Perhaps because the New Year approaches, the struggle between the top leaders of the Tang court has gradually subsided. During this period, Li Yuan did not mention depriving Li Shimin of military power at all.
This made Li Shimin's strings relax slightly. In the morning, he went to Taimiao, participated in the ancestor worship of the Li clan, and returned to his mansion at noon.
In the warm and bright study, Li Shimin sat on a soft couch, holding a teacup and slowly savoring hot tea while pondering on his plans for the New Year.
Li Shimin was also guessing in his heart that the reason why his father did not mention depriving himself of military power was that he learned from his mistakes, realized the serious impact of the power struggle between the two princes on the Tang Dynasty, and consciously promoted the power struggle.
Frozen.
But after thinking about it, Li Shimin still felt that he thought of his father too well. His father's suspicion about him had not been eliminated. Perhaps it was his opportunity to catch his own handle.
Once his handle is captured by his father, he will seize military power without hesitation. This is beyond doubt.
Perhaps in the eyes of the father, seizing his military power and consolidating his position as the crown prince is the measure to stabilize the Tang Dynasty, but is Li Shimin really the fish on the chopping board, and he can be slaughtered?
Li Shimin couldn't help but sneer in his heart. At this time, a report from the guard came from outside the door, "Your Highness, Xiangyang has a letter."
Li Shimin thought about it. This was Li Xiaogong's letter to him. He immediately ordered: "Pick up the letter!"
The door opened, and a guard walked in and presented a letter to Li Shimin. It was indeed Li Xiaogong's letter. Li Shimin opened the letter and glanced at it, and his eyes suddenly stopped. In the letter, Li Xiaogong actually told him, the father, the emperor
He intends to add Li Xiaogong to King Jing.
Although the increase in the seal has not yet become a reality, this news still made Li Shimin sweat and his father won over Li Xiaogong. It is obvious that he is going to attack himself.
I just thought that my father did not mention the seizure of power in order to calm the prince’s struggle, but now Li Shimin realized that the situation had not subsided at all. My father just stabilized Chang'an, but secretly tried to win over Li Xiaogong.
Li Shimin began to realize that the situation was serious and immediately ordered: "Let Mr. Fang and Changsun Changshi come to see me."
Soon, Fang Xuanling and Changsun Wuji arrived at Li Shimin's study one after another, "Please sit down, please sit down, you two!" Li Shimin asked them to sit down, and ordered someone to serve them tea.
"Your Highness, what happened?" Changsun Wuji felt that Li Shimin's expression was a little wrong.
Li Shimin sighed slightly, "I just received a letter from Xiaogong, and my father is ready to appoint him as King Jing."
Fang Xuanling and Changsun Wuji looked at each other, and both of them showed a surprised divine se in their eyes. This was a very obvious signal, which meant that the emperor was about to attack the King of Qin and deprived him of military power. He even put him under house arrest and then sealed him off.
Li Xiaogong, King Jing, calmed his emotions.
"Tell me, what should I do now?" Li Shimin asked worriedly, his eyes turned to Fang Xuanling. He hoped that Fang Xuanling could give him a good advice.
Fang Xuanling understood the expectation in Li Shimin's eyes. He lowered his head and pondered for a moment: "There are two suggestions for humble vocation. First, your highness leaves Chang'an. You might as well use the excuse of training to go to Fengyi County and directly control the army. In this way, the emperor will not dare to act rashly."
Li Shimin nodded. He also had this idea. Since Fang Xuanling said the same thing, he could give it a try, "You can consider it, what is the second suggestion?"
"Your Highness, the second suggestion is to speed up the action. I hope your Highness will implement the plan proposed by Huyi last time."
Fang Xuanling last proposed a mutiny, putting the house arrest of Emperor Li Yuan and eliminating the prince Jiancheng. Li Shimin accepted this plan. He pondered for a while and asked Changsun Wuji: "How is the progress of the Yang brothers?"
Yang Jun was appointed as the crown prince and was deeply trusted by Li Jiancheng. Yang Rong was one of the three generals of the Eastern Palace. He controlled the guards of the Eastern Palace and was also a very important figure. Li Shimin always ordered Changsun Wuji to win over the two brothers.
Changsun Wuji bowed quickly and said, "Although these two are brothers, they seem to have no contact in major matters, they are going their own way. Yang Jun is very scheming and difficult to win over. He has been reluctant to express his opinion, but he has not
Betray us, and Yang Rong is easy to win over. This person owes huge gambling debts and piao debts. We gave him a thousand taels of gold. He paid off the piao debt first, but I heard that gambling debts are very urgent. Every day
Forced him to hide, and at this time, it is easy for us to make him surrender."
Li Shimin asked on the excuse: "Is it the gambling hall opened by Dugu's family?"
“That’s right!”
Li Shimin thought for a while and said, "Since that's the case, I will win him over today. If he promises to serve me, I can repay the Dugu family's gambling debts for him."
Changsun Wuji hurriedly said, "Your Highness, he owes a huge gambling debt. I heard that the capital is 10,000 guan, and the profit is 40,000 guan."
"So much!" Li Shimin was surprised. Although he could take out the 50,000 jin of money, he would certainly hesitate to win over Yang Rong.
Li Shimin pondered for a moment and said, "This way! Let him serve me, and I can solve the problem of his gambling debts for him."
Li Shimin can help Yang Rong as a guarantee. After using it, he will kill Yang Rong with one blow. Or when he is Li Shimin ascended the throne, the debt will naturally not be found again. No matter which method he uses, he will not replace him now.
Yang Rong took out 50,000 dan to pay off his debts.
At this time, Fang Xuanling reminded on the side: "If Your Highness goes to Dugu's family, wouldn't it be like exposing Your Highness is trying to win over Yang Rong? I think it's inappropriate!"
A sentence reminded Li Shimin, and he frowned and said, "Then what did you say? If I ask me to give him 50,000 jin of money, I might as well use it as military expenses."
Fang Xuanling smiled slightly, "As far as I know, as long as I am willing to pay back the money, the gambling hall generally allows you to repay it slowly. Your Highness might as well give Yang Rong five thousand stags first and ask him to pay a portion of it. He will give him a little later,
I caught him like this, and I am afraid that he wouldn't listen to His Highness obediently?"
"It really makes sense!"
Li Shimin happily agreed and said to Changsun Wuji: "That's it."
Changsun Wuji nodded, Li Shimin took a sip of tea, and said to the two: "Now let's talk about the Yulin Army again, about Changsun Shunde, the general of Zuo Xiaowei..."
.........
Just as Li Shimin and Fang Xuanling and Changsun Wuji discussed to win over the Yang brothers, Yang Jun hurried into the East Palace. Today is the first day of the first lunar month. Yang Jun was originally accompanying his wife to his parents' home, but the prince sent someone to find him.
He said that there was something important to discuss, so Yang Jun had to hurry to the East Palace.
Yang Jun is currently the prince of the prince, with a fifth-rank official title, neither high nor low, but he is trusted by the prince, making him a celebrity in the Eastern Palace. Unlike his brother Yang Rong's food, drink and bet, Yang Jun is neither piao nor
Betting is very low-key and he is very scheming. No one knows what he is thinking?
Not long ago, his brother Yang Rong found him and told Yang Yuanqing that if he wanted to forgive the two brothers, they had to go to his father's tomb to build a cottage to mourn for three years. Yang Yuanqing's condition made Yang Jun sneer. He has hated Yang Yuanqing since he was a child. Now
He wants to stay mourning for three years and dream! He won’t go.
However, Yang Jun has had some worries these days, that is, King Li Shimin of Qin actually sent someone to win him over, which made Yang Jun feel a little embarrassed. Of course, he does not want to betray Li Jiancheng for the time being. After all, he also saw that Emperor Li Yuan was suppressing Li Shimin.
It's better to follow the prince.
But Yang Jun didn't want to betray Li Shimin. Li Shimin's win over him felt that he could hold on and strive for maximum profits. Yang Jun would not be loyal to anyone. He said that he was loyal to himself and only had his own interests in his heart.
Yang Jun came all the way outside the Prince's Study and happened to meet Luo Cheng, the general on duty today. Yang Jun smiled and said, "Today is the first day of the first lunar month. General Luo has to guard the Eastern Palace himself. Thank you for your hard work."
Luo Cheng bowed and bowed, "At this time, Yang Xima asked him to do things in his humble position! His Royal Highness the Crown Prince is waiting."
After saying that, Luo Cheng quickly walked to the study and reported, "Your Highness, Yang Xima has arrived."
"Please come in!"
Li Jiancheng's voice came from the room. Yang Jun sorted out his official hat and uniform and quickly walked into the Prince's study room. In the study room, Li Jiancheng was reviewing memorials at his desk. Since he adopted Yang Jun's suggestion, he summed up the daily memorials and made
After giving it to his father Li Yuan, his attitude towards him changed significantly, and he praised him for his good government affairs, which made Li Jiancheng very grateful to Yang Jun and valued him more. He asked him for many important matters.
Discussion.
Yang Jun quickly walked into the study and bowed, "I am not good at it, please see Your Highness!"
Li Jiancheng put down his pen and smiled: "I'm so sorry for asking Yang Xi to go to the East Palace on the first day of the New Year!"
"It is an honor to be able to serve Your Highness, and your Highness will give you the order."
Li Jiancheng was very satisfied with his attitude and nodded with a smile: "This morning, the emperor suggested that I could set up an office for investigation in the East Palace, mainly to understand the people's conditions and livelihood. I am considering letting you form a group. What do you think
?”
Yang Jun's heart was pounding. This was actually the prince's eyes and ears. This power is quite great! He quickly bowed and agreed, "I am willing to serve Your Highness."
Li Jiancheng nodded with a smile, "I originally wanted Yang Rong to be responsible for this matter, but he was frivolous in his work, which made me feel uneasy. After thinking about it, it is more suitable for you. Starting from the fifth day of the first lunar month, you have considered it in the past few days.
Let’s take a look at the specific plan, and give me a plan for the fourth day of the New Year.”
"I understand, I will definitely deliver it on time."
After pausing, Yang Jun said carefully: "Your Highness, the emperor's intention is probably not just to investigate the people's conditions, but to livelihood!"
Li Jiancheng squinted his eyes and smiled. Yang Jun was indeed very smart. He was meaningful. "Just write the plan according to your ideas, and write whatever you think."
Yang Jun knew it very well that this was the "Tang Feng" of the Eastern Palace. He gave a deep tribute, "That humble position has left!"
"go!"
Yang Jun slowly retreated, and the smile on Li Jiancheng's face gradually disappeared. He sneered and waved, and a confidant eunuch stepped forward, "Please give your order!"
Li Jiancheng whispered: "Tell Wang Zhuo, and ask him to check it out carefully. Who gave it to Yang Rong for the money he paid to the brothel?"