, and then it was Zhang Yizhi's turn to play chess with Wu Zetian. The two did not care about winning or losing in chess. Wu Zetian was old and could not afford to waste her strength, so it was purely a pastime. The two played from time to time, and Zhang Changzong sat on the side to watch, chatting with the Empress while picking up pieces.
The two of them often told Wu Zetian about some of the interesting things that happened in the streets of Luoyang. Wu Zetian rarely entered the palace. In the palace, her hair had turned white and her face had aged. She liked to listen to the things that happened outside the palace. Perhaps the older one got, the more nostalgic they became. She had long held the power of a supreme being in her hands. She could not stop the aging of her face.
She had spent most of her teenage years outside the palace, so listening to Er Zhang's stories became one of Wu Zetian's greatest pleasures.
Zhang Yizhi talked about all sorts of things, and soon reached the conflict between the Golden Guards and the Thousand Horsemen Battalion.
Fighting between soldiers was something that could not be prohibited since ancient times. The two used clever words and played it down. They described it as two groups of loyal men fighting over a quarrel, and the methods they used were nothing more than fists and legs. They also purposely made it more humorous. Wu Zetian found it interesting, and did not think it was very serious.
Zhang Yizhi played chess as he said with a smile, "That Yang Fan is really bold. He actually dares to oppose the Golden Guards."
Zhang Changzong moved the silver plate of ice closer to Wu Zetian, and used a silver hammer to break a piece to increase the temperature. He said, "The Thousand Horsemen Battalion is Her Majesty's personal army. Are they not as noble as the Golden Guards? Why can't they oppose them?"
Zhang Yizhi rolled his eyes at him, and said, "You really don't have a brain. If you want to beat a dog, you have to look at the owner. Don't you see who is in charge of the Golden Guards? Yang Fan's people beat up the Golden Guards. Isn't that just making Grand General Wu Yizong look bad? Look at the officers and soldiers of the North and South Offices, who dares to disrespect Grand General Wu? "
Unconvinced, Zhang Changzong said, "Of course there are!"
He counted with his fingers, and said, "Grand General Wu Youyi counts as one, right? And … and … "
Zhang Changzong counted with one finger, and could no longer count. Zhang Yizhi said with a smile, "How about it? There's only Yang Fan left. But speaking of which, Yang Fan's Thousand Horsemen also count as the Featherwood Guard. Ha! Isn't there only the Featherwood Guard in the Twenty-Four Imperial Guards? Do you think the other generals are stupid? Why don't they do things that offend people? "
Wu Zetian was still listening with a smile, but the smile on her face was becoming more and more stiff.
Zhang Yizhi was very alert, not saying anything more, and deliberately arguing with his brother for a while. The topic of conversation changed, and it circled around to a recent anecdote in the suburbs of the capital. It was said that a tenant named Yu Qinggeng made a double continent bet with his gambling master. In the end, not only did he win the master's land and house, but he also won the master's wife. In the end, the master became a tenant, and the tenant became the master.
Most Tangs liked to fight. Tang Taizong liked to "hold and mold", Li Zhi didn't have any special hobbies, and Wu Zetian was especially fond of "double continents". Hearing about this matter, she put aside her worries and listened to them. Zhang Yizhi acted as if he was watching the battle with his own eyes, and described this bet in an exaggerated manner. Wu Zetian was listening attentively, and Shanghai Wan 'er walked in.
"Your Majesty, Wan 'er heard from the eunuch that there are soldiers kneeling outside the Black Tortoise Gate. It's a black mass, and it's very scary. I don't know what happened."
Hearing Shanghai Wan 'er's words, Wu Zetian, who was leaning on the soft cushion, immediately sat up in shock. She asked anxiously, "Why are soldiers knocking on the Imperial Palace?"
Shanghai Wan 'er shook her head, "Wan' er doesn't know. I've already sent someone to ask."
Just as she finished speaking, Eunuch Xiao Hai, who usually attends to the Emperor, came in to report, "Sage, Guide Zhonglang General Yang Fan requests an audience!"
Wu Zetian knew that the situation outside the Black Tortoise Gate had something to do with Yang Fan. She hurriedly said, "Let him in!"
A loud announcement was made outside the gate, and Yang Fan walked in proudly. When Wu Zetian saw him, her eyes immediately widened. Yang Fan was wearing a pair of trousers and a pair of military boots, but his upper body was naked. His arms were tied behind his back, and there were also a few thorns tied to his back. Was this … was he going to carry thorns and ask for forgiveness?
Zhang Changzong covered his mouth and laughed, "What is General Yang doing? Even if you are Lian Po, there is no Lin Xiangru here."
Yang Fan knelt down on one knee with a military salute, and said in a deep voice, "Minister Fengchen must be joking. I am here to ask for His Majesty's forgiveness."
Wu Zetian's face darkened, and she slowly asked, "What happened?"
Yang Fan said, "Following His Majesty's instructions yesterday, I first paid a visit to King Liang's place, and then returned to the barracks. I heard that the soldiers under my command had a conflict with the Jinwu Guards, and sixteen of them were captured, and a few of them escaped back to the barracks with injuries. A general in the army has already rushed to the Jinwu Guards to demand their release. I hurriedly restrained my subordinates, and quietly waited. When it was getting dark, that general rushed back, and said that Great General Wu Yizong has an order, and if he wants the soldiers back, I will have to go personally. "
Wu Zetian frowned, and said, "Then why don't you go?"
Yang Fan said, "Great General Wu said that he wants me to kneel at the gate, kowtow with every step, and go to the main tent to ask for forgiveness before he will release the soldiers!"
"Pa!"
Wu Zetian slammed her palm on the table, and the chess pieces were knocked into a mess, and she sternly scolded, "Scoundrel! Who does he think he is? "
Yang Fan nodded, and said, "As a member of the Emperor's personal army, I dare not disgrace the Emperor. However, it was already late, and if I had entered the city at that time, the gates would have been closed by the time I reached the city. As such, I wanted to wait until this morning to ask His Highness King Liang to mediate. Unexpectedly, just as I was about to enter the city, someone suddenly sent me news, saying that several of my subordinates were captured by the Jinwu Guards at noon yesterday. They were first whipped, and their bodies were covered in cuts and bruises. Then, they were hung on a high pole, and exposed to the scorching sun. They have not had a drop of water for a day and a night, and many of them have already fainted, and are on the verge of death. "
Wu Zetian's expression became more and more gloomy. Yang Fan said in a sorrowful voice, "When the three armies heard the news, they were worried about their comrades, and all of them were furious. I really could not suppress them, and Great General Wu is using his power to bully me …"
Yang Fan lowered his head and choked with sobs, and no one knew if he had shed a few tears of heroism.
Shangguan Wan 'er quickly turned her head away, fearing that she would burst out laughing if she saw her Langjun's pretentious expression. But on second thought, her Langjun had really caused a great disaster today. Although she had tried her best to make up for it, His Majesty's mood was unpredictable, and she did not know if he would really be safe. She could not help but feel deeply worried.
Yang Fan suddenly raised his head, and his voice suddenly became impassioned. His clear and high-pitched voice echoed throughout the hall, "I am also a courageous man! I am someone who leads troops! If I continue to cower and bear with it, how can I please the people? How can I command a thousand cavalry? I had no choice but to lead the entire army to the Jinwu Guards, and beg for Great General Wu's mercy.
Under the scorching sun, I stood solemnly for two hours, and lost count of the number of people who fainted. In the end, Great General Wu did not even want to see me, and only sent a message: Either I kowtow with every step I take, and kneel to the commander's tent to beg for forgiveness, or I return, and leave my brothers hanging on a high pole to fend for themselves!
I begged again and again, and bowed my head again and again, but in exchange, Great General Wu took a mile after giving me an inch. I wanted to endure it, but I could no longer! I wanted to retreat, but I had no way out! I had no choice but to lead my men and charge into the Jinwu Guards, and rescue my comrades who were still hanging on a high pole under the scorching sun.
Fortunately, I arrived in time. Although they had fainted at the time, they have now been saved. Although they are weak, they are not dead. I also know that even if I have a thousand or ten thousand reasons, I am still wrong. I have committed a great mistake, and have failed the Emperor's expectations. Today, I am here to beg for forgiveness, and even if I die a hundred times, I will have no regrets! Even if I am to be executed … I will have no regrets! "
After Yang Fan finished, he nodded his head and did not say another word. The main hall immediately quietened down, but everyone's ears seemed to be reverberating with Yang Fan's sonorous and forceful voice. There was no expression on Wu Zetian's face. After a long time, she lightly said, "So, what is your intention in leading the troops to the imperial palace?"
Yang Fan hurriedly said, "The Thousand Horsemen kneeled to the imperial palace, not to confess their feelings, but to beg for forgiveness from His Majesty!"
Yang Fan paused for a while, then said, "I know I am guilty, so I beg for forgiveness from His Majesty. I am willing to be punished by the country's law! As for the Thousand Horsemen General, I am only acting on my orders, so I beg for His Majesty's magnanimity and forgiveness! "
Wu Zetian asked, "What about the people who were saved from the Jinwu Guards?"
Yang Fan replied, "I had someone feed them water, and although they have regained consciousness, they are still too weak. I am afraid that there will be further changes, so after entering the city, they were sent to the medical center for treatment."
Upon hearing this, Wu Zetian's expression became slightly better. Sometimes, one must look at a person's intentions, and it is more accurate to deduce from small details. If Yang Fan dragged back those soldiers who he said were half dead but did not treat them in time, and instead displayed them in front of the imperial palace for her to see, and even said that it was for the sake of his comrades and to beg for forgiveness, then his intentions should be put to death.
But what should she do now? It's fine if the soldiers fight, but for a general to lead his men to charge into the camp, it is simply outrageous. Just as Wu Zetian was in a dilemma, Wu Yizong, supported by two fat eunuchs, tiptoed over.
The pig-riding general climbed up the tree in a hurry, but was frightened by a bug and fell down. Unfortunately, there was a sharp stone on the ground that was poking into his tailbone. Hence, he ended up like this …
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