In Taiyuan Prefecture, Shi Siming received a report from Fan Yang that Xu Guidao, the military envoy of Pinglu, died suddenly. Pinglu supported Wang Xuanzhi, the military envoy of Pinglu Army, as the envoy of Pinglu.
Shi Siming pinched his forehead. Something happened to Pinglu, but Shi Siming didn't have the energy to take care of Pinglu's affairs now.
Shi Siming was a native of the State of Shi in the Western Regions. He followed An Lushan in the north to attack the Xi and Turks and made many military exploits. He was the number two figure in the puppet Yan court.
Shi Siming was promoted to the position of military commander of the Pinglu Army through his accumulation of merit. Of course he knew the virtues of the Pinglu Army.
Shi Siming didn't care much about the internal changes in local military leaders. As long as Wang Xunzhi didn't rebel, Shi Siming had no idea of intervening.
After An Qingxu killed his father, he sent Shi Siming to stay in Taiyuan.
By the time Shi Siming received the news that An Lushan had died and An Qingxu had succeeded him, he had already been kicked back to his hometown by An Qingxu.
In order to enjoy the prosperity of the two capitals, An Qingxu kicked his "uncle" back to his hometown, which Shi Siming secretly hated.
However, the changes in the world situation caught people off guard, and the power of the puppet Yan court took a sharp turn in the second year of Zhide.
An Qingxu lost Chang'an and Luoyang, Xiangji Temple, Shaanxia, and Luoyang in three battles, losing hundreds of thousands of elites.
Shi Siming was secretly glad that An Qingxu kicked him back to his hometown, so his direct troops did not suffer any losses.
Now An Qingxu is trapped in Xiangzhou, and his retreat has been cut off by Tang general Li Siye.
His eldest son Shi Chaoyi was assigned to Fanyang to control Fanyang Town. The Shi family now occupied two of the three towns in Hedong, and Shi Siming also had other ideas.
At this time, a handsome and feminine young man rushed into Shi Siming's study.
"Commander Father! An Qingxu issued another edict asking us to cooperate with him in breaking out. This is already the third edict this month!"
This young man is Shi Siming's second son Shi Chaoqing, and he is also Shi Siming's favorite son now.
Shi Siming didn't read An Qingxu's edict asking for help at all. He looked at the map and said: "The two capitals and Henan are already in the hands of the Tang family. We still have to be prepared for the Tang army to attack from the pass. Where can we find the extra troops to support An Qingxu?"
"Find a reason to send the envoy away."
"Yes! Father!"
Shi Chaoqing strode out. Seeing this son who looked very much like himself, Shi Siming felt even more doted on.
Although the eldest son Shi Chaoyi had long been able to lead an army alone and was a good helper for Shi Siming.
But the older people get, the more they prefer their younger sons. Shi Siming kept Shi Chaoqing by his side because he wanted to train him well.
For Shi Siming today, the three towns in Hedong are already in his hands.
Shi Siming naturally ignored An Qingxu's "unreasonable demands".
Shi Siming's biggest dilemma at present is whether to surrender to the Tang Dynasty.
After waiting for the news of Cui Youqian and Yin Ziqi's successive defeats, Shi Siming sent his confidants to contact Datang.
The condition offered by Shi Siming was that Shi Siming should continue to control the military power of the three towns in Hedong and serve as the military governor of Hedong like An Lushan before the rebellion.
As long as Tang Ting agrees to this condition, Shi Siming can immediately announce the change of flag and end the two-year rebellion started by An Lushan.
After occupying the two capitals, Shi Siming was transferred back to Taiyuan by An Qingxu.
There was no bloody battle between Shi Siming and the Tang army, and there was no bloody feud.
Although the Tang army achieved fruitful results, if they want to counterattack Hedong, they will definitely have to wait until the spring and summer of next year.
If this war drags on, even the Tang Dynasty, which has a rich family, cannot afford to drag it on.
Anyway, a few years before the Anlushan Rebellion, the imperial court was not able to control Hedong.
If Hedong was granted to Shi Siming, then Shi Siming would be willing to maintain the nominal unification of the Tang Dynasty.
The news that Shi Siming was ready to surrender was naturally sent to the emperor's royal eucalyptus.
Li Heng was pleasantly surprised after receiving the news that Shi Siming was ready to negotiate and surrender. It was already December. Could it be that the second year of Zhide could really bring peace to the world?
Li Heng thought of Wang Chengwei's words when he dedicated his reign title, "Great Qianyuan, all things begin." If the world is unified again this year, wouldn't next year be "The beginning of all things"?
However, for such a major matter, the emperor also had to summon the prime ministers to discuss it.
Prime Minister Pei Mian, who had changed his clothes and was about to go to bed, was suddenly knocked on the door by the Huangmen of the Daming Palace, saying that the emperor had summoned the Prime Minister overnight.
Entering the palace late at night to discuss matters must be a big deal!
Pei Mian immediately put on his court clothes and followed Huang Menling into the Daming Palace.
The emperor did not summon the prime ministers at the Hanyuan Hall, but at the Xiaoyanying Hall near the palace.
There are currently six prime ministers in the court.
Pei Mian, Cui Yuan, Cui Huan, Li Lin, Miao Jinqing and Zhang Hao.
Among the six prime ministers, although the emperor has abolished the position of the prime minister holding the pen, all prime ministers have taken turns holding the pen.
But among the six prime ministers, there are still high and low statuses.
Pei Mian, who had just presided over the imperial examination, was the most popular and was vaguely the head of the prime ministers.
Cui Yuan is proficient in military affairs. He is currently planning the military work to counter the rebellion, and his status is second only to Pei Mian.
Cui Huan was recommended as prime minister by Fang Guan. After Fang Guan resigned as prime minister, his career in the political affairs hall was coming to an end. Now he is cautious and does not express opinions on almost everything. The court ministers think that he will be driven out soon.
Out of the political hall.
Li Lin had just completed the task of welcoming the emperor back to Chang'an, and was being favored by the emperor.
Miao Jinqing and Zhang Hao, two prime ministers from poor families, had a very low sense of presence in the political hall and were considered to be mere wallflowers.
Xiao Yanying Hall is equivalent to the emperor's study. After entering the Xiao Yanying Hall, all the prime ministers felt extremely warm.
An exquisite gilded heater stood next to the desk in Xiao Yanying Hall. Steel pipes led to the roof. Golden charcoal burned in the heater, heating the kettle above the heater.
The heated steam passes through the pipes and transmits the hot air to several corners of Yanying Palace.
Such novel things must have been presented by King Jianning and King Oh Buyue.
After a while, Li Heng appeared in front of the prime ministers wearing glasses with gold rims.
Li Fuguo followed Li Heng. After the emperor sat down, he said to the prime ministers:
"Shi Siming, please surrender."
After saying this, the faces of the five prime ministers all showed joy, and only Zhang Hao's face turned gloomy.
All the prime ministers present knew that Shi Siming was the actual controller of Hedong today.
The Pseudo-Yan Emperor An Qingxu was trapped in Xiangzhou by Li Siye. If Shi Siming surrendered, the Anlushan Rebellion could be said to have been put down!
It's no wonder that all the prime ministers looked happy. An Lushan's rebellion almost wiped out the Tang army's wealth. It would be good news if the rebellion could be put down without bloodshed.
However, the people present were all human beings. Cui Yuan asked first: "May I ask Your Majesty, what are the conditions for Shi Siming's surrender?"
The emperor said: "Shi Siming asked me to give him the banners of Shijia's three towns in Hedong."
After hearing this condition, the expressions of the two prime ministers Pei Mian and Miao Jinqing changed, and Pei Mian even said directly: "Your Majesty, no!"
"If we agree to Shi Siming's conditions, wouldn't it be the same as before An Lushan's rebellion? I'm afraid this is Shi's thief's tactic to delay the rebellion. They will rebel again after the rebels have rested and recuperated!"
Miao Jinqing also bowed and said: "I second my opinion!"
Prime Minister Zhang Hao even said directly: "Your Majesty, Shi Siming is so ambitious that negotiating with him is like seeking the skin of a tiger!"
The emperor's face also darkened.
The prime ministers were right. Shi Siming was An Lushan's close deputy. He was collectively known as "Anshi" in the three towns in Hedong, and his reputation was even higher than that of An Qingxu, the current puppet emperor of Yan.
If he were given back the governorship of the three towns in Hedong, it would be like returning to the situation of Tianbao's thirteenth year, and the court would have to beware of him rebelling again at any time.
Seeing the emperor's hesitation, Cui Yuan said: "Your Majesty, An Lushan's rebellion was caused by Yang Guozhong, the treacherous prime minister at that time, who repeatedly remonstrated and slandered, and finally forced An Lushan to rebel. An Lushan took office as the governor of the three towns when Prime Minister Li was in power.
Even so, he never had any thoughts of rebellion at that time!"
Li Xiang is Li Linfu. When he said this name, Li Heng showed a look of disgust on his face.
Li Linfu suppressed the then Crown Prince Li Heng many times and forced his Crown Princess Wei to death. When Li Linfu was in power, the Crown Prince Li Heng was most in danger.
The shadow brought by Li Linfu on him is still there, but Li Heng also admitted that Li Linfu, who was both verbal and knowledgeable, indeed made An Lushan very submissive.
When Cui Yuan said this, Li Heng couldn't help but want to accept Shi Siming's surrender, so that the Anlushan Rebellion could be put down!
I’m so tired from fighting these past few years!
From Lingwu's hasty accession to the throne to Fengxiang Mansion's day and night planning to suppress the rebellion, the Tang Dynasty almost crippled Guanzhong and exhausted all the elite troops drawn from Longyou and Shuofang.
It drained the wealth of Jiangnan and Zhejiang and almost destroyed the two imperial pearls of Chang'an and Luoyang.
Seeing the emperor's troubled look, Cui Yuan continued: "I am willing to serve as an envoy and go to Hedong to accept Shi Siming anyway! If Shi Siming does this as a way to delay the war, I am willing to die in Sheji!"
When Cui Yuan, the prime minister of the day, said this, other prime ministers also shut their mouths.
Cui Yuandu is willing to be an envoy to Hedong. What can others say?
The result of this Xiao Yanying Hall battle was that Pei Mian and Miao Jinqing retained their opinions, while Zhang Hao fiercely opposed accepting Shi Chaoyi's surrender.
Cui Yuan, Cui Huan and Li Lin supported accepting Shi Siming's surrender.
The emperor immediately issued an edict, appointing Tong Zhongshu's Ping Zhangshi Cui Yuan as the ambassador to Guiyi, and immediately rushed to Taiyuan Mansion to check Shi Siming's sincerity in surrendering.
The emperor has handed over the canonization documents of the three towns in Hedong to Cui Yuan. If Shi Siming is really willing to surrender to the court, the emperor will not be stingy about giving Shi Jia the titles of the three towns in Hedong.
At the same time, the emperor ordered Li Siye, who was guarding Anyang City, to step up the encirclement and suppression of An Qingxu's remaining troops. This chapter has been completed!