inspire-indiana Chapter 123 Night Visit to Taizhen
Chapter 123 Night Visit to Taizhen
Li Mao hadn't heard any good news for many days.
Seeing Guo Ziyi's excited expression, he couldn't help but feel relieved.
—Going to Chang'an to investigate was a very dangerous mission, but Guo Ziyi escaped unscathed.
This proves that the situation in Chang'an is not as bad as previously imagined, and there must be a way to break the deadlock!
Li Mao gestured to Guo Ziyi to tell him the good news.
Guo Ziyi said, "There are still some imperial guards in the palace. They did not follow... His Majesty in fleeing, but instead vowed to protect the palace to the death. I have already sent skilled spies to infiltrate the palace and contact them, hoping that they can cooperate with us from the inside to protect the imperial city."
Although there was some worry in his voice, there was also a clear flame of hope.
Upon hearing this news, Li Mao nodded.
He couldn't help but sigh: Guo Ziyi's troops had already learned of Li Longji's escape, and the surviving civilians and guards in the city probably knew as well. Li Longji would henceforth bear the infamy of fleeing without a fight and being a tyrannical and incompetent ruler.
However, this is also the "blessing" he deserves!
There is still a chance for the situation to turn around if we act quickly.
Li Mao finally made a decision: "We will formulate a plan as soon as possible, and once we make contact with the Imperial Guards in the palace, we will storm the capital and rescue those who are still willing to fight for the Tang Dynasty and the innocent people who are suffering."
The soldiers were filled with fervor and shouted, "Save those people! Save those people!"
“Then first,” Guo Ziyi immediately pulled Li Mao into the temporary camp, unfolded the map, and said, “we need to find a gap that we can exploit… Let’s try Guanghua Gate in the north? The terrain there is weak, and it’s close to the palace, so it’s the best location.”
Li Mao nodded; Guo Ziyi's ideas were always right.
Then they waited for news from the palace, which was estimated to take one or two days.
This was a great opportunity, so Li Mao put on a cloak and a hood.
He mounted his horse under cover of night and said to Guo Ziyi beside him, "Ziyi, I have an old friend who practices at a temple near Chang'an. I haven't heard from her since she returned, so I must go and visit her."
This "old friend" naturally refers to Yang Yuhuan, who is now known as Taizhen.
Guo Ziyi was somewhat aware of this matter and thought to himself that His Highness was indeed a man of deep affection, shouldering the responsibilities of both family and country and his beloved!
The commander-in-chief temporarily left the camp, so that it was not convenient for too many people to know.
Guo Ziyi understood this and naturally took the initiative to cover for Li Mao.
Li Mao slipped into the night and rode all the way to Taizhen Temple.
Fortunately, Shi Siming remembered that the harm did not extend to those practicing in Taoist temples and monasteries, and he was not so deranged as to slaughter and burn even the Taoist temples.
Tai Zhen Temple remains intact, with incense smoke still rising from its walls.
The gate was closed simply because it was night.
Li Mao let out a long sigh and knocked on the door.
There were three knocks before a timid voice came from inside: "The Taoist temple is closed for the day. Please come again tomorrow!"
They must have heard about the upheaval in Chang'an, which is why everyone in the Taoist temple was on edge.
Li Mao hurriedly said, "I am not a pilgrim, but have come to see an old friend. Please ask the young Taoist priest to inform Master Taizhen that I am a person who has returned from the northern frontier and wishes to meet him."
After these words were spoken, there was no further movement from inside the room.
A moment later, the gate slowly opened, but it wasn't the young Taoist boy who appeared.
But...
"Yu Huan!"
Upon seeing the person he had been longing for, Li Mao could no longer contain his excitement and stepped forward to grasp the hands of the person who opened the door.
After a long absence, Yang Yuhuan had become noticeably thinner and lighter.
Although she was not as plump and attractive as before, she appeared even more pitiful and endearing.
Yang Yuhuan looked up, her face already streaked with tears: "Your Highness, you have suffered so much on the frontier!"
The Li Mao of today is no longer the dashing, debonair figure he once was in Chang'an, fanning himself with a folding fan. His stubble has grown thicker, and his cloak and hood are stained with blood and riddled with holes.
He had also become much stronger, and when he held Yang Yuhuan tightly in his arms, she could feel the muscles in his arms taut.
He and she have both changed, yet they haven't changed at all.
When two people look at each other, the affection in their eyes cannot be hidden.
At this moment, seeing the living Yang Yuhuan, Li Mao felt extremely fortunate.
Fortunately, I managed to negotiate with Li Longji and save Yang Guifei. Otherwise, she would have been taken away from the palace by Li Longji during the fall of Chang'an, falsely accused of being a "femme fatale" by the officials, and killed, her life cut short, leaving behind an endless regret!
That damned Li Longji! He couldn't even protect his country, let alone his own woman. What kind of man is he?
Yang Yuhuan suddenly reached out and wiped away a tear from Li Mao's cheek.
She said softly, "Why are you crying? I'm perfectly fine."
“Yes,” Li Mao nodded emphatically, “I’m fine.”
With him around, he'll make sure she's alright.
But now is not the time for sentimental love.
After a brief moment of tenderness with Yang Yuhuan, Li Mao rose and said, "The soldiers are waiting for me to return, so I cannot stay here any longer. You stay put and do not make any rash moves, no matter what happens outside the Taoist temple."
Taoist temples are natural protective talismans; generally, no one comes to burn, kill, or rob them.
As long as Yang Yuhuan stayed close by, Shi Siming and An Lushan would not harbor any evil intentions towards her.
"During my time practicing at the Taoist temple, I often concerned myself with the war in the northern frontier. I know that in these chaotic times, Your Highness has repeatedly risked your life to protect the country." Before parting, Yang Yuhuan wiped away her tears and said, "Your Highness, I only hope for your triumphant return and for peace to prevail throughout the land. All this, my dance, 'Rainbow Skirt,' is only for Your Highness alone!"
Li Mao was deeply moved.
Yang Yuhuan was a delicate woman raised in seclusion, with no sense of national or familial responsibility; her heart and soul were devoted to him alone.
He will not let down the land of Tang Dynasty, nor will he let down this woman!
As he rode away in a cloud of dust, Li Mao's resolve grew even stronger.
After a full night's journey, when Li Mao returned to the camp, the soldiers had almost finished resting and were doing their morning training.
When Guo Ziyi saw Li Mao, he quickly said, "Your Highness must be exhausted. Please rest for a while."
"No need, I'm full of energy." Li Mao, brimming with enthusiasm, immediately joined the training march: "One, two, one, one, two, one!"
At this time, Guo Ziyi was still a naive young man who had never experienced love.
He looked at Li Mao, wondering to himself: Everyone else was so engrossed in their pleasures that they wouldn't look up, but why was His Highness the only one who, after emerging from those pleasures, seemed to have drunk chicken blood...
Two days later, the spy brought news from inside the palace.
It turns out that the imperial guards left behind in the palace were about to collapse.
Once Shi Siming leads his men into the Daming Palace, it means he intends to declare himself king!
This is something no one wants to see.
"The palace guard is named Li Wei, and he is ready to receive us," the spy said.
Having received confirmation, Li Mao gave the order.
The next morning, the attack began in front of Gwanghwamun Gate!