Fires were lit at both ends of Lishan Mountain, blocking the front and rear paths of Li Longji and others. The wind helped the fire, and the nearby woods were also ignited. Li Longji and Gu Qing were completely surrounded by the fire and had no way to escape.

Politicians never simplify anything, they only make it more complicated.

At this time, countless people's faces flashed through Li Longji's mind. Setting fire to the mountain was obviously man-made. He was thinking about who dared to murder him.

At this time, Gu Qing was actually thinking about the culprit, and like Li Longji, he thought about this matter very complicatedly. Even if he was beaten to death, he would not have thought that the fire was actually caused by three people who escaped from the corvee at the Lishan Palace construction site.

from.

Who dares to believe that three deserters did such a big thing? Really no one believed it. Just when Li Longji and others were going up the mountain, Li Longji happened to be stuck on the mountainside. The timing and intensity of the fire were just right.

, even if the north wind is strong tonight, it happens to be the perfect weather for setting fires, the weather is favorable, the location is favorable, and the people are all taken into account.

Even when Zhou Yu burned Red Cliff in the Three Kingdoms, it was not as perfect as it is today.

Gu Qing felt that the person who set the fire was simply an expert among experts, having grown up playing with fire.

It is undeniable that these two fires were really successful. They successfully trapped Li Longji, Gu Qing and others in the middle of the raging fire, unable to move.

The first object of suspicion in Gu Qing's mind was the Prince of the East Palace, Li Heng.

Could it be that the prince couldn't wait for his father to die?

After confirming the suspect and his motives, Gu Qing could not help but feel a deep anger in his heart.

If you want to kill your biological father, I won't object, so why bother me?

Seeing that the fire was getting bigger and bigger, Li Longji was so frightened that his face turned pale. As the Emperor of Taiping for decades, Li Longji had experienced all the intrigues in the court. He had never been so close to death, even if he led troops into the palace forty years ago.

Killing Empress Wei has never been as dangerous as it is tonight.

Gu Qing is calmer than Li Longji. Not counting his previous life, he has seen many big scenes in this life and fought with people in blood more than once. He has gradually developed a strong psychological endurance.

"Your Majesty, even if the Yulin Guards from the bottom of the mountain arrive, it will take a long time to put out the fire. By the time they put out the fire, we will have been burned to ashes. Your Majesty, I think we should save ourselves at this time." Gu Qing spoke quickly and authentically.

.

Li Longji was confused and said: "How...how to save myself, I, what should I do..."

Gu Qing sighed, since the Emperor was hopeless, he had to make his own decision.

Looking around, he saw that the fire had spread to the center of the forest. Almost the entire forest was engulfed in flames. The mountain road was blocked by the fire and it was impossible to break through. Gu Qing looked around for a long time, and the more he looked, the more desperate he became.

It seems... there is really no way out, no escape.

The fire in the woods has almost reached the mountain road, and the space for Gu Qing and others is getting smaller and smaller. The fire has formed an encirclement around it, and is rapidly shrinking the living space of Gu Qing and others at a speed visible to the naked eye.

What's more troublesome is not the intensity of the fire, but the increasingly thinner air. The raging fire seems to have burned away the surrounding air. Waves of heat waves hit our faces, but Gu Qing and the others are breathing more and more difficultly, mixed with the billowing heat.

There was thick smoke and a burnt smell, and covering your mouth and nose with your sleeves had no effect.

Gao Lishi and the Yulin Guards behind were all panicked. As the emperor's personal servants, the Yulin Guards never lacked courage and were willing to sacrifice their lives to protect them. However, the enemy in front of them was a fire, and all their skills and courage were completely useless at this time.

, no matter what price they pay, the damned people will eventually die, including Li Longji.

A man who looked like a general of the Yulin Guards suddenly saluted with his sword: "There are about a hundred Yulin Guards beside your Majesty. If there is no other way, General Mo will take the lead to rush out of the sea of ​​​​fire and roll over from the fire. The ones behind him will

The soldiers rolled one after another, extinguishing the fire with their flesh and blood, and creating a way for Your Majesty to survive."

When the Yulin Guards heard this, they all excitedly said in unison: "I am willing to provide a way for your majesty to survive!"

Li Longji's expression moved slightly but he said nothing.

Gu Qing covered his mouth and nose with his sleeves and said in a low voice: "The north wind is strong at this time, and the fire in the woods has already spread to the mountain road. Even if you use your flesh and blood to pass over it, the fire will rekindle immediately, not to mention you

Your sacrifice is worthless. I only ask you, when you are all burned to death, to whom will your Majesty's safety be entrusted?"

The general hesitated, lowered his head and said nothing.

Li Longji sighed in disappointment.

Gu Qing glanced at the general, endured the strong stinging feeling in his throat, and said: "You should do your hard work and don't force yourself to use your brain."

Li Longji covered his mouth and nose and choked hard for a while. The thick smoke made him burst into tears. As he coughed, he said: "I never thought that I would be in such a desperate situation. I am really... unwilling to die!"

It was obvious that Li Longji was very scared. Gu Qing stood beside him and could notice that he was shaking all over. However, due to his status as the emperor, he did not want to show his timidity in front of his ministers, so he could only force himself to stay calm.

No one could do anything. The desperate Li Longji couldn't help but asked in a trembling voice: "Do you have a way to survive? Please tell me quickly and I will definitely reward you heavily!"

No one said anything, the fire was an invincible enemy, and everyone was in despair.

Gu Qing didn't say anything. He was a little anxious at this moment. He didn't expect that he would die in a fire within two years of time travel. If he was unwilling to give in, he was even more unwilling than Li Longji. No matter how stupid the screenwriter was, he couldn't write it.

Such a bloody script.

Biting the tip of his tongue hard, Gu Qing tried to calm down. No matter how critical the situation was, calmness was the only chance of survival.

The severe pain at the tip of his tongue made Gu Qing's mind clear, and he began to look around at the environment.

Everyone was at a loss, except Gu Qing who remained silent for a long time. Li Longji grabbed his sleeve in panic and said, "Gu Qing, do you have a way to get out of trouble? I know you have always been smart and alert, you must have a way, right?"

Gu Qing smiled at Li Longji and looked at the edge of the fire in the woods on the left. The edge was very close to them and there was a tree planted there. The fire was slowly advancing towards the tree and was about to burn it.

If this tree is set alight, Gu Qing and others will basically have no way to survive. Even if they are not choked to death by the thick smoke, the fire will quickly burn out the surrounding air, and they will suffocate to death.

Gu Qing stared at the trees, his eyes suddenly showing deep thought.

It seems... there is a glimmer of hope.

Squatting down, Gu Qing grabbed a handful of sand under his feet, changed the direction and slowly let the sand fall from his fingers. The sand fell with the blazing heat wave, but the direction of the fall was shifted to the south.

Li Longji and all the Yulin Guards watched Gu Qing do all this silently. Everyone was confused as to why Gu Qing did this inexplicable move.

But Li Longji couldn't care about anything else at the moment. He just wanted to survive. No matter what weird behavior Gu Qing did, it represented a glimmer of hope.

So Li Longji said in a trembling voice: "Has Gu Qing come up with a way? If you want people or things, you can say it, I will be satisfied. If you can help me get out of trouble, I will be rewarded heavily when I go back. I will be rewarded heavily! I, I am.

…”

Gritting his teeth, Li Longji said loudly: "I will make you the Marquis of Wanhu. Everyone present today will testify that I will never break my promise!"

Gu Qing, who was deep in thought, was interrupted and almost wanted to laugh when he heard Li Longji's hurried words.

Boss, it's still a matter of debate whether we can survive or not. It's useless for me to be the deputy emperor at this time.

It’s strange, why emperors throughout the ages always promised something like “Marquis of Ten Thousand Households” when offering huge rewards. How valuable is this “Marquis of Ten Thousand Households”? It feels like the emperors of all dynasties cared more about this “Marquis of Ten Thousand Households” than the person in question himself.

After the sand in his hands was slowly sprinkled, Gu Qing clapped his hands and turned around to find that everyone, including Li Longji, was staring at him, their eyes full of desire for life.

Then Gu Qing remembered that he should say thank you. No matter whether Li Longji's promise was a empty promise or not, he still had to be polite.

"Well, I would like to thank Your Majesty for your grace. There is no need to be granted a title of marquis. I have not made any merit, so I am really unworthy of receiving such a title."

Li Longji stamped his feet and said anxiously: "Stop doing this false ritual. You saved my life, and even being crowned king is not an exaggeration! Tell me quickly, do you have any way to get out of trouble?"

Gu Qing said slowly: "The Great Dao is fifty, the Heavenly Evolution is forty-nine, and only one of them can escape. God will not cut off all roads, but will leave a glimmer of hope in the end."

Li Longji was overjoyed and coughed hard for a while, saying: "Quick...speak quickly!"

Gu Qing pointed to a tree on the left side of the forest that had not yet been burned, and said: "I have an idea, and I need some efforts from the Yulin Guards."

The general who just tried to use his brain forcefully and was slapped in the face clasped his fists and said loudly: "Gu Changshi, please give me your instructions, I will die through fire and water!"

Gu Qing covered his mouth and nose and took a few breaths of hot air. He forced a smile and said: "I asked the general to command his soldiers to dig trenches from the edge of the tree that was not burned by the fire..."

"Dig a trench?" the general asked in confusion.

"Yes, dig a trench. Use the weapons in your hands to dig the trench. Whether it is a knife or a sword, use all the weapons that can be used. Dig along the edge of the fire. The trench does not have to be deep, just one foot. Just dig it.

About thirty people are enough to deal with the ditch."

Then Gu Qing pointed to the ground in the safe area where he was standing and said: "Here, twenty people dig a big hole, big enough for one person to lie in. They use weapons to dig and hand planing. In short, no matter what method is used, they must

Dig the hole in the shortest possible time.”

The general was full of doubts, but he still obeyed the order.

Gu Qing pointed to the unburnt trees in front of him and said: "On the edge of the ditch dug in front, everyone else will cut down all the trees on the edge to create an isolation buffer zone. Okay, go quickly, it's too late."

!”

More than a hundred Yulin Guards officers rushed out immediately, and even Gao Lishi hurriedly helped cut down the trees.

Gu Qing did not move, he sat cross-legged on the ground, tore off a piece of cloth from his inner garment, asked a soldier for some water from the skin bag they carried with them, wetted the cloth and handed it to Li Longji, saying: "Your Majesty,

Use this thing to cover your mouth and nose, at least it will be easier."

Li Longji tremblingly took the wet cloth and covered his mouth and nose, and said in panic: "Will Gu Qing's method work?"

Gu Qing also covered his mouth and nose with a wet cloth, and said in a muffled voice: "I have used all the methods that should be used. Whether I can survive depends on God's will. Your Majesty, I have tried my best."

Li Longji sighed helplessly and turned his back, tears suddenly streaming down his face: "I... don't want to die."

"Your Majesty, please be at ease. There is still a high probability of survival. If the Yulin Guards at the foot of the mountain can put out the fire faster, the probability of survival will be even greater." Gu Qing comforted him warmly.

Li Longji sighed: "I hope...the soldiers will live up to me."

Then Li Longji looked at Gu Qing and said: "I just made a promise to become a marquis, and I will never break my promise. Gu Qing, I can see that you are a loyal minister. If you can survive tonight, I will use you again in the future."

Gu Qing smiled. No matter how sincere Li Longji's words were, he didn't trust them. Anything a person says when he is trying to survive is like drunken talk. After waking up from a hangover, whether he denies it, has amnesia, or denies it, whoever takes it seriously loses.

.

…………
To be continued...