Li Xian shook his head. "Rebellious officials and traitors? That is a bit too serious. However, it is true that there are people who make false statements about state affairs for their own selfish motives."
Li Xian glanced at Yang Fan and continued, "At the beginning of our reign, we rewarded people based on their contributions. Based on your great contributions, we felt that it was only natural for you to be conferred the title of Duke. However, some people said that you and Zhang Erzhang were close … "
Yang Fan hurriedly rose to confess, "Your Majesty, this subject …"
Li Xian pressed his hand down and said, "My beloved subject, please sit down. We have never doubted your loyalty. Speaking of which, when Zhang Erzhang was in power, who did not feign civility and sincerity? Not to mention you, even we had to concede some ground in front of them.
In the end, when it was time to discuss rewards, one of the officials said that it was enough to give you the title of County Earl. We felt that such a small reward would disappoint the meritorious officials. Thus, we stood against the opinions of the masses and promoted you to the title of Grand General and a Marquis. We also increased the number of cavalry to ten thousand. This can be considered our compensation to you. "
"When it was time to discuss rewards, there were officials who suggested it?" Who was this official? The matter of rewards was single-handedly controlled by Zhang Jianzhi, Heng Yanfan, and the others. "We stood against the opinions of the masses?" Who were the people who suggested this?
By saying this, the Emperor was clearly trying to drive a wedge between Yang Fan and the faction of meritorious officials. Yang Fan was very clear about Li Xian's intentions. Although Li Xian's words were a bit provocative, what he said was true.
With Wan'er in the Palace, Yang Fan was very clear about the contents of the memorial that Zhang Jianzhi and the others had carefully chosen their words to present. These people did not even forget to list their own teachers on the list of meritorious officials. However, they forgot that Yang Fan, a key figure, was at the bottom of the list. This was a fact.
Yang Fan hurriedly rose to express his thanks. "Your Majesty's great kindness to me makes me extremely fearful and extremely grateful!"
Li Xian said, "Based on my beloved subject's contributions, I have no qualms accepting it. Beloved subject, there is no need to stand on ceremony. Ai, it is a pity that not everyone is as loyal to the state as you. Some people are arrogant because of their achievements and don't know when to stop. They form cliques for personal gain and deceive His Majesty. Compared to you, I am greatly disappointed! "
At this time, how could Yang Fan not understand the Emperor's intentions? The Emperor was going to move against the party of meritorious officials. Yang Fan's heart trembled, but he put on an expression of righteous indignation and said, "This subject receives the salary of the royal family and is loyal to Li Tang's country. If Your Majesty has any orders, this subject will not hesitate to go through water and tread on fire!"
Li Xian abruptly stood up. Placing his hands on the table, he leaned forward slightly and said with a stern expression, "If We want you to lead troops to kill them, would you be willing to obey Our decree?"
Following Li Xian's shout, the curtains behind him suddenly fluttered, as if an invisible killing intent was about to tear apart the indigo curtains. Yang Fan's eyes narrowed, and he said resolutely, "Your Majesty's orders will be followed, and I am willing to die for Your Majesty!"
Li Xian laughed heartily and happily said, "Good! We did not misjudge you, Yang Fan. You are truly Our loyal subject! "
At this time, the curtains behind Li Xian gently fluttered again. It seemed that Li Xian's killing intent had been restrained, and the curtains floated back down, returning to their original state.
There was clearly a row of imperial guards behind the curtains, but from beginning to end, Yang Fan had not heard any breathing coming from behind the curtains. It was clear that the imperial guards behind the curtains were a level higher in martial arts than those hidden elsewhere.
After Li Xian ascended to the throne, he had completely reorganized the Plum Blossom Guards that Empress Zetian had left behind. A group of female imperial guards who had performed great meritorious deeds were pardoned by him, allowed to leave the palace to marry, and bestowed with houses and land. Gao Ying, Lan Yiqing, and the others who had performed the most meritorious deeds were generously granted titles of nobility. Once they were married, they would immediately have titles of nobility.
If the Emperor wanted to recruit a group of skilled martial artists to serve him, it was naturally as easy as turning over his hand. After learning civil and martial arts, they would sell themselves to the imperial family. How many unworldly masters in the world would be willing to give away the supreme skills that they had painstakingly cultivated since childhood to rot away with the grass and trees? These were just the sayings of novelists.
Right now, the internal guards were all under Li Xian's control. If Yang Fan had not displayed such anger toward the officials who had obstructed the Emperor's distribution of rewards based on merit, if he had not repeatedly expressed his loyalty to Li Xian, or if he had not shown any appreciation or sympathy toward the faction of meritorious officials, the palace hall of the Immortal Abode would probably be filled with the shadows of swords and sabers.
After all, Yang Fan controlled tens of thousands of elite soldiers, and his main duty was to guard the palace. If the Emperor wanted to make any moves, Yang Fan's position and attitude would be extremely important. If the Emperor had already personally expressed his favor and made all sorts of hints to him, and he was still ambiguous and unclear about his position, then that was enough reason for him to be executed.
Yang Fan took the initiative to ask for battle. "Your Majesty, please issue an edict!"
Li Xian shook his head and cheerfully said, "We said this just now because we wanted to understand the thoughts of our beloved officials. Although they have somewhat forgotten themselves after gaining power and have been disrespectful to us, they have, after all, performed meritorious deeds for us and the country. How can we wantonly slaughter them?"
Yang Fan secretly let out a breath and hurriedly said, "Your Majesty is wise!"
Li Xian said, "We plan to confer the titles of Zhang Jianzhi, Cui Xuanhui, Huan Yanfan, Jing Hui, and Yuan Shuji, five Prime Ministers, as Kings!"
Yang Fan was instantly stunned. He had seen the ambush in the Immortal Abode, both in the open and in the shadows, and had already prepared for the worst. He had not expected to hear from Li Xian that they would not be executed or stripped of their titles, but instead be promoted. The five meritorious officials would all be conferred the title of King.
Yang Fan knew that there must be a corresponding condition for the five Prime Ministers to be conferred the title of King. That was, they had to hand over their authority and could no longer order the Emperor around. However, since ancient times, when the country was overthrown, how many of those meritorious officials who had accompanied the Emperor in conquering the country would be conferred the title of King?
The country belonged to the Li family, and the Li family did not want to use these meritorious officials who had forgotten themselves. Instead, they used the method of conferring the title of King to allow them to rest in glory. From this, it seemed that compared to the wise rulers who had killed the cunning hares and cooked the hounds once they were dead, the current Emperor could be considered extremely kind.
Yang Fan couldn't help but praise, "Your Majesty is benevolent!"
If his previous words of "Your Majesty is wise" were said to be bootlicking, then these words were said with sincerity.
Li Xian sighed. "Although they are arrogant and conceited, they have, after all, performed meritorious deeds for the country. We cannot bear to be too harsh on them. I bestow upon them the title of King and let them inherit it. Their children and grandchildren will enjoy glory, splendor, wealth, and rank together with the country. We will also bestow upon them an Alchemy Iron Voucher. If they do not commit heinous crimes, they will be spared from death ten times. Doing this can be considered doing them justice. "
Having obtained Yang Fan's promise of complete loyalty, Li Xian's mood improved greatly. He cheerfully continued, "During the court conference tomorrow, We will immediately issue an edict to confer the title of King on these five meritorious officials. However, We may not necessarily allow them to understand our painstaking efforts. Once they cling to power and rank and resist the edict in court, it will be hard to avoid disaster and chaos. Thus, it is better for Beloved Official to make early preparations. "
As Li Xian spoke, he raised his hand and clapped it three times. The curtains parted and a person suddenly walked out. Yang Fan focused his eyes and saw that it was Wu Sansi. Yang Fan was startled. It seemed that the Emperor had long since made preparations.
Although Wu Sansi himself did not command troops, many of the Wu family's nephews and nephews were commanders of troops. As the Emperor, it was only right and proper for Li Xian to dismiss the ministers. With the Wu family's military support, it was enough to ensure that the edict would be carried out. If it weren't for the fact that the Black Tortoise Gate under Yang Fan's control was too important and that the mobilization of a thousand cavalry would inevitably arouse the vigilance of the ministers, Li Xian could only try to rope him in. Otherwise, even he would have been kept in the dark.
How many troops had Wu Sansi brought into the palace? And how did they get in?
Yang Fan's thoughts spun. Suddenly, he thought of the Golden Guards' Horned Hand and he seemed to understand something.
Li Xian said, "King Liang, General Yang, the five meritorious officials currently hold the power of ministers and generals. We have no choice but to be somewhat wary of them. The court is now filled with their eyes and ears, so we cannot afford to be careless. Thus, We will only let the two of you know of this important matter. No one else will know. We will entrust our life and future to the two of you! "
As Li Xian spoke, he solemnly clasped his hands and bowed to Wu Sansi and Yang Fan.
… …
The next morning, the emperor held a court assembly in the main hall of Taiji Palace, the Taiji Palace.
The hundred officials had arrived at the palace early in the morning. They entered through the Gate of Heaven, passed through the Taiji Gate, and went straight to the Taiji Palace to see the emperor.
The Golden Melon Warriors in the hall and the Emperor's personal bodyguards were usually chosen to be tall, handsome, and equally tall, short, fat, and thin guards. But today, all of them had been changed, even though their appearance was not that good. Although they didn't look very good, they were all expert inner guards.
"Seal the Gate of Yong 'an!"
As soon as the hundred officials entered the Taiji Palace, the General of the Left Thousand-Ox Guard, Cao Sheng, gave the order. A group of officers and soldiers rushed out from their hiding place and went straight for the Gate of Yong 'an. At the same time, several more groups of soldiers rushed out from the side streets and sealed off the Gate of Changle and the Gate of Heaven. These were the three important gates to enter the Taiji Palace from the outside.
At the same time, the Great General of the Inner Guard, Wu Youji, led the soldiers of the Left and Right Guards to control the Gate of Tongxun and the Gate of Enlightenment, which led to the Eastern Palace and Yeting Palace respectively.
Ever since Li Xian had ascended the throne, Wu Youyi, who was loyal to Wu Zetian, had been stripped of his position as Great General, only retaining his title of Prince. Wu Zhonggui, a member of Wu Sansi's party, commanded the Right Featherwood Guard. At this time, Wu Zhonggui also controlled the Gate of Anli and the Gate of Jiaqing. With the addition of the Gate of Black Tortoise controlled by Yang Fan, the entire Taiji Palace was completely surrounded.
Great General Li Duozuo was now the highest commander of the Featherwood Guard, but his relationship with the meritorious officials was too close. Moreover, after the coup d 'état, he had been conferred the title of Prince and had benefited greatly. Li Xian had no confidence in winning him over, so he had sealed off all information about him. As a result, Li Duozuo was completely unaware of this sudden change.
As for the main roads within the Taiji Palace, they were under the control of the Jin Wu Guards led by a fully-armored Wu Yizong. There was a sentry every five steps and a sentry every ten. The security was tight. These elite Jin Wu Guards had been secretly transferred into the palace under the pretext of changing the guards of the Big Horn Hand.
In the Golden Hall, the officials were listening, completely unaware of what was happening outside. The three chimes of the bell signified the arrival of the Emperor. Li Xian, wearing a silk headdress, a jade belt, and a brocade robe, turned around the jade screen and sat on the throne. Empress Wei also ascended the hall at the same time, stopping behind the hanging curtain and taking a seat.
Four armored palace hall generals stood at the corners of the hall. The Jin Wu Guards, holding large yellow banners, stood inside and outside the hall. The court meeting had begun. The civil and military officials lined up in the hall. The Jin Wu Guards, holding large yellow banners, stood inside and outside the hall. The court meeting had begun.
A young eunuch quietly came out from behind the jade screen and whispered a few words into Empress Wei's ear. When Empress Wei heard this, her bright eyes passed through the beaded curtain and coldly landed on the hundreds of officials who were bowing to the ground. The corners of her lips curled up, revealing a dainty and cold smile!
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