Yangzhou City did not fall into a greater panic after Li Jingye's death. Except for a few cases where some wealthy nobles and local ruffians wanted to intimidate ordinary people at this time, and were stopped by patrolling soldiers, there were no other accidents. occur.
As for the demobilized soldiers, after leaving the city, there was no large-scale panic because of the supervision of a large number of fully armed soldiers behind them. Only some demobilized soldiers, after leaving Yangzhou City, plundered the city. The thoughts of the outsiders were also punished on the spot by the soldiers of the Tang Dynasty.
Li Hong nodded silently and took a list of several personnel drafted by the Minister of Civil Affairs. These people were either chiefs of counties under the jurisdiction of Yangzhou or some local casual officials, waiting for employment by the court.
"It will be enough to let Lawless and General Pei Zhong lead the Futu camp back to Chang'an tomorrow, leaving Wei Tuqi behind. After Yangzhou City is stabilized, we will return to Chang'an. Also, ask Xiaoxue and the others as quickly as possible if Chang'an is Something big happened." Li Hong said calmly while sitting in the pavilion by the lake.
The weather has gradually become cooler, even in Yangzhou, there is still a hint of coolness in the middle of the night. Now the north has gradually entered winter.
Li Hong put on the thick clothes brought by Princess Dalai, turned his head and glanced at her, thought for a while and said, "Tomorrow you will go back to Chang'an with Lawless and the others. When you get to Chang'an, someone will make arrangements for you."
"Aren't you going back?" Princess Dalai asked curiously.
"Go back in a few days." Li Hong glanced at her and said: "These days, haven't you been making trouble to go to Chang'an to study? It's not that other students from your Japanese country have arrived, so why don't you go and meet them? Isn’t it appropriate?”
Princess Dalai nodded silently. From her point of view, it seemed that the prince did not show enough joy after his victory in Yangzhou today. It seemed that he was still a little lonely.
But she did not object to Li Hong's proposal and agreed to follow Lawless back to Chang'an tomorrow. After all, the purpose of her coming to the Tang Dynasty could not be completely forgotten just to accompany the crown prince of the Tang Dynasty, so she went to Chang'an first to meet the envoys sent by the Japanese country to the Tang Dynasty. It was what she had to do right now.
The next day, Lawless took three coffins and set off from Yangzhou Port by water to Chang'an. As for how to report the deaths of His Majesty, King Cao, King Yue, and King Langya after returning, Li Hong had already written a detailed memorial to They took it with them.
Similarly, at the same time, the first memorial was sent to Chang'an by carrier pigeon.
The death of three royal family members, even if they were not killed in Li Hong's hands, Li Hong had a responsibility that was difficult to escape, whether facing the court or his father.
What's more, the three people really died in his own hands, and he ordered their execution. Although the blame was put on Li Jingye, how many people in the court would believe such rhetoric after arriving in Chang'an? Will Father believe it? This is what Li Hong has to worry about.
This is no different from other ministers in the court, who can be dismissed and executed at will. These are royal family members, two people of the same generation as his father, who were beheaded and died in a different place. This is not something that can be easily revealed.
My father followed the example of the late emperor and always hoped that he would be a kind and tolerant monarch. He has also achieved this in recent years. However, if the death of King Cao and the three of them violates Li Zhi's bottom line, Li Hong will not be able to bear it. Go.
Therefore, for safety reasons, and also because Yangzhou needed him to stabilize order, he had to carefully delay his return to Chang'an. In this case, he had to transport the bodies of King Cao and others back to Chang'an first to test his father. The emperor's attitude.
On the third day, after two days and two nights of busy work, officials from Zhongshu, Menxia, Yushitai, and the Ministry of Civil Affairs finally drew up a list of temporary governors and other officials in the Yangzhou City Yamen.
On the fourth day, the three provinces of Shangshu Ling, Zhongshu Province, and Menxia Province received approval and approval. After being supervised by the Yushitai, it was handed over to the Ministry of Personnel to issue the transfer order, thus being recognized by Yangzhou officials.
Not surprisingly, the best candidate for Yangzhou governor is Wu Guogong Li Xiaoyi, son of Huai'an King Li Shentong.
This was naturally the best candidate in Li Hong's mind, so after the Yangzhou incident came to an end, officials from Zhongshu, Menxia, Libu and Yushitai began to go to Kuozhou, which was also under the control of Li Chongyi and Li Shangjin. They went to appoint and remove officials.
Li Hong, who had been waiting in Yangzhou for the past few days, finally received news. Not only were letters sent by Xiaoxue and others, but also letters were sent to him by his father, mother, and sixth child, Li Xian.
"Now Lawless has not returned to Chang'an, so my father still doesn't know about the death of King Cao and others. Do you think that if my father saw the bodies of King Cao and others, would he still be in such a good mood to talk to me? "Li Hong's brows knitted together.
He suspected that this was Li Xian's intention, but could Li Xian now get what happened in Yangzhou five days ago? Does he have such a quick source of information
The answer is obviously impossible, so it can only explain one problem. This matter was planned early in the morning.
But yes, a prince's wedding needs to be planned for more than half a year anyway. So, if the father and mother agree that the sixth child will get married in front of them, do they have any other meaning
"Your Majesty and the Queen are very happy about the happy event of King Pei's wedding." Bai Chun put down the letter in his hand and wrinkled his white jade-like forehead.
"Yes, I guess all the royal clans are concentrated in Chang'an now, or they are on their way to Chang'an." Li Hong said with a wry smile. The other royal clans all ran to Chang'an in large numbers to deliver gifts to their father. Three dead princes passed by? This... the result is hard to guess.
"Would you like to write to the queen to inform her? Maybe the situation will be better in this way?" Bai Chun hugged Li Hong tightly and said with some worry.
"I've already sent the letter. I'm afraid something might happen along the way, so I asked Hai Dongqing to go with the secret letter. In this way, only my mother can see it, and I don't dare to show it to my father." Li Hong He rubbed his aching temples and said with some frustration.
Bai Chun lay in Li Hong's arms, with a thoughtful look on his face, and suddenly said: "Last time you said that if King Cao and the others succeed in Yangzhou City, what will King Pei do? Then is it King Pei's? The big wedding is King Pei's response to them in Chang'an when King Cao and others succeed. Does this increase King Pei's bargaining chip in the fight for the crown prince's position? "
Hearing Bai Chun's words, Li Hong instantly fell into deep thought. Yes, otherwise, why would Lao Liu be in such a hurry to get married all of a sudden
When I was in Chang'an, I never heard him talk about it, nor did my father and mother think about it.
And now, while he was away from Chang'an, why did he suddenly think of the marriage, while he was away from Chang'an? Could it be that as Bai Chun said, Li Xian did this to increase his chances of competing for the crown prince? Bit of chips
His father and mother actually agreed to it in his absence. Why
When Li Hong was thinking this, he ignored one thing that he himself caused, that is, after Yang Jikang was arrested by him in Hangzhou, Yang Zhirou, another minister of the Ministry of official affairs, and Yang Sijian were now jointly investigated by Dali Temple and Yushitai. .
Yang Yu, the quasi-Crown Princess appointed by Wu Mei, was no longer the Crown Princess in Wu Mei's mind due to Yang Sijian's involvement in the matter of Yang Zhirou, the Minister of Civil Affairs. This made Wu Mei fall into the headache of selecting the Crown Princess for Li Hong. .
Although there is Pei Wanying who is in love with Li Hong and can be regarded as the best candidate for the crown princess, and Wu Mei has summoned her several times, for Wu Mei, she meets the conditions for the crown princess in all aspects.
But Pei Wanying's father, Pei Xingjian, is now a very popular minister. If his daughter becomes the crown princess again, will it cause Pei Xingjian to lose power in the government and the public after Li Hong ascends the throne in the future
So when Li Xian mentioned his marriage, Wu Mei and Li Zhi had no choice but to help Li Xian arrange the marriage first.
What's more, there is another factor that Li Zhi and Wu Mei have to agree with, that is, Li Xian's future princess Fang Muqing is now a "golden girl" who is three months pregnant. If she doesn't get married, the child will be born. .
Li Hong was puzzled. No matter what, he at least confirmed one thing, that is, Lao Liu's marriage was by no means a simple royal wedding. It was completely premeditated and purposeful. .
"Let's set off tomorrow and rush back to Chang'an." Li Hong thought for a while and said.
No matter what, it is impossible to grasp all the situation in Chang'an in Yangzhou now. Jingwei has also withdrawn, and now only he and Bai Chun, Mang Zhong and Cheetah are left, as well as the two men in the hands of Wei Tuqi. Hundred Guards.
Therefore, it is extremely convenient to travel back lightly. It only takes half a month to reach Luoyang by water.
Bai Chun lay in Li Hong's arms and nodded silently. When Li Hong decided to go back, she still felt a little reluctant.
During this period of time, the prince belonged to her alone, and although she had experienced many things that gave her nightmares, every time she woke up from the nightmare, there was a chest beside her that could always give her a sense of security. Her warm harbor allows her to wander comfortably and securely.
Even though I was mentally prepared, I still felt a little disappointed and empty after hearing the prince's decision.
So she hugged the prince tightly, and a string of crystal clear tears instantly fell from Bai Chun's beautiful eyes, and she gave a vague hum in reply.
On the second day, at the Yangzhou Pier where the sun had just risen, Li Xiaoyi looked at His Royal Highness the Prince, embracing Bai Chun's tall figure, and slowly walked towards the Five-Tooth Battleship with two hundred guards.
(End of chapter)