The First Great Ancestor of the Five Dynasties

Chapter 493 The Emperor's Heart Is Unpredictable
Zhu Xiu had never expected that a turmoil would break out in Kaifeng City without warning during the Lantern Festival in the third year of Guangshun.

After the Xinlingfang incident, he stayed in Dali Temple Prison for more than two months, and secretly met Guo Wei when he was released from prison. At that time, he knew that Guo Wei would attack Wang Jun sooner or later, and he was ready to be a pawn. I was prepared, but I didn’t expect it to come so suddenly.

Wang Jun was an obstacle to the smooth transfer of the Zhou regime, and a stumbling block to Chai Rong's logical succession of the imperial power. The ending may have been doomed from the beginning.

If Wang Jun was smart enough, he should have served as an official and returned to his hometown after the founding of the Zhou Dynasty, and gained a reputation as a founding hero, so that he might be able to live out his old age peacefully.

It's a pity that he overestimated his status in the new dynasty, and underestimated Guo Wei's skill and Chai Rong's forbearance.

He wanted to use the sensitive topic of succession to the throne to incite discord between Guo Wei and Chai Rong, and even end up fighting each other.

The abacus was a good one, but it was a pity that he never understood that an emperor who truly has the world in mind would not put his own selfish desires above the safety of the country.

Guo Wei may have really thought about passing the throne to his own bloodline.

Unfortunately, after more than a year of hard work, none of the concubines in the harem showed any signs of movement, and his own health was deteriorating.

Guo Wei wanted to understand that given his age and physical condition, it was impossible to have a direct heir. In this case, Chai Rong was the best and only choice.

Guo Wei is a determined person, and once he makes up his mind, he will not waver easily.

Therefore, he decisively recalled Chai Rong and asked him to take turns to study in the three provinces, six ministries and Kaifeng Prefecture. This was to tell the civil and military officials of the Manchu Dynasty that Chai Rong was his chosen successor.

Chai Rong stayed in Chanzhou before, and was not allowed to return to Beijing for more than a year after the founding of the Zhou Dynasty. Of course, he would feel panic and uneasiness, and even unwillingness and resentment.

If he couldn't calm down and wanted to fight to the death for the throne of the emperor, he would have led the Chanzhou troops southward under various excuses to remonstrate and force the emperor.

Wang Jun continued to make trouble, just for this day, the relationship between Guo Wei and Chai Rong's father and son was completely broken, and it reached the point of raising troops to fight.

In this way, he could fish in troubled waters, encourage Guo Wei to get rid of Chai Rong, and then take over the power, and even have the opportunity to change the dynasty.

Unfortunately, the opponents he encountered were not ordinary people.

Chai Rong was by no means the kind of person who would kill his father and rebel for the sake of imperial power. He knew that once he raised an army, the country would be torn apart, and father and son would become unrelenting enemies.

Therefore, he chose to give in and accept all Guo Wei's arrangements calmly to preserve the relationship between father and son and maintain the stability of the Great Zhou Dynasty.

Even if the throne was not handed over to him in the end and he was asked to stay in Chanzhou for the rest of his life, he had no regrets.

Guo Wei also chose Chai Rong as his successor for the sake of national security and the relationship between father and son.

The father and son tolerated and tolerated each other to ensure that the imperial power of the Great Zhou Dynasty was stable and transitional, and that the long-term relationship between father and son could have its beginning and end.

These things cannot be recorded in history books, and historical records about this period are understated.

As a person in the game, Zhu Xiu was dealing with the relationship between Guo Wei and Chai Rong and his son, so he was most aware of the undercurrents.

In the past year, the most distinguished father and son in the world of Dazhou have experienced countless thrilling experiences, ranging from testing each other, suspecting each other, to being honest with each other.

If you are not careful, the civil strife of the Great Zhou Dynasty will resume, and the hinterland of the Central Plains will fall into a chaotic situation of melee fighting from all sides.

Fortunately, the process was thrilling and the ending was happy.

Now, it is time for Guo Wei to clear up the stubborn problems in the court and clear the two biggest stumbling blocks for Chai Rong on the road to succession.

At the right time, as the three main gates of Yiqiu Gate, Xishui Gate, and Changhe Gate in the west of Kaifeng's inner city rumblingly closed, more than [-] Tiger Wing troops stationed in the west city as planned and took over all defenses.

Almost at the same moment, the six main city gates of Nancheng and Dongcheng were also locked and closed, and the entire inner city of Kaifeng was under military control.

The three armies of Zhu Xiu's Tiger Wing Army, Zhang Yongde's Tiger Army, and Zhao Hongyin's Longjie Army jointly managed the defense of the inner city. They sent scouts and horses to communicate with each other. They used the seals of the three major generals as signals to exchange news and cooperate with each other to jointly complete the attack on the inner city of Kaifeng. The blockade of the city.

Among the three armies, Zhang Yongde is the leader. The orders coming from the palace are first handed over to him and then distributed to Zhu Xiu and Zhao Hongyin.

Soon, a decree came from the palace. It was a thick list, requiring all armies to arrest the traitors according to the list, and each army was responsible for the hiding places of the traitors in the defense zone.

The command flag was fluttering above the Changhe Gate in Xicheng. Pan Mei and Zhu Wu each led several commanding troops to arrest the rebels according to the locations in Xicheng District on the list.

Teams of armored sergeants rushed into the streets and alleys, banged on the doors of houses fiercely, and killed anyone who resisted on the spot.

Thick smoke rose everywhere in the city, houses were washed with blood, houses were set on fire, and shouts and wails came from all directions.

Zhu Xiu stood on the Changhe Gate Tower and looked through a pile of lists. The more he looked at it, the more shocking he became.

The scope of the Second King's rebellion was wider than he imagined, including many third- and fifth-grade senior officials, and more than a dozen middle- and high-level generals who were distributed in the Guards Department and the Forbidden Army in front of the palace.

Zhu Xiu didn't know how many of them were innocent people who were implicated, and he didn't dare to ask.

This was a court cleansing operation, and the person coordinating the overall situation was Guo Wei, and perhaps Chai Rong who was far away in Chanzhou, and these three legions of [-] soldiers and horses were just pawns under the command of the imperial power.

Zhu Xiu handed the list to Cao Bin beside him, pressed his palms on the battlement wall, and looked far into the west city, with row upon row of houses and pavilions, and criss-crossing streets. He couldn't see the folk fireworks of the past, and couldn't hear the children playing. Apart from the sounds of vendors and the cries of vendors, only the thick black smoke from burning houses rising into the sky and the constant sounds of fighting breaking out in the streets could be heard.
He thought of how Yedu's army went south three years ago and Kaifeng City was in such chaos.

At that time, he followed the army outside the city, entered the city, overthrew the Liu Han court, and transformed from a rebel to a founding hero.

The city of Kaifeng has been peaceful for three years, and now it is once again in turmoil.

The people living in the capital seem to have big hearts and a keen sense of danger. Whenever there is chaos and turmoil, they can obey the orders of those in authority and stay at home without leaving the house.Once the situation stabilizes, it won't take long for the capital to regain its fireworks, bustling and noisy. No matter how heavy the pain is, it can't compete with the comfort of time.

Cao Bin flipped through the list casually. Whenever a messenger reported on the progress, he would use his fingernail to deeply mark the corresponding official name on the list.

Each trace may represent more than a dozen lives.

Cao Bin was too calm and composed. This young general, who was only two years older than Zhu Xiu, showed amazing calmness in this turmoil.

"It seems that Brother Cao had expected what happened today?" Zhu Xiu couldn't help but ask.

Cao Bin smiled slightly and was noncommittal.

As the nephew of Zhang, Guo Wei's second step-wife, and considered a marginal royal relative, Cao Bin may have gotten the news long before Zhu Xiu.

Zhu Xiu shook his head and said, "In that case, why don't the officials let Brother Cao directly lead the Tiger Wing Army? Why do they still insist on appointing me as the commander of the capital?"

Cao Bin said calmly: "I don't have enough prestige, and the officials are worried that I won't be able to suppress this group of arrogant soldiers. The Tiger Wing Army was founded by Lord Zhu, and [-]% of the sergeants were personally selected by you from each army. You are the one who takes the lead." , which can ensure that the whole army can act like an arm and a finger."

Zhu Xiu glanced at him and felt that this reason was somewhat untenable.

Although he participated in the creation of the Tiger Wing Army, in the context of centralized power, his personal prestige was definitely not enough to transcend military regulations and court systems.

As long as the military talisman seal is in hand, no matter who it is, they can have the legal right to mobilize troops. If Zhu Xiu is not there, it will be the same if it is Cao Bin.

Cao Bin saw that Zhu Xiu was still confused, and pointed in the direction of South City and East City: "The inner city of Kaifeng is garrisoned by soldiers and horses under the jurisdiction of the Guards Department, but the palace city is garrisoned by the Imperial Guards in front of the palace. The reason for this is that Zhu Houye also not understand?"

Zhu Xiu was stunned: "What do you mean?"

Cao Bin did not continue to explain, with an enigmatic smile on his handsome face.

Zhu Xiu reacted suddenly, opened her eyes wide, and felt as if a basin of cold water had been poured over her head, and her whole body was cold!

He understood that the three legions of the Guards Division were stationed in the inner city, not only to wipe out the two kings' rebels, but also to guard against the imperial army in front of the palace!

To be precise, it was to prevent Li Chongjin!
The three armies of the Guard Division were stationed on the west, south and east sides of the inner city of Kaifeng. Only the imperial troops in front of the palace were placed in the palace city. It was basically an encirclement on three sides!

Once Li Chongjin's imperial guards made any movement in the palace, nearly [-] guards and horses would besiege him from three sides.

There were no more than 3 forbidden troops in front of the palace, not to mention that there was definitely more than just Li Chongjin in the palace.

Zhu Xiu thought of one person, Wang Shenqi. This guy returned to the palace after delivering the order, and his whereabouts were mysterious.

Wang Shenqi is the deputy capital commander of the cavalry army. He is affiliated with the imperial army in front of the palace and leads the troops under Li Chongjin.

The cavalry army is the elite of the imperial army in front of the palace. With just an edict, Wang Shenqi can lead the entire army to defect!

Guo Wei asked Li Chongjin to lead the imperial army to the palace. It seemed that he was leaving his life and the safety of the imperial court in the hands of his most trusted nephew, but in fact he was taking him with him and taking care of him personally!

In fact, I have already made all preparations secretly!
Zhu Xiu was inexplicably horrified, feeling like she had fallen into an ice cave!
In this way, Guo Wei asked him to be the commander of the Tiger Wing Army and gave him the military seal letter. In fact, he was afraid that he would collude with Li Chongjin internally and externally and take advantage of the chaos to do evil!

When he came to the army, Cao Bin was by his side. Even if he really wanted to take advantage of the chaos and do something, he couldn't get around Cao Bin!
No wonder there is a thick list. Some of the names on it actually have little to do with Wang Jun and Wang Yin, but have a close relationship with Li Chongjin.
Zhu Xiu looked at Cao Bin with dull eyes, and the corners of her mouth twitched, showing an expression uglier than crying.

Cao Bin released his hand from the sword that he had been holding down, clasped his fists and smiled: "Master Zhu Hou, don't worry, you must know that everything the official family does is for the inheritance of the throne and the stability of the country.

After today, the officials will understand Mr. Zhu's loyalty and frankness. "

Zhu Xiu looked sad, with only four words in her heart: The emperor's heart is unpredictable
Unknowingly, he had already walked beyond the gate of hell.

If he behaves in any strange way today, Cao Bin's Yanling Sword will definitely be chopped off without mercy.

Zhu Xiu rubbed his frozen face hard and said with a wry smile: "Li Chongjin is indeed a bull, impulsive and reckless, but he is not stupid, nor is he evil-minded, and he will never have any thoughts that he shouldn't have."

Cao Bin stared at the black smoke floating in the sky above the West City and said calmly: "Officials see right and wrong, so they will naturally distinguish between right and wrong. Any innocent heart that is touched by the word power will not be guaranteed to deteriorate.

What Li Chongjin did in the name of rectifying the Forbidden Army disappointed the officials."

Zhu Xiu sighed. Sure enough, it was because of the previous rectification of the forbidden army in front of the palace. However, he did not expect that in Guo Wei's mind, this matter had risen to the level of conspiracy to rebel.

Before, Guo Wei called Li Chongjin into the palace and gave him a scolding. Everyone thought that the matter was over, and even Li Chongjin himself didn't take it to heart.

Unexpectedly, the real reckoning begins now!
Uncle Guo's series of operations not only wanted to eliminate the two kings who rebelled against the party, but also dealt with Li Chongjin.

This black guy's future depends on how he performs in this turmoil.

If this guy is confused, the consequences will be disastrous, and even Zhu Xiu himself will suffer.

"Did Chai Junhou know about this in advance?" Zhu Xiu asked in a low voice.

Cao Bin smiled and said nothing.

Zhu Xiu was silent, and punched the wall, looking far away in the direction of the palace city, Li Chongjin, Li Chongjin, this guy must not act stupidly at the critical moment! ~
(End of this chapter)