In the Sui Dynasty, there was only one big city that could accommodate a million people: Daxing City. After more than 20 years of active absorption, Daxing City had a population of more than 600,000. But even so, south of "Yanxingmen-Yanpingmen Street" The forty-nine squares are still sparsely populated and the land is barren, which shows the vastness of Daxing City.
The people of Daxing City mainly live in the 60th square north of "Yanxingmen-Yanpingmen Street", among which Chongrenfang has the largest population.
The area of Chongrenfang is twice that of Pingkangfang. The northwest corner is Daxing Palace Jingfengmen Street, the southeast corner is Dongshi, and the south is across the street from Pingkangfang. It has the advantages of large territory and good terrain. Many states have entered the city. The Imperial Academy (Office in Beijing) is located in this square. Officials from various states who go to Beijing on official business and reserve officials from various states often hold banquets and entertain guests in the restaurants in the square. At night, Chongrenfang becomes a lively place second only to Pingkangfang. .
The residences of Wuling County Governor Zhou and Taifu Shaoqing Yuanshou are both in Chongrenfang. Both of them are from the royal family of the Wei Dynasty. Although they were severely suppressed during the Northern Zhou Dynasty, Yang Jian was reused successively after the Sui Dynasty, when he replaced Zhou Jian. Yuan Zhou was involved in too many internal disputes within the royal family. For his own selfish purposes, he first took advantage of Yi Chu's opportunity to get rid of the head of the family, Yuan Min, who supported Yang Yong. Then he played both sides between Yang Guang and Yang Xiu. When Yang Xiu was convicted, Yuan Zhou Zhou was stripped of his official title and has kept a low profile since then, focusing on running family affairs.
At this time, in the study room in the back hall of Yuanzhou Mansion, Yuanzhou and Dugu Shunzheng were secretly negotiating with an old man.
Dugu Shun said: "Yang Jian is the representative elected by the various gatekeepers in Guanlong. As long as he does not offend our interests, we don't mind him representing Zhou Li Sui. But unfortunately, the Yang Jian we chose is a white-eyed wolf. He Within a few years of taking office, he deprived our Guanlong nobles of their military power, deposed our chosen prince Yang Yong, and eliminated Yu Zeqing, Wang Shiji, Yuan Min and others in the long process of Yi Chu. Gao Jun, He Ruobi, Yuan Zhou and others have also been expelled. This is especially true for Yang Jian, who we support. If Yang Guang, who has always been hostile to us, ascends the throne, our situation will be a hundred times more difficult. If we continue to intrigue and act on our own, then the next one will die. Maybe it’s our Dugu family, maybe it’s the Yuan family, or maybe it’s the Dou family, the Li family, the Hou Mochen family, the Yu family, the Doulu family, the Yuwen family…”
The reason why the Guanlong nobles were powerful was that they were on an equal footing with Yuwentai from the beginning. Otherwise, how could Yuwentai, who was less than thirty years old at the time, be able to command them?
Yuwentai's government army system, to put it bluntly, is to restore the tribal system of the army before the reform of Emperor Xiaowen of the Northern Wei Dynasty, to reorganize the military power that gradually returned to the central government, and to gain the support of the leaders of each "department" through the compromise of military autonomy. However, when Yuwen Hu was in power and Zhou Wu and Yuwen Yong were emperors, they were purging the Guanlong nobles and trying to nationalize the military power scattered in various "ministries". As a result, after the two men died, the leaders of the "ministries" pushed Yang Jian to overthrow Yuwen The name of the country also changed from Zhou to Sui.
It's just that Yang Jian started higher than Yuwen and his son, and was more courageous. It only took a few years to nationalize the military power. However, this is just an appearance. Just look at the surnames of the generals and local military attachés to know the leadership. Most of the senior and mid-level generals of the Sui Dynasty army were members of the Guanlong nobles. In addition to them, the descendants of their own clan, as well as the people they won over through marriage, cultivation, support and other means, are all over the army.
But despite this, they still couldn't do anything to Yang Jian.
First of all, there are many factions within the Guanlong nobles. For the sake of their own interests, they are all willing to follow Yang Jianjian to eliminate other factions; more importantly, Yang Jian had already mastered the military and political power of the country before he succeeded Zhou Dynasty. Just look at how quickly he dealt with Yuchi Jiong. , is enough to prove that he has the capital to rule the roost. If it weren't for the Weiping Chen Dynasty in the south and the invasion of Turks in the north, the Guanlong nobles would have been wiped out by him in the Yuchijong case. How could they be given back to them? Opportunity to grow?
However, Dugu Shun knew that during Yang Jian's time, their Guanlong nobles could survive and grow with the help of the powerful Turkic Khanate, but Yang Guang had no major external threats. Once he inherited the strong national power accumulated by Yang Jian, he would be able to do so without any worries. By rectifying the internal conflicts, it will be the end of the Guanlong nobles.
"But I don't know what Dugu Gong and Yuan Gong have planned?" The old man Qingqu who was sitting in the second seat coughed slightly: "Since I participate in this gathering, I also show Dou's sincerity to advance and retreat with everyone. For Dugu I have no objection to the public opinion."
This old man's name was Dou Yi, the fifth son of Dou Chi, the third ancestor of the Dou family, and the leader of the Dou sect among the three sects of Guanlong nobles. Their sect flourished during the Sui Dynasty, so they were ostracized by the Dugu sect and Yuan sect for a long time. He had met with Dugu Shun yesterday, and he agreed with the Guanlong nobles working together, because he also saw the crisis of the Guanlong nobles, and knew that only by staying together for warmth could he compete with the emperor who owned the entire world.
"With Yang Guang's strong support from above and the efforts of Yang Su, Su Wei and others below, his position has been difficult to shake, and there is little hope that Prince Yong will make a comeback. But Yang Jian forgot that Yang Yong became the The prince of the past twenty years has won the support of the court ministers and our Guanlong nobles. He is the next generation king whom everyone expects. Although he himself, Gao Jun, He Ruobi and others were deposed, this strong power is still there, as long as he is in power. At a critical moment, when someone ascends the throne, these forces will return spontaneously, either for fame, profit, or survival. On the other hand, Yang Guang'er, who has been in Yangzhou for nearly ten years, has power including the southern nobles and part of the army, but the power of the court is very Weak; once Yang Jian is gone, it will be difficult for Yang Guang, who lacks prestige, to control the entire world in a short period of time, and the world of the Sui Dynasty will also fall into a chaotic period of alternation between the old and the new, and this is our opportunity."
Dugu Shun said slowly: "The King of Qin Yang Jun has passed away, and the King of Shu Yang Xiu has been deposed, but there is still Yang Liang, the general manager of Bingzhou who is in charge of the military of the twenty-four states. This son sent civilian labor to repair the city in the name of defending against Turks. , forged a large number of weapons and stored them in the Bingzhou Fortress, and recruited tens of thousands of desperadoes and stateless slaves. It was obvious that he had a rebellion plan. If we, on behalf of the Guanlong nobles who were in close conflict with the imperial court, pushed him, they would definitely rise up against Yang Guang. , with him attracting Yang Guang's army in the east, we can push Prince Yang Yong to the throne in the empty Guanzhong... The fight between the three Yang brothers is also a God-given opportunity for us to be glorious again, as long as we have the power to surpass the royal family Military power and authority, then we have the final say as to who will be the master in this world."
Dou Yi frowned and said, "Isn't Mr. Dugu afraid of another Yang Jian?"
"So we need a fool emperor who is mediocre, powerless and powerless. Such a person will rely on us even more." Dugu Shun said his plan: "As long as you have the strength to spread all over the world, let alone the Shandong gentry and the southern gentry need it. Living on our charity means that we have the final say on who the emperor is and what his surname is. And we Guanlong nobles are at the height of being kings without being kings."
Dou Yi thought for a while and asked with a half-serious smile: "Don't you want the Dugu family to become a royal family?"
"I don't want to." Dugu Shun shook his head and explained: "There are no thousand-year dynasties, only thousand-year aristocratic families. The Yuan family, Lanling Xiao family, and Bohai Gao family who dominated the world in the late Han Dynasty declined because they directly participated in the fight for the world; The Yuan family was almost wiped out due to imperial power, and Yuwentai's family was even killed. On the other hand, Fan Yanglu, Boling Cui, Qinghe Cui, Xingyang Zheng, Taiyuan Wang, Zhaojun Li, Longxi Li and other noble families have passed down the inheritance for thousands of years. They will always enjoy a high reputation among the scholars. No matter what the emperor's surname is, they will always have a transcendent and superior status. Such a family is what the Dugu family pursues."
When Yuan Zhou saw Dou Yi looking at him, he also smiled and said: "Just as Dugu Gong said, the Yuan family who has suffered a big loss is ready to live behind the scenes of the world."
"Dugu Gong and Yuan Gong are so frank, I, Mr. Dou, have nothing to say." Dou Yi said with a smile: "Then let's start from now on and work together to realize the truth as soon as possible."
Yuan Zhou smiled and said: "Dou Gong speaks quickly."
Dou Yi sighed, "I hope this day comes soon!"
"It won't be too late." Dugu Shun looked at the hourglass, then stood up and said, "I have to go to He Ruo Mansion to visit Mr. He Ruo. If the two brothers are fine, we will discuss it in depth. If there are any good ideas , let’s discuss it in detail together.”
"That's fine!"
"Please, Mr. Dugu."
"Farewell!" Dugu Shun bowed to the two of them and walked out quickly. His carriage was parked in the courtyard of the back house of Yuan Mansion. When the carriage driver saw him arriving, he quickly put down the pedals and left through the side door after he had boarded the carriage and sat down.
Dugu Shun leaned on the backrest and sighed softly. On the last question, Yuan Zhou was a little insincere. Apparently he had not forgotten the glory of the Yuan family in the past, and the Yuan family had certain power in Longxi and Youzhou. I'm afraid Are you still dreaming of rebelling against the Sui Dynasty and the Wei Dynasty?
The return of military power to the central government was the first initiative initiated by Emperor Xiaowen of the Northern Wei Dynasty, which led to the Heyin Revolution. The Guanlong nobles were the product of the Yuwen family's attempt to evade the Yuan family and oppose the Yuan family. The subsequent cooperation will not only be difficult, but will even cause serious divisions within the Guanlong nobles. Maybe I can have a detailed discussion with Dou Yi on this issue some other day. If the two factions join forces, they may be able to dispel Yuan's unwanted dreams.
The carriage entered Pingkangfang and slowly stopped in front of He Ruobi's mansion. At this time, He Ruobi's third son, He Ruohuaide, ran over wearing a commoner suit and welcomed Dugu Shun out of the carriage.
Dugu got off the carriage and found that the general of He Ruo Mansion was taking off the gold plaque depicting "Song Guogong Mansion" and hanging a black plaque with "He Ruo Mansion" written on it. The halberd in front of the door was also missing. , apparently the weapons supervisor took it back.
"Have the halberds been recovered?" Dugu Shun asked sadly.
"Exactly!" He Ruohuaide smiled bitterly and said: "With the imperial edict to depose my father, the weapons supervisor took away the halberd. Of course, this 'Song Guogong' cannot be used."
"As long as people are still there, there is a chance to make a comeback." Dugu Shun also participated in today's morning meeting. He was speechless at He Ruobi's extreme. This man is almost sixty years old, why didn't he wink at all? If I had admitted my mistake at that time, how could I have ended up like this?
it's good now.
Not only could they not bring down Yang Ji, but they also brought the He Ruo family into it. Why bother?
