" Father, you're finally here. Your son thought that I would never see you again…Sob…"
When Li Ke finished setting up the defense and rushed back to the Marshal's Mansion, he saw the much thinner Li Tai hugging the Emperor, crying with snot and tears.
He watched as Li Tai kept wiping his tears and snot on the Emperor's clothes, and the corners of his mouth twitched a few times.
Little fatty was deliberately humiliating the emperor, right?
" Alright, I'm very pleased that you're able to stand with the soldiers on the frontline to defend the city. You've grown up, grown up, I'm very happy…"
"This is what your son should do. Father, Imperial Brother doesn't care about our blood ties. He even wants to kill your son with a knife…"
"Imperial Father, look at my chest. I'm heavily injured, but Imperial Brother still asked me to guard the front line…"
"How can a prince of the Great Tang not have scars on his body? Scars are the best proof of your merits.”
"Father, your son has suffered these days…"
Li Shi Min kept comforting Li Tai with a smile on his face, patting Li Tai's shoulder from time to time.
Li Tai, on the other hand, kept crying about the grievances he had suffered. At the same time, he kept wiping his tears and snot. He pitifully wiped his snot and tears onto the Emperor's sleeve.
The officials at the side watched from afar, secretly holding back their laughter and rolling their eyes.
"Father…"
"Green Sparrow, is that enough?" Just as Li Tai was about to pour out his grievances, Li Shi Min finally couldn't take it anymore and said in a deep voice.
Li Tai could hear the change in the Emperor's tone. He quickly raised his head and looked at Li Shi Min with tears in his eyes.
Li Shi Min felt both angry and amused.
However, after understanding what Li Tai had done these days, he was less angry about Li Tai's previous disgraceful behavior.
"Ke 'er, if you don't get over here yourself, do you want me to invite you?”Li Shiming waved at Li Ke, who was watching the show.
Li Ke curled his lips and dragged his two legs that looked like lead. His armor rattled as he walked towards Li Shimin,"Greetings, Imperial Father."
Li Shi Min looked at Li Ke's right hand and frowned.
Blood stained his right hand.
The white cloth on his arm was already soaked in blood.
His sloppy face was filled with fatigue and weakness.
"Are your injuries serious?" As he asked, Li Shi Min reached out and patted Li Ke's shoulder.
Li Ke's body was clearly shaking.
"Compared to my comrades who died in battle, your son is still alive.”Li Ke grinned.
Li Shi Min felt his nose turn sour and he couldn't control it.
He raised his head slightly and controlled the urge to cry.
"If you have any requests, Imperial Father will agree to them.”Li Shi Min looked at Li Ke again and said solemnly.
Everyone's expression changed drastically when they heard that.
The Emperor's promise was a little too generous.
It was clear that he was hinting to Li Ke that even if Li Ke made a request to be the Crown Prince, the Emperor would probably agree.
Everyone looked at Li Ke.
Li Ke slowly knelt on one knee.
Everyone's expression became solemn. The more solemn Li Ke was, the more they felt that Li Ke was going to challenge the position of Crown Prince!
"Almost all of the brothers guarding Tumen Pass died in battle. Including Helian Tribe, a total of more than forty thousand people died.”
"We only managed to defend Tumen Pass for the Imperial Court after almost eighty percent of our soldiers died. Your son hopes that the Imperial Court will double the compensation and rewards for our brothers who died or survived.”
"They are worthy of the country, and the Imperial Court is worthy of them!”
Then, Li Ke kowtowed solemnly.
As a prince, this was the general that his brothers trusted.
The only thing he could fight for for his brothers.
He didn't want his brothers and comrades to shed tears and die on the battlefield. He didn't want their parents and wives to shed tears because of the hardship of their lives after their families lost their sails.
Li Shi Min looked at his son who was kneeling on the ground and fell silent.
This son of his had never bowed to him so solemnly in the past.
He was willing to do so this time.
She hoped to get a promise from him.
The Emperor promised!
"Father promises you!" Li Shi Min said solemnly,"Those who die in this battle will be rewarded double!”
"Thank you, Imperial Father!"
After Li Ke thanked him loudly, he struggled to get up and said,"Father, your son has no other requests. I will leave the rest to the generals. We brothers want to have a good sleep.”
"Agreed!"
After Li Shiming gave the order, Li Ke brought Qin Huaiyu and the others to visit the injured brothers, then found a room to sleep.
Li Shimin stood outside the window and looked at Li Ke and his brothers sleeping on the ground with their quilts.
Snoring and heavy breathing came from inside.
"Your Majesty, I've already made it clear. His Highness Ke hasn't had a good rest for almost seven days, and even if he had, he hadn't rested for more than two hours.”Wang De jogged to Li Shimin's side and reported in a low voice.
"Yes." Li Shi Min nodded and turned to the generals behind him,"Let's be quiet and go to the hall of the marshal's residence.”
……
Two days later, Li Ke and his brothers woke up one after another.
After they woke up, they first went to visit Niu Lu and the others. After learning that the few brothers with the most serious injuries had also begun to recover, everyone was relieved.
"Your Highness Ke, His Majesty wants you to go to the city pass.”At this moment, Wang De jogged over.
Li Ke was puzzled and led his brothers to follow Wang De to the city wall.
Only then did he realize that Li Chengqian and Li Tai were by his side, and the civil and military officials had all arrived.
What puzzled him even more was that the brothers of the left and right guards were all standing outside the city.
However, there were only about 4,000 people who could stand, even if they were to take into account the minor injuries.
Li Shimin looked at Li Ke. Unlike Li Tai and Li Chengqian, when Li Ke fell asleep, these two sons surrounded him and talked about their merits.
As for Li Ke, other than asking for generous rewards for his brothers and comrades who died in battle, his heart was relaxed and his body was fat. He fell asleep and could not get up.
"How was your rest?" Li Shi Min asked with a smile.
"I slept very soundly. If it wasn't for Imperial Father summoning us, we would have gone back to sleep after seeing Niu Lu and the others.”Li Ke replied casually.
Li Chengqian looked at Li Ke with jealousy.
Li Tai was no exception.
However, compared to Li Chengqian, Li Tai had experienced more this time and was more familiar with the other side of Li Ke. He had also become more mature.
"Tuyuhun has already been pacified. Songzan of the Tubo has withdrawn his troops and sent Fu Yun's head over today. He said that the Tubo had been deceived by Fu Yun and thus started a war with the Imperial Court.”
Li Ke nodded.
"Don't you want revenge?" Li Shi Min asked in surprise.”
"War is not a personal grudge, not to mention that Songzan lost. Moreover, if your son wants revenge, will the court change its original strategy and use troops on the plateau?”
Li Shi Min was speechless.
"I won't." " I've already sent troops to sweep and take over all the places in Tuyuhun," he snapped." The war is about to end. After hearing this imperial edict, you can sleep if you want to."”
"Soldiers, listen up!"
Li Shi Min suddenly turned around and faced the guards outside the city, raising the Dragon Spring Sword in his hand.
Crash!
The neat formation instantly knelt down on one knee.
"From today onwards, you will be separated from the left and right martial guards…"
Everyone looked at Li Shiming in confusion. Such an elite force that had survived hundreds of battles was kicked out of the left and right guards. Was the emperor's brain kicked by a donkey?
"I hereby order you to form the Iron-masked Black Cavalry, the King of Wu's personal guard! You are not under the Ministry of War. You are exempted from my orders and only obey the orders of Li Ke, King of Wu!”
"Understood!"
"Understood!"
……
The soldiers did not think too much. Li Ke had already won the hearts of all the left and right guards. At this moment, when the 4,000 soldiers heard that they would become Li Ke's personal guards in the future and would only be dispatched by Li Ke, they were all excited and shouted in unison.
Everyone on the city wall was dumbfounded.
This included Li Ke.
"Ke 'er, my father heard that your sword was broken, so I'll give you this Emperor's Sword, Dragon Spring. From now on, wherever you go, the Black Knights will follow. The Black Knights are all iron-clad except for the odd jobs. You can keep the name list for yourself.”
Li Shi Min turned around and handed the Dragon Spring to Li Ke.
Only then did Li Ke realize.
He quickly took a step back, bowed, and waved his hand."Imperial Father, your son does not dare to accept it."
Damn it.
More than four thousand elite Black Cavalry, and he even gave him the Emperor's Sword?
Wasn't he being roasted over a fire?
" Someone told Father that the left and right elite guards who survived the war have become your private soldiers. They suggested that Father split this rare elite into different armies…"
"Imperial Father, that bastard said it!”
Li Ke's eyes turned red.
He stared at the civil and military officials behind Li Shiming.
"That bastard said it! If he had the guts to say it, did he not have the guts to admit it? Is he a son of a bitch?!"
Li Ke completely exploded, completely disregarding his status as a prince and cursing.
He was furious.
If these brothers were suspected of being Li Ke's private soldiers, their lives would be over.
Not only would he not be promoted, but he would also be promoted.
In the future, if they were separated into different armies, they would definitely be deliberately sent to the most dangerous battlefield and die on the battlefield!
To be able to live and retire with a disability would be the best choice for this group of brothers.
He couldn't accept such a vicious scheme from these bastards!
This was scheming against his brother who had risked his life for him!
How many brothers had died?
The people who had survived with great difficulty would not have a good ending because of this bastard who had slandered them behind their backs.
Qin Huaiyu and the others also looked on angrily.
"Alright, don't care who said it. There are also people who want father to be careful of the Black Tortoise Sect incident happening again.”
Li Shi Min brought up the matter of Black Tortoise Sect in front of so many people, and everyone's expression changed.
"However, Imperial Father still doesn't believe it, so he handed this elite troop to you. Imperial Father is waiting to see if the Black Tortoise Sect incident will happen again. If you don't dare to accept it, this group of brothers who have lived and died with you will be scattered and distributed.”
Crash!
As soon as he finished speaking, Li Shi Min took a step forward and handed the Dragon Spring in his hand forward again.
Li Chengqian anxiously winked at Zhangsun Wuji, hoping that Zhangsun Wuji could stop this matter. These were 4,000 elites and the Dragon Spring Emperor Sword!
Li Tai also looked anxiously at the civil and military officials around him, hoping that these people would stand up and object.
However, at this moment, the civil officials wore a solemn expression and only watched from the sidelines, while the generals nodded, as if they agreed with this matter.
Li Ke also calmed down.
He didn't answer.
The fate of the brothers outside the city could be foreseen.
He accepted it!
He, Li Ke, was the person who could cause another incident at the Black Tortoise Sect.
Don't look at how generous the emperor is now.
That was when the Emperor was young and strong, and felt that he could control everything.
Once he grew old and weak, when he felt that everything was about to disappear, would he still be able to tolerate him controlling such an elite force?
F * ck!
Li Ke cursed in his heart, but he stepped forward and took the dragon spring.
"What's there to be afraid of? You bastard! Father, if you are not afraid, then what is there to be afraid of?”
Li Ke turned around.
Clang!
In front of Li Shimin, he pulled out the Dragon Spring and raised the Emperor's Sword high. He shouted,"Black Knights, listen up!"
Crash!
The four thousand brothers stood up at the same time.
"The first order is to disperse. Rest and chat!”
Everyone's eyes almost popped out. They thought that Li Ke was going to say something seriously, but in the end, he actually dismissed the soldiers.
Li Ke turned his head and looked at everyone's internal injuries. He asked,"Father, is there any problem?"
* Cough cough *
Li Shi Min coughed a few times to ease the inexplicable grievance in his heart." It's okay. This elite troop will belong to you in the future. You can do whatever you want. When you return to Chang 'an, they will accompany you to prepare a war horse.”
"Imperial Father, your son has a request.”
"Speak!" Li Shi Min was very curious about Li Ke's sudden request.
"Many brothers died in battle this time," Li Ke solemnly said,"Your son wants to personally send their ashes to their families as much as possible."”
"Imperial Father, this son also made a mistake in this battle. This son has let down many soldiers who died in battle, and this son is also willing to do this.”Li Chengqian hurriedly stood up and requested for instructions.
"Father, and your son."
"You should indeed go!" Li Ke turned his head and looked coldly at Li Chengqian. He then cupped his hands and said to Li Shiming,"Since the Crown Prince has requested, your son will not fight with the Crown Prince.”
Li Ke suddenly giving up made Li Chengqian and Li Tai dumbfounded.
Everyone understood that Li Ke was digging a hole!
"Agreed!"
Li Shi Min's confirmation made Li Chengqian and Li Tai clench their teeth in anger.
"Your son obeys…"
Li Shi Min looked at the two of them and shook his head…
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