On the fourth day of the first lunar month, tens of thousands of civilians drove a ox cart to transport the 100,000 stones of grain supported by the Northern Sui Dynasty from the Mengjin Ferry to Luoyang. Wang Shichong personally led 30,000 troops to escort the batch of grain all the way back. Wang Shichong regarded this batch of grain as a treasure.
This will be the fundamental guarantee for his ascension to the throne. Wang Shichong knew very well that with this batch of food, he would be able to gain the support of the people of Luoyang.
Wang Shichong wore a golden helmet and silver armor. A wolf-toothed spear was crossed on the saddle bridge. His eyes were cold and he was thinking about his next strategy.
A few months ago, he cooperated with the Northern Sui army to defeat the Tang army in Hongnong County and was named King of Zheng for his merits. His original intention of submitting merits was to be named King of Hongnong County and to adopt Hongnong County as his
The territory, but Emperor Tai was very smart and refused to grant him the title of Prince Hongnong, but directly appointed him the title of King Zheng. The name seemed to be higher than the level, but in fact he was avoiding the real and the false king. King Zheng was just a false king
Forget it.
But even this Xu King, Lu Chu and others refused to let go. They made a fuss until now, forcing Emperor Tai to dismiss Wang Shichong as the Minister of War, but they still refused to give up and would never agree to Wang Shichong as King Zheng, or even to stop.
The King Zheng, who came to the court, threatened Emperor Tai to dismiss him, will be the fifth day of the first lunar month, tomorrow will be the day for the official court, but according to the current information, Lu Chu and his gangsters still refuse to go to court. It seems that the time for a rebellion has arrived.
It's right.
Wang Shichong sneered and turned around to his eldest son Wang Xuan and replied: "Go and invite Secretary Yun!"
Wang Xuan agreed and turned his horse's head away. After a moment, the new Minister of War Yun Dingxing was invited, "Does Your Highness look for me?"
Wang Shichong also had a gangster in the court, and Yun Dingxing was his confidant. Yun Dingxing fled back to Luoyang from Jiangdu not long ago and was named the Minister of Shaofu Temple. He was also excluded by Lu Chu and others, so he simply surrendered to Wang Shichong.
This time, Wang Shichong was named King of Zheng and resigned from the position of Minister of War, but he recommended Yun Dingxing to take over, so that the Ministry of War is still in his hands. Yun Dingxing also inherited Wang Shichong's position, which was also Lu Chu and others.
The main reason why I refuse to give up.
Wang Shichong smiled and said, "Last time you said that you used birds to sense, how are you preparing now?"
Yun Dingxing firmly supported Wang Shichong to take over the Sui Dynasty and replace him. He once suggested catching birds and tied a brocade on the bird's neck to show good fortune. However, Wang Shichong thought it was too obvious to do so, so he did not agree. Now he thought about it, but
It's just an excuse, it's okay to tie the brocade with a bird's neck, and he became interested again.
Yun Dingxing smiled bitterly and said, "Your Highness said it was inappropriate last time, so the humble official position did not continue to be implemented. If your Highness thinks it is okay, then the humble official position will immediately send someone to catch birds."
"This is OK, but wait a moment, and I will implement it after I take down the power of the court."
Wang Shichong pondered for a moment, and a sinister smile appeared on his face, "I have sent Wang Renze to the station of Mangshan. You can go to the palace to watch the emperor, and say that you will sacrifice to the heaven in the New Year, and ask the emperor to go to Mangshan to sacrifice to the heaven."
"But Renze went to Mount Delikan to stay. Many people in Chang'an know that Lu Chu and the others would agree?"
As soon as he said this, Yun Dingxing suddenly realized that Wang Shichong was trying to lure Lu Chu and the others to do it first. He patted his forehead and said with a smile: "The humble position is too stupid. Now I will go to the palace and ask the emperor to go up to the mountain to sacrifice to the sky.
”
Wang Shichong bowed, "Then everything will be done by Secretary Yun!"
Currently, there are 85,000 troops in Luoyang, of which Wang Shichong controls 70,000 troops, while the other 15,000 troops belong to the Guards, controlling the palace and imperial cities. These 5,000 people are in Lu
This is true in the hands of court officials such as Chu. Only Lu Chu, Huangfu Wuyi and others dared to challenge Wang Shichong, and Wang Shichong did not dare to attend court. Almost all his memorials were submitted to the court through Yun Dingxing.
In Xuanfengfang, Luoyang, there is a large mansion covering an area of 60 acres. This is the residence of the Shangshu Zuo Pushe Lu Chu. Lu Chu is the head of the Lu family in Fanyang and is highly valued by Emperor Tai Yang Tong, although Emperor Tai
Forced to be named King Shichong as King Zheng, but he knew very well in his heart who was a loyal minister and who was a traitor. Emperor Tai was just afraid that Wang Shichong would attack, so he reluctantly dealt with him. In fact, Emperor Tai secretly supported Lu Chu and others' dismissal
, forcing Wang Shichong to resign himself from the title of King Zheng.
At this time, a carriage quickly drove to the gate of Lu's mansion. An eunuch jumped out of the carriage and ran up the steps and said to the doorman: "Go and report to the Prime Minister Lu quickly. There is an emergency news in the palace!"
In the inner hall of Lu Mansion, four or five core ministers are discussing the matter of continuing to stop the court tomorrow. Lu Chu, Duan Da, Huangfu Wuyi and Wei Ji, the five prime ministers of the court. Except for Yun Dingxing, the other four prime ministers were all here.
.
"I think Wang Shichong himself would not ask to remove the title of King Zheng, but he still has to ask the emperor to decide to reduce the vassal states. I think the emperor is still a little too weak, and was actually scared by Wang Shichong. What can he do if he doesn't recognize the title of King Shichong?
?”
The person who spoke was Na Yan Huangfu Wuyi. He was very dissatisfied with Emperor Tai's opposition to confer the title of King Shichong as King Zheng. Although he also knew that Emperor Tai was helpless, he still believed that Emperor Tai was too weak and once he was granted the title, he still believed that Emperor Tai was too weak.
If you want to cut off the vassals, it will be difficult to reduce the vassals again, which makes them very passive.
"In any case, we must be tough on the Lord. This is the key to reducing the vassal states!"
Lu Chu sighed beside him and said, "I think some of us have lost our roots and the end. What makes Wang Shichong scary is not that he is the King of Zheng, but his 70,000 troops. We must find a way to destroy his troops. Don't say that at that time
What is the destruction of King Zheng, even if he kills him, it is easy to take his life. I had already reached an agreement with Li Mi, and Li Mi was willing to be loyal to the emperor and eliminate Wang Shichong for us. I only regretted Yu Wenhua and came to join in the fun and dragged Li Mi away.
Otherwise, Wang Shichong would be a lonely ghost now."
"But Li Mi is not a good person," reminded Wei Ji, the inner historian.
Lu Chu waved his hand, "I know he is not a good person, so he and Wang Shichong can defeat both sides. We fishermen will benefit. This is our last chance."
Duan Da, the Minister of the Ministry of Revenue, frowned and said, "If Li Mi and Wang Shichong fight, will Yang Yuanqing help Wang Shichong with help? If the Northern Sui army also sends troops to participate in the war, then Li Mi will undoubtedly be defeated. Prime Minister Lu must consider Yang Yuanqing's factors."
Lu Chu sneered, "Of course I have considered Yang Yuanqing's troops to send troops, but he is now attacking Hebei with all his might and has no time to participate in the battle between Wang Shichong and Li Mi. He will not send troops for the time being. When Wang Shichong is about to be destroyed, he will never allow Li Mi to take Luoyang.
, At that time, he would definitely send troops to attack Li Mi, so that our opportunity would come. There are still 30,000 sets of soldiers in the Imperial City Military Arts Supervision Warehouse. On the one hand, we can gather Wang Shichong's defeated soldiers, and on the other hand, we can recruit troops to defend the city.
, Our chance to turn the tables comes.”
Speaking of this, Lu Chu sighed, "The key is that Li Mi will lead his army back quickly. If he drags on, Wang Shichong may take action first."
After Lu Chu finished speaking, running footsteps came from outside the door, and the butler reported at the door: "Lu Prime Minister, a eunuch came from the palace and said there was an emergency!"
"Let him in!"
Soon, the housekeeper brought an eunuch in. Everyone knew him, Zhao Yingzhong, the emperor's personal eunuch.
"Eunuch Zhao, what happened?"
"It's great that all the ministers are here."
Zhao Yingzhong stepped forward and said to everyone: "Just just now, Yun Dingxing entered the palace and tried his best to persuade the emperor to go up to Mangshan to worship the sky. The emperor felt something was wrong - so let me tell the Prime Minister Lu."
‘Mingshan sacrifices to the sky!,
The prime ministers looked at each other, as if the king of heaven had just sent Wang Renze to lead 20,000 troops to Mangshan. Everyone was still guessing the reason. It turned out that Wang Shichong wanted the emperor to go up Mangshan.
"Don't go!"
Huangfu Wuyi flatly denied: "Why should I go to Mangshan to worship the sky? I can worship the sky in the palace. Let the emperor refuse him, so I said that e-Zangshan is a place where people are buried, and it is ominous to go."
Lu Chu frowned, his eyes full of worry. He also said to the eunuch: "We must not go to Mount Mang. Let the emperor find an excuse to refuse. In addition, if you ask the emperor to change his palace to live in, it may not be peaceful these two days."
Zhao Yingzhong was shocked, "Is the Prime Minister Lu said that there is no peace?"
Lu Chu sighed, "I can't explain clearly, I should be more careful during the New Year anyway."
"I understand, I will go back and report to the Lord."
Zhao Yingzhong bowed to everyone, turned around and left in a hurry. As soon as he left, Huangfu Wuyi asked anxiously: "Does Lu Xiangguo feel something wrong?"
Lu Chu frowned in a line, "Wang Shichong wants the priest to go up to Mangshan to sacrifice to the sky, which means that Wang Shichong is going to take action, and he will not give Li Mi a chance."
The atmosphere in the inner hall suddenly became tense, "What should I do?" Lu Chu looked at everyone with bright eyes, "Are we going to kill each other when we are trying to kill each other, or should we take the initiative!"
"Dry!"
Huangfu Wuyi fisted and palmed, and resolutely said: "Let me take advantage of the opportunity of the palace to worship the sky to bring Wang Shichong into the palace."
Lu Chu looked at the other two again, "What do you think?"
Duan Da and Wei Ji both nodded slowly, it was impossible for them to kill each other.
Duan Da returned to his mansion and paced back and forth in the study with his hands behind his back. He was extremely nervous. He buried his head in thought, and then raised his head to sigh. He walked to the window, and the timid expression in his eyes was revealed. They might have fought.
Have you passed Wang Shichong?
He only had 15,000 troops in his hand, only controlled the palace city and the imperial city, while Wang Shichong had 70,000 troops, controlling all the city gates in Luoyang. With Wang Shichong's cunning, could he be deceived into the palace?
Even if Wang Shichong is careless and is killed in the palace, what should he do? He is controlled by his nephew. If they take revenge, no one in the court's civil and military affairs will survive, especially the four prime ministers, who will be killed in the whole family.
Duan Da thought about the situation where he was killed by the whole family, and he couldn't help but shivered, with fear in his eyes.
"Come!" he shouted in a trembling voice.
"Is there anything wrong with the master?" a family member asked outside the door.
"Go and find my eldest son-in-law!"
Duan Da’s eldest son-in-law Zhang Zhi is the county magistrate of Yique County. He accompanied his wife back to his parents’ home for the New Year these two days. He happened to be in the mansion. After a moment, Zhang Zhi hurried into the room and bowed to him, "The son-in-law and father-in-law."
Duan Da wrote a letter and handed it to him, whispering to him: "Go out of the city quickly and hand over this letter to Wang Shichong secretly. Be careful not to let any courtiers see you."