Chapter 597: Out of the Fan Cage, Can You Still Be Trapped in Shackles?

Ninety-eight swarthy iron rods formed a cage that looked sturdy and could not be smashed open even if it was repeatedly bombarded with a heavy crossbow. Each bar was the thickness of a wrist, and even the strongest samurai in the army had difficulty bending it, so a chain was tied to the iron door, but there was no padlock on the chain. The top of the iron cage was a whole sheet of iron, and even an armor-piercing cone couldn't shoot through it.

The cage was so large that it didn't take too much effort for ten prisoners to fit in.

But there is only one person in this cage, and the weight of this person is not to say ten prisoners, that is, a hundred, a thousand, ten thousand, and all the prisoners in the whole world together are not as heavy as him. Because he was too heavy, the groom felt that he had pulled a mountain. The four strong horse-drawn chariots were very stable, and the speed of the cart was not slow, the war horses were all trained for a long time, and they were very neat without the groom driving them away, but the groom was sweating in this cold weather.

He didn't dare to look back at the young man wearing a mink coat and leaning against the prisoner cart to read quietly, and he didn't even dare to breathe loudly for fear of affecting the man's quietness. He had knelt down several times and begged the man to move into the spacious and comfortable carriage in front of him first, and then enter the cold cage when he was almost in Chang'an. But it wasn't just him, it was the group of generals in iron armor who took turns to persuade him, but the man just shook his head and didn't follow.

Although there are several layers of quilts in the cage, you won't feel cold and hard when you sit on it. But the iron cage is transparent, and the north wind with the remnants of snow whistles through the cracks in the iron cage. How could such a noble man endure such suffering?

But he didn't care, he didn't feel the hardship at all, and he didn't think it was torture.

Qu Tutong came to persuade, Yin Kaishan came to persuade, Wei Chigong came to persuade, Tang Jian came to persuade, Fang Xuanling also came to persuade, he just smiled indifferently and said: "Lone is a prisoner now, and there are people who can't control their mouths in every state and county along the way, so Lone must have the appearance of a prisoner, even if it is a look, he must be like some." ”

This is not a very good reason, but it is impossible to persuade again.

Behind the carriage pulling the cage is an all-white carriage, the reason why it is all white is because the cart is pulling a corpse, headless but noble, it is Li Yuanji, the king of Qi. Around this carriage were one hundred and eight white-clothed guards, all plain white, and even the horizontal knives were wrapped in white cloth.

It's not just this carriage, it's a hundred and eight fine rides.

The entire elite army of 50,000 people was also dressed in white, and the banner was also white. Therefore, the team walking on the official road looked at it from a distance, like a huge white dragon. White flags, white clothes, white armor and white cars set off this cold early spring even more solemnly. Although it is already February, this year's winter is still lingering. I don't know if it's greedy for the scenery of the world or sneering at the many hypocrisy and ruthlessness of the world.

Li Shimin didn't know what the scroll in his hand was, it was an ancient bamboo slip, and he could faintly see the seal script on it, and this font made people have a headache when they saw it. But he seemed to be very intoxicated, and from time to time he took a breath of hot air to warm his frozen hands, but his eyes never left the words.

Fang Xuanling and Tang Jian, who were wearing thick cotton clothes, walked over together, followed by a military general holding a food box. The three of them arrived not far from the cage and immediately bowed down to salute, Tang Jian was originally the marching commander of the Eastern Expedition Army, Shi Sima, the eldest grandson Shunde took over his position after his death, this person is more conspiring, Li Shimin attaches great importance to it.

"Your Highness, you are about to enter the boundary of Hongnong County in front."

Fang Xuanling looked at the hand stove in the iron cage that was actually extinguished, and then his face changed greatly: "Who is serving King Qin, roll over!" ”

The horseman and dozens of pro-soldiers hurriedly came over, hunched and did not dare to speak.

Fang Xuanling picked up the hand stove and touched it, and saw that it was already cold, and the chill in his eyes was even colder than this hand stove. Putting the hand stove down, he turned to look at the soldiers and said in a low but cold voice: "Don't you think that His Highness is really a prisoner when he sits in this cage?" Such a cold weather actually put out the hand stove for warming His Highness's hands, are you negligent or sloppy? ”

Those soldiers were silent, hanging their heads and not daring to look at Fang Xuanling.

Li Shimin put down the bamboo slip and smiled: "It's lonely who reads books and gets into the gods, and they don't dare to quarrel with Lone." ”

"The Lord is dishonored and his subjects die, how much more are these people dishonored to the Lord?"

Fang Xuanling lowered his head and said to Li Shimin: "There is no respect and humility, what is the use of keeping these people if you lose the least awe?" If a subordinate does not dare to do what he should do, he is derelict in his duty. Please Your Highness, drag these people out and behead them. ”

Li Shimin smiled and shook his head: "Forget it, it's not easy for them to guard Lone day and night...... If the sin is not death, he will be punished to a month's work as a coolie in the baggage camp, and then he will be transferred back after the crime. ”

"Thank Your Highness for not killing!"

Dozens of pro-soldiers bowed their heads and said in unison.

Li Shimin waved his hand and said, "Go ahead." ”

Those pro-soldiers hurriedly turned around and left, as if they had been pardoned.

Li Shimin looked at Fang Xuanling, was silent for a while, and said, "Qiao Song...... Why are you so anxious today? You say that those pro-soldiers do not have the heart of humility and humility, but they are forced to punish them alone, is it a heart of humility? ”

Fang Xuanling's face changed, and he suddenly knelt down on the ground and said: "Your Highness, please get out of the cage, ride a horse, and the whole army will speed up...... King Qi's affairs, I'm afraid the prince knows. The ministers asked to kill these soldiers, but they had no choice but to do it. ”

Li Shimin frowned, looked at Fang Xuanling, then looked at Tang Jian and asked, "What's the matter?" ”

Tang Jian turned around and glanced at the military general holding the food box and said, "Your Highness, you can ask this person in detail!" ”

Li Shimin looked at the military general holding the food box, and asked solemnly: "Dugu Huaien, you tell Gu, what happened!" ”

……

……

Dugu Huaien knelt on the ground, his hands holding the food box trembling uncontrollably. His face was extremely ugly, as white and bloodless as if he had just recovered from a serious illness. He lowered his head and his forehead almost touched the ground, but he still held the food box in both hands, so it looked a little funny. But Li Shimin was in no mood to laugh, and his face was solemn as if it was covered with frost.

"Death penalty!"

Dugu Huaien said with a trembling voice.

"You're not guilty."

Li Shimin just sighed after all and said: "Lone just didn't expect that such a meticulous and rigorous arrangement would be made in order to keep an eye on Lone's father and eldest brother...... Dugu Huaien, you have followed Gu since the beginning of the Taiyuan army, Gu has always trusted you, I didn't expect you to be sent by your father to monitor Gu. But today you can explain this matter, and prove that you are still faithful to Lone, and Lone will not cure your sin, and you are not guilty, so get up and speak. ”

Dugu Huaien hurriedly thanked him, but he didn't dare to stand up, just straightened his upper body and said: "Your Majesty in June of the first year of Wude, let His Royal Highness the Crown Prince select people from the palace guards, women's army and people from all walks of life to join the four guards of Qilin, Xuanwu, Vermilion Bird, and Bai Ze. At that time, the minister didn't know what the specific responsibilities of the four guards were, and said that it was His Majesty's trust. ”

"Kirin, Xuanwu, Suzaku, Shirasawa ......"

Li Shimin pondered for a while and asked, "What are the responsibilities of each department?" ”

"Qilinwei is in charge of assassination, it is a sharp blade given to the prince by His Majesty, everyone is selected from the elite of the army, most of them are from Princess Pingyang's women's army, the women's army is all reckless people, but there are many people with high martial arts."

"Xuanwu, Suzaku two guards, guards. It is considered a personal soldier given by His Majesty to the prince, the soldiers of these two guards are also elite, as far as the minister knows, the Vermilion Bird Guard is in charge of Heishi, and the Qilin Wei is in charge of Huangfu Wuqi, both of them are extremely strong, although they are not the tiger generals who rush back and forth in the army, but if they really fight one-on-one, the generals in the army are afraid that no one can kill them. ”

Li Shimin hummed and asked, "Xuanwuwei, who is the commander of Bai Zewei?" ”

"Xuanwuwei doesn't know, but the minister knows who Bai Zewei's commander is. Minister...... Subordinate to Bai Zewei. ”

"Who is it?"

"Yes...... Don't leave. ”

Li Shimin's face finally changed this time, and a deep anger and horror overflowed in his eyes. Mo Li, is his personal team, since the Taiyuan army, has used his body on the battlefield countless times for Li Shimin to block the enemy's attacks, Li Shimin remembers, Mo Li has blocked more than a dozen times for him. Li Shimin once said that if Lone goes into battle to fight in person, if he does not leave his side, Lone will not dare to move lightly.

For Mo Li, he really trusts. Therefore, he also understood why Fang Xuanling had to kill all the soldiers around him by borrowing a small thing just now.

"If you dare to talk nonsense, Lone will tear you apart."

Li Shimin didn't realize that he had sat up straight unconsciously. Not only that, but the muscles in his back tensed to the point of soreness. The arms trembled slightly, which was a sign that he couldn't help but want to kill.

"Don't dare!"

Dugu Huaien said: "The minister also only found out just now, Bai Zewei only wants to find out the information, even if he is a member of the guard, he doesn't know each other, although the minister is the deputy commander of Bai Zewei, but he never knows that Mo Li is the commander." If he hadn't found me just now and forced me to find an opportunity to leave the team and rush back to Chang'an to report the news, the minister wouldn't know the truth. ”

"It's not too bad!"

Li Shimin frowned and said: "Mo Li took someone to follow Li Jing back to Chang'an, Li Jing came back in advance, Mo Li said that there were guards all over the Wuyan Nunnery and couldn't do it and came back, most of those people were killed alone, and Mo Li's subordinates around him were almost dead, otherwise he wouldn't have coerced you to flee back to Chang'an to report the news." He doesn't have a helper, and the news may not have leaked out. ”

"What about Mo Li?"

He suddenly remembered that he hadn't seen Mo Li's figure since morning.

"He escaped!"

Fang Xuanling lowered his head and said: "He should have scattered all his subordinates and fled separately, today there are thirteen people out of the camp, Dugu Huaien is afraid so he came to see the ministers first, Qu Tutong and Yin Kaishan have personally led the troops to chase them out, and the news just now has been sent back, twelve have been killed, and only Mo Li has not been found." ”

"Find Wanyulou!"

Li Shimin commanded coldly: "Looking for traces, no one can compare to him!" ”

"Your Highness!"

Fang Xuanling said: "Wan Yulou is also one of the thirty-eight people who left Chang'an with Mo, and now he has beheaded thirty-three people, and the minister is worried that he is also the prince's person." ”

"If he is, I'm afraid he has already fled."

Li Shimin thought for a while and shook his head and said: "Lone understands him, Wan Yulou is too afraid of death, if he is the prince's person, he is afraid that he will flee on the day Yuan Ji dies, and if he escapes from the camp with his ability, no one will be able to find him." Again...... Mo Li's ability is also understandable, if there is anyone who can catch up with him, it is Wan Yulou. ”

Tang Jian said: "Don't be afraid of 10,000, just in case." ”

"Let him chase after Mo Li, after catching up...... Just kill them all. ”

Li Shimin waved his hand, he tightened the mink wool on his body, and then dragged the iron chain on the cage, pushed open the iron door and bent out. Taking the deerskin gloves handed over by Tang Jian, Li Shimin jumped out of the prisoner car and ordered: "Bring the lonely jade lion of the night, the army will speed up, and we must rush to Chang'an within ten days!" ”

The cage was sturdy, but it had no padlocks.

He had locked himself in by himself, and if he wanted to get out, how simple would it be? Li Shimin, who got out of the cage, is there still a shackle in this world that can trap him?