"My decree has been issued and cannot be changed. Whoever dares to slander Xuan Lie again will be punished for deceiving the emperor!
Retreat!"
Li Yuan flicked his dragon sleeve and turned to leave angrily.
The ministers were terrified and knelt down to see Li Yuan off.
" In order to protect King Reliance, the Son of Heaven publicly rebuked the King of Qin and the King of Jin for plotting against him. I'm afraid that this trust and favor will lead to a storm of victory…"
Li Jing looked at Li Yuan's back and sighed in his heart.
The ministers retired.
…
Fifteen minutes later, in the Prince Jin's Mansion.
Bang!
Li Jiancheng smashed the teacup and said angrily,""Imperial Father's mind was truly blinded by that Li Xuanlie. He wasn't afraid that he would raise an army to rebel, but instead scolded this king.”
Li Jiancheng gritted his teeth in anger.
" Since ancient times," Wang Gui said worriedly," there has been no official who has the power of King Reliance who does not covet the throne. Your Highness, we must not let him get the military and political power of the Dark Cloud States!”
Li Jiancheng pondered for a moment, but a hint of disdain flashed across the corner of his mouth.
"The core of the Sixteen Prefectures of Dark Cloud is in Youzhou. If Li Xuanlie wants to take the power of Youzhou, he can't do it with just a decree from my father. If I don't agree, how can Liu Wuzhou hand over the power to him?”
Immediately, Li Jiancheng issued a secret order to send someone to Youzhou. Liu Wuzhou was to be perfunctory. No matter what method was used, the military and political power must not be handed over to Li Xuanlie.
…
Youzhou City.
The news of King Reliance defeating the Turks had long since reached the city, and the soldiers and civilians were all excited.
In the state capital, the atmosphere was gloomy.
"I didn't expect this, I didn't expect this. I had eighty thousand soldiers and didn't dare to fight against the Turkic Goguryeon army, but King Reliance was able to defeat fifty thousand Turkic cavalry with just his Black Flag Army.”
Liu Wuzhou clicked his tongue and sighed. A trace of fear flowed between his brows.
"Big Brother, the Emperor has issued a decree to let King Reliance take over the military and political power of Youyun. The Crown Prince has also secretly ordered us not to hand over the power.”
The person who spoke was the Deputy General Manager Luo Yi.
The two of them were life-and-death friends and became brothers with different surnames. They were each other's left and right arms and had dominated Youzhou for many years.
" Hmph!" Liu Wuzhou snorted." We've been working hard in Youzhou for many years. Even without the secret order of Prince Jin, how could we hand over the power of Youzhou?"”
"Elder brother is right. Without Youzhou's military and political power, we will lose our value to the King of Jin. With our backgrounds, how can we still have a foothold in the Great Tang?”
Luo Yi nodded in agreement, a trace of cunning and coldness flashed between his brows.
He lowered his voice and said," King Reliance has only brought thirty thousand soldiers with him. As the saying goes, a strong dragon cannot suppress a local snake. Let's just hold on tight to our power and see what he can do."”
"Not only will I not hand over power, but I will also secretly use the Turks to get rid of this King Reliance!" Liu Wuzhou sneered.”
The two men sneered.
Right at this moment, the guard outside the hall entered and cupped his hands.""Chief, King Reliance has entered the city and set up camp. Send someone to enter the city with the king's order and summon Chief to the camp.”
Liu Wuzhou and Luo Yi looked at each other, their expressions flashing with a trace of surprise. Clearly, they did not expect Li Xuanlie to advance so quickly.
"Since he has arrived in Youzhou, he didn't enter the city but set up camp outside the city. He even invited Big Brother over.”
Luo Yi guessed suspiciously.
Liu Wuzhou snorted." What else can he do? He's just calling me over to give him a lecture. I still have to make a trip there and give him some face."”
Liu Wuzhou then asked Luo Yi to guard the city and brought a team of Youzhou officials with him to head out of the city to the Black Flag Army.
…
At night, in the Black Flag Army camp.
When Liu Wuzhou stepped into the tent, he felt that the atmosphere was not right.
The young King Reliance sat solemnly on the throne, his handsome face as cold as ice, his eyes burning with anger.
Yue Fei and the rest of the Black Flag Army held their weapons and stared at him coldly.
Liu Wuzhou shivered, and a bad feeling welled up in his heart.
He forced himself to gather his spirits and cupped his hands." I am Liu Wuzhou, the general manager of Youzhou. Greetings, Your Highness. I have prepared a welcome banquet in the prefecture's capital. I respectfully invite Your Highness into the city."”
Bang!
Li Xuanlie punched the table and shouted,"Men, arrest Liu Wuzhou!"”
After the order was given, the Black Flag Guards swarmed forward and pressed Liu Wuzhou to the ground.
This unexpected scene was completely out of Liu Wuzhou's expectations. He was so shocked that his expression changed.
By the time he reacted, he was already pinned to the ground and tied up.
The Youzhou officials were also stunned by Li Xuanlie's thunderous methods. Seeing their steward being tied up, no one dared to move.
"Your Highness, what crime have I committed? Why did you tie me up?”
Liu Wuzhou, who was lying on the ground, shouted in shock and anger.
"Liu Wuzhou, let me ask you. How many troops do you command in Youzhou?" Li Xuanlie asked sternly.”
Liu Wuzhou was stunned. He couldn't understand what Li Xuanlie meant.
He could only answer,"I have eighty thousand soldiers under my command. What does it matter?"”
Li Xuanlie slapped the table again, his face burning with anger.
"The Imperial Court's orders were for you to defend the cities of Youzhou. You had eighty thousand soldiers, but in order to preserve your strength, you didn't defend a single city, giving ten-some cities to the Turks for nothing.”
"It's fine that you abandoned the city, but you didn't even organize the evacuation of the people, abandoning them to the Turkic Gaogu and allowing them to be slaughtered. This is the second crime!”
"First, you can't protect the territory, and second, you can't protect the people. Do you still have the face to ask this king why I punished you?”
Li Xuanlie's indignant words listed Liu Wuzhou's crimes.
Liu Wuzhou was so shocked that he broke out in a cold sweat. He wanted to defend himself, but he felt guilty and did not know how to defend himself.
Li Xuanlie waved his hand and shouted," Liu Wuzhou lost his land. His crime cannot be forgiven. Men, drag him out and behead him on the spot!”
Liu Wuzhou was shocked and his face changed.
He had originally thought that Li Xuanlie had taken him down just to show him his might and beat him up so that he would listen.
Who would have thought that King Reliance would be so ruthless as to take his life?
Liu Wuzhou panicked and shouted," King Reliance, even if I'm guilty, I'm still a third-grade official of the imperial court. You should send me to Luoyang and let His Majesty deal with me. How can you sentence me to death? I refuse to accept this!"”
Li Xuanlie had expected him to argue like this and waved his hand."Come, bring out the imperial sword bestowed by Imperial Father!”
After the order was given, the guard handed over the golden sword with both hands.
Li Xuanlie held the sword in his hand and said sternly,"This is the imperial sword that Imperial Father bestowed upon this king. For officials below Rank Two, this king has the right to kill first before reporting. How can I not kill you?”
Liu Wuzhou sat paralyzed on the ground. He was so stunned that he did not know what to do.
"What are you waiting for? Drag this thing that betrayed the people of the imperial court out and execute it!”
Li Xuanlie unsheathed his imperial sword and shouted.
The Black Flag Guards rushed forward and dragged Liu Wuzhou out.
"Li Xuanlie, I am Prince Jin's man. If you dare to kill me on your own accord, you are not giving Prince Jin face. Prince Jin will not let this matter rest ~~"
Liu Wuzhou woke up from his daze and shouted hysterically.
The scream stopped abruptly.
Then, a bloody head was sent into the tent.
Li Xuanlie sheathed his sword and shouted," Break camp! Follow me into Youzhou City immediately and take over the military and political power. Then, hang Liu Wuzhou's head at the city gate for everyone to see!"”
The 30,000 Black Flag Army marched toward Youzhou City overnight.
This book comes from：m.funovel.com。