Chapter 2 2. The Empress Dowager Shulu is not what it used to be

The succession of the throne of the Great Liao Kingdom is similar to that of the Central Plains Empire, and a life-and-death struggle is inevitable.Empress Dowager Shulu, the Khitan's strong grandmother, intends to lead the succession of the throne again, but she has more energy than she wants. Yelu Nguyen ascended the throne and proclaimed Emperor Daliao, which was actually a military coup.He neither had Yelu Deguang's will, nor asked the Empress Dowager Shuluping for instructions.Empress Dowager Shulu, a powerful figure in the Liao Kingdom, was furious when she learned that Yelu Ruan had proclaimed herself emperor without authorization.She sees this as a disregard and a flagrant challenge to her authority.Another reason that made the Empress Dowager Shulu furious was that she had other plans for the heir to the throne.This is what Yeluruan and the Khitan nobles in the Central Plains are most worried about.

If the Empress Dowager Shulu recognized Yelu Ruan as the emperor, then the Khitan nobles far away in the Central Plains only need to write a report to the Empress Dowager, why bother to secretly support Yelu Ruan as the throne behind the Empress Dowager Shulu's back.Things are far from that simple.Yeluhou, Yeluwa, and Yelu Antuan had a clear understanding of the Empress Dowager Shulu's mind and guessed it accurately.Deeply in their hearts is the heavy shadow that a large number of nobles were massacred by the Empress Dowager Shulu after the death of Taizu Yelu Abaoji.Most of these nobles who were killed were loyal to Yelu Abaoji.In order to clear the obstacles, the Empress Dowager Shulu beheaded these high-ranking old ministers one by one without mercy.

According to this logic, it is likely to be a repeat of the old drama. The Empress Dowager Shulu appointed a new monarch. In order to clear the way, the Khitan nobles who accompanied Taizong Yelu Deguang's southern expedition would be beheaded and let them go underground to "accompany" the late emperor. We must not let this scene happen again, we must keep Xiangshang's head.This is the first reaction and firm position of Yeluhou and others.The head on one's own head is related to the honor and disgrace of the whole family and even the descendants of future generations.

At this time, most of the Khitan nobles were hereditary by caste, which was passed down from generation to generation and rich and honored from generation to generation.Unlike the nouveau riche in the Central Plains, due to the decline of the family class, batch after batch of grassroots nobles have risen in the midst of guns and knives. These Khitan nobles all have backgrounds, especially those who take the lead in making troubles, and they are even descended from famous families. Among the Khitan nobles in Hengzhou, there was one person who harbored deep hostility and high wariness towards the Empress Dowager Shulu, and he was Yelu Antuan.An Tuan was the commander of the Liao Emperor's bodyguard at this time.An Tuan has a deeper understanding of the bloody storm in the handover of the throne, and has a deep-rooted pain.Because his father, Yeludieli, was one of the important ministers who were massacred by Shuluping.

These few Khitan nobles holding knives coincided with each other and thought of the same purpose.Support the new king, keep your head.Whether Yeluruan is willing or not, at this moment, the Khitan nobles will forcibly support him and proclaim him emperor.Only by supporting a new king can the heads of these Khitan nobles be kept. It just so happened that Yongkang King Yeluruan was motivated to become emperor. His father Yelubei was supposed to inherit the throne left by Yelu Abaoji, but was manipulated by the Empress Dowager Shulu in the middle, causing the throne to fall to Yelu Deguang's family.This is a great opportunity for Yelu Ruan to regain the throne.Now or never.

Even though Yeluruan became emperor, and the Khitan nobles successfully supported Yeluruan as emperor, they knew that more difficult problems lay ahead.They had to face Empress Dowager Shuluping directly.This is an insurmountable barrier. Facing Shuluping will not be a treat for dinner, it must be a bloody battle, and it must end with life and death. Therefore, Yeluruan and the Khitan nobles who supported him did not dare to be careless, and led the main force of the southern expedition to the Central Plains, fully armed, and returned to Beijing in a mighty manner. Hearing that Yelu De Guangke died in a foreign land, and Yelu Ruan proclaimed himself emperor without authorization, the air in the capital suddenly became tense.The first person to respond was Shu Luping, and she also knew that the visitor was not good, so she was also ready to use force.

So who does Shuluping want to fight for? Youngest son Li Hu. Li Hu is the third and youngest son of Yelu Abaoji and Shuluping.Shuluping loves this youngest son very much.During Li Hu's growth experience, Shu Luping gave Li Hu more preference.When Yelu Abaoji died, Li Hu was still young.More than 20 years ago, even though Shu Luping favored Li Hu, he had no conditions to directly support Li Hu to the throne.Among the three sons, she adopted a compromise strategy and chose the second son, Yelu Deguang, as the heir to the emperor. Now that Yelu Deguang has passed away, there is another opportunity for the emperor to succeed.Yelu Deguang's son is still very young, he does not have the ability to be an emperor, and he has not yet formed a climate.More importantly, Empress Dowager Shulu prefers her youngest son Li Hu.She wanted to seize this opportunity and support her youngest son Li Hu to ascend the throne and proclaim himself emperor.

The Empress Dowager Shulu heard that Yelu Ruan had succeeded to the throne of the Daliao Kingdom in Hengzhou without authorization, and she was furious. She issued a notice condemning Yelu Ruan and a group of Khitan nobles for treason. Privately declared to inherit the throne of Yelu Deguang.This is a contempt and provocation to the Khitan royal family and the state system, and must be severely punished and punished.So the Empress Dowager Shulu ordered the mobilization of troops from all over the country to station troops on the border, refused Yeluruan to return to Linhuang Mansion in Shangjing, and launched a crusade against Yeluruan.

It's a blessing, not a curse, and it's a disaster that can't be avoided. Yeluruan did not show any weakness, and dispatched the highly respected great king Yelu Anduan as a vanguard general, leading the Khitan iron cavalry returning from the north to clear the way for him.King Wei was the one who was bestowed with a wooden crutch by Yelu Deguang. In the Daliao Kingdom, only King Wei Anduan received this honor.The second person to receive this award was Liu Zhiyuan, the King of Beiping in the Later Jin Dynasty who was dormant in Taiyuan at that time. The Liao Emperor's army and the Liao Empress Dowager's army met at Taidequan, and the two armies confronted each other and put on a posture.

A war is imminent. Our previous document said that since Liao Taizu Yelu Abaoji, the royal family has been making every effort to build a central army directly under it.In the era of Yelu Deguang, not only the imperial guard army under the direct control of the emperor expanded in scale, but the empress dowager Shuluping also built a guard army under her command.Therefore, the army sent by the Khitan to the Central Plains and the army left behind in the capital were very powerful, had received strict military training, and were well-equipped. It is hard to predict who will win the game. King Wei's lieutenant was Yeluliuge.

Yeluruan's generals are all the top military generals of the Liao Kingdom. They were brought out by Yelu Deguang to conquer the later Jin Dynasty and fought tough battles. The chief general of the Empress Dowager Shulu was Li Hu, Generalissimo of the Liao Army.Li Hu's vanguard officer is Li Yantao, the envoy to arrange Chen. This Li Yantao was originally the commander of the guard Ma Jun of Shi Chonggui, Emperor of the Later Jin Dynasty.After the fall of the Later Jin Dynasty, Li Yantao was exiled and dispatched to the Northeast Pass along with Shi Chonggui, the subjugated king. Later, he was recruited by the Empress Dowager Shulu and arranged to serve under the account of the Shan Army of the Empress Dowager's special forces. At this very moment, a dramatic scene takes place. This Li Yantao was in exile. He didn't enjoy any glory and wealth with Shi Chonggui. He almost lived in the mountains. mouth to eat.But this kid didn't feel any gratitude to the Empress Dowager Shulu at all. Just after seeing King Wei's troops in the Empress Dowager Army of Tidequan, Li Yantao defected and surrendered to Yelu Ruan. The platoon envoy is a very important position for generals, responsible for the formation arrangement and command of the army formation when the two armies confront each other.Li Yantao's sudden defection dealt a sudden blow to Li Hu.Yelu Anduan and Yeluliuge took advantage of the situation to cover up and kill them.Li Hu, Generalissimo of the Liao Army, was defeated and fled. Liao Shizong Yeluruan's army continued to advance aggressively, and with the determination to win to the death, they fought all the way to the south bank of the Huanghe River.At this time, Li Hu's army had just escaped from the north bank of the Huanghe River.The two armies set up camp across the river at Hengdukou and confronted each other across the river. The empress dowager's army had a bad start, which was a huge shock to the Khitan rear. From the point of view of the balance of power between the two sides, although Liao Shizong's army is not the entire Khitan army, it is indeed the Khitan's elite division, mainly the special forces under the emperor's direct control.The army staying behind the Khitan, as well as part of the emperor's special forces, were responsible for the security of the rear, but these troops only obeyed the emperor's command and were not under the control of the empress dowager.Although the empress dowager also has her own special forces, the combat effectiveness of this team is still a bit worse than that of the emperor's special forces.What's more, the leaders of all the tribes were basically taken to the Central Plains by Yelu Deguang, and the remaining noble leaders were not wholeheartedly loyal to the Empress Dowager.Therefore, the number of troops of Empress Dowager Shulu may be a little more than that of Liao Shizong, but the combat effectiveness is indeed not as good as that of the emperor's army. As for how to resolve the crisis of the dispute between the emperor and the empress, serious disagreements emerged among the top Khitan officials. Empress Dowager Shuluping and Marshal Li Hu advocated that Yeluruan and Emperor Shizong of the Liao Dynasty were incompatible, either he would die or she would die. However, some noble leaders advocated reconciliation, focusing on maintaining the stability and unity of the Liao Kingdom.More importantly, these nobles saw the potential strength of people's support.In addition to the bad historical record of the empress dowager Shulu who left everyone with an unforgettable massacre of ministers, the contrast between the two main players, Li Hu and Yelu Ruan, is also obvious. Although Li Hu is the Generalissimo of the army and the son of the Empress Dowager, Li Hu has been cruel and easy to kill since he was a child.He lacks actual prestige in Khitan.Although Yeluruan is young and has a lower seniority, Yeluruan is generous with money, generous in spending, and likes to make friends. He is a character in the scene and has always been very popular. Looking at the comparison of the military strength of the two, although Li Hu is the general of the soldiers and horses, but in the large-scale war after the Southern Expedition and the Jin Dynasty, Li Hu did not undertake any important tasks. The military power in his hands was temporarily invoked by Emperor Yelu Deguang up.The Khitan's core army capable of recruiting and fighting was under Yeluruan's control at this time.Li Hu is almost a polished commander. The nobles in the Khitan's rear were quite clear about the situation in front of them.Whether it is on the side of Yelu Ruan or the Empress Dowager Shulu is risky, it seems even less reliable to be on the side of the Empress Dowager Shulu.The Khitan nobles in the north did not dare to risk their own lives and the prosperity and wealth of the whole family, and those who were less courageous simply took a wait-and-see attitude and did not stand on any side. A few Khitan nobles with status, status and influence stood up and tried to reconcile the contradictions between the emperor and empress. The reasons were not only for the sake of the country, but also for the sake of the family.Among them, Yelu Wuzhi is the representative. Who is the quality of Yelu's house? The caste tribal system of Khitan has undergone evolution. Khitan's tribal classification is generally based on the fact that caste is the first source of division into different clans, and settlements are the second dimension of division into different tribes.There are common caste and clan affiliation, and they live in different grassland tribes. These tribes are relatively powerful, such as the Shilie tribe and the Liuzhu tribe, which were split into official categories such as the fifth courtyard and the sixth courtyard in the era of Taizu Yelu Abaoji .Some of them live in different tribes first, and those who worship the ancestors with the same surname are relatively powerful, such as the Xi and Shiwei tribes.Yelu Abaoji subdued these tribes after many battles.Some live in different tribes, but they do not have a common surname and ancestor, and they belong to the category of small retail households, such as Tritimian, Shaowa, Heshu and other small tribes.Those who have a common surname ancestor but have not differentiated into different tribes are the Yaonian family, which is now the royal family of Khitan. The so-called eight tribes of Khitan also appeared several "eight tribes" successively among different castes.The earliest ones were the eight tribes of ancient times, the eight tribes of the Qishou clan at the end of the Northern Wei Dynasty, the eight tribes of the Dahe clan in the Sui and Tang Dynasties, and the eight clans of the Yaozhan clan at the end of the Tang Dynasty. It is not that the Yaoren clan has no tribes, but in order to strengthen the rule over the tribes, according to the design of Yelu Abaoji, the so-called eight tribes of the Yaoren clan were re-divided into three royal families with the same surname Jiuhengzhang. Later, Yelu Abaoji placed the tribes that were more powerful and had a good relationship with the Yaonian clan under the jurisdiction of the two prefectures, the North and the South, respectively, and above the tribes came the King of the South Court and the King of the North Court.The northern and southern courts are state management organs, and the kings of the northern and southern courts are not hereditary, but are produced among the leaders of various tribes. The method of selection is basically the selection and appointment system implemented by the emperor.This is an important step in the transition of the Khitan from the tribal and caste separatist system to the centralized system of the feudal state. The reform of the tribal system and the reform of the military guard system greatly strengthened the ruling power of the Khitan royal family and the central court. After Yelu Abaoji unified the tribes in Khitan, he divided the residence of the Yaonian tribe. The tribal system and the military guard system were integrated into one, forming the two courtyards in the north and the south, the three father's houses, the nine tents in the Yaotan, and the emperor's horizontal tent. layout.The three father's houses and horizontal tents are collectively called the four royal tents.The emperor's horizontal tent lives in the west and faces the east, the remote nine tents live in the north and face the south, and the three father's houses live in the south and face north. The three fathers were evolved from the three generations of Yelu Abaoji's direct blood relatives, namely Mengfu, Zhongfu, and Jifu. From the perspective of the relationship between the emperor and the emperor, the emperor's horizontal tent is followed by the third father's house, and then the north and south courtyards. These are related to the emperor or have the same clan and surname.The Nine Tents of Yao Nian were relatives of Khan Hende before Yelu Abaoji proclaimed himself emperor, and Yelu Abaoji still gave them a tolerant and lofty honorary status.This is listed as one of the three heroic qualities of Yelu Abaoji by "Liao History". This Yelu house is a member of Meng's father's house in the royal family, and he has a lot of background. According to the "History of Liao Dynasty", Yeluwu's temperament is simple and quiet, with great insight, magnanimous bearing, calm in the face of changes, and very calm.In particular, keep promises, keep promises, and do things from beginning to end.He was a very influential figure in the royal family from a young age. At this time, Yeluwuzhi's official position was Tiyin, who was in charge of the affairs of the royal family in the headquarters, which was equivalent to Zongzheng of the Han royal family.Yelu Deguang went south to the Central Plains, and Yelu Wuzhi was assisting the Empress Dowager Shulu in governing the country behind the Khitan court. Li Hu lost the battle at Taide Spring, couldn't swallow the bad breath, became furious, and ordered all Khitan noble families who supported Emperor Shizong of Liao to be arrested and taken as hostages.As a result, people in Khitan are even more panicked.There is no news between the former enemies and their families, and rumors spread everywhere. A great split of the royal family, confrontation of swords and bloody disasters are imminent. Liao Shizong Yeluruan was not fully sure about this war, and he was also very nervous deep in his heart.He knew that the Empress Dowager Shulu was very strategic and courageous, and she was not easy to deal with.After learning that the resourceful Yelu Yazhi was assisting the Empress Dowager in governing government affairs, Yeluruan became more nervous. He was worried that the two capable people, Yazhi and Shulu Empress Dowager, would release huge energy together.In order to destroy the cooperative relationship between the royal family and the empress dowager, Yeluruan resorted to divorce. Yeluruan wrote a letter to the Empress Dowager Shuluping, in which he deliberately revealed a flaw, indicating that there was an ambiguous relationship between him and Yuzhi.Liao Shizong intends to create a crisis of mutual suspicion between Shuluping and Wuzhi through this letter. Shu Luping is indeed a person who has seen the big world, his scheming city is very accessible, and his strategy is outstanding.She was not fooled by Yeluruan, but directly handed the ambiguous letter to Wuzhi.Its purpose is twofold, not only to test the loyalty of the house, but also to express the trust in the house. Wu Zhi was extremely clever, after reading this letter he immediately understood in his heart that this was a battle between Yelu Ruan and Empress Shulu.Wu Zhi said calmly: "Because you, Empress Dowager, helped the Emperor Taizu to bring peace to the world and made great achievements, so I am willing to do my best for the Empress Dowager. If the Empress Dowager doubts me, even if I want to be loyal to you, I'm afraid I can't do it." what!" Wu Zhi's words carried a lot of weight. He first praised the Empress Dowager Shulu, saying that she was a remarkable person.Since you are a great person, you shouldn't doubt my quality casually. Then Wu Zhi expressed his loyalty.But this loyalty is based on a certain foundation, which is based on the trust and wisdom of Empress Dowager Shulu. The Empress Dowager Shulu is so smart and wise. After hearing what Wu Zhi said, she had to dispel her doubts about Wu Zhi in her heart.Empress Dowager Shulu then said to Wu Zhi: "Wu Zhi, I don't doubt you. I'm discussing with you how to deal with the current situation." In the battle of Taidequan, the empress dowager and Li Hu suffered a setback, which was a big blow to the empress dowager, forcing Shulu to assess the situation and adjust his strategy. Yelu Wuzhi saw the empress dowager Shulu's mind, and he carefully put forward his own views and suggestions: "Looking at the current situation, Yelu Ruan is holding a heavy army. Although you have a great prestige, Queen Mother, you can't take it lightly. I think , the most urgent best policy is to shake hands and make peace between the two sides, which will surely achieve a satisfactory result. The worst policy is to deal with it quickly and fight it out. But in this way, the tribes will be separated from each other, which will cause great harm to the Liao Kingdom Disaster. Please be aware of it, the Empress Dowager." The Empress Dowager Shulu didn't make a sound, she pondered for a long time, then raised her eyes, looked at the quality of the house, and said slowly: "It is hateful that Yeluruan, as the nephew of the emperor, offsides himself and becomes the emperor without authorization. If he is not punished, disaster will be planted Seed." Wu Zhi is very clear about Shuluping's thoughts, she wants her youngest son Li Hu to inherit Yelu Deguang's throne.Wu Zhi said meaningfully: "Marshal Li Hu and Yongkang King Yeluruan are all descendants of Emperor Taizu. No matter who is the emperor, they are all in the same line of the royal family and have not lived in other families. What's wrong? The Empress Dowager We should take a long-term plan and proceed from the overall situation, and discuss peace with King Yongkang." After saying these words, Wu Zhi couldn't help feeling a little nervous in his heart, after all, his suggestion was quite different from the original intention of the Empress Dowager Shulu.Once you offend her, you might lose your head. Empress Dowager Shulu's face was serious.Although she is over seventy years old, her wrinkles are not obvious.The Empress Dowager Shulu's slender lips were tightly closed, the slender fingers of her right hand wore even slender armor, and the left arm of the broken left hand was hidden in the narrow cuff.This woman has gone through hardships, dealt with many earth-shattering crises, endured humiliation, and presided over the government affairs of the Khitan Kingdom in troubled times. No one can guess what is going on in her heart. Yelu Wuzhi didn't dare to raise his head, and used his sixth sense to quietly observe the body changes of the strong woman in front of him, hoping to perceive the direction of her mind from these subtle clues. Time is passing by second by second. After an unknown period of time, Shuluping raised her right hand and gently stroked her left arm. This has become a symbolic gesture of hers for twenty-two years.Whenever there is a major decision-making that needs to be ruthless and determined, Shu Luping will subconsciously stroke his broken left arm.The fine rubbing sound in Yelu house sounded like the rolling yellow river water, shocking the heart.He knew that the Empress Dowager Shulu was making repeated trade-offs and fierce ideological struggles. When Yelu Wuzhi was thinking about the Empress Dowager Shulu's mind, the Empress Dowager Shulu spoke up, and she asked softly, "Who should be sent to discuss peace with King Yongkang?" When Shuluping said this, it was as if a mountain had been unloaded from Yeluwuzhi's shoulders.Yelu Wuzhi suddenly felt that his eyes were clear.He deeply admires the woman Shu Luping, admires her grasp of the overall situation and insight into world affairs, her magnanimity with a world-wide mind, and his determination to put the country before personal relationships.Obviously, after weighing the pros and cons, the Empress Dowager Shulu believed that preserving the stability and unity of the Daliao Kingdom was more important than anything else, and she also recognized the gap in power balance between the emperors and empresses.She finally overcame her selfish thoughts and decided to make peace with Yeluruan. Without hesitation, Yelv Wuzhi stepped forward and took the initiative to take over the burden of negotiating peace between the two parties.He said impassionedly: "If the Empress Dowager trusts me, I am willing to go to fulfill this mission. If King Yongkang also thinks about the country and is willing to negotiate peace, it will be a blessing for the country." So, Empress Dowager Shulu wrote a letter in her own handwriting and handed it over to Yeluwu to take to Yeluruan. The Empress Dowager Shulu overcame a great knot before agreeing to negotiate a peace. Is Yeluruan willing to negotiate a peace? Wu Zhi didn't know what Yeluruan, Emperor Shizong of Liao Dynasty, thought and planned.With a heart of mediation, he hurried to the Yeluruan Camp on the other side of the Huang River.Taking advantage of Tidequan's victorious momentum, Yeluruan planned to wipe out Li Hu and the Queen Mother's party in one go.After reading the letter from the Empress Dowager Shulu, Yeluruan put it aside contemptuously, and said frivolously: "My father, the emperor, was supposed to inherit the great lineage of the Taizu, but the Empress Dowager obstructed it, so that the Celestial Dynasty repeated. Now, the Empress Dowager has risen again. With one heart and one mind, I tried my best to support Li Hu, this is to challenge Emperor Taizong's will once again. I have already led the Khitan kings to cross the river to wipe out the rebellion, how can I negotiate peace with them!" After listening to Liao Shizong's tough words, Wu Zhi's heart thumped.Relying on his status as the elder of the clan, Wu Zhi hastily persuaded Yeluruan earnestly: "You start a war and fight with the royal family. This is the beginning of the disaster of our Great Liao Kingdom! You can only let others see it as a joke, and it will also cause trouble. The enemy came in. If you really want to stabilize the country and secure the country, the best strategy is to make peace with the empress dowager and Li Hu." Liao Shizong Yeluruan was in high spirits and didn't think there was too much difficulty in front of him.He said: "Li Hu and the others are just mobs, who are my opponents?" Wu Zhi was not discouraged, and continued to persuade: "Even if you win a big victory, do you have the heart to attack Li Hu and the empress dowager and other relatives? How will the people of the world treat you? Besides, it is too early to determine the outcome. In case Li Hu If he wins, the family members of the officials that Li Hu has captured will die without a place to bury him! No matter who wins or loses, it will not be a good result. The best policy is to make peace between the two sides." This remark is a reasonable analysis of the situation.Yeluruan hadn't made a statement yet, and all the nobles and ministers under him were shocked and talked a lot.Who doesn't care about his family?These nobles under Liao Shizong always cared about their family members behind the Khitan. Liao Shizong was trapped by the problem raised by the quality of the house, and he didn't have a good idea to solve this dilemma.After a long time, Yeluruan asked Wuzhi reluctantly: "Then what do you think should be done next?" Seeing that Yeluruan's attitude had eased, Wu Zhi made a second suggestion. He said: "Please meet with the Queen Mother, tell each other the truth, and explain the whole story. In this way, it will not be too difficult for the two sides to make peace. In case No, it’s not too late to decide the outcome.” Liao Shizong nodded in agreement. Liao Shizong sent Xuanhui Envoy Yelu Haisi as a representative to accompany the property across the Huanghe River to meet with Empress Dowager Shulu to discuss peace. Although Yelu Wuzhi tried his best to mediate, the peace negotiations between the emperor and empress did not go smoothly.The empress dowager condescended to drive to Yeluruan's camp.At the beginning, the emperor and empress blamed each other and complained, leaving no room for each other at all.Even after Yelu Ruan and Empress Dowager Shulu met directly, there was still no progress in the negotiations. The atmosphere at the negotiation venue froze, and the two sides froze on the spot. Negotiations are on the verge of breaking down. At this critical juncture, the Empress Dowager Shulu once again demonstrated her superb political wisdom. She shifted her focus and said to Yelu Wuzhi: "Wuzhi, come and plan for us to solve this dilemma." Wu Zhi understood that this was the empress dowager taking the opportunity to pass on the pressure, and he was also looking for a way to negotiate. He pretended to be profound and said: "If the empress dowager and the king of Yongkang can forgive their sins, I will dare to make further suggestions." The Empress Dowager Shulu bowed her body, her face softened a little, and she said, "It's okay for you to say it." Wu Zhi took the bamboo slips in the hands of the officials in the field, and said to the Empress Dowager Shulu: "More than 20 years ago, the emperor Yelubei was alive, why did you appoint Taizong as his successor?" Empress Dowager Shulu didn't expect that the property would ask this question. Without knowing the details of the property, she replied in a safe strategy: "The question about establishing the heir is in accordance with the will of the Taizu." Wuzhi turned his head and asked Yeluruan: "Your Majesty, why did you succeed to the throne without reporting to the Queen Mother?" Yeluruan did not answer this thorny question directly. He said: "My father, the emperor, should have succeeded to the throne but he was not treated properly. He left because of this." The implication is that he accused Yelubei of being excluded by the Queen Mother leave.This time he wants to learn from Yelvbei's lesson and cannot be at the mercy of the Empress Dowager Shulu. Wu Zhi restrained his expression, and said with a serious face: "The Emperor Renhuang abandoned his motherland and went to the enemy's Houtang. Is this the etiquette of being a son? When you saw the Queen Mother, you did not show humility, only complaints. Is this the proper attitude for a grandson?" After scolding Yeluruan, Wu Zhi turned to the Empress Dowager Shulu and said, "Your empress dowager, you are biased, abolishing the elders and establishing the younger ones, pretending to entrust Taizu's will, and arbitrarily arranging the emperor's heir. Is this what you should do? What should you do? With such an attitude, I don’t think there is anything to talk about, let’s go to war!” Extremely angry, Yu Zhi threw the bamboo slips in his hand and angrily returned to his seat. Yelu Wuzhi's upright and impassioned speech stunned the emperor, empress dowager and all relatives present.The Empress Dowager Shulu shed tears sadly, looking back at the past, while mourning her heart, she said: "I think back in the past, when the Taizu was rebelled by his younger brothers, and the people in the world were deeply harmed by the disaster. Completely calmed down, how can we repeat the historical scene again?" At this point, the Empress Dowager Shulu picked up a bamboo slip, expressing that she gave up the dispute and was willing to reconcile. Yeluruan, Emperor Shizong of Liao Dynasty, was also affected by the atmosphere of the scene, and said: "My father took the initiative to prevent the country from war, but I want to start a civil war. How can I blame others!" So Yeluruan picked up another bamboo slip and expressed his willingness to reconcile. The emperor and queen reconciled, and the Khitan civil and military nobles in the negotiation venue cried and laughed with joy and excitement, and a dreadful catastrophe was avoided. Although the emperor and queen reconciled, this was only the first step.Both of them just expressed their attitude of thinking about the future and destiny of the country, and did not say who should govern the country.Who is the emperor is the core and most important issue. The Khitan nobles and civil and military ministers, immersed in joy and excitement, have not cared about this specific and provocative question yet.After all, the Empress Dowager Shulu was the first to wake up after all the storms.She asked: "Wu Zhi, since everyone has expressed their willingness to give up disputes for the sake of the country, who will be the emperor of the Daliao Kingdom?" These words were like a steel needle piercing everyone's heart, everyone shivered, and all turned their attention to Li Hu and Ruan.That's right, to say one thousand and ten thousand is to fight over who will be the emperor.There was no sound in the big tent, everyone's breathing became heavy at this time, and each other could hear each other's heartbeat and panting.The eyes of the crowd were like machine guns. After firing intensively at the Empress Dowager Shulu, Yelu Ruan, and Li Hu, they frantically fired at Yelu's house. This problem is so heavy that it suddenly presses on top of Roizhi's head, as if it wants to crush Roofer's body into powder.No matter how Yu Zhi answered, he would risk beheading and destroying his family. At this time, Yu Zhi showed great courage, clearly expressing his position and views, and there is no need to avoid it when things are unavoidable.He replied in a slow but firm tone: "If the Queen Mother grants the throne to King Yongkang, it is an act in accordance with nature, so why hesitate?" House quality is not a long sentence, but the mystery is quite deep.He hypothetically gave the right to inherit the throne to Empress Dowager Shulu.More hypothetically, a subtle message was conveyed, saying that Empress Dowager Shulu intended to make Yongkang King Yeluruan emperor.The rhetoric that further strengthens the rationality of this approach is that it is in line with God's will.Although Wu Zhi gave the reason for making Ruan the emperor, he didn't directly suggest it. He kicked the ball to the Empress Dowager Shulu.Roofing deftly resolves its own pressure and crisis. The Empress Dowager Shulu hadn't responded to the proposal of house quality. Li Hu jumped up first, and he yelled frantically: "You guys are so bold that you discuss the candidate for the throne without authorization. With me here, what right does Ruan have to succeed to the throne!" When Li Hu made such a fuss, the hearts of the crowd almost jumped out of their throats, and everyone's hands were sweating.People on Yeluruan's side were worried that Li Hu's obstruction would cause Yeluruan's throne to fail.People on the Empress Dowager Shulu's side worried that Li Hu's position as emperor would fail.The royal family with a neutral attitude is worried about the property, worried that the property will rush too hard, sink too deep, offend any party, and may move their heads.Also, on the side of the Empress Dowager Shulu, he had a good relationship with Yuzhi, but he couldn't figure out why Yuzhi turned his back on the Empress Dowager Shulu, but favored Yeluruan. Ya Zhi is knowledgeable and talented, familiar with rules and etiquette systems, quick thinking and articulate.He went all out today, and replied to Li Hu neither humble nor overbearing: "According to the system of my dynasty, the great position is passed on to the eldest son and grandson of the direct line, and should not be passed on from the elder brother to the younger brother. In the early years, Emperor Taizong surpassed Emperor Taizu's eldest son Yelubei to inherit The throne, this matter is not proper enough. As a younger brother, how can you be qualified to inherit the throne left by Taizong? What's more, you are violent and cruel, and you don't care about the people. Both the government and the opposition hold resentment against you, and you are even more lacking in being a king. It is a weapon of virtue. Now all people are united and willing to support the king of Yongkang, it is destined to be so!" After being humiliated by the house quality comments, Li Hu was furious. He blushed with anger, his neck was thick, and he jumped into a rage. He drew his waist knife to chop off the house quality. At this time, the Empress Dowager Shulu spoke, and she said to Li Hu: "My son, have you heard these words? Today's situation is really your own fault. In the early years, Emperor Taizu and I were the closest among several children. I love you, but I didn't expect that this kind of doting will do you no good. You are useless. It is exactly what the proverb says, "a poor son will not keep his job, and a rare wife will not be the master of the house". It's not that I don't support you as emperor, it's you I don’t have that qualification and ability.” After saying these words, Empress Dowager Shulu sighed helplessly and lowered her eyelids. Empress Dowager Shulu expressed her position, gave up Li Hu, and instead agreed to Yelu Ruan's proclaiming emperor. Wuzhi tried his best to fight for the throne for Yeluruan, but what did Yeluruan think? Yeluruan didn't trust Wuzhi because he had previously assisted the Empress Dowager Shulu.Although Wuzhi stood on Yeluruan's side, Yeluruan still doubted Wuzhi's motives. He asked Wuzhi: "You and I are so close in kinship, why did you help the Queen Mother in the first place?" Picking bones, deliberately making things difficult for the house. Wu Zhi was not angry, and replied: "The minister puts the country as the most important thing, and you can't just choose someone to be the monarch, so you have to make these efforts." Wu Zhi's answer is very decent, impartial, and only emphasizes that he is dedicated to the public and is the country and community of the Great Liao Kingdom. Wu Zhi's answer got full marks in Yeluruan's heart. Yeluruan admired Wuzhi's public loyalty to the country. The battle between the emperor and empress came to an end. The Khitan aristocratic faction represented by Emperor Shizong Yeluruan of the Liao Dynasty won a complete victory. Not only did they return to the north smoothly and obtain the throne, but they also preserved the integrity of the Daliao Kingdom. In September of this year, Liao Shizong changed the Yuan to the first year of Tianlu. But the story doesn't end there. The fate of the Daliao Kingdom was not as stable as everyone at the negotiating table hoped, and the turmoil almost destroyed the emerging Daliao Kingdom.