On top of the Xuanwu Gate Tower, Zhang Shigui looked out the window and saw a dense and rapid rainstorm, crackling and coming towards him, and the cold air was wrapped in bone-chilling moisture.
The strong body was pierced with armor, standing with hands behind its back, just standing in front of the window, fighting for less than half an hour...
The generals of the "Bei Ya Forbidden Army" in the city tower looked at each other. They didn't know why their commander was suddenly so heavy-minded, but they only dared to communicate with their eyes and did not dare to make any sound.
In terms of the strictness of military management, only Li Ji could be compared with Zhang Shigui in the Tang army, and even Li Jing was inferior. Who dared to interrupt the commander's meditation at this time?
The sound of wind and rain poured in through the open windows, and several people stood in the tower in complete silence.
After a long time, a burst of rapid footsteps came from outside the door. The person opened the door and brought in a gust of wind and rain. He took three steps at a time and came to behind Zhang Shigui. He whispered: "Commander, there is someone holding a letter from His Majesty." ask to see."
Zhang Shigui suddenly turned around, his square and resolute face twisted slightly, and asked in a deep voice: "Where is the person coming?"
"Just outside the door."
"Let him in."
"Here!"
The man turned around and went out. Zhang Shigui looked around at the generals in front of him and waved his hand: "Go out first!"
"Here!"
Everyone did not dare to neglect and filed out.
Zhang Shigui put his hands behind his back and clenched them subconsciously.
finally come……
Not long after, a person strode in from outside the door. The black clothes under his raincoat were mostly wet by the rain. He walked steadily and had a strong body. He carried a long sword on his back, and the clumsy hilt of the sword was exposed from his shoulder. There was a biting murderous aura from above and below.
The visitor took two steps forward, bowed slightly, stretched out his hand and took out a piece of letterhead placed close to his body, handed it to Zhang Shigui with both hands, and then stepped back without saying a word.
Zhang Shigui took the letter, which was dry and slightly warm. He examined the wax paint under the flickering candle flame, and then baked the seal of the letter paper in the candle flame for a while until the wax melted. Then he opened the letter and took out the envelope.
There is not a word on the letter paper, only a seal. The dense patterns are dazzling. The four inscribed seal characters in the middle are "Seal of the King of Qin"...
Under the candlelight, Zhang Shigui carefully identified the pattern on the mark several times to confirm that it was correct, then folded it and put it in his arms.
He looked up at the man in black in front of him and asked in a deep voice: "Why is Jun Ling?"
The man in black spoke: "Immediately execute the plan."
Zhang Shigui was silent for a moment, shook his head slightly, and said slowly: "The time is not right now. If we take action now, it will easily cause confusion and lead to a mistake, with endless consequences. In my opinion, we need to wait a little longer and wait until we are sure of it before taking action." Not too late."
The man in black was a little surprised. He narrowed his eyes slightly and said coldly, "This is the imperial edict! Can Duke Guo resist the edict?"
His voice was a bit hoarse and he spoke quickly, making it sound as uncomfortable as scraping a porcelain plate with a knife...
Zhang Shigui was unmoved and still stood with his hands behind his back, with the open window behind him and the heavy rain pouring down: "The seal is your Majesty's royal possession, there is no doubt about it, but the order did not come from your Majesty's mouth, so you can resist the decree." explain?"
The man in black moved, his upper body leaned forward slightly, and his hands were slightly opened. His whole person changed from extremely still to extremely dynamic, as if he had transformed into a beast looking for prey. The next moment he could pull out the long sword from behind and give it to him. An earth-shattering blow.
The tone was even more cold and blunt to the extreme: "Quia!"
Zhang Shigui's feet were not straight, and the muscles under his armor had already been tensed up, and he was full of strength, but his face was calm and calm: "I will be outside, and I will not accept your orders. My mission is to block the Xuanwu Gate and cut off the retreat of the East Palace."
, instead of assassinating the prince with your own hands! Do you think that just by relying on His Majesty’s seal, you can make me work for you? It’s simply ridiculous.”
The atmosphere suddenly became tense and murderous.
The man in black stared at Zhang Shigui like a cheetah, with his upper body slightly leaning forward, as if he could pull out the long sword behind him at any time and launch an attack. However, facing Zhang Shigui's seemingly casual but actually impeccable defensive posture, he hesitated.
Don't dare to act rashly.
Especially the open window. Zhang Shigui could climb out of his attack range at any time. If that happened, the situation would be out of control...
The sound of wind and rain poured into the tower, and the candle flickered and flickered, and was finally blown out by a cool breeze, plunging the entire space into darkness.
The moment the candles went out, the man in black stepped back quickly and silently: "In this case, Duke Guo will do his own thing."
As soon as the last word was spoken, the person was already outside the door...
Zhang Shigui still stood in the darkness with his hands behind his back, motionless. When the generals and colonels saw the man in black retreating, they swarmed in from the outside, all talking: "Commander, do you want to take action?"
"The wind and rain are strong now, so if we launch the offensive silently, we will definitely succeed!"
…
"Shut up!"
Zhang Shigui shouted sharply: "I am the commander-in-chief of the 'Beiya Imperial Army'. I have been ordered by the emperor to guard the Xuanwu Gate and Suwei Palace. It is up to me to decide whether to take action and when to take action! If anyone makes an independent decision, military law will be enforced."
!”
The generals were startled and quickly shut up.
In the "Bei Ya Forbidden Army", Zhang Shigui had unparalleled prestige, and no one dared to disobey his orders. But that man had already come with the order. Could it be that the commander-in-chief wanted to resist?
The generals were frightened and did not dare to say anything.
Soldiers came in from the outside, blew fire sticks and lit candles, then came behind Zhang Shigui and closed the windows to keep out the wind and rain.
Only then did everyone see Zhang Shigui’s livid face...
After heaving a sigh of relief, Zhang Shigui waved his hand and said in a deep voice: "It's not yet time to take action. If you act rashly, there will be endless consequences! You will retreat for the time being, without taking off your clothes and armor, without unsaddled your horse, and wait for my command."
"Here!"
Even though they were confused, no one dared to disobey Zhang Shigui, so they filed out, leaving only Zhang Shigui and a few soldiers in the room.
After taking off his defensive posture, Zhang Shigui walked to the desk and sat down. His gray eyebrows were tightly knitted together, and there were horizontal lines bulging in his seal. His eyes were deep and he murmured: "Something's wrong..."
The man in black just now must be the top master beside His Majesty, but even if he refused to immediately implement the predetermined strategy, why did the man in black have murderous intentions towards him?
If His Majesty was still alive, then everything would be easy. Anyone who dares to disobey the imperial edict will be killed without mercy. But now that His Majesty has passed away, everyone is just following His Majesty's orders. Why would these ruthless dead men dare to kill themselves?
?
It should be noted that in the entire plan, he and the Xuanwu Gate he guards are the top priority. Once he is killed, the "Bei Ya Forbidden Army" will surely fall into chaos, without a leader, and no one can replace him to fight one against a hundred.
The elite are intimidated!
Your Majesty, with his foresight, may leave down the contingency measures that need to be taken if Zhang Shigui disobeys the emperor's order, but he will never write in the edict such words as "If Zhang Shigui resists the order, he will be killed immediately"... No one can compare with Your Majesty. He is even more aware of Zhang Shigui's control over this "Beiya Forbidden Army", and this has always been his majesty's tacit approval or even instruction.
Because he, Zhang Shigui, is the number one soldier under His Majesty’s command!
Since His Majesty has left an edict, how can he kill him, the Sea-Dinging Needle of the Xuanwu Sect, causing the entire Tai Chi Palace to fall out of control, and thus bring disaster to all the concubines, royal family, princes and princesses?
Could it be that...Li Ji took control of the dead men left behind by His Majesty, and used the imperial edict to carry out rebellion?
Zhang Shigui only felt that there were many doubts. Originally he only had to act according to the order, but now he was trapped in the clouds and mist, and he didn't know what to do, and he didn't know how to advance or retreat.
Recalling the words that Fang Jun had used to persuade him before under the Xuanwu Sect, Zhang Shigui felt more and more that something was wrong.
Something is very wrong!
…
The man in black walked quickly down from the Xuanwu Gate tower, stopped in front of a house adjacent to the inner gate, looked back, and then pushed the door open and entered.
The room was dark, but the man in black reached the corner of the wall with familiarity. He squatted down and groped with his hands on the ground, hooked a corner of the green brick on the ground, and with a little force, he lifted a green brick out, and then pulled it out on the left and right sides. After removing all the green bricks, he knocked down with his fingers, and a "dong dong" sound came out. There was an iron plate underneath, and it was hollow inside.
Tai Chi Palace, the emperor's residence, is the most dangerous place in the world. For his own safety, the emperor would naturally leave many secret passages for avoiding disaster or escaping in times of emergency. As a soldier of His Majesty Li Er, Zhang Shigui He was well aware of the existence of the man in black, and naturally knew the secret passage out of the city, so the man in black had no intention of avoiding the "Beiya Forbidden Army".
However, he did not leave just like others thought...