Chapter 43: The Xuanwu Gate Incident, Restarted!

Just as Li Shimin was overawing the princes in the Taiji Hall, Qin Qiong was leading his subordinates toward the North Gate to relieve General of the Right Martial Guard, Liu Deyu.

At this moment, Liu Deyu, who had been fully prepared, greeted them with a beaming smile: "I wonder what brings General Qin here with your men?"

"Nothing much."

Qin Qiong replied expressionlessly, then cut straight to the point: "You are not on duty today!"

"Oh?"

Liu Deyu raised an eyebrow, a mocking smile playing on his lips: "And why is that?"

"No reason, this is the Emperor's arrangement!"

"Is there an imperial edict from His Majesty?"

"This is a verbal decree from His Majesty. If you have any questions, go ask His Majesty yourself!"

Qin Qiong said impatiently, waving for his men to take over from Liu Deyu.

Liu Deyu’s expression sank instantly, and he said coldly: "Doesn't General Qin's behavior violate protocol somewhat?"

"Protocol? What protocol? This is an order from His Majesty!"

Qin Qiong narrowed his eyes, a murderous aura radiating from him.

In fact, before coming here, he had received a confidential report from Du Ruhui stating that Liu Deyu had been in contact with Li Xiaochang, the Prince of Yi'an.

In other words, now that Li Xiaochang had raised troops in rebellion, this Liu Deyu was most likely deeply implicated.

However, Liu Deyu noncommittally replied: "The North Gate is a vital portal of the imperial city. Without His Majesty's written edict or tally, please forgive this general for not obeying your so-called imperial command!"

"Audacious!"

Qin Qiong flew into a rage and made a move to intervene.

Suddenly, a massive crowd of soldiers surged from near the palace gates, surrounding him and his men tightly.

"Liu Deyu!"

Seeing this, Qin Qiong roared: "How dare you commit treason?!"

"Hey, hey, hey, words cannot be spoken carelessly. This general is merely performing his duty; it was General Qin who falsely claimed an imperial decree first!" Liu Deyu waved his hands hastily.

Qin Qiong smiled coldly: "You say I'm falsely claiming the Emperor's decree? Then do you dare to face His Majesty with me?"

"Why wouldn't I?"

Liu Deyu smiled faintly, then changed the subject: "However, we must wait until I am off duty! Otherwise, if General Qin accuses me of abandoning my post, I will have no way to clear my name!"

"Hahaha!"

Qin Qiong was so angry he laughed: "Very well! You are firmly set on colluding with Li Xiaochang, aren't you? Then today, let's settle this with real combat!"

With that, he immediately ordered his subordinates: "Brothers, the General of the Right Martial Guard has colluded with Li Xiaochang, the Prince of Yi'an, in rebellion. Follow me and take him down!"

"Swish, swish, swish!"

Just as the words left Qin Qiong's mouth, countless arrows rained down from the top of the city gate, instantly shooting down Qin Qiong's advancing men from their horses.

"General Qin! I show you respect by calling you General Qin, yet you repeatedly slander me! Do you really take me for a man without a temper?"

With that, Liu Deyu waved his hand grandly.

Boom!

A deafening explosion instantly shook the city gate.

It startled Qin Qiong's mount into frantic whinneys, while some of his remaining soldiers were so terrified they tumbled from their horses.

Even Liu Deyu's own soldiers felt their legs turn to jelly from fright.

What on earth was going on?

Why did it suddenly thunder?

Could this be a punishment descending from the gods?

Before Qin Qiong and the others could react, Liu Deyu drew his sword and shouted loudly: "Hear my command, all of you! Qin Qiong has colluded with rebel forces and harbors malicious intentions, provoking the wrath of both heaven and man. We must never let them succeed! Take them down!"

Hearing this, Qin Qiong, who had been momentarily stunned, snapped back to reality and hurriedly rallied his men to fight back.

However, his subordinates seemed to have had their courage shattered by the earlier explosion, their combat effectiveness plummeting drastically. Furious beyond measure, Qin Qiong broke through the encirclement single-handedly, ignoring his men.

Seeing this, Liu Deyu decisively ordered: "Stop him—!"

Meanwhile, the exact same scenario was playing out at the Xuanwu Gate.

"General Chang, I have made myself quite clear. The Xuanwu Gate is a critical portal of the imperial city. Unless His Majesty arrives in person, I will not rotate duty with you!"

Yuan Hongshan said with a mocking smile: "Besides, how inappropriate is it for a great general like yourself to be on duty at the Xuanwu Gate? Don't you agree?"

"Humph!"

Chang Han let out a cold snort and said heavily: "Have you forgotten? I was once a guard originating from the Xuanwu Gate!"

"Oh, if you hadn't mentioned it, I almost forgot. Back then, you were the trusted subordinate of the former Crown Prince!"

Yuan Hongshan feigned a sudden realization, then said playfully: "What? Did His Majesty forget your merits in assisting the founding of the dynasty and exile you to guard the city gates again?"

Hearing this, Chang Han's expression turned utterly unsightly.

He had fought in battles alongside Li Shimin and had also campaigned with the former Crown Prince, Li Jiancheng. However, in the seventh year of Wude, he was secretly recruited into Li Shimin's faction and placed in the vital position of the Xuanwu Gate.

Li Jiancheng had remained completely oblivious to this.

It could be said that a large portion of the credit for the success of Li Shimin's Xuanwu Gate Incident belonged to Chang Han.

After all, if not for Chang Han, Li Shimin's several hundred men could never have ambushed the Xuanwu Gate in advance.

Therefore, Yuan Hongshan's words carried quite a punch.

Although Chang Han had not been demoted back to the Xuanwu Gate by Li Shimin, hearing it in the ears of the surrounding soldiers filled them with undisguised contempt.

"Scoundrel!"

Before Chang Han could speak, his deputy officer stepped forward to rebuke Yuan Hongshan: "How dare you act so insolently before the Great General?!"

"Noisy!"

Yuan Hongshan's expression darkened.

Swish!

A crossbow bolt shot straight toward the deputy officer.

"Careful!"

Chang Han's expression changed. Too fast to blink, he drew his sword to deflect the crossbow bolt and reprimanded Yuan Hongshan: "Yuan Hongshan! What are you trying to do?!"

"What am I doing?"

Yuan Hongshan sneered, dispensing with further talk as he ordered: "Kill them!"

Swish, swish, swish!

A group of soldiers hiding in the shadows swarmed forward, launching a direct assault on Chang Han's faction.

In an instant, the entire Xuanwu Gate descended into utter chaos.

Meanwhile, Li Chengqian and Cen Wenben, who had just been passing by the Xuanwu Gate in a carriage, were struck dumb with astonishment, completely at a loss.

"Your Highness, this..."

"Uh, minor scene, minor scene, let's change to another gate!"

With that, Li Chengqian decisively told Laifu to turn the carriage around and head toward the nearby Fanglin Gate.

"But this looks suspiciously like a rebellion!"

Even though the carriage had successfully left the Xuanwu Gate, Cen Wenben still asked Li Chengqian with lingering fear: "Are we really just going to ignore this?"

"How can we intervene? We have neither troops nor authority, what are we supposed to intervene with?" Li Chengqian said with amusement.

"Even without troops or authority, we should report this to His Majesty in time! What if..."

Suddenly recalling something, Cen Wenben stared at Li Chengqian in blank astonishment: "Could this matter possibly have something to do with Your Highness?!"

"Nonsense! Haven't you been with me the whole time? Did you forget?"

"Ah?"

Cen Wenben was completely bewildered.

What was the meaning of this? Had he boarded a pirate ship?!

"Boom!"

An explosion suddenly rang out from behind.

Immediately afterward, the sounds of battle abruptly ceased.

Cen Wenben felt his scalp tingle.

So returning to the palace to become the Crown Prince meant this!

The Xuanwu Gate Incident was happening all over again!