Return to the Tang Dynasty to be a villain

Chapter 21 Time is running out for Qin Yi
As the crowd split to the sides, a path was made in the middle.

An old eunuch who looked like an old woman, holding a yellow brocade scroll in his hand, came to the gate of the Jishiyuan with a hundred eunuchs and Yulin guards.

Qin Yi knew that this imperial edict from Wu Zhao was most likely an imperial decree to pardon Di Renjie.

When they saw the eunuch issuing the decree, the people blocking the door immediately knelt down.

Di Renjie seemed to understand that this was the imperial decree pardoning him, and he finally stood up and went to greet the old eunuch.

Wei Xian and Wei Chengqing, as officials of the Imperial Household Department, also hurried back to inform Lai Junchen to come out and receive the imperial edict.

He turned and walked to Zhang Yizhi, tugged at his sleeve, and took him to a quiet place in the courtyard of the governor.

"I'm planning to open a shop on Zhuque Street," Qin Yi said to Zhang Yizhi straight to the point. "You should stop working for the Imperial Court and become the shopkeeper in my shop."

"I'll give you a monthly salary of ten coins, and I'll give you two-tenths of the net profit every year. This is definitely more than the meager income you earn at the court."

Zhang Yizhi was obviously unable to react to Qin Yi's nonsensical words.

He looked at Qin Yi in surprise, not knowing what the other party was planning.

Qin Yi certainly had his own plans in mind.

According to his memory, this is how Zhang Yizhi came to be with Wu Zhao.

Zhang Yizhi also had a younger brother named Zhang Changzong, who was as good-looking as him.

Around May of this year, Zhang Changzong fell in love with a maid in Princess Taiping's mansion by chance.

After all, we are young and easily carried away by love.

The lustful Zhang Changzong actually went to Princess Taiping's residence and had a secret meeting with the woman.

As a result, he happened to be spotted by Princess Taiping, and Zhang Changzong's handsome appearance immediately made Princess Taiping Li Lingyue interested in him.

After Zhang Changzong stayed in Princess Taiping's bedroom for a night, in order to please Wu Zhao, Li Lingyue recommended Zhang Changzong to her mother.

When Wu Zetian saw Zhang Changzong, she was overjoyed and immediately appointed him as the third-rank General Yunhui and the General of the Left Thousand Oxen Guard.

After Zhang Changzong became Wu Zhaotian's servant, in order to gain her exclusive favor, he introduced his fifth brother Zhang Yizhi to her.

Wu Zetian was even more delighted when she saw Zhang Yizhi, so she appointed him as Shaoqing of the Siwei Department and kept the two brothers by her side.

Qin Yi knew about this history, so naturally he wanted to seek some benefits for himself in this matter.

This is why he was determined to open his shop on Suzaku Street even if it meant spending a huge amount of money.

Because only in this way can we attract the attention of those nobles.

Qin Yi's plan was to invite Zhang Yizhi to be the manager of his shop so that he could show himself in public and make friends with the families of those nobles.

He believed that his shop would definitely attract Li Lingyue's interest.

Once Li Lingyue visits his shop, things will inevitably develop in line with the course of history.

As a result, Zhang Yizhi rose to prominence because of him and reached the peak of his life.

Then Zhang Yizhi would definitely be grateful to me and would obey my words in the future.

As for Qin Yi, as Zhang Yizhi's status rose, his ambitions and desires would inevitably expand as well.

As a modern man, he naturally has countless means to satisfy his desires and keep them firmly under his control.

Poor Zhang Yizhi had no idea that Qin Yi's plan was to send him step by step to the woman who was older than his grandmother?
Zhang Yizhi said that he was a gatekeeper of the Imperial Household, but in fact his real identity was just a hanger-on.

People of his status don't receive any salary at all, but they can receive some tips when they help others pass messages.

In a month like this, Zhang Yizhi's income was no more than two strings of cash.

Qin Yi promised to give him ten strings of cash a month, but this was several times his current income. How could Zhang Yizhi not be tempted?
"Wulang, actually, I have another reason for letting you be the shopkeeper there."

Just when Zhang Yizhi was extremely excited, Qin Yi's next words stirred up a huge wave in his heart.

Listening to the story of this young man who looked younger than himself, Zhang Yizhi felt that a new door had been opened in his life.

Qin Yi told him that most of the shops on Zhuque Street were places where dignitaries and nobles spent their time.

What he sells in his shop are the beauty products that can drive the women in his family crazy.

From Qin Yi's words, Zhang Yizhi understood for the first time what women's economy was.

You have to know that most women are irrational when spending money for their appearance, in the era before Qin Yi traveled through time.

Businesses that make money from women are sometimes even more profitable than pornography, gambling, and drugs.

"This, this, this."

Qin Yi's words left Zhang Yizhi dumbfounded. He felt that his brain was not enough.

"If that's the case, then wouldn't we be able to earn tens of thousands of coins a year?"

"It's more than that."

Qin Yi sneered, put his arm around Zhang Yizhi's shoulders, put his mouth close to his ear and whispered.

"You should know how many noble families we can make friends with through our shop?" "If they go back and whisper in their husbands' ear..."

"That's true!" Zhang Yizhi's eyes widened suddenly.

He was not a stupid person, otherwise he would not have been able to act so arrogantly for more than seven years after becoming Wu Zetian's lover.

They use products that can improve their appearance to control women, and then use women to control their husbands.

The husbands of these women are all important figures in the court. If this were really possible, wouldn't they be able to get whatever they want?
At this moment, Zhang Yizhi no longer regarded Qin Yi as a peer.

He looked at the other person in some horror. He really didn't know how this young master could come up with so many ways to control people's minds.

Seeing some fear in Zhang Yizhi's eyes, Qin Yi knew that his goal had been completely achieved.

This was the result he wanted, so that Zhang Yizhi would be grateful to him but also feel a little wary.

Just as Zhang Yizhi was immersed in his longing for a better life, Lai Junchen, Wei Chengqing and Wei Xian hurried to the gate of the Jishiyuan.

After setting up the incense table, the old eunuch read out Wu Zhao's imperial edict.

This imperial edict was naturally to redress Di Renjie's injustice and at the same time to comfort him for the grievances he had suffered.

Di Renjie's next position was then announced. At this time, Hebei Province was in chaos.

The Turkic Khan Mochuo led 100,000 cavalrymen and galloped across the country, unstoppable wherever he went.

And because the banner that Mochu raised was to support the Tang Dynasty in attacking the Zhou Dynasty.

Many aristocratic families in Hebei Province, such as the Lu family of Fanyang, the Cui family of Qinghe, and the Li family of Zhaojun, still sympathized with the Li Tang royal family and secretly colluded with the Turkic army.

The current situation in Hebei Province has collapsed. More than a dozen military prefectures, including Jingnan (Jixian County, Tianjin), Pingdi (Dai County, Shanxi), Qingyi (Huailai, Hebei), Tan (Miyun, Beijing), Ding (Ding County, Hebei), and Zhao (Zhao County, Hebei), have been conquered by Mochue.

By now, Mochuo's Turkic army had arrived at the city of Xingzhou (Xingtai, Hebei), relying entirely on the support of Xue Na, the son of the Tang Dynasty's military god Xue Rengui and the General of the Left Guard.

If Mochuo's army captured Xingzhou, they would be facing Xiangzhou (Anyang, Henan), the gateway to Hezhong Road.

Behind Xiangzhou is the vast and flat Central Plains region.

From here, it would take less than ten days for the Turks to reach the city of Luoyang, the eastern capital of the Zhou Dynasty.

By then, Mochu could continue his westward offensive and plunder the population and their wealth.

They can also go north to Hedong Road. After killing their way through Hedong Road, they will reach the desert and grassland that they are familiar with.

If this happens, the Hedong, Hezhong and Hebei roads in the eastern part of the Great Zhou will be looted and ravaged by the Turks.

There are ten prefectures under the rule of the Great Zhou Dynasty. The three prefectures in the east are the most densely populated and prosperous areas besides Gyeonggi Province.

If such a situation really happens, the entire Great Zhou will be severely damaged, and it may not be able to recover for more than ten years.

Therefore, after much consideration, Wu Zetian decided to let Di Renjie return to Hebei Province to clean up the mess.

Qin Yi was naturally well aware of this period of history. In history, Di Renjie was appointed as the deputy marshal of the Hebei Road Army by Wu Zhao at this time.

Not only that, Qin Yi also knew that Li Xian, the Prince of Luling, who was deposed from the throne and exiled to Fangzhou by Wu Zhao thirteen years ago, would be back soon.

After he came back, not only was he re-appointed as the crown prince by Wu Zetian, he was also appointed as the Grand Marshal of Hebei Province, becoming Di Renjie's nominal superior.

Because Mochuo used the excuse of supporting Li Xian, Wu Zetian had no choice but to give him the position of crown prince again.

The current crown prince Li Dan is also the son of Emperor Gaozong Li Zhi.

But Mochuo argued that Li Xian was the crown prince appointed by Emperor Gaozong Li Zhi, and he was the only legitimate heir to the throne of the Tang Dynasty.

Therefore, in his eyes, Wu Zetian and Li Dan were both traitors who usurped the throne of Li Xian.

Qin Yi felt a little annoyed when he thought that Li Xian was about to come back and ascend the throne of crown prince.

This also involved an old grudge between him and Li Xian.

As mentioned in the previous book, Qin Yi's maternal grandfather Pei Yan was the prime minister during the reign of Emperor Gaozong, and was also the regent left to Li Xian by Li Zhi when he passed away.

After Li Xian ascended the throne, he found that the government was controlled by Empress Dowager Wu Zetian, so he wanted to appoint his father-in-law Wei Xuanzhen as the Minister of the Ministry of Personnel (Prime Minister).

However, Pei Yan believed that Wei Xuanzhen was not virtuous enough and firmly disagreed with Li Xian's decision.

In anger, Li Xian said to Pei Yan: This world belongs to me, what does it matter even if I give the country to Wei Xuanzhen?
Pei Yan reported Li Xian's original words to Wu Zetian. Wu Zetian also believed that Li Xian was incompetent and nepotistic, so she deposed him only 55 days after he ascended the throne.

Although Pei Yan was later beheaded due to Lai Junchen's frame-up, Qin Yi knew that his father, the Duke of Licheng County, would probably still be implicated by Pei Yan.

Because although Li Xian was a tolerant and honest person, his daughter-in-law, Wei Shuqing, the daughter of Wei Xuanzhen, was not a good person.

Because of Pei Yan, Li Xian and his family lived in fear and suffering in Fangzhou for thirteen years.

In history, Wei Shuqing was a woman who was willing to poison her own husband for the sake of power.

Qin Yi didn't believe at all that if this woman gained power, she would let their Qin family go.

He knew that with Li Xian and his family about to return to Chang'an, he had little time left.

(End of this chapter)