Fu Shifeng

Chapter 355 The emperor’s heart is unbridled
In the battle of Tongguan, Kang Yaluo was killed on the spot, and most of his elite troops were killed. The two sides of Xia and Yan were no longer evenly matched, and the originally prosperous Western Expedition immediately turned into a rout and retreat.

Fortunately, Kang Yaluo's son gathered the remaining soldiers in time, retreated to Luoyang with the remaining troops, and succeeded to the throne of Yan in the panic, which was barely able to stabilize people's hearts.

At the same time, in response to the battle of Tongguan, Hedong and Shuofang towns also defeated the Yan army that surrounded Jinyang, and prepared to leave Taihang eastward to launch an attack on the Hebei area occupied by the rebels from a commanding position.

Although the news of Prime Minister Lu's death later came out in Chang'an, after the battle of Tongguan, the authority of the Emperor of Xia Dynasty was now established, and those Jiedushi who held heavy troops did not dare to be arrogant and treat the emperor as a child.

Nowadays, knowledgeable people in the world can clearly see that compared to the rebels who were so arrogant half a year ago, singing triumphant songs all the way as they rushed south and easily captured Luoyang, the offensive and defensive momentum is now different. It is the imperial court's turn to counterattack step by step and regain the lost ground.

Those who were still waiting and watching between Xia and Yan are now rushing to join the Xia court, trying their best to show their sincerity. Even some sectarian families who had taken refuge in the Yan army sent letters to them, claiming that they had been bewitched and coerced, and begging the Emperor of Great Xia to forgive them and allow them to return to their rightful ways.

Although the situation has improved, the rebels are now relying on the high ravines in Luoyang City to hold out, and the surrounding areas of Luoyang have been severely ravaged by the rebels. This is equivalent to fortifying the walls and clearing the country in advance, leaving the court with no troops to use.

For this reason, the Emperor of Daxia ordered to suspend the attack. On the one hand, he built fortifications and besieged Luoyang. On the other hand, he gathered the refugees and brought them back to their homes. At the same time, people were sent to measure the land, and they took this opportunity to re-equalize the land and grant land in the area of ​​​​Tuki Road, which greatly won the support of the people.

"Not urgent."

In the Chinese army's tent outside Luoyang City, Chang Qing faced a crowd of civil and military personnel and expressed his thoughts: "Our army suffered heavy losses in the battle of Tongguan. If we attack rashly, the casualties will be serious. Moreover, we received an emergency report a few days ago. Tubo, Nanzhao, and the Bohai countries are ready to take action. It should be noted that in order to put down the rebellion, all the troops in the border towns have been mobilized. At this moment, there is no defense.

"They must have seen an opportunity to take advantage of our strong armies in various towns across Daxia. If they blindly attack regardless of the casualties of soldiers, it will only weaken the country's vitality and make it more difficult to deal with future foreign invasions."

Qi Jingyang said: "But the rebels have transferred all the grain from Xingluo Granary into the city. The grain reserves are extremely abundant. Wei Chen's staff once estimated that even if there is no production, the rebels in Luoyang City can persist for more than two years."

"Because the rebels are trapped in Luoyang, they must be waiting for help, but there is no rush." ​​Changqing now has an imperial demeanor, pointing to the map spread on the ground, explaining to the civil and military officials around him: "The rebel nest is located in Youzhou, Hebei It is also the basis of their money and food. If they can capture Youzhou and regain Hebei, Luoyang will be an isolated city by then, and there will be nothing to worry about."

"But Wei Chen heard that the rebels are now recruiting troops and horses in Hebei on a large scale, and they are also recruiting Khitan and Xi people. Hebei and Youzhou may be difficult to conquer in the short term." Qi Jingyang couldn't help but worry.

"So the best policy is to cut off the roots and turn the rebels into water without a source." Changqing looked to Cui Duo to one side. This elder, who was born in the Boling Cui family, was now re-appointed by Changqing as the Minister of Rites. This move was not only to win over the scholars in Hebei, but also to need the help of Hongfan Academy, which was closely related to him.

"I heard that there are many scholars from Hebei in Hongfan Academy. Most of their families must be in Hebei now and are suffering from the rebel conquests." Changqing smiled and said: "I plan to send a group of Hebei scholars who are loyal, reliable and capable. Scholars, secretly sneak back to Hebei, contact their families, recruit local warriors, and work together at the appropriate time. However, this time there will be a response and cooperation from the imperial army, so that they will not be tortured by the rebels like before."

Cui Duo was considered a traitor to the Party by the Ministry of Internal Affairs because of his private history writing, and was arrested and imprisoned. However, the late emperor showed mercy and did not pursue the case. The implicated Hongfan Academy also moved to Chang'an with the late emperor after his eastward tour to enshrine Zen.

Although Hongfan Academy settled in Chang'an, it did not receive much attention from the saint. When the Taiji Palace was shrouded in a shady barrier, Hongfan Academy naturally had no chance to attend the banquet, but was spared a disaster.

After Changqing ascended the throne, these scholars and martial arts scholars from Hongfan Academy unsurprisingly became his important assistants, quickly filling the manpower of various departments in the imperial court.

Among them, there are scholars from the academy who are indeed qualified for important positions, and because Chang Qing has been mentored by Master Wen, he values ​​Hongfan Academy quite a bit.

Not to mention that the martial arts scholars from the academy contributed a lot in the battle of Tongguan, and some of them died in the battle.

"We will prepare a list as soon as possible and ask Your Majesty to take a look at it later." Cui Duo was very old, so he didn't have to accompany him, but he still kept up with the army.

Thinking back when Cui Duo and Chang Qing met in Hebei, he was very fond of this young man. He originally felt a little sorry for him because he was Lu Yan's son. I never thought that a few years later, the situation would be turned upside down.

Compared with the former emperor, who was able to conceal his faults with his words and was wise enough to refuse advice, he was always smart and tolerant, willing to listen to the advice of his subordinates, but not totally without opinions. This kind of king really made Cui Duo sincerely admire him. Moreover, an old Confucian scholar like him is very picky when looking at the present. He is willing to serve as an official, and he sets an example for others.

In fact, after the Battle of Tongguan, many Confucian scholars from Hongfan Academy believed that Changqing was comparable to the ancient sage kings. They claimed that the rebels led by Kang Yaluo were not ordinary rebels against the party, but a group of great evils that rebelled against heaven and tortured the people. Unfortunately, Changqing sent down thunder and tribulation to punish him, which just shows that he has destiny.

Even Prime Minister Lu, who originally had a bad reputation in the eyes of Confucian scholars and was called a cruel official, gradually became regarded as a virtuous and meritorious official because of his private protection of Chang Qing. Seeing that Changqing still reused Prime Minister Lu's disciples and his children, some officials secretly speculated on the holy intention and submitted a memorial to postulate Prime Minister Lu's title as Duke.

Changqing temporarily dropped the proposal on the grounds that the war had not ended and the country was not at peace, but he did issue an edict to allow Prime Minister Lu to be buried with the rites of a duke.

After the discussion, the civil and military officials retreated. Changqing left the camp and saw that the palace was being repaired not far away.

The imperial army pursued them outside Luoyang City, and the main force of the Chinese army was stationed in the original Guoseyuan area. Although this place was ravaged by rebels and many of the palaces and courtyards were smashed and burned, some of them are still largely intact. With a little repair, they can be used as palaces and as a place for Changqing to stay.

Changqing was unwilling to carry out large-scale construction projects, and gave priority to the simplicity of the palace, and was not allowed to collect corvee excessively. Therefore, the scale of the palace was not as good as that of some princes' palaces in Chang'an, but Changqing himself was very satisfied.

After the inspection, Changqing strolled casually, with only Ying Jun as his guard, and the other entourage following far behind. Suddenly, I smelled a familiar fragrance of flowers, and Afu appeared from around the corner, waving with no dignity and said: "Have we finished talking about business? Someone wants to see you."

After passing through the garden and rockery, Changqing came to a courtyard covered by a barrier, and saw dozens of women standing in the open space in front of them. The leader was Mrs. Dan, who performed the Wanfu ceremony and said in unison: "See Your Majesty! "

Changqing was stunned for a moment, then smiled lightly and raised his hand to support him: "No need to be polite."

In fact, he had already expected that it was this group of flower essences from Guoseyuan. He looked at Afu with a wry smile, as if asking about the other party's intentions.

"What do you think I'm doing?" Afu said with an innocent face: "I see that you have been working hard these days, and you often get up to review memorials even at night. Even if you are in an innate state, you can't endure it like you, so I brought you here to relax. "

"You——" Changqing couldn't laugh or cry. In front of other civil servants and generals, he could still show his identity as the emperor, but when facing Afu, he seemed to have turned back into the boy he used to be, allowing the other party to ridicule and ridicule him.

"How come you become like Cheng Sanwu?" Changqing complained in a low voice, trying to ignore the admiring glances of the flower spirits.

"Cheng Sanwu is not here, so naturally I will take care of you." Afu looked like an elder in the family and looked back at Yingjun: "You can't expect this cold-faced female swordsman to rub your back and legs, right?"

Faced with the sarcasm, Yingjun just lowered his eyes without any response, as if he acquiesced to the matter. Changqing has no imperial demeanor at all, holding his forehead and covering his face.

Seeing the awkward atmosphere, Mrs. Dan took the initiative to step forward and skillfully resolved the situation: "Your Majesty responded with great strength and suppressed violence and rebellion, and we and the beauty of the National Color Garden were also preserved. There is no way to repay the kindness of rebuilding. If you are favored by your Majesty, you might as well Taking a rest here and recharging your energy will also be helpful in defeating the enemy in the future." Changqing sighed softly after hearing this, and looked around the barrier: "There are no outsiders here, so don't call me Your Majesty, just listen."

"Then... Young Master?" Mrs. Dan's delicate mind saw that Changqing really shouldered a heavy responsibility, which was quite similar to the time when Emperor Taizu came to Guoseyuan to escape from the harassment of officials and seek peace.

In fact, this meeting was what Afu and Mrs. Dan had discussed in advance. After all, Lu Xiang passed away. Although Changqing's face did not show sadness, Afu could see that Changqing had been holding on in her heart, and if the depression in her chest was not resolved, , which is very inappropriate.

However, as the son of the Great Xia Dynasty, Changqing was favored by everyone. This situation made it impossible for him to show vulnerability in front of the ministers, so Afu simply took him to find Qunfang of Guoseyuan. As for the follow-up, leave it to these flower spirits who are good at serving others.

Changqing is no longer that stubborn and unpredictable character. There is no need for him to brush off the good intentions of Afu and Lady Dan. He allows the other party to arrange and comes to Qunfang Xiaozhu to rest and find a moment of peace in his busy schedule.

"Aren't you afraid that he will just indulge in pleasure?" Watching Changqing enter the Qunfang Villa surrounded by all the flower spirits, Yingjun glanced at Afu, seeming to reproach him.

"I just said he was a little baby, but you really regarded him as a little baby?" Afu smiled faintly: "Don't I know Changqing's temper? Even if he really comes to the stage of enjoyment, he will probably still blame himself. Ichiban.”

Yingjun remained silent and turned aside.

……

The sky was getting dark, and the delicate Jade Tea closed the door and sighed softly. As soon as I arrived outside the courtyard gate, I saw Mrs. Dan standing here, as if she had been waiting for a long time.

"You came out so soon?" Mrs. Dan covered her mouth and smiled: "It seems that Your Majesty likes Qiong Yingzi more. Maybe you should also dress up as a female crown?"

"Sister, please don't laugh at me." Yu Ming shook her head repeatedly: "Your Majesty has no intention of having fun at all. He was exhausted after listening to a few piano music. Qiong Ying helped him go to bed, but he buried his head and cried for some reason."

"Your Majesty, are you crying?" Mrs. Dan frowned slightly, then she thought about the news of the death of Prime Minister Lu not long ago, maybe this was the reason.

In fact, Mrs. Dan also has her own plan, which is to arrange for a flower essence to become the concubine of Evergreen, which will be of great benefit to the future of Guoseyuan.

While she was thinking about it, Mrs. Dan sensed a terrifying aura from the north. Then she saw two figures flying towards the north, it was A Fu and Ying Jun, who were dying in a hurry. She gave Yu Ming a few words and hurried to take a look.

"What happened?"

Mrs. Dan came to a ruined ruin on the north side of Guoseyuan and saw Afu looking at a corpse on the ground, while Yingjun jumped into the air and launched his sword to search everywhere.

"Someone was killed." Afu said coldly.

Mrs. Dan looked at the female body on the ground. Her clothes were in rags, but it didn't look like she had been humiliated. Instead, there was a trace of peace on her face, as if she had finally escaped from the sea of ​​suffering.

"I seem to have seen this woman before." Mrs. Dan thought for a moment and then exclaimed: "Isn't she the Pure Light Goddess? Why does she appear here?"

Afu nodded gloomily: "Do you also know the Pure Light Goddess?"

Mrs. Dan replied: "She first walked in Yique near Luoyang. She once preached Buddhism at the house where she stayed in Dongdu. She was once popular among the powerful people in Dongdu. I also met her from a distance. I heard that she disappeared in Hebei. ?”

"Yes, she did disappear." Afu said: "I don't know what happened later, but she was taken over by a mountain spirit from the Bohai Kingdom. She participated in the assassination of Chang Qing during the Battle of Tongguan, and she escaped by chance during the melee."

"Then she is now..." Mrs. Dan could tell at a glance that the Pure Light Heavenly Girl's vitality was gone, and there was no mountain spirit left in her body.

"It's just a dead body." Afu had already guessed it, but she didn't rush to a conclusion.

When it was daylight the next day, Changqing woke up from his bed. He hadn't slept as much as he had last night for a long time after becoming the emperor. He didn't learn about it until he changed his clothes and went out, and hurriedly came to inspect the body of Pure Light Goddess. .

"It's indeed her!" Changqing looked at Afu: "The body was found last night?"

"Yes, and it was still warm when it was discovered. It must have been killed just now." Afu replied.

"Why didn't you tell me in time?" Changqing asked.

"So what if I tell you? Are you looking for the real culprit?" As soon as Afu said this, Changqing immediately knew the general idea.

He looked around and saw no one else nearby, and asked in surprise: "Cheng Sanwu is here?"

"It should be." Afu sighed: "Yingjun searched around the area and found no trace of anyone... Now that Cheng Sanwu can travel through the world at will, of course he can't be found!"

Changqing couldn't help but change her color and murmured: "This day has finally come."

Afu understood that Master Wen was placing his hope in Changqing, hoping that he would kill Cheng Sanwu and completely eradicate the evil of gluttony.

Having said that, when it comes to this moment, the man holding the sword is still tangled in his heart.

"The Pure Light Goddess threw her body here. I think Wu Luohu has been taken care of by Cheng Sanwu." Afu said: "He did this to eliminate the hidden dangers in your heart so that you can let go without any scruples in the future. Fight."

Changqing took a deep breath, and her eyes became firm again: "I understand."

(End of this chapter)