nycdaug Chapter 78 Undercurrents of Crisis
Chapter 78 Undercurrents of Crisis
On a bustling afternoon in Chang'an, the atmosphere inside the Eastern Palace was tense.
Lee Hyung stared at the assembled officials before him, a vague sense of foreboding creeping into his heart.
Gao Shi broke the silence first: "Your Highness, the enemy has already shown signs of harassing us across the border. Li Mao's movements are quite significant. We must take action as soon as possible."
Zhang Jiuling, the Imperial Censor in charge of internal affairs, said at the opportune moment: "Your Highness, An Lushan is placing his hopes on Li Mao, which I believe is an attempt to win over his forces. We should contact Yangdi as soon as possible to strengthen our defenses."
Li Heng raised his head, his brows furrowed in thought, and nodded, saying, "We certainly need to be prepared. But that's not all; I need you to think about how to steer the situation in a direction that is favorable to us."
Grand Councilor Xue Deng seconded the motion: "Your Highness is right. The alliance between An Lushan and Prince Shou is not stable. We can secretly create a rift and take advantage of it."
Just then, hurried footsteps sounded outside the door, and a guard rushed in, bowing and reporting, "Your Highness, a messenger has brought important news and requests an immediate audience."
Li Heng's expression hardened: "Let him in."
The messenger rushed into the palace, covered in dust, and presented a secret letter: "Your Highness, a rebel army has suddenly appeared in the south. Their origins are unknown, and the situation is extremely critical."
Li Heng took the letter, his furrowed brows revealing his shock.
The south was originally a stable territory of the Tang Dynasty, but now a rebel army has emerged, and the enemy may have been preparing to make a move for some time.
“This matter is of utmost importance and must be dealt with as soon as possible.” Li Heng said solemnly, turning to Gao Shi, “Immediately muster the elite troops and, if necessary, dispatch border troops to assist.”
Gao Shi accepted the order and quickly began preparations.
at the same time.
Li Mao also received the news at the Prince of Shou's residence.
He wasn't surprised, but he still felt uneasy.
The rebels in the south have further complicated the already tense situation.
"Your Highness, this might be a trick by An Lushan. He may be hoping to distract us with the rebels." Afu stood to the side, extremely nervous.
Li Mao's face was slightly gloomy: "This is a double-edged sword. If used properly, it can be used to my advantage."
Afu looked at Li Mao suspiciously, "What does Your Highness mean?"
"Why don't we take advantage of the situation, feign weakness, and lure the snake out of its hole?" Li Mao said with a slight smile.
Although such a plan was risky, it now seems to be a clever way to resolve the crisis.
The meeting at the Crown Prince's Eastern Palace continued shortly afterward.
"Your Highness, should we send an envoy to cooperate with Prince Shou in suppressing the rebels?" Zhang Jiuling suggested.
After a moment's thought, Li Heng said earnestly, "Then send a trusted envoy to find out the connection between the rebels and An Lushan."
"Who would be suitable to go?" Zhang Jiuling asked again without realizing it.
Li Heng said in a deep voice, "Let Gao Shi go. We must not take this matter lightly."
In the days that followed, news kept pouring in, catching everyone off guard. The emergence of the rebels not only alarmed Li Heng but also unsettled An Lushan. He knew that if he didn't act quickly, he risked being trapped in a predicament.
An Lushan paced back and forth in his tent, his mind troubled. He stared at the letter in his hand, his brow furrowed, and said, "Could Li Mao, as he says in his letter, lend me a hand?"
The aide cautiously offered his opinion: "General, perhaps now is the time to test his loyalty."
An Lushan took a deep breath and ordered, "Send a message to Li Mao, telling him that if he can help quell the rebellion, I will try my best to meet his conditions."
night,
Li Heng stood on the high platform of the Eastern Palace, his heart filled with doubt.
Gao Shi came to report: "Your Highness, Prince Shou's side has also taken action against the rebels, and our people have already infiltrated to cooperate."
"Very good. If conditions permit, we must use the rebels to lure An Lushan into a trap," Li Heng ordered in a deep voice.
Zhang Jiuling added, "We might as well take this opportunity to strengthen internal unity and ensure that we are not afraid of future troubles."
Li Heng nodded, his tone firm: "Even amidst numerous crises, our Great Tang will never give up easily, and should govern the world together."
Meanwhile, after learning the true motives of the rebels, Li Mao became even more determined: if he could control the rebels, An Lushan would be powerless to fight back.
"Afu, continue to investigate the rebels' situation and see if there's any opportunity left," Li Mao ordered.
"Your Highness, we will definitely investigate thoroughly, just in case," Afu said confidently.
……
Through the tireless efforts of Physician Wang, a folk remedy for treating stroke was finally found in ancient books.
At the risk of being beheaded, Imperial Physician Wang tried ancient herbal remedies on Li Longji for several days.
After drinking, he was finally able to move more freely, and could sit on the dragon throne without anyone's help. His speech also became much clearer.
In the golden hall of the imperial court, Li Longji sat upright on the dragon throne, solemnly scrutinizing his courtiers.
The news of the southern rebels was like a thunderclap, stirring up the atmosphere of the entire court.
"Your Highness," Li Longji slightly raised his hand, gesturing for Li Heng to step forward, "what is the situation with the rebels?"
Li Heng approached the palace and respectfully replied, "Father, the rebels in the south have a complex origin, and we are currently investigating the true source of their power. However, we have dispatched elite troops to assist the local garrison in suppressing the rebellion as soon as possible."
Zhang Jiuling stepped forward to echo: "Your Majesty, the most urgent task is to thoroughly investigate the potential connections between the rebels and other forces, in order to prevent being attacked from both sides."
Li Longji was silent for a moment, then nodded: "In that case, we must investigate thoroughly. If there is any collusion, we will not let them off lightly."
Just then, a commotion broke out outside the door, and Li Mao was summoned into the hall.
His arrival drew the attention of the court officials, and many eyes were focused on him.
Li Longji, his face grim, asked, "Prince Shou, what is your opinion on the rebellion in the south?"
Li Mao felt a chill run down his spine; he knew that this question might be a test.
"Your Majesty, the movements of the southern rebels are unclear. I suggest that we strengthen our surveillance through the intelligence network to find out who is behind them."
Li Longji nodded, his sharp gaze sweeping over Li Mao: "Your interactions with An Lushan seem frequent; you should exercise restraint. There are some things you must not cross the line of."
Upon hearing this, Li Mao immediately understood Li Longji's warning to him.
He bowed and said, "Your Majesty is wise; I will be even more cautious."
At this moment, Xu You, who was serving as a military advisor, stepped forward: "Your Majesty, in my opinion, the rebels in the south may just be a smokescreen, and their real intention is to divert our dynasty's attention. We should concentrate our forces to ensure that other areas are not taken advantage of."
Li Longji's eyes flickered as he turned to Xu You: "That's absolutely right. We need to make proper arrangements."
After the court meeting ended, Li Heng and Li Mao walked out of the Golden Hall together. Li Heng turned back and looked at Li Mao: "Eighteenth brother, any unusual movement this time will affect the overall situation. We must not be careless."
Li Mao sighed inwardly, but maintained a composed smile on his face: "Thank you for the reminder, Your Highness. I will be careful."
Each lost in their own thoughts, they went to their respective residences.
Inside the Eastern Palace, Li Heng once again summoned his advisors to discuss strategies for breaking the deadlock.
“Your Highness, although Li Mao seems to be showing no unusual activity, we cannot be completely at ease,” Gao Shi said with concern.
Zhang Jiuling also analyzed: "Your Highness, although Prince Shou appears calm on the surface, his secret dealings with An Lushan are common knowledge, and he probably has other plans."
After much deliberation, Li Heng finally decided: "Continue to strengthen the surveillance of Prince Shou's residence; we must be fully aware of any disturbances."