"Rebellious ministers and traitors! They are all rebellious ministers and traitors!"
The sound of "crack, bang, bang, bang" sounded in the palace of Tai'an City.
"Your Majesty is breaking things again?"
The two young chamberlains guarding the door looked at each other and looked ahead tacitly, as if they hadn't heard anything.
During this period of time, Emperor Liyang Zhao Dun broke through defenses many times, and this was not the first time he smashed things like crazy.
They're almost used to it.
But today is still a little different.
In the past, whether it was the rebellion of Northern Liang or the restoration of Western Chu, although Zhao Dun was angry, it was just anger. Maybe it was mixed with some worry, but it did not rise to the level of fear.
But this time, he still seemed to be smashing things in a rage, but in fact, whether he was furious or smashing things, they were just appearances used to hide the fear in his heart.
Gu Jiantang held 200,000 border troops from the two Liaos in his hands but refused to return to the court. This move completely destroyed the last trace of security in Zhao Dun's heart.
Facing Xu Fengnian and Chen Zhibao, who are heading north at a fast speed, like two sharp knives, who can he rely on?
There was an example of King Zhao Heng of Jing'an surrendering to the enemy, so he couldn't trust the King of Huainan and Jiaodong.
Not to mention that one of them was being watched by Xu Xiao and the other was being watched by Gu Jiantang, and both of them were unable to move.
It has to be said that these old enemies, known as "Gu and Xu", are doing surprisingly the same thing at this moment:
Stop all possible reinforcements in Tai'an City, and then leave everything to the younger generation to solve on their own.
Under the gaze of everyone, the two ferocious tigers arrived at Tai'an City at the same time without distinction.
Without any hesitation, he also ignored the letter sent by Queen Zhao Zhi, which said that Princess Sui Zhu and he were still in a marriage...
Haha, are you just thinking of giving in and giving in now?
late! You can’t even sell your daughter!
She is just a princess whose country is about to be destroyed. Is it valuable?
"Siege the city!"
The two waves of armies that came out of Beiliang were in perfect agreement and launched attacks on this majestic capital city from two directions.
…
…
In just a short period of time, the wind direction in the entire Central Plains changed drastically. The situation that originally seemed to be a three-pronged confrontation, actually fast-forwarded to the final decisive battle in the blink of an eye?
This change of events left everyone in Beimang stunned.
They couldn't figure out Nalan Youci's motive, and they couldn't understand what Gu Jiantang was thinking.
However, they can see that the entire Central Plains will soon have the surname Xu.
"Is this okay?"
Although Empress Murong of Beimang once admired Xu Xiao when she was young, she was no longer a pure woman after taking the throne of God. What she wants is to conquer that man, not to be conquered by him.
No one knows the capabilities and character of the Xu family in Beiliang better than Beimang. They understand deeply that if the Central Plains under the Zhao family in Liyang is only a slight threat to Beimang, then under the Xu family in Beiliang , it is a disaster for them.
"We must not let them succeed!"
In the Beimang Royal Court, this was the unanimous opinion of Empress Murong, Imperial Master, Taiping Ling and others.
But that’s what it says, but how can we stop it?
From Beimang to Tai'an City, if you go from the east, Gu Jiantang is blocking the way, and if you go from the west, there is the Beiliang Army. Is it possible to take a detour by sea?
But they don’t have this shipbuilding technology either!
"Actually, there is another way..."
Ru Shi Tai Ping Ling stroked his beard.
"Sir, please speak."
There was a hint of eagerness in the empress's voice.
"I have traveled in the Central Plains for twenty years and have a very good understanding of it."
Taiping Ling spoke slowly, "The Xu family of Northern Liang does not have a good reputation in the entire Central Plains. Especially now that they are actively launching a rebellion, the reputation will definitely be even worse. Maybe Nalan Youci and others are because of something They are complicit in ulterior transactions, but they cannot buy everyone. There must be a large number of people dissatisfied with them in the Central Plains.
"Now it seems that the destruction of the Zhao family in Liyang, or the destruction of the Zhao Dun family is already a certainty. But when Tai'an City is truly conquered, the dissatisfaction with the Xu family of Beiliang will truly reach its peak. This is something we can take advantage of.”
"how to use?"
"Two ways. Do you remember Hong Jia running north?"
The Taiping Order seems to have been drafted for a long time, "Although the emergence of the Southern Dynasty has caused a gap in the originally monolithic royal court, it is undeniable that it has also greatly enhanced our strength and heritage. Since this kind of thing has happened for the first time, Then why can’t there be a second time?”
"Beiliang will definitely not let him go. Xu Xiao is not a soft-hearted person!"
Empress Murong shook her head, "What are you going to do?"
Taiping Ling spread out the map and pointed at Liaodong: "The key lies here, King Zhaoju of Jiaodong!"
There are six vassal kings in Liyang, five clans and one surname.
In terms of overall strength, Xu Xiao, the King of Northern Liang, is naturally number one. Among the five clan kings, Zhao Bing, the king of Yanla, is the most powerful, followed by Zhao Yi, the king of Guangling, Zhao Ju, the king of Jiaodong, Zhao Heng, the king of Jingan, and Zhao Ying, the king of Huainan, last.
This is the balance of strength. Among them, Zhao Yi, the king of Guangling, is in the best situation because he and Zhao Dun, the current emperor of Liyang, are brothers from the same mother. Although he was often scolded by orders for his domineering behavior on the surface, in fact he did not suffer any harm.
But several other vassal princes did not have such a good life.
The emperor Zhao's logic is that since I want you to handle things well for me, but you cannot have the strength to make me feel threatened, it is best to be able to come and go as soon as you call it, without any complaints.
Therefore, whether it was Zhao Bing, King of Yanla, Zhao Ju, King of Jiaodong, or Zhao Heng, King of Jingan, these vassal kings who held military power were targeted and suppressed by the court not once or twice.
As for Huainan King Zhao Ying, he has long been reduced to the point where he does not even have any real power.
"Is it really because Zhao Ju didn't lead his troops back to Tai'an City because he was so stared at by Gu Jiantang that he couldn't move at all?"
Taiping Ling shook his head and said, "I'm afraid he was not willing to save the brother who was always suppressing him! He was just taking advantage of the situation to make trouble against Gu Jiantang."
"Can he be used by us?"
Empress Murong's eyes lit up.
You must know that before Gu Jiantang took charge of the military power of the two Liaos, the King of Jiaodong was the chief officer guarding the defense lines of the two Liaos.
If this person can be used by Beimang, then the seemingly impregnable defense line between the two Liaos will immediately become full of loopholes. He may not be as far away as Gu Jiantang in fighting, but if he can lead the way and cause trouble, even Gu Jiantang will most likely be hated.
"We can give it a try. Even if it doesn't work, we can also support him in founding his own country to fight against Beiliang. Liyang started his career in the north. He doesn't even want his ancestral graves, right?"
The Taiping Order was confident, "We can even win over Gu Jiantang. They remained neutral in the war between the Xu family and the Zhao family, which may not necessarily mean they are really biased towards the Xu family. Maybe they are just waiting to fish in troubled waters. There is an old saying in the Central Plains. Well, Qin lost its deer, and the whole world chased it away. Now the Zhao family in Liyang is the orthodox of the Central Plains. If anyone else dares to raise an army, it is a rebellion, and the reputation is very bad. But if the city of Tai'an is destroyed, the situation will be very different. I don’t believe it. Gu Jiantang has been fighting with Xu Xiao all his life and has been suppressed by Xu Xiao his whole life. Does he really want to bow at Xu Xiao’s feet and become his vassal? "
"well said!"
The empress's eyes shone brightly, and she felt that what her imperial master said was so reasonable.
She drew inferences and asked tentatively: "In that case, can we also contact Xi Chu?"
"good,"
Taiping Ling nodded first, then shook his head, "Xi Chu was directly killed by the Beiliang Army back then. Ye Baikui, Queen Xi Chu and others were killed by Chen Zhibao and Xu Xiao. Such hatred , Cao Changqing cannot let go, and neither can the remnants of Western Chu! However, unlike the King of Jiaodong, we can not give much help to Western Chu due to geographical constraints. They are located in the hinterland of the Central Plains, and it is difficult to say how long they can persist. "
After some analysis, Beimang's monarchs and ministers instantly changed from worried to full of expectations.
The Central Plains is about to fall apart, and there are wars everywhere. They, Beimang, have already raised their knives and forks, ready to feast!
…
…
Tai'an City.
Although it did not recruit any reliable troops from King Qin, as the capital of Liyang, the defense of Tai'an City itself was not weak.
But no matter how weak it was, it was still on the verge of collapse under the attack from both sides by the Beiliang Army.
It’s not just the city walls that are crumbling, but also the hearts of the people within the city.
When Beiliang chose to go south instead of following the order to enter Beimang, Tai'an City was full of denunciations and curses, such as rebellious ministers and traitors, barbarians who did not accept the king's transformation, white-eyed wolves who were not well-bred, etc., to use the same words It sounds worse than one.
Later, when Xi Chu also announced its restoration and successfully conquered the Great Phoenix City, they both scolded Beiliang and gave Beiliang the title of the culprit and chief culprit in the troubled times.
Later, when Yanlao King Zhao Bing and his direct descendants were wiped out and everything south of the Guangling River was lost, the voices in Tai'an City became slightly quieter, and some people quietly began to transfer their marriage papers and family properties.
When Xu Fengnian and Chen Zhibao approached Tai'an City, their arrows lost their edge and penetrated the city. Now, some people in Tai'an City were even ready to open the city gate and eat pots of juice to welcome the king's army.
This is human nature.
Except for the people at the bottom who are most likely to be fooled by public opinion, those who took the lead in condemning Beiliang in the past know best how credible their words are.
In the past, what was the more mainstream view when criticizing Beiliang?
I know that the Beiliang Army has made great contributions and suffered a lot, but what does this have to do with your Xu family? Putting aside your merits, why do you keep holding on to the throne? Can't we think about the overall situation of the world and suffer a little more injustice?
Without your Xu family, wouldn't it be the same as sending someone to Beiliang to guard it? You are just greedy for power and position! Greedy!
As for why the old emperor set up a trap to kill Princess Wu Su of Beiliang in the first place, was it because he was afraid that she would give birth to a capable son who would consolidate Beiliang's power and make the court more unstable? Can't you understand the emperor's painstaking efforts?
Besides, wasn't he killed on the spot? She almost killed the emperor, so just treat each other as forgiven!
What, you said she died in childbirth a few years later? What does that have to do with the ambush a few years ago? Giving birth to a child would have killed everyone, not her!
There are also many criticisms of civil and military criticism.
But as the situation progressed to this point, facing the Beiliang cavalry approaching Chi Chi, these people collectively lost their voices.
This is the first time many of them know that the Beiliang Iron Cavalry, which has been guarding the three states of Beiliang and resisting Beimang for more than 20 years, is so powerful in combat. The soldiers from so many states and counties along the way can even delay a moment. Even the opponent's marching speed cannot be achieved.
And the Xu family of Northern Liang was not the only one who knew how cool the emperor of the Zhao family was.
Why did Gu Jiantang sell out Emperor Liyang so simply?
It's because he saw from what happened to the Xu family that when you work under the Zhao family, you can't make a challenge.
Not to mention Xu Xiao, even he himself ended up with his direct line being split up, and he was pressed into the position of Minister of War in Tai'an City for twenty years?
How much torture is this for a general?
It would be fine if there were no wars in the prosperous times, but what about the reality?
In the past twenty years, is Liyang really incapable of counterattacking Beimang?
It was just because the emperor didn't want these veteran generals who had already made outstanding achievements to continue to build meritorious services, so he chose to do this.
It can only be said that from the emperor's perspective, his motives can be understood, but his methods are not clever. From the perspective of a courtier, it is destined to be impossible to have much loyalty to such an emperor.
If the king regards his ministers as his hands and feet, then his ministers will regard him as his belly; if his ministers regard his ministers as dogs and horses, then his ministers will regard him as a countryman; if his ministers regard his ministers as earth and mustard, then his ministers will regard him as a bandit.
This principle is applicable to all corners of the world.
Human hearts are made of flesh, and they can hurt and get cold.
A king cannot hold his ministers to the standards of a saint unless he himself becomes a saint first.
So, the person who opened the city gate appeared as expected.
However, it was neither Ying Zheng's nor Chen Zhibao's side that was opened, but the third city gate.
Seeing this, Chen Zhibao, the Xu family brothers and others quickly led their elite guards to rush over and seize the door.
However, just after more than a thousand Beiliang cavalry stepped into the city gate, several figures suddenly flew in the sky, and they forced the city gate down again at the cost of their lives despite the overwhelming offensive of the Beiliang army.
On the street in front, the elite soldiers of the Forbidden Army were already waiting in full formation.
But neither Ying Zheng nor Chen Zhibao paid attention to what was going on behind them. Instead, they looked at a tall building in the city with slightly solemn eyes.
There were birds and green smoke rising from the top of the building, and then, one after another, illusory figures floated out of the smoke. Some were carrying ancient swords on their backs, some were holding purple gold treasure books, and some were holding fly whisks. Like an ordinary person.
They didn't say much after they appeared, and turned directly into streams of light, pouring into the bodies of each of the Forbidden Soldiers.
Inside Qintian Prison.
Emperor Zhao Dun, Emperor Master Yuan Benxi, Longhu Zhao Xiyi and others sat across from each other, looking at a water mirror in mid-air.
"Can these soldiers possessed by immortals really take down those rebellious officials and traitors?"
"Your Majesty, please rest assured,"
Zhao Xiyi stroked his long snow-white beard, "Chen Zhibao and the boy from the Xu family are only at the celestial realm at best. Although they are excellent enough for their age, how can they compare with my thousand-year-old foundation in Longhu Mountain? This time six The fourteen ancestors descended to earth, no matter how much their strength is reduced, they can still maintain at the Zhixuan realm at the lowest level, and there is more than one land god among them. I don’t know what Beiliang can do to make a comeback."
"well……"
After Emperor Zhao Dun heard this, he showed obvious joy on his face, but he sighed as he spoke, "It's my fault for bothering the immortals to go down to the lower world. I will personally confess the crime afterwards. As for Chen Zhibao and the Xu brothers, if you want to blame them, blame them They are too arrogant! After all, they are still too young!"
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