On the eve of the army's attack on Youzhou, Qi Yan bowed in the direction of Yumen Pass and Liangzhou City.
Father, I will be able to avenge you very soon, please wait a little longer.
I will not let go of any of those who harmed you, the soldiers, and the people of this city.
The young man said silently in his heart, with the flames of hatred igniting in his eyes.
Qi Yan went to Dudu Huo and asked if King Pengcheng and the head of the Lu family were really the culprits behind his father's death, and if they could be handed over to him for disposal after they were caught.
Dudu Huo looked at this young man with hundreds of thousands of lives on his shoulders, was silent for a moment, and patted his shoulder: "Back then, Wangshu's father and I were considered brothers - if they were really the culprits, I would not do the same.
Let them go."
It can be said that he chose to go to the battlefield just because he saw Qi Jing using his skills to suppress the barbarians.
Qi Jing was the person he admired most when he was young. Now if his son proposed to avenge his father, he would naturally not refuse.
On the other side, a good news was brought from the north to Jiankang after the scouts died several times, and was delivered to the hands of Emperor Yongkang and Queen Wang.
After seeing Liangzhou and Youzhou being quietly recovered by the Huo army, Dazai was happy that the regime would soon return to the north, but at the same time he began to be deeply worried about something.
If the Huo family and the Cui family succeed in the Northern Expedition, then his cousin Wang family will not be the only one in the court in the future.
Dazai's ambition was not to be the head of the state, he wanted to be the regent in the name of the emperor's master and to have the power of the court completely in his own hands.
If the Northern Expedition succeeds and the political power returns to Chang'an, then the Cui family and the Huo family can use their achievements in the Northern Expedition to check and balance their Taiyuan Wang family.
No, he climbed to this position with great difficulty, and no matter what, he couldn't let other aristocratic families come and interfere.
what can we do about it……
Dazai looked at the Northern Expedition victory report that he held tightly, his eyes paused, and a bold idea suddenly arose in his heart.
If the power moves south, and the Wang family takes control of the Jiankang court, and the Cui family and the Huo family are unable to continue the Northern Expedition, and cannot use their merits to check them - will they soon be able to continue to be in power and dominate the court?
Thinking of this, he immediately took out the seal he had tricked from Emperor Yongkang, wrote an imperial edict and sent it to the north.
…
On September 13th, the army set off for Youzhou.
Governor Huo was not a sluggish master, so he led his army vigorously and resolutely that day to break open the gate of Youzhou. One army went straight to the governor's mansion, and another army headed towards Fan Yang.
Half a day later, the entire Lu family was arrested in front of the mansion of the governor of Youzhou.
Some of those who ran away had their legs broken and were caught by the soldiers.
It's not the right time, in the governor's mansion.
This place has been transformed into a palace, which is grand in scale. However, all the maids and eunuchs serving here have left, so it is as deserted as the palaces in the previous two state capitals.
In the main hall, the head of the Lu family and King Pengcheng were tied up and forced to kneel in front of the two young men.
"Xie Yuan, are you not dead yet?" The head of the Lu family stared at Xie Yuan with anger on his face.
"Thanks to the head of the Tolu family, I live in peace and quiet. It's just that the mountain was burned to the point where not even a blade of grass can grow." Xie Yuan said with a smile, "Both of you, we should settle some old scores."
"I haven't settled the accounts with you for killing my son, but you should come and settle accounts with me first." King Pengcheng chuckled.
"Back then, my father was ordered to lead the army to support Liangzhou City. The weapons were changed before the battle, so he had no choice but to go to the battlefield with pots and pans - who instructed the Lu family who was in charge of the weapons to change the weapons?" Qi Yan looked blank.
Asked with an expression.
Hearing this voice, the head of the Lu family and King Pengcheng both looked at the young man next to them.
It's okay if you don't look at it, but they were all shocked when they looked at it.
"Qi Jing?! No, no, Qi Jing has died at Yumen Pass. Who are you?" King Pengcheng recovered from the shock and stared at Qi Yan fiercely.
Qi Yan did not miss the flash of fear in his eyes, and said with a sarcastic smile: "I am Qi Yan, my father Qi Jing."
"What, you're here to avenge your father?" King Pengcheng chuckled, "I won't tell you until I die!"
Seeing that the situation was over, he simply broke the jar and threw it away.
Qi Yan's eyes were sharp, and he was about to raise a knife to threaten, when Xie Yuan suddenly reached out and held him down.
"Your Majesty, you don't have to say it, but the Master of the Lu family may not." The young man smiled slightly, "The Lu family rebelled against the Jin Dynasty and defected to the rebellious minister and traitor King Pengcheng. They are regarded as accomplices. According to the law, they should lose their family property and the Yi tribe."
The face of the head of the Lu family changed slightly.
How could the century-old foundation of the Fanyang Lu family be cut off in his hands? How would he face his ancestors when he went to the underworld?
"What do you mean, as long as I tell the truth about the past, you can let me, the Lu family, go free?" He narrowed his eyes.
"The Lu family has rebelled, and the extermination of the three tribes is a foregone conclusion. However, I have some friendship with your son, so I can save him from death. To prevent the Lu family from succeeding, it is better to highlight the truth——"
The smile on Xie Yuan's face became even wider, "The head of the family must have made a choice in his heart."
The Lu family took the initiative to move the corners of their lips and was about to speak when King Pengcheng became anxious and bit him.
Huo Qubing walked in and saw this scene. Hearing the screams of the head of the Lu family, he immediately pulled the two away and removed King Pengcheng's chin.
King Pengcheng's face was dripping with cold sweat.
Huo Qubing wiped his hands in disgust: "Noisy."
Xie Yuan touched his nose, looked at the head of the Lu family, and said warmly: "Tomorrow at noon, the entire Lu family will be executed. You don't have much time, so think clearly."
The head of the Lu family gritted his teeth.
He cannot let the reputation of unfilial piety fall upon himself.
"I said." He became depressed and told the truth about that year.
Seventeen years ago, Qi Jing led his army to Liangzhou City and was ordered to guard Yumen Pass.
At that time, he wanted fertile land in Liangzhou City, but after being rejected by Qi Jing, he became resentful. Then he colluded with King Pengcheng and prepared to get rid of them, and even the Qi family, who was feared by Emperor Tianwu.
The head of the Lu family bribed the current Rouran Khan and asked him to lead his troops to attack Yumen Pass frequently, leaving Qi Jing unable to replenish supplies and replace weapons in time.
Then King Pengcheng swallowed those weapons, replaced them with inferior weapons made by them, and deliberately let Qi Jing take people's pots and pans to the battlefield.
After the massacre of Liangzhou City, he successfully obtained those fertile fields, and used this to frame Qi Jing for treason, and then with the support of King Pengcheng, he led other aristocratic families to suppress the Qi family.
The Qi family fell from a prominent family to a poor family in the year Qi Jing died.
As for the posthumous son Qi Yan, because of the selfish desires of the head of the Lu family, he followed his mother to live under the sect of the enemy who killed his father.
"Sure enough, he bribed Rouran people." Xie Yuan said warmly.
When they were stationed at Yumen Pass, he made this bold guess when he saw that the soldiers discovered them but did not make too much publicity.
The head of the Lu family actually colluded with foreigners, which is really hateful.
After asking for the truth, Qi Yan's eyes turned extremely red.
At that time, Cui Heng walked in again and bowed to them: "I also have something I want to ask King Pengcheng."