Chu and Han contend for the throne

Chapter 454

Chen Ping was anxious like an ant on a hot pot. He was pacing back and forth outside the Shengchi County Yamen. He would stop and look at the west end of the long street from time to time. When he saw no one coming, he would sigh in annoyance and continue on. With his hands behind his back, he continued to pace back and forth outside the gate of the county government office, and the speed of his pace became faster and faster.

Not far behind Chen Ping, stood the old general Li Shang.

Li Shang was the prefect of Sanchuan appointed by Xiao Hegang. He was about to go to Luoyang to take up his post, but he was surprised to hear that the king was stationed in Shengchi County Yamen, so he rushed to pay his respects. Shang blocked the gate, and Chen Ping didn't intend to let him in. At this time, Li Shang couldn't let Li Shang know that the king was critically ill.

It has been three days since Zhu Feiqi went to Xianyang to preach the imperial edict, counting the time, it should be almost here.

Chen Ping didn't see anyone on the left, and he didn't see anyone on the right. When he was about to send the imperial guards to look outside the city, the sound of horseshoes suddenly came from the long street at the west end. When Chen Ping looked anxiously, he saw More than a hundred Yulin guards have already guarded two figures and galloped towards the county government. Isn't that person the crown prince Liu Heng?
"Prince? Prince!" Chen Ping hurried up to meet him.

Liu Heng got off his horse, gave Chen Ping a hasty bow, turned around and ran into the county office.

After seeing the ceremony, Chen Ping and Bai Mo followed into the county government office. When Li Shang was about to go through the gate, Uncle Sunying, General of the Imperial Forest, flashed out inside, and said indifferently: "Old General Li, the governor of Sanchuan County is An important frontier defense area should not be left alone for a day, you should rush to Luoyang to take up the post, so don't waste time here."

Li Shang stepped back down the steps in embarrassment, and took office full of disappointment.

Li Shang didn't think too much about being a loyal person, he just felt a bit regretful that he couldn't pay homage to the king.

Not to mention that Li Shang went to Luoyang to take up the post full of disappointment, and that Liu Heng hurried into the back office without guidance. He just followed the standing guards of the imperial forest and found Liu Bang's sick bed in the north. As soon as he entered, Liu Heng saw the sick bed Going to the sleepy Liu Bang, looking at the ashen Liu Bang, Liu Heng felt sad, and immediately knelt down in front of the couch and began to cry.

Bai Mo and Chen Ping followed in, but they didn't stop them. They just stood behind Liu Heng from left to right.

As if awakened by Liu Heng's cry, Liu Bang opened his eyes with great difficulty, seeing Liu Heng kneeling in front of the couch, Liu Bang's cloudy eyes showed a rare kindness, and Liu Heng became more and more excited. Heartbroken like a tide, crying more and more sadly, it's no wonder that Liu Bang has always been extremely indifferent to him, has he ever been so warm and tender like today?

"Prince, don't be sad, there is no one who is immortal?" Liu Bang stretched out his withered palms, and gently stroked Liu Heng's dusty face, and said, "I have seventy-two people this year, which is considered rare." Longevity."

Liu Heng didn't speak, but knelt in front of Liu Bang's sick bed and cried loudly. At this time, Liu Heng was completely enveloped by a strange emotion. He just wanted to vent all the grievances he had suffered in the past 18 years.

Liu Bang sighed softly, of course he knew Liu Heng's grievance.

Liu Bang looked up again, but only saw Chen Ping and Bai Mo standing in front of the couch, but Xiao He was not there, so he asked, "Ziyan, why don't you see the old Prime Minister?"

Bai Mo didn't dare to lie, he cupped his hands and said with a gloomy expression: "The old country minister heard that the king is critically ill, and the depression in his heart has already fallen ill, and I am afraid he will pass away soon."

Liu Bang was taken aback when he heard the words, then he sighed and said: "The old man is withered."

Bai Mo and Chen Ping remained silent, now is not the time for them to interrupt.

Liu Bang suddenly struggled to sit up, Bai Mo and Chen Ping hurried forward, helped Liu Bang up from left to right, Liu Bang's face that was originally extremely gray suddenly flushed, and his cloudy eyes suddenly flushed. It became brighter, and said to Liu Heng: "Prince, you kneel down to Yaxiang and the military division."

Liu Heng didn't dare to neglect, turned around on his knees, and knelt facing Bai Mo and Chen Ping.

Liu Bang took a breath, and first said to Bai Mo: "Ziyan, I abolished the positions of Prime Minister and Sub-Prime Minister, and restored the Prime Minister. I think you are the Prime Minister of the Han Dynasty. I hope you can do your best to assist the new king."

Bai Mo bowed deeply, his words choked with sobs: "The scholar dies for his confidant, and the minister... dare not die to pay for it."

Liu Bang nodded happily, and told Liu Heng: "Prince, the prime minister is a national scholar, and you should treat him with the courtesy of your father."

Without the slightest hesitation, Liu Heng immediately kowtowed to Bai Mo and said sincerely, "Father Xiang."

"Don't dare, definitely don't dare." Bai Mo was terrified when he heard the words, and quickly reached out to help Liu Heng up.

Liu Bang said to Chen Ping again: "Chen Ping, I want to be the grand master, and I think you are the head of the honor. This is none other than you. Now that the ovary is dead, you are the only one in the army to strategize. You should work together with the prime minister and work hard together. Assist the new king."

Although Chen Ping was a little annoyed that Bai Mo was a latecomer to occupy the high position of prime minister, but no matter what, he is now the minister of Tuogu, and he bowed deeply at the moment: "I... I would like to obey the order."

Liu Bang nodded with a smile, then slumped back on the couch, and died of exhaustion.

Liu Hengdun rushed forward in time to hug Liu Bang's dead body, and wept loudly: "Father, how could my father be so cruel that I abandoned my children and ministers, my father..."

Bai Mo sighed, and Liu Heng wept bitterly for the former king. This is the relationship between father and son, and he can't stop it. But now that the former king has died, and the new king has been established, and the Han Kingdom is suffering from internal and external troubles, he, the freshly-baked prime minister, dare not have a trace of it. Inadvertently, the grand master Chen Ping, who was also freshly baked, was invited outside for a secret discussion.

Whenever the new and old monarchs alternate, it is always accompanied by bloody winds!
I am afraid that the Han Dynasty is no exception. Now it is also facing internal and external troubles, and it is extremely dangerous.

In terms of external aggression, Chu, South Korea, and the Huns, relying on Chen Ping's plague plan, finally stopped the Chu army's massive attack temporarily, but as the weather turned cooler, the plague would subside, and the Chu army would be greatly injured. , unable to invade Guanzhong, but the threat to Hanzhong, especially Sanchuan County, cannot be ignored.

South Korea is a minor disease of mange, but there is no need to worry.

As for the Xiongnu, it is also a serious problem, but the Xiongnu just looted Yan, Zhao, and Han lands. According to the information provided by the local ministries, the Xiongnu kidnapped at least 30 women, children, and craftsmen from Yan, Zhao, and Han lands. This year, the Xiongnu are unlikely to go south to "grass the valley" again.

Therefore, the biggest foreign trouble is Chu State.

As for internal worries, it is complicated. Lu Wan, who is guarding Jiuyuan and has [-] soldiers, is a big worry.

When the former king was around, there was no problem, but once the former king died, it would be difficult to say whether Lu Wan would have a different heart!There is also General Lu Tai, Lu Tai does not know the news of Guanzhong, but Bai Mo knows Lu Tai's whereabouts clearly, and now Lu Tai has [-] soldiers and is resting in Han, if he knows the news of the former king's collapse, he will Won't you have a different heart?
In fact, Lu Wan and Lu Tai are not the biggest internal worries, the biggest internal worries are precisely Bai Mo himself!

Although he, Bai Mo, is a descendant of Guigu, and his achievements in ten years of reform are recognized by the whole country, but his qualifications are shallow after all. Will you still serve him?In the future, will the military orders and government orders of the Han Dynasty be unimpeded?

Thinking of this, Bai Mo couldn't help but glance at Chen Ping beside him. Leaving others aside, it's just Grand Master Chen, I'm afraid he's very upset in his heart?

This is really a thousand things, wise as white ink, and he doesn't know where to start, but he is very clear about one thing, that is, the news of the king's death must not be leaked, at least in Lu Wan. , Before Lu Tai returns to Xianyang, it is absolutely impossible to leak it in advance, otherwise, the big man will die forever.

At that moment, Bai Mo asked Chen Ping: "Grand Master, is there no funeral for now?"

Chen Ping nodded silently. He was indeed a little annoyed at Bai Mo's stealing the prime minister's position, but he also knew that there was a reason for the appointment of Bai Mo as the prime minister in the late king's edict. Then even if you flatter a horse, you won't be able to catch up with Bai Mo Yi Er, so the position of prime minister is indeed Bai Mo's.

And Chen Ping is also very clear that once the news of the former king's collapse is leaked, Lu Wan and Lu Tai will definitely have a different heart. , will definitely not hesitate to send troops to the south, kill the king and usurp the throne. Regarding Lu Wan, Chen Ping is confident that he will never be fooled.

Bai Mo said again: "Li Shang, the governor of Sanchuan County, and Mei Yan, the governor of Hanzhong County, are loyal men. I understand that they will not mess around, and they have a long-standing enmity with Chu, and they will definitely not turn their backs on Han and vote for Chu. However, the general It is difficult to predict how Lu Tai, the governor of Shangjun, Lu Shizhi, and the governor of Beidi, Lu Chan, will react after hearing the news of the death of the former king."

After the Changle Palace assassination case, the power of the Lu family was greatly weakened, but due to Lu Ze's meritorious service in rescuing the emperor, the Lu family still left a considerable amount of power. When the late king was around, this power was of course nothing. General Lu Tai will definitely not be able to make any waves, but once the former king dies, it will be another matter.

After a pause, Bai Mo said again: "What is more worrying is Lu Wan, the governor of Jiuyuan County."

Lu Wan is definitely a detached existence among the many old and important ministers of the Han Dynasty. With his extraordinary relationship with Liu Bang, he often acts as a domineering figure in Guanzhong. It was originally a good arrangement for Jiuyuan to become the sheriff, but now it has become a trend that cannot be dropped.

In particular, Xiao He transferred Li Shang and Mei Yan from Jiuyuan not long ago, which made Lu Wan lose his temper.

After pondering for a moment, Chen Ping said: "The general's side is not easy to deal with, but Lu Wan's side can imitate the old king's tone and write a secret letter to lure him back to Xianyang."

Bai Mo said: "That's it, I will be in charge of the general's side, and Lu Wan's side will be entrusted to the Grand Master."

Chen Pingdao: "Prime Minister, you can rest assured that Lu Wan is just a mere Lu Wan, and my grand master has not paid attention to it."

(End of this chapter)