51: The Shushan Sword Immortal unsheaths his sword! Heading straight for Chang'an!

Chang'an City, Duke of Liang's Estate.

Fang Xuanling had returned to his residence.

Inside Fang Xuanling's study, the atmosphere was equally heavy.

Sitting before him was Wei Zheng, the Grand Master of Remonstrance, known for his unyielding integrity.

However, he had been beaten out of the Crown Princes Residence with sticks, his reputation in tatters.

Fang Xuanling's expression remained grim.

"Xuan Cheng, what do you make of what happened at the Crown Princes Residence today?"

Wei Zheng sat upright like a pine, his Face as still as water, and slowly said, "The Crown Prince's wings are fully grown."

These simple five words caused Fang Xuanling's heart to sink.

"More than just fully grown," Fang Xuanling sneered, his voice filled with unconcealed resentment, "that female general in his residence, in front of me, crippled my man! That ruthlessness, that decisiveness, it's simply... unheard of! He's slapping my Face! And he's slapping the Face of us old Officials!"

Wei Zheng looked at him, his eyes like an ancient well, unmoving: "Whose Face do you think he's slapping besides yours?"

He slowly continued, "Qin Huaiyu, Cheng Chumo, Luo Tong... these descendants of generals now only follow the Crown Prince's lead. Have you ever considered how His Majesty ascended the throne back then?"

The Xuanwu Gate Incident!

These four words, like a bolt of lightning, flashed through Fang Xuanling's mind.

He instantly understood Wei Zheng's meaning, and a layer of cold sweat seeped from his back.

Wei Zheng's voice drifted over, faint and eerie, as if from the netherworld: "The current Crown Prince, compared to the Prince of Qin back then, possesses even greater military power and more ruthless methods. If one day, he also imitates the Xuanwu Gate story... at that time, who will be the meritorious Officials who enthrone the new monarch? Will it be you and I, or those like Qin Huaiyu?"

Fang Xuanling's lips moved, but no sound came out.

The answer was self-evident.

When the birds are gone, the bow is put away; when the rabbits are dead, the hounds are cooked.

Once Li Chengqian ascended the throne through a military coup, the best outcome for these former court Officials would be to be politely asked to leave the court and retire home.

The power in their hands, the connections they had cultivated throughout their lives, would all vanish.

"For the stability of this nation... to prevent the tragedy of the Xuanwu Gate from repeating..."

Wei Zheng's voice was still outwardly righteous, but deep in his eyes, there was selfishness.

Fang Xuanling took over, his voice having regained its usual composure, though with a hint of undetectable ruthlessness: "Xuan Cheng is right. The Crown Prince's achievements overshadow his lord, and his actions are without restraint. If this continues, he will surely become a disaster. It is detrimental to both the country and the family."

The two exchanged glances, seeing the same thing in each other's eyes—power.

No matter how many military exploits Li Chengqian achieved for the Great Tang, no matter how many common people the high-yield crops he brought back could feed, it no longer mattered.

He blocked their path.

Therefore, he must fall.

The Five Surnames and Seven Clans were all plotting against Crown Prince Li Chengqian.

In Longxi, within the Li Clan Ancestral Hall, incense smoke curled, solemn and reverent.

Li Taixu, dressed in intricate sacrificial robes, as the Sect Master of the Longxi Li Clan, had just completed the three kowtows and nine bows, paying respects to his ancestors.

He slowly rose, his aged but still sharp eyes sweeping over the densely packed spirit tablets, a hint of innate arrogance on his Face.

All Li Clans under heaven originated from Longxi.

Even the current Son of Heaven had to acknowledge their lineage as the main branch.

"Sect Master,"

"An urgent report from Chang'an, Crown Prince His Highness, he..."

Li Taixu took the hot towel handed to him by a maid, slowly wiped his hands, and asked without raising his head, "What has that little brat done now? Has His Majesty reprimanded him?"

In his opinion, Li Chengqian, relying on his status as Crown Prince, showed no Face to the Five Surnames and Seven Clans.

"No... no. Crown Prince His Highness led Three Thousand Iron Pagoda into the capital!"

"Clatter."

He abruptly turned his head, his eyes as sharp as an eagle's: "How audacious!"

Li Taixu's Face was grim.

Just then, an Official in court attire rushed in, it was the Grand Minister of the Imperial Treasury.

As soon as he entered the ancestral hall, he fell to his knees with a thud, his voice tearful: "Sect Master! You must uphold justice for us!"

"That Li Chengqian, he... he's not human! He's a devil! The Yang Clan of Jing Province, all nine generations, blood flowed like rivers! He didn't even spare infants in swaddling clothes! This is killing a chicken to scare the monkeys, he's killing a chicken to scare the monkeys, challenging the Five Surnames and Seven Clans!"

Li Taixu's pupils suddenly constricted, and a chilling killing intent emanated from him.

Yang Jianzhong was his planted man, an important chess piece laid out by the Five Surnames and Seven Clans and the Longxi Li Clan in Jing Province.

Li Chengqian's move not only pulled out a nail but also severely slapped their Face.

"Lawless! Absolutely lawless!"

"Who does he think he is? A Crown Prince, daring to slaughter the gentry like this! He's trying to dig up the Foundation of our Great Tang!"

The atmosphere in the ancestral hall was extremely oppressive.

"Sect Master, calm your anger."

A gentle and calm voice came from the doorway.

Everyone turned to look, only to see a middle-aged scholar, dressed in Confucian robes with a lean Face, slowly walking in.

His steps were unhurried, his demeanor composed, as if the tumultuous waves of the outside world had nothing to do with him.

The newcomer was Kong Sui, the strategist sent by the Qufu Kong Clan.

Kong Sui bowed to Li Taixu and said unhurriedly, "Sect Master, as the Analects say, 'A gentleman is inclusive but not partisan; a small man is partisan but not inclusive.' The Crown Prince's actions, demonstrating reckless bravery and acting tyrannically, have lost the demeanor of a gentleman and are inferior. If we fall into disarray ourselves, wouldn't that play right into his hands?"

"Mr. Kong! This is not the time to discuss scriptures and Dao! His blade is almost at our throats!"

Kong Sui smiled faintly, but there was no warmth in that smile: "Sect Master, swords can only kill people, but they cannot subdue them. The more the Crown Prince acts this way, the more it proves his guilt. He fears, he fears the court, he fears the law, he fears public opinion. That's why he resorts to the most barbaric methods to cover up his fear."

He walked to Li Taixu's side, his voice lowered but every word clear: "Heaven desires its demise, so it first makes it mad. He now overshadows his lord, holds immense military power, and acts erratically. This precisely gives us the best leverage."

Kong Sui's eyes were deep, like a dark pool: "A storm is brewing. We only need to sit calmly and wait for him to bring about his own destruction."

Indeed, when it came to killing, how could these aristocratic families, who played with power, compare to the rough military men?

But when it came to manipulating human hearts and playing with laws, Li Chengqian was still too green!

That night, within the Longxi Li Clan's residence, lights burned brightly.

The core Officials of the Qinghe Cui Clan, Wang Clan of Taiyuan, Fanyang Lu Clan, and other Five Surnames and Seven Clans in Chang'an, gathered with Kong Sui, Li Taixu, and others.

"We can't wait any longer!"

An elder from the Boling Cui Clan slammed the table, his Face full of indignation: "Tomorrow at the court assembly, I will be the first to impeach Crown Prince Li Chengqian for bringing troops into the capital without an imperial edict, which is tantamount to rebellion!"

"Exactly! And the slaughter of the Jing Province gentry! It was inhumane and against the will of heaven! He must give an explanation to all scholars under heaven!"

Another person echoed.

Kong Sui sat calmly, gently fanning himself with a feather fan. After the crowd's emotions had somewhat settled, he spoke: "Everyone, please calm down. Impeachment requires method. We cannot all rush forward, making it seem like we are forming a faction for selfish gain. Tomorrow, there must be order and level." [Note: ' level' (ceng ci) means 'layers' or 'levels', implying a structured approach.]

He paused, a glint in his eyes: "We should take 'propriety,' 'law,' and 'emotion' as our guiding principles. First, with 'propriety,' we discuss his unauthorized entry into the capital with troops, his disrespect for his sovereign father, and his failure to uphold the dignity of the Crown Prince. Then, with 'law,' we denounce his indiscriminate killing, treating national laws as nothing. Finally, we appeal to 'emotion,' lamenting the tragic state of Jing Province, stating that his actions have disheartened all Officials under heaven and shaken the Foundation of the nation!"

"With these three approaches combined, even if His Majesty intends to protect him, he will not be able to stop the murmuring of the people under heaven! At that time, with our Disciples and former subordinates all speaking out, it will surely form a crushing force!"

Li Taixu nodded repeatedly, the gloom on his Face swept away, replaced by the satisfaction of strategizing: "Good! We will follow Mr. Kong's plan! Tomorrow, let that little brat know who truly rules the Great Tang!"

..."Tomorrow's court assembly."

Wei Zheng slowly began, "This old man also has a memorial to present."

...Shu Mountain.

The foremost blessed land under heaven.

On the perpetually snow-capped peak, a lone figure stood, integrated with the heavens and earth, ancient and unchanging.

He wore a faded blue Daoist robe, letting the gale that could split rocks and pierce clouds whip his sleeves, yet his figure remained motionless, as stable as a mountain.

This person was none other than the Sect Master of Shu Mountain, Daoist Qingwei.

At this moment, his eyes, capable of seeing through all illusions in the world, were gazing intently towards the east.

There lay Chang'an.

The capital of human emperors, the vortex of power struggles.

The wind and snow grew fiercer, goose-feather snowflakes swirling down, blurring the boundaries between heaven and earth.

But Daoist Qingwei's gaze seemed to penetrate the heavy wind and snow, pierce through thousands of miles of mountains and rivers, directly reaching that majestic city on the verge of a storm.

His brow furrowed slightly.

A sudden premonition, an indescribable tremor, like a cold needle, pierced into his heart.

This was not a mundane premonition, but a cultivator's keenest insight into the Luck of heaven and earth.

He saw that above Chang'an City, the Ziwei Dragon Qi, which originally belonged to the Crown Prince of the Eastern Palace, was now entangled and eroded by countless dark Qi, some obvious, some hidden.

Those dark Qi came from the court, from the aristocratic families, and some... even from deep within the imperial palace.

They intertwined into an invisible, murderous net, slowly tightening.

"The mountain rain is coming, and the wind fills the tower..."

Daoist Qingwei let out an almost inaudible sigh.

He owed Li Chengqian not just a favor, but also the Luck of the Shu Mountain lineage.

"Come."

His voice was not loud, yet it clearly penetrated the howling wind and snow.

As soon as his voice fell, two ghostly figures appeared behind him, kneeling on one knee, their movements uniform and silent.

The one on the left, graceful and slender, dressed in white like snow, was Daoist Feng.

The one on the right, burly and with a Qi as solid as a mountain, was Daoist Hu.

"Sect Master."

The two spoke in unison, their voices suppressed by the wind and snow.

Daoist Qingwei did not turn around, his gaze still fixed in the direction of Chang'an, his tone as cold as the ten-thousand-year-old profound ice on the mountain peak: "In Chang'an City, someone intends to harm the Crown Prince."

Upon hearing this, both Daoist Feng and Daoist Hu trembled, their heads bowed even lower.

"A group of ignorant ants, attempting to shake the pillar of heaven."

Daoist Qingwei's voice, for the first time, carried a hint of unconcealed killing intent and worry, "This seat has divined the heavenly secrets; this time, the killing calamity is no small matter. Although the Crown Prince has experts by his side, he is ultimately outnumbered and cannot guard against the treachery of human hearts."

He paused, every word squeezed out through gritted teeth: "Daoist Feng, Daoist Hu."

"Your Disciple is here!"

"The two of you, immediately gather Three Thousand Shu Mountain Sword Immortals, descend the mountain, and rush to Chang'an!"

This command, like a clap of thunder on a clear day, made Daoist Feng and Daoist Hu suddenly look up, their eyes filled with shock.

Three Thousand Sword Immortals!

This was almost half of Shu Mountain's elite combat strength!

Since the establishment of the Shu Mountain Sect, this was only the second time such a large-scale descent of Disciples had occurred!

The first time was when Shu Mountain Sword Immortals descended the mountain to annihilate one hundred and fifty thousand Turks!

This time, it was to Chang'an!

"Sect Master, this..."

Daoist Hu, whose personality was more impetuous, couldn't help but speak.

"Silence!"

Daoist Qingwei suddenly turned around, his eyes like two sharp swords, instantly silencing Daoist Hu.

"You must remember, even if the sky falls, you must protect Crown Prince His Highness!"

"We obey the Sect Master's decree!"

Daoist Feng and Daoist Hu no longer hesitated, bowing deeply.

"Go."

Daoist Qingwei waved his sleeve and turned back around, his back view desolate and resolute.

"Yes!"

Daoist Feng and Daoist Hu rose, their figures flickered, and they transformed into two streaks of light, disappearing into the wind and snow.

A moment later, on the Shu Mountain training ground, the bell chimed three times, distant and solemn.

Three thousand Shu Mountain Disciples, each carrying a long sword and exuding a sharp Qi, emerged from their respective Immortal Caves and quickly assembled into a massive Sword Formation on the training ground.

They remained silent, yet their Sword Qi soared to the heavens, disturbing the swirling wind and snow.

Daoist Feng and Daoist Hu stood at the front of the formation.

Daoist Feng had acquired a jade flute at some point; she did not play it, but merely waved it gently.

Daoist Hu, meanwhile, drew the broadsword from his back, pointing its blade downwards in the direction of Chang'an.

Sword Flight!

Draw swords!