People in the early Tang Dynasty: I compete with Wu Zhao for the throne

Chapter 1556: I Have No Other Choice
In the Huiyou Hall, Empress Wu sat in front of a desk in the inner room, with the memorial sent back by Li Xuan from Fanzhou placed in front of her.

No, it should be the memorial copied by the Secretariat.

Empress Wu opened the memorial and read every line carefully. After a long time, she closed the memorial.

With a slight sneer, Empress Wu looked up at Shangguan Wan'er on the side and sighed softly: "This King Peng always has endless tricks. He always looks too far ahead. Unfortunately, he looks too far ahead."

Shangguan Wan'er lowered her head slightly and did not answer.

There was a sound of light footsteps, and Qiu Huan soon appeared at the door. He bowed to Empress Wu and said, "Empress, Prime Minister Pei has drafted a plan to temporarily increase the number of Zhongshu Sheren, Jieshi Zhong, Shangshu Langzhong, and Shiyushi."

"What's the reason?" Empress Wu asked indifferently.

"Prime Minister Xue passed away, Prime Minister Liu is far away in the Western Regions, Prime Minister Li requested to retire, and half of the staff of the Secretariat and the Ministry of Shangshu are in Chang'an. Now Luoyang is short of staff, so Prime Minister Pei plans to temporarily review a few positions and cancel them after Your Majesty returns to Chang'an." Qiu Huan bowed.

Empress Wu nodded slightly and canceled the plan after returning to Chang'an. Pei Yan's reason could indeed alleviate the doubts in the court.

"So where is the list?" Empress Wu asked immediately.

Qiu Huan lowered his head and said, "We are still considering it. I heard that some people have already started to take action."

Empress Wu sneered, "Pei Yan is too narrow-minded. He should have made a straightforward decision on this matter and directly called in his own confidants instead of trying to use him to win over people's hearts at this moment."

Qiu Huan lowered his head and remained silent.

Empress Wu waved her hand slightly and said, "Forget it. Let them deal with the affairs of the previous dynasty as they please. But I should take good care of the harem."

Shangguan Wan'er and Qiu Huan bowed at the same time.

Empress Wu knocked on the table and said softly, "It's time for Concubine Yang to enter the palace. Let the Emperor and Prime Minister Pei do this. I only want Concubine Yang to enter the palace... and Concubine Gao to enter the palace together. Concubine Gao will live in Xianju Palace, and Concubine Yang will live in Jixian Palace."

Empress Wu lived in Huiyou Hall, and Li Xian's main hall was Zhenguan Hall.

But after the death of the previous emperor, Li Xian basically did not stay in the Zhenguan Hall except for a few days of mourning.

The Crown Princess lived in the Zhuangjing Hall on the east side of the Zhenguan Hall. Between the Zhuangjing Hall and the Zhenguan Hall was the Dayi Hall where the Crown Prince lived.

On the west side of the Zhenguan Hall is the Renshou Palace, where Crown Prince Liangti Zheng lived. Further west of the Renshou Palace is the Xianju Hall.

You have to go further west to reach the Jixian Palace.

In other words, the palace where the Crown Prince's concubine Yang lived was the farthest from the emperor.

"Today is already the first day of May." Empress Wu looked up at Shangguan Wan'er and said softly, "According to the original memorial submitted by Prince Peng, he should have sent troops to the Western Regions on the second day of May. If he does not, then he has violated military law. Even if he is executed, the generals in the army and the officials in the court will not be able to say anything."

"Yes!" Shangguan Wan'er bowed solemnly.

"Military law is like a furnace!"

Empress Wu sighed softly and couldn't help but look towards the northwest.

The night was dark.

……

The new moon is like a hook.

The breeze is cold and quiet.

Wang Yinke stood at the foot of Red Mountain, looking far away at the Red Palace on the top of the mountain.

No, it's Kuromiya.

Ever since Li Xuan conquered Lhasa, this most dazzling pearl above the heads of the Tibetans was deliberately dyed black by Li Xuan.

"Is the prince not coming down yet?" Wang Yinke couldn't help but look at Yu Ze.

Yu Ze shook his head slightly and said solemnly, "Since His Majesty returned to Luoshui, he has gone to the Black Palace to pray for the late emperor every morning and evening whenever he arrives in Luoshui. The Chief Secretary is not unaware of this. Besides, the troops will be dispatched tomorrow, so it is normal for His Majesty to spend a longer time praying."

Wang Yinke's eyes flickered slightly and he nodded gently.

When Li Xuan was in Luosi, Yu Ze was his biggest confidant.

Yu Ze has been in Prince Peng's palace for many years. When Prince Peng Li Yuanze was alive, he was already a member of the palace.

Others like Zhang Da'an, Xiao Siye, etc., although they are close to Li Xuan, they are not from Prince Peng's Mansion.

Among all the generals, the ones that Wang Yinke cared about the most were actually two other people.

Nan Ju, the General of the Right Tunwei Guard who served as the Chief of Chamdo, and Gao Chongli, the General of the Right Guard stationed in Amdo.

Chamdo and Amdo are both key passages from Fanzhou to Changzhou.

The Fanzhou army had to pass through Chamdo and Amdo before heading to Changzhou.

However, Li Xuan gave these two positions to Nan Ju and Gao Chongli.

Nan Ju was a great general who fought together with Li Xuan in the Eastern Tuyuhun during the Shangyuan period. He was promoted from colonel, captain, all the way to lieutenant, lieutenant general, and right garrison general.

If nothing unexpected happens, the position of General of Youtunwei will be his in the future.

Although Gao Chongli had never fought with Li Xuan, he was the uncle of Crown Prince's concubine Gao and the son of Gao Kan, Duke of Pingyuan.

These two people are Li Xuan's absolute confidants. If you want to control Fanzhou, you must start with these two people.

Especially Nanju.

But unfortunately, this time when Li Xuan goes to the Western Regions, Nan Ju will not follow him, but will stay in Chamdo.

"All the generals and soldiers have already rested. Please tell the prince to rest early as well." Wang Yinke finally gave up the extravagant hope of seeing Li Xuan again tonight.

Li Xuan obviously didn't want to see him again tonight.

But it doesn’t matter. As long as the 25,000 troops outside the city do not move, Wang Yinke will not worry.

Seeing Wang Yinke turn around and leave, Yu Ze shook his head calmly.

This chief historian had no control over anything in Luoshui Dao, but he always thought he could control everything.

Yu Ze raised his head and looked towards the Black Palace on the Red Mountain, his expression becoming solemn.

Today, the older generation who continue to die of illness in Chang'an and Luoyang have had a profound impact on the political situation and the future.

Especially the death of Xue Yuanchao. Once Xue Yuanchao died, the emperor lost his greatest support in the court.

If the emperor is weak, Pei Yan and Empress Wu will be strong, and in the end, the political situation will be completely out of control.

……

In the Black Palace, the lights were dim.

Li Xuan sat calmly on the futon. On the long table in front of him, there was a rosewood box placed flat.

A portrait of the late emperor hangs behind the rosewood box.

Li Zhi, wearing a bright yellow robe with nine dragons and nine chapters and black edges, and a twelve-tassel white jade crown on his head, sat calmly on the throne.

His face was solemn and his eyes were sharp and intimidating.

In the corner of the portrait, there is a private seal.

It is the private seal of the new emperor Li Xian.

In the incomparable silence, Li Xuan finally spoke: "Your Majesty, this day has finally come."

Li Zhigao sat in the portrait, his eyes looking calmly forward, not at all on Li Xuan.

Li Xuan bowed his head gently and whispered, "Your Majesty, I have done my best. Unless I lead my army back to Luoyang now, Sanlang's throne will be abolished."

Empress Wu's ambition exceeded the emperor's own, Li Xian's, Pei Yan's, and the expectations of people all over the world.

What she wanted was not to always be behind Li Xian, but to sit on the throne forever.

Li Xuan stood up, looked at Li Zhi's portrait, and said softly: "Left Prime Minister, Wei Shangshu, Huang Shangshu, were driven to Chang'an, Cheng Chubi and Duan Shangshu were driven to Daizhou, Xue Xiang died of illness, Li Xiang retired, now in the central government, only Pei Xiang, Wang Xiang and Liu Xiang, Lu Shangshu, Dou Lu Shangshu and Ouyang Shangshu are left."

This is the current political situation. Half of the prime ministers and ministers in the court have left the center without anyone noticing.

Among the remaining half, Dou Lu Qinwang was originally Li Dan's chief secretary, Lu Yuanfang and Ouyang Tong, as well as Wang Dezhen and Liu Jingxian were all people who only knew how to do things.

Li Xuan believed that Empress Wu had enough power to stabilize these people after deposing Li Xian.

"The only people who can truly support Sanlang in the court today are Imperial Censor Su Liangsi, Supreme Court Justice Wang Jishan, and Regent Pei Yan." Li Xuan sighed and shook his head, saying, "As long as Su Liangsi and Wang Jishan are driven out of the central government, then Pei Yan will be the only one left in the court for Li Xian to rely on."

Li Zhi's portrait was hung high above, and he still didn't look down at Li Xuan.

"Your Majesty, if I did not go to the Western Regions but turned back to Luoyang, would you blame me?" Li Xuan raised his head, looked at Li Zhi's portrait, and asked sincerely.

Li Zhi in the portrait remained silent.

Li Xuan shook his head slightly and said, "I really want to fight back, but the emperor has no order. If I move, it will be tantamount to treason, and..."

With a sigh, Li Xuan continued, "And I don't think it will work. Even if I find a reason not to go to the Western Regions or return to Luoyang, and just to intimidate them, it will only delay the Queen's time a little. At worst, she can stage another coup after returning to Chang'an."

Historically, Empress Wu never returned to Chang'an after she followed Li Zhi to Luoyang before Li Zhi's death.

This would give people the illusion that after Wu Zetian returned to Chang'an, she could no longer control Li Xian.

But that’s not actually the case.

Returning to Chang'an only increased the pressure on Empress Wu.

If she really disregarded the consequences, she would just end up killing more people, with heads rolling and blood flowing like a river.

Empress Wu was able to achieve her goal as well.

As for Li Xuan, he violated military orders and refused to advance the garrison. He could not bear it if he was not executed immediately or was removed from all his posts.

Although Li Xuan spoke frankly in front of the emperor, he was willing to give up everything and return to the court to take a sinecure.

But that also requires a leisurely job.

Moreover, although the Imperial College Chief Academician had a relatively leisurely and powerless position among many third-rank officials, as long as he could stand in the court and had the opportunity to speak at every court meeting, no one would dare to look down on him.

And it's more than that.

With Li Xuan's ability, as long as he trains them seriously, in three to five years, half of the successful candidates in the court will be his disciples.

At that time, it was not an exaggeration to say that he had many students all over the world.

But if there really is nothing left, Li Xuan will just be a fish on the chopping board.

"So, I can only apologize to Sanlang." Li Xuan sighed softly and lowered his head slightly.

At this moment, all the pressure on his body completely dissipated.

He no longer bore any responsibility for Li Xian's dethronement, not even a psychological burden.

Li Xuan bowed again to Li Zhi's portrait, then stood up and walked out of the hall.

……

Under the new moon, the entire Lhasa City was under the gaze of Li Xuan who walked out of the Black Palace.

Li Xuan clearly saw Wang Yinke's nervousness.

Li Xuan never cared about Wang Yinke's little tricks.

Because only in this way can he lure out all those who betrayed him in the army of Luoshui Road.

Only in this way, at the critical moment, could Li Xuan bring tens of thousands of troops inside and outside the Luoshui Road into his own hands.

Li Xuan raised his head and looked towards the western region.

The Western Regions, that’s where he must go.

Because there are tens of thousands of elite troops from the Tang Dynasty there.

Wang Fangyi, Liu Shenli, Quan Shancai, with these people around, if Li Xuan gave up controlling them, he would be really stupid.

So, Li Xian, you can only rely on yourself.

(End of this chapter)