Hearing Li Heng's words, Li Longji felt somewhat relieved. Whether they were sincere or not, at least they gave him some temporary relief.
After a moment of fatherly love and filial piety, Li Heng left the bedroom to let Li Longji rest.
As they walked out of the imperial city, Li Bi, who was waiting outside, stepped forward and asked.
"Your Highness?" Without saying much, Li Heng naturally understood what he meant.
"Just as Lu Xuan predicted. He has a lung injury, and coupled with the shock from the cold, he is currently running a high fever. Although the imperial physician did not say it explicitly, ... time is running out."
"Does Your Highness have any plans for the future?"
"Let's go back and discuss it."
The two-day celebrations following the Lantern Festival were cancelled. Chang'an City entered a state of absolute martial law. Tens of thousands of imperial guards patrolled every street around the clock.
With the common people having some free time, Lu Xuan was extremely busy. Because Li Longji had not revoked his position as Grand General in suppressing the rebellion, he remained the supreme commander of the imperial guards in Chang'an. This immense imperial favor terrified all the court officials in Chang'an. In a sense, Lu Xuan even held the lives of most people in Chang'an in his hands.
Less than a day later, people flocked to his door, practically breaking down his door. Countless invitations and gift lists poured in like crazy. The old man was overjoyed, yet also sleepless with worry. He simply couldn't decide which gifts to accept and which to refuse.
The officials' frenzy startled Lu Xuan. He knew that the title of "Grand General Who Suppresses Rebellions" was usually revoked afterward. However, it was clear to everyone that the rise of that Western Region barbarian was unstoppable. Therefore, it was natural to give advance notice.
Of course, there was another important, albeit hidden, reason. Many court officials were terrified by the events of that night. They were now dreaming of being attacked with knives. And right now, the person in all of Chang'an who offered the greatest sense of security was Lu Xuan.
Without a doubt, Lu Xuan is now the most powerful figure in Chang'an.
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Chapter Ninety-Four: Rewards (Fifth Update, Please Subscribe)
The turmoil in Chang'an lasted for a full month. During this time, countless people were implicated, their homes confiscated, and their entire families exterminated. Li Linfu's painstakingly built network of connections in the imperial court was completely dismantled overnight.
If it weren't for the sheer number of people killed, Li Longji would have loved to wipe out the entire Lin faction. But there was no way around it; the deaths and injuries were too numerous, and many government affairs had already been put on hold. If the killings continued, there would be very few people left in the court.
Incidentally, the attack by the ants was naturally attributed to Li Linfu. Otherwise, it's inexplicable why Li Linfu didn't go to enjoy the lanterns, and why the surrounding Longwu Army was conveniently transferred away, leaving the emperor at the hands of a group of thugs. Lu Xuan stated that he could completely accept this.
Some people thus escaped unscathed. However, it was clear to everyone that their careers were over. At the very least, Li Longji would never reuse them. But some clever people saw an escape route. At this point, they naturally chose to pledge allegiance to the Crown Prince.
Rumors circulated that the Emperor had been seriously injured that night and was unwell. Coupled with the fact that Li Longji had indeed not attended court for a month, these rumors spread like wildfire. Afterwards, more and more people flocked to the Crown Prince. The Crown Prince, doing nothing at home, had already easily taken over most of Li Linfu's political power.
Li Longji was naturally aware of this. However, he chose to remain silent, which was extremely unusual for him. Because this time, he felt that his body was truly at its limit.
Forty days after the chaos of the Lantern Festival, Li Longji went to court.
The purpose of this court session is obvious to all: those who deserve punishment will be punished, and those who deserve reward will be rewarded.
In the chaos of the Lantern Festival, Lu Xuan undoubtedly deserves the greatest credit. Next is Zhang Xiaojing, who was the first to arrive. After all, he led the Bad Guys to annihilate the rebels and save Li Longji's life—a genuine act of saving the emperor and quelling the rebellion.
Then came Cui Qi of the Crown Prince's Guard, who led his troops into battle, decisively defeating the rebel army and lifting the siege of the Imperial City Guard. Chen Yunqiao of the Golden Guard, an infiltrator within Li Linfu's rebel ranks, intervened at a crucial moment, dismantling Li Linfu's resistance...
Lu Xuan estimated that it would take more than a day to compile the list of those to be awarded.
"The Wannian County Outlaws, having rendered meritorious service in protecting the Emperor and suppressing the rebellion during a time of crisis, are hereby promoted to Imperial Guards of Chang'an City, effective from this day forward. They are bestowed the name Zhongyong (Loyal and Brave) and are assigned to the Seventh Guard of the Northern Army. Their leader, Zhang Xiaojing, is appointed General of the Zhongyong Guard..."
Zhang Xiaojing rose through the ranks in one fell swoop, from a barely qualifying constable to the Seventh Guard of the Northern Army of the Imperial Guards in Chang'an. While his rank as a general didn't match Chen Xuanli's Dragon Martial Army General, it was still a solid fourth-rank position. This meteoric rise was the envy of many.
Next, Cui Qi of the Lüben Battalion rose through the ranks from a brigade commander to become the Left Guard Commander of the Crown Prince. This was essentially the captain of the Crown Prince's personal guard. While the actual power might seem small, it would naturally make him the most powerful person in the palace after the Crown Prince ascended the throne.
In the original novel, Yao Runeng holds the official position of Right Guard Commander of the Crown Prince. This is a fourth-rank military officer, actually higher in rank than Li Bi. However, in the drama, Li Bi is in charge of the Jing'an Division, giving him greater real power.
As for Chen Yunqiao, he was promoted directly from a Lieutenant General to Military Advisor of the Right Jinwu Guard, effectively gaining complete control of the Right Jinwu Guard. The rewards bestowed upon these individuals were all extremely high in rank. This was unavoidable; the chaos of the Lantern Festival had implicated far too many Imperial Guard officers, creating an urgent need for reinforcements. Therefore, those who had rendered meritorious service that night were naturally promoted first, followed by gradual advancement from below.
Besides the rewards bestowed upon the commanding officers, their subordinates also received generous rewards. Those who were promoted were given promotions, and the rewards of gold, silver, silk, and other valuables were countless. Li Longji spared no expense this time, ensuring that all the soldiers who participated in the rewards returned laden with spoils.
It was finally Lu Xuan's turn.
The entire court fell silent, everyone listening intently, waiting to see just how far this barbarian from the Western Regions could go.
This was the second time they had seen Lu Xuan receive an award in court. The first time, however, was largely for entertainment—watching a barbarian from the Western Regions become a minor official was a source of amusement. But this time, everyone knew that from this day forward, most of the court officials would likely have to look up to this barbarian they had once ridiculed.
"Lu Xuan, the Commandant of the Crown Prince's Guard, has repeatedly protected the Emperor..." The poem begins by recounting Lu Xuan's merits that night. After all, most people are unaware of the details.
Only after hearing the eunuch's account did the court officials realize the extent of the ordeal Lu Xuan had faced after escorting Li Longji out of the capital that night. His heroic act of saving the emperor along the way led all the officials to remark that this barbarian was likely on his way to great heights.
"He is hereby appointed Grand General Who Protects the Nation, Commander of the Six Armies of the Northern Army..."
A commotion erupted in the imperial court. The reward was simply too generous. The Six Armies of the Northern Army were divided into the Left and Right Feathered Forest Armies, the Left and Right Dragon Martial Armies, and the Left and Right Divine Martial Armies. All were the emperor's personal guard, collectively known as the Six Armies of the Northern Army. Their duty was to protect the emperor and the safety of the imperial city.
However, the six armies had always been under the command of six different generals, and there had never been a situation where one person commanded all six armies. But now, Lu Xuan has broken this tradition.
Although the title "Protector of the Nation" sounds like a nominal official position, Lu Xuan was indeed the commander of the six armies of the Northern Army. This was quite a rare occurrence in the imperial court.
Little did Lu Xuan know, he was inwardly scoffing. So what if one person commands six armies? It's only a little over 20,000 men. Historically, An Lushan held the position of military governor of three regions simultaneously, commanding hundreds of thousands of troops. Compared to this, wasn't An Lushan's situation even more absurd? But that's how feudal dynasties were. With a single word from the emperor, seemingly impossible things would instantly become perfectly logical.
In ancient times, officials strived to gravitate towards the capital. Once in the capital, they sought to be close to the emperor. The closer one was, the greater the emperor's favor and the higher one's status. Lu Xuan, as the Grand General Protector of the Nation, was the military officer closest to the emperor. This indicated that Lu Xuan was already one of Li Longji's most trusted confidants.
However, Lu Xuan wasn't particularly interested. He wasn't really keen on being Li Longji's bodyguard. He'd much rather be a military officer stationed in the provinces, which would give him more freedom. Good heavens, everyone else was desperately trying to get into the capital to become an official, while Lu Xuan actually wanted a posting in the provinces.
However, perhaps his desperate act of protecting the emperor last night was too deeply ingrained in people's minds. In the end, he was given the position of head of the emperor's guards. Lu Xuan didn't know whether to laugh or cry. Perhaps Li Longji was terrified. He needed Lu Xuan by his side before he could sleep peacefully.
Besides being appointed General of the Thousand Bull Guard, Lu Xuan also received the title of Viscount. However, the fiefdom wasn't explicitly mentioned. It's unclear whether it was still pending or what. But the 1,400 mu of permanent farmland arrived directly in his account. Following this, he was bestowed with a purple-gold fish-shaped pouch and various honorary titles. As for the other rewards of gold, silver, and silk, they were countless.
Thus, the Lantern Festival turmoil came to a temporary end. However, before Lu Xuan could even settle down, he received news that caught his attention: An Lushan, the military governor of Fanyang, had come to the capital to meet the emperor.
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A belated post-launch message