"It's surprising that it's been so long and no one has asked about Wei Zheng's affairs." Du Yan found Yang Ming and reported: "I have been keeping people staring at Wei Yan, but he has no reaction. Is it possible that the Wei family is willing to let it go?" This opportunity?”
Wei Yan is the younger brother of Wei Tong, the third uncle of Du Ruhui's wife, and serves as the Secretary of the Criminal Department.
Yang Ming frowned and said nothing. Logically speaking, he should have responded. People who dare to insult two princes at the same time will never be encountered in the future. Are you unwilling to seize such a good opportunity?
After a while, Yang Ming felt that his sudden reinstatement of Du Yan was a little too obvious, and maybe he had revealed his secret.
"Keep staring, and remember, no one is allowed to take Wei Zheng away, and no one is allowed to be interrogated again by the Criminal Department."
"I understand," Du Yan said goodbye and left.
Then, Yang Ming took Wei Zheng's confession from the Criminal Department and read it again, dumbfounded.
This kid may have thought he was dead and dared to scold him for anything. If his father knew about such a confession, Wei Zheng would definitely die, because by scolding him like this, it was tantamount to mocking the emperor for his incompetence in educating his son and for raising two bastards.
There will be a meeting the next day,
Yang Ming deliberately mentioned Wei Zheng's affairs during this period, and then asked the ministers how to deal with this man.
Wei Jin said directly: "Insulting the prince is a treasonous act and should be cut to pieces."
Good guy, I really didn’t fall for it. Yang Ming said with a smile: "This king’s treatment is not appropriate. After all, it is me who is being scolded. If I kill people, it will be suspected of selfishness."
Hey, you really don't want to kill people, Wei Jin continued to say to the general: "This kind of common people do not work for the King of Qin. If the Ministry of Punishment submits it to Dali Temple, they can be sentenced to death directly. Keeping such people is a waste of food."
"You can't kill people!" Huang Fenglin, the Yushitai, stood up and said, "The matter was reported to His Majesty ten days ago. We need to wait for His Majesty's decree before we can make a decision."
Wei Jin was stunned. Good guy, you Yushitai people are so quick to talk. Are you reporting such a trivial matter?
Yang Ming was also stunned, now it's better, Wei Zheng's life is hanging in the balance.
He had no control over the Yushitai. This department only served the emperor.
Huang Fenglin didn't know that Yang Ming was causing trouble in Wei Zheng's matter, otherwise, he would have informed him one step ahead.
Now Wei Jin had nothing to say. When the matter was brought to the emperor, it was not his turn to offer advice.
"Your Majesty should be arriving in Jinyang soon," Guan Wang Yang Xiong changed the topic and said: "Yu Wenshu personally led his troops to Hebei, then the rebels will soon be wiped out, and the canal will be completed. Although this year will not be It was hard, but we managed to get through it, so starting next year, shouldn’t Hebei implement some policies to stabilize the people?”
"Guan Wang Zhuguo," Yang Ming nodded and said: "Hebei has experienced this difficulty, and it is imperative to exempt taxes. Everyone has their own opinions. Let's draft a memorial together and send it to Jinyang Palace to submit to His Majesty."
No one objected to this proposal. After all, everyone knew that Hebei was in dire straits this time. It recruited the most civilians, requisitioned the most grain, and had the most rebellions. I dare not say that people were in ruins. It meant that all industries were withered and the country was in dire straits.
Only those who risk their lives would dare to say these four words: life is in ruins.
Right now, Hebei really needs a tonic to strengthen its roots and maintain its health.
Once the canal is completed, according to Yang Guang's rhythm, the first attack on Goguryeo should be on the agenda.
Yang Ming had to fight hard this time. To disrupt his father's rhythm, it would take at least three to five years. Moreover, even if he used troops against Goguryeo in the future, he would not be able to recruit them from Hebei.
You can't ask a sixty-year-old man to carry a steel pipe, and you can't ask a young man to work overtime for 72 hours. People will die.
As for Goguryeo, we had to fight. In history, Yang Guang conquered Goguryeo three times, not all for the sake of face, but because this place was very important.
Since ancient times, the Central Plains dynasty has not allowed the ethnic minority governments in the north to gain power, because once they gain power, they will attack the Central Plains. This has always been the case and has never changed.
Now that Qimin, with the support of the Sui Dynasty, had become powerful in the north, there could no longer be a powerful regime in the northeast.
The problem in Goguryeo is more complicated.
During the Northern Wei Dynasty, Goguryeo took advantage of the civil strife in the Central Plains to further expand its power.
After years of war, Mohe (eastern Heilongjiang Jilin, east to the Sea of Japan, including Vladivostok) and Shiwei (eastern Heilongjiang Jilin, east Inner Mongolia) in the north became vassals of Goguryeo.
The Khitans in the west also began to pay tribute to Goguryeo. In this way, Goguryeo freed up time to constantly use troops against Silla and Baekje (Bangzi) in the south, with the intention of unifying the Korean Peninsula.
It was during this critical period that the Northern Zhou Dynasty successfully unified the north, and then Yang Jian usurped the Zhou Dynasty. The Khitan, Xi, Shiwei and other tribes that had originally submitted to Goguryeo began to send envoys to make good friends with the Sui Dynasty. Goguryeo's situation was instantly embarrassing.
As a last resort, Gao Yangcheng, the then King of Goguryeo, also sent envoys to make friends with the Sui Dynasty, accepted Yang Jian's canonization, and was named General Pingyuan King and Duke of Liaodong. Behind his back, he also sent envoys to make friends with Nanchen, and also He was named General Wang Ningdong of Pingyuan by the Chen Dynasty.
Until the Sui Dynasty successfully destroyed Chen and unified the world, Gao Yangcheng was frightened and hurriedly moved the capital to Chang'an City (Pyongyang).
Yes, the capital of Goguryeo is also called Chang'an City.
The rise of the Sui Dynasty directly affected the strategic policy of Goguryeo. In Northeast Asia at that time, due to historical inheritance reasons, only Goguryeo was a serious feudal dynasty. Its political, cultural and economic system, farming and smelting technology were the same as those in the Central Plains, but slightly different. behind.
Moreover, the geographical conditions were unfavorable to the Sui Dynasty. First, there was the Liaoxi Corridor, which could threaten Hebei, and it could also reach the Jiaodong Peninsula from the Bohai Sea, directly threatening Shandong.
If the Sui Dynasty and the Turks turned against each other, Goguryeo would inevitably be in trouble, and it would be an unfavorable situation of being attacked on both sides.
The Central Plains has built a complete line of defense like the Great Wall to resist outside the Great Wall, but it does not have it against Goguryeo. The only one that can withstand the most attack is Linyu Pass, and it cannot last long.
There is no room for others to sleep soundly on the side of the couch. This is why in history, Yang Jian, Yang Guang, Li Shimin, and Li Zhi successively used troops against Goguryeo.
Li Shimin even said: Today's decision is made, but Liaodong is not the guest, so I will take it myself without worrying about future generations.
It can be seen that this place cannot be ignored.
.......
After Pei Shuying waited for seven days in Jinyang, Emperor Yang Guang finally arrived.
As soon as he arrived in Jinyang, he felt that Jinyang Palace was too small and wanted to rebuild it. Fortunately, all the ministers opposed it. Yang Guang was forced to give up temporarily because he really had no money at the moment.
Jinyang Palace was originally built by the Eastern Wei Dynasty. It was expanded once in the ninth year of the founding of the emperor, and Cangcheng was added in the sixteenth year. The area is not small, but Yang Guang still doesn't like it.
Since it has the word "palace", it is not a place where others can live. Daxing Palace in the capital, Ziwei Palace in Luoyang, Jiangdu Palace in Yangzhou, and Jinyang Palace are all the residences of the emperor. The eunuchs, slaves, and local officials in them all live there. Can't control it.
The news that the Hebei rebellion was put down has been rushed to Jinyang. Yang Guangda was so happy that he held a banquet at Jinyang Palace that night.
】
Pei Shuying, as a first-class wife, brought Yang Jin, the first-class king of Xingyang, into the palace in formal attire to meet the emperor.
"Let my grandson come forward," Yang Guang said with a smile.
Pei Shuying handed her son to Gao Ye, who then led him to the emperor.
Yang Guang stretched out his hands from his sleeves, pinched Yang Jin's face, frowned and said:
"How do you get so thin?"
Pei Shuying quickly knelt down and said, "My daughter-in-law is guilty."
Yang Guang frowned immediately and turned to look at Pei Ju. Pei Ju spread his hands with an innocent look on his face, meaning I don't know?
"Get up and speak. No matter how big the crime is, for Yang Jin's sake, I will not blame you," Yang Guang said solemnly.
At this time, Taiyuan Tongshou Yu Zhongwen quickly stood up and saluted:
"Your Majesty, on her way north, the princess helped thousands of refugees and even ran out of food. She was negligent in her duties."
Yang Yue, who was sitting at the bottom, suddenly frowned and subconsciously looked at Yang Xuangan, who curled his lips.
"That's it," Yang Guang said in a deep voice, "Princess Qin passed by a county and when she answered the official's request, she was fined one year's salary."
He didn't mention anything about the refugees. He turned to his grandson and said, "Go find your brother. He has been staying with me in recent days. I can't let my grandson have enough to eat."
As soon as these words came out, good fellow, hundreds of ministers stood up to apologize.
Yang Guang snorted coldly and said in an angry tone: "If my daughter-in-law and grandson can uphold my wishes and be diligent and thrifty, you should follow suit."
"I am ashamed of myself!" All the ministers quickly agreed.
Later, Yang Jin was brought to Yang Rui, and the two brothers held hands and sat down honestly.
Pei Ju looked at his daughter with a smile and said, "Where did there come from so many hungry people? They are just good people attracted by the princess's charity along the way."
He was going to stir up trouble. The canal was about to be completed and it was time to settle the accounts, but Pei Ju just wanted to stop there.
Pei Shuying was still kneeling on the ground, with a dark expression on her face, and said to Yang Guang:
"My daughter-in-law has seen with her own eyes that the hungry people along the way have lost a lot of weight, the young children are struggling to walk, the refugees have passed by, and the only thing to eat is grass stems and tree bark, and the tragic scenes of people changing their children to eat are everywhere. My daughter-in-law is His Majesty's daughter-in-law, and she should uphold this. Your Majesty's love for the people has saved them from fire and water."
Yang Guang's face was expressionless, and his breathing gradually became heavier.
Yu Shiji said directly: "Did someone instruct the princess to make this statement? Duke Rongguo arrived in Jinyang first on His Majesty's order. Why haven't he seen any refugees or hungry people?"
Pei Shuying raised her head and looked directly at the other party: "What do you mean, I am deceiving you?"
"No, no," Yu Shiji said, "I am just confused. You were originally in Daxing, and you are not familiar with the local conditions when you first arrived in Shanxi. Who taught the princess to say this?"
Pei Shuying sneered and said: "If I am instigated by others, it is only the heaven, the emperor, and my ancestral foundation of the Sui Dynasty, the country, the country, and the millions of people in the world."
After saying that, Pei Shuying bowed to Yang Guang.
There was an instant silence in the hall, and many people realized that the decisive battle between the two kings of Qin and Qi was about to begin.
"Zhang Heng, Yang Da, Wei Zhen, and Xue Daoheng," Yang Guang said solemnly.
The four people hurried out of the queue, knowing that they were going to take the blame. One was the Yushi doctor, the other was the Sili doctor, and the two provincial ministers from Huangmen were all in the third rank.
Yang Guang continued: "Do you know whether there are hungry people in Shanxi or how many there are?"
We know, we also told you, don’t worry, we know how to carry this pot,
Zhang Heng took the lead and said:
"There are too many discrepancies in the information from various sources. I can't verify it for a while. It's hard to tell whether it's true or not. That's why I didn't report it to Your Majesty. I'm derelict in my duty."
"Then find out!" Yang Guang said angrily: "My daughter-in-law will never lie to me. The people of Shanxi are all my subjects. Whoever lets my people starve to death will die."
The four people hurriedly responded, "Good guy, you are really with me like you are with a tiger."
