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

Chapter 1708: The new emperor ascends the throne, and the empress dowager is about to take the throne
By the Wei River, the grass and trees tremble slightly.

Two thousand black-armored cavalrymen marched towards Chang'an quickly and rhythmically.

From time to time, cavalrymen in red and golden armor came running from the front and reported all the information within a radius of ten miles.

Li Xuan was in the middle of the army. While advancing with the army, he analyzed the current situation in Chang'an.

Zhang Jianzhi, Zhang Jianzhi.

The newly appointed Assistant Censor Zhang Jianzhi performed extremely well in the Wei family case. All the illegal things that the Wei family had done in Chang'an Yongzhou in recent years, including but not limited to occupying fertile farmland, oppressing the people, robbing merchants, framing colleagues, etc., burning, killing and looting, hundreds of illegal acts were all placed on the desks of the Censorate, the Ministry of Justice and the Dali Temple.

Some people wanted to persuade him to restrain himself, but Zhang Jianzhi just gave them a cold look and continued.

Many things involved, not only the Wei family, but also the Dou family, the Du family, the Pei family, the Xue family, and the Liu family, all were implicated.

Some people wanted to remove Zhang Jianzhi, but before Li Xuan's people could take action, the extremely annoyed Cui Zhiwen had already refuted it directly.

Even though the Wei family's affairs involved the Jingzhao Cui family, Cui Zhiwen would not give up despite countless people pleading for them.

Li Xuan raised his head and looked towards the Chang'an City which was already right in front of him, with a slight sneer on his lips.

This is nothing, this is just the beginning.

"Pass the order, the army will enter Chang'an city from the Daming Palace." Li Xuan gave the order with just one sentence, and soon the army began to march towards the northwest.

Exhausted, three thousand people rushed back to the capital from Yangzhou in seven days.

Except for those who lived in Luoyang, even the Qianniu Guards and Jinwu Guards who were transferred from Yangzhou also followed him to Chang'an.

……

On the twenty-ninth day of the twelfth lunar month, the city of Chang'an was filled with new clothes for celebration.

On the first day of the first lunar month, the emperor ascended the throne and the world was at peace.

In recent years, people all over the world have not had a good New Year for a long time.

As for the affairs of the Wei family, the people of Chang'an did not feel much about it.

Even though many people have more or less connections with the Wei family, they are still very happy to see the downfall of the Wei family.

Chang'an Wei Du, the sky is five feet high.

The Wei family has never been kind. I don’t know how many people have benefited from their downfall.

Just from the bursts of firecrackers heard from the east of Chang'an City, Li Xuan could tell how happy the people were.

More than two thousand cavalrymen entered from the Daming Palace and then joined the imperial guards.

Li Xuan, Wang Dezhen and Yao Lingzhang entered the East Palace from the Daming Palace, and then arrived at the Taiji Palace.

In Taiji Palace, Zheng was sitting beside the imperial couch holding Li Chongjun.

The prime ministers, princes of the royal family, ministers, vice ministers, and all civil and military officials above the fifth rank in the court are here.

Today, Li Xuan, Wang Dezhen, Yao Lingzhang and others returned to the court to discuss the matter of Li Chongzhao with officials of the fifth rank and above.

Only in this way could Li Chongjun have the chance to ascend the throne.

"Your subjects pay their respects to Prince Wei and Concubine Dowager." Li Xuan, Wang Dezhen, and Yao Lingzhang bowed to Li Chongjun and Concubine Zheng at the same time.

"Everyone, please stand up." Although Concubine Zheng had not attended court for the past few months, she had gradually developed some composure.

"Thank you, Your Highness." Li Xuan and the other two slowly stood up.

Liu Rengui stood out from the crowd and bowed to Concubine Zheng, saying, "Your Highness, please ask Prince Peng to tell us about the events in Yangzhou."

"Yes!" Concubine Zheng raised her eyes and looked at Li Xuan.

The eyes of all the ministers in the palace also fell on Li Xuan.

Although Li Xuan, Wang Dezhen and Yao Lingzhang went to Yangzhou together, and all three of them knew about the situation, these things could only be said by Li Xuan in order to reassure the royal family and the world to the greatest extent.

Prince of Han Li Yuanjia, Prince of Huo Li Yuangui, Prince of Shu Li Yuanming and others all looked straight at Li Xuan.

Li Xuan bowed slightly, and then said solemnly: "According to investigation, before the fall of Yangzhou in April, Duke Jiang and Princess Wencheng had passed away one after another. Before their death, Duke Jiang made arrangements for the Yangzhou Navy, the Yangzhou Sima, and the personal soldiers under Duke Jiang to lead their troops to the Yangtze River estuary, Hangzhou, and Maoshan, each to provide cover..."

Li Xuan tried his best to tell everything he had found out in Huzhou, until he found the coffins of Pei Xingjian and Princess Wencheng.

"According to local investigations, it has been determined that the emperor sailed out to sea from Hailing County with Grand Tutor Wei Siqian, Runzhou Governor Wei Xuanfu, Ze Prince Li Shangjin and others, and then headed north to Bohai Sea." Li Xuan bowed slightly.

"Bohai, does he want to join the Bohai Gao family?" Li Yuanjia walked out from the top of the train and looked at Li Xuan with a puzzled look.

"That should be the case." Li Xuan bowed slightly and said, "After all, Gao was once the Crown Prince's concubine, and the Duke of Pingyuan also stationed troops in Liaoxi."

Li Yuanjia turned around and looked at the Duke of Pingyuan, the Right Guard General Gao Kan, who was not far behind him, and asked directly: "Duke of Pingyuan, does the Gao family have any news about the emperor?"

"No!" Gao Kan stood up and said with a folded hand: "There is no news from the emperor in Bohai, and the Gao family has been waiting for a message from the emperor during that time."

Li Yuanjia nodded, turned to look at Li Xuan, and asked, "So, King Peng, where do you think the emperor is now?"

"When the emperor goes to sea, there are actually only two routes. One is to the south and the other is to the north." As soon as Li Xuan opened his mouth, Yao Lingzhang and Wang Dezhen looked at him in surprise at the same time. Li Xuan had never said this before.

"Go south, because the navy of Dengzhou was fighting with the navy of Yangzhou and the navy of Hangzhou at the time, so the route south was not feasible." Li Xuan raised his head, looked at the kings and ministers, and finally looked at Concubine Zheng, and said seriously: "Logically speaking, the emperor should go all the way to Bohai Sea, but I checked the weather in Dengzhou during that period, and there was a storm at sea."

When he heard the words "there is a storm at sea", all the ministers were suddenly in an uproar.

"A storm at sea may not necessarily lead to any accidents." Liu Rengui said this, and the ministers suddenly quieted down.

If we were to ask who is the military god of the Tang Dynasty, Li Xuan has now surpassed Pei Xingjian. But if we were to ask who is the naval god of the Tang Dynasty, then even Li Xuan would have to stay away from Liu Rengui.

"But the storm at sea is very likely to have deviated from the direction." Liu Rengui stared at Li Xuan and asked directly: "King Peng, do you think the emperor may have deviated from the course and went to other places?"

"Yes!" Li Xuan bowed slightly, and then continued: "There is a storm at sea. It is impossible to go west to land, and there is no way to go north, so the only way is to go east or southeast."

"To the east is the land of Andong and Silla, and to the southeast is Nanyang." Liu Rengui said silently, and the whole person fell silent.

It's not so bad to go to Anton, but if it goes to Silla, it will be troublesome. Silla is not so bad, it's just that small, at most we can lead the army to conquer it, but if it goes south to Southeast Asia, it will be troublesome.

Liu Rengui turned around, looked at Concubine Zheng and bowed, "Your Highness, the country cannot be without a monarch for a day. The whereabouts of the emperor are unknown. For the sake of state affairs, I request that a new monarch be appointed in a timely manner."

"This..." Although Concubine Zheng knew that the decision to make Li Chongjun the emperor would most likely be made today, she was still a little unresponsive when he suddenly pounced in front of her.

"The country cannot be without a monarch for a day. For the sake of national affairs, we ask that we appoint a new monarch." All the ministers in the palace reacted at this time. They were afraid that Li Chongzhao would not be able to come back in a short time. They had been waiting for eight months and it was impossible to wait indefinitely. It was time to appoint a new monarch.

Emperor, Emperor.

They want another emperor.

The ministers couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief.

Without the emperor, it was as if an invisible pressure fell on their shoulders, making them extremely careful at all times.

I am afraid that the world will be in turmoil again in the next moment.

Nowadays, even a little emperor who is one year and two months old is better than having no one.

After all, if the sky falls, there are tall people to hold it up.

"Uncle?" Concubine Zheng couldn't help but look at Li Yuanjia.

The son of Emperor Gaozu and the eldest of the royal family, Prince of Han Li Yuanjia turned slightly and bowed to Concubine Zheng and said, "Your Highness, the overall situation is like this. For the sake of state affairs, I request that a new monarch be appointed in a timely manner."

"For the sake of national affairs, I request that a new monarch be appointed in time." Li Yuangui, Li Yuanming and others also bowed one after another.

Concubine Zheng breathed a sigh of relief. Just as she was about to agree, she suddenly remembered something, looked up at Li Xuan, and asked, "Uncle Wang is the Grand Commandant. What do you think about this?"

He declined three times.

Given Li Chongjun's age, it is impossible for him to refuse three times, but Concubine Zheng needs to ask for the opinions of people all over the world.

Li Xuan cupped his hands and said seriously: "The whole world is looking forward to it, so for the sake of state affairs, I ask that a new ruler be appointed in time."

"For the sake of national affairs, I request that a new king be appointed in time." All the generals in the palace bowed solemnly to Concubine Zheng at the same time.

Concubine Zheng breathed a sigh of relief, then looked at the ministers and said, "Although the royal family, as well as the civil and military officials in the court all agree on this matter, in my opinion, this matter still needs to be reported to Emperor Gaozu, Emperor Taizong, Emperor Gaozong, and Emperor Zhongzong."

Li Yuangui, the Minister of Zongzheng Temple, stood up and said, "I have decided that the Prince of Han, Li Yuanjia, will lead all the royal family members in Chang'an to Xianling, Zhaoling, Qianling, and Dingling tomorrow to offer sacrifices to the previous emperors: On the first day of the first month of the third year of Sisheng, the emperor encountered a natural disaster and disappeared for eight months, so a new emperor, Prince of Wei, Li Chongjun, will be appointed."

Due to natural disasters, they disappeared in August.

Even according to historical records, all the officials in the court had fulfilled their responsibility to wait, but the world could not be without a ruler, so Prince Wei Li Chongjun was made the new emperor.

"Emperor Li Chongjun lost his throne due to a natural disaster. I request to be demoted to King Yongyong. If he does not return within three years, his kingdom will be abolished." Liu Rengui looked up at Zheng with a solemn expression.

Concubine Zheng was stunned. This had not been mentioned before.

"For the sake of world stability, Prince Yong will finally have a legitimate position." Cui Zhiwen breathed a sigh of relief and stood up to salute.

Fortunately, the royal family and Liu Rengui agreed on a three-year period. After three years, even if Li Chongjun came back, he would be considered dead.

Three years later, who knows whether the one who comes back is a human or a ghost.

Cui Zhiwen was actually afraid that the ministers would set a period of ten years. If the kings and ministers really set a period of ten years, Cui Zhiwen would be furious.

Three years, three years is enough time to give an account to the previous emperors of the Tang Dynasty.

"That's it." Zheng breathed a sigh of relief and nodded in agreement.

All the officials were in awe. Liu Rengui stood up and nodded, saying, "From now on, the Ministry of Rites, Zongzheng Temple, Taichang Temple, Guanglu Temple, Shaofu Temple, Neishijian, Dianzhongjian, Jinwei, Jinwuwei, Qianniuwei, the three provinces, six ministries, nine temples and five bureaus in the court will all prepare for the emperor's enthronement."

"We obey your orders." The ministers bowed solemnly.

……

In front of the Taiji Palace, Li Xuan followed the crowd down the golden steps.

Today, Li Chongjun's position has been determined. All he needs to do is wait for King Han to lead the other kings to offer sacrifices to the previous emperors of the Tang Dynasty tomorrow.

But the story doesn’t end there.

Li Chongjun must be young, and Zheng must be in charge of government.

Not only that, Li Chongjun was the emperor, and Zheng, as a mother, would inevitably be promoted to empress dowager because of her son's status.

How do you listen when the Empress Dowager is in charge of government affairs?
It is absolutely not possible to rule the country like Empress Wu did. Who knows when another Wu Rebellion will break out.

This matter must be discussed clearly in the Government Affairs Hall today or tomorrow.

The day after tomorrow, Li Chongzhao will ascend the throne and become emperor. We can't discuss his mother's affairs in front of him.

Therefore, we must have a general idea of ​​what happened today.

Walking down the golden steps, Li Xuan thought about it and slowly walked towards the province.

At this moment, a voice suddenly sounded behind him: "King Peng."

Hearing the familiar voice, Li Xuan turned around and nodded slightly: "Prime Minister Cui."

Cui Zhiwen smiled gently and walked towards the Ministry of Personnel with Li Xuan, chatting at the same time: "I heard that the new Imperial Censor Zhang Jianzhi is a disciple of Prince Peng. His behavior in the Imperial Censorate these days is very eye-catching."

"As long as everything is done according to Tang law, there will be no obstacles." Li Xuan responded calmly.

Cui Zhiwen found out Li Xuan's bottom line, calmed down, and turned to ask, "The left prime minister will retire tomorrow. Who do you think is suitable to be promoted to Shangshu Zuo Pushe among the prime ministers?"

Li Xuan stopped and looked at Cui Zhiwen with narrowed eyes.

Cui Zhiwen put his hands behind his back, full of confidence.

(End of this chapter)