Thief Emperor

Chapter 891 The Last Anniversary

The two Wu brothers were actually very easy to deal with. Wu Yuanyou was a very interesting person. Li Yun had given up the intention to kill him a long time ago. He also planned to keep him in the capital in the future so that they could meet him when he was free to relieve his boredom.

When we are older in the future, we can reminisce about the past together, which may be a fun thing.

As for the emperor, if we consider it purely from a political perspective, it is not difficult to deal with him. After abdicating, he can first favor his family for a few years. After the new dynasty's rule is stabilized, this family member can die suddenly of illness one after another.

No one would be stupid enough to ask why this family suddenly became sick, and no one would ask why they died so strangely.

Even this passage was recorded in history books in just a few simple sentences, and everyone in the entire Xin Dynasty knew it tacitly.

This is neat and tidy.

But Li Yun was a man with a good temper. Emperor Wu was quite cooperative and arrived in Luoyang before his coronation ceremony. If he continued to cooperate in the future, Li Yun would not have planned to kill him.

But his lineage could no longer reproduce.

Political threats are one thing.

Having too many children will cause another problem.

There were more than ten princes brought to Luoyang with Emperor Wu Yuancheng, including two newly born grandsons of the emperor.

There are also many daughters and granddaughters.

If these people are not disciplined and provided with reproductive resources, it won't take long before this family, during Li Yun's reign, may be able to give birth to more than a hundred children.

It’s hard to keep an eye on them when there are too many people.

Feeding them is one thing, but if any of Emperor Wu's sons and grandsons were to go out, it would be a troublesome matter.

So Li Yun’s idea is very simple. He can survive and have enough food and clothing, but he has to stay honest.

It’s not good to have too many children.

Li Yun even meant that they should try not to have any more children, so that the line would die out naturally, to avoid another quarrel in the future.

The two brothers of the Wu family looked up at Li Yun. Wu Yuanyou was about to say something, but Li Yun shook his head slightly at him. Then he sighed and stopped talking.

His Majesty the Emperor also looked up at Li Yun and said expressionlessly, "King Wu is really thoughtful."

Li Yun lowered his head to drink tea, then smiled and said, "Your Majesty, don't worry too much. This is what I think in the past three to five years. After three to five years, or ten years, I may not think so."

"By then, if the new dynasty is thriving, your family will no longer be a threat to the new dynasty, and I may not bother to care about you anymore."

At Li Yun's current position, he has become accustomed to not making final statements.

His Majesty the Emperor was silent for a long time, and finally laughed at himself and said, "Then...then let the Second Brother be the guest of the new dynasty, and I will take over the title of Marquis."

Hearing this, Li Yun nodded with satisfaction and said with a smile, "Okay then."

"In the future, the new dynasty will provide for your majesty with the treatment of a marquis. However, for the first three to five years, your majesty should try not to go out."

At this point, Li Yun continued, "The auspicious date has been set. On the 18th day of the first lunar month, I will hold a sacrifice outside the city to inform the heavens that I will accept your majesty's abdication and ascend the throne to be emperor."

"Your Majesty, do you have any comments?"

Wu Yuancheng's hands trembled slightly. After a long while, he said in a trembling voice, "I... have no objection."

Li Yun stood up, patted his shoulder, and said, "Don't be sad, Your Majesty."

"Your Majesty is very lucky that the Great Zhou has come to this point. If Your Majesty falls into the hands of any of the princes in the world except me, it would be difficult for you to save your life."

"I am the only one who can accommodate your majesty."

When Li Yun said this, he was not bragging, but it was the truth that could not be more true.

He started local administration very early and had a strong mass base. In other words, he was very popular among the people.

The Wu royal family did not pose a particularly big threat to him. If they were in the three regions of Jiangnan, the Wu royal family would pose no threat to him at all.

If it were any other prince, after accepting the abdication, he would definitely find an opportunity to kill all the members of the Wu royal family.

After saying this, Li Yun put his hands behind his back and said, "Then it's settled. There's still more than half a month left. Your Majesty, please think it over. When the time comes, try to cooperate and don't embarrass everyone."

“Today’s meal…”

Li Yun looked at the food and wine on the table, thought for a moment, and said, "Let's stop here. I have something else to do. You two can continue eating here."

At this time, the food and wine were basically untouched, and Li Yun basically did not eat either.

But at this time, he could do whatever he wanted. After nodding slightly to the King of Chu, Li Yun left with his hands behind his back.

After Li Yun left, the Emperor's face turned unhappy. He clenched his fists and gritted his teeth, but did not say a word.

This is the Li family. Although Li Yun has left, there are still many people watching this place in the dark. Thinking of this, His Majesty the Emperor let out a long breath, turned his head and looked at his brother beside him, his expression gradually eased: "Second brother, I have something to discuss with you."

The King of Chu looked nervous: "Brother, what do you want?"

"Don't worry, I'm not trying to harm you."

His Majesty even forced a smile on his face: "Now, the guests of the new dynasty have been decided. In the future, it will be your family. In order to make you, the second king and the third lord, more legitimate, you will not be attacked in the future, and you will not be replaced by the descendants of the Li family."

"I want to help you."

He looked at Wu Yuanyou with a sincere look in his eyes: "Before Li Er ascends the throne, I will first abdicate the throne to you, and then you will abdicate it to Li Er."

"how do you feel?"

Wu Yuanyou's face suddenly changed when he heard this. He flew into a rage. He even stood up and yelled, "You don't want to be the king of a fallen country!"

"Do I want to?"

His Royal Highness the Prince of Chu was a little upset, and he said angrily: "If you really let me be the emperor for even a year or two, I will replace you as the king of the fallen country!"

Having said this, he stood up and walked away.

Emperor Wu Yuancheng did not leave, but just sat there quietly, looking around, then raised his head and took a big sip of wine. After a while, he burst into tears and muttered to himself.

"How can we see our ancestors? How can we see our ancestors..."

…………

time flies.

In a blink of an eye, another two days passed and it was the end of the eighth year of Zhaoding.

It was also the last year of the Zhaoding era.

It also means that the last emperor of the Wu family reigned for just over eight years before the entire dynasty collapsed and a new dynasty took over.

On the last day of the year, Li Yun took a day off and spent the New Year with his family at home.

On this day, Li Yun's elder brother Li Feng, as per custom, brought his family to the Li family's residence to celebrate the New Year with Li Yun's family.

This has become the norm. When they were in Jinling before, the two families celebrated the New Year together.

Li Feng's wife and several of Li Yun's wives sat together chatting, while his children were looking around the mansion.

Li Yun and Li Feng sat at the same table, drinking together. The two brothers clinked their glasses. Li Feng raised his head and drank it all. Then he looked at Li Yun and said with emotion: "This is probably the last time that the two of us brothers will celebrate the New Year together."

"That's not necessarily the case."

Li Yun smiled and said, "I will move to the palace in the future, and you can bring your family to the palace to celebrate the New Year."

"If it really doesn't work, I will take my family out of the palace and go to my eldest brother's house to celebrate the New Year."

Li Feng smiled and didn't respond.

Li Yun looked at him, raised his head and took a sip of wine, then said, "I can't give you a name for the time being. It will take at least six or seven years, or seven or eight years before I can give you a name. By then, you and your family can also be granted a title of king."

It’s not that Li Yun is stingy, but because his two nephews are too old and his own son is too young.

Once they are given a status at this time, someone might use this to cause trouble in the next few years. Li Yun is not afraid of someone causing trouble, but he is afraid of...

If a real fight breaks out, it will be difficult to resolve.

I can't kill my two nephews and my eldest brother with my own hands.

Therefore, he had to wait until his eldest son Li Yuan reached adulthood before he could give Li Feng's family status, and Li Yuan was already ten years old after this year.

By the time Li Yuan is sixteen or seventeen years old, the Li Yun family's empire will be completely stabilized and there will not be any major hidden dangers.

Although Li Feng was also born in a mountain village, he had read a lot of books over the years and could understand the truth. He looked at Li Yun, was silent for a while, and said: "Erlang, my identity is not important. I am very satisfied that Erlang can give your two nephews a future."

Li Yun smiled dumbly: "It doesn't make sense to recognize two nephews and not their father. "

"Don't think too much, brother. This matter is also beneficial to me."

Mr. Li looked at the sky outside the door and said slowly: "After the establishment of the new dynasty, the royal family of the new dynasty was too weak, and it also needed a few adult royal family members to support the facade."

"The Yulin Army is about to be formed. Let my two nephews go into the Yulin Army first to train."

Li Feng took a deep breath, then looked at Li Yun and responded with only one word.

"it is good."

(End of this chapter)