Li Chengqian of the Tang Dynasty: Please say long live His Majesty

Chapter 589 The Emperor is always the most ruthless person in the world (Part )

The third watch.

It's quiet at night.

On the bed, Li Chengqian gently opened his eyes and looked at the beautiful woman who was sleeping soundly in the darkness.

He finally knew why Wu Meiniang went to see Yang Mi.

Back then in Mount Li, the two of them were just one of them, a seductive woman hiding in the bathing pool, seemingly hidden but not quite, with her face half-covered by her pipa; and one person watching coldly, but looking at her unscrupulously.

Although nothing happened in the end, their keen minds were enough for them to discover something.

Li Chengqian originally thought that Wu Meiniang would use some things herself, but unexpectedly, she gave them to Yang Mi.

You really know how to understand people’s hearts!
Li Chengqian had to admit that Wu Meiniang was indeed incredibly talented in this area.

However, for men, beauty is important, but power is more important.

After looking at Yang Mi deeply, Li Chengqian turned sideways and sat up from the bed.

Putting on a fur coat, Li Chengqian walked out of the inner hall, then turned and walked into the back hall.

The rear hall of Ganlu Palace was not accessible even to concubines who slept there.

Of course, they had never seen anyone come out of the back hall.

In the study deep in the back hall.

As soon as Li Chengqian walked in, Zhang Ananda and Li Wu, dressed in black, bowed simultaneously and said, "Your Majesty!"

Li Chengqian nodded and walked to the center of the study. A small sand table was placed in the middle of the table.

Shaanzhou.

Li Wu stepped forward and said to Li Chengqian, "Your Majesty, in the early years, Shanzhou and Guozhou were divided. During the pre-Sui Dynasty, Shanzhou and Guozhou were reunited, with Fang Renyu as the governor of Shanzhou. The territory included seven counties: Shanxian, Lingbao, Lushi, Mianchi, Hucheng, Yanxiang, and Hongnong."

"I know, the ancient Hongnong County." Li Chengqian nodded and said, "Tell me the details."

"Yes!" Li Wu bowed and pointed at the sand table. "The Hongnong Yang family's roots are in Hongnong County. The entire county is either populated by the Hongnong Yang family members who have accumulated over the past eight hundred years, or by people from other families who have received great favors from the Hongnong Yang family. Intermarriages are extremely strong among these families. Outsiders, let alone interfering, would be instantly targeted even if they showed up in Hongnong."

Li Chengqian nodded slowly. This situation existed in every family, not just the Yang family of Hongnong, the Wang family of Taiyuan, or the Lu family of Fanyang.

"The Yang family's influence and control is strongest in Hongnong County, gradually weakening outward, especially eastward, and weakest in Shan County and Shanzhou City." After a brief pause, Li Wu said solemnly, "Even so, more than half of the officials in Shanzhou Prefecture are connected to the Hongnong Yang family, and Shanzhou Governor Fang Renyu, in particular, has failed to stop them."

"Whatever he stopped, the people of the Hongnong Yang Clan would do it for him." Li Chengqian sneered softly and said, "All he needs to do is wait until his term is up and then be transferred and promoted."

Zhang Ananda and Li Wu fell silent.

Li Chengqian waved his hand and said, "I understand. Given his position, as long as nothing happens in Shanzhou, he will have done a great service and no faults. He actually has little connection with the Yang family."

"Your Majesty is wise." Zhang Ananda and Li Wu breathed a sigh of relief at the same time.

Li Chengqian looked towards the west of Shanzhou City and asked, "How much of Shanzhou Zhechongfu has been infiltrated by the Yang family now?"

Zhechoufu, Zhechoufu is the key to the court's real control of Shanzhou.

Li Wu was silent for a moment, then said, "More than 30%."

"Not bad." Li Chengqian nodded, his eyes swept across the entire Shanzhou sand table. Many lands were clearly displayed, with dense lines.

These were all outlined based on the locations of the canals provided by Wu Yuanqing.

However, the closer these lines get to Shanzhou, the blurrier they become.

"Tell me, how many people have been fed by the grain stored by the Hongnong Yang family over the years?" Li Chengqian narrowed his eyes slightly.

The rent, labor and tax implemented by the Tang Dynasty was fixed in basic taxation as long as there were no disasters. However, the government office would calculate the general amount of grain harvested by the people every once in a while.

Because the people's grain harvest can roughly infer how many people a place can support.

The Hongnong Yang family knew about this matter.

So they would hide some of the grain and not let the court know, and this grain would be used to feed those hidden households.

Li Chengqian looked up and asked, "How many soldiers does the Hongnong Yang family support in Mount Yao? Do you have a rough estimate now?"

"Yes." Li Wu took a step forward and said with a bow, "Your Majesty, there are about a thousand elite soldiers... Your Majesty, elite soldiers are not easy to maintain."

"I understand." Li Chengqian nodded and said, "A thousand elite soldiers would mean a thousand lances, a thousand sets of armor, a thousand horses, and a thousand crossbows. The spares in the warehouse would probably need double that."

"Yes!" Li Wu nodded. It is not easy to maintain an army. A thousand elite soldiers would cost a lot every year.

Li Chengqian looked back at the sand table and said softly, "There are a thousand elite soldiers in the mountains. Once they leave, with the population of Hongnong County, I'm afraid they can immediately raise five thousand soldiers and march towards Shanzhou. As long as they can capture Shanzhou, they can also mobilize tens of thousands of soldiers."

Li Wu nodded in agreement. When Yang Xuangan rebelled, he easily raised an army of over 100,000.

"Of course, these things are not that easy." Li Chengqian looked at the location of Hongnong County and said with a relaxed look: "We have raised elite troops for more than ten years to obey orders. Five thousand people is barely enough, but if there are more, I am afraid something will happen."

The Yang family does not have that many junior officers.

"Furthermore, not all members of the Hongnong Yang clan agree to rebel against the Tang Dynasty. Therefore, under normal circumstances, the three Yang Siyi brothers can only mobilize less than 3,000 men." Li Chengqian shook his head and said, "Unless they can find the perfect opportunity and convince everyone in their family, all their relatives, and all the scholars connected to them, they won't move at all."

Anti-Tang.

These two words are easy to say but difficult to do.

If the news gets out accidentally, the imperial army will immediately march to attack.

"What's the situation at Hangu Pass and Tongguan?" Li Chengqian asked again, turning sideways.

"Your Majesty!" Li Wu bowed and said, "Hangu Pass, Tong Pass, and the checkpoints along the Xiaohan Ancient Road are all guarded by descendants of the Longxi Li family. Although a few have been bribed by the Yang family, they are not many, and they can all be captured at a critical moment."

Li Chengqian nodded, then looked at the sand table and said, "What remains is to replace the governor of Chenzhou and rotate the soldiers of Zhechoufu." Chu Suiliang will be able to take up the post within the year.

As for the rotation of the Zhechoufu soldiers, preparations for the eastern expedition to Goguryeo should begin after the new year. It would be enough to transfer a group of people to Chang'an for rotation and then transfer them to the Western Regions.

"The rest is about Hongnong County." Li Chengqian turned sideways, his gaze landing on Zhang Ananda. He asked, "Zhang Jian, what do you think Yang Shiyi is trying to do? They knew I was suspicious of them, yet they still went ahead and accused my uncle of treason. Don't they realize that this will lead to my uncle and I joining forces to suppress them?"

"Your Majesty!" Zhang Ananda stepped forward and said with a salutation, "This old servant feels that this is probably exactly what Yang Siyi wants."

"Oh?"

"Without any evidence, Your Majesty and Duke Zhao began to take various actions against Shanzhou. The intention of targeting the Hongnong Yang family should not be too obvious. Under pressure, once an opportunity arises, Yang Siyi will be more able to convince the Hongnong Yang family members. In this way, the entire Hongnong Yang family's strength can be mobilized." Zhang Ananda looked up at Li Chengqian, and the emperor's expression was still spliced ​​on the screen.

Zhang Ananda immediately lowered his head.

Li Chengqian chuckled softly and whispered, "The emperor is unjust and is forcing his subjects to rebel. Meanwhile, the imperial army is stationed in Goguryeo. Doesn't this situation sound familiar to you?"

"Yes!" Zhang Ananda and Li Wu bowed at the same time.

Li Chengqian's expression turned serious as he said, "So, after Chu Suiliang is transferred to Chenzhou, apart from rotating the Zhechou soldiers, all other matters will be temporarily suspended."

"Yes!" Li Wu immediately bowed and accepted the order.

"Chu Suiliang is the former prime minister, and with the rotation of the imperial guards, I want to make the majority of the Hongnong Yang family believe that this is the limit of my pressure on the Yang family." Li Chengqian shook his head slightly and said, "And to be honest, as long as the Yang family does not take further action, I have no plans to do anything to the Hongnong Yang family except for the Yang Gongren lineage."

Zhang Ananda lowered his head expressionlessly.

"By the way, how is the situation at Sanmenxia Temple?" Li Chengqian looked at Li Wu.

"They've been lurking there for three years." Li Wu bowed and said, "No one would doubt their identities."

"Monks are always the easiest to be overlooked." Li Chengqian shook his head and said, "The beacon fire over there must be prepared to be lit in time."

"Yes!" Li Wu bowed.

No one could have imagined that the stone temple built by Buddhism in Sanmenxia would actually serve as a beacon tower at critical moments.

As soon as the beacon fire started, Chang'an knew about it instantly.

Li Chengqian spoke calmly, "The Tang Dynasty controls the world from Guanzhong. If I don't leave Chang'an, they won't have any chance. Even when the armies in Chang'an and Luoyang are all transferred to Liaodong, they will have a chance to take action... Of course, there's still something missing!"

Li Wu and Zhang Ananda bowed their heads seriously at the same time.

For a moment, the entire study fell completely silent.

"I have done what I should have done, and I will give the opportunities I should have given." Li Chengqian suddenly smiled and said, "But there are many smart people who will help me do it."

Li Chengqian raised his head and looked towards the inner hall.

There, Yang Mi was still lying on the bed.

"If my methods stop, the Hongnong Yang family will start a riot. When that happens, I will add fuel to the fire." Li Chengqian took a deep breath, turned to look at Li Wu, and said, "Since you are back, spend the New Year at home. It's snowing heavily in winter and no one can move. As for the post-New Year period, send two capable people to Guizhou."

"Here!"

……

It’s sunny after snow.

A black-covered carriage slowly drove into the palace.

Finally, it stopped at the entrance of Lizheng Hall.

Xu Hui, dressed in a monk's robe, got down from the carriage.

She looked up and forward.

In front, there was only one female official standing outside the hall.

Xu Hui clasped her hands together in greeting, then walked into the hall.

A moment later, she left the palace and was taken by palace servants towards the Shanshui Pavilion.

After a long time, several vague figures appeared at the end of Xu Hui's sight.

Finally, Xu Yi's slightly mature face appeared in Xu Hui's eyes.

An uncontrollable feeling of grievance rose from the depths of my heart.

My eyes couldn't help but become wet.

"Sister!" Xu Yi walked down the stairs quickly and grabbed Xu Hui's hand directly.

"Second Mother!" Xu Hui bit her lip tightly, looked at Xu Yi, held back tears, and asked in a low voice: "Father, are you okay?"

"Not bad." Xu Yi nodded vigorously, then turned around and pulled Xu Hui towards the hall, while saying with red eyes: "Sister, from now on, I will take care of you."

"Yeah!" Xu Hui nodded vigorously, followed Xu Yi up the stairs and entered the Shanshui Pavilion.

However, the moment she entered the Shanshui Pavilion, Xu Hui couldn't help but look back.

When she entered the palace today, she only saw the queen and her sister.

She didn't see Wu Meiniang.

And the emperor never showed up from beginning to end.

Xu Hui sighed softly.

The emperor is always the most ruthless person in the world.

(End of this chapter)