Chapter 169 Li Chunfeng, that time, both you and I calculated wrong!

Outside the empress's boudoir, a figure in blue tights stood quietly. He didn't breathe a sigh of relief until he saw that there was no noise in the room as she had imagined. Then he left quietly.

Ji Ruxue walked quickly in the Qi Wang Mansion, as if she was avoiding something. She didn't know why she stayed there. Maybe she was unwilling or worried about something, but what was she worried about? Some things were bound to happen. Ji Ruxue sighed softly, feeling a blockage in her heart. Why? Why did she fall in love with Li Xingyun, who was destined not to belong to her alone?
"Hey, Xue'er, you look so bad. Did something happen to the empress?" Lu Linxuan, who had just wiped the water stains on his face with a handkerchief, turned his head and saw Ji Ruxue at the door of the next room.

"I'm fine." Ji Ruxue replied calmly and pushed the door open and walked in. Lu Linxuan looked at Ji Ruxue's back thoughtfully, then walked forward and knocked on the door, saying, "Open the door, it's me."

With a creak, the door slowly opened, and Ji Ruxue asked in a somewhat cold voice: "What's the matter?"

Lu Linxuan crossed his arms and pushed Ji Ruxue aside to walk into the room and asked, "Why, did you see my senior brother at the Empress's place?"

Ji Ruxue was speechless for a moment, then she seemed to react and stared at Lu Linxuan and said, "No wonder you asked me to go find the empress!"

Lu Linxuan pursed his lips and said, "I don't want to see them being intimate. I can't stand the thought. The key is that I can't snatch it from them, so I will just suffer in vain."

For the first time, Ji Ruxue had the urge to roll her eyes. She pushed Lu Linxuan's shoulder and said, "Get out quickly. Don't you want to run into me? I really admire you."

Lu Linxuan carried Ji Ruxue on his back and said, "I think we need to unite and find a chance to take down my senior brother. Otherwise, with his condition, there will be more and more girls around him. I think Miao Chengtian is not a good person either... Oh, don't push me!"

"I don't want to." After Ji Ruxue pushed Lu Linxuan out of the door, she leaned against the door and bit her lips lightly. She wanted to do what she was supposed to do first. As for love, young people will meet if they are destined to do so.

Lu Linxuan only heard a click, and she was locked outside the door. She curled her lips and said, "Tsk, just go with the flow."

Lu Linxuan turned around, sighed and said to himself: "But what can I do if I don't follow fate... Alas, this kind of thing can't be forced, sleep..."

Lu Linxuan once thought that she was the one who knew her senior best, but in just one year, she found that her senior had completely become a different person, confident, mysterious, and curious...

……

Hidden Soldier Valley.

Shangguan Yunque did not rest in Chang'an City, but rushed back to the Cangbing Valley overnight. "Whoa!" A man and a horse stood in front of the valley. Shangguan Yunque was a little excited at this time. He wanted to know how the Marshal would react after hearing the decision made by His Highness.

What on earth is this old fellow, who has lived for three hundred years, expecting?
"General, Shangguan Yunque requests to see you."

"Enter."

Whoosh...bang!

A gust of wind instantly blew open the door of the room. Yuan Tiangang sat cross-legged on the couch and then looked at Shangguan Yunque quietly. His hoarse and low voice was still without any emotion, "Your Highness has arrived in Chang'an?"

Shangguan Yunque bowed and replied, "Yes, Commander. After hearing the news of your death, His Highness did not get entangled with Han Jian's national defense army in Shanzhou, but immediately rushed back to Chang'an."

"Haha, Your Highness doesn't seem to plan to come to Cangbing Valley to confirm my life or death." Yuan Tiangang's laughter was a little inexplicable, and there seemed to be some sense of relief in it.

"His Highness has confirmed it. He said that you are definitely fine, and he plans to hold your funeral in a few days and then come to Cangbing Valley to have a drink with you." Shangguan Yunque almost couldn't help laughing when he said this. His Highness really knows how to have fun.

"What?" Yuan Tiangang's voice finally showed some emotion, "Your Highness is going to hold a funeral for me?"

Shangguan Yunque finally couldn't help laughing and said, "His Highness said that the whole city of Chang'an will be in mourning to send off the Great Tang Bad Commander."

"Haha, good, good." Yuan Tiangang couldn't help laughing, then stood up and said, "Your Highness wants to announce my death to the world. I originally thought that Your Highness would come to Cangbing Valley to discuss with me how to proceed, but I didn't expect Your Highness to be so decisive."

Shangguan Yunque chuckled and said, "Your Highness seems to know the Marshal very well, which is far beyond my expectations. I originally thought that Your Highness would be a little flustered after hearing the news of the Marshal's death, but I didn't expect Your Highness to be so calm and directly concluded that the Marshal had faked his death and escaped. Then he handled the internal affairs of Chang'an in an orderly manner and subdued Ying Gou, one of the four great corpse ancestors."

"In addition, His Highness also plans to move the Bad People into Chang'an City and set up the Bright Department and the Dark Department. The Bright Department will monitor all officials, while the Dark Department will collect intelligence. Marshal, do you think it is appropriate for His Highness to put the Bad People in the bright department?"

Yuan Tiangang snorted and said, "The Bad Leader is dead. I will no longer interfere in the affairs of the Bad People. Everything is decided by Your Highness. I am just a country bumpkin now."

Shangguan Yunque hurriedly said, "Marshal, His Highness said that there are some things he will tell you when he sees you in person. It is not time for you to rest yet."

Yuan Tiangang smiled and said, "This kid wants me to teach his students, right? This is exactly what he wanted."

Shangguan Yunque saw this and changed the subject, "By the way, Marshal, there is one more thing. Someone has come from Raojiang. It is Chi Li's daughter Chi Meng who has come to ask for help. The chaos in Raojiang has already begun. If the news of your death reaches Raojiang, I am afraid Chi Li will not be able to resist and take action."

Yuan Tiangang had anticipated this, and then said calmly: "How does Your Highness plan to deal with this?"

Shangguan Yunque frowned slightly and said, "His Highness seems to have a plan in mind. His promise to Chi Meng is to wait until Liang State is conquered before dealing with the rebellion in Raojiang."

Yuan Tiangang nodded gently and said, "That's great. When the news of my death reached Raojiang, given Chi Li's character, I'm afraid he wouldn't take your Highness seriously. Besides, there are people from the Twelve Caves behind Raojiang. This is a serious matter, so it's safe for your Highness to do so."

"Not bad, it's really good." Yuan Tiangang came to the window with his hands behind his back and looked at the bright moon. A figure in white seemed to appear under the moonlight. Yuan Tiangang laughed softly and said, "Haha, Li Chunfeng, that time, you and I both miscalculated..."

Yuan Tiangang thought that he had faked his death rashly, and even if Li Xingyun had guessed it, he would have to come and question him. But he didn't expect Li Xingyun to be so honest. Yuan Tiangang had a feeling of being seen through. Only Emperor Taizong Li Shimin and his close friend Li Chunfeng could have such a feeling.

Yuan Tiangang slowly stretched out his hand, as if trying to grab the moon in the sky. His deep voice echoed in the silent night sky, "I was originally going to die in your hands, but now it has become you who will send me off in person. Interesting, really interesting..."

……

Qinzhou official road.

Wow... Wow... The flames kept jumping in the night. Zhang Zifan stared at the flames and asked Li Cunzhong beside him: "Uncle Jiu, will I die if I go back this time?"

Li Cunzhong said in a muffled voice: "I don't know."

Zhang Zifan chuckled, then sighed, "That old thief Li Siyuan injured my father and kidnapped me for eighteen years. It's really disgusting to think that such a person would pretend to be a loving father and a filial son to me on a daily basis."

"Zifan, hey!" Li Cunzhong was Li Siyuan's man, but at this moment he could not deny what Zhang Zifan said. After eighteen years of living together, people would have feelings for a dog, not to mention that he and Zhang Zifan usually called each other uncle and nephew. Among the Tongwenguan, Li Cunzhong and Li Cunyong had the best relationship with Zhang Zifan. Li Cunzhong had an ugly and weird appearance, and Li Cunyong was born blind and short. When they were young, they were both looked down upon by many people. However, Zhang Zifan was very respectful to them. As a result, the relationship between the three of them was closer than that of others.

"Although I am the head of the Tongwen Hall, I am not very powerful and have no say at all. I am just a small pawn. I cannot help you now."

Li Cunzhong sighed and told Zhang Zifan the truth. He was not even at the Heavenly Rank and was just a high-level fighter in front of Li Siyuan, so his words carried little weight.

"Roar!" Li Cunxiao, who was sitting nearby, roared. Li Cunzhong looked at Li Cunxiao helplessly and said, "Old Ten is indeed favored by the King of Jin, but Old Ten cannot speak, and I'm afraid he can't plead for you. Zifan, I, your uncle, will definitely plead for you, but whether it will work or not depends on your fate."

Zhang Zifan laughed and said, "It depends on fate? Then it depends on fate!"

Zhang Zifan fell silent after he finished speaking. It was unclear whether the Taoist Master's Mansion knew about his situation. The only thing he was sure of was that Brother Li knew for sure that he was captured by the Tongwenguan. Now, whether he could survive depended entirely on Brother Li...

As for his ninth uncle Li Cunzhong, Zhang Zifan was also clear that what he had just said was indeed the truth. He had no say in Tongwenguan, just like he had before in Tongwenguan, with the title of young master in vain, but all the power was actually in the hands of Li Siyuan.

Zhang Zifan sighed, closed his eyes, and said silently in his heart: "Brother Li, if I can survive this time, I will work like a slave for you..."

……

Three days later.

Riding a white horse and wearing white clothes, Li Xingyun led the bad guys to carry the coffin out of the city!

For a time, the news of the death of the Tang Dynasty's bad commander spread like a whirlwind to every corner of the world.

After leaving Chang'an City, Li Xingyun changed into his regular clothes and said to Shangguan Yunque who was waiting beside him:
"Use Fujihara's information network to spread the news of the Bad Leader's death."

"Yes, Your Highness." Shangguan Yunque nodded in agreement.

Li Xingyun flattered, "Also inform our bad guys hiding outside not to act rashly and wait for my secret order."

"Understood!" Shangguan Yunque waved his hand, and immediately some bad guys flashed out.

"By the way, Your Highness, there is a letter from the Tianshi Mansion." Shangguan Yunque took the secret letter from the bad guys and handed it to Li Xingyun.

Li Xingyun quickly scanned the contents of the secret letter. Zhang Xuanling already knew that Zhang Zifan was kidnapped by Tongwenguan, and was now planning to use the power of Tianshi Mansion to go to Taiyuan to rescue Zhang Zifan. In the letter, Zhang Xuanling also expressed his gratitude to Li Xingyun for his help, and asked Li Xingyun for help. His reward was the Taoist elixir of Tianshi Mansion, the Dragon and Tiger Tianxin Pill!

Seeing this, Li Xingyun's eyes lit up slightly. When it comes to the means of alchemy, the accumulation of the Taoist leader Tianshi Mansion is probably not much worse than Yuan Tiangang. What excites Li Xingyun the most is the effect of the Dragon-Tiger Heavenly Heart Pill.

The ingredients of this pill are precious and each person can only take one pill. Even in the Tianshi Mansion it takes ten years to refine one furnace. After taking this pill, the user's internal strength can be increased by up to fifteen years depending on how the user absorbs the medicinal power. Moreover, warriors who practice the Five Thunders Heart Sutra can maximize the efficacy of this pill by taking it!

The price Zhang Xuanling offered to Li Xingyun was to rescue Zhang Zifan, and Tianshi Mansion would give him ten Dragon and Tiger Heart Pills!
"Tsk, how many pills can be refined in one furnace? Zhang Xuanling really spent a lot of money to save his son." Li Xingyun smacked his lips.

Zhang Xuanling was quite capable of handling things. He knew that his current shortcoming was that he had too little internal energy. After all, he had only been practicing for a few years. Even if he had some magical skills, it was still unrealistic for him to reach the level of Tiangang in a short period of time. However, with the Dragon and Tiger Heart Pill from the Tianshi Mansion, it was hard to say for sure.

"Your Highness, rescuing Zhang Zifan is not an easy task." Shangguan Yunque thought for a while and said, "Although we have made many arrangements in Jin State, those arrangements are very important. They are related to Longquan and your great cause in the future. It is not worthwhile to sacrifice our plans in Jin State in order to save Zhang Zifan."

Li Xingyun nodded and said, "You are right. So we cannot use Zhang Chengye and his men to rescue Zhang Zifan this time. We cannot move the Mirror Heart Demon either. Li Keyong is very shrewd. If we attract his attention, all our efforts in Jin will be wasted."

Shangguan Yunque frowned slightly and asked, "What is your highness going to do?"

Li Xingyun smiled, snapped his fingers and said: "With the three corpse ancestors and the Raojiang Gu technique, we can save Zhang Zifan's life."

"But there is no rush for now. Let's first let someone find out Zhang Zifan's situation. We don't want to fight a battle without preparation."

Shangguan Yunque bowed and said, "Yes, Your Highness."

……

The news of Buliangshuai's death soon became known to the world with the help of Li Xingyun.

Luoyang Imperial Palace.

"Hahaha, good death, good death!" Zhu Youzhen laughed and poured wine into his mouth, and said to Shi Yao who had a blank expression on the side: "Shi Yao, you are really my lucky star. Since you came, good things have happened to me one after another."

Shi Yao smiled and said, "Your Majesty is the true dragon emperor. The destiny is in your hands. Shi Yao just happened to be in the right place and benefited from your Majesty's help."

Shi Yao's sweet words immediately made Zhu Youzhen very happy and he got drunk immediately. Shi Yao also took this opportunity to come to the back garden of the palace.

"What's going on in the Hidden Soldiers Valley?" Shi Yao frowned and asked Zhang Quanyi in front of her.

"I don't know what happened in Cangbing Valley. This Li Ying... should be the guy who has been following the Marshal. But how could that guy have the strength to kill the Marshal?" Sanqianyuan also frowned tightly. The news of the death of the Bad Marshal was too sudden, and none of them were prepared to face this emergency.

"Let's wait and see what His Highness has to say. I always feel that the Marshal can't die so easily." Shi Yao looked toward the horizon, her tone somewhat inexplicable...

Sanqianyuan replied calmly, "Yes, there is no point in us panicking. We still have to see how His Highness arranges things. With His Highness's ability, it is not impossible for him to take over the burden from the Marshal."

Shi Yao smiled lightly and said, "That's right. Your Highness's actions are strange and cunning. Although he is not as domineering as the Marshal, his insidiousness and cunningness are still better than the Marshal."

Sanqianyuan looked at Shi Yao in surprise and said, "Does Your Highness know that you are framing His Highness like this?"

Shi Yao snorted lightly, did not respond, turned around and left. Sanqianyuan shook his head and smiled, also disappearing into the night.

(End of this chapter)