r18novel Page 258
Page 258
As the cycle of reincarnation progresses, it becomes possible for the spirit and body to merge, allowing the physical body to directly traverse through time.
Although Li Chang'an was only nine years old, he already possessed a face that would make even palace maids blush and their hearts race at the mere sight of him.
He found it utterly boring; the court was filled with decadent music and nothing of note.
Feeling bored, Li Chang'an started eating the tangerines in front of him.
This fruit, which he had never eaten in his previous life, is one of his favorites.
Two of the three tangerines were quickly eaten, leaving only one.
He turned his head and looked at the three unpeeled tangerines in front of Jiang Si.
"Jiang Si, give me one of your tangerines."
Jiang Si appeared to be sitting upright, but she had actually been stealing glances at Li Chang'an several times.
I have to admit, this older brother is very good-looking.
But when she heard Li Chang'an ask for her things, she instinctively said, "No!"
Li Chang'an curled his lip. This stingy guy, he really is destined to be greedy for money.
Li Chang'an smiled slightly at her, and Xiao Jiang Si was momentarily stunned.
He picked up the last of his tangerines and placed it on Jiang Si's table.
Jiang Si's eyes lit up immediately, and she could barely suppress a smile.
Li Chang'an said, "Look, now, do we both get a share of these four oranges?"
Six-year-old Jiang Ni nodded, thinking to herself that this person was quite nice.
Although they were both belonging to both of them, putting them together filled the young girl with a sense of satisfaction.
Li Chang'an patiently explained, "Since there are two people, the things should naturally be divided equally."
Before Jiang Si could react, Li Chang'an immediately said, "But I will give you another half banana."
Just as Jiang Si sensed something was amiss, she was instantly drawn to half a banana—another bargain she'd gotten!
"Okay!"
Jiang Si fell for it, but she revealed a smug smile.
"Then how about this: you get two tangerines, I get two tangerines, and Brother Chang'an will give you half a banana. Don't you think you've made a profit?"
As Li Chang'an spoke, he broke off half a banana and handed it to Jiang Si.
Jiang Si proudly took the banana and put it in her mouth, smiling sweetly, "Thank you, Brother Chang'an."
Li Chang'an took two tangerines and quickly ate them.
Jiang Si, that little rascal, only cared about gaining an advantage, but didn't realize she was secretly suffering a loss.
Just after finishing his tangerines, Li Chang'an heard the emperor drunkenly calling him.
"Chang'an, spend these next few days showing Princess Taiping around Luzhou and showing her the hospitality of a good host!"
Li Chang'an looked up and saw that the emperor was pointing at a eunuch and giving orders.
Li Chang'an had many sons in his previous life, and he recognized each one of them clearly.
This muddle-headed emperor, no wonder his country perished.
Over the next few days, Li Chang'an took Jiang Si on a tour of Luzhou City.
In reality, Li Chang'an was discovering talent, and he had Cao Zhengchun remember the talents he found so that he could secretly develop the Embroidered Uniform Guard.
However, in the past few days, Jiang Si has developed a considerable dependence on Li Chang'an.
This was inevitable; Li Chang'an could casually utter a principle or tell a story, enough to make Jiang Si ponder for a long time.
Li Chang'an knew that this little fangirl was a natural sword embryo and a genius in swordsmanship.
This princess of a fallen kingdom will be kept by Xu Xiao, who harbors ulterior motives, and placed in his mansion as a maid for Xu Fengnian.
Considering she's a big fan of mine, I'll try to rescue her sometime in the future.
After all, a pre-natal sword embryo is the potential for a terrestrial sword immortal, and it shouldn't be given to Xu Fengnian so easily.
In the end, the Western Chu delegation only managed to secure a marriage alliance and received an empty promise from the Southern Tang emperor.
A year later, the capital of Western Chu, Shenhuang City, was captured, and the emperor, empress, and hundreds of people in the palace committed suicide to die for their country.
Afterwards, Xu Xiao was granted the title of King of Northern Liang.
The following year, the newly appointed General Gu Jiantang led his army south and encountered Gu Dazu, the general of the Southern Tang Dynasty.
Both Gu, from the North and the South, were renowned generals of their time.
Unfortunately, the outcome of a war is not determined by generals, but by the court and the nation's strength.
When the Liyang army marched south, Gu Dazu argued that they could not remain entrenched in one corner.
There were more than fourteen routes the enemy could take, leaving the area in dire straits on all sides.
He believed that to defend the Southern Tang, it was essential to fight outside the Southern Tang borders.
Unfortunately, the Hong family emperor did not heed advice, and his 300,000 elite troops were trapped in Jiujiang and Luzhou.
During this period, Du Jiankang, a famous general of the Southern Tang navy, faked his death, and the Liyang navy believed him and made a rash advance.
General Gu Dazu personally led the Southern Tang navy in a major battle against the Liyang navy on Lake Poyang.
He first feigned a retreat to reinforce Jiujiang, luring the enemy deep into his territory, and then personally led three thousand elite guards to block the narrow waterway at the lake entrance.
This plan succeeded, cutting the Liyang navy in half. Du Jiankang suddenly appeared and led the Southern Tang navy reinforcements in a bloody battle against the Liyang navy.
Gu Dazu's two sons filled a small boat with oil jars, set it on fire, and perished together with the giant ship, thus intercepting and annihilating the unstoppable Liyang navy on Poyang Lake.
This massive fire, visible throughout the Southern Tang Dynasty, burned for three days and three nights.
In this battle, Gu Dazu's sons all died, and his two daughters-in-law, who came from martial arts families, committed suicide together at Poyang Lake.
Gu Dazu's entire family was loyal and valiant; he, an old man, outlived his entire family of black-haired descendants.
After this battle, the renowned general Du Jiankang continued to command the navy.
Disheartened, Gu Dazu disappeared into the martial world and his whereabouts became unknown.
At this time, the Embroidered Uniform Guard had grown to several thousand people, many of whom were full of enthusiasm.
However, Li Chang'an knew that his martial arts were not yet fully developed, the Yang energy was at its peak, and the Southern Tang was weak and incompetent. It would be better to smash it up and start over.
While preserving their strength, the elite Jinyiwei assassinated several ruthless generals of Liyang.
The crushing defeat at Poyang Lake, coupled with the assassinations and sabotage by the Embroidered Uniform Guard, caused Gu Jiantang to slow down his offensive.
Li Chang'an knew that the old Southern Tang dynasty could not be preserved.
However, the way the Southern Tang Dynasty perished was truly humiliating.
Inspired by the loyalty of Gu Dazu's entire family and the assassination attempt by the Embroidered Uniform Guard, a wave of resistance swept through the Southern Tang Dynasty.
Emperor Zhao Li of Liyang adopted the strategy of his advisor Yuan Benxi and directly issued an imperial edict to the emperor of Southern Tang.
"If the Southern Tang submits, the ruler of the Southern Tang can be enfeoffed as the King of Tang and continue to guard the territory of the Southern Tang."
When Cao Zhengchun brought this news, Li Chang'an knew that the situation was hopeless.
In the original novel, Zhao Li's promise to the Hong family emperor was merely the title of Duke of the Southern Kingdom, which led to the surrender of the Southern Tang Dynasty.
Now that a royal title has been promised, that shameless Southern Tang emperor will surely surrender immediately.
Du Jiankang led the remaining Southern Tang navy ashore and rushed to the aid of Luzhou.
When Du Jiankang entered Luzhou, he drank the welcoming wine offered by His Majesty the Emperor.
I thought that after drinking this wine, it would be time to fight to the death for my country.
But no one expected that the wine was poisoned, and a great general lost his life.
Emperor Hong, dressed in mourning clothes, opened the city gates, presented a box to apologize, and knelt to welcome the Liyang army. The Southern Tang Dynasty was destroyed.
Prince Zhao Yi of Liyang and General Gu Jiantang were outside Luzhou City, preparing to accept the surrender of the Southern Tang.
Suddenly, a storm broke out, and sandstorms covered the sky.
The generals of Liyang were filled with fear, but only the Grand General Gu Jiantang, who was at the Celestial Realm, remained as steady as Mount Tai.
"Ancestor Gu!"
"The Southern Tang Dynasty has fallen, are you not satisfied?"
"Look at this, this is the Hong family emperor you've pledged allegiance to!"
The storm subsided, and a large sword was placed against the neck of the Hong family emperor.
Gu Dazu looked into the box in the emperor's hand; it contained Du Jiankang's head.
My heart is breaking, and tears are streaming down my face!
Gu Jiantang knew that Gu Dazu was a loyal minister, so he deliberately provoked him.
"Execute him! Execute him! This damned emperor deserves to die!"
Gu Dazu suddenly threw his head back and laughed, letting out a heart-wrenching accusation!