Under Yang Yuhuan's strong insistence, Yang Guozhong had no choice but to reluctantly put away the three hundred taels of gold in his hand, walked out of the mansion and went straight to the palace.
At this moment, in the Luoyang Palace, Yang Gao was receiving the newly appointed commander of the Jinyi Guards, Jia Xu.
Jia Xu, an old poisoner, was indeed the best at protecting himself during the Three Kingdoms period. If it were someone else who had been entrusted with such an important task by the emperor as the commander of the royal guards when he first arrived, he would have shed tears of gratitude and thanked the saint for his grace.
However, Jia Xu was as calm as usual, and just said a faint thank you for your Majesty's attention. This calmness, this calmness, this honor and disgrace, even Yang Gao, who has been a man for two generations and has been an emperor for many years, secretly admires him.
At this moment, a guard came to the door to report that Yang Guozhong was outside and asked to see him, saying that he had something urgent to report.
Hearing this, Yang Gao raised his head and glanced at Jia Xu in front of him, and asked in a deep voice: "Jia Aiqing, what do you think of Yang Guozhong?"
Jia Xu narrowed his eyes slightly and said unhurriedly: "This person has mediocre intelligence and mediocre abilities. He is good at opportunism, flatters people, and is sneaky and sneaky. He is unlikely to be of great use!"
Yang Gao smiled slightly and said, "You mean to tell me not to use him."
"No!"
Jia Xu shook his head slightly: "My intention is that your Majesty will not only use him, but also give him a high official and generous salary, and put him to good use."
Yang Gao raised his eyebrows slightly: "Oh? Why is this?"
"Your Majesty, does your Majesty know what is the foundation of a family that has been passed down for hundreds or even thousands of years?" Jia Xu did not directly answer Yang Gao's question, but instead asked Yang Gao another question.
"What do Jia Qing think?" Yang Gao smiled slightly and asked Jia Xu.
"Wei Chen believes that the foundation of a family that has endured for thousands of years is its character. It will never succumb to imperial power. It can bow its head and obey in the face of general trends, but it will never willingly become a tool in the hands of the emperor."
Jia Xu raised his head and glanced at Yang Gao, and when Yang Gao nodded slightly, he continued: "Yang Guozhong does have many shortcomings, but because of this, His Majesty can easily control this person.
Wei Chen suggested that your majesty should reuse this person, slowly build up his position in the Hongnong Yang family, and let him replace the head of the Hongnong Yang family. If the Hongnong Yang family had this person as their head, they would be gone in less than ten years! "
"Hahaha, Jia Aiqing, I really saw you right!"
Yang Gao laughed loudly and said, "Let Yang Guozhong enter the palace!"
Yang Guozhong walked into the hall under the guidance of the guards, took two steps forward, knelt down in the tunnel and said: "My humble minister Yang Guozhong is here to see your majesty. I wish your majesty good health and long live long live!"
Yang Gao smiled slightly, waved his hand in the air and said: "Yang Aiqing, please go down without courtesy!"
"Thank you, Your Majesty!"
Yang Guozhong stood up slowly, cupped his hands and said, "Your Majesty, I have an important matter to report to Your Majesty when I seek to see you this time. This matter is of great importance, so I urgently seek to see Your Majesty!"
"What's the big deal? Come here quickly, don't make it so mysterious?"
Yang Gao frowned, not satisfied with Yang Guozhong's sudden presentation.
Seeing that Yang Gao was a little impatient, Yang Guozhong didn't dare to sell things anymore, so he quickly explained everything about Fan Jun coming to bribe him and asking him to help spy on Changsun Wugu.
"Your Majesty, please see, this is the three hundred taels of gold that Fan Jun gave me. I dare not keep it privately, but I would like to give it all to the court to fill the national treasury."
Yang Gao was quite surprised after hearing what Yang Guozhong said. He thought to himself that Yang Guozhong was famous for being greedy and lustful in history. How could he resist the temptation of the Tang Dynasty spies this time?
After a pause, he nodded and said: "It's rare for you, Yang Aiqing, to understand the righteousness of justice. If you can crack the Tang Dynasty intelligence network in Luoyang City in one fell swoop this time, I will remember you for your first contribution!"
Upon hearing this, Yang Guozhong immediately lowered his head and said in a deep voice: "Your Majesty, I don't dare to deceive you. In fact, I was almost deceived by the Tang Dynasty spy. It was my sister who dissuaded me in time and stopped at the brink. Your Majesty, if you want to record the merits. , let’s put this merit on my little sister’s head!”
"How could Yang Guozhong resist the temptation? It turns out that Concubine Yang has a long-term vision!"
Only then did Yang Gao suddenly realize. He lowered his head and glanced at Yang Guozhong, and said with a smile: "That's only if Yang Aiqing is willing to listen. Just take these golds back and treat them as a reward from me."
After a pause, Yang Gao said calmly: "My sister understands the righteousness so well. I really want to meet her. You can take her to the palace with you someday!"
Yang Guozhong was overjoyed when he heard this. These days, he has been arranging joints in the palace in the hope of bringing Yang Yuhuan to Yang Gao. He believed that with Yang Yuhuan's beauty, as long as Yang Gao could see her, entering the palace would be a sure thing.
Unexpectedly, what he had spent so much money to do over the past few days but failed to do was actually accomplished so easily today, and the three hundred taels of gold that he originally planned to hand over were returned to his hands. While Yang Guozhong was proud, he also secretly admired Yang Yuhuan's foresight.
After Yang Guozhong left happily, Yang Gao turned to look at Jia Xu, who had been silent since just now, and asked in a deep voice: "Jia Qing, what do you think of this?"
Jia Xu said slowly: "Your Majesty, I suggest that your Majesty hold your troops temporarily and wait until the assassins sent by Li Shimin take action before closing the net!"
"assassin?"
Yang Gao's expression changed slightly: "Why are you so sure that Li Shimin sent people to kill the eldest grandson Wugou, rather than to save their mother and son?"
Jia Xu said calmly: "Changsun Wugu is a weak woman, and Li Chengqian is a three-year-old child. No one can send them out of Luoyang City where there are heavy troops."
Yang Gao nodded slowly and continued to ask: "Then why do you want me to wait until the assassin takes action before closing the net?"
Jia Xu raised his head and glanced at Yang Gao, still saying calmly: "What do you think of Li Shimin, Your Majesty?"
Yang Gao was silent for a moment, then slowly said: "This man's culture, Taoism and military skills are rare to see in a hundred years. Frankly speaking, I am not as good as him!"
Jia Xu nodded slowly, being able to face the gap between himself and his opponent head-on. This is the magnanimity a leader should have: "Li Shimin is far more talented than his brother Li Jiancheng and his father Li Yuan. If this person is allowed to take charge of the puppet Tang Dynasty, , is definitely not my blessing in the Sui Dynasty.
Li Shimin sent assassins to kill his first wife this time because he was afraid that his eldest grandson Wugu would be unfaithful and harm his face. Your Majesty's preemptive strike can, on the one hand, make the eldest grandson Wugou hate Li Shimin, and on the other hand, by capturing the assassin, he can reveal to the world the true face of Li Shimin who did not hesitate to kill his wife and son for the sake of the throne, making him despised by the world! "
After hearing the words, Yang Gao pondered for a long time, nodded slowly and said: "What Jia Qing said is very good. I will order Yang Guozhong to reveal the residence of Changsun Wugou to the spy of the pseudo-Tang Dynasty!"
Jia Xu cupped his hands and said, "Your Majesty is wise!"
. . . . . . . . . .
That night, Wang Yue led assassins to raid Changsun Wugou's residence. His son Li Chengqian was killed on the spot. Changsun Wugou was lucky enough to escape with his life because of the timely rescue by the patrol force. Except for Wang Yue who fought his way out of the siege, most of the Tang Dynasty assassins were killed, and the rest were all captured.
