Nanyan, Guanggu City Palace, the sound of silk and bamboo in the Pixiang Hall, and the sweet singing came from the hall.
General Gongsun Wulou of the left guard came to the outside of the palace. When the chamberlain guarding the palace saw him, he came forward with a smile and bowed: "General Gongsun is here. Your Majesty mentioned the general just now and wanted to send someone to invite the general to watch the show."
Gongsun Wulou exchanged a few words with the eunuch, and put a piece of carved jade into the eunuch's hand. The eunuch said with a smile on his face: "Your Majesty is reading "Huansha Ji" in the palace, and he is very happy. The general does not need to inform you, he can just meet you directly. .”
Gongsun Wulou entered the palace in a swaggering manner and came to the throne from the side to salute.
Murong Chao was leaning in Xina's arms, Mrs. Wei, tapping her hands gently on her thighs. Mrs. Wei would peel off the grapes from the Western Regions from time to time and stuff them into Murong Chao's mouth.
Seeing Gongsun Wulou, Murong Chao raised his hand and motioned for him to sit aside and continued to listen leisurely to the opera singers in the palace.
Gongsun Wulou sat down at the left table. He had listened to "Huan Sha Ji" in his mansion. After listening for a while, he realized that it was the twenty-fifth play "Yan Wu". It talked about Xi Shi being welcomed into the palace of the Yue King, and the queen personally taught her to sing and dance. . It's just that the actor who plays Xi Tzu is painted with makeup and has a voluptuous figure. She is less innocent and more charming than Xi Tzu.
As soon as the song was finished, the actors left to prepare for the next one. Murong Chao sat up straight, picked up the wine on the table, took a sip, and said, "Gongsun Aiqing, do you have anything to do with me?"
Gongsun Wulou cupped his hands and said, "Long live, please step aside."
Murong Chao waved his hand, and everyone standing in the hall came out of the hall. Mrs. Wei also stood up and left.
Gongsun Wulou said solemnly: "Long live, Murong Zhong, the governor of Qingzhou, Duan Hong, the governor of Xuzhou, and Murong Fa, the governor of Yanzhou, are conspiring to rebel."
The territory of Nanyan was divided into five states: Yinping was governed by Bingzhou; Faqian was governed by Youzhou; Ju was governed by Xuzhou; Liangfu was governed by Yanzhou; Donglai was governed by Qingzhou. Three of the five states rebelled. Murong Chao was shocked and asked: "Is this serious?"
Murong Chao knew that Murong Zhong, Duan Hong and others were dissatisfied with his re-employment of Gongsun Wulou and asked for a foreign appointment; and when Murong Fa was rude to him when he returned to Yan from Chang'an, could it be that Gongsun Wulou took the opportunity to frame him.
Gongsun Wulou said with a stern face: "Long live, how dare I frame the minister. If you don't believe me, you might as well call a few people to the capital for pilgrimage. I am willing to confront them face to face."
Murong Chao was no longer in the mood to watch the theater, so he hurriedly summoned his servants to shoot Zuo Cheng and Wang Yan to draw up an edict and ordered the three governors to go to Beijing for a pilgrimage. Wang Yan was promoted to Shangshu Lang because he flattered Gongsun Wulou, and received Gongsun Wulou's instructions. The tone of the decree was even harsh, and he ordered the three of them to come to the capital quickly.
Sima Bu Zhen, the Sima of Zhengnan, was punished by Shangshu Zuopu for shooting Feng Song. She held a grudge and reported to the emperor that Feng Song had close contacts with Murong Fa and might be conspiring to rebel.
Murong Chao was furious and ordered Feng Song to be imprisoned. Also imprisoned were his servant Murong Tong, right guard Murong Gen, Sanqi Changshi Duan Feng and others.
After receiving the order, Murong Fa, the governor of Yanzhou, learned that Feng Song had been arrested. He sneered and said, "This must be the emperor's grudge against him and his intention to harm me." He said he was ill and refused to go to court.
Murong Chao was still dubious at first, but when he saw Murong Fa and others making excuses not to go to court, Gongsun Wulou reported that the three of them had evil intentions and did not dare to come to Beijing.
In the harem, Empress Dowager Duan learned that Shangshu Zuo Pushe was arrested on suspicion of treason. She was frightened and told Murong Chao that Mou Chang, the Huangmen Order of the Song sect, persuaded her, "The emperor is not the biological son of the Empress Dowager. I am afraid that the tragedy of Yongkang will happen again. I am sorry." The wife of the family saw that she might be killed, so she asked Feng Song to tell Murong Fa to help the Ai family. She didn't want him to go astray and rebel against the emperor. Please forgive me."
Murong Chao was furious and ordered his chariot to be broken and Song Song beheaded, Murong Tong and others were beheaded, and Empress Dowager Duan was expelled from the harem. Empress Dowager Duan died of illness soon after.
Empress Dowager Duan, the wife of Murong De, and the sister of Concubine Duan of Murong Chui. Neither of the sisters died a happy death. When Murong Dequan learned that less than two years after his death, his wife was expelled from the palace by the nephew who was chosen to inherit the throne, he would definitely regret passing the throne to Murong Chao.
After feeling stable internally, Murong Chao ordered the cavalry general Murong Zhen to lead his army to attack Murong Zhong of Qingzhou; the latter general Murong Yu attacked Duan Hong of Xuzhou; and the king of Jiyang Murong Ning led his army to attack Murong Fa of Yanzhou.
Gongsun Wulou secretly reported that Murong Ning, the king of Jiyang, had an irreversible friendship with Murong Fa, so beware of his rebellion. Murong Chao deeply believed this and ordered the minister to make Han Fan his deputy general, secretly telling him to be careful to prevent Murong Ning from rebelling.
When the troops arrived in Shangshan, Murong Ning summoned his cronies to plot to kill Han Fan, and then led his army to counterattack Guanggu. Han Fan received the report and led his army to attack Murong Ning preemptively. Murong Ning was unprepared and had to flee in panic to Liang's father and flee to Murong Fa.
In Xiangyang, Yang Anxuan received a report from Yang Zijing that there was chaos in the country of Nanyan, and he was ordered to prepare his troops and take in the fleeing people as much as possible. If any Yan generals defected, they could be taken to Xiangyang.
Wang Zhen smiled evilly and said: "Yan State claims to have 370,000 infantry, 17,000 chariots, and more than 50,000 light and heavy cavalry. After this civil strife, at least nearly half of them were lost."
Yang Anxuan said: "Murong Chao reached the throne, indulged in extravagance, squandered money, and abused the clan. How can people's hearts not be separated? Just wait for two years, and he will be wiped out in one fell swoop."
Most of the elite soldiers of Southern Yan were concentrated around Guanggu City, and the soldiers and horses in the various states were not strong. Han Fan quickly led his army to conquer Liangfu City, Murong Fa crossed the river and defected to the Northern Wei Dynasty, Murong Ning fled to Wuyang City and Yang Zijing; Murong Town captured Qingzhou, Murong Zhong killed his wife and children, dug a tunnel to escape from Donglai City, and fled to the Northern Wei Dynasty with Murong Shi, Duke of Gaoyang. Murong Yu captured Jucheng, and Duan Hong defected to Shi Yangmuzhi in Pengcheng. The civil strife in Nanyan lasted for two months. put down.
After this incident, Murong Chao trusted Gongsun Wulou more and more, and promoted him to Shizhong and Shangshu, leading the left guard general and taking charge of the government; Gongsun Wulou's brother Gongsun Gui became the champion general and Chang Shangong; his uncle Gongsun Dai became a military officer. General Wei and Duke Xingle.
Gongsun Wulou ruled the government arbitrarily, promoted clan cronies on a large scale, and held prominent positions in the court. Princes and ministers were feared by everyone inside and outside the court. Gongsun Wulou was so powerful that he openly sold his official position and the evil villains all fawned over him in order to get promoted.
After removing Murong Zhong and others, Murong Chao felt at ease and ordered the expansion of the palace. In order to consolidate the power in his hands, Gongsun Wulou encouraged Murong Chao to satisfy his demands for pleasure. When the treasury was empty, he increased taxes and made the people in the territory miserable. They fled west and south one after another, and even crossed the Yellow River and fled to the Northern Wei Dynasty.
Yang Zijing received Yang Anxuan's instructions that as long as the people of Yan State fled and entered the country, they would be granted land according to Ding's orders. Ding men would get fifty acres, and Ding women would get half of the land. The government would rent houses, grain, farm tools, etc. The people of Yan heard this and raised their hands one after another. Come vote at home.
Han Fan sent Qingqi to patrol the border to prevent people from crossing the border to Jin. Yang Zijing led his army to engage in several battles with the Yan army, and found that the Yan army was brave, so he stopped trying across the border, and the border gradually became peaceful.
…………
The side room at the back of the Xiangyang lobby is where Yang Anxuan handles secrets. Yang Anxuan and Wang Zhene are looking through the intelligence sent by the secret guards.
Nowadays, the number of secret guards has grown from the initial dozens to more than 300. The secret guards are all over the states. Even Jiaozhou has secret guards lurking in it. Qin, Wei, and Yan are the focus of secret guard detectives.
Wang Zhene saw that the intelligence sent by the secret guards could predict the enemy's opportunities, and he knew the situation of Qin, Wei and other countries as well as the states. He could respond calmly based on the intelligence, and changed from initially opposing the establishment of secret guards to strongly agreeing to increase the number of secret guards.
Yang Anxuan then established the Commercial Information Department, nominally to inquire about the commercial information in various places, with Huang Fu and Ding Quan as the left and right envoys, ranking in the fifth rank. Huang Fu was responsible for foreign intelligence on Qin, Wei, Shu, Yan and other countries, while Ding Quan inquired about domestic situations.
The Commercial Information Department is located in the Sima Mansion and is nominally under the supervision of Zhao Tian. In fact, the two report directly to Yang Anxuan. The Department of Commercial Affairs has recruited more than a dozen clerical staff to sort out intelligence from various places, and a dedicated person will send the information to Yang Anxuan in a secret box every day.
"The Bald-haired King Jing of Nanliang moved the capital from Ledu to Guzang City."
Yang Anxuan handed this piece of intelligence to Wang Zhene beside him and said, "Bald Li Tan has a big ambition. Yao Xing is asking for trouble by giving Gu Zang to him."
Wang Zhene glanced at it and said with a smile: "After the Commercial Information Department recruited civil servants, the espionage report was clearly written and much simpler than before."
Yang Anxuan wiped the beard on his upper lip and said: "In October, Bald Hair Tan formed an alliance with Xiliang. This is to deal with Beiliang with all his strength. When Beiliang learned about the alliance between Nanliang and Xiliang, Juqu Mengxun He actually led his army to attack Jiuquan, the capital of Xiliang, and the various Liangs were fighting endlessly."
Wang Zhene sighed and said: "The wars between the Liang Dynasties and the civil strife in the Southern Yan Dynasty, the later emperor Murong Xi of Yan favored women and became dissolute and disorderly. It is sad that Murong Chui was a hero in his life, but his descendants were so miserable. It was only a matter of time before the Yan Kingdom was destroyed." "
Yang Anxuan nodded and said: "Later Yan and Zhu Liang are too far away, and Nan Yan's strength is not exhausted. The current strong enemy is Qin. The emperor of Qin is said to be wise. If he is allowed to rule calmly for a few years, he will definitely invade Yong and Si again. Don’t wait for me.”
"My lord wants to stabilize Liangzhou within these two years. With Liangzhou in check in the west, Qin will not dare to act rashly." Wang Zhen said evilly.
Yang Anxuan sighed softly and said: "It is difficult for a clever woman to make a living without rice. Where did the money and food come from to stabilize Liangzhou? The third uncle took advantage of the opportunity of recruiting local gentry to serve as officials and made a lot of money. Yu wrote to him to borrow a rice. Three hundred thousand stones of money and food, in exchange for half of the shares of Cai Porcelain, can temporarily solve the urgent need."
Envy flashed in Wang Zhen'e's eyes, and he said: "If the imperial court can allow the salt fields to be transported and sold, it will definitely attract countless businessmen to Liang, and Liangzhou will be lively. The monks and Taoists will send people one after another next year Preaching in Liang will also drive believers there, and the Lord's plan to stabilize Liang will soon be effective."
Yang Anxuan said: "You have written private letters to both King Langya and King Wuling, promising that the salt tax paid to the court will increase by 30%. The treasury of the court will be empty. I think I will eventually agree."
Wang Zhene said with great interest: "My lord told Yu yesterday that the strategy of exchanging grain for salt is a wonderful one. Transport grain to Liang according to the mileage in exchange for the corresponding salt, and then merchants go to the salt field to buy salt and sell it. My lord said that merchants will be there locally Hire labor to open up fields to produce grain, and exchange grain for salt nearby. This strategy can add tens of thousands of hectares of grain fields to Liangzhou. Within a few years, Liangzhou will be self-sufficient in grain."
Yang Anxuan said proudly: "Since there are civilian villages and military villages, this can be called a merchant village."
Wang Zhene looked at Yang Anxuan with admiration and sighed: "My lord is wiser than Zhuge Wuhou."
Yang Anxuan smiled slightly. He was just standing on the shoulders of giants in previous lives. This Shangtun method was also an experience informed by history.
"There will be more than a month to celebrate the New Year. Merchants are gathering in the West City. To suppress evil, we might as well send people to publicize in the market that Liangzhou is full of treasures and encourage refugees to come to Liang to make a living." Yang Anxuan thought for a moment and said, "We might as well let the government Come forward to organize, send people to escort, and the government will handle the accommodation and food on the way."
Wang Zhene laughed and said, "My lord, this is a clever plan."
Yang Anxuan stood up and said with a smile: "It's the end of the Shen Dynasty. Tonight, Yu's cousin Yuan Tao is hosting a banquet for Wei Shu and his wife at Hongyun Tower. He invites Yu to go and suppress the evil and go with him."
Wang Zhen'e happily said: "Yuanfu Cheng is a great opera master of the generation, and Wei Shu and his wife are famous all over the world at Shulan Courtyard in Jingkou. I am going to have a feast for my ears tonight. I wonder if my lord has any new works?"
Some people died, but not completely...
