Thief Emperor

Chapter 904: Rebellion in Guanzhong
In March, the coldness in Luoyang finally disappeared, the weather warmed up, and even became a little hot.

By this time, Li Yun had finally adapted to his identity as emperor and was no longer so busy.

He has already taken care of some daily matters with ease.

And on this day, Luoyang City welcomed a special guest.

The Minister of Rites, the father-in-law of the emperor, Mr. Xue Song, arrived in Luoyang with his family, including the brothers Xue Shou and Xue Fang, under the escort of the Jinling Army.

At first, Li Yun brought the court and hurriedly moved to Luoyang, but he had been running Jinling for a long time and was reluctant to let it go all at once, so he left some people in Jinling. Master Xue was one of the more important people he left behind.
With Xue Song around, there was no trouble in Jinling.

Now, as the Xin Dynasty gradually stabilized, Jinling was downgraded to a secondary capital, and the Xue family was naturally brought to Luoyang.

And there is no doubt that the Xue family will become a very important figure in Luoyang City in the future.

Because this is a real descendant clan.

As the Xue family arrived in Luoyang, Li Yun also gave the Xue family enough face. After Master Xue and his family entered the imperial city, Li Yun, as the emperor, was ready to personally welcome them to the palace.

When Xue Song saw Li Yun, he was so scared that he got off the carriage and waved his hands repeatedly.

"Your Majesty is the Son of Heaven, how can you go out to greet him? How can you go out to greet him?"

Li Yun smiled dumbly, walked forward and held his sleeve, and said with a smile: "It's only a few steps away, I'll come out to greet you."

At this time, everyone in the Xue family had already knelt on the ground, calling him "Your Majesty".

Li Yun shook his head and said with a smile: "Everyone, get up, everyone, I have asked someone to prepare a family banquet, and it is almost ready now. Let's go to the palace for the banquet."

So the team set off again. When they entered the harem, Master Xue looked around and saw that there was no one around. He whispered, "Erlang is now the emperor. He must be more careful about his words and actions."

Li Yun didn't care, he just smiled and said: "Father-in-law, it is precisely because I am the Son of Heaven that I should have no taboos in my words and deeds. If I still have to follow the rules, what is the point of being the Son of Heaven?"

Master Xue frowned and said, "If your majesty follows the rules, then people in the world will follow the rules. If people in the world follow the rules, then the emperor will be the emperor."

As they were talking, everyone had already entered the side hall where the banquet was held. Li Yun glanced at Master Xue, then at Empress Xue who was talking to the Xue family, and said with a smile: "There are no outsiders here, so don't be too concerned about the rules. My father-in-law will know when he arrives in the court. In the court, I always say 'I'."

Under Li Yun's arrangement, everyone sat down quickly. Li Yun looked at Xue Song, then at Xue Shou, and said seriously: "Brother, you have been running around for me all these years. It's really hard work. I want to toast you."

Xue Shou was startled, and quickly stood up, holding the wine glass in both hands, and drank a glass of wine with Li Yun, and said: "Since I have entered the government, it is my duty. Your Majesty is too kind."

Li Yun looked at him, then at Xue Fang, and said with a smile: "Second brother, you have been raising food and grass for me for nearly ten years, running around everywhere, and your contribution is not small. Let's have a drink too."

Seeing Xue Fang was about to stand up, Li Yun pressed his hands and said, "This is a family dinner, there is no need to be so formal, just sit down, second brother."

After the two drank the cup of wine, the family sat together and reminisced about the past. Li Yun then got down to business. He said to Xue Shou, "Brother, please rest in Luoyang for a while and settle down. After you settle down, I have another errand for you to do."

Xue Shou immediately bowed his head, said "OK", and then asked: "Your Majesty, may I ask what the errand is so that I can be prepared."

"Hebei Province Observation and Disposal Commissioner."

Li Yun looked at him and said seriously, "Hebei Road will be very important for a long time in the future. I don't trust others to go there, so I have to ask you to stay and work for a few more years. After these years, you can come back to Luoyang."

Mr. Li smiled and said, "I have reserved one of the nine ministers for you, big brother."

Xue Shou waved his hands repeatedly and said sternly: "I will only do my job well. I will not consider my future official position."

Li Yun looked at Xue Song again and smiled, "Does father-in-law still have energy?"

Xue Song lowered his head and took a sip of wine. After thinking for a while, he said, "Erlang, you know that I don't really want to be an official. At my age, I don't have any thoughts. But at this juncture, Erlang probably needs someone. If Erlang needs me, I can work for a few more years."

Li Yun was very familiar with him. Hearing this, he smiled and said, "Yes, yes, yes, my father-in-law doesn't want to be an official at all. When he was the magistrate of Qingyang County, my father-in-law wanted to resign from his post."

This was said with some mockery in it.

At the beginning, when Xue Song was an official in Qingyang, he was already nearly fifty years old. He had been an official for more than ten years and was still a county magistrate. Of course, he had an addiction to being an official.

And it's huge.

Upon hearing this, Master Xue's face turned red. Just as he was about to speak, he heard someone continue, "I have also reserved a position as a senior official for my father-in-law."

"Father-in-law, please take up the post of the first Minister of the Dali Temple."

When Master Xue heard this, his eyes lit up at first, but then he hesitated and said, "Isn't it a bit nepotism for Erlang to do this?"

"If you don't appoint people based on personal connections, how can you appoint people based on personal connections?"

Li, as expected, poured a glass of wine for the old man: "Besides, who among the civil and military officials in the court is not my acquaintance? Who is not my confidant?" "I think my father-in-law can do a good job as the Dali Temple Minister."

After hearing this, Master Xue lowered his head and took a sip of wine, then said with a smile: "Well, then I will give it a try."

"If you run out of energy, ask Erlang to resign."

Li Yun said "OK" and raised his glass. Everyone drank a glass of wine. Li looked at Queen Xue and coughed. "Before my father-in-law and my two brothers came, I discussed the issue of our titles with Yun'er."

Li Yun looked at Xue Song and asked, "Does my father-in-law want to be a Duke or a Prince?"

At this time, although Li Yun was not stingy in giving Jue, he was not generous either.

But he could be more generous when giving to Xue Song, because he was his father-in-law who was related to the emperor.

Li Zheng can give him a prince, and Mr. Xue can certainly give him a duke.

Master Xue was startled and was about to speak when he was interrupted by Li Yun, who continued, "Whether father-in-law is a prince or a duke, in the future the Xue family will have a hereditary duke."

At this point, Li Yun looked at Xue Fang again and said, "Brother, you have been collecting food and grass, running around, and hiding your identity over the years. It's very hard. There is a marquis in your family."

Mr. Li's meaning is very simple. Even if Mr. Xue is granted the title of a prince, the title passed down to Xue Shou in the future will be a duke.

From now on, there will be no more descent.

As for Xue Shou, he was no longer given any additional title and was left waiting to inherit the title in the future.

Because if two titles are conferred, there will be two lineages.

The Xue family's father and son looked at each other, and finally Mr. Xue chose the title of Duke.

Xue family also doesn't want to be too high-profile, because the Xue family...

In fact, their power, both overt and covert, is already quite huge. Among the civil servants, they are probably second only to the Du family.

Xue Fang, who was introverted by nature, pondered for a long time before he stood up and bowed to Li Yun and said, "Your Majesty, can I give this title of nobility to my son directly..."

Over the years, he has been a businessman with a low status.

Li Yun waved his hand and said, "It's okay. After Second Brother is made a marquis, he can still do what he is doing now."

"Officials in the new dynasty are not allowed to engage in business."

"But my second brother only has a title, not an official position."

Li Yun lowered his head and thought about it seriously.

"Or, let someone else do it."

…………

The family dinner with the Xue family lasted for more than an hour before the entire Xue family was sent out of the palace.

During this time, Li Yun talked a lot with the Xue family and basically made all the arrangements for them.

Li Yun positioned the Xue family as an outward extension of the emperor's core power.

With the Xue family around, Li Yun could extend his hands much further without making any noise.

After seeing off the Xue family, Li Yun was about to return to his study to deal with business. Halfway there, a palace servant came forward and bowed respectfully to Li Yun: "Your Majesty, the Nine Departments have urgent news."

As he spoke, he held a document in front of Li Yun. Li Yun took it, unfolded it and took a look. After just one glance, his expression became a little strange.

The content of the document is very brief.

The general content is that there was a riot in the capital city of Guanzhong, and someone intended to assassinate Wei father and son, but ultimately failed.

In the capital, two to three thousand people died because of this incident.

Cui Yuan, the prime minister of the former Zhou Dynasty, also died in this turmoil.

Another piece of news is that Cui Shao of the Qinghe Cui clan has already escaped from Guanzhong and is...

Come to Luoyang.

(End of this chapter)