"Mr. Sir, I'm a little scared." In the carriage, Xiao Ying nestled softly in Yang Ji's arms, enjoying the comfort and safety brought by the spacious embrace; listening to the strong heartbeat, she felt the hearts and minds of the two of them. The souls were completely integrated at this moment. Xiao Ying's beautiful eyes under Liuye's slender eyebrows closed silently, her eyelashes drooped, and her little mouth suddenly said something.
"Is it because of the power scene in the capital?" Yang Ji gently sniffed the fragrance coming from his hair and asked with a smile.
"Yes!" Xiao Ying sat upright and said seriously: "When Lang Jun was in Liangzhou, no matter what enemies or difficulties he encountered, he had a way to solve them. But it is different now. The enemy now is no longer Ming Ming. The enemies with swords and guns are so mixed among our own people that no one can tell them apart."
Although she successfully comforted her husband and made a sound analysis, she is a well-informed woman after all, and knows that many things are not based on human will, and they will change with the changes of the current situation; and her husband is just behind the scenery. If you are not careful, the ship will be destroyed and people will be killed.
"When things have reached this point, we can no longer turn back. We can only sail against the current. Once we retreat, strong winds and waves will knock us over." Yang Ji looked at his wife, with a glint in his eyes, and said in a deep voice: "We The pressure we face may be much greater than before. But we also have the hopes of countless people. It is no exaggeration to say that if we irresponsibly quit, ordinary people may not have much, but the subordinates who follow us will It will definitely not end well. If these wings are lost, the big tree in the palace will be uprooted."
He can understand Xiao Ying's worries, and Xiao Ying's worries are nothing more than "the trees that are beautiful in the forest will be destroyed by the wind."
"The trees that are beautiful in the forest will be destroyed by the wind." This sentence warns people not to be too sharp. If a person has talents that others cannot match, he will always be arrogant and superior to others. He will definitely be attacked by everyone, for example, He Ruobi, although he is talented, he is arrogant and arrogant, speaks radically, and speaks openly. As a result, no one in the civil and military circles in the dynasty wants to have a close relationship with him, and there are only a few people who truly believe in him. The so-called great master of mathematics, Wang Xiaotong, believed that he was unprecedented and unprecedented, and he constantly belittled his predecessors, looked down upon his peers, and despised younger students. So when they were tricked by Yang Ji, no one spoke for them.
But if the "big tree that stands out in the forest" can gather other "trees" into a forest and benefit all "trees", even the strong wind in the desert will not be able to destroy it. This is also the lesson Yang Ji learned from He Ruobi.
Xiao Ying nodded silently and was about to say something when the driver arrived in front of the palace.
After getting off the car, Yang Hao also woke up. Yang Ji carried him into the mansion, teased him for a while, and then handed him over to Xiao Ying. When handing his son over to his wife, Yang Ji saw his son screaming with open hands and a very clear look of reluctance in his clear eyes, as if he still wanted to play with his father.
Yang Ji patted his back, comforted his "irritable" son, and let his wife take him away. Looking at the backs of mother and son leaving, Yang Ji's reluctant eyes were soon replaced by strong eyes. He can't give up no matter how hard he wants to.
From the day he left Liangzhou, he became more than just a man. Mother, wife, son and family are no longer everything in his life. After watching his wife and children leave, he walked to the study outside the front hall.
"See you, Your Majesty!" Murong Sanzang, Li Jing, Xue Ju, Yu Chigong, Li Daliang, Song Zhengben, Ling Jing, Wei Zheng, Hao Yuan, Zhu Can, Zong Luohu, Shen Faxing and others have been notified in advance and are waiting in the study. Yang Ji, seeing him coming, stood up and saluted.
"No gifts!" Yang Ji sat down and waited for everyone to take their seats. He looked at everyone apologetically and said, "I wanted everyone to spend the New Year in the capital, but unexpectedly the imperial court transferred eleven generals from Liangzhou, which made many There is a vacancy in the confrontation node. As expected, the armies in these places will be uncomfortable for a while due to the transfer of the generals. In order to prevent Tuyuhun from launching an offensive, those with official positions must return to Liangzhou as soon as possible to take charge."
Devour
"Follow your orders!" Murong Sanzang was the Liangzhou Army Cao, and Liangzhou Sima Yinshishi became an official in the center. The Sima he resigned was taken over by Li Jing, so after the big mobilization, the burden of the Liangzhou Army mainly fell on them. On the body. Xue Ju, Yu Chigong, and Li Daliang also have military posts, and they must return to their bases as soon as possible.
The five people knew that the burden on their shoulders was heavy. After hearing the words, they stood up and accepted the order.
Yang Ji looked at his staff and said: "Mr. Song, Xuancheng, Luo Hu, the three of you will also return to Liangzhou together with Murong Bingcao, Li Sima and others, and continue to handle Liangzhou's government affairs on my behalf. If there is anything If something is difficult to decide, send me a quick message. Fa Xing, you should also go over and learn and get familiar with Mr. Song and the others."
"Here!" The four of them stood up and responded.
After Yang Ji finished making arrangements, Murong Sanzang glanced at Yang Ji worriedly, raised his hands and asked, "Your Majesty, I wonder when you will go back? The Xiaoguo Army will not affect you, right?"
Upon hearing this, Li Jing and others also looked at Yang Ji. They had been in Luoyang for so long and heard some rumors. Not only were they worried about Yang Ji's situation, but they also felt the unusual atmosphere permeating the capital.
They have followed Yang Ji for so many years and are Yang Ji's confidants. Not only do they know the irreconcilable conflicts between the royal family and the Guanlong nobles, they also know that the Guanlong Group has great influence in the Sui army, and the military power is still The foundation of the Guanlong Group, no matter who wants to seize its military power, is tantamount to fighting them to the death.
The Guanlong nobles could tolerate the emperor taking away their lands, wealth, and even political status, but they would never allow the military power they relied on to survive to be touched!
However, in less than a year, the emperor first carried out drastic civilian reforms to the Beijing army in Guanzhong, and made a series of changes to the generals of the 14th Battalion. In a rage, he beheaded all the prisoners such as Wang Sheng, Liang Hong, Wang Shilang and others. Generals of the Fourteenth Army such as Doulu Kuan were also imprisoned. Later, he killed one because of the mutiny. The heads were rolling in, making the nobles of Guanlong panic.
Even though the Guanlong nobles were dissatisfied with Yang Guang's generosity, no one dared to touch Yang Guang's bad luck when the evidence of the crime was conclusive, so Yang Guangda vigorously sorted out the Beijing soldiers thoroughly.
This is a move that conforms to people's hearts and the general trend, that's all. However, Yang Guang did not stop "resting" and hurriedly established the Xiaoguo Army.
It is true that the military power of the Sui Dynasty was in the hands of local generals and Beijing generals. The emperor and the Ministry of War had no right to check and balance other than strategic requirements. This kind of military system can indeed allow the army to respond quickly and sensitively in wartime, without delaying fighter opportunities or making mistakes in judgment. However, it also creates the hidden danger of failure to centralize military power to the central government. Once the central government fails to control local areas, it will A situation emerged in which local military power was controlled by local governments and the central government was unable to command local governments.
Once the emperor's Xiaoguo Army is established, his control over the army will reach an unprecedented peak; but at the same time, the Beijing and Fu soldiers, dominated by the Guanlong aristocrats, will be marginalized, and the Guanlong aristocratic group will have no control over the army. The influence of the government has also been weakened a lot invisibly.
But military power is the fate of the Guanlong nobles, how can they be willing to be marginalized? How could they be willing to have their military power taken away by the emperor? And Yang Ji is their leader, and he is in the midst of a storm. How can they, the subordinates, not be worried?
Facing these people, Yang Ji had nothing to hide and said, "I can leave at any time, so you don't have to worry."
Murong Sanzang was relieved when he heard that Yang Ji could take office at any time, and said to Yang Ji: "Your Majesty, the original intention of the Xiaoguo Army founded by the saint is to strengthen the imperial power. The original intention is correct, but from General Yimo's point of view, it is Too anxious."
"Yes, Your Majesty!" Li Jing also added: "The Saint's move is very clever, at least for now there is no problem. As long as the Xiaoguo Army is established, the Saint will be invincible. Next, we just need to discuss the matter. To remove those guilty generals one by one, the Guanlong nobles cannot be justified morally, and there is no way to object... It’s just that the saint seems to be a little anxious. If we press hard like this, I am worried that the Guanlong nobles will take risks. "
"If possible, I humbly suggest that the king advise the saint."
"I will." Yang Ji nodded. Xiao Ying thought he could persuade Yang Guang, Murong Sanzang and Li Jing, and he himself, of course, hoped that he could persuade Yang Guang.
But whether Yang Guang can listen or not, he can only leave it to fate.
After pondering for a long time, he said to everyone: "Here in the capital, just don't worry. After you go back, while arranging military affairs, pay close attention to Tuyuhun's movements."
"Here!" Murong Sanzang, Li Jing and others agreed, stood up and left. Zhu Can thought for a while and felt that there was no use for him here, so he stood up and said: "Your Majesty, I will see everyone off."
"Go!" Yang Ji nodded.
In an instant, only Yang Ji, Ling Jing, and Hao Yuan were left in the study.
Yang Ji frowned and thought about something, while Hao Yuan and Hao Yuan drank tea silently. For a while, the room was silent.
"You must be aware of the rumors in the capital." After a long time, Yang Ji looked up at the two most important staff, broke the silence in the study, and said: "In my opinion, these powers in Luoyang are competing against each other. It’s not the point, it’s how we respond.”
"I have heard from my humble position, and General Murong is worried because he has heard many rumors that are not good for the king." Ling Jing nodded silently and asked Yang Ji: "But I don't know what the king's plans are?"
"I can't say! Although I know that the current rumors are just rumors, no one can tell what the future will be like." Yang Ji hesitated for a long time and said: "If one day, the saint is really like the current rumors, he plans to deal with it Us, what should we do?”
After Xiao Ying's explanation, Yang Ji also felt that it was a misunderstanding, and was ready to confront Yang Guang; but judging from Yang Guang's current policies, the central power will definitely be further strengthened in the future, and the power of states and counties will also continue to increase. Shrinking, although Yang Ji has no evil intentions, some preparations must be made.
At least, he wanted to make these confidants mentally prepared so as not to be caught off guard in the future.
Ling Jing raised his head when he heard this and said to Yang Ji in a deep voice: "If this is the case, your Majesty should find a way out as soon as possible!"
"What can't be done in Luoyang?" Yang Ji asked.
"If the saint really wants to deal with the king, not only Luoyang and Guanzhong must not be attacked, but also Liangzhou." Ling Jing pondered for a long time and said: "After several years of development, Liangzhou has become the foundation of the king. Now, , the imperial decree is not as effective as the king and the state pastoral office. The saint will not know this situation. If he wants to deal with the king, he will immediately take away the king's power of Liangzhou pastoral and transfer the king back to the capital. At that time, the king can only be ordered to return to the capital."
"And Luoyang is even more unreliable. The king now seems to be in a high position, with unlimited fame, and has made friends with countless high-ranking officials. But as long as there is no chaos in the world, and as long as the saint's control over the world is not lost, then these high-ranking officials that the king knows, No one will follow the king, and no one will uphold justice for the king. Others, in order to please the saint and profit, will also attack in groups."
"To put it simply, the identity of the great king and prince is too sensitive. Except for ourselves, other profit-seeking people are completely unreliable. If the saint really wants to deal with the great king, the great king will not only have to face the officials in the court who are hiding evil intentions, but also Facing all the political enemies in the world. Even if the king wants to hide, there will be no place for him in the Sui Dynasty."
"Your Majesty, what Mr. Ling said is true!" Hao Yuan on the side bowed to Yang Ji and said in a deep voice: "Although I don't know how the king and the saint get along with each other, the saint is the emperor after all, and the emperor is after all, the country is the most important; the emperor is the most important thing. Anyone can give up for the sake of the country. And when one reaches the level of a king, some preparations must be made and some fallback options must be prepared in advance."
Hao Yuan is in the capital and is Tianmen's military advisor. He knows a lot more than Ling Jing. He has a very thorough understanding of interests and powerful relationships. He continued: "This does not mean what we are going to do, but at least there must be one person." Stabilize the rear and have a base for a comeback. At the same time, we cannot put our own destiny and hopes on the trust of the saint."
Yang Ji nodded silently. He mentioned this to Ling Jing and Hao Yuan because he wanted to prepare a way out for himself. This is called being prepared.
After thinking for a long time, he said slowly: "Since Luoyang and Liangzhou are out of the question, then where can we build a foundation for our lives?"
"Luoyang is the imperial capital and cannot be touched. Guanzhong is the core place of the Guanlong nobles and cannot be touched either. But Liangzhou is our foundation after all." Ling Jing said: "And things haven't reached that point yet. Some places can still be used. Operational, as long as we prepare in advance, it can be used as a back-up."
Ling Jing stood up, spread a large Sui map on the eucalyptus table in front of Yang Ji, stretched out his hand to draw on the map: "Liangzhou and Ganzhou are the core of Liangzhou and cannot be plotted. And Shanshan, Qi At first glance, places such as Mo and Tingzhou seem to be very safe, but if the saint is a great king, he will capture these border states immediately and cut off the king's retreat. Lanzhou, Hezhou, and Taozhou have fertile land and complex terrain , Han and Qiang people live together, and the king has resettled hundreds of thousands of refugees there, making the situation there very complicated. People who are not Liangzhou officials can't sort out the mystery at all, so this place can be used as a stronghold."
"Huizhou, Lingzhou, and Fengzhou are at the junction of Yongliang and Liang. The situation is also very complicated. In addition, the internal folk customs are fierce. They have been trouble-prone areas since ancient times. Now that the imperial court has moved into the Central Plains, the imperial court's control over this area is far less than before, so These three states can be used as the second stronghold.”
Having said this, Ling Jing bowed his hand to Yang Ji and said: "We usually do our own thing, but at critical moments we can connect the two strongholds together. At that time, we can go to Bashu in the south, go up to the grassland in the north, go to Guanzhong in the east, and go to Guanzhong in the west. You can enter Tuyuhun, Liangzhou and Ganzhou."
"In addition to these two places, Daizhou, Hengzhou, and Zhaozhou, which I believe are at the intersection of You, Ji, and Bing, can also be operated as a third stronghold." Hao Yuan added.
What Ling Jing and Hao Yuan said at this time can be said to be treacherous; if others heard it, not only Ling Jing would be in trouble, but Yang Ji and the entire King Wei family would also suffer. However, the three people here are one and the same, so naturally no one will reveal it to the outside world. This is why Yang Ji only left them two.
Yang Ji nodded silently and asked: "You two are my most important staff and counselors. You have already entered some powerful positions, so you must not leave everyone's sight, otherwise you will become the focus of others' attention. In this case, our three major strongholds will be exposed. Look at all the people under my command, who can take on this important task? "
"Actually, Song Lord Bo is very good!" Ling Jing smiled and said: "Although Song Lord Bo entered the government a lot earlier than us, in terms of talent and loyalty, he is not weaker than anyone else. But he has always been It is obscure and unremarkable, so it is ignored.”
"Yeah!" Yang Ji nodded and said, "Then it's him. Call him back immediately."
There is no doubt about Song Zhengben's ability; and Yang Ji also knows his character and loyalty very well. In short, like Ling Jing and Hao Yuan, he is someone who can trust his life.
As for Yang Ji, although he didn't want to rebel, he didn't want to die inexplicably, and these staff members were also aware of it. If he remained motionless and did nothing, these people would also feel uneasy; if they knew that everyone was so uneasy Thoughts, and still stubbornly believed that it was okay, everyone eventually drifted apart because of fear.
Therefore, whether it is for yourself or to reassure everyone, these preparations are essential.
"Here!" Ling Jing and Hao Yuan breathed a sigh of relief.
They have identified Yang Ji, and even if Yang Ji rebels, they will follow him to the end. What they were afraid of was Yang Ji's silly "foolish loyalty". What they were afraid of was that Yang Ji knew there was danger but was unprepared. Now, Yang Ji not only took the initiative to point out the crisis, but also took the initiative to arrange an escape route for everyone. Their hanging hearts were finally settled.
Now they have no worries, no matter what Yang Ji does, they will follow him, it doesn't matter whether they live or die.
