Jiangling, Jingzhou, Huanfu.
Jingzhou Governor Zhang Wei hurriedly walked into the mansion and turned into the study in the backyard. At this time, Jingzhou Governor Huan Shimin was sweating on his forehead, staring anxiously at a large sheepskin map, and kept scratching on the map with his fingers. What are you wearing?
Huan Shimin sometimes frowned, sometimes shook his head and sighed.
"Lord, this is an official letter from Xiangyang, an urgent official document from the magistrates of twelve counties."
Zhang Wei handed the official letter to Huan Shimin, who snatched it away and glanced at it roughly, the look of sadness on his face became even stronger.
"Cough cough cough..."
"Food is in urgent need in Jingzhou, and a large number of refugees are gathering and pouring into Jiangling City. Rumors are spreading in Jingfang, the county town, all saying that the national war on the northern border has led to domestic militarization and food shortages. As a result, people and gods are angry, and it has caused the anger of heaven and earth."
The eyes of Huan Shiqian, the governor of Yuzhou on the side, became colder and colder, and he continued: "What's even more annoying is that there are some rumors that point out that Sima has poor moral character and is not worthy of being the lord of the world!"
Huan Shiqian implied that these messages were spread by Xu Zongwen and his people in Beijing in order to replace Sima.
Upon hearing this, Zhang Wei stood tremblingly, not daring to breathe.
"Brother, be careful!" Huan Shimin panted, already out of breath.
The people of Huanshi have been bedridden since last winter. They thought that after surviving the seventeenth year of Taiyuan, they would be able to turn disaster into good fortune, but they did not expect that it was already spring and the disease would become more serious!
Huan Shiqian remained the same as before, he sneered and said: "Don't you know? Xu Xiao is self-respecting and domineering. In Jiankang, he executed his uncle Wang Gong with a prison sentence, and also killed Yin Zhongkan and Xun Chong and others, isn’t this to eliminate dissidents and cultivate party members?”
"Impossible!" Huan Shimin's face turned pale. "The Grand Sima is a minister entrusted by the late emperor, and he is ordered to assist in government. He will never support his own troops, kill innocent people indiscriminately, let alone have two ambitions to rebel!"
"Third brother, you are still too soft-hearted. Don't look at Xu Xiao's respect for our Huan clan and his kindness and power. It's all because we have 50,000 Xifu soldiers and control Jingzhou." Huan Shi Qian left. As he approached the couch, he leaned forward and said to his younger brother, "Twenty years ago, Xu Xiao was already doing what my uncle wanted to do."
Twenty years ago, everyone knew that the great Sima Huanwen wanted the Jin court to grant the gift of Jiuxi in order to replace him, usurp the throne and found a country, and realize his dream of imperial hegemony!
Huan Shi Qian looked at the people of Huantai: "Xu Xiao married the daughter of the Huan family of our Qiao Kingdom, and the Xu family of Donghai married the Wang family of Langya and the Xie family of Chen County. All these were done by the Xu family in order to take over the Sima family. Do it instead.”
Huan Shimin's face turned pale, and he was already breathing in but not out. Sometimes his eyes were hesitant, sometimes his eyes were wandering, and finally his thousands of words were reduced to eight words: "My brother should be the leader of the Huan family."
In less than a moment, Huan Shimin, the third generation head of the Huan family, passed away.
Huan Shiqian did not take Huan Shimin's memorial recommending him as the successor to the Huan family and the governor of Jingzhou too seriously. In his eyes, the Jiankang court was controlled by Xu Zongwen alone. What he wants is not just to inherit everything from the Huan family, what he wants to do is to replace him and complete the unfinished work of his uncle Huan Wen!
On the second day after Huan Shimin died of illness, Huan Shiqian proclaimed himself the governor of Jingzhou and general in the expedition to the west. He also declared Xu Xiao, the commander-in-chief, a traitor, and angrily denounced his crimes of putting the emperor in his hands and holding hundreds of officials hostage, as well as killing and punishing ministers at will. He came up with a fake edict and claimed to be ordered by the Queen Mother to send troops to fight against thieves and eliminate the unfaithful officials!
On March 3, Huan Shiqian ordered Jingzhou troops and horses to gather in Jiangling. On the fourth day of the next day at noon, he led 30,000 naval troops to go south along the Yangtze River to attack Jiangzhou Wuchang. Taking advantage of Huan Yi's entry into the country, Jiangzhou had no owner and captured Jiangzhou in one fell swoop. Jiankang!
Less than half a month after Huan Shiqian led 30,000 Jingzhou Xifu soldiers southward along the Yangtze River to attack Jiankang, a mutiny broke out in Jiankang City with the intention of attacking Taicheng and kidnapping the emperor to flee...
"How brave!"
"You dare to collude with Jingzhou and conspire with the rebel Huan Shi. It seems that Gu is too kind!"
Xu Zongwen was holding a blood-stained sword, his long beard was trembling with anger, and his face was filled with a strange flush.
At Xu Zongwen's feet, a chamberlain fell to the ground, with a huge wound on his neck and blood gushing out.
Several generals and officials were lying on the ground with pale faces.
The perimeter of Chongxun Palace was filled with sergeants from the Imperial Guards in bright armor, each with their long swords unsheathed and filled with murderous intent.
The Jinyi guards worked in pairs, glaring blades pressed tightly against the criminal's neck.
A large group of people were kneeling next to him, including noble officials with high status and many junior generals.
All of them were pale and unconscious.
The Jiankang epidemic reappeared after six years. Unfortunately, Empress Dowager Chen fell ill and was bedridden for many days. She heard that Huan Shiqian had raised an army in Jingzhou to openly rebel against the imperial court. There were thieves in the palace who were colluding with Huan Fan. She took away all the military power in Beijing. It should be handed over to Xu Zongwen for control, and Xu Zongwen was ordered to mobilize the Northern Expedition troops to go south to serve the king for a complete plan.
"My lord! My lord, something bad is going to happen! Someone in Xuzhou is rebelling..."
Xu Zongwen wiped the blood from the long knife in his hand and said calmly: "It's just that some people who oppose us took the opportunity to cause trouble when they saw the Huan family rising up against me! As long as we can defeat the Xifu soldiers, those people have nothing to fear."
Guo Shang calmed down and took the long knife handed over by Xu Zongwen: "My lord is right. How do you plan to deal with these thieves in the palace who secretly communicate with the Huan family?"
"Announce his crime, behead him in public, kill the chicken to scare the monkeys, and serve as a warning to others."
"promise!"
The two principals and ministers left the palace one after another. Xu Zongwen did not ride a horse or chariot on the way to Da Sima Gate, but simply walked.
"I knew this day would happen when the news came from Jinyiwei that Huantai people were seriously ill in December!"
Xu Zongwen laughed, seeming to be laughing at himself and feeling emotional.
"I just didn't expect it to come so quickly. I didn't expect Huan Shiqian to be so bold and move so quickly, so eager to take my place."
"I never thought that there are people in the court and palace who are cooperating with Huan Shiqian and want to kill me!"
Since Huan Shimin became seriously ill, he has never stopped submitting memorials to the court recommending Huan Shiqian as his successor as the governor of Jingzhou.
Fortunately, he had already prepared for this!
"My lord, Duke Nanjun has rushed back to Jiankang from Shixing. Do you want to meet him?" Guo Shang was half a step behind Xu Zongwen.
When Xu Zongwen heard this person, he suddenly stopped and said, "Well! Why didn't I know when he arrived in Jiankang?"
Guo Shang smiled faintly: "After receiving the letter from the lord, he came all night long and arrived yesterday. The lord was busy dealing with trivial matters, so Pang Bai did not inform him."
The so-called trivial matters naturally refer to the matters in Chongxun Palace just now.
"It's better to choose a different day and let him come to the house tonight." Xu Zongwen patted his head and reacted. He said as he walked: "In the end, this matter is still a family matter of their Huan family. If we can make our soldiers' It’s best to keep casualties to a minimum, otherwise we will have no choice but to fight to the death!”
Although he had made arrangements in advance, the only troops that Xu Zongwen could effectively control near Jiankang were Liu Yu's troops stationed in Stone City and Zhang Songzhi's 20,000 palace forbidden troops. The total of these did not exceed 30,000.
According to yesterday’s battle report, Xifu soldiers have captured Xunyang!
When Xu Zongwen left Taicheng, he stopped to look at the city tower from a distance. He frowned and sighed: "The trees want to be quiet but the wind doesn't stop!"
