"Your Majesty, the Sui army is currently attacking rapidly. According to my opinion, Liu Wenjing's people should wait until the trouble in Chang'an is resolved before dealing with it!"
At this time, Dugu Zhen also slowly spoke. Anyway, Liu Wenjing is dead now. Except for his brother Liu Wenqi, who is still a little capable, the others are not of concern at all. It is unwise to waste time just for a few wine bags and rice bags.
Li Yuan was just confused by Liu Wenjing's wrongdoing, but he suddenly came to his senses after hearing Dugu Zhen's words. He immediately glanced at a general standing beside him and shouted in a deep voice: "Li Shenfu listens to the order!"
This military commander is Li Yuan's cousin, Li Shentong's biological brother Li Shenfu. Although he looks very handsome, he is actually an embroidered pillow. He is not even a bit worse than his brother Li Shentong.
After Li Yuan raised troops in Taiyuan, Wei Xuan, the Shangshu of the Ministry of Justice and General Zuohou Wei who stayed in Chang'an, arrested Li Shenfu who was still stranded in Chang'an at that time. Later, Li Yuan captured Chang'an and Li Shenfu was released. Li Yuan could not help but feel guilty because he had implicated Li Shenfu in this matter. After the founding of the People's Republic of China, he treated Li Shenfu quite favorably. He was given a high official title and gave him command of five thousand Royal Forest Army.
After Li Shenfu heard Li Yuan's call, he quickly stepped to the center of the hall, knelt down on one knee and cupped his hands and said, "I'm here."
Li Yuan said in a deep voice: "Gather all the imperial troops in your hands, use the palace walls to resist the Sui army for a while, and then allocate five hundred soldiers and horses to me to handle the affairs in the palace. After two hours, break out with me and go north to Xianyang Take refuge.”
"I obey the decree!"
After Li Shenfu retreated, Li Yuan glanced at the ministers in the palace lightly and said: "My dear friends, you all know the situation. It is difficult to defend Chang'an at the moment. I have decided to temporarily go north to Xianyang to take refuge until the people of the world are completed. , Longji and other armies of King Qin from all directions have returned to regain Chang'an. You are all our good ministers of the Tang Dynasty. If you stay in Chang'an, I am worried that you will be harmed by the Sui army, so you will follow me to take refuge north this time!"
Dugu Zhen, Pei Ji, Dou Kang, Chen Shuda and other important ministers immediately raised their hands and said: "Your Majesty's holy grace, I am afraid that I will not be able to repay it, even if my body is broken into pieces, I can't repay it!"
Li Yuan stroked his beard proudly and said with a smile: "My dear friends, although the Sui army has the upper hand for the moment, I believe that with your great help, my great army of the Tang Dynasty will be able to defeat the Sui army and dominate the world in the near future. , I will definitely not treat you badly when the time comes."
Pei Ji, Dugu Zhen, Dou Kang and others are all old foxes who have been in the officialdom for a long time. Naturally, they understand that Li Yuan is doing this now to encourage the ministers and unite their hearts, so as to prevent these courtiers from losing confidence in the Tang Dynasty in adversity. Immediately they all raised their hands and complimented: "Your Majesty is wise, the Tang Dynasty will definitely win!"
But at this time, some uninterested ministers came out to disturb the scenery. I saw a minister in purple robe suddenly squeezed out from the center of the queue. He knelt on the ground and sobbed: "Your Majesty, it's not that the humble minister is disloyal, but the fact is that my mother is old at home." , I am really worried!"
Li Yuan raised his eyes and looked up. The man who spoke was named Zhao Cheng. He was a minister of the Ministry of Civil Affairs and was a well-known filial son in Chang'an.
Li Yuan suppressed his displeasure and said with a smile: "Zhao Aiqing, I know you are a filial son. But don't worry, the Sui army's capture of Chang'an this time is just to take advantage of the surprise attack. I estimate that I can do it within a month." Recover Chang'an. In addition, I will send two close guards to take care of your old mother. You are my wise minister of the Tang Dynasty. If you stay in Chang'an, you will be poisoned by the Sui army, but those little people will not fall into the eyes of the Sui army."
"Thank you, Your Majesty, for your kindness!"
Zhao Cheng first kowtowed and thanked him. Just when Li Yuan thought he had been convinced, Zhao Cheng continued to speak: "It's just that Wei Chen lost his father when he was young. It was his mother who raised Wei Chen alone. Wei Chen really couldn't bear to be with his mother. Separated, I wish to stay in Chang'an and live and die with my old mother!"
Zhao Cheng's words could not help but arouse the thoughts and worries of the civil and military officials of the Manchu Dynasty for their families. Soon after he finished speaking, several ministers came out. Some said they could not withstand the bumpy and tiring journey, or they said they were unwilling to leave their homeland. They used various reasons to request Li Yuan to let them stay in Chang'an.
Li Yuan couldn't help but darken his face when he saw this. He secretly thought that if he continued to go unchecked, most of the civil and military forces in the court would be dispersed later, so he secretly winked at Pei Ji.
Pei Ji understood and immediately strode out, pointed at Zhao Cheng and shouted: "Zhao Cheng, Your Majesty has promised you to send someone to take care of your old mother, why are you still resisting? What is your intention? Are you doubting Your Majesty?"
"Prime Minister Pei, you are in a despicable position... You are in a despicable position..." Zhao Cheng was an honest man. He was shocked to be shouted at by the current prime minister. He was speechless for a moment, not knowing what to say.
"Oh, I remembered!"
Pei Ji suddenly looked like he had realized something, pointed at Zhao Cheng and sneered: "I heard that your cousin is now the censor Zhongcheng of Jiangdu, and you brothers have a close correspondence with each other. I think you stayed in Chang'an to take care of your mother. It’s fake, taking the opportunity to defect to the Sui army is the real thing!”
"What?"
Li Yuan suddenly looked shocked when he heard this, looked at Zhao Cheng and said, "Zhao Aiqing, is what Prime Minister Pei said true?"
Zhao Cheng's expression changed greatly, and he hurriedly defended: "Your Majesty, my cousin is indeed serving as an official in Jiangdu, and I did have some correspondence with him, but what he said was just some family matters. If your Majesty doesn't believe it, you can go to my house to get it. letter."
Pei Ji's voice sounded coldly from the side: "Master Zhao has really made a good plan. Your home in Huaiyuanfang has been occupied by the Sui army for a long time. How can your majesty go to your home to get the letter? To say the least, even if we can get it Letter, I’m afraid the Sui army has already entered Hanyuan Palace by that time!”
"Your Majesty, I thought that Zhao Cheng's rebellious intentions were revealed, but now he is just struggling to delay it. Your Majesty must not be merciful at this moment!"
Dugu Zhen was just next to Pei Ji. He could clearly see the scene of Li Yuan winking at Pei Ji. The old fox immediately understood that Li Yuan was planning to kill Zhao Cheng to frighten other courtiers who tried to stay in Chang'an. When Pei Ji finished speaking, he immediately echoed.
Li Yuan glanced at Dugu Zhen meaningfully, with an imperceptible sneer at the corner of his mouth, and said: "What Dugu Aiqing said is absolutely true. Come, drag Zhao Cheng out and behead him in public!"
"Your Majesty, I am wronged, I am wronged!"
Zhao Cheng was so frightened that his face turned pale, and he knelt on the ground and kowtowed repeatedly, wailing. But Li Yuan remained unmoved. He raised his hand and waved towards the guards, who immediately dragged Zhao Cheng out.
Not long after, Zhao Cheng's voice disappeared. Li Yuan coldly glanced at the officials who were still kneeling in the hall and asked to stay in Chang'an, and squeezed out a smile: "My dear friends, you are all my right-hand men, and the Tang Dynasty cannot live without you. If you are worried I will send someone to take care of my family, but you’d better follow me north to Xianyang.”
