Green Dragon Totem

"What is this for?" The emperor beat the bed hard, pointing at Empress Wu with trembling fingers, "I see that you are the one who attempted to usurp power! I, Li Tang, will be destroyed by your hands!"

Empress Wu took a deep breath, knowing that the situation was over.

She didn't look at the emperor, or even at the other people in the hall, and suddenly raised her hand and pushed the blade away with the armor. The force was so great that half of the golden armor was cut off, and it fell to the ground with a clang.

"My own son," Empress Wu said coldly, "he wants to take my life and fight me head-on!"

The emperor was stunned and said, "What did you say?"

Shan Chao suddenly closed his eyes.

He knew that before he uttered these words, he still had the possibility of leaving everything behind and going back to Mobei, but after these words landed, everything changed.Everything is in line with what Xie Yun said back then, if he does not climb to the top of the Daming Palace, he will be swallowed up by the intricate gears in the power struggle.

He slowly retracted Long Yuan, and returned the sword to its sheath.

"The most important reason why your majesty reused Shanchao back then was that he had no father or mother, was innocent, and had nothing to do with most of the forces in the capital." Empress Wu showed a slightly sarcastic smile, and said: "However, your majesty doesn't know ...The man in front of you who entered the capital with a heavy army in his hands is actually the son of me and the late emperor."

She glanced at Shan Chao with a smile amidst the sound of gasping around, and raised her chin.

"On the day this child was born, Emperor Xian, who had already begun to recover, became critically ill. The Qin Tianjian Yuan Tiangang calculated that his life would be very harmful to the Lord, and Emperor Xian was not happy about it, so Song Chong, the deputy commander of Beiya at that time, abandoned him far away from Mobei. Afterwards, Song Chong was also silenced by the secret door."

"During the time I was sent to Ganye Temple, because I still had illusions about His Majesty in my heart, I didn't dare to reveal the existence of this son to the world. Afterwards, I returned to the palace and became a queen. It happened that Xie Yun was exiled to Mobei. So he asked him to look for clues from the records of the Beiya documents and go to visit and take care of this child..."

The emperor's complexion turned blue and purple, and he couldn't say a word at all, while several prime ministers who were usually scheming and resourceful were completely stunned at this moment, Zhang Wenguan's expression was like being struck by lightning, and he trembled after a while: "Thank you... Commander, is this true?"

Xie Yun's answer was flat but powerful: "General Shan is indeed the son of the Empress Dowager, and I have written letters with the Empress Dowager for many years to testify."

"...how many letters?"

"Nearly a hundred."

Zhang Wenguan couldn't say a word.

"How...how is this possible?"

Tianhou ignored the emperor's hoarse murmur, and asked with a sneer, "Now that the Holy Majesty knows Shan Chao's life experience, and still trusts him so much, do you still want him to assist the government?"

The emperor shook his head to himself: "It's nonsense, it's nonsense... What a big event it is for a concubine to give birth, how can it be possible to keep silent?"

This question is indeed on point, but the Queen of Heaven has no fear: "Because when this son was conceived, the Emperor Taizong's concubine of Chu State passed away, and it was the concubine who was very filial; in addition, the emperor was seriously ill, and the imperial doctor strictly forbids favoring the harem." , Under the influence of various factors, it was not announced to others. And your Majesty was ordered to conquer Liaodong, how could he hear the movement of the former empress palace?"

The emperor choked up, only to hear Tianhou say loudly again: "After Song Chong sent this son to Mobei, he was silenced by the secret killer sent by the former emperor. If your majesty doesn't believe it, you can ask the head of Yin for proof... Ah, Luoyang City The break was also caused by Yin Kaiyang's assistance, and the secret door must have been on General Shan's side."

——The secret door has always been loyal to only one person in power. Tianhou's words are like another heavy weight on the emperor's suspicious heart, and the emperor's declining face immediately sank even further.

Shan Chao only stood with his sword in his hand and remained silent.

"Shao Yi, the former commander of the Beiya Imperial Army, has already retired." Empress Wu said again: "He was Song Chong's direct superior back then, and there were rumors about this matter. Your Majesty can ask him to testify, how about it?"

The emperor and the prime ministers looked at each other.

It's a pity that Pei Yan is dead, Liu Rengui has defected to the Wu family, and Dai Zhide is still in prison; among the remaining prime ministers, only Zhang Wenguan can make up his mind, so he staggered out to find soldiers, and said repeatedly: "Mr. His Majesty!"

In a corner where no one noticed, Xie Yun turned his head slightly and silently mouthed to Wu Ting who was guarding the gate of the hall.

--kill.

Wu Ting was stunned, then nodded and stepped back.

At this moment, the turmoil in Chang'an City was still unabated, and the city was full of beacon smoke. The soldiers were looking for horses and reporting the news. After a full meal, they hurried back. Report back to the Holy Majesty, Mr. Shao... he hanged himself!"

The Zichen Palace was as quiet as death, except for the emperor's hoarse panting like a bellows.

Shan Chao raised his eyes to look at Xie Yun, but met Xie Yun's calm and deep gaze.The two looked at each other for a moment, and Shan Chao sighed almost inaudibly.

He remembered that many years ago, on the way back to the capital from Mobei thousands of miles away, before entering the gate of Chang'an, Xie Yun was still a boy in his arms and spent the night outside the city; Pale, Xie Yun sighed softly across his ears, he couldn't feel the slightest bit of body temperature.

"If only you were the son of today," he said.

——If you are the son of the current emperor, all chaos, parting, turmoil and killings will never happen from the beginning.

Shan Chao knew that he was a person who could not tolerate restraint, especially when he was a teenager.But that was the first time in his life that he felt a trace of unwillingness and shame from the bottom of his heart: If he was born two years later, or even if he was just the son of an ordinary wealthy family, wouldn't Xie Yun have to work so hard to protect him from growing up? , Is it possible to give this person a more stable and prosperous life long ago?

Shan Chao raised his head and took a breath, then said gently, "Your Majesty, I have something to say."

The emperor looked over suddenly, his eyes full of cold scrutiny—but no matter from any angle, Shan Chao looked more and more like the prince Li Hong who was poisoned not long ago.

"I was abandoned since I was a child and grew up in Mobei. Later, when I met Commander Xie, I did hear that my biological mother was the queen of the dynasty." Shan Chao paused and said, "But at that time I heard that my biological father was not The late emperor, but...you."

The emperor's first reaction was absurd, but before he could refute it, he choked with a bluish complexion.

"Nonsense!" A prime minister yelled: "How can you allow you to slander and accuse my lord of the crime of gathering together?! Don't retreat quickly... shut up!"

Shan Chao asked flatly, "If it wasn't for this, why did you send me to Mobei?"

The prime minister was speechless, turned his head subconsciously, and saw the emperor's face turned red and white, completely speechless.

"Xie Yun, did you teach him?" The Empress asked sarcastically, "You taught him that his biological father is His Majesty?"

Xie Yun's posture was very submissive, he bowed his body and said: "I dare not speculate about the royal blood, that's what you said back then."

The Empress scolded angrily: "Nonsense! Why did I ever say that?! If it was born today, why did the late emperor let the present ascend the throne, and didn't strangle this son to death in his infancy?"

"The late emperor's ministers dare not speculate. But if it was really born by the late emperor, how could he discard the royal blood thousands of miles away because of Qin Tianjian's one-sided words? How is this different from murder?"

"you!"

The situation in the palace was in chaos. The emperor was trembling all over and could not speak. The prime minister was shocked and frightened and dared not speak. Sporadic shouts of fighting and firefighting came from outside from time to time. Thick gunpowder smoke and blood passed through the crack of the door and continuously infiltrated the noses of everyone.

"Report!" The palace servant climbed forward, "Your Majesty! The rebellious army has been strangled to death. The British Duke led his troops to rescue him, and he has already guarded the Zichen Palace!"

"Your Majesty!" Zhang Wenguan seemed to be the savior: "Your Majesty, can you pass the audience to the British public?"

——The timing is simply too subtle.

The emperor himself knew that his life was not long, so he had to seize the time to appoint a prince.However, the king of Zhou was too weak to be a great weapon. He only dared to cry when he watched his wife starve to death while the queen was alive.

More importantly, the Empress Dowager has a strong influence in the court, and it is by no means that the new monarch can be removed overnight.Looking at the whole court, only Shan Chao, the force leading the army, is enough to fight against the remaining party of the Queen of Heaven.

However, now Shan Chao might be the son of the first emperor, or even his own son—then all the advantages of this person have instantly become the deadliest hidden danger.

His devotion to the country has turned into a plot of forbearance, and his ability to conquer and fight has turned into great difficulty.What's even more frightening is that this person has just teamed up with the Duke of England to capture the city of Chang'an. It's the time when the momentum is like a rainbow. If he wants to make a change, the throne will be overthrown in an instant!

Zhang Wenguan said again: "Your Majesty?"

"……not see."

Zhang Wenguan was taken aback.

The emperor moved, but his gloomy expression was forcibly covered up, and then turned to Shan Chaoshi, who managed to regain his peace: "The bloodline of the royal family is of great importance. I can't make a conclusion right away. From tomorrow onwards, I will investigate and visit carefully... we can only I have wronged Aiqing for a while."

Shan Chao was very polite: "Your Majesty's words are very true. I only wish to be loyal to myself, and I have nothing else to ask for."

——Since a long time ago, the emperor had vaguely felt that he and the prince looked alike. I wondered if it was a psychological effect. Now the more he looked at it, the more he felt that he was not only the same as the prince, but also King Yong and King Zhou.Moreover, the bridge of the nose, the lines of the lips, and even the shape of the face when he lowered his head somehow reminded the emperor of his youth...

Is it possible that he is really his son?

The emperor subconsciously dispelled this thought, but the seeds of doubt took root in his heart. After a long while, he pulled the corners of his mouth, as if a little self-deprecating: "My current body seems to be dying soon... Dear dear friends, wait for me to say over."

"General Shan and the Duke of England set up troops to serve the king. Their meritorious deeds belong to the country. They should be announced to the world to reward them for their merits. However, today I really can't support it. I will first inform the civil and military officials, and then imprison the Queen of Heaven in Qingning Palace and send someone Guard day and night, no private news..."

The emperor coughed violently in his chest, and it took him a long time to wave back the prime minister with difficulty, his mind was already clouded: "Tomorrow, I will go to the Hanyuan Hall for the Great Court Meeting to discuss...to discuss important matters."

What are you discussing?

Order to set up the prince, investigate the empress Wu, and reward for meritorious deeds?

——Then Shan Chao, the king with a different surname, should he be sealed? If not, would he be given a glass of poisoned wine in front of the world? !

All life and death will be delayed until tomorrow, and the faces of the several prime ministers are extremely exciting, only Shan Chao replied firmly: "I obey the order." Then he turned and retreated.

The moment he passed by, he glanced at Xie Yun, and the eyes of the two were entangled, as if exchanging thousands of words.Xie Yun lowered his thick eyelashes, and Shan Chao stared at him again, before he strode out of the Zichen Palace with Longyuan and Shangfang swords on his shoulders, blood jade tiger charms on his wrists, and bloody steel armor.