In the fourth month of the first year of the Divine Dragon, the five ministers returned to power. In the fifth month of the first year of the Divine Dragon, the Prince of Xiang fought. By the sixth month of the first year of the Divine Dragon, the Martial Faction and the Empress Faction had subtly suppressed the Prince of Xiang and Taiping. Regarding Li Xian's actions, Yang Fan only had one comment: "Blinded by greed, self-crippling martial arts!"
However, the idiotic actions of Li Xian, the prodigy of the "Six Emperor Pill," were not something that Yang Fan could control. In this kind of situation, he could only put on a layer of protection for himself and preserve his strength to deal with the unpredictable situation in the future.
At this time, the Xian Sect's people in Zhuo State had sent a travel-worn representative to the capital and entered the Yang Residence on a day of heavy rain.
Originally, Ren Wei had followed Yang Fan's orders and requested that the Xian Sect's people in Zhuo State submit a detailed report. However, the people in Zhuo State seemed to feel that they could not explain it clearly in words, so they sent someone to the capital to report.
Thunder rumbled, and after a flash of lightning, a loud thunder shook the windows. Yang Fan, who was sitting in the room, was as unmoving as a mountain. He continued to quietly listen to the people from Zhuo State chattering to him, "Sect Patriarch, the Hidden Sect is actually complaining first?"
He said angrily, "The Hidden Sect is insatiable and overbearing. What qualifications do they have to complain? We did not seize their territory, and the people we sent to Zhuo State can only be considered traveling merchants. It is not like they are going to Zhuo State to do business. Do they have to act as if they are facing a great enemy? "
Yang Fan forcefully knocked on the table and said in a deep voice, "I only want to know why our people extended their hands to Zhuo State."
That person smiled bitterly and said, "Sect Patriarch, merchants move hastily and pursue profits far and near. How can they be limited to one place? Even if the Tang Dynasty, Tubo, and Turkic Khaganate belong to two different countries and are separated by thousands of li with weapons, they cannot stop merchants from coming and going.
If our Xian Sect is to disappear from the western and northern provinces, it is not only giving up our benefits in the western and northern provinces, it also means that we are abandoning many businesses in the eastern and southern provinces. No one will be willing to do business with us or accept our control. The losses are unimaginable. "
Yang Fan frowned and asked, "Are the people going to Zhuozhou our trusted men?"
The man shook his head and said: "No, even their Head Shopkeeper doesn't know about the existence of the Succession Hall. We control and influence them because of our powerful financial resources. Because of this, we don't have enough reason to stop them from going to Zhuozhou. How can we explain this matter to them?"
Yang Fan did not say anything. Outside the window frame, under the eaves of the roof, the rainwater was pouring down, and his heart was also a little annoyed.
Shen Mu's idea of the Obvious and Hidden Sects working together was excellent, but the Obvious and Hidden Sects were very different in terms of wealth, resources, and manpower. This meant that they had to run their own businesses and could not rely on each other's strength. As a result, it was inevitable that there would be conflicts in the fight for resources. They had clearly underestimated this before.
The person from the Zhuo Prefecture spoke resentfully, "Sect Patriarch, why is it that the Hidden Sect doesn't have much influence in the eastern and southern prefectures? Why are they generously giving us those places now? Because the eastern and southern prefectures are near the sea, and their trade isn't as developed as the western and northern prefectures. Those who are virtuous live there, isn't it the same for the pugilistic world? Are we just going to hand over such huge benefits to others? "
Yang Fan said slowly, "The Obvious and Hidden Sects exist for different purposes. What is the purpose of doing business for profits? Do not neglect the essentials and pursue trifles! Money is indispensable to us, but it will never be the most important thing. In the eastern and southern prefectures, we mainly focus on sea trade. Salt, rice, wine, cloth, and other industries that are highly profitable, we have a division with the Hidden Sect. Even if we reduce the direct trade with the western and northern prefectures, we can still bear some losses. You don't have to be an alarmist. Immediately withdraw our men and do not have any conflicts with the Hidden Sect in the future. "
"Sect Patriarch!"
The person from the Zhuo Prefecture suddenly stood up and spoke anxiously, "If we do this, we will lose a large number of forces that are dependent on us. Once we lose them, we will lose control over the eastern, southern, and central prefectures! By then, the Obvious Sect will be reduced to the Hidden Sect's vassal … "
Yang Fan said sternly, "Terminate all the businesses that are related to the northern prefectures and immediately withdraw all the men!"
The person from the Zhuo Prefecture was startled. He slowly straightened his body and spoke stiffly, "Sect Patriarch is putting this subordinate in a difficult position by doing this!"
Yang Fan's eyes slowly squinted, and they were as sharp as the edge of a blade.
The person from the Zhuo Prefecture wasn't afraid and insisted, "Not only will this harm the Obvious Sect's benefits, but many of the doyens' personal businesses will also suffer a huge loss."
Yang Fan pointed at the door and berated, "Get out!"
The person from the Zhuo Prefecture bowed deeply to Yang Fan and spoke stiffly, "This subordinate will obey the order. However, this subordinate must finish what needs to be said. Our men have already had some conflicts with their men, and some of our brothers were injured because of this.
Although both sides of the conflict were only external members, and they didn't even know of the existence of the Succession Hall, it was hard to say that the Hidden Sect didn't instigate this intentionally. Sect Patriarch, you are the Sect Patriarch of the Obvious Sect and not the Hidden Sect! This subordinate is speaking from the bottom of his heart. Sect Patriarch, please understand! "
After he finished speaking, he bowed deeply to Yang Fan and slowly retreated. Once the door was opened, the sound of rain poured into the study, accompanied by a wave of damp vapor. He walked out like this into the rain, allowing the heavy rain to pour on his body. His back remained straight until he was completely out of the curtain of water.
The door slowly closed. Yang Fan's brows furrowed tightly. He felt a deep sense of anxiousness.
The matter was much more complicated than he had imagined. His official status restricted his actions, and he had spent too much energy in the court. Therefore, it was hard for him to be as focused as Shen Mu in managing the affairs of the Obvious Sect. The result was that his control was far inferior to Shen Mu's control of the Hidden Sect.
At the beginning, due to that cold and cruel purge, he had intimidated a large number of the Obvious Sect's upper echelon and traded for a few years of peace. But now, it seemed that there were people who wanted to make trouble again. Yang Fan even suspected that the friction between the Obvious Sect and the Hidden Sect had been deliberately planned by people with ulterior motives.
He felt that there seemed to be an invisible black hand slowly grasping at him … …
… …
Yang Fan mobilized all the forces that he believed to be reliable and began to prepare for a rainy day. At the same time, he felt that it was necessary to have a good talk with Shen Mu and find a method that both sides could accept to resolve the conflict of interest between the two sides. But when he rushed to the Shen fu, he was informed by the Shen fu's steward that Shen Mu had gone to the Western Regions and would only return in around ten days. Yang Fan could only return empty-handed.
In this period of time, Dou Lu Qinwang had also returned to the capital.
In the memorial that the Prince of Xiang Li Dan had sent, the first name on the list of those who had contributed to the mutiny was Dou Lu Qinwang. Dou Lu Qinwang's niece was the Prince of Xiang Li Dan's concubine, and his son was engaged to Princess Taiping's eldest daughter. Li Dan naturally wanted to bring him back to the Political Affairs Hall and use him as a powerful ally.
Alas, Dou Lu Qinwang had been bedridden at the time, so he had come late and missed the best opportunity. The Prince of Xiang Li Dan had already handed over his military authority and closed his doors to become a free prince, so he could no longer provide Dou Lu Qinwang with any assistance.
On his way back, Dou Lu Qinwang had heard of the recent events in the capital. Given his official career and experience, he naturally understood what this meant. As a result, when he arrived in the capital, he did not even dare to pay a visit to the Prince of Xiang. He immediately obediently handed over a decree and requested an audience with the Son of Heaven.
Li Xian very coldly met him, appointed him to the position of Right Servant, and then sent him out of the palace. Dou Lu Qinwang left the Imperial Palace in a daze. Why did Dou Lu Qinwang have such a reaction? This had to be explained by the Tang dynasty's system of prime ministers.
The early Tang continued the system of the Sui, with the officers of the three provinces (Hall of Secretariat, Assistant Minister, and Minister of Cabinet) serving as prime ministers to discuss state affairs. Later on, because Taizong Li Shimin had once served as Minister of Cabinet, when he became emperor, no official dared to serve as Minister of Cabinet, so the position of Minister of Cabinet was left empty. Instead, the Right and Left Servants were made Minister of Cabinet and a member of the Hall of Secretariat.
The Right and Left Servants were also members of the Hall of Secretariat. They decided the affairs of the court before noon and decided the affairs of the Minister of Cabinet in the afternoon. This was the position of prime minister.
Now that the emperor had appointed Dou Lu Qinwang to be the Right Servant, he had not said that he would also be a member of the Hall of Secretariat. This meant that he could only decide the affairs of the Minister of Cabinet in the afternoon. As for the power to decide the affairs of the court before noon, he would no longer have the power to decide the affairs of the court before noon. He had the title of prime minister in name, but not in reality.
How could such a major matter possibly be the result of the emperor's negligence? Dou Lu Qinwang knew that this was because of the Prince of Xiang. The emperor was now wary of him, so his heart shivered. Every afternoon, he would only sit in the Minister of Cabinet. When the court was in session, he would not say a word, not daring to ask about state affairs.
Not only that, he was worried that the emperor still did not feel at ease with him and that he might have a backup plan. As a result, he was treading on thin ice in the Minister of Cabinet, like he was facing an abyss, trembling with fear that someone would grab hold of his weakness.
Seeing Dou Lu Qinwang's appearance, even those who had been slow and failed to see that the emperor's act of appointing his imperial younger brother was a complete show now understood that the emperor and the Prince of Xiang had fallen out.
In the last few days, Yang Fan had strengthened the training and control of his ten thousand cavalry. Every day, he would appear in the army and struggle with the soldiers. At night, when he returned home, he would once more be busy with the many complicated matters of the Xianzong Order.
In the past, he had greatly delegated power, but now he could not be so generous. He was using interference and interference to gently withdraw power and strengthen his control.
Upon hearing of Dou Lu Qinwang's misfortune, Yang Fan knew that this matter was certain to make the Prince of Xiang and Princess Taiping even more uneasy. A single thought from the Son of Heaven would not be as simple as withdrawing power. Who could have imagined that a storm of blood would follow?
Even when Yang Fan suddenly realized that the Xianzong Order was becoming restless and unstable and that a situation might occur that he could not control, he immediately began to mobilize the military force of the Gu clan, preparing to strike like a thunderbolt at the crucial moment. Why could the emperor not do this?
The Prince of Xiang had handed over his military authority, but his influence over the Southern Office could not immediately disappear with the transfer of military authority. If the emperor wanted to kill, this was enough reason for him to kill. Would the Prince of Xiang and Taiping still be able to calmly accept a steel blade that could be pressed against their necks at any moment?
But the information Yang Fan had obtained from Wan'er indicated that Li Xian had no intention of taking any further action against the Prince of Xiang and Taiping, at least not at all. Yang Fan was worried that Taiping and the Prince of Xiang would take this risk and give themselves an excuse, so he wanted to see Taiping and pacify him.
But he had never expected that before he could even see Taiping, something would happen to Shen Mu, who had just returned from the Western Regions.
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