Neon Clothes and Iron Clothes

Chapter 868 Decentralization of Powers
"Come, have a drink!" Changgoro handed over his leather bag: "Quench your thirst!"

"Hmm!" Gao Yannian opened the cork, tilted his head and took a big sip. The wine flowed through his throat like a stream of cold fire, warming his spleen and stomach: "Wine?"

"Well, there was a wine shop near where I lived in Chang'an. The wine they sold was very good, so I bought a few bags and brought them with me!" Changgoro took the leather bag back from Gao Yannian, took another sip, and sighed: “It really feels like home!”

"What's wrong? Are you homesick?" Gao Yannian asked.

"Why don't you want to?" Changgoro sighed: "We are already thousands of miles away from home. It is said that we have to walk thousands of miles west to meet the Tubo people. Why should we fight with them?"

"Because the hall sent out a message, His Majesty is his son, and we, wearing purple robes, are His Majesty's friends!" Gao Yannian replied dryly.

"What about these people?" Changgoro made a circle with his finger and swept around: "They are not His Majesty's friends, and they don't have purple robes. These Tubo people are thousands of miles apart from them. They originally had no grievances, but they We have to fight for our lives. We fight the Ezo people, the rebels, and the barbarians in the east for our own estates, for more land, for furs, and for trade. Why are we fighting the Tubo people?”

"Changgoro, stop talking. This is not what you and I should think about!" Gao Yannian whispered: "What we bowmen have to do is to serve the Lord well and defeat the enemy. Don't think too much about anything else. The more I think about you, the more upset I get!”

Changgoro sighed, picked up his leather bag and took another sip: "You know, my surname is Ono, which was bought by the owner of a bar in Nara with fifty guan. Before I set off this time, the old man grabbed My arms were filled with tears and I couldn't let go for a long time. Although this old man was not my biological father, I still felt very sad!"

Gao Yannian sighed: "Changgoro, the head of the Onoya is nice to you, right?"

"Marry your daughter to me and hand over the family business to me. The son I will give birth to will be the future head of the family. This time I am going to go on an expedition. There are thirty-five men accompanying me, all of whom are members of the Ono family. Horses, The old man also paid for the armor and weapons and baggage. I guess he has almost taken out the coffin, and this is no more than my own father!"

"So, he's really nice to you!" Gao Yannian took the leather bag and took a sip: "But he didn't lose money, right? Yes, his sake house business was doing well at the beginning, but that's all. I spent 50 kuen to buy you, and then I got the Onoya of Nambazu. As long as the old man is not stupid, why don't he treat you as a treasure? "

Changgoro didn't speak, his face was solemn, and he stared at the roaring flames of the bonfire in front of him. It wasn't until the servants brought the cooked soup and dry biscuits that he sighed and started eating.

On the morning of the thirteenth day after Gao Yannian and Chang Wulang's advance team left Chang'an, Hu Liang left Chang'an with 20,000 troops. Wang Wenzuo and Princess Taiping sent them to Baqiao. Considering that the emperor had a stroke and the queen had not given birth, After a long time, it can be said that the imperial court has high expectations for this support force.

"General!" Wang Pu approached Wang Wenzuo's carriage and said, "Her Royal Highness the Princess has sent someone to invite you to ride in her carriage back to the city!"

"Your Highness must have something to say to you in private!" Lu Zhaolin whispered.

"Yes!" Wang Wenzuo nodded. He got out of the car and walked to Princess Taiping's carriage. He cupped his hands and said, "Your Majesty, Wang Wenzuo, pays homage to Her Royal Highness the Princess!"

"No need to be polite, Aweng, please come up!" The car door opened, and Princess Taiping's voice came from inside.

Wang Wenzuo responded and got in the car. I saw Princess Taiping sitting on a brocade mat, with a maid kneeling next to her, holding a gilt spit kettle in her hands, and a bronze animal head heater beside her. The warmth in the carriage made Wang Wenzuo sigh with satisfaction.

"You don't have to be polite, Aweng, sit down and talk!" Princess Taiping smiled: "I have wanted to talk to you Aweng for a long time, but I have never been able to meet you. Now I happened to meet you, so I asked you to get in the car and tell me. explain!"

"Princess, please speak!" Wang Wenzuo said with a smile.

"Ah Weng, my husband resigned from the North Gate Imperial Army a few days ago and was replaced by Yang Sijian. Is this what you want?"

"That's right!" Wang Wenzuo nodded: "The queen sent someone to mention it. I discussed it with King Han and Prime Minister Zhang, and I thought it was okay, so I agreed!"

"Ah Weng!" Princess Taiping said, "It's okay if Hu Liang wants to lead troops to Longyou to send troops, but if Yang Sijian is allowed to take charge of the North Gate Imperial Army, it will be difficult for Hu Liang to get it back after he comes back!"

"The princess is right, but Her Majesty the Queen has already spoken, so we can't help but express some opinions, right?" Wang Wenzuo said with a smile: "As for what will happen after Hu Liang returns, isn't that too early?"

"Ah Weng!" Princess Taiping raised her eyebrows slightly: "Hu Liang is your biological son. You must have heard the saying that there is a difference between closeness and distance, right?"

"Hu Liang is only in his early twenties this year. He is already a third-rank official and commands tens of thousands of troops, Princess Shang. If he hadn't been my son, Wang Wenzuo, how would he be today?" Wang Wenzuo replied slowly: "As for the difference between closeness and distance you mentioned. "I naturally know that the North Gate Guard Palace is the heart and soul of the royal family. Only those who are loyal to the country can sit in such a critical place. Your Highness, you'd better be at ease!"

"You——!" Princess Taiping was speechless for a moment by Wang Wenzuo's half-soft and half-hard words. After a while, she said: "I am not a person who is fighting for power. I just feel that if the North Gate Forbidden Army If it is controlled by one person and the left and right are out of balance, trouble will occur at critical moments, so I told Aweng!"

"The princess is right, but who does the princess want to recommend?

"How is Li Xiaoyi?" Princess Taiping asked.

"Li Xiaoyi? You mean General Zuowei?" Wang Wenzuo asked. "Yes, he is the son of the King of Huai'an and the nephew of Emperor Gaozu. There must be no problem with his loyalty. In the past few years, he led troops in Yizhou many times and was skilled in military affairs. When Hu Liang went to Yizhou to pacify the road, When he was a thief, we fought side by side with him, and we had a close friendship. He was transferred back to Chang'an this time, and my husband and I also contributed. If this person is used to control the North Gate Guards, he will definitely be able to do so!"

Faced with Princess Taiping's suggestion, Wang Wenzuo did not immediately respond. Since ancient times, the most important thing for mastering the Forbidden Army is not to understand military affairs, but to be loyal and gain the trust of those in power. There must be no problem with Li Xiaoyi's background. According to Princess Taiping, this person has led troops and fought in Yizhou. At least he knows more about soldiers than the dude squatting in Chang'an. In addition, In order to return to Chang'an, I had gone through the couple's path. To put it bluntly, they were the couple. Maybe I had gone through the path of Princess Taiping in order to be in charge of the North Gate Imperial Army. Using such a person to divide Yang Sijian's power is, at least on the surface, no problem.

"It looks pretty good, but Yang Shaoqing has just taken charge of the Forbidden Army and is using people to divide his power. I'm afraid it's hard to talk to the Queen!"

Princess Taiping was secretly happy when she heard this, and said with a smile: "It's simple, as long as the North Gate Guards have some trouble, it will be fine. If you don't have the ability to secure your position, the court will not punish you. If you send someone who is capable to help you, the Queen will never do it." Have you said it?"

Wang Wenzuo glanced at Princess Taiping and thought to himself that this person was really the son of Li Zhi and Wu Zetian. Apart from anything else, deceptive tricks appeared as soon as his eyes turned. He coughed: "The person who controls the Imperial Army must He is a capable man!”

Hearing what Wang Wenzuo said, Princess Taiping knew that the other party had agreed. She was overjoyed and said quickly: "Aweng said it is true!"

After returning home, Princess Taiping immediately sent someone to recruit Li Xiaoyi, and said straight away: "You have already taken charge of the North Gate Guards. I mentioned it to General Wang today, and he nodded!"

It is said that Li Xiaoyi is the elder of Princess Taiping, but at this time there is a great disparity in power between the two. In surprise, Li Xiaoyi quickly gathered his clothes and bowed down: "Thank you, Your Highness, for your support. I am grateful!"

"Uncle, please get up!" Princess Taiping said insincerely: "Although General Wang has already nodded, there is still one thing that stands in the way, and that is the Queen. Si Wei Shaoqing Yang Sijian is the Queen's uncle. He has just taken charge of the North. Gatekeeper, if you go, you will be taking away his authority, and the Queen will definitely not agree!"

Li Xiaoyi couldn't tell that Princess Taiping was trying to trick him. He just lowered his head and said, "Everything is subject to His Highness's arrangements. I just do as I am told!"

Princess Taiping nodded with satisfaction and said with a smile: "Actually, it's easy to get the queen to nod. As long as the North Gate Imperial Army causes some trouble in Yang Shaoqing's hands, it will be easy. Find someone who is good at military affairs to help. He, the queen can’t say no, right? Uncle, do you know anyone in the North Gate Imperial Guard?”

"This -" Li Xiaoyi was stunned. He thought for a moment and said with a wry smile: "I haven't been in Chang'an all these years. Even if there are a few ancestors who know me, they won't do such a big thing for me!"

"Hey!" Princess Taiping sighed: "Forget it, do your best as a human being and send Buddha to the West. I'll just help you get this done! My uncle is waiting for you to take charge of the North Gate Guards, so remember My contribution today!”

"That's natural!" Li Xiaoyi hurriedly said: "If I can get my wish this time, I will be the only one who obeys you. If I break my oath, heaven and earth will not tolerate it! If Your Highness doesn't believe it, I can swear an oath as proof!"

Princess Taiping asked Li Xiaoyi to swear an oath, and then sent someone to summon Qu Tucheng, who asked directly: "I have something I want you to do. Once it is done, I will let you go and be the governor. Are you willing to do it?"

Qu Tucheng was stunned when he heard this, and then he was overjoyed. Being sent to be a governor in the Tang Dynasty was a very generous job. The governor of Liuzhou could spend the taxes he wanted. After a few years as governor, the eunuchs would have hundreds of thousands of dollars in their pockets. It's time to become an upright official. Although the North Gate Imperial Guard has a high salary, beautiful uniforms, and a quick promotion, it still can't compare with being a governor.

"Your Highness Princess, just say that you must serve me even in water or fire!"

"There is no need for you to go into trouble, as long as you find an opportunity to cause some trouble among the North Gate Forbidden Army!"

"A trouble occurred?" Qu Tucheng was stunned and asked in confusion: "May I ask, Your Highness, what do you think of this trouble?"

"It's very simple. When Hu Liang led his troops out of the capital this time, he freed up the errands of the imperial army at Zhangbei Gate and let Yang Sijian, the Shaoqing of the State Council, occupy it!" Princess Taiping said: "This position is too important. If he is allowed to sit alone, Everyone is sitting there feeling uneasy, but Yang Sijian has the Queen’s backing, and there’s no reason why he can’t be moved! Do you understand?”

"Princess, do you mean to let the villain give birth to this child?" Qu Tucheng asked.

"That's right!" Princess Taiping said: "If you have a reason, you can add another person to share Yang Sijian's power. This is not just for me, do you understand?"

Hearing this, Qu Tucheng's forehead was already covered with beads of sweat the size of soybeans. How could he not know that he had been involved in the vortex of high-level political struggles? But then he thought, since Princess Taiping had told him, she would not Maybe he was letting himself go, so he gritted his teeth and said loudly: "Your Highness, please don't worry, everything will be taken care of by the villain!"

"Okay!" Princess Taiping saw that Qu Tucheng agreed, and a smile appeared on her face: "Don't worry, as long as this matter is completed, you can choose a state in Huaihe and Henan to be the governor!"

In a blink of an eye, it was the Shangyuan Festival. According to the custom at that time, King Wu couldn't help but wanted to have fun with the people in Chang'an City. However, the situation this year is a little different. Emperor Li Hong's physical condition is still not good. The queen gave birth soon and was unable to show up. As a result, the joyful atmosphere in Chang'an City was reduced a lot.

Despite this, there is still a joyful atmosphere in Chang'an City. After all, no matter how bad the situation of the emperor and queen is, everyone still has to live a good life. The wide streets of Chang'an are full of people, and the markets on both sides are hung with various lanterns, which fill the sky with lights, like daylight.

In this case, the task of maintaining law and order naturally fell on the heads of Wu Hou, bad people, and the North and South Yamen Forbidden Army. For the North Yamen Forbidden Army, they also had another important task, that is, ceremonial guards and various performance competitions. To promote the majesty of the empire. As the de facto commander of the Beiya Forbidden Army, Yang Sijian almost ate and slept at the Bei Gate Forbidden Army Office near Xuanwu Gate during this period, and was very busy.

Of course, the hard work of the Beiya Imperial Guards was not in vain. According to custom, at this time every year, the imperial court and the emperor would give generous rewards: such as clothing gifts, charcoal gifts, pickle money, etc. The Imperial Guards of the Tang Dynasty were here In this respect, it is quite similar to the Eight Banners of the Qing Dynasty. Especially in the middle and early stages, the government's finances were sufficient, and the soldiers were all sons of noble families. There were frequent palace coups within the imperial court, so the treatment given to the North Gate Imperial Guards was particularly generous.

According to the practice of previous years, the officers of each battalion of the North Gate Forbidden Army came to the government office at noon the day before the Lantern Festival, received the rewards from their subordinates, and then took them back for distribution. Yang Sijian had been busy all morning and felt a little tired. He ate a few bites and took a nap on the couch in the study room behind the Yamen.