The ministers begged me to ascend the throne

In an inconspicuous house somewhere in Jinling, Zhao Yao received a letter from He Lianfang.The letter was sent by Xiao Jin.

After Zhao Yao took the letter off Xiao Jin's lap, he didn't rush to read it. Instead, he served Xiao Jin, the little ancestor, with snacks and apples.

After Xiao Jin had eaten and drank enough, he stood obediently by Zhao Yao's hand and read the letter with Zhao Yao.

He Lianfang told Zhao Yao in the letter that the King of Chu and his party were safe and would arrive in the capital soon.Also, the situation at the Zhenxi Military Camp was under the control of the emperor, so Zhao Yao did not have to worry.Finally, he told Zhao Yao that King Jing had sent the collected evidence to the emperor.

After Zhao Yao read the letter, he reached out and touched Xiao Jin's little head, praising him and saying: "Fourth brother was able to successfully find the stolen copper and return to the capital safely from Wuhua Mountain. This is all due to you."

Xiao Jin seemed to understand Zhao Yao's words. He puffed up his little chest proudly and shouted twice proudly: "That means, without me, your fourth brother will be finished." 】

Zhao Yao lowered his head and kissed Xiao Jin's little head hard, "When we return to Beijing, I will ask the fourth brother to reward you and let you eat a full meat feast."

Xiao Jin raised his head and rubbed Zhao Yao's face.

Zhao Yao hooked Xiaojin's chin and scratched it gently: "Go and play."

Xiao Jin nodded his little head and immediately flapped his wings and flew out.

Zhao Yao picked up the letter written by He Lianfang and put it on the candlelight to burn.Soon, the letter in his hand burned to ashes.

Seventh Brother has already given the evidence from Jinling to his father, but the evidence is not enough for his father to depose the prince.However, the evidence and evidence brought back by the fourth brother should enable the father to depose the prince.However, the prince is not so easy to lose.

Besides, my father's ultimate goal was not as simple as deposing the prince, but to eliminate the government behind the prince.However, his second uncle once told him that in order to thank the Xie family for their help, the emperor had issued a decree to give the Zhenguo Duke an honor, that is, the title of Zhenguo Duke was hereditary and non-replaceable, and the Zhenguo Duke could not be abolished at will. This title is reserved only for those who have done something treasonous and unethical.

In order to eradicate the Zhenguo Duke's mansion, the father should have forced the Zhenguo Duke and the prince to rebel.In order to force them to rebel, when the fourth brother returns to the capital, the father will definitely depose the prince.Not only that, the father is afraid that he will depose the Duke of Zhen Guo and let his son succeed to the title of Duke of Zhen Guo.

The prince and Duke Zhen have been planning for many years, and there is no way that their hard work over the years will be ruined in one go.Furthermore, they also left themselves with a backup plan.Once the father deposes the prince, the Zhenxi military camp will inevitably rebel.

In the coming days, the capital city will be shaken by one wave after another.Fortunately, he came to Jiangnan. If he were in the capital, he might be innocently implicated.

After the prince is completely deposed, the situation in the capital will not become stable. On the contrary, it will become more "lively" because of the selection of the new prince.

The person that the father likes is the fourth brother, but the fourth brother is neither his direct descendant nor his elder brother.Above him, there is an acting king.Below him, there is also a legitimate son, King Jing.It may not be that easy for my father to make his fourth brother the crown prince.

Or, the father used the excuse that the prince had broken his heart and did not plan to establish a new prince for the time being, allowing King Dai, Fourth Brother, King Jing, and Eighth Brother to continue fighting for it.

However, having said that, even if the father goes against all the opinions and makes the fourth brother the prince, King Dai and King Jing will not give up. On the contrary, they will deal with the fourth brother more brutally and pull the fourth brother, the prince, to step down.

To put it bluntly, even if their father leaves and the fourth brother becomes emperor, King Dai and King Jing will not give up.

There is a saying that a prince who does not want to be an emperor is not a good prince.The Dai Wang and the others will fight to the death for the throne, and the fight for the throne will not stop until they die.

Among so many princes, he was not a good prince and was unwilling to participate in the fight for the heir.After the crown prince is abolished, the situation in the capital will become even more bloody. He will have to find a way to stay in Jiangnan and wait until he reaches adulthood to become king before returning to the capital.

At this time, Tongxi walked in.

"Your Highness, that Li Jue is still making trouble to see you."

Zhao Yao said: "Let him make trouble."

"Your Highness, that Li Jue said he had something important to tell you." Tong Xi hated Li Jue very much. If Zhao Yao hadn't allowed it, he would have wanted to give Li Jue some color. "He also said that if you If you don’t listen, you will regret it for the rest of your life.”

"Repent for the rest of your life?" Zhao Yao sneered, "Is it so serious?"

"Your Highness, I think he is exaggerating just to get you to see him. Your Highness, you cannot let him do so."

Zhao Yao could probably guess what Li Jue wanted to say, "Let's talk in two days." Ever since Li Jue learned that the Li family and the Fang family had joined King Jing, Li Jue couldn't sit still.

"Your Highness, you are right to continue to ignore him." Tongxi snorted, "Who does he think he is? Your Highness is not someone he can see if he wants to."

Zhao Yao looked at Tong Xi who was full of anger and said amusedly: "Why do you care about being a prisoner of the same rank as him?"

"Your Highness, that Li Jue wanted to kill you before." When Tongxi thought about this, he hated Li Jue even more. "If you didn't agree, Your Highness, I would have killed him long ago and cut him into pieces."

"I'm fine."

"That's because you are smart, Your Highness." Tong Xi said this with a puzzled look on his face, "Your Highness, that Li Jue has no use value anymore, what are you still doing with him?"

"Killing him with one knife is too easy for him." A cold light flashed in Zhao Yao's eyes, "Just lock him up like this, ignore him, and let him think about things by himself. This is the best way to torture."

"Your Highness, that Li Jue is not crazy either."

"Really? Let me ask you, are his hair and clothes messy?"

"No, he still looks well-dressed."

"Really, not a trace or a bit of mess?" During this period, Zhao Yao did not go to see Li Jue and didn't know what Li Jue looked like now.However, based on his guess, Li Jue would never be as tidy and clean as when he was locked in the secret room.

When Tong Xi heard what Zhao Yao said, he thought about it carefully, and then exclaimed: "Yes, that Li Jue's hair is a little messy, and there are a few strands of hair in front of his face."

Zhao Yao smiled meaningfully: "He has started to go crazy."

"Ah, is this crazy?" Tongxi looked suspicious, "I didn't see him making such a fuss."

"Not every lunatic will make a scene. Even if a pretentious person like Li Jue is crazy, he will not act like a rogue."

Tong Xi seemed to understand, "Is that so?"

Zhao Yao said nothing more and lowered his head to look at the situation of all the officials in Lingnan that He Lianfang had sent before.

Lingnan is divided into three parts: upper ridge, middle ridge and lower ridge.Each section has four state capitals, making a total of twelve state capitals.These twelve state capitals are all very poor, but the officials in each state capital are very rich.

These officials colluded with local tribes or bandits to burn, kill and loot passers-by.In addition, they imposed various taxes on local people, the most severe of which was protection fees.

In order to survive, the people had to pay high protection fees to seek asylum.However, this protection fee is like a snowball, getting bigger and bigger every year.Many people cannot afford protection fees, and their fate will be very miserable. It is common for their families to be destroyed.

Many people are forced to sell their children in order to afford protection fees and survive.Some people really couldn't survive in Lingnan, so they risked their lives and fled to Johor, Annam, Siam and other countries.

These people who fled to foreign countries had a difficult life.Foreign countries like Annan hated the Daxia and Dazhou people the most.In the previous dynasty, they were a vassal state of Daxia, and they brought countless money and jewelry to Daxia every year.The emperors of Daxia were greedy and would increase the tribute from Johor, Annan and other countries every year, making these countries miserable.They had resisted, but they were no match for Daxia, and were quickly suppressed by Daxia. After that, they had to pay more gold, silver, and jewels in order to gain peace.

Dazhou did not bully Annan and other countries like Daxia, but Johor and other countries paid tribute to Dazhou every year.Their tribute to Dazhou was not less than that of Daxia, but it was not more than Daxia.The Great Zhou Dynasty collected tribute from Siam and other countries in accordance with the provisions of the early Great Xia Dynasty, but did not follow the requirements of the late Great Xia Dynasty.Even so, Annan and other countries were not grateful to Dazhou. On the contrary, they hated Dazhou as much as they hated Daxia.

Having said that, the people who fled to Annan and other countries had a better life than those in Lingnan.In fact, it's not that it's better, but it's not that miserable.Whether in Lingnan or Annan and other countries, life is very miserable, but life in Johor and other countries is slightly better than in Lingnan.In the final analysis, it is just the difference between the worst and the worse.

Why did the people in Lingnan flee to foreign countries such as Siam instead of other places in the Zhou Dynasty?Because the law stipulates that criminals who were exiled to Lingnan and their descendants can only stay in Lingnan from generation to generation and cannot go to other places, so they can only flee to foreign countries.

Every year, many people escape from Lingnan, but most of them die on the way to Siam and other countries. Only a small number of people can successfully escape to foreign countries.

Officials in Lingnan would report to the court every few years the people who had escaped, but the number of people they reported was several times higher than the number of missing people.The reason why they overreport the number of people is mainly for some shady business.

Every year, many young men and women are sold to places outside Lingnan through some unpopular methods.There are also some very good-looking young men and women who are sold directly to foreign countries such as Annan.

Due to the protection of Lingnan officials, human trafficking is rampant there.Both the previous dynasty and the Great Zhou Dynasty turned a blind eye to Lingnan.As long as the Lingnan side does not rebel, and as long as the Lingnan side completes the taxes stipulated by the court, the imperial court will not interfere too much in the affairs of the Lingnan side.

A few years ago, when Yan Huarong was ordered to guard southern Xinjiang, he only managed the soldiers on the Lingnan side for the imperial court and did not interfere in the government affairs of Lingnan.

The Great Zhou Dynasty followed the example of the Great Xia Dynasty and set up military camps in Lingnan.This camp is called Zhennan Military Camp, but people are accustomed to calling it "Lingnan Camp".

The officers and soldiers of Lingnan Camp were all selected from other military camps.These soldiers were not demoted to the Lingnan camp because of their mistakes.Of course, some generals in the Lingnan Camp were demoted.They were demoted to Lingnan because of their mistakes.However, most of them will be readmitted after staying in Lingnan Camp for a few years.

Because of the special circumstances of Lingnan, the generals of the Lingnan camp will be changed every three years, and they will not be kept for a long time.First, they are afraid that if they stay for a long time, they will be spoiled by the bad customs of Lingnan.The second is that they are worried that they will treason.

During the previous dynasty, many soldiers defected to Annan, Johor and other countries, and then they led troops to attack Daxia.In order to prevent this from happening again, Zhou would change the generals of the Lingnan camp every three years.

The current generals of the Lingnan camp are Shen Miao and Chu Yi.A few years ago, the two of them were sent to Lingnan.At that time, they were not the generals of Lingnan Camp.In the past few years, the two have made many achievements and finally became generals two years ago.

Those two who came to Lingnan with them back then were He Zhengshu and Liu Jun. They were the sons of He Xiang and Taishi Liu.They did not enter the Lingnan camp, but went to serve as county magistrates in the two counties bordering Annan and Siam.

In the past few years, when the two of them were serving as county magistrates, they encountered many difficulties and obstacles.The two of them encountered life-threatening dangers several times. If they hadn't been clever, they would have died long ago.

The two of them did a good job as county magistrates and developed the local area very well.After that, the two of them became prefects and were responsible for managing a state.

In the state capital under their management, the people lived a healthy life without having to worry about being bullied by chieftains or bandits.They can eat well, wear warm clothes, and go out to do business.

The state capital under their management is the only pure land in Lingnan.Many people from other places in Lingnan ran to these two state capitals.Currently, these two state capitals are the most populous places in Lingnan.

When He Xiang and Taishi Liu "sent" their sons to Lingnan, many ministers thought they were crazy and thought they had abandoned their two sons.Unexpectedly, their son has done very well in Lingnan in the past few years.

Many ministers thought that the emperor would transfer He Xiang and his sons back from Lingnan to hold important positions in the court, but the emperor did not do this and still kept their sons in Lingnan.

He Xiang and the others did not "plead for mercy" for their son, and begged the emperor to transfer their son back to the capital.This made many ministers in the court think that Taishi Liu and the others really despised their son, and so did the emperor.

Not only did the emperor not let He Zhengshu and Liu Jun return to the capital, he also did not let them leave the state capital where they were.

It stands to reason that since they manage the state capital so well, the emperor should transfer them to other state capitals and let them manage other state capitals well.However, the emperor did not do this.It's not that the emperor doesn't want to transfer them to other state capitals, but the current situation means they can't go to other state capitals.

Before Zhao Yao goes to Lingnan, He Zhengshu and Liu Jun will not go to other state capitals.

"Ugh……"

Tong Xi heard Zhao Yao's sigh and asked with concern: "Your Highness, what's wrong with you?"

Zhao Yao raised his hand and pinched his eyebrows, and said in a helpless and heavy tone: "I'm tired!"

"Your Highness, why are you upset?" Tongxi asked with concern, "Is there something bothering you?"

"Lingnan." Zhao Yao held his forehead with both hands and sighed, "I regret choosing Lingnan as my fiefdom now."

"Your Highness, if you regret it, then don't go to Lingnan. You don't have to go to Lingnan." Tongxi said, "You can go wherever you want."

Zhao Yao laughed at Tongxi's words.He raised his head and said with a smile: "It would be great if I could really go wherever I like."

"Your Highness, the Emperor loves you so much. All you ask is the Emperor, and the Emperor will definitely agree to it."

"It's not as simple as you think. Besides, we have invested too much in Lingnan. If we don't go to Lingnan, then all the things we have done in Lingnan in advance will be in vain." Having said that, if he chooses to go to the north, the situation will not be the same. Much better than Lingnan.

"Your Highness, isn't there a saying that says to stop losses in time? If you stop losses now, it's still too late."

Zhao Yao waved his hand and said, "It's too late. Going to Lingnan is the path I chose. Even if I have to kneel down, I will finish the journey on my knees."

"Your Highness, I believe you can do it."

"It seems that I have to do some things before going to Lingnan." Zhao Yao tapped his fingers on the table with a thoughtful expression. "There are too many things I have to do in Lingnan. Just rely on the money we make now." I guess I still don’t have enough money, so I have to go to Japan as soon as possible.” Next year we must successfully arrive at Japan, and then find the gold and silver mountains in Japan.

Zhao Yao said no more and began to write a letter to He Lianfang.In the letter, he explained many things.

At this time, the capital was in a storm because of what the prince and Duke Zhen had done in Jinling. (End of chapter)