The Fake Eunuch of the Tang Dynasty: Emperor Li Er Made Me Serve Guanyin's Maid

Chapter 12 Wei Zheng: What kind of unhealthy trends and evil practices are you talking about? I'

Above the dragon throne.

At this moment, Li Er had a terrible headache. He already knew what had happened yesterday, and it was indeed unrelated to Lin Chuan.

Although he did not start the conflict, the root of the problem still lies with him.

He was caught in a dilemma. On the one hand, he had no way to deal with Guanyinbi, and on the other hand, Lin Chuan was not an ordinary eunuch, but a man of great talent.

"I implore Your Majesty to reconsider!"

Wei Zheng took a firm step forward, his face resolute. He was not afraid of imperial power and was willing to risk his life to speak out.

He believed that His Majesty might also be misled by Lin Chuan.

It's unbelievable that even the harem is in turmoil because of him, yet His Majesty hasn't issued any orders.

"Gentlemen, you're making a mountain out of a molehill."

"This matter definitely wasn't Lin Chuanqian's doing. He was used by Consort Yang as a shield."

When Li Er's headache worsened, Changsun Wuji, who had been silent for a long time, finally spoke.

Besides Li Er, he was the only one who knew that Lin Chuan was exceptionally talented, and he was also aware that Li Er valued Lin Chuan highly.

No matter how noisy the court is, Lin Chuan will not be touched unless he commits a serious mistake.

"Your Excellency, what do you mean by this?"

Upon hearing this, Wei Zheng immediately glanced sideways at Changsun Wuji, surprised that he would defend Lin Chuan.

However, he was also wary.

Because Consort Yang, as the former princess of the previous dynasty, was already unpopular, she likely wanted to use Lin Chuan to disrupt the harem.

"Don't you understand what I mean?"

Changsun Wuji looked around at the court officials and then asked a question.

Instantly, everyone began to whisper among themselves.

Regardless of whether Changsun Wuji was truly helping Lin Chuan, they began to doubt Consort Yang's motives.

But she was, after all, His Majesty's concubine, and there were some things she couldn't say directly.

"Alright, let's leave it at that."

Li Er waved his hand, displeased with Changsun Wuji's use of Consort Yang as a shield.

But it's acceptable that the matter was resolved.

He was equally dissatisfied with yesterday's argument.

After all, one is the mistress of the harem and the other is a concubine. It is really improper for them to quarrel so fiercely over Lin Chuan.

Late at night, in the Ganlu Palace, in the Imperial Study.

Li Er originally intended to go to the Lizheng Hall to talk to Guanyinbi, but was stopped by Fang Xuanling and Du Ruhui.

He knew perfectly well why the two men had come.

After all, the fact that the Turkic Khan sent an envoy to ask for help was an excellent opportunity for the Tang Dynasty.

Heavy snow blocked the mountains in the Turkic territory, and a severe drought struck the Hedong Road, forcing the postponement of the planned attack.

Now that the severe drought in Hadong Province has been largely resolved, they immediately revived their attack plan.

"Your Majesty, this opportunity will not come again."

Like Wei Zheng, Du Ruhui was impatient and eager to offer his advice.

"If Your Majesty agrees, I am willing to personally lead the troops into battle and will not return to Chang'an until the Turks are defeated!"

He made it clear that he would either live to defeat the Turks and return, or die on the battlefield.

Fang Xuanling immediately expressed his support, as their hatred for the Turks was deep-seated and they could not shake off the shame in their hearts until the Turks were eliminated.

Li Er was also moved by their words.

But he was still conflicted, because he had mentioned to Lin Chuan that starting a war meant defeat.

"The Goguryeo and Tuyuhun in the northern Turkic region are watching us closely, and they will take advantage of our weakness once we are weakened."

"We are not entirely confident that we can deliver a fatal blow, which is dangerous."

"Let me think about it some more."

Li Er sighed, then got up and walked to the window.

The mountains and rivers are magnificent at night!

Li Er recalled his life's battles, and how he had personally conquered this vast land.

In my youth, I was full of passion and dared to charge forward.

But now, as the emperor of the Tang Dynasty, he shoulders the heavy responsibility of the entire country.

If he makes a mistake, the people will suffer; he cannot afford to be negligent in any way.

Fang Xuanling and Du Ruhui felt anxious upon hearing this, but the emperor had already made his stance clear, and they could no longer press him.

……

East Market, Tea Shop.

"Old Trump, I'm here again."

That day, after the morning court session, Li Er brought Changsun Wuji here.

He didn't sleep a wink last night, his mind was filled with thoughts of attacking the Turks, and as soon as he finished, he rushed to Lin Chuan for advice.

This young man must have a solution.

Lin Chuan didn't need to be polite to these two, because they were more familiar with the place than he was, and treated the tea shop as their own territory.

"Old Chuan, look, there's no movement from the troops near Chang'an."

"Is the Holy Emperor afraid of the Eastern Turks?"

After Li Er sat down cross-legged, he asked directly.

"Li Er is quite smart; he knows that if he fights, he will lose."

Lin Chuan rolled his eyes at Old Li, then said with a smile.

At this, Li Er's face twitched involuntarily a few times.

In the entire world, probably only this kid dares to call him by his nickname.

Old Sun, who was standing next to him, had already gotten used to Lin Chuan's straightforwardness.

"Old Chuan, you're so smart, you have the ability to make brilliant calculations."

"Tell me, how can our Great Tang Dynasty defeat the Turks?"

Finally, Li Er asked eagerly, his heart filled with anticipation.

"Old Li, you're just a businessman, yet you're more impatient than an emperor!"

After hearing this, Lin Chuan couldn't help but roll his eyes at him. He was completely speechless at Old Li.

"The rise and fall of a nation is the responsibility of every citizen."

"Especially given the deep-seated hatred between the Turks and the Tang Dynasty, if I were younger, I would have joined the army directly to serve the country."

Li Er said seriously that Lin Chuan's wrong idea must be corrected.

These words left Lin Chuan both amused and exasperated.

In fact, he was also quite angry with the Turks because of their cruelty and their treatment of the Han people as insignificant.

Lin Chuan stopped teasing Lao Li, took a sip of tea, and then said, "I have a solution."

"What method?"

Upon hearing this, Li Er immediately showed joy. It seemed that Lin Chuan really had a solution, and his trip had not been in vain.

"wait."

Lin Chuan said calmly.

These words immediately made Li Er stop smiling, and Old Sun next to him was also stunned.

This is not a solution!

"Old Trump, stop beating around the bush and just tell me already, you're driving me crazy."

Li Er said urgently, he almost wanted to force the man with a knife.

Lin Chuan felt helpless about this; these two guys were indeed uncultured, and simple principles didn't work on them.

"You know nothing about the Turks."

"The Eastern Turkic Khaganate was composed of multiple tribes, with the Great Khan Jieli as the leader and his Lesser Khans as the next leaders."

"This Khan was narrow-minded and short-sighted. When the great snow disaster occurred, he did not think about how to appease the tribes, but chose to invade and plunder."

"That's why Little Khan came to ask for help," Lin Chuan explained after organizing his thoughts.

If the Turkic Khaganate had been farsighted and attacked the Tang Dynasty during the Wude era or the Wei River Alliance, he wouldn't be sitting here spouting empty boasts now.

The internal turmoil within the Eastern Turkic Khaganate was the root cause of their eventual demise.

"Are you saying that when the snipe and the clam fight, the fisherman benefits?"

After listening, Li Er pondered deeply and immediately asked a question.

"This child is teachable!"

Lin Chuan laughed after hearing this and patted Li Er on the shoulder.

This scene terrified Old Sun, who almost jumped up and angrily berated Lin Chuan.

Li Er was also confused, because no one had dared to treat him like this for a long time.

Not to mention going back to the Wude era, before he broke with his father.

But he didn't have time to think about that right now; he was pondering Lin Chuan's words.

According to Lin Chuan, even if the Tang Dynasty did not send troops, the Turkic Khan would still go to war with Jieli, at which time the Turkic Khaganate would definitely suffer heavy losses.

When the time is right, the Tang Dynasty will destroy the Turks!

"When exactly?"

He asked one last time because it was crucial.

"At the fastest, it will take one or two years; at the longest, it will take two or three years."

Lin Chuan paused for a moment, then said, "If history had not changed significantly, the Turks would have been completely wiped out in the fourth year of the Zhenguan era."

This statement immediately made Li Er feel frustrated.

He felt frustrated at the thought that he would have to wait several more years to eliminate the Eastern Turks.

But there is no other way at the moment, because according to Lin Chuan's analysis, an immediate attack would only fail.

Finally, he slowly stood up and gestured to Old Sun.

Old Sun understood immediately and skillfully took out a string of coins from his pocket as payment for the tea.

Lin Chuan did not refuse. Even close brothers should keep clear accounts. He ran a tea shop and needed to make a living.

Just as Li Er was about to leave, he suddenly raised his eyebrows, and his expression changed drastically.

"Old Chuan, where did this thing come from?"

He inadvertently caught a glimpse of a silk handkerchief on a counter in the distance, a handkerchief that he had clearly given to Guanyinbi!

How did you end up here in Linchuan?

Lin Chuan noticed Li Er's expression, immediately walked over, and stuffed the silk handkerchief into his pocket.

This silk was a gift from the Empress; it must never be known to outsiders.

Li Er's face grew increasingly grim, and his heart pounded wildly.

What exactly is going on?

Although the silk handkerchief was small, it carried his deep affection for Guanyinbi's birthday celebration and was a personal item.

How could I possibly give it away so easily, let alone to a man!

Last time, Chang Le told Li Er that when Lin Chuan treated Guan Yinbi's body, he made her take off her upper garment, which made him suspect that Guan Yinbi might really be hiding something.

Li Er could no longer sit still; he was extremely flustered.

If he hadn't known that Lin Chuan was a eunuch, he would have immediately revealed his identity and subjected Lin Chuan to severe torture.

After leaving the tea shop in a hurry, Li Er immediately went to the Lizheng Hall to question Guanyinbi.

"What's wrong with him?"

Lin Chuan and Lao Sun were both puzzled, not understanding why His Majesty was so anxious.

After the two had gone far away, he closed the door, took out a silk handkerchief from his pocket, smelled it, and thought to himself.

"Things that Guanyinbi used are indeed extraordinary."

Li Er hurriedly returned to Lizheng Hall after leaving the tea shop, his mind in turmoil.

The birthday gift I gave to Guanyinbi was actually with Lin Chuan.

"Guanyinbi, come out and see me immediately!"

Li Er waved away the palace maids and eunuchs outside the palace, strode into the bedchamber, and shouted loudly.

"What happened?"

Guanyinbi slowly walked out of the palace, her face indifferent.

His suspicions about her having an affair with Lin Chuan had not yet been resolved.

"I'm asking you, why is that silk handkerchief in Lin Chuan's hands?"

Li Er stared sharply at Guanyinbi, ready to fly into a rage if he didn't get a reasonable explanation.

Hearing this, Guanyinbi felt both absurd and amused. She had wondered what was wrong with Li Er, but it turned out it was about this matter.

She immediately explained that Lin Chuan had fallen and had scrapes on his face, and she had given him a silk handkerchief as a temporary solution.

"Really?"

Li Er expressed his doubts, then stared intently at Guanyinbi, trying to determine whether she was lying.

"Li Er, we've known each other for so many years, don't you understand me at all?"

"Besides, he's a eunuch, what interest could I possibly have in him?"

Guanyinbi said angrily that she believed she had a clear conscience and had gone through many difficulties with Li Er, yet he still did not trust her.

"I'm just a little worried."

"Alright, it's all my fault. I shouldn't have doubted you."

Li Er immediately softened; he was genuinely afraid of his wife, and he put on a simple, honest smile to comfort her.

"snort!"

Guanyinbi showed no politeness and turned to walk directly towards her bedchamber.

Li Er was in a terrible mood and cursed himself inwardly.

Because he suspected Guanyinbi without any solid evidence.

……

In the imperial study of Ganlu Hall, Fang Xuanling and Du Ruhui had been waiting for a long time.

Recently, they have become increasingly eager to attack the Turks.

However, the emperor kept delaying making a decision.

Now, the envoy sent by the Turkic Khan is getting impatient.

Because he had not received a definite reply, he seemed to be planning to give up.

This situation made Fang Xuanling and Du Ruhui even more anxious.

Losing allies on the steppe would be extremely unwise; if the Little Khan is missed, then there will be no chance of winning the attack on the Turks.

"His Majesty."

After a while, they saw Li Er walking towards them from a distance and immediately stepped forward and bowed in greeting.

Although Li Er was preoccupied with Guanyinbi and Lin Chuan, he was extremely unhappy.

But upon seeing these two ministers, he still forced a smile.

"If you came here to attack the Turks, then you can go back."

Li Er sat down wearily on the couch and waved them away.

Upon hearing this, Fang Xuanling and Du Ruhui's expressions immediately changed.

They were confused, as His Majesty had clearly expressed his support during last night's discussion.

But why the sudden refusal? This change is too abrupt.

"His Majesty……"

They spoke again, unwilling to give up.

That's enough.

Li Er raised an eyebrow. "Do you think he doesn't want to attack the Turks? He desires it more than anyone else."

But in his conversation with Lin Chuan today, he had thoroughly analyzed all the pros and cons, and now is indeed not the best time.

In the end, Fang Xuanling and Du Ruhui sighed helplessly. Although they did not understand why His Majesty was so determined, they knew that this matter would likely have to be postponed.

Sensing that His Majesty was in a bad mood, he could only leave the room with a dejected expression.

Penglai Palace.

"Clearly, there is a secret between Guanyinbi and Lin Chuan."

Behind the screen, Consort Yang smiled after hearing the palace maid's report.

Although she was isolated by everyone and lived in Penglai Palace for a long time without going out, it did not mean that she was idle.

This palace maid was her spy planted outside.

She learned that Guanyinbi had given the birthday gift that His Majesty had given her to Lin Chuan.

"Prepare the carriages and horses; I'm going to see Lin Chuan tomorrow."

She became increasingly interested in Lin Chuan, especially since Lin Chuan was someone Guanyinbi cared about.

……

"Are you sure it's Lin Chuan?"

In a mansion, Wei Zheng asked with a gloomy expression.

He was extremely dissatisfied with Lin Chuan because, as a eunuch, Lin Chuan had captivated the Empress to such an extent that it violated court etiquette, which was absolutely unacceptable.

Throughout history, many dynasties have perished due to interference in politics by the empress dowager, and such lessons are still fresh in our minds.

What worried him even more was that even the emperor was deceived by Lin Chuan. Instead of punishing him, the emperor promoted him!

This is undoubtedly a sign of incompetence.

"Indeed."

When the eunuch bowed in response, his tone was firm.

He was ordered by Wei Zheng to investigate Lin Chuan's situation and even found the old man who had performed castration on Lin Chuan. Everything was normal.

This made Wei Zheng even more wary of Lin Chuan.

The fact that a eunuch could win the empress's favor proves that he truly had extraordinary abilities!

But Wei Zheng would not give up. He believed that time would reveal the truth about Lin Chuan, and at that time he would completely eliminate this evil trend.