It has been more than a month since the imperial army crossed Qinshui, and the things that the courtiers were worried about before did not happen, and everyone couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief. Although Minyong's combat power is mediocre, so far the battle has gone smoothly so his morale is high. The initial fights were all done by soldiers. With the cooperation of the navy, it was not too difficult for the well-trained Sui elite to kill Qinshui. Minyong, who had been shouting for the soldiers in the early stage, gradually participated in some battles after crossing the river. Although their quality is still not outstanding, their equipment is much better than that of the rebels.
After fighting some victories, the morale of these brave people increased. The defense line of the rebels was compressed step by step, and after gaining confidence, the Valiant Battalion gradually became able to stand alone.
Qinshui is the biggest natural barrier for the rebels, but the lack of a navy is the biggest weakness of the rebels.
The navy of the Sui Dynasty has always been low-key, but its strength is beyond doubt. When Nanchen was destroyed in the Ping Dynasty, the Nanchen Navy, known as the best in the world, did not last long in front of the Great Sui Navy. When they attacked the Shang Kingdom more than 20 years ago, the Shang Kingdom's army, known for its navy, was also helpless under the pressure of the Great Sui Navy.
The strength of the army is based on the strength of the country.
The Tai Sui navy has complete equipment, strong warships, and mature tactics have been formed over the past century.
After crossing Qinshui and entering Hexi Road, the army fought almost every day. The defense line of the rebels is very thick, and every village and every fort has to be fought. Li Yuanshan asked his generals to constantly put pressure on the rebel soldiers, telling them that there would be no way out if they did not resist. It is an unforgivable crime for the court that they joined the rebel army. If they want to live, they can only take up arms to resist.
Therefore, although the progress of the imperial army was not slow at the beginning, few rebels voluntarily surrendered.
Regarding this point, the court officials who accompanied the army were puzzled. They really couldn't figure out why those foolish people would rather believe Li Yuanshan's nonsense than the imperial court's successive amnesty orders. His Majesty decreed before the Western Expedition that all rebel soldiers who put down their weapons and surrendered can forget the past as long as they have not committed any serious crimes. But this amnesty was promulgated for a long time, and not many people in the rebel army believed it.
In fact, it's no wonder that although those people had no choice but to follow the thieves, it was the same as having no choice but to steal. The government issued a notice saying that as long as they voluntarily surrendered, they could be exonerated, the thieves basically didn't believe it.
In the final analysis, it is nothing more than the four words of ghosts in my heart.
In November, the army conquered Hengyuan, and His Majesty recovered Hengyuan Palace, one of the seven palaces in the northwest. Although everything in the palace had been looted long ago, it was a relatively encouraging victory after all. The rebel general Shi Lei who was stationed at Hengyuan led his army to retreat forty li to the west and re-armed on the front line of Yangjiao Mountain.
The scale of Hengyuan Palace is not large, and it is not as rich as the Guangyang Palace in Xiangzhou. The food, grass and armor stored in Guangyang Palace are enough to equip tens of thousands of troops.
The emperor, who had obviously lost a lot of weight, refused Su Buwei's help to walk up the stone steps of Hengyuan Palace. In just two or three years, this palace has changed beyond recognition. Although this was the first time His Majesty the Emperor walked here, he could still feel the decline of the palace in the past two years.
The courtyard paved with stone slabs was already full of weeds, and no one took care of them. Weeds easily got out from the cracks in the stone slabs, and it took only one spring to occupy the entire palace. No one maintains it, and the speed at which the house is dilapidated always seems so alarming. The palace wall, which was originally painted vermilion, has peeled off and is mottled, and many arrow towers and watchtowers have been added to the city wall, making the palace wall look nondescript.
Outside the gate of the palace was a line of rejecting horses, looking even more desolate and desolate.
The emperor stepped on the dust and weeds on the stone steps and walked up slowly. He kept looking around, with a hint of anger in his eyes.
This is his palace, a place that represents the majesty of the emperor, and now it has become a stable, a cattle pen!
His eyes stayed on a rebel flag on the roof of the palace that he hadn't had time to pull out, and his face became even more ugly. Su Buwei immediately understood the meaning of the emperor, pointed to the position of the flag and reprimanded him, several guards in brocade clothes ran over immediately, found a ladder to climb up the house and pulled out the flag.
The Ouchi Bodyguard Office is now dead in name only. After Luo Weiran was driven out of Chang'an City by the emperor, it was Su Buwei's dark bodyguard who took over the duties of the Ouchi Bodyguard Office. The dark guard referred to the bright from the dark, using the name of the Ouchi Guard Office, but for the sake of distinction, people now call Su Buwei's Jinyi School.
Feiyupao is in decline, and Jinyi School is domineering.
"Although I have never been here, this courtyard is my private house. As an emperor, I can't even keep my own private house. I am sorry for my ancestors."
The emperor stood on the platform talking to himself, frightening the ministers who followed him. Civil servants and military generals knelt down together, and no one knew why the emperor suddenly had such emotions. The emperor said that he was sorry for his ancestors, so these courtiers were unforgivable crimes.
"Your Majesty..."
Su Buwei opened his mouth, but was stopped by the emperor: "You don't need to persuade me, I just blame myself. Taizu established the country, Taizong started a business, and the powerful empire that the Yang family spent more than a hundred years building was handed over to me. But I didn’t keep it well. This has nothing to do with you, it’s my own business.”
Say nothing to do, how can it be nothing to do
The courtiers quickly kowtowed: "I am waiting for death!"
"Get up, everyone."
The emperor waved his hand: "I just have a feeling in my heart, you don't need to be so trembling. You have to go through some unsmooth things to make people more diligent and cautious in doing things. Without Li Yuanshan's rebellion, I would not easily rectify the bureaucracy. There are no rebels It is raging, and I will not see the other side of the people. The predecessors said that they should be destroyed before they are established. The Northwest has been in chaos to the root. It is enough to govern from the beginning. It is just that it is easy to turn chaos into chaos, and it is not easy to turn chaos into peace. Now it has recovered a lot Lost land, you should think about it now, how to make the people obey and stop being thieves!"
"Your Majesty would like to follow His Majesty's instruction."
Everyone stood up and followed the emperor step by step.
"Before I went to the northwest, I hated Li Yuanshan for plotting rebellion. But why didn't I feel that this man was scheming and courageous? When I was in Chang'an, I told myself to face up to this opponent. But after arriving in the northwest, I relaxed a lot , take a look..."
The emperor stretched out his finger and pointed around: "Even if it is stolen, it will be lost sooner or later if it is not properly managed. Li Yuanshan only knows how to plunder but does not know how to support the people. How can it last for a long time!"
After saying this sentence, there was immediately reprimand and curses for Li Yuanshan, as well as praise for the emperor.
Standing in front of the palace hall, the emperor raised his head to look at the mottled plaque and shook his head: "Take off this plaque too... make a new one. Break it and then erect it. All old and useless ones must be plucked out." , in order to have new... "
No one understood the latter sentence.
Only the emperor himself knew what he was talking about.
…
…
Sitting in the side hall that had been tidied up, the emperor pulled the brocade quilt to make it tighter. The weather in the northwest made him uncomfortable, especially at night, even with two layers of quilt wrapped around him, he still didn't feel warm. The lights in the room are brightly lit, but there are always corners that cannot be illuminated, just like the emperor's heart.
Su Buwei carefully waited for the emperor to take the medicine, then stood aside with his head bowed.
"The drug dregs are all disposed of, so that no one can see them."
The emperor took out his handkerchief, wiped his mouth, gave orders, looked at the memorial sent from the capital in front of him, and frowned slightly. These excerpts were picked out by Pei Yan, and they were mostly trifles. The biggest problem facing the imperial court now is countering the rebellion. As for how many people were frozen to death by the heavy snow in a certain place, and the officials in a certain place neglected their duties, the emperor is not in the mood to deal with it now.
"Send someone back to the capital, and tell Pei Yan not to send such papers over in the future. How much manpower and material resources are wasted for thousands of miles! If there is a disaster in the local area, the local government will provide relief. If there is a shortage of food and materials, let Pei Yan guide the officials of the household department Allocation. If you can’t turn around, you will open a warehouse. I let the three of them be the auxiliary ministers, not as postmen who will only send the pocketbooks to the northwest. There are also the queen's advice, he can make up his own mind on many things."
"The crown prince and the auxiliary officials are also worried that they will not do well."
Su Buwei bowed his head and said: "The servant arranged for someone to go back early tomorrow morning and inform His Majesty the Crown Prince and the three assistant ministers of His Majesty's will."
"Um."
"I'm in the northwest, so what I want to see is not these papers... Where is the left front guard now? How is the troop deployment in the Jiangnan counties? Why didn't a paper come up? The people sent to ask Pei Yan how he screened A memorial!"
"The servant obeys."
Just as he was talking, someone suddenly asked to see him outside. It was already dark, and it was obviously urgent for someone to come in at this time. The emperor signaled, and Su Buwei hurriedly opened the door.
As soon as the door was opened, the wind poured into the room, and the blown candles swayed.
The emperor seemed a little dissatisfied, and turned his head to see who asked to enter so late.
Not long after, Su Buwei came back, and behind him were Xu Xiaogong, General of the Right Guard and Liu Enjing, General of the Left Guard. Seeing the two of them coming in, the emperor's heart tightened involuntarily.
"It's so late, but there are urgent military affairs?"
he sat up straighter and asked.
"Your Majesty..."
Xu Xiaogong and Liu Enjing saluted first, Xu Xiaogong raised his head, and said cautiously: "Today, someone came from Langru Mountain. They ran for more than a month and passed through the place occupied by the rebels. Only a few people died to find this place. Bring a message..."
"oh?"
The emperor couldn't help but smiled: "But what good news did Yang Kai send me? I know it's not easy for him. After the defeat, he gathered the defeated soldiers on the spot. In the past two years, he has regained many places abruptly. No Supplies from the imperial court, without logistical support, a lone army has persisted until now, it is difficult for him."
"no… "
Xu Xiaogong hesitated for a moment, and said in a low voice: "Prince Xujun... Zhan no..."
The emperor's smiling expression gradually froze, and the hand holding the teacup froze in mid-air.
With a snap, the teacup fell from the emperor's hand and broke into pieces.
"when… "
"Returning to Your Majesty, it was a month and a half ago. In order to cooperate with the imperial army's western expedition, when the prince went down the mountain to survey the rebel army's west camp, he was discovered by the rebel rangers, and all the guards with him were killed. The prince fought bloody to the end... In the end... Outnumbered…”
"I know."
The emperor waved his hand: "Go down... I'm tired."
He sat back slowly and pulled the quilt over to cover it.
Xu Xiaogong and Liu Enjing looked at each other, got up and prepared to leave. Just when the two of them had just walked to the door, they suddenly heard a violent coughing sound from behind. The two of them were startled, and turned their heads quickly, only to see that the emperor sitting on the kang had coughed and hunched over, clutching the corner of the quilt tightly in his hands.
The two of them were startled, and hurried back. After taking a step, they saw the emperor spurt out a mouthful of blood.
The emperor glanced at the two pale-faced generals who were frightened, reached out with trembling hands and picked up a handkerchief to wipe the corners of his mouth: "If outsiders find out about today's incident, I will punish you nine clans."
Xu Xiaogong and Liu Enjing knelt down immediately: "I dare not... Your Majesty, it is better to return to the capital, the dragon's body is the most important thing."
The emperor shook his head slowly: "I want to go back, but it's not the time. I originally planned to give you the order in a few days. Since you are here today, I will simply tell you the matter."
He glanced at Su Buwei: "You go out."
Su Buwei was startled for a moment, but still bowed and retreated.
"Tomorrow, I will send the two of you to lead the troops to the south to besiege the rebels in Yin Poshan with Luo Yao, the left avant-garde. But after the two of you go south, you will immediately lead the troops back to Chang'an City. I have already transferred the Yangtze River Navy Duan Zheng The fleet is waiting in the lower reaches of Qinshui, don't show your whereabouts..."
The emperor took out the Taoist decree from his closet: "Look again on the way, remember, the mission I entrusted to you is to protect my country in the Great Sui Dynasty!"