Chapter 71 Chapter 71

"Your Majesty, I have heard that those who revitalize the army are those who have crippled troops, useless treasury, abuse the herds of livestock, damage bows and armor, degrade agriculture and mulberry, promote morality and righteousness, and promote deceit and falsehood. Therefore, they harm the country and people. Do not use troops first. Sir. Didn’t you see the battle in the south of Shannan, corpses littered the fields, and countless families were displaced? The king of Shu should also know that a gentleman’s battle requires the right time, place, and harmony, and the people will lose the hearts of the people if he leaves without a name. Now, you and King Qi have moved to the world to discuss Zhu Wen; Zhu Wen went west, you should form a family with Fengxiang. Although you have the land of three rivers now, Liang and Jin are two tigers in the Central Plains! Rebirth, Wu Ding's comeback is invincible! Fengxiang is the barrier of Shu, it is not as good as making peace with it and marrying it. If there is nothing to do, do farming and training soldiers, secure the battlefield, and if there is something to do, focus on the opportunity, watch the quarrel and move, you can be safe .Besides, it is still possible to subtly order the princess to discover its secrets, spy on the other family's family, and attack them as soon as possible, and win in one fell swoop." Feng Juan's words are like pearls of pearls.This remark also made Shu Wang Maosai suddenly enlightened, and sighed: "Master Feng's words are reasonable, and I am enlightened! Although this Li Maozhen is mediocre, he has a reputation for being strong, and he is feared from far and near. It is not enough to fight against Zhu Quanzhong, but it is more than self-discipline. It will be beneficial to let him be my covert."

Therefore, Wang Jian and Li Maozhen repaired.Soon after, Maozhen sent the judge Zhao Yu to Xichuan to propose marriage to his nephew Tianxiong Jiedu envoy Jichong, and Wang Jian betrothed his daughter to him.After that, Li Maozhen asked Wang Jian for goods and armored soldiers several times, and Wang Jian gave them all.For a long time to come, Qin and Shu lived in peace.Within Sanchuan, the turmoil of war has also been avoided, farming has resumed in Shu, commerce has developed, and a large amount of wealth has been accumulated. At this time, a reduced guard of honor slowly drove out of Shanzhou under the "escort" of Zhu Wen's generals.Further east is Luoyang, the eastern capital.Emperor Yang of the Sui Dynasty built his capital here in the first year of Daye. Since Emperor Gaozong of the Tang Dynasty, Zhongzong, Ruizong, Empress Wu, and Xuanzong had lived here all year round.However, in Li Ye's eyes, the destination he is about to go to is no longer the capital of his Great Tang Dynasty, and the wide official road under his feet seems to be a long way to go.Relying on his intuition, Li Ye strongly sensed that Zhu Wen's wolf ambition was more sinister than any eunuch or strong official who held him hostage before.He closed his eyes, tried his best to calm himself down, and tried his best to recall everything that happened in the chaotic life of these past few months... Regarding Cui Yin's death, he seemed a little indifferent.This literati for power and selfish desires chose to take refuge in Zhu Wen in such a chaotic environment.But after all, the instinct of a scholar allows him to maintain this huge but exhausted dynasty deep in his heart.If one day, I personally witnessed the destruction of the Tang Dynasty, it might be the boundless desolation of being a Tang official.As Tang Chen, he and Zhu Wen would eventually part ways.However, how can the weak Cui Yin stop the empire from falling off the cliff?He is just an insignificant pawn on Zhu Wen's chessboard to usurp the world.Even, in the eyes of chess players, this chess piece is really dispensable.Zhu Wen was keenly aware of all this, and quietly made arrangements to end the life of a prime minister, which seemed so simple and calm to him.

After Cui Yin's death, Zhu Wen was afraid that Li Maozhen would rob the emperor again, so he ordered the demolition of Chang'an palaces, government offices and dwellings, and forced the emperor Li Ye and the people of Chang'an city to move eastward to Luoyang.In the first month of the fourth year of Tianfu, Li Ye bid farewell to Chang'an, his birthplace, with tears in his eyes.And Chang'an, the ancient capital that gave birth to Chinese civilization in thirteen dynasties, also ended its history as the capital of Chinese dynasties. "Why did you stop? Where did you go?"

"Your Majesty, we have arrived in Huazhou." Oh, Washington.This is a place that Li Ye is no stranger to.He also lived here a few years ago.In other words, he had a humiliating memory here under the hostage of Han Jian.His brothers all died here.But at least, looking back now, Li Ye somewhat misses the down-to-earth feeling that occasionally slipped through his heart when he was in Huazhou.He thought of when Li Yun sprinkled his sincere loyalty and blood in front of him, a king still had that trace of dignity on his face; "The tragic words, he can still enjoy the warmth of family affection.But now, everything is gone.All that is left is the situation where he is alone supporting a dilapidated dynasty.

When the sun rises in the east, the city gates of Huazhou are wide open, and guards of honor slowly enter.It was an early morning that was supposed to be quiet, but Li Ye noticed the voices of people ahead from the air.He opened the rough bright yellow curtain, and slowly poked his head out. Everything in front of him stunned him—— Both sides of the avenue were actually full of people from the whole city. They were orderly, but they were silent with each other, eagerly looking forward to his arrival.Li Ye leaned out and stepped out of the dragon chariot.The moment he straightened his waist, all the people in Huazhou fell to their knees and shouted long live three times... At this moment, Li Ye's eyes could no longer contain the tears, and his heart was filled with emotion and shame.The capital Chang'an has been in ruins, is he still the long live of the empire?

Sorrow came, tears gushed like springs, and his dull eyes could no longer find the way to go.He murmured a poem: The short stay in Huazhou for more than a month made Li Ye feel physically and mentally exhausted.He has gradually adapted to this humiliating imperial life.Yes, think about the days when you were imprisoned in Gongyuan and Fengxiang, you have endured the humiliation like a dog, what else can you not bear!dignity?Dignity seemed an infinitely extravagant delusion in the presence of a king like him.Sometimes, Zhu Wen could even send a servant to call him to his private residence for drinking.This can't help but remind people of a story in "Zuo Zhuan":

In the twenty-eighth year of Duke Xi: It was Hui Ye, the Marquis of Jin called the king, met with the princes, and sent the king to hunt.Zhong Ni said: "You can't train the king with ministers."The old book says: The king of heaven hunted in Heyang. Li Ye sneered, and murmured to himself: "You can't be disciplined if you call the emperor with a minister! When I was young, I studied Chunqiu Zuo, how could I have foreseen that this sentence is actually a portrayal of me!" Zhu Wen's disobedience has become clear to the world!The only thing Li Ye can do right now is to look forward to the forces that can still be loyal to him and can compete with Zhu Wen to save the Tang Dynasty.He thought of Li Keyong in the north, and Wang Jian in the southwest.Although they ruled on one side, they were loyal to the Tang family after all.

Zhu Wen once again urged him to move east to Luoyang.If it really arrived in Luoyang, even if the reinforcements escorted by King Qin arrived, it would not help the matter.Now it can only be delayed for a while.First, he used the excuse that the queen gave birth to a dragon and needed rest and recuperation; second, he used the excuse that the palace in the Eastern Capital had not yet been repaired, and he wanted to continue waiting for news in Huazhou.The secret envoy sent to Xishu to ask Wang Jian for help has been away for a month, and he has no idea what Wang Jian is planning at this moment.Naturally, Zhu Wen could sense the wishful thinking in Li Ye's heart, so he planned to ask Li Ye to return Luoyang to urge the palace to be repaired.

Looking at Zhu Wen's leaving back, Li Ye couldn't help shivering. "Your Majesty!" was the Queen's familiar voice. "Queen, you are still weak. It's cold outside. You should go back and rest earlier." The wind outside the house rustled the leaves, and the night in early spring was still cold.He felt that Lian Che's frail hands were holding a thick cloak tied around his shoulders.This was originally an act of intimacy by lovers, but at this moment, it gave birth to a little sadness for no reason. "Your Majesty, Zhu Wen is going to attack soon, you have to plan early!"

"Ah..." Li Ye sighed helplessly, "Even if I wanted to ask Wang Jian and Li Keyong for help again, but there is no one available." I could only hear Lian Che calling out in a slightly weak voice from behind: "Qing, Ling, you two come here." Then, two petite court ladies came out of the room, each dressed in tight-fitting beards, and knelt down in front of Li Ye and Lian Che.Li Ye looked at the little girls beside the two empresses, they were only in their teens, but they followed him here to suffer. "I have explained to them that the emperor can hand over the secret letter to them. I have arranged for trustworthy people to take them to Chengdu and northern Shanxi respectively."

Li Ye did not expect that the Queen, who had always been submissive, would make such an astonishing arrangement at a critical moment.But soon, he understood the importance of making a decisive decision at this moment.So, he untied the jacket on the outer cover, tore off two pieces of skirts from the close-fitting imperial robes, and handed them to the two maids: "It is too dangerous to write an imperial edict. Please keep these two pieces of imperial robes. Wang Jian and Li Keyong will naturally know your identities after seeing them. If you see them, tell me, "I will be taken to Luoyang immediately by Zhu Wen. Once I arrive in Luoyang, my life will not be guaranteed; My hands are all done by Zhu Wen! Aiqing is the pillar of our country, and the important task of revitalizing the Tang Dynasty is entrusted to Aiqing!" After finishing speaking, Li Ye let out a long breath.He ordered the two court ladies to recite the oral instructions, and when they saw that the words were correct, they were relieved to let them leave the palace secretly. After the two maids left, Lian Che called out the nanny Chen Shi.The sleeping baby in the nanny's arms was the newborn little prince.Li Ye felt heartbroken when he saw his son.This petite life was born in the royal family, it's a pity that he didn't know what happened, and he was about to be slaughtered by Zhu Wen - thinking of this, his eyes were blurred with tears. "Hey! Why did you have to be born in a troubled court like me? Why did you become Li Tang's blood?" He looked at the smiling pink face of the baby in his arms, and sighed softly. "Your Majesty, once this innocent life arrives in Luoyang, it will become the wronged soul of Zhu Wen just like you and me!" Lian Che's words were not regrettable and sad for him, "Send him out as soon as possible before arriving in Luoyang." Palace!" The second half of the sentence made Li Ye's confused thinking clearer.yes!I have seen the group of Zhu Wen's other children. Even if they run to the ends of the earth, their lives will inevitably be in danger, not to mention that they cannot escape at all.However, sometimes it is difficult to tell whether the baby in the world is the biological parent. If you send this little life out by stealing, maybe it can really save his life.But immediately, he became discouraged again, helplessly said to himself: "It is easy to send him out of the palace, but it is difficult to find a substitute for him!" At this time, the nanny Chen suddenly said: "Your Majesty, Empress, I am willing to exchange my newborn son for the little prince's life!" "This..." Li Ye didn't expect that the peasant woman in front of him could make such a righteous decision, "How can this be done, this is a newborn life! He is your flesh and blood!" "Your majesty, you don't have to feel sorry for me. I know that you and the empress are good people, and the little prince is the only hope to inherit Li Tang's royal family. The daughter of the people is willing to abandon my child!" Li Ye was so excited that he didn't know what to do for a moment, he pulled Lian Che, who was nodding knowingly, and unexpectedly knelt down for Mrs. Chen. Panicked, Chen also hugged the prince and knelt in front of Li Ye and Lian Che: "Your Majesty, Empress, I can't afford it! I can't afford it!" Several noises woke up the sleeping baby, and the slightly opened mouth Make a soft cry. Lian Che hastily took her own flesh and blood from Mrs. Chen, and a line of hot tears dripped down her son's glowing red cheeks.Li Ye got up, quickly found a royal robe, wrapped it around his son, and told Chen Shi to stay away from here and give the child to a reliable person to raise him.Don't ask him to be rich in the future, but ask him to be safe.Li Ye is confident that the hearts of the people in the world are still towards the Great Tang. If they know that this is the blood of the Li family, there will be kind people who will take good care of them. With tears in her eyes, Lian Che took out a piece of jade from her bosom and stuffed it in the baby's swaddle.Li Ye immediately recognized that this jade pendant was a token left by him to the beautiful daughter of the He family when he bid farewell to Lian Che in the back garden of He Mansion in Dongchuan.Unexpectedly, after so many years, Lian Che sent it to his son's arms at this moment.Such a scene is so sad! Mrs. Chen knelt down to the emperor and empress and kowtowed again, then turned and left in a hurry. "Wait..." Lian Che's call made the nanny stop.The queen could no longer restrain the pain of saying goodbye to her son, and ran forward quickly, and carefully studied the baby's face for a long time, as if she wanted to engrave it in her heart for a hundred generations.Suppressing her grief and tears, she bent down and tenderly left her mother's last kiss on her son's cheek... Holding the little prince in her arms, Chen hurriedly disappeared into the night...