Chapter 100

Because Lu Yongcheng wants to take over the command, you must give it up!

This statement was so domineering, leaving no room for negotiation, and it made Yang Chenglie feel a chill inside.

If he were still a member of the Left Imperial Guard, if he were still a member of the Hongnong Yang clan, would Li Yuanfang speak to him like this?

His hands clenched into fists, his body trembling slightly.

Yang Chenglie felt as if a fire was burning inside him, and the ferocity on his face grew more intense.

Can Lu Yongcheng assassinate me, but I cannot defend myself?

Can Lu Yongcheng take my command, and I can only obediently hand it over?

Ha, even if I, Yang Chenglie, have no connection with the Hongnong Yang clan now, I will never bow to you, Li Yuanfang. Even if you, Li Yuanfang, are the descendant of the Wei Guogong I once respected, I will never bow to Lu Yongcheng.

Having severed ties with the Yang family for over a decade, Yang Chenglie no longer considered himself a member of the Yang family.

However, the arrogance of the noble-born was innate and would not change with time.

"I..."

Just as Yang Chenglie was about to respond, he felt Yang Shouwen, who was sitting beside him, suddenly press his arm.

"Since the General has given the order, how can we, mere commoners, dare to disobey?"

Li Yuanfang had been smiling, but upon hearing Yang Shouwen's words, his expression changed instantly.

Yang Chenglie turned his head sharply, his eyes blazing with anger as he looked at Yang Shouwen. How could he not understand his son's temperament and character? Since Yang Shouwen regained consciousness, he had mostly shown a detached and indifferent nature. But Yang Chenglie knew that Yang Shouwen had a pride that rivaled any noble-born.

Such a proud person, why would he suddenly bow to Li Yuanfang?

Yang Chenglie looked at Yang Shouwen for a moment, slowly calmed down, and then unclenched his fists.

"What Nizi said is also my intention."

Li Yuanfang stood up abruptly, looked at Yang Chenglie, then at Yang Shouwen, and after a long moment, nodded lightly.

"Since that's the case, I'll trouble Wenxuan."

With that, he stepped out.

However, just as he was about to reach the door, Yang Shouwen's cold voice came from behind. "General, although my father has agreed not to trouble Lu Yongcheng and is willing to hand over the command to him, he is still the County Magistrate of Changping. If he is assassinated on the main street and no one investigates, it would be unreasonable. As you know, the rebels outside Juyong Pass are stirring, and the people of Changping are in a state of panic.

This matter must be addressed; otherwise, how can we reassure the people?"

Li Yuanfang paused, standing at the door without responding.

After a moment, he opened the door and walked out... During this time, Li Yuanfang did not say a word, and Yang Shouwen did not press for an answer. After he left the room, he nodded to the attendant, and the two of them leaped over the wall in the backyard, disappearing into the dark night like ghosts, silently and without a trace.

"Nizi!"

Yang Chenglie stood at the door, turning to look at Yang Shouwen.

Yang Shouwen watched the direction Li Yuanfang and the others had left, and after a while, he coughed and said, "Father, although I don't know Li Yuanfang and don't understand him, as a descendant of Wei Guogong and favored by the emperor, he is not someone who would act unreasonably. Don't forget, he comes from Luoyang... Let's watch and see what he does."

With that, Yang Shouwen smiled.

"Besides, with his status, why would he personally come to dismiss a mere County Magistrate?

To put it bluntly, Li Yuanfang only needs to send a document to the state government, and Father's position will be gone."

Yang Chenglie was silent!

After a long moment, he said softly, "Nizi, next time, don't be so straightforward. You make me feel useless."

As he spoke, a smile appeared on his face.

"This Changping seems to be getting more interesting!"

Indeed, Changping was becoming more interesting.

A small county that was never taken seriously suddenly became a battleground for several forces.

The Fan Yang Lu clan, the Taiyuan Wang family; Li Yuanfang and his group, and Chen Ziaog's sudden visit.

Ha, this small county seemed to be getting particularly lively, even affecting the distant capital of Luoyang.

On August 26th, after breaking through Feihu, the Turkic army did not stop but continued south, capturing Dingzhou. What was strange was that Dingzhou's governor, Sun Yan'gao, offered almost no resistance, allowing the Turkic army to capture the city. He hid in his residence and, upon learning that the Turkic army had entered the city, even hid in a wooden cabinet, only to be discovered and captured by the Turkic soldiers, who then executed him along with thousands of Dingzhou officials and civilians.

It was said that the sky over Dingzhou that day was filled with a thick, bloody haze.

The Turkic army's invasion was not for occupation.

Like the nomadic tribes of old, they were more skilled in slaughter and destruction than in construction. Dingzhou became a wasteland overnight, with the Turkic army setting the city on fire and taking nearly ten thousand Dingzhou civilians south with them.

In Luoyang, the capital, in the Tongtu Fang district.

In a seemingly ordinary residence, Di Renjie was sitting in a pavilion, holding a letter.

The letter was sent by Li Yuanfang.

As he had suspected, the situation in the Hebei region had become precarious and almost irreparable.

The sudden rebellion of Mo Chuo was not unfamiliar to Di Renjie. He had even guessed the reason, which was not something he could tell Empress Wu Zetian. As the most trusted old minister of Wu Zetian, Di Renjie remained loyal to the Tang Dynasty in his heart. If he told Wu Zetian his suspicions, even without providing any evidence, Di Renjie could guess the consequences: rivers of blood would flow, and the empire would be torn apart.

Thinking of this, he read Li Yuanfang's letter again.

As early as early July, Di Renjie had received a message that Prince Liang Wu San'si had discovered evidence crucial to the survival of the Li Tang dynasty, which was hidden in the Black Sand City, the eastern Turkic royal tent. Wu San'si's subordinates had been ordered to secretly retrieve the evidence and secretly deliver it to Wu San'si in Luoyang.

Coinciding with Li Yuanfang's journey to Youzhou, Di Renjie had secretly entrusted him to retrieve the evidence.

Now, Li Yuanfang had reported back: the spy who stole the evidence had been killed, but the evidence itself was now missing.

Di Renjie had no doubt about Li Yuanfang.

Although he was Wu Zetian's confidant, his heart was loyal to the Tang Dynasty, just like Di Renjie's.

If the evidence was truly lost, so be it; but if it was not lost... the actions of that person made Di Renjie very unhappy. He looked at Li Yuanfang's letter again, then at the urgent war report from Hebei, and his brows furrowed.

After a long moment, Di Renjie made up his mind.

It was time to ask the Empress to make a decision! Only by cutting off that person's ambitions could further trouble be avoided; otherwise, once exposed, the Li Tang dynasty would be in grave danger. This would be a very dangerous remonstration, but Di Renjie had no choice.

Outside the pavilion, the autumn wind was bleak, stirring the leaves in the courtyard.

Di Renjie put away the letter, straightened his clothes, and stepped out of the pavilion.

"Hong'an!"

"Here."

"Prepare the carriage immediately; I need to go to the palace to see the Empress."

(To be continued. Please search for Piaowen Academy for faster updates and better novels.

PS: Finally, it's up, and I'm a bit nervous.

Well, the story can finally begin, and a series of mysteries will gradually be revealed.

But... I don't have any drafts. /(tot)/~~

This is a new attempt and a transformation after Hanchi. In fact, I have been trying to change over the past year.

The previous changes and attempts ended in failure.

But this time, I hope it will be successful! Some may think that the pace of Shengtang is a bit slow, but please believe me, the story will become more exciting, and I am working hard to adjust my state, which has been nearly abandoned over the past year.

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