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

Chapter 1623: Taiwei, the Minister of State Affairs, Commanding the Military Power of the World
Nearly 100,000 soldiers in Chang'an City were looking at Li Xuan and the late emperor's will in his hands.

Everyone understood that what Li Xuan had just said was nothing but specious talk.

Some say that Pei Yan brought chaos to the world, but in fact, it was just that Pei Yan had no choice under the general trend.

But the world is indeed in chaos now.

Emperor Zhongzong was killed by the imperial guards.

The deposed Crown Prince Li Xian was murdered by Ma Sizong.

The Eastern Palace was massacred, Crown Prince Li Chongzhao fled Chang'an, and finally ascended the throne in Yangzhou.

The world was in chaos, and Li Xuan fought all the way from Changzhou to Chang'an.

Now, he took out the late emperor's will, not only to avenge Zhongzong, but also to establish his legitimacy.

But some people don't understand. Li Xuan is already the Grand Marshal appointed by Crown Prince Li Chongzhao, and is capable of causing chaos in the world. Why is he taking out the late emperor's edict today?

Isn't this a waste of time?

……

"King Peng!" Xue Guwu stared at the sandalwood box in Li Xuan's hand and said through gritted teeth, "This will has been in King Peng's hands for a long time. Who knows if King Peng has tampered with it?"

"Just check to see if there is any tampering." Li Xuan handed the sandalwood box in his hand to Yun Hongyin.

After looking at Xue Guwu, Li Xuan said to Yun Hongyin: "I don't know what is in this box, but the late emperor ordered that if there is chaos in the court, I will return to the capital with the will to quell the chaos. But the late emperor was afraid of the Minister of the Central Secretariat Pei Yan, and he never thought..."

I never thought that the real person who caused the rebellion was Empress Wu.

Yun Hongyin took the box, nodded calmly and said, "Of course, the Emperor Xiaojing would never have thought that he and his two brothers would die at the hands of their mother. It is understandable that the late emperor made mistakes."

The corners of Li Xuan's mouth twitched slightly, and then he sighed helplessly.

In front of everyone, Yun Hongyin inspected the sandalwood box, especially the emperor's seal on the seal of the sandalwood box.

The imperial seal of Emperor Gaozong was completely destroyed on the day when Emperor Zhongzong was enthroned.

If Li Xuan really moved the seal, then both the wax seal and the position of the emperor's seal would change.

But now, although there have been some changes in the time of this box, it is certain that it has never been opened.

Yun Hongyin raised his head and looked at Xue Guwu, saying expressionlessly: "I am sure that this edict of the late emperor has never been opened. If General Xue has any questions, please come down to the city now and check it yourself, how about that?"

Xue Guwu immediately clenched his fists, his eyes fixed on the box.

He now finally understood that what he was afraid of was the will left by the late emperor.

To be more precise, it was the late emperor.

He didn't know what the late emperor had left for King Peng before his death. If the late emperor had directly ordered King Peng to kill him, many of the left guards on the city gate would probably have obeyed his order.

Seeing that Xue Guwu didn't move at all, Yun Hongyin looked up at Li Xuan and said, "Does your highness need Hongyin to open it?"

Li Xuan nodded calmly and said, "Thank you for your help, sir."

"Okay!" Yun Hongyin tore open the seal as soon as he finished speaking.

Then he carefully pushed the mechanism on the box, and the box opened little by little.

It was also thanks to the fact that Yun Hongyin once worked as Li Hong's Prince's Secretary, otherwise he really wouldn't know how to open this thing.

The box was finally completely opened in front of a hundred thousand pairs of eyes.

A folded yellow imperial edict appeared before everyone's eyes.

Everyone's breathing became heavy at this moment.

Especially Li Xuan.

He did not feel any relief because the box was not empty.

It is easy to detect that there is something in the box.

When it was turned over and over, even if it was made of silk, a slight sound would be heard. Li Xuan could not hide this from him. However, what was in the imperial edict was what Li Xuan really cared about.

He didn't know what Li Zhi had left for him. If it was a blank imperial edict, then today...

Li Xuan raised his head and looked at Yun Hongyin with a serious look: "Envoy Yun, can you please read the imperial edict?"

"Sure!" Yun Hongyin looked up at Li Xuan and said seriously, "Your Majesty, shall we read out the imperial edict?"

Yun Hongyin was sure that before today, this imperial edict had never been opened by anyone.

This also means that Li Xuan does not know the content of the imperial edict.

Li Xuan said it very clearly just now. The late emperor had made strict regulations on his use of this will.

Only when the government was in turmoil could Li Xuan return to the capital to quell the rebellion with this imperial edict.

In theory, there is no problem, but with the example of Dou Ying, who knows what this imperial edict says.

Li Xuan bit her lower lip, nodded slightly, and said, "Let's get started!"

"Here is the last will of Emperor Gaozong. Prince Peng, please accept the order!" Yun Hongyin looked at Li Xuan solemnly.

Li Xuan immediately dismounted from his horse, knelt on one knee, and kowtowed, saying, "Your Majesty, I am Peng Wang Xuan, and I respectfully accept the imperial edict."

"We respectfully accept the imperial edict." At this moment, countless soldiers behind the mourning shed all bowed their heads to the ground.

The coordinated movements resounded throughout the heaven and earth.

All of a sudden, everyone reacted.

At this time, someone from the right guard at the foot of the city wall kowtowed to the ground and said, "We respectfully accept the imperial edict."

"Your servants respectfully accept the imperial edict." Scattered voices sounded under the city wall, but soon they became a large group.

In the end, Xue Guwu could clearly see all the soldiers under the city wall, all of them bowed to the ground, not a single one standing.

Even on the city wall, some people began to kneel on one knee and kowtow to the ground.

Li Xuan had no plan to attack the city, and didn't even have any attacking posture, which made everyone feel relieved.

They wished Li Xuan would solve the problem in the current way instead of killing.

……

In a very short time, everyone at the Jinguan Gate, except Xue Guwu and his Qianniu Guards, knelt down.

Even the Qianniu Guards on the city gate couldn't help but look at Xue Guwu.

Xue Guwu stood there with his teeth gritted. It was obvious that he was very conflicted.

He should have kneeled down to receive the imperial edict, but he was worried that there was something targeting him in the imperial edict.

Yun Hongyin glanced at Xue Guwu, then looked at Li Xuan, opened the folded imperial edict, and then read aloud in front of Li Xuan: "In the second year of Yonglong, in the year of Renwu, in the twelfth month, on the twenty-third day of the month of Guichou, the emperor said:

Yu Xi!

The destiny is sent down, and the life fire is drifting away. The winter is cold, and the suffering is very severe.

Tossing and turning, unable to sleep at night.

Worries and delusions will eventually be resolved.

I have been in office for thirty-four years, despite my poor moral character. Since the beginning of time, I have spread my teachings and finally brought peace to the people and brought them prosperity.

However, I have been suffering from a rheumatism disease and have been increasingly restless. I feel guilty towards the world and I am honest about this day and night.

Matters of destiny depend on Heaven and the saints, but not on me.

My biggest worry is what will happen a hundred years later, and what will happen to the Crown Prince.

Crown Prince Xian is intelligent, benevolent and filial. I have chosen him. Now the affairs of the world are in the hands of people’s hearts.

People's hearts are uneasy and the world is in turmoil, so this will was issued.

Prince Xuan of Peng, my twenty-seventh brother, is a simple and honest man who is good at governing the local area. He is the Crown Prince's right-hand man and is instrumental in stabilizing the Jinliang area.

I have ordered that King Xuan of Peng should return to Fanzhou in February of next year, and then we should conquer the Western Regions without any mistake.

When I do everything for the country, my heart is at peace.

However, as I tossed and turned, worries suddenly arose and I couldn't suppress them.

Therefore, he ordered Peng Wangxuan to lead the army and suppress the four directions, based on the stability of the central government and the consolidation of imperial power.

If there is a change in the future, unrest in the court and the country, and the imperial power is unstable, then order Peng Wang Xuan to raise an army to quell the unrest and consolidate the government, based on the stability of the world and the happiness of the people.

Therefore, from the time the will is promulgated, Prince Peng Xuan is dismissed from his post as the Right Guard General..."

……

When the decree was announced, Yun Hongyin subconsciously glanced at Li Xuan, and Li Xuan looked extremely calm.

The tens of thousands of cavalrymen who came with him to Chang'an were also calm. On the contrary, some soldiers in and around the city of Chang'an could not help but whisper to each other.

In the late emperor's last will and testament, he actually wanted to remove Li Xuan from his post as General of the Right Guard.

This was so unexpected that even Xue Guwu felt surprised and felt a little relieved.

At this time, Yun Hongyin continued to hold up the imperial edict and said: "Remove King Peng from his posts as the pacification envoy of Luoshui Road, the general commander of the Luoshui Road, the governor of Fanzhou, and the governor of Fanzhou.

He was granted the title of Grand Marshal, Kaifu Yitong Sansi, Imperial College Jijiu, and Vice-President of State Affairs, commanding the military power of the whole country.

Quell the rebellion and stabilize the political situation.

When the will is promulgated, if the world is stable and the government and the people are harmonious, then anyone who hears the will can use it to directly behead King Peng, confer the title of Duke, and appoint him as the General of the Sixteen Guards..."

The corner of Li Xuan's mouth twitched slightly. Li Zhi dismissed him from the posts of General of the Right Guard, Pacifier of Luoshui Road, Chief of the Army of Luoshui Road, Governor of Fanzhou, and Governor of Fanzhou, but directly promoted him to the rank of Grand Marshal, and gave him the same title as the Three Officials.

This happens to coincide with the reward Li Chongzhao bestowed on Li Xuan.

It can be seen that Pei Xingjian opened his will in advance.

Therefore, using his will as a comparison, Li Xuan was appointed as the Grand Marshal.

This was Li Zhi's purpose.

Li Zhi did not make any changes to the will, but made real arrangements for the future.

Perhaps, just as he said in the imperial edict, he tossed and turned before his death, thinking a lot, and finally made the decision.

Moreover, based on his understanding of Li Xuan and Li Xuan's cautious personality, Li Xuan would not open the will unless it was absolutely necessary.

Once he opened the will, it would mean that the court and the country were in turmoil and the imperial power was unstable.

Li Xuan lowered his head slightly. Perhaps in Li Zhi's heart, as long as Empress Wu was there, the stability of the court and the country would not be a problem.

However, Empress Wu was older than Li Zhi.

Who knows what the future will hold? If something unfortunate happens to Empress Wu, Li Xian’s personality would make it difficult for him to control the chaos.

The position of Grand Marshal was not something that ordinary emperors dared to grant.

Once it is granted, it will inevitably arouse opposition from both the government and the public.

However, granting the mandate based on Li Zhi's will is the most likely to gain support from the court and the public.

He was appointed as the Grand Marshal, the Minister of Imperial Secretariat, the Chief Academician of the Imperial Academy, and the Vice-President of the State.

Command the world's military power, quell rebellions, and stabilize the court.

If one controls the army, he does not control the finances. The emperor dismissed Li Xuan from his post in some provinces and states, which was a familiar check and balance.

……

“…I am old and have traveled back and forth throughout my life. Although I have made great achievements, I feel ashamed of my failure to live up to the expectations of the late emperor.

All the people in the world should be given grace, encouraged and educated, and widely benefited.

If we can all respect simplicity and pursue innovation, the world will be at peace and the Tang Dynasty will prosper.

Even in the underworld, I can still smile in my grave.

My son Li Xian, although I have made many arrangements, to govern the world and nurture the people, you need to be attentive and strong, and you must not slack off.

Consult all matters with your colleagues and do not act on your own.

When the world prospers and the people live in harmony one day, I will follow the spirits of my ancestors in heaven and have no regrets.

The sacrifices to the ancestral temples and the state should not be neglected for long, and the worship of all the gods should also not be discontinued.

I hereby give you a warning and everyone should follow it.

Admire this! "

Li Xuan raised his head and looked at Yun Hongyin who was holding the will in his hand. He wanted to say something but couldn't.

This was clearly an imperial edict from Li Zhi to Li Xuan for future rebellion suppression, but in the end, he couldn't help but give Li Xian more instructions.

But he never expected that just half a year after his death, Li Xian would follow him.

"King Peng, please accept my order." Yun Hongyin stepped forward gently.

Li Xuan bowed his head and kowtowed, saying, "Your Majesty, I am King Peng Xuan. I accept your order and thank you for your grace!"

……

"Your servants, obey your orders!" A loud noise sounded behind the mourning shed at the same time, and even on the city walls, countless people kowtowed in agreement.

It was at this time that Li Xuan slowly stood up holding Emperor Gaozong's will in his hand.

He turned around and his cold gaze fell directly on Xue Guwu.

In the sweltering summer, Xue Guwu suddenly felt like he was in an ice cellar.

(End of this chapter)