People in the early Tang Dynasty: I compete with Wu Zhao for the throne

Chapter 1607 Empress Wu is even more skilled in manipulating people’s hearts

In Luoyang, at the hour of Mao, the moon sets in the west.

In Huiyou Palace, Empress Wu had already opened her eyes.

Without lingering in the warmth of the bed, Empress Wu calmly got up and, with the help of Shangguan Wan'er and other maids, washed and changed her clothes.

Just as Empress Wu was dressing up, Qiu Huan walked in.

Empress Wu glanced at them and asked calmly, "What's the matter? Is there any news about Princess Peng and Princess Dai?"

"Yes!" Qiu Huan bowed, then said carefully: "News came from Xuzhou that Princess Peng took her people on a boat to Yangzhou."

"Yangzhou?" Empress Wu was slightly stunned and said, "Didn't they go to the west?"

"No!" Qiu Huan's face showed a hint of bitterness.

He originally thought that after Liu Jinyu escaped from Luoyang, she would quickly rush to Changzhou to meet up with Li Xuan, but he never expected that she actually went to Yangzhou along the canal.

In winter, the northwest wind is strong. If you take a boat to the southeast and go with the current, it will be difficult to catch up if you are well prepared.

Empress Wu nodded calmly and said in a daze, "To make a feint to the east and attack in the west is what King Peng always does. Not to mention, he started preparing for it last year."

Shangguan Wan'er and Qiu Huan looked at each other with serious expressions.

The swing outside Sigongfang was built by Li Xuan to please Princess Fuchang when Emperor Gaozong was still alive.

After the emperor's mourning period was over, in order to make up for the fact that the people did not have a good Spring Festival, this kind of swing even appeared in every corner of Chang'an.

Some of them are so high that they even exceed the city walls.

But no one cared that someone could actually use it to escape from Luoyang City.

Before the New Year, Li Xuan offered rewards to those who were good at swinging. Who would have thought that he actually gathered together all those who were best at swinging.

Using those who were best at swinging, they sent people directly out of the city.

Outside the city, some good people had been prepared and had laid thick haystacks outside the opposite wall. As long as they laid down the blankets, there would be no problem in successfully leaving the city.

What Empress Wu didn't expect was that when Liu Jinyu left, he actually took Princess Pei of Dai and Prince of Linzi with him.

However, Crown Prince Li Chongzhao was already in Yangzhou, so having the addition of Linzi Prince Li Guangren was no big deal.

But the problem is that Prince Peng started planning at the end of last year, even before Emperor Gaozong passed away, before Wang Fulai died, and before he left Luoyang.

This made her wonder what he knew at that time and from which direction he noticed it.

Or in other words, where did Empress Wu reveal her flaws?

This is what Empress Wu wanted to find out most.

……

"There is one more thing." After a short pause, Qiu Huan said carefully, "Lanzhou sent an urgent report eight hundred miles away. King Peng appeared outside Lanzhou the day before yesterday. However, he did not attack the city. Instead, he questioned the eunuch Fan Yunxian in front of the Lanzhou governor and asked him...asked him how Emperor Zhongzong died of illness?"

Empress Wu stopped moving and asked grimly, "What did he say?"

"He didn't answer." Qiu Huan's heart sank.

Empress Wu frowned fiercely and asked unhappily, "What do you mean he didn't answer? If he didn't answer, it means that..."

Empress Wu suddenly paused, frowned and said, "King Peng did it on purpose. If Fan Yunxian revealed the cause of Sanlang's death, people would doubt the truth of what Fan Yunxian said. He was most likely coerced by King Peng. But if he said nothing, people would try to find the answer from him, and they would believe such an answer."

Shangguan Wan'er and Qiu Huan looked at each other in surprise.

Empress Wu waved her hand and said, "Prince Peng has always been a master at playing with people's hearts. This method is not surprising. By the way, where is Fan Yunxian now?"

"Outside the city of Lanzhou, the governor of Lanzhou did not dare to bring him into the city. He could only let him stay outside the city, and then hang out food and water from the city. At the same time, he was not allowed to leave his sight and was not allowed to see anyone." Qiu Huan told Empress Wu all of Song Shijiang's actions.

"He is a cautious person." Empress Wu looked up at Qiu Huan and said thoughtfully, "Fan Yunxian followed Prince Peng all the way back from the Western Regions. I'm afraid he is the only one who knows more things. This is probably why he is willing to stay outside Lanzhou. Go, let the Lanzhou secret guards take him back. I have something to ask him."

"Yes!" Qiu Huan bowed.

"What's going on in Yangzhou?" Empress Wu paused for a moment and said, "Send someone to repair Prince Ying's mansion today and tell them that soon, Princess Ying and Zheng will leave the palace together."

"Yes!" Shangguan Wan'er bowed immediately.

Empress Wu sighed and said, "If Wei had given birth to a son and Zheng had given birth to a daughter, I would have asked them to leave the palace today, but it turned out to be the opposite."

If Zheng was really a daughter, then there would not be much relationship between her and Li Xian.

Empress Wu could force Zheng to leave the palace, and in this way, the three families of Cui, Lu and Zheng would sever their ties with Yangzhou.

But Zheng gave birth to a son. If Li Xian was still the emperor, Zheng's son would be a prince.

Even though Li Xian is gone now, as long as Li Chongzhao ascends the throne, Zheng's son will be the emperor's younger brother and will still be a prince.

But unfortunately, the one sitting on the throne now is Li Dan, and Empress Wu has not even given Zheng's son a name until now, so Zheng can only call him "Little Baoer, Little Baoer" every day.

Just like Wei's daughter, she is still calling out "Little Bun, Little Bun" every day. Shangguan and Qiu Huan kept silent at the same time.

Of course they knew that although the Queen Mother said she was sending people to renovate the Prince of England's palace in preparation for allowing the Princess of England and Zheng to enter the palace together, in reality that day would never come.

This is the Queen's usual method. She first gives you an illusory hope for the future, and then this hope will always be in the future.

"I still have to do it after all."

Empress Wu's expression became solemn. She stood up, put on a black phoenix robe and crown, and walked calmly out of the hall.

The great dynasty sent out troops.

……

In the Qianyang Palace, Empress Wu sat calmly on the imperial couch.

Miao Chuke, the assistant minister of the Ministry of War, stepped forward and saluted, saying seriously, "The Ministry of War has dispatched the Right Guard Lieutenant General Su Xiaoxiang to lead 5,000 Right Guards as the vanguard to Xuzhou for defense; the Left Guard General Wang Guo and the Right Jinwu General Yang Xuanjian will lead 20,000 men to march east in February next spring, and the rear army will be led by the Left Guard General Li Zhishi and the Left Guard Lieutenant General Ma Jingchen, who will lead 20,000 men to march in April next year. At the same time, a total of 75,000 soldiers from Jinan, Xuzhou, Yuyang and other prefectures will be dispatched to Yangzhou to quell the rebellion."

Empress Wu nodded, looked at the ministers, hesitated for a moment, and asked, "The army is ready. Who do you think is the most suitable commander?"

Fan Lubing stepped forward with his hands folded, and said seriously: "My Queen, I think it is safest to appoint General Wang Xiaojie of the Left Guard as the commander-in-chief."

Wang Dezhen, Duan Baoxuan, Wang Jishan, Ouyang Tong, Cen Changqian and other people who were good at military affairs all remained silent.

"Oh!" Empress Wu nodded after pondering for a moment. Then she looked at the ministers, her eyes fell on Dou Xuande, and asked, "What do you think, Lord Dou?"

Dou Xuande cupped his hands and said carefully, "Your Majesty, the Crown Prince is being held by the bandits, and the people in the southeast are in turmoil. Therefore, suppressing the rebellion depends more on the people's hearts rather than the war. In addition, if the granary in the south of the Yangtze River really falls into the flames of war, then the grain and salary of the court will inevitably be affected. Please consider this, Your Majesty."

Empress Wu nodded and said, "What Mr. Dou said is what I am worried about. So, I will transfer Li Xiaoyi, the chief officer of the Yizhou Grand Military Governor's Office, to be the general of the Left Guard and the chief commander of the Yangzhou Road. I will also transfer Cheng Wuting, the general of the Right Guard, to be the deputy chief commander of the Yangzhou Road and lead all the troops to suppress the rebellion."

"Yes!" All the ministers bowed at the same time, but they looked a little confused when they lowered their heads.

Why was Li Xiaoyi appointed as the main general and Cheng Wuting as the deputy general?
Li Xiaoyi is a member of the royal family, and opposite him is the Crown Prince Li Chongzhao. After Cheng Wuting was recalled to Luoyang because of Pei Yan's incident, he has never seen the emperor. What is Empress Wu planning?

"Mr. Pei has a severe cold today. Let Cheng Wuting go and visit him." Empress Wu's next words resolved the ministers' doubts.

Pei Yan has now been ordered to reflect on his mistakes behind closed doors. Although it is called reflection behind closed doors, it is actually house arrest.

On the surface, it seemed that Pei Yan was implicated by his fellow clan member Pei Xingjian, but in fact, it was more because he was the regent minister left by Emperor Gaozong.

There is no connection between Pei Yan and Pei Xingjian, and even Pei Yan and Pei Xingjian are different in many things.

Now that Pei Xingjian is standing in Yangzhou and leading his troops on the Western Expedition, Cheng Wuting, who is Pei Yan's confidant, will certainly fight hard to clear Pei Yan of suspicion.

What a good idea.

Empress Wu raised her head and continued, "Order the Imperial Censor Wei Yuanzhong to be the military supervisor and accompany us."

"Yes!" All the ministers bowed at the same time. This person was Empress Wu's last resort.

"Let's talk about Lanzhou. Who is the commander and who are the generals?" Empress Wu looked at the ministers in the hall with a sharp gaze.

All the ministers fell silent. Although Pei Xingjian was known as the god of war, he was old after all and could not fight in the battlefield himself. He could find a good fighter to fight, but Li Xuan was different.

He is too young and his methods are quite amazing. He may not be good at the overall situation, but there are not many people who can match him in a head-on manner.

Fan Lubing bowed and stepped forward: "Empress, Li Hui, the Chief Clerk of the Bingzhou Grand Military Governor's Office, can be appointed as the Chief Commander of the Northwest Road, and Wang Xiaojie, the General of the Left Guard, can assist as the Deputy Commander."

Empress Wu nodded slightly and said, "Yes, promote Li Hui to the rank of General of the Right Jinwu Guard, commanding the Northwestern armies to suppress the rebellion, with Wang Xiaojie as his deputy... Before the expedition, the Duke of Liang and the Duke of Hejian should both pay their respects to His Majesty and see what His Majesty has to say."

At this time, all the ministers had completely understood what was going on.

Li Xiaoyi and Li Hui were both outstanding members of the royal family. With them as the commanders-in-chief, people in the court and the public would think that the royal family approved of Li Dan as the emperor, but did not approve of Li Chengqi.

The current war is nothing more than a power struggle within the Li Tang royal family and has nothing to do with Empress Wu.

But in reality, these two people are just puppets.

The Eastern Expedition Army was controlled by Cheng Wuting and Wei Yuanzhong, while the Western Expedition Army was controlled by Wang Xiaojie.

Wei Yuanzhong and Wang Xiaojie are now both trusted confidants of the Queen Mother. Their presence is enough to ensure that the army of more than 100,000 is not out of control.

……

Empress Wu looked at the ministers with a slightly satisfied look on her face. Then, she set her sights on Ouyang Tong and asked, "Ministry of Revenue, how are the grain and grass preparations going?"

"Your Majesty!" Cen Changqian, the assistant minister of the Ministry of Revenue, stood up and said, "Reporting to Your Majesty, the autumn tax in Jiangnan has not arrived this year, and the court must provide money and grain to all parties. In this way, the court will have no worries about grain until next autumn. However, if there is still no grain in the warehouse after next autumn, the world will be in danger."

There was a shortage of food, especially with hundreds of thousands of troops going to war, the consumption was even more terrifying.

Empress Wu waved her hand and said, "There will be enough next autumn. The court is short of food and grass. It's okay in Jiangnan, but I'm afraid that Changzhou will be even less likely to have food and money. After we pacify Changzhou, we can transfer troops to attack Yangzhou."

"Yes!" The ministers looked stern.

(End of this chapter)