LFHYB -Chapter 200 Who Can Take the Xuanwu Gate Championship

Zong Luohu and Xue Ju had no choice but to let Li Xuanba go.

Zong Luohu said, “The lord has given orders. If we cannot stop Third Young Master, then the two of us shall serve as his bodyguards.”

Li Xuanba laughed aloud.

Since childhood, whenever his second brother saw him about to do something that would get him beaten, he would always prepare a safety net.

In his childhood, that safety net mostly meant taking or sharing the punishment himself—now, it had become about cleaning up the mess for him?

“All right,” Li Xuanba said. “Second Brother, any further orders?”

Zong Luohu sighed. “None. The lord said that henceforth, everything is up to Third Young Master.”

Li Xuanba smiled. “Good enough.”

Seeing Li Xuanba’s smile, Zong Luohu and Xue Ju felt a chill run down their spines.

But it shouldn’t be. Third Young Master’s strategist was only competing for heads with the lord—what could possibly happen that they didn’t know about?

Even after pondering it deeply, Zong Luohu and Xue Ju couldn’t think of anything that could take them by surprise.

Although they ultimately failed to stop Li Xuanba, the brotherly rivalry was finally over, and their expressions relaxed considerably.

Xue Ju cheerfully asked, “Strategist, with so many of us heading to the palace, Li Jiancheng won’t be too scared to deploy troops, right?”

Li Xuanba shook his head. “Who said I’m going to the palace? With the sudden appearance of Turkic cavalry on the outskirts of Chang’an, I received orders from Father and personally went to investigate.”

Xue Ju was dumbfounded. “Ah?” He didn’t even know about this?

Zong Luohu showed a headache-ridden expression. He thought he had been following Third Young Master and knew all the plans, but why was the very first order contrary to the plan?

Even though Xue Ju and Zong Luohu were confused, they had been ordered to follow Li Xuanba in everything, so they took their troops and left the city with him.

Both scratched their heads as they rode out of the city gate.

Had they known that Third Young Master’s strategist would leave the city, there would have been no need to block the gates.

“Third Young Master, now that we are leaving the capital, what about Li Jiancheng?” Zong Luohu asked worriedly. “Should we leave it to Fifth Young Master?”

Li Xuanba smiled mischievously. “Who knows?”

Zong Luohu and Xue Ju both sighed. They truly had no idea what was going to happen next. Third Young Master had prepared so long—wasn’t it all just to compete with the lord for Li Jiancheng’s head?

Soon after Li Xuanba left the capital, the news reached Li Yuan and Li Jiancheng.

Li Jiancheng breathed a sigh of relief, while Li Yuan exhaled heavily.

Even up to the last moment, Li Yuan was still hesitant. Although he had diverted Li Xuanba, he had not forced him to leave; Li Xuanba could have handed the matter to someone else and refused to leave the capital.

Li Yuan thought that if Li Xuanba didn’t fall into a trap, Li Jiancheng probably wouldn’t insist on the original plan. By the time this matter dragged on until Li Shimin ascended the throne, Li Jiancheng would likely give up, and Li Yuan could finally let go as well.

Everything was in Li Xuanba’s wisdom.

If Li Xuanba truly was “without a flaw in strategy” and not just a reputation Li Shimin had boosted to raise his status, their whole family wouldn’t have been trapped in a life-or-death struggle against itself.

Now that Li Xuanba had left, it proved that his reputation for “flawless strategy” was indeed hollow, relying entirely on Li Shimin’s “invincible in battle” reputation. Li Yuan felt somewhat distressed.

Perhaps everything was just fate.

As Li Shimin passed the city gate, he also heard the guards say that Li Xuanba had left the capital with Xue Ju and Zong Luohu.

He frowned.

Pei Xingyan looked equally grave. “Li San absolutely cannot be trapped. Could he really have a major plan we don’t know about?”

Li Shimin turned and scolded Pei Xingyan, “Aren’t you on A-Xuan’s side? Even you don’t know his plan?”

Pei Xingyan said, “Qin Shubao is also on Li San’s side. Do you think he knows?”

Qin Qiong: “…” Don’t drag me into this!

Li Shimin turned to the other side. “Xiao Wu, you don’t know either?”

Li Zhiyun widened his innocent eyes. “Know what?”

Li Shimin laughed and scolded, “Looks like you do know something. Never mind. As long as A-Xuan doesn’t take heads, it doesn’t matter what he does. Let’s go! We’ll meet Li Jiancheng.”

Li Zhiyun gave up pretending to be naive and said helplessly, “Second Brother, don’t be overconfident. He might have armored troops and archers with him.”

Li Shimin said, “That strong, huh? Then I’d better put on my helmet.”

Li Zhiyun sighed. “Third Brother also said, Second Brother should be careful not to fall off your horse, so as not to get strangled by the bowstring.”

Li Shimin: “…” So A-Xuan ‘saw’ the ‘future’—my life is hanging by a thread.

Curious, Li Shimin asked, “I’ve fallen, so why not use swords, spears, or arrows? How long would a bowstring take to strangle me? Isn’t it just waiting for someone to save me?”

Li Zhiyun said, “How would I know? Wait until Third Brother returns, and then you can ask him.”

Li Shimin laughed. “When we celebrate the victory, I must ask him carefully.”

Seeing that the brothers were about to start killing each other, Li Zhiyun was speechless that Second Brother could still smile at a time like this.

At a time like this, shouldn’t Second Brother be nervous, solemn, hesitant?

Li Zhiyun loosened his grip on the reins, rubbed the marks on his hands, and wiped sweat from his sleeve.

Second Brother was acting too relaxed—he couldn’t get nervous at all.

Li Shimin was extremely confident. His trust in his brother was just as absolute as his confidence in himself. So he boldly rode back to the palace with only two hundred soldiers behind him.

To be safe, he only put on armor when entering the palace gates.

Knowing what Li Jiancheng might do, he carried his armor with him wherever he went, just in case.

Li Zhiyun also donned his armor.

Li Shimin sighed and said, “Xiao Wu has grown so much… wearing armor, he looks even sturdier than your third brother.”

Li Zhiyun retorted irritably, “Second brother, don’t say that in front of Third Brother. He’s always sensitive about not being as strong.”

Li Shimin nodded repeatedly. “Yes, A-Xuan always gets petty over the most absurd things… Xuanwu Gate.”

A fleeting shadow crossed Li Shimin’s eyes.

He remembered that when they were little, A-Xuan had accidentally let something slip:

“The Xuanwu Gate Incident.”

If a palace coup were to happen, it would only occur at Xuanwu Gate, in front of the Daxing Palace where their father resided.

Li Shimin patted the horse’s neck. “Little Red Date, you better pull through. Don’t die on the battlefield and then get caught in a palace coup—that would be terrible luck.”

The horse, Zao Hong, which Li Shimin had once promised to rename but never did, snorted sharply.

“Chirp chirp!”

Li Shimin looked up. Two birds circled high in the sky.

The birds were flying so high that anyone unfamiliar with his two eaglets would not have noticed they were… well, besides his own, what other big birds fly in pairs above Chang’an, chirping like that?

Clearly, this was a warning.

Li Shimin immediately realized that the two eagles’ appearance now was likely a signal from his brother, instructing him to act as if he had only just realized he was being ambushed.

“Stop! Turn back immediately!”

Li Shimin’s face went pale as he shouted in panic, ordering everyone to turn their horses and leave the palace.

Pei Xingyan glanced at Li Shimin. Now that there’s no audience, why act so convincingly?

Just as the 200 soldiers turned their horses, the palace gates closed. A squad of Turkic cavalry burst out from their hiding place.

Li Shimin shouted, “How are there Turks inside the palace?!”

Li Zhiyun looked speechless at his second brother. Didn’t he already anticipate the forces Li Jiancheng could muster for a palace coup? He must have borrowed them from the Turks. Was it really necessary to act this realistically?

As Li Shimin shouted, the Turks drew their bows, aiming at the rear of his horse.

But at that exact moment, the 200 cavalry under Li Shimin split in two, flanking the Turkic cavalry from the sides.

It wasn’t sudden.

When Li Shimin shouted “Turn back quickly,” the cavalry didn’t turn completely—they angled toward the rear flank.

The moment the palace gate shut, the cavalry accelerated, arcing in two curves toward the Turks, as if anticipating their emergence.

The palace was far too cramped for cavalry. Li Jiancheng could bring in no more than a thousand riders, of whom only a dozen or so wore armor, and they had few bows.

Li Xuanba, in order to show he had diligently guarded against Li Jiancheng’s coup, had not deliberately set traps for him. He strictly regulated the placement of weapons, creating significant obstacles for Li Jiancheng’s plan.

Without Li Xuanba’s careful precautions, how could Li Jiancheng have confidently fortified Xuanwu Gate?

“Kill!!!”

The cavalry flanked the Turkic riders, 200 strong against two or three times their number.

Their equipment was superior, each soldier wielding a strong bow. Having prepared in advance, their arrows flew faster than the Turks’.

The Turks were still drawing their bows when the arrows were already released.

Some Turkic riders loosened their bows and hurried to rein in their horses; others fired in panic, but the armored soldiers evaded them easily—no man or horse was struck.

Though it was Li Jiancheng who had ambushed with the Turks, the war cries came from the armored soldiers behind Li Shimin.

After circling, the armored soldiers forced the Turks instinctively inward, lacking a commanding officer.

Only when horse met horse did the Turks realize something was wrong.

As they retreated under arrow fire, the armored soldiers closed in, tightening their formation.

Experienced Turkic riders realized they had to break out, or the tight space would make the nearly thousand-strong force unmanageable, nullifying their numerical advantage.

But the Turkic cavalry’s commander was Li Jiancheng.

Though Li Jiancheng had battlefield experience, he did not command in the thick of combat like Li Shimin. He acted like an ordinary noble: strategizing while leaving troop command to others and his father, Li Yuan.

In an instant, the Turkic riders went from ambushing to being ambushed. Li Jiancheng had no time to react and was pressed into the center of the formation.

He had expected that with nearly a thousand troops and Li Shimin’s mere 200 guards, a casual order would destroy them.

So when Li Shimin led the armored soldiers charging the Turks, he wondered why Li Shimin seemed suicidal.

Trapped in the middle, he still didn’t realize he was at a disadvantage or understand the implications of being compressed in the formation.

The palace’s narrow space meant the thousand-strong Turkic formation was already tight.

The armored soldiers, leveraging their horses’ acceleration and archery, completed the encirclement.

With fewer men, they formed a single column to circle and fire freely; the Turks, packed tightly, could barely maneuver. Only those on the outer edge could draw their bows; the rest couldn’t wield their weapons effectively.

The Turkic numerical advantage vanished, and they were surrounded by the armored soldiers.

The armored soldiers tightened the encirclement like a noose. Outer Turks were thrown from their horses; inner Turks were blocked by the fallen, unable to charge, forced to endure the onslaught of arrows.

Only when Li Jiancheng’s horse could no longer move did he sense something was wrong.

“Don’t bunch up! Break outwards!” Li Jiancheng ordered.

The Turkic riders, hearing this, were utterly exasperated.

“What nonsense are you spouting? How do we charge, where do we break through, who takes the arrows—you should make that clear with a command flag!”

Li Jiancheng’s orders didn’t just fail to help the Turks break through the Xuanjia troops’ ropes—they only threw them into further confusion.

At first, some of the Turks hadn’t realized they were at a disadvantage. After all, their numbers were there, so they felt confident.

But when Li Jiancheng’s panicked voice reached them, fear crept into their hearts.

The Turks had come to help, not to die for Li Jiancheng. Seeing him panic, they instantly abandoned any thought of fighting the Xuanjia troops to the death—they only thought of escaping.

One Turk shouted, “Open the city gates quickly!”

The gates swung wide, and soldiers poured out.

Li Shimin, however, didn’t even glance back. He continued leading the Xuanjia troops, cutting down the Turkic cavalry.

“Your Highness the Crown Prince! The Turks have attacked, but the enemy leader has been captured! I’ve come to assist Your Highness!” shouted Jing Junhong, the commander of the Xuanwu Gate.

Li Jiancheng was horrified. “Jing Junhong! You’ve betrayed me!”

Li Shimin nearly laughed aloud atop his horse.

The Xuanjia soldiers also wore a faint, knowing smile.

When they saw that the Xuanwu Gate’s defenders were still loyal to the Sui, not Turks, they realized they were in no real danger.

No matter what promises Li Yuan or Li Jiancheng had made to the gate guards, the city’s defense had always been arranged by the strategist before they returned to the capital. As long as the guards hadn’t changed, they were confident that everything was under the strategist’s control.

The strategist was meticulous—he would frown and scold them even if a few men fell in battle, always caring for their lives. Whatever his plans were, he would not send them to certain death.

So when the gates opened, both Li Shimin and his men assumed the reinforcements were arranged by the strategist.

They also noticed during battle that the Turks’ bows were flawed—their shots lacked power and accuracy.

Their weapons were crude as well; spear and lance heads fell off their shafts after only a few swings. Only a few officers had functional weapons, likely their own.

The Turks had no leader commanding them—how were they any different from the bandits they’d driven out before? Even one against ten, they could pursue and defeat them.

When the Xuanwu Gate defenders, who had been “temporarily redirected” by Li Jiancheng under the guise of Li Yuan and Li Xuanba’s orders, arrived, the already disadvantaged Turkic cavalry lost even their numerical superiority.

Recalling the fear of having both a great and a minor khan captured by Li Shimin, they dismounted and surrendered without resistance.

The Turks were quick both in attack and surrender.

They knew the Central Plains lacked horses and cavalry. If they surrendered quickly enough, they could still save their lives.

Li Shimin did not wipe out the Turks entirely.

He still needed them alive as witnesses to Li Jiancheng’s secret dealings with the Turks. The remaining Turks could also be sent as slaves to the horse ranches in Zhangye.

The Xuanjia troops left a path for the Turks to surrender, exposing Li Jiancheng in the process.

Suddenly, the situation collapsed. The battle ended almost instantly, and the outcome was decided. Li Jiancheng hadn’t even reacted before the Turks were about to abandon him.

One thing Li Jiancheng did know: if Li Shimin caught him, he would surely face death.

With the Turks surrendering and the formation loosening, he finally saw a chance to escape.

Li Jiancheng spurred his horse toward Daxing Palace, seeking Li Yuan’s help.

As long as he reached his father, Li Shimin surely wouldn’t kill him in front of him.

Moreover, his father, just in case, had summoned his mother and Lady Wan to Daxing Palace. Li Shimin and Li Zhiyun absolutely would not kill anyone in front of them.

Li Jiancheng shouted, “Father! Mother! Save me!”—but someone thrust a spear into the belly of his horse.

Terrified, he looked at the attacker. “It’s… you? Zheng Guang?!”

The young officer, helmet slightly lifted, gave him a contemptuous smile.

“Ji Hong!” Zheng Guang shouted. Though he had been assigned as Li Jiancheng’s personal guard, he had now stabbed Li Jiancheng’s horse on the battlefield.

As Zheng Guang called to Li Zhiyun, Luo Shixin, silently riding beside Li Shimin, sharply struck the rump of Li Shimin’s horse.

At the same time, Qin Qiong rammed Li Shimin’s horse as well.

Little Red Date (the horse) immediately leaped, racing toward a small grove.

Li Shimin: “??!!”

Li Zhiyun, who had been idling, was already waiting near Daxing Palace.

As Li Jiancheng spurred his horse toward the palace, Li Zhiyun drew his bow fully and released an arrow.

The instant the arrow flew, Li Zhiyun dropped the bow, drew his cavalry saber, and charged at Li Jiancheng.

Zheng Guang pivoted his horse, blocking Li Jiancheng’s remaining guards with his spear.

Li Jiancheng, struggling on his injured horse, lost balance and slipped off.

Li Zhiyun’s arrow, aimed perfectly at the gaps in his helmet and armor, pierced Li Jiancheng’s neck as he fell.

He couldn’t even scream. Li Zhiyun’s horse was already there.

Li Zhiyun lifted one foot from the stirrup, leaned sideways, and with the speed of the galloping horse, his saber cleanly severed the arrow-impaled Li Jiancheng’s neck.

By the time he sat upright on his horse again, Li Jiancheng’s head was already in his hand.

“Prince of Qi, Li Jiancheng, colluded with the Turks and committed treason! He has been executed! Surrender immediately!”

Li Zhiyun raised Li Jiancheng’s head, slowing his horse.

Zheng Guang snorted, sheathed his spear, and rode alongside Li Zhiyun.

Luo Shixin and Qin Qiong spurred their horses toward the grove to find their startled lord.

Zheng Guang saluted: “I have fulfilled my duty.”

Li Zhiyun’s tense expression eased slightly. “Well done.”

Zheng Guang laughed: “It wasn’t so hard when I snuck off to Zhangye with just two guards. Shixin was younger than me, traveled farther, and had even fewer people with him—I really can’t imagine how he managed to go so far alone.”

Li Zhiyun said: “Don’t follow his example. He’s not a normal person.”

As soon as Zheng Guang heard this, he realized that Li Zhiyun had probably gotten into a quarrel with Luo Shixin over some inexplicable little matter again. He couldn’t help but show a helpless expression.

Zheng Guang, courtesy name Rentai, was from a branch of the Zheng family in Xingyang. His great-grandfather, grandfather, and father had all been minor officials.

When Li Shimin and Li Xuanba were children, they had once performed “arts” in front of the Zhengs of Xingyang to gain favor regarding Li Jiancheng’s marriage. Since then, Zheng Guang had kept these two especially capable “Li brothers” firmly in mind.

His parents also supported him in following Li Shimin. After Li Yuan raised his army, his parents helped conceal him from the main branch of the Zheng family, allowing him to quietly leave Xingyang, which had already been occupied by the Wagang Zhai.

By the time Zheng Guang arrived in Longxi, Li Shimin had already left. He then followed the young commander Li Zhiyun, who was close to him in age, and later became friends with Luo Shixin.

Later, he received secret orders from the strategist: after faking his credentials, he went back to Western Capital to lie low, pretending he had been trapped there the whole time, and eventually ended up under Li Jiancheng’s command.

No one in the Zheng family knew of his defection.

Even if they had known, they would have praised him. If it weren’t for his insight, the Zhengs of Xingyang would have been wiped out by Li Jiancheng’s arrogance.

Zheng Guang felt frustrated.

Now that his family was holding him back, even though he had achieved merit, it would be difficult for him to be fully trusted in the future. He could only remain a minor noble with no chance to independently command troops.

Still, thinking of the many capable generals under his lord, Zheng Guang comforted himself. Even if his family hadn’t held him back, he would probably have struggled to compete with the many elite generals under his lord.

Only someone who could outshine the lord himself and claim the first merit would be qualified to command an army. That was beyond him.

“Ji Hong, have we technically earned merit before our lord?” Zheng Guang suddenly realized that they might have.

Li Zhiyun blinked. Only when Zheng Guang reminded him did he realize it: “Oh yeah!”

Zheng Guang looked back in alarm: “Hurry to Daxing Palace! Our lord is coming!”

Li Zhiyun quickly spurred his horse toward Daxing Palace.

Li Shimin was furious: “Li Zhiyun! Stop right there!”

Zheng Guang quietly hid to the side, not daring to block his enraged lord.

Following behind were Luo Shixin and Qin Qiong, their bruised faces silently warning him: hide quickly!

Pei Xingyan leisurely reined in his horse: “Ah, you actually kept this from me! Li San doesn’t trust me!”

Qin Qiong covered a wound at his eye corner: “Actually, I don’t know the strategist’s full plan either. The strategist just told me to follow Luo Shixin.”

Luo Shixin covered a wound at his mouth: “Actually, I don’t know the full plan of Third Young Master either. Ji Hong slipped me a note while handing me my armor.”

Pei Xingyan sighed: “To hide it from our lord, you first had to hide it from all of us. Our lord really has been completely outwitted by his two younger brothers.”

Finally, Zheng Guang could join the discussion: “What else could we do? The strategist always told Ji Hong not to act—this surely reached our lord’s ears, so he assumed the strategist was protecting Ji Hong and wouldn’t let him act. Ji Hong also pretended to still care a bit for Li Jiancheng—it looked convincing. Two against one, even our lord could only accept it.”

Pei Xingyan laughed: “Right, Li Xiao Wu did the most. Even I was fooled.”

Luo Shixin said: “Yes, our lord never expected that the key to victory in this round rested on Ji Hong.”

Qin Qiong nodded: “Prince Chu’s acting skills are remarkable.”

The Xuanwu Gate guard Jing Junhong shouted: “You brats, stop slacking! So many prisoners, do you expect me to handle them alone? Hurry up!”

Jing Junhong had once been the Sui Interior Minister’s deputy, and one of the high-ranking nobles who persuaded Wei Xuan to surrender the city as the Western Capital’s garrison. He was a senior official.

Once he started scolding, Pei Xingyan and the others quickly went to help.

Jing Junhong cursed: “No wonder Duke Gao kept a close eye on you! You young people, all talk and no action! The Crown Prince was attacked, the Turks broke into the palace, and you’re still laughing?!”

The younger officers and some older generals all nodded obediently, not daring to breathe heavily in front of this Sui veteran.

…

“At this point, the Xuanwu Gate Incident should have concluded. I wonder if Xiao Wu successfully claimed a head,” Li Xuanba muttered to himself. “I hope mother isn’t too frightened.”

He felt guilty toward his mother, but there was nothing they could do—Li Jiancheng had struck first.

“Prince of Jin, will you truly honor your promise and let us return to the steppe?”

Li Xuanba looked back. Two older but still robust Turks looked at him nervously.

Li Xuanba smiled: “Chuluo Khagan, Shibi Khagan, I may hide my actions, but I never lie. Once this is over, I will release you both and support your return to the thrones of Eastern and Western Turkic Khagans.”

The two Khagans didn’t believe Li Xuanba would support them, but as long as he promised to let them go, they didn’t mind this empty assurance.

After being captured by Li Shimin, Eastern Turkic Shibi Khagan and his brother Ashina Sili Fuzh established a minor khaganate, which was then handed over to Yang Guang.

Yang Guang loved grand achievements, especially showing leniency toward barbarians to demonstrate his authority. So when Shibi Khagan sent troops to surround him, Yang Guang generously pardoned him, sent Princess Yicheng to reunite with Shibi Khagan, and kept him nearby to watch music and dance performances.

Western Turkic Chuluo Khagan submitted to the Sui due to Pei Shiju’s stratagem.

Changsun Sheng had originally used tactics to help the weak and suppress the strong, which not only drained Turkic strength but also caused divisions among them.

Pei Shiju repeated his strategy, winning over the now-unpopular Chuluo Khagan of the Western Turks. By bringing Chuluo Khagan to submit to Sui, the powerful Sheguai Khagan consolidated the Western Turks once again.

This plan, however, ended up being largely in vain.

After submitting to Sui, Chuluo Khagan remained with Yang Guang, married a Sui royal woman, and accompanied Yang Guang to watch performances.

After Yang Guang died, the two of them, relying on protection from their old Turkic followers, did not leave together with Yu Wenhua Ji but returned directly to Xijing.

They both knew that there was no place for them in the Eastern or Western Turkic territories anymore; the only option was to submit to the Tang dynasty and continue to live comfortably there.

Who would have thought that Li Xuanba intercepted them in advance and secretly placed them in Li Zhao’s army?

Now Li Xuanba ordered Li Zhao to hand over all the Turkic captives to them, essentially building them a respectable army—yet he planned to “release the tiger back to the mountains.”

Both Chuluo Khan and Shibi Khan thought Li Xuanba was a bit foolish, and they used all their energy to lavish him with praise for his exceptional strategy.

Under Li Xuanba’s command, they raised their Turkic khan banners and showed their faces, allowing the Chang’an nobility—who were already familiar with their appearances—to recognize them.

“Li Jiancheng is going to open the city gates for us! Hurry, open the gates!”

“What? Li Jiancheng has already been killed! We’ve been tricked! Retreat immediately!”

The Eastern and Western Turkic allied forces launched a surprise attack on Chang’an, expecting traitor Li Jiancheng and the old Sui nobility in the city to open the gates. But they discovered that Li Jiancheng had already failed, and the Xuanjia army, along with Princess Pingyang Li Zhao’s forces, were on their way at the personal request of Prince Jin, Li Xuanba. Helpless, the Turks had to retreat.

On the way out, the Turkic forces had a skirmish with the armies sent by Li Xuanba and Li Zhao. Hundreds of Turkic nobles were captured, but the Turks retreated too quickly. Shibi Khan, Chuluo Khan, and Ashina Silifu’s minor khans still managed to lead the bulk of the Turkic forces safely back to the steppes.

The court and the populace were furious. The citizens of Chang’an, who had nearly faced a Turkic raid, were terrified. The entire city cursed Li Jiancheng.

News of the incident spread across the country. People in every region petitioned their local governors, urging Crown Prince Li Shimin to ascend the throne immediately.

Thus, governors from various regions, carrying representatives of the people and petitions signed by thousands, marched en masse toward Chang’an.

…

“The imperial robe is finally finished and can be worn.”

“Third brother, stop talking about the robe! First, have some pity for me, who just got beaten up!”

Pffft.