Li Bing frowned and didn't speak for a long time.
Tian Mu saw the emperor's hesitation, so he questioned: "General Murong, is the method you mentioned feasible? Not to mention that the court officials also brought a large number of family members with them. It would be extremely difficult for them alone to cross the vast uninhabited mountainous area. , this will kill people.”
Wei Zixuan also nodded: "Besides, when the imperial court moved, it also carried a large amount of documents, documents, and treasury assets with it. Once it entered the mountains, these things could no longer be carried by oxen and horses, and could only rely on manpower. Who would you ask to carry them? ?”
"When I led troops before, I suppressed bandits near Shennong Mountain." Gong Chengze frowned: "We hadn't fully entered the mountainous area at that time, and the complex terrain was already very torturous. If we really had to cross the mountains, , I’m afraid even the regular army will inevitably collapse.”
Their words made Li Bing's face even more ugly. Murong Xue, however, looked calm: "It depends on people! The situation is difficult now. How can we deal with the crisis if we don't take risks? Your Majesty, I think this hardship is worth trying. I am willing to personally lead the army to meet the imperial court and open the way for them!"
"The question is..." Li Bing hesitated: "How many ministers are willing to accept your plan? What should we do if they refuse to take the mountain road?"
Murong Xue's eyes were blazing: "Your Majesty, the late emperor did not even risk his own life for the sake of the Holy Tang Dynasty. He held on to the imperial capital and covered the retreat of the civil and military officials. This way he saved the lives of the ministers. Now let them walk through the mountains for the Holy Tang Dynasty. Why? No? No way? Are they more noble than the late emperor? As the saying goes, true gold is not afraid of fire! Who is a loyal minister and who is a coward? This is a good test! If those people are really unwilling to go through all kinds of hardships to surrender to Your Majesty, then What's the use of having them? If you stay around in the future, they will only be opportunistic and self-interested traitors!"
Li Bing nodded slightly when he heard this, patted Long An and said, "You're right! It's you, Murong Xue, who sees things thoroughly and is loyal enough! On the other hand, I'm afraid only loyal ministers can think about things like you do . The late emperor and his soldiers were not even afraid of death. I have also gone through many hardships, so I just let those grandsons climb mountains. What a waste!"
As soon as these words came out, Wei Zixuan and the other two people were immediately embarrassed, knowing that His Majesty was also trying to hit them.
Wei Zixuan said quickly: "Your Majesty, you are wise! I also think that what General Murong said is very reasonable! Before we left Yizhou, many people tried to dissuade us, saying that there were not only Turkic armies in the Central Plains, but also poisonous monsters that can eat people. , if it happened, my life would be in danger. However, at that time, I only had Your Majesty in mind, and I longed to be loyal to the Holy Tang and the Emperor as soon as possible, so I embarked on the journey without hesitation. "
Li Bing smiled: "I know your loyalty. You are indeed stronger than many people, and you have set an example for the Yizhou court. With you taking the lead, I don't believe it. Can everyone really be intimidated by the mountains?"
Gong Chengze smiled flatteringly: "As General Murong said, it doesn't matter if you scare them, the true colors of those traitorous officials will be exposed immediately."
Li Bing nodded slightly and said to Wei Zixuan: "Go and draft an edict for me. Please consider the words and sentences. The general meaning is: the rebels tried to blockade them, but they absolutely could not stop the loyal ministers from being so bold. So I decided, Let everyone change to the route Murong Xue said, and I will send troops and horses to respond. Of course, whether you are willing to come or not is a personal decision. If you come, you are a loyal minister, and I must reuse it; if you don't come, I will not force you, as long as you don't surrender Rebels, just be a despised traitor."
"I obey the decree," Wei Zixuan responded: "I must write the profound meaning clearly so that everyone can understand it."
Li Bing nodded with satisfaction and looked at Dong Tianxing: "Are the troops who rebelled against King Li Kuang recently honest?"
Dong Tianxing responded: "I just received a report from Chang Tao yesterday. Our army has continuously captured Xuzhou, Suzhou and other important towns in Huaibei in recent days, annihilating more than 30,000 enemy people, and completely cutting off the Huaiyang army's northward route into Qilu. The rebel king Li Kuang is currently shrinking his troops and preparing to retreat to his base in Huainan. Chang Tao asks Your Majesty to give instructions on the next course of action."
"What do you think?" Li Bing asked: "Should we work together and take this opportunity to completely wipe out the rebel king?"
Murong Xue responded: "I think it is okay. At present, the Western Army and the Southern Army have successfully contained the Turks, and the threat of poisonous soldiers in the Central Plains is gradually being eliminated. However, Bao Yuchun and Lao Jianhua have obviously focused their efforts south of the river. , Therefore, our army is not currently under great pressure, and we should use this precious opportunity to concentrate our efforts to eliminate Li Kuang."
Murong Xue is the imperial general, and among everyone, he has the most say in matters such as fighting. Therefore, it is difficult for others to find fault with this opinion.
Seeing that none of the other ministers objected, Li Bing said: "Well, in that case, it's decided. Send another 20,000 reinforcements to Chang Tao, and ask him to attack Huanglong for me and capture Li Kuang alive!"
After saying that, Li Bing sighed again: "Let's seek justice for Liu Yanru."
-
When the emperor's decree came, it immediately caused quite a shock.
Whether they were waiting in Yizhou and had not yet had time to set off, or those who had already set off but were blocked halfway, the civil and military ministers couldn't help but talk about it, and the officials and their families were all panicked.
Taking a detour into the mountains? Moreover, it is still a vast no-man’s land?
Isn't this a joke? !
People couldn't help but start to hesitate, worrying about whether the uncertain future would be good or bad.
However, Shengtang has never lacked brave and loyal ministers.
Zhongshu Ling Liu Shiming, who had just lost his granddaughter, said that even if he died, he would die on the way to Dongdu.
With the old man taking the lead, the entire Liu family naturally decided to accompany them.
You know, the Liu family has been a scholarly family for generations, and the men in the family are all scholars with delicate skin and tender flesh. This large group of weak scholars were willing to risk their lives to cross the mountains and forests in order to serve the country, which immediately made the military attachés feel ashamed.
Nothing more to say! If the Liu family can leave, so can I!
Most of the imperial generals also took action. They ordered their families to leave all their obstructive luggage behind. It's difficult to travel over mountains and ridges with carriages and horses, so just bring some gold and silver with you.
Influenced by Liu Shiming and the military officers, more and more civil servants also responded to the emperor's call: Isn't it just mountain climbing? Let’s climb. We’ve climbed mountains of books, why are we still afraid of real mountains?
In this way, the famous "Thousand Mile Pass Mountain Tour" in the history of Shengtang began.
The court ministers dragged their families with them, avoiding the rebel warships crossing the river, and headed towards the deserted Shennong Mountains. They all know that this journey will definitely not be easy, and unknown dangers are waiting for everyone.
But they also know very well that they have no choice.
According to incomplete statistics by later historians, in order to fight against the Turks and rebels, there were as many as 2,435 court officials who marched into the vast mountains resolutely, and they were accompanied by countless family members and servants. At least Thirty thousand people.
Among them, nearly 5,000 people were unable to get out of the mountains to see the day of final victory, either because they were attacked by ferocious beasts and poisonous snakes, or because they lost their footing and fell off a cliff, or because they got lost and were separated from the team, or because they were seriously ill and could not receive medical treatment.
When the army sent by Li Bing to meet the officials met the migrating team in Erlong Mountain and Shimen Mountain, the adults from the three provinces and six tribes they saw were all unkempt and ragged, like disciples of the Beggar Gang. Endless misery and embarrassment.
However, these muddy faces are full of pride and unyielding.
The most exaggerated thing is that such a group of high-ranking officials who have no strength in their hands and usually have to be served even for a drink of water, but lack the strength of their feet, actually carry countless "treasures" on their backs all the way. .
The Ministry of Revenue and the Taifu transported 40 million silver coins, two thousand catties of gold, and six thousand pieces of silk and satin from the national treasury out of the mountain.
Zhongshu Sheng, the Ministry of Personnel, the Ministry of Rites, the Ministry of Punishment and the Yushitai transported more than 30,000 volumes of slips, files and documents out of the mountain.
The Imperial College transported more than five thousand volumes of precious classics out of the mountain.
This is the case in every government office.
These officials are sometimes very selfish and timid. They like to make calculations and sit on the fence in everything. But at this critical moment, more people can throw away their belongings, but they cannot bear to throw away the foundation of Shengtang and dare not throw away their responsibilities.
Like thousands of soldiers and civilians, they have their own perseverance.
-
At the end of December 827 in the Holy Tang Dynasty, as the last migration team composed of Honglu Temple and Qintianjian entered Luoyi City, the large-scale transfer of the imperial government offices finally came to an end.
Zhongshu Ling Liu Shiming, with the cooperation of Murong Xue, Wei Zixuan and others, organized the first imperial meeting since Li Bing ascended the throne on the first day of the first lunar month of the following year.
A truly grand meeting.
All civil and military officials from the fifth rank and above in the Eastern Capital attended, and the Ziwei Palace in the imperial city was packed with people.
Emperor Li Bing was wearing Tuanlong imperial robes and sitting high on the imperial throne. He kowtowed three times and bowed nine times to the ministers under the imperial steps. The excitement in his heart could not subside for a long time.
Recalling the incident in the Imperial Capital that year and his previous experiences as a prince, Li Bing couldn't help but secretly sigh: after going round and round, he finally reached today.
Uncle Huang, Taifu Nian, Commander He, and General Xu, these people are really good to me. It's a pity that he didn't understand it at first and didn't cherish it.
Xie Guang, Lao Jianhua, Li Kuang, they are really bad. Unfortunately, I was blinded by greed and fear and did not see through.
Now, the world has returned to its center, and the imperial power of the Shengtang Dynasty has finally returned to its hands. The late emperor is alive in heaven, and he should be able to rest in peace.
Li Bing thought silently: Uncle Emperor, please feel at ease. My nephew has grown up and matured, and will never make the same mistakes again.
From now on, no one will ever try to deceive me, use me again, covet military power, imperial power, or threaten the Li family!
I want them all to kneel at my feet!
