The Bad Guys: Everyone, let’s revive the Tang Dynasty together!

Chapter 371: Why did Your Majesty rebel? (VI)

Midsummer of the first year of Qianhua in Daliang, the third day of June, Chang'an.

The so-called Chang'an City has suffered great destruction since Huang Chao broke into the city in the late Tang Dynasty. After that, several warlords entered Chang'an and looted, burning six or seven out of ten government offices, temples and houses.

By the time Zhu Wen forced Emperor Zhaozong of Tang to move east, the inner and outer city walls of Chang'an had almost become rubble. In order to establish his own power, Zhu Wen directly destroyed the palaces, government offices and houses of the people in Chang'an, took the wood and floated it down the Wei River. Chang'an has since become a ruin.

After Emperor Zhaozong of Tang was forced to move east, Han Jian, then governor of the Youguo Army, was ordered by Zhu Wen to oversee the reconstruction of Chang'an City. In order to facilitate military defense, Han Jian abandoned the outer city of Chang'an and only used the original imperial city as the new city, retaining only five gates. Major city gates such as the Suzaku Gate were all closed.

Since Chang'an was demolished, this thousand-year-old imperial capital has been completely reduced to a regional military stronghold, marking the transformation of Chang'an, the "center of the world", into a northwestern fortress.

This prosperous capital city with its strict market civilization is now a mixture of shops and residential houses, and there is no trace of its former atmosphere. Only the moat outside the city wall and the two small cities built on the east and west sides show Chang'an's military status.

In the government office in the inner city of Chang'an, the two were sitting opposite each other in silence.

On the left hand side is Yang Shihou.

Yang Shihou is already over fifty years old, but he is still strong and vigorous. His calm eyes do not seem to be too oppressive when he looks at people. However, if someone dares to observe carefully, they can see the ambitious and murderous aura in his eyes.

Zhu Wen left office, and the political situation changed. The suppression of the vassal army by the Daliang Imperial Army and the suppression of him, the leader of the Daliang generals, seemed to be coming to an end. This situation was an opportunity for those who held the army to gain greater power and wealth.

Xiao Yan was just a young boy with an unclear identity. When Yang Shihou met him in the Bian Jing Palace a few years ago, Xiao Yan even had to rely on cooking to please Zhu Wen.

If even someone like Xiao Yan can do it, how can I, a senior general of Daliang, not be able to do it?
Yang Shihou had followed Zhu Wen very early. In every major battle, Yang Shihou was always Zhu Wen's vanguard. After Zhu Wen became emperor, Yang Shihou was naturally promoted to the most prominent position of military general. For many years, he fought for Zhu Wen in many campaigns and went wherever he was needed. He was Zhu Wen's veritable "firefighter" and the "pillar" of the Daliang court.

In the entire Daliang court, if Yang Shihou ranked second among the ranks of military generals, no one could be ranked first. It was not enough that his status was so high, but Zhu Wen even gave him the command of the entire western camp. With one-third of Daliang's vassal army in his hands, how could Yang Shihou not become arrogant?

It would have been fine if Zhu Wen had not fallen, but now that Zhu Wen has fallen, how could Yang Shihou not have ambitions?

The emperor, the only person Yang Shihou feared in the entire Daliang court, was forced to abdicate overnight. How could Yang Shihou still be afraid of anything, let alone be willing to hand over his military power and bow down to a mere Xiao Yan.

In the original historical time and space, after Zhu Wen's death, Zhu Youzhen succeeded to the throne and appointed Yang Shihou as King of Ye. All matters in the court had to be discussed with Yang Shihou first. Therefore, Yang Shihou was proud of his achievements and relied on the majority of people. He arbitrarily took financial resources and selected thousands of brave soldiers in the army to serve him. He gave them generous rewards. This was Yang Shihou's personal private army, and this private army had extremely high combat effectiveness. It was once judged in history books as the most capable army in the Five Dynasties period. After that, Yang Shihou also completely controlled the army and was in charge of his own affairs, as if he was the second court of Daliang.

What Yang Shihou had to do in the original time and space, there is no reason for him not to do it now. Moreover, he believes that he has a legitimate reason to do so, as he is following the imperial edict to purge the emperor's side. Isn't this more legitimate than Xiao Yan's forged imperial edict?
At this time, Yang Shihou was stroking his beard and pondering over trivial matters. The person sitting opposite him, his aide and subordinate General Wang Shunxian, also remained silent for a long time, as if he was patiently waiting for something.

After a long while, a junior officer carrying a flag walked into the yamen quickly, clasped his fists and said, "Reporting to the Grand Commandant, Baqiao Dingbadu's troops have led their troops westward. Before leaving, their commander Tian Daocheng sent an envoy to the city to ask the unit to mobilize 50,000 shi of grain to support the front line of Wugong."

"it is good!"

Wang Shunxian slapped the table beside him, waved his hand to dismiss the lieutenant, and said directly: "As the general expected, once the Shu army threatens Wugong, the military situation in the west will be urgent. Then Song Wang Xiao Yan is eager to conquer Shu, so he will first send Baqiao to Dingbadu to support the war on the western front... This Xiao Yan has finally fallen into the general's trap! Humph, you want another 50,000 grains? I won't give him a single stone!"

Yang Shihou hesitated for a moment, but Wang Shunxian was already pacing impatiently, saying repeatedly: "Xiao Yan is so eager for quick success that he is confident that he can suppress the central government and even the imperial guards with a puppet emperor while sending his personal troops to deal with the Shu army, and even deal with the Taiwei at the same time? Humph, he is so helpless and arrogant, how can he not fail!"

Yang Shihou had already ordered people to find out all the information before and after. Even the contact with Niu Cunjie and others in Luoyang was made by Wang Shunxian himself. Ever since Xiao Yan revealed the flaw of sending his personal troops to advance westward first, Yang Shihou had been prepared. He was just waiting for the opportunity.

In Wang Shunxian's view, the time has obviously come!
Yang Shihou was not in a hurry. He just thought and asked, "Has Zezhou not replied yet?"

"Taiwei, don't rely too much on Xie Yanzhang of Zezhou." Wang Shunxian calmly analyzed: "Although Xie Yanzhang is the deputy envoy of the pacification and control of the Hezhong troops and is stationed in Zezhou, he can directly mobilize the troops of the western camp of Zezhou, but Taiwei, don't forget that Xie Yanzhang's adoptive father Ge Congzhou is still in Xiao Yan's hands."

Wang Shunxian said: "Xie Yanzhang treats Ge Congzhou like his own father, and the father-son relationship between them is very strong. Xiao Yan must have had this reason, so he arrested Ge Congzhou as soon as possible. Xie Yanzhang is afraid of the consequences and may not be able to give the general an answer as soon as possible."

Then he added, "Captain, it is true that the thief Xiao sent his personal army to fight. Even the main force of Baqiao Dingba has set out. We have seen it with our own eyes! If this opportunity is missed, won't Xiao Yan really have to hold his ground? It will be difficult to get rid of him then."

With all the wealth and power before him, Yang Shihou was able to keep his composure. He was still pondering, but suddenly asked, "Except for the Ye Bu Shou who was appointed as the King of Song, are the rest of Xiao Yan's troops in Luoyang really only the imperial guards?"

Wang Shunxian personally went to Luoyang to contact Niu Cunjie and Yuan Xiang in person. When Yang Shihou asked, he answered confidently, "As the saying goes, the night army is not collected. There are only two commanders and a thousand people in Luoyang this time. What use are they except to show off the honor guard for Xiao Yan? Although there are nearly forty commanders in the imperial army, including the Shenwei, Gongchen, Zhuosheng, Shenwu, Longhu, Longwu, and Luoyan armies, they are all former Xuanwu soldiers. Do they really have to listen to Xiao Yan?"

Yang Shihou remained calm and said, "Niu Cunjie and Yuan Xiangxian, have you contacted the Imperial Guards in recent days?"

"There are more than just these two."

Wang Shunxian analyzed: "The Imperial Guards are intertwined and intertwined, and most of them are from Xuanwu Town. Although Xiao Yan used millions of guan to lure them, they can always be persuaded. Although the central government was forced by Xiao Yan to serve the new dynasty, with the Taiwei's attitude of supporting the army, how could they not have extra thoughts? Xiao Yan's officials have recruited people from Hebei, and the officials in the court are dissatisfied with him. We are in the middle of planning, and it is not difficult to persuade them to contact the upper and lower levels."

Yang Shihou finally narrowed his eyes, stroked his gray beard with his palm, and asked again: "What about Zhang Quanyi..."

Wang Shunxian nodded again: "The King of Wei has great righteousness in his heart, how can he not distinguish right from wrong? Li Ting is also a capable person, and I am confident that he has persuaded the King of Wei to stand aside and not interfere in the affairs of the Grand Commandant."

As he said this, Wang Shunxian waved his hand heavily with a sneer on his face: "How can Xiao Yan, who holds the king hostage and manipulates the government, win the support of the people? Taiwei, your reputation is unrivaled in the court. This time you are helping the country, how can you not be decisive? Taiwei, the time has come, otherwise there will be changes..."

"Opportunities are rare and will never come back... It's just a pity that we can't contact Jingxiang to ask him to work for a certain family. Otherwise, why worry about the unrest in the world?"

Yang Shihou recited this sentence, finally snorted and laughed, and slapped his palm on the table.

"Okay! Xiao Yan is like a kid sitting in a fire pit and still doesn't know it. Now that things have come to this, don't say that I didn't give him a chance! If this official is willing to step down and take power, and let me go to Zezhou to command the western camp, how can I be willing to do such a thing of fighting within the family? Call the generals in!"

Wang Shunxian was overjoyed. He was the most trusted confidant under Yang Shihou. If Yang Shihou took the position, wouldn't he rise to prominence? This was a feat that would ensure the prosperity of his descendants for generations!

Almost in an instant, all the generals who had been waiting outside the government office for a long time entered the camp one after another. Most of them were generals whom Yang Shihou had trusted for many years, but if you look closely, you can actually see quite a few generals from the Kuangguo Army or the Ganhua Army mixed in with them. They were now standing on the left and right, all eager to try.

Yang Shihou stood up and walked to the commander's desk. He looked around and said with a sullen face, "Xiao Yan and his colleagues are manipulating the emperor and the country, and they regard me as their own. I have tolerated it again and again, but I have no choice but to take action! Are you willing to join me in exterminating the traitors and strive for a merit that will go down in history?"

Including Wang Shunxian, everyone was ready to fight. If they followed Yang Shihou to rebel against Shu or Jin, they might not be willing, but if they were to fight for power and join the imperial court as vassal soldiers, who would not be willing? Don't you see that Ding Badu and Guide Army, a bunch of idiots from the border areas of Hebei, can have their current status because they followed Xiao Yan to make a fortune!
Seeing that people's hearts were being used, Yang Shihou nodded with satisfaction, and then slapped the table and gave a loud order: "Okay, since this is the case, I will send out three routes at the same time. The Tongzhou Kuangguo Army will block the Mengjin ferry and the Yellow River line to prepare for Wang Yanzhang's troops in Hebei to come back to the south for support. The Huazhou Ganhua Army will control Tongguan and seize the Yique and Huanyuan passes in the south to prevent the thief Xiao from escaping south with the two emperors. I will lead the Chang'an Youguo Army directly into Luoyang to capture the thief Xiao!"

All the generals in the yamen could no longer hold back at this point, they all knew that Xiao Yan's personal troops had been pinned down by the Shu army, and Xiao Yan's remaining imperial guards were still unstable. No matter how they calculated it, this was an opportunity to gain huge profits with little effort. It was possible that Yang Shihou would take this opportunity to directly replace Xiao Yan and become the new powerful official, and these vassal troops would rise straight to the top and become the imperial guards of Bianliang!

With just one call, countless people responded, and Yang Shihou was escorted straight out of the government office. The generals on both sides immediately dispersed in a hurry, as if they were to immediately gather the elite troops from all directions and rush to Tongguan as quickly as possible!
Yang Shihou must take this enormous wealth!
——————In the meeting hall of the Secretariat in Luoyang, Jing Xiang sat with a few others, while the others were Prince of Wei, Henan Yin Zhang Quanyi, and Zuo Jianyi Doctor Li Ting.

The other person's identity may not be quite suitable for this occasion, but if you really talk about it, it doesn't seem so abrupt, so this person is the son-in-law of the emperor, Zhao Yan.

Two months ago, Zhao Yan was ordered to lead the Tianxing Army to assist Ge Congzhou in going north to take charge of Youzhou as the deputy commander of Youzhou. However, not long after crossing the Yellow River, he was frightened by Dingba who was marching south and dared not to continue advancing north. Before he had the chance to return to Bianliang, he and Ge Congzhou heard the news of the Bianliang mutiny and Zhu Wen's abdication.

Soon after that, Zhao Yan and Ge Congzhou were stripped of their military power and recalled to Bianliang. The Tianxing Army under their command was ordered to station in Youzhou under the command of Wang Yanzhang. It is said that Kang Huaiying, the general of the imperial guards in Cangzhou, was also recalled to Bianliang. The Longxiang Army under the latter was also taken to Youzhou in the north by Wang Yanzhang. However, after returning to the capital, Zhao Yan received no more news about Ge Congzhou and Kang Huaiying.

After Zhao Yan was recalled to Bian Jing, he waited in fear for nearly half a month, thinking that his life was in danger. However, until he was brought to Luoyang with the army, he was safe and sound. Even his official rank and assignment remained unchanged. It was a miracle.

But even so, under the new dynasty, Zhao Yan still just had to behave himself. His biggest backer, the Dark Emperor, was dead, so what else could he do?

Unexpectedly, not long ago, he was found by Li Ting, who asked him to be responsible for contacting anti-Xiao people in the court. Zhao Yan dared not do it, so he naturally avoided it. However, he did not expect that after a few days, he heard the news that Zhu Youzhen had persuaded Xiao Yan to take Zhu Wen to Chang'an to persuade Yang Shihou.

In two days, Xiao Yan will lead the imperial guards westward to Chang'an to summon Yang Shihou to the imperial court to pay homage to the new emperor and the emperor emeritus. This means that Xiao Yan, who has been waiting in anticipation, will finally leave Luoyang. In this way, the plans of Yang Shihou and other people in the court are on the right track. As long as Xiao Yan leaves Luoyang, the section from Luoyang to Tongguan will be his burial place!
Today, Zhao Yan was called by Li Ting to meet in the Secretariat. He was finally moved. He followed him with gritted teeth. When he saw that even Prince of Wei Zhang Quanyi was there, he felt much more at ease.

After sitting quietly in the hall for a long while, Jing Xiang finally asked, "Are you here, King Wei, to help with the troops needed on the western front?"

Zhang Quanyi smiled bitterly and said immediately, "Yes, I know that Chang'an and the imperial court are not on good terms this time, and they are unwilling to bear the expenses of the Guanxi troops, so Luoyang has to pay this amount. Originally, the King of Song asked Luoyang to raise 500,000 dan of grain, which was indeed enough for the imperial army, but Chang'an was deadlocked, which made the King of Song unhappy. This time, the King of Song is going to march with the two emperors, and he actually asked the imperial court for 500,000 strings of money as a reward for the march. In addition, Luoyang also needs to recruit civilians, carriages and horses, and the total cost, together with the grain, is probably more than a million strings of money... How can I prepare it at this moment?"

Jing Xiang was silent for a while, glanced at Li Ting and Zhao Yan, and did not respond to this, but said: "I wonder what the two of you are doing..."

Zhang Quanyi sighed, and then said worriedly: "The Prince Consort and Gong Du came to me privately and said they had a plan to satisfy both sides. I thought about it and Gong Du also said it would be a good idea for the Prime Minister to know this good plan, so today they invited them to come and see the Prime Minister."

Jing Xiang frowned, his face obviously thinner, and pondered for a moment, and just asked, "What is Doctor Li's so-called win-win strategy?"

Zhao Yan tensed his back and glanced at Li Ting, also becoming curious.

Li Ting smiled and said, "Prince Song has been in a bad mood recently. The only person in the court who can enter the Tiance Palace for a meeting is Prime Minister Jing. I have no choice but to seek out Prime Minister Jing to offer advice. I hope Prime Minister Jing will not feel rude."

"Doctor Li is a talented person. King Song is not picky about who to hire. If you really have a good plan to offer, King Song will not worry about not using it." Jing Xiang nodded: "Doctor Li, just say it. If it is useful, I will convey it on your behalf."

"The so-called good strategy is just one point." Li Ting cupped his hands and said, "King Song asked King Wei to raise 500,000 strings of cash to reward the imperial guards. It was just to appease the morale of the imperial guards before the westward advance. However, Luoyang cannot raise 500,000 strings of cash at the moment. Why don't you suggest that King Song lead his troops westward first, and when the emperor persuades Taiwei Yang in Chang'an, Luoyang may also have all the military supplies King Song needs, or even more. In this way, Chang'an will be able to reward them to boost morale and advance westward to Fengxiang and fight against Qi and Shu. It's a two-pronged approach, rewarding the imperial guards and taking care of the Chang'an vassal army. Isn't it wonderful?"

Zhao Yan's eyes lit up and he glanced at Li Ting calmly.

This is a brilliant move...

But Jing Xiang did not respond immediately after hearing this. After a little thought, he nodded and said, "Doctor Li has a good intention. I will make a suggestion to King Song, but..."

As he said this, Jing Xiang looked at Zhang Quanyi again: "The King of Song's march to Chang'an this time should not be taken lightly. The King of Wei should also know that Chang'an is a thorn in the King of Song's heart. The King of Song may not listen to this method. The King of Wei should also make preparations for both situations and raise military supplies as soon as possible."

After saying this, seeing that everyone looked serious, Jing Xiang sighed and said, "The current situation is difficult, with both internal and external troubles. Not to mention Qi State, the Shu army is said to have 150,000 troops stationed outside Guanxi, and they are already in front of us. Although Jin State has not made any moves, it definitely has no good intentions. The King of Song is currently intending to resolve the threat of Shu State as soon as possible. For the sake of the country, we must put aside our selfishness and support him. Whatever the King of Song wants, as long as he can pass this hurdle, the court will try its best to satisfy him. Don't shirk it or cause trouble. We will discuss the future later..."

Zhang Quanyi and the other two naturally admired him and said, "Respect your foresight."

Jing Xiang just sighed and remained silent.

------

Night fell very quickly. In the temporary Prince Song's Mansion in the north of Luoyang City, Xiao Yan stood in the courtyard with his hands behind his back. A dark figure in the corridor was tidying up his clothes, crossing his hands in salute, and said softly: "Your Majesty, I respectfully invite you to come."

Xiao Yan nodded, looked into the distance at the horizon, but said nothing.

------

At Hulao Pass, a general was alarmed at night, and he poked his head out from the tower and shouted, "Who is at the pass?"

"Yu Zhong from a certain family."

The man on horseback at the foot of the pass made a buzzing sound and reined in his horse in response.

"I am summoned by the General Tiance to march west to defeat Yang."

The guard was immediately stunned. He looked up and saw that outside the originally pitch-black road, there was a winding road full of torches. First, there was a flag fluttering, and the word "Guide" could be faintly seen in the firelight.

------

Shenyuan Pass.

A young guard climbed up the city wall with his sword at his waist. He just covered his forehead and looked north, then adjusted his clothes and armor, muttering to himself.

"Can the new army be used... Can the new army be used..."

He turned around and spoke in a low voice through gritted teeth: "King Song said that after this battle, the new army will be King Song's personal army, and the army name will be 'Shen Ce'."

"It was King Song who gave us a future." He looked around and said in a deep voice: "Even though we have only been training for two months, we should let King Song know that we deserve the name 'Shen Ce'!"

In front of him, countless people were panting and walking away in a row, nearly ten thousand people.

(End of this chapter)