This was the first time that the Emperor Long An, whose attitude was ambiguous, had clearly expressed his intention to destroy the old and establish a new one at the Imperial Court. He had not revealed a single word to anyone beforehand. Not only did Fang Qin's party not understand, but even the people of the Grand Council were baffled.
Jiang Chong glanced at Yan Wang obscurely and thought, Did the Emperor take the wrong medicine?
Chang Geng's expression did not change. The first thing he did was to stand up and flatter Li Feng. Although he played politics, he was born with the air of an otherworldly immortal. Even his posture of flattery was very indifferent, as if he was in cahoots with Li Feng.
At that time, some people's expressions changed.
Li Feng knew in his heart that Yan Wang intended to borrow his power, and that the civil and military officials of the court each had their own ulterior motives. However, this did not matter. He could give Yan Wang a way out, and he could also give anyone a way out.
This time, Li Feng used two government decrees to push the Grand Council to the heart of the struggle. He wanted to see if those people who used the previous Emperor's red letter and iron certificate could do anything to Yan Wang, who had become a monk halfway through his life and had only ever called him "Father Emperor."
That day was destined to be a sleepless night in the capital.
In the Grand Council, Jiang Chong whispered to Chang Geng, "Prince, what do we do? Do we follow the original plan?"
Chang Geng said without hesitation, "Strike while the iron is hot."
Jiang Chong looked deeply at Chang Geng and asked, "Prince, if we push them too hard, what do we do if they become desperate?"
Chang Geng turned his head to look at him and said meaningfully, "I'm afraid they won't. Brother Han Shi, do you know what the most useful sentence I've learned in my life is?"
Jiang Chong heard a hint of fear and trepidation out of thin air.
Chang Geng said, "In front of the battle, whoever doesn't want to die will die first."
On the way home from the Grand Council, Chang Geng happened to run into Fang Qin's carriage. He ordered Huo Dan, "Let Master Fang pass first."
Huo Dan made a sound of acknowledgment. After a while, he ran back to report, "Prince, Master Fang said he didn't dare be disrespectful and has already stepped aside."
Chang Geng lifted the curtain of the carriage and politely cupped his hands in greeting to Fang Qin. The two of them brushed past each other amiably, as if they didn't want to kill each other.
Chang Geng leaned against the carriage, thinking that if he and Fang Qin were in each other's shoes, he would at least be able to endure the limelight for a while. He would wait for the new nobles of the imperial court to seize control of the transportation finance at lightning speed and give them a push when their foundation was unstable and they were expanding too quickly. At that time, he would just silently wait for Li Feng to make his move. The imperial court was like a spider web of princes and nobles. There were stories and power everywhere. If he was willing to take things slowly, he would have plenty of opportunities to restore the old system after the war.
Chang Geng also knew that Fang Qin was a dependable person, so he must be thinking the same thing.
Therefore, even if he had to drag everyone along with him, he couldn't let him calmly wait for this opportunity.
Fang Qin watched as the Wild Goose King's carriage disappeared into the distance. Only then did he order his family to continue on their journey. Dusk slowly slipped into the long night. He seemed to have vaguely seen the vein-like momentum flowing past him like a torrent of water. However, he was powerless to stop it. The dam he was standing on was made of sand. It looked mighty and majestic, but in reality, he couldn't borrow any strength. It was the boundless world that was going against him.
When he returned to the Fang manor, there were already guests waiting for him. Scholar Fang didn't have time to cultivate and personally received them in the front hall. As soon as Fang Qin entered, everyone stood up and looked at him with different expressions.
Fang Qin had a bad premonition in his heart. "Father, what's wrong?"
Scholar Fang said with a heavy expression, "Your adopted sister was punished for offending the Imperial Concubine in the palace today. She has just been grounded and no relatives are allowed to visit."
Madame Fang had a good relationship with the Emperor's wet nurse, Madame Zhao. She jokingly made Fang Qin's third brother recognize Madame Zhao as his adopted mother. This had nothing to do with Fang Qin, but in front of outsiders, he called Madame Zhao's daughter, who was on duty in the palace, "adopted sister."
Fang Qin was stunned. "Why?"
"Why? There's no need for a reason, "Scholar Fang said slowly." Back in the day, His Majesty called Gu Yun 'uncle.' They were very close since childhood, but he imprisoned her just because of a disagreement. What's more, my generation — His Majesty is harsh and merciless. It really makes one's heart cold. "
Fang Qin's mind turned quickly. He immediately turned his head and ordered his family, "Have someone send a letter to Duke Zhao immediately. Tell him to stop playing such childish tricks."
As soon as he said this, there was an uproar. Someone immediately stood out and objected, "Master Fang, why are you siding with an outsider again?"
Fang Qin didn't pay attention to anyone else. He only stared at Scholar Fang and said, "Father, can't you see? The Emperor is not the former Emperor. Everything can only be done according to him. If you make him feel that he is being forced, he will definitely retaliate. We want to eradicate Yan Wang's party. What's the use of challenging the Emperor?"
Without waiting for Scholar Fang to speak, Fang Qin continued to speak harshly, "I also want to protect my third brother, but if this continues, then it won't be just my third brother who will fall. Everyone here is on the same side. I'll say something unpleasant. Do you really think that Duke Zhao can clean up after himself? If Yan Wang finds out that you are using this as an excuse to make a fuss, then you will be in an even more passive position! It's just a railroad line. If you don't let it be repaired, other than making things difficult for Li Min, what else can it do? Gu Yun can still mobilize the troops as he pleases. Your Foreign Affairs Division won't even have time to reach the front line! What else can you do? Simply cut off the frontline's supplies and betray the country? "
He had been unhappy for a long time. He shouted out everything without thinking, not even giving face to his own father. The room was silent for a moment. Then someone said, "Does Master Fang plan to swallow this anger?"
Fang Qin was speechless.
He found that he couldn't communicate with these people, especially after Scholar Fang came out of retirement again.
Presumably, something was about to die. It didn't come from the outside world. In such a big country, there were so many aristocratic families. Every family name didn't need to be many. In a generation, there could be one person who could establish a family. It didn't need to be amazing. It didn't need to be good at politics or martial arts. As long as they had a clear mind and knew what they should and shouldn't do, then with the accumulation of generations, even if Yan Wang's party had three heads and six arms, they definitely wouldn't be able to climb over their heads.
Fang Qin looked around. He had nothing to say. He sneered and left in a huff.
Scholar Fang sat upright with his eyes down. He stroked his beard and said, "My son is impolite. He has made a fool of himself."
Next to him, a minister who was so old that he couldn't open his eyes whispered, "Second Young Master is very talented. It's just that he is too young and impetuous."
With Fang Qin's age, he really couldn't be called "young and impetuous." Scholar Fang shook his head meaningfully. "Indeed, when Emperor Wu was on the throne, he was still young. He didn't experience those things and lacked experience. I think it's better not to let the younger generation know about some things, lest they become overcautious. Isn't that bad enough? The old brothers who pushed the former Emperor onto the throne are still here. If they go back and gather the descendants of each family, they might still have the strength to do something … But my unfilial son is right. Let Duke Zhao restrain his childish tricks. If he can't kill with one blow, what's the point of wasting his strength? It's not enough to make people laugh. "
However, Yan Wang didn't give Duke Zhao a chance to restrain himself.
The next day, the Lingshu Temple first announced that the steam car had undergone rigorous testing and that everything was ready. They earnestly asked the Emperor Long An to see it with his own eyes. Li Feng cheerfully brought the crown prince over and even personally rode a portion of the way. As a result, after returning to the palace, before the excitement had passed, he received a memorial from Yao Zhen urging the railroad line. This successfully piled up the impatience in Emperor Long 'an's heart.
At night, the Censorate sent the last straw that ignited the Emperor's anger.
The Censorate accused Duke Zhao of incompetent governance. He condoned his family's embezzlement and plundering of farmers' fields at low prices.
The Canal Office and the Lingshu Temple, who were jointly responsible for the steam railway line, hurriedly followed suit. A large number of people who deliberately added fuel to the fire followed closely behind and quickly blew up the situation. Yan Wang took advantage of the chaos of the war to reveal the tip of the iceberg. He pried open a corner of the rising channel that had been slowly congested since the end of the Martial Emperor era.
Reports of illegal occupation in various places came out one after another as if they were premeditated. In the end, it implicated Daliang's long-standing illegal occupation problem.
Immediately, a few people who didn't mind watching the show stepped forward and demanded an investigation of the entire territory.
Of course, this absurd proposal was rejected by Li Feng. Even if Li Feng wanted to show his power to the aristocratic families, he had to slowly and gradually dismantle them. He didn't have such a big appetite this time.
However, Duke Zhao, the foolish bird who stood out, couldn't escape. He was arrested in a few days. Then, a large number of disciples who relied on their master's power were implicated. When they were escorted to confiscate the property, the onlookers even climbed up the wall and looked up. The storyteller of Wangnan Restaurant finished a new set of books in two days and had a lot of fans.
The Crown Prince had just started the hearing and he had already encountered such a big case. The young boy had gained a lot of knowledge and experience. He was dumbfounded as he watched from the side.
When the court was about to end, Yan Wang, who had been silent, suddenly asked, "What do you think, Your Highness?"
The young Crown Prince was well protected by Li Feng. He was naive and didn't have many thoughts. He once received Li Feng's order to "consult" his Fourth Imperial Uncle. When he heard Changgeng's question, he blurted out what he was taught without hesitation, "Han Fei said, 'If the emperor has no skills, he will cover the top; if the officials have no skills, they will be in chaos.' The stability of the country depends on the law. People are virtuous, stupid, loyal, and treacherous. Things have right and wrong. If the law is not clear, it will lead to gangs running amok and villains running amok. Then … won't the people in power be unable to control it?"
His childish voice was still childish, like a student who was picked up in class to answer the teacher's question. After he finished speaking, he looked at Changgeng expectantly.
Changgeng smiled but didn't say anything. Li Feng scolded him with a straight face, "What are you showing off for? Go back and work hard. Don't slack off."
The Crown Prince didn't dare to make a sound. He could only lower his head and agree. However, his childish words were unintentional, but the listener took it seriously.
People who judged others by their own standards, even if they saw a child, would feel that this person was as scheming as themselves.
That night, the 11-year-old Crown Prince's words spread from the depths of the palace. Scholar Fang hid it from Fang Qin and gathered the old wolves who supported the previous Emperor. They analyzed every bit of the Crown Prince's saliva and understood Li Feng's meaning.
"It's been three generations," Scholar Fang sneered. "God's grace is hard to repay. You must have seen that the Emperor had the Crown Prince take over the government because he was determined to take our lives."
Another person said, "At that time, if it wasn't for Uncle Wang stirring things up and our proper planning, perhaps Yan Wang would have been removed from the throne because he mixed up the royal bloodline and sent to a remote place. What kind of bastard dares to ride on our heads and show off? Brother Fang, if you don't make a decision, you will be in trouble."
Scholar Fang's face tightened into a sharp line. He slowly looked around and said in a low voice, "Everyone, there is no harm in writing your thoughts on your palms."
Many years ago, this group of ambitious schemers had once gathered together and showed their palms. On their palms were the names of Yuan and the previous Emperor. At this time, they were already nearing the end of their lives. Some were old, and some were dead. They gathered together again and spread out their old palms.
"Purge the Emperor's concubines."
"Purge the Emperor's concubines."
"Purge the Emperor's concubines. The eldest son of the Emperor has no mother."
…
"That year, the Su King pretended to be sick on the road. It was I who learned in advance that he wanted to secretly enter the capital. I asked for the Eldest Princess' order to have Beidaying intercept him and take him down under the name of 'rebellion.' We pushed the previous Emperor onto the throne, and the victors became kings while the losers became bandits." Scholar Fang said in a low voice that was almost inaudible. "Everyone has seen the situation in the capital. How to strike first to gain the upper hand and who can be used. Presumably, everyone has come here today with a plan."
Scholar Fang wasn't hot-headed. He knew that this time, the Gu family wasn't on their side. It was impossible to mobilize Beidaying. Ever since the rebellion of the Imperial Guards, Liu Chongshan, the organization of the Imperial Guards had been greatly adjusted. Anyone above a hundred households had to go through strict inspection to confirm that their family background was clean and that their military achievements were genuine. This put an end to some people taking advantage of loopholes. At the same time, it was divided into two divisions that managed both sides. They kept each other in check and didn't interfere with each other. This was strictly to prevent anyone in the Imperial Guards who could cover the sky with one hand and rebel.
However, everything had its pros and cons. The aristocratic families of Daliang were divided into civil and military officials. The military officials were also divided into families of dukes and marquises. However, most of them had declined. Otherwise, there wouldn't have been no one who could be used to lead an army during the Yuanhe era. If the descendants of these famous generals, who relied on their ancestors' influence, were not proficient in civil or military affairs, they would enter the Imperial Guards through the back door like Liu Chongshan. They would work hard to gain a few years of experience. Then, they would find an excuse to pinch some military achievements and have a meteoric rise.
After many years of working together, a special ecology had been formed between these young soldiers and the real soldiers. Both sides gave each other face. Not only could they ensure combat effectiveness, they also took into account relationship and face.
Unfortunately, this balance was destroyed by Li Feng after the rebellion of the Imperial Guards.
Perhaps a law made by a leader in anger thought it was clear. At the time, no one reminded the angry Li Feng and allowed him to block the dreams of the young masters in the capital.
Which young master wasn't spoiled since childhood? Who would be willing to be a small soldier for the rest of their life?
It wasn't scary to offend a young master. The important thing was that in the early years of the Daliang dynasty, the military was valued and despised. Their ancestors left behind a special privilege. Those who were conferred titles with military achievements could support their families and keep part of their armed forces. They could also protect their descendants. In times of danger, they could be the last fighting force of the country. When Liu Chongshan, Lü Chang, and the others rebelled, Fang Qin used this fighting force to pin down the rebel army until Beidaying arrived.
Grand Scholar Fang looked around and said, "Gu Yun increased the number of troops in the Southwest and at the same time, made a big fuss in the East China Sea. He has limited manpower. Right now, his men are all guarding the Four Territories. Beidaying can't enter without being summoned. Li Min is a person who fishes for fame. He doesn't like to have too many people around him. Wherever he goes, he is followed by one or two old things. I heard that his riding and archery skills are good, but he has only performed a few showy moves on the city gate tower. I don't think he can crush many nails. It won't be difficult to get rid of him.
Do you want to be clear? "Someone next to him asked," May I ask Grand Scholar Fang, what is clear and what is dark? "
Grand Scholar Fang, who had only served half of the court, said without changing his expression, "If you want to be clear, you only need to hire 20 to 30 men of sacrifice to ambush Li Min in the middle of the night when he is leaving the court. You can intercept and kill him and bury the evidence. When the situation calms down and nothing is settled, even the Emperor can't do anything. If you want to be clear … then you have to let the Emperor know who are the loyal officials and good generals, who protected his country, how the rebels and traitors were taken down, and who can be the Crown Prince. "
"This … Grand Scholar Fang, I'm afraid it won't be easy to be clear." The one who spoke was the son of Marquis Pingning, one of the three marquises in the capital. The Old Marquis had passed away long ago. This person had a big belly and it was difficult for him to walk. He didn't go out more than a few times a year. He didn't look like the son of a famous general at all, but his mind was unexpectedly clear. At this time, he said frankly, "Let's not talk about how to avoid the Imperial Guards and the Imperial Guards when we make a move. Even if we succeed, with the Emperor's temper, who would rather die in glory than live in dishonor, won't he investigate to the end? Beidaying's thorns are indeed all dead. Now, they can't enter without being summoned. What if the Emperor really summons them in anger? Let's say they are far away, then what about the Imperial Guards and the Imperial Guards outside the Palace? The mutiny of Liu Chongshan and Lü Chang's party hasn't passed yet. I'm afraid it won't be that easy. "
"The Palace doesn't have Imperial Guards at every occasion. The Imperial Guards can't go anywhere. In half a month, the Emperor's birthday will be celebrated. This year, there will be good news on the front lines of the East Sea and Two Rivers. The flatterers of the Ministry of Rites will definitely take this opportunity to propose a big celebration. There will be many loopholes to take advantage of," Grand Scholar Fang said lightly, "As for the Emperor's anger after the event …"
Speaking of this, he paused and laughed. He raised his long and narrow eyelids and said, "Then we can only make him 'unable to anger' … What, do you all really think that without Li Min, the Emperor will let us go easily? You all heard what the Crown Prince said in the morning court today. The Crown Prince is a little child. What does he know about national affairs? Who taught him those words? He's only eleven years old, but he's already saying 'the law is merciless' and 'kill friends and destroy parties'. In court, he's pointing at the mulberry tree and cursing the locust tree. He's just short of pointing at our noses and saying that we're all villains. You all are so indecisive. Do you all want to wait for the Crown Prince to ascend the throne in the future and bestow a piece of white silk? "
These words could not be considered obscure, but they deviated from the orthodoxy and shocked the world. Grand Scholar Fang was indeed an old official who had experienced Jiang Yuan and the previous Emperor. He was extremely daring. It was fine if he didn't do anything, but when he did, he would do something big. He directly said, "If the Emperor doesn't want to do it, then do it with the Emperor." "If the Crown Prince doesn't listen, then his motherless elder brother will be the puppet."
Marquis Pingning was dumbfounded for a long time. She stuttered a little and asked another fatal question, "Then … Will Gu Yun let it go?"
"The Foreign Affairs Mission is still on the way. Everything has been arranged." Grand Scholar Fang laughed quietly. "The front line, the foreign bandits eyeing covetously, the diplomatic mission. What, with all these favorable conditions, could it be that you all don't remember what happened 20 years ago?"
A storm was brewing in the center. Yan Wang, who was at the mouth of the storm, seemed to be unaware. He continued to work according to time every day and spared no effort to implement his new policies.
He had just happily received a letter from Gu Yun.
Gu Yun had sent this letter directly to his home. It was a complete letter from home. When Huo Dan handed it to him, Changgeng's eyes suddenly lit up, causing Commander Huo to blush.
"Does he have three heads and six arms?" Changgeng raised the envelope to the light and carefully observed the contents through the envelope. He complained to Huo Dan half-truthfully, "While dealing with the foreigners, he still has the mood to relax. What can I say about him?"
The marquis's fu had never had a traditional "mistress." Huo Bo, as a personal bodyguard, vaguely knew something, but he still found it difficult to adapt. He especially couldn't discuss his marshal's letter with this "other mistress" who had a special status. Hearing Yan Wang's words, he felt that his role had changed from that of a commander to that of a grumbling nanny. He could only stand to the side shyly and act as a red-faced and thick-necked doorpost.
Since the start of the war, this was the first time that Gu Yun had sent such a thick letter to Changgeng. Changgeng was a little reluctant to open it. He held the envelope in his hand and rubbed it repeatedly. He brought it to the tip of his nose and gently sniffed it. It was as if he could smell a bit of that person's scent from afar.
The blood on Huo Dan's face was about to seep out of his pores. He stuttered, "Wang, wang ye, what … what are you doing?"
Changgeng glanced at him. He seemed to find Huo Dan's red face very amusing. He deliberately teased him, "Yesterday, I dreamed of my adoptive father. When I woke up in the middle of the night, I couldn't sleep. I finally understood what it meant to 'toss and turn restlessly in bed.' In the end, I received a letter from him today. Don't you think it's a coincidence?"
Huo Dan, "… …"
The words "my adoptive father" made him shiver. Huo Dan thought bitterly, "What is Little Marquis doing? Why is he getting more and more outrageous! He's trying to anger the Old Marshal and the Princess back to life in the underworld! "
Changgeng secretly smiled. Just as he was about to use a small knife to cut open the envelope, a Linyuan Wooden Bird suddenly rushed in. That day, when Liu Zhong came to surrender, Changgeng didn't completely trust him. He sent two people from the Linyuan Pavilion, one in the open and one in the dark, to accompany the two rivers. The one in the open pretended to be a manservant from the Liu family and contacted Liu Zhong and the capital. The one in the dark was an expert, to follow the diplomatic group and investigate all kinds of strange movements.
Changgeng hurriedly put away Gu Yun's private letter. He first opened the wooden bird and looked at it.
A moment later, he sneered. Some people were quite thorough.
You've already exceeded your reading limit for today. If you want to read more, please log in.
Login
Select text and click 'Report' to let us know about any bad translation.
