As the eunuch closest to the emperor, Mu Rong watched Li Heng's mentality change bit by bit with his own eyes.
When he first received the letter from his son Li Tan, Li Heng's thought was, "This is Tan'er's words of loyalty."
Li Heng also happily asked Mu Rong whether Li Tan defeated the Tubo people in Lanzhou and regarded Shi Siming as a soft persimmon.
Li Heng originally wrote an imperial edict and planned to send his confidant eunuch to Longyou to reprimand the King of Yue and tell him not to talk about the important affairs of the court.
But before Li Heng's envoy was sent out, the political hall was flooded with memorials like snowflakes.
First, Du Hongjian, the minister of the Ministry of War and the governor of Lingzhou, wrote to the court, expressing his willingness to follow the King of Yue and conquer Shi Siming's tribe!
Immediately afterwards, the governors of the Longshang states, including Su Tong, the governor of Lanzhou, also wrote a letter expressing their willingness to follow the Yue king to pacify Hedong.
The prefects of the Longyou and Hexi prefectures also wrote to support the Yue king along with the prefects of the Longshang prefectures.
When these memorials were sent to Chang'an, Li Heng's eyes completely changed.
The Jiedu envoys and prefects of the entire northwest wrote in support of the King of Yue, and the court was shocked to find that the entire northwest had gathered under the command of the King of Yue, and they were completely advancing and retreating with the King of Yue.
After such a huge political alliance appeared on the territory of the Tang Dynasty, Li Heng suddenly discovered that a large area in the northwest of the entire empire had quietly escaped the control of the Chang'an court!
Just when Li Heng became restless because the northwest states had broken away from Chang'an's control, more memorials were sent to Chang'an.
The governors of Zizhou, Qingzhou, Jiaozhou, Laizhou and other Shandong states wrote to the court to plead for Nanzhang and the two, while expressing their intention to fight Shi Siming to the end.
The prefects of Pengcheng, Linhuai and other Huaizhou states also wrote a postscript at the same time, opposing the imperial court's peace talks with Shi Siming.
Zhang Duanyang, the observation envoy in eastern Zhejiang who was in the process of conquering pirates along the coast, also wrote a letter stating that if the imperial court negotiated peace with Shi Siming, the eight states in eastern Zhejiang would be in serious maritime trouble and might not be able to pay this year's food supply in time.
Finally, Gao Shi, the governor of Huainan, also wrote a letter expressing Jiangnan's full support for the imperial court in quelling Shi Siming's war and his willingness to continue to provide military rations to Guo Ziyi's army.
After these petitions were sent to the court, the political hall immediately fell silent.
Shandong is the front line against Shi Siming. It is understandable that these places are opposed to negotiating peace with Shi Siming.
But why are you coming to Jiangnan to join in the fun?
However, Jianghuai was the capital of the imperial court, so the imperial court had to consider Jiangnan's opinions.
The memorial of Wei Jiansu, the governor of Xichuan, made the Chang'an court fearful.
Wei Jiansu's letter clearly stated his support for the King of Yue! He requested the court to appoint the King of Yue as the marshal of the world's troops and horses, and to preside over all matters of suppressing rebellion!
Emperor Li Heng's mood changed from contempt at the beginning to anger, and now he is only filled with panic.
The most important areas of the Tang Dynasty are now so clearly expressing their opposition to negotiating with Shi Siming. This would be almost impossible if there was no one to connect them.
It’s okay for the northwest states to support the King of Yue. How come you, Wei Jiansu, also support the King of Yue?
Li Heng really couldn't understand why Shuzhong would side with the King of Yue? Shouldn't he support the King of Qi?
At this time, the letter from King Qi who was sent to Shuzhong was also sent to Chang'an.
The King of Qi also believed that the government's efforts to counter the rebellion must be completed in one battle, and he could not negotiate peace with Shi Siming. The King of Qi also recommended the King of Yue to serve as the general marshal of the world's military forces and take full charge of all matters related to the court's suppression of the rebellion!
When Li Heng was stunned by this series of petitions, "Chang'an Daily" also published the "Essay on Discussion of History and Siming" written by the King of Yue himself. Immediately after, more than 200 supervisors of the Imperial College signed at the gate of the Imperial College and submitted to the General Affairs Department.
Ten thousand words written in support of the King of Yue in leading troops to put down the rebellion.
Immediately afterwards, including twenty censors and low-ranking civil servants from various yamen in Chang'an, they also wrote to support the King of Yue's strategy of quelling the chaos and requested the court to continue fighting Shi Siming to the end!
Li Heng was completely fooled now. He summoned Mu Rong and asked him to send the Shence Army to suppress the Imperial College.
Pinglu Fanyang Jiedu sent a letter to the government to protest the peace negotiation between the imperial court and Shi Siming. Yuchixin, who stationed troops in Fanyang, even bluntly stated that he was a general under the command of the King of Yue, and he went to Liaodong to recruit troops to quell the rebellion under the King of Yue's order.
If the Chang'an court gave up attacking Shi Siming, then Yu Chixin would continue to follow the Yue King to put down the rebellion!
Uighurs, Geluolu, Xiugas and other Hu envoys also proposed to the Tang Dynasty that they were willing to support 10,000 cavalry and accompany the Yue King to put down Shi Siming's rebellion!
Li Heng's palace was restless, and the Shence Army sent by Mu Rong to suppress the Imperial Academy soon came to report that there was a conflict between the people of Chang'an and the Shence Army. Wang Chengwei, the magistrate of Wannian County, asked the court to open the door to free speech. No one in the Tang Dynasty was convicted for speaking out.
The scholar led the county soldiers of Wannian County to protect the Imperial College.
Chang'an was in chaos, and Li Heng suddenly discovered that even the city of Chang'an didn't seem that safe anymore.
Li Heng hurriedly mobilized Shence's army to enter the palace, and he felt a little safer. He really couldn't figure out how the King of Yue in the northwest bribed such high-ranking officials, important officials in the court, and even the Uighurs to support him?
"Little Muzi!"
Li Heng woke up from the imperial cave. He spent the night in the imperial study for the past few days, and could only sleep under the heavy guard of the Shence Army.
Li Heng had a nightmare. The King of Yue led his troops into Chang'an, and the prime ministers of the Political Hall led hundreds of officials to welcome the King of Yue.
Li Heng called Mu Rong and asked:
"Little Muzi! Are my prime ministers loyal to me?"
With the petitions from Imperial College students and low-level officials, the Tang court was actually in chaos.
The operation of the imperial court requires a large number of officials. When the middle and low-level officials went on strike in series, the political hall and the six ministries were shut down.
And Wannian County left alone, and half of Chang'an City was also out of the control of the imperial court.
The emperor now cannot even trust the concubines in the harem, let alone the prime ministers of foreign dynasties.
But Mu Rong couldn't answer Li Heng's question: Are the prime ministers loyal?
Your emperor doesn’t even know whether the prime minister is loyal or not?
Mu Rong could only lower his head and reply:
"The prime minister of the Tang Dynasty is naturally loyal to the Tang Dynasty."
Li Heng was not satisfied with this answer. He pushed away the hill-like memorial on the imperial case and said hysterically:
"These ministers are all using the banner of loyalty to the Tang Dynasty to oppose me! Traitors!"
"King of Yue! Rebellious son!"
"I want to issue an order! Take away the king's title from this rebellious son! Send him to Chang'an for questioning!"
Mu Rong looked at the emperor with some sympathy. The emperor was always talking nonsense these days. He had no idea how many people had been disappointed in the emperor since the edict to accuse Nan Zhang and the two was issued.
The money law in Chang'an was corrupted, and the people of Chang'an complained.
The emperor did not reward the generals who had made meritorious service in suppressing the rebellion, but punished them because of the threat of the traitor Shi Siming.
Not only the civil servants of the foreign dynasties, but also some of the Shence Army who guarded the Daming Palace expressed dissatisfaction with the emperor's ignorance.
The emperor is still asking Prime Minister Mu Rong whether he is loyal or not?
Soon, Emperor, you will know whether the prime minister is loyal or not!
Sure enough, there were footsteps outside the hall, the side door creaked open, and a young eunuch stumbled into the hall.
He originally wanted to report the news to Mu Rong and wait for Mu Rong to decide whether to wake up the emperor or wait until tomorrow day.
But when he saw the emperor standing in front of the royal palace, the little eunuch delivering the news knelt down.
The candlelight illuminated the pale face of the little eunuch, and Li Heng knew that this was definitely not good news.
"What's the news? Tell me quickly!"
The little eunuch rushed to the ground with a cry and said tremblingly:
"Your Majesty, yes, it's news from the northwest."
The little eunuch's voice became softer and quieter. When Li Heng heard the word northwest, he felt as if he was being shaken by a heavy hammer. Mu Rong quickly went up to support him.
"Say! I can hold on!"
The little eunuch couldn't bear the pressure and said directly:
"The King of Yue swore an oath in Wuwei and raised troops to attack Shi Siming."
"Okay, okay, I understand, please step back."
This news was not unexpected. Li Heng suddenly felt a little confused. How could this script be similar to the emperor moving to Shu and himself taking the oath to fight against rebellion in Lingwu?
It's just that the role has changed, and his son has become the one who swears the oath?
But the little eunuch still knelt on the ground motionless. Li Heng asked:
"What else?"
The little eunuch just cried but did not answer. Li Heng felt even more irritated and said:
"If something happens, hurry up!"
The little eunuch stopped crying and replied cautiously:
"Prime Minister, Cui, Cui."
"What happened to Cui Guangyuan!?"
"After Cui Xiangguo left Chang'an, he said he was unwilling to follow the imperial edict and negotiate peace with Shi Siming. Cui Xiangguo..."
"What's up with him?"
"Prime Minister Cui went to Wuwei, saying that he wanted to assist King Bi Yue in suppressing the rebellion."
After the little eunuch finished speaking, Li Heng felt dizzy. Even Mu Rong couldn't hold him up and fell on the imperial case.
"Pass on the Imperial Physician!"
Mu Rong shouted, and the imperial study immediately became noisy.
In the harem, Queen Zhang heard a message from her confidant maid:
"His Majesty fainted?"
"I didn't see it with my own eyes. I just saw the imperial doctor entering and leaving the imperial study."
Queen Zhang paced back and forth, suddenly raised her head, and said to a confidant eunuch:
"Go to General Fuguo's house quickly and tell General Fuguo's family the news."
General Fuguo is Li Fuguo, the commander of the Shence Army.
When Li Fuguo left Chang'an that day, he had a secret agreement with Queen Zhang Liangti, and Li Fuguo would rush back immediately if there were changes in Chang'an.
Originally, Empress Zhang thought that the situation in Chang'an would not change much while Li Fuguo left Beijing to fight.