Chapter 21: The Xuanwu Gate Is Calling

Dawn.
Taiji Palace, atop the Xuanwu Gate.
Dark clouds pressed down upon the moon; the wind rose and clouds surged.
The torchlight on the ramparts flickered, illuminating thousands of armored soldiers standing in solemn silence.
The firelight cast a scorching glare upon their spears, reflecting across their stern faces.
It was not yet the appointed hour, but the gates of Xuanwu were already flung wide open.
A few soldiers were scrubbing bloodstains from the ground with water.
An incense-stick’s time ago, the Xuanwu Gate commander, Chang He, Duke of Leize, and the General of the Left Tun Camp, Jing Junhong, had suddenly launched a coup. After executing six men on the spot, they detained the rest of their forces, seizing total control of the gate.
The two men stood there, gazing into the pitch-black road ahead, holding their breath, saying nothing.
"Clatter!"
A dull, rhythmic sound of horse hooves suddenly broke the silence of the night.
Chang He knitted his brows, his right hand gripping his sword hilt, eyes fixed on the faint, flickering lights in the distance.
"Is it His Highness?" Jing Junhong whispered, his hand instinctively tightening on his own blade.
Chang He did not answer. He watched the figures gradually drawing nearer and took a few steps forward.
"This is a restricted palace gate. It is not yet time for it to be opened. Please return!"
"The Prince of Qin is here in person, carrying urgent business to report to the Emperor!"
Hearing the reply from afar, the heart that had been lodged in Chang He’s throat finally settled.
He hurriedly released his grip on his sword and stepped forward to meet them. Jing Junhong, not to be outdone, quickly followed.
"Chang He (Jing Junhong) pays his respects to Your Highness."
Both men bowed deeply.
But after waiting a moment, they did not hear Li Shimin bid them rise. Confused, they looked up and were startled.
Li Shimin had dismounted and approached them, his face filled with gratitude as he grasped their hands.
"The heroic feat you two have performed today, I shall hold in my heart. I will never fail you in the future!"
Jing Junhong’s lips trembled with emotion.
Chang He simply knelt halfway. "This subordinate welcomes the Crown Prince!"
Li Jiancheng had not yet been deposed, nor had the Emperor issued a decree, yet by addressing him as Crown Prince, Chang He was pledging his absolute loyalty to Li Shimin.
Jing Junhong, though a step behind, followed suit.
Li Shimin, wearing a look of profound emotion, helped them to their feet.
"The Prince of Qin knows that Jing Junhong will die today. I wonder what decision he will make?"
At the front of the formation, Wen He, riding on the same horse as Yuchi Gong, stroked his chin and observed with curiosity.
Along the way, he had learned who Lü Shiheng was.
However, judging by Li Shimin’s actions, he seemed to have no intention of leaving him at the Xuanwu Gate. Instead, he had specifically called Zhang Gongjin and Liu Shili to his side to give them instructions.
These two were clearly recorded in official history as having followed Li Shimin during the Xuanwu Gate Incident. Although their later achievements were not as great as Li Jing's, they were enough to strike terror into the hearts of foreign tribes.
However, Liu Shili was not among those enshrined in the Lingyan Pavilion.
This seemed to indirectly confirm the rumors regarding Qin Qiong.
"Woo-woo!" A muffled sound interrupted Wen He’s thoughts. He looked up to see Yuchi Gong staring at him, holding a wooden stick.
"Is this really necessary?" Wen He asked with a bitter expression.
He hadn't wanted to come, but Li Shimin had insisted.
If he had to come, fine, but he had to keep a wooden stick in his mouth.
Everyone except Li Shimin was treated the same; even the horses had their hooves wrapped in cloth, and their mouths were muzzled.
Yuchi Gong glared at him, as if to say there was no room for negotiation.
Wen He pouted and obeyed.
Up ahead, Li Shimin had finished his instructions to Chang He and Jing Junhong.
Zhangsun Wuji waved his hand, signaling them to proceed.
Hou Junji led two men forward slowly from the side. Zhangsun Wuji followed behind them, alongside Chang He and Jing Junhong.
Only then did it reach the turn of Yuchi Gong, Li Shimin, and Wen He.
At such a critical juncture, they had to be careful. Even Wen He, who knew the outcome, could not help but feel tense.
The journey was free of danger, and the eight hundred men successfully entered the barbican from the main Xuanwu Gate.
After receiving Li Shimin's orders, Chang He closed the three massive gates and opened the inner gate leading into the palace.
"Shili, Hongshen, you two take two hundred men and remain here to assist Lord Chang."
To the surprise of Chang He and Jing Junhong, the Prince of Qin had actually left troops at the Xuanwu Gate.
After a moment of thought, they realized this was not to keep watch over them.
With over a thousand guards at the gate, even the elite Black Armor Cavalry could not threaten them.
Why then had the Prince of Qin done this?
Chang He did not understand, but he did not ask. After seeing Li Shimin and his party off, he approached Zhang Gongjin.
"Brother Hongshen, did His Highness leave any specific instructions?" Chang He asked cautiously.
Although his title was higher than Zhang Gongjin's, the latter was a trusted confidant of the Prince of Qin. Being polite was the right course of action.
Zhang Gongjin did not dare to be arrogant and quickly returned the gesture. "Do not worry, Duke of Leize. His Highness did this out of concern that the rebels might act out of desperation; these two hundred Black Armor cavalrymen are here to assist you."
"I see."
Chang He was half-skeptical, but he wore an expression of gratitude. "I shall never forget the Prince's great kindness."
"Haha, you have worked hard today, Lord. Once this great task is accomplished, yours shall be the first merit."
"I dare not, I dare not."
The two exchanged pleasantries. Liu Shili and Jing Junhong, standing nearby, acted as if they heard nothing.
Although Chang He held control of the Xuanwu Gate, if one were to speak of the first merit, it would likely not fall to him.
The one who killed the Crown Prince Li Jiancheng and the Prince of Qi would be the one to claim the first merit.
He just wondered who that honor would fall to.
"General Yuchi, did you bring your bow?" Wen He asked softly, removing the wooden stick from his mouth as they entered the inner gate.
He had suddenly recalled that in history, after Li Shimin killed Li Jiancheng, he was nearly killed by Li Yuanji after falling from his horse. It was at that very moment that Yuchi Jingde arrived and shot Li Yuanji dead with an arrow.
Yuchi Gong looked down at Wen He, took a long bow from behind his saddle, and let out a soft grunt.
Wen He’s eyes lit up, and he nodded with a smile.
Li Yuanji, oh Li Yuanji, although we have never met, you ruined my dream of getting rich.
Today, I shall consider this my revenge!
...
Taiji Palace.
Li Yuan had woken up very early today—he had been startled awake.
He had kicked the serving concubine out of bed and had her dragged away by eunuchs; she would not be seen in his bedchamber for a long time to come.
He had had a nightmare.
In his dream, a phoenix fought two ferocious beasts.
The phoenix looked down from above, spat out a sharp sword, and severed the heads of the two beasts, then used its claws to toss the heads before him.
Li Yuan squinted and realized with a shock that the beast heads had transformed into human heads.
Before he could identify them, he heard a high-pitched cry from above.
He looked up abruptly and saw the phoenix swooping down at him.
Its sharp talons were aimed at his chest, and it was then that he woke up in a cold sweat.
"Your Majesty, what is the matter?"
The head eunuch saw him drenched in sweat and hurriedly called for a palace maid to bring a silk cloth for cleansing.
Li Yuan wiped his sweat and let out a long, heavy breath.
"Have Xuanzhen and the others arrived?"
"Reporting to Your Majesty, the Duke of Wei, the Duke of Song, and the Duke of Jiang entered the palace before dawn and are already waiting at the Sea Pond." The head eunuch bowed respectfully.
Li Yuan tossed the silk cloth back into the golden basin. After standing up, he allowed the maids to robe him in his outer gown.
The three men the eunuch referred to were Pei Ji, Xiao Yu, and Chen Shuda.
When he seized the empire, these three were his most trusted ministers.
Today, he had summoned his three sons to confront one another before them; the question of who would become the heir to the Great Tang would also require these three to bear witness.
He gazed out at the sky, which was just beginning to brighten.
After today, the future of the Great Tang would be clear.
Er-lang, my son, I am afraid I can only let you down.
"Prepare the carriage for the Sea Pond!"