The State of Qi is located in the northwest. It is not until early April that the ground thaws, spring flowers bloom, and spring sowing begins.
Yin Jin'an and Wang Can worked together to ensure the success of spring planting.
Instead of sitting in the court, he took Jiutian and his nephew on horseback to the fields with officials from the Ministry of Agriculture. They even tried out how ordinary people operated plows and discussed with the farmers how to improve farming efficiency.
Although some powerful figures felt that Yin Jin'an was too down-to-earth, her popularity among ordinary people soared.
Emperor Yangsheng's mind started to wander when he saw Yin Jin'an running around every day.
They secretly approached the old officials and formed a clandestine alliance.
Yin Jin'an had already placed his trusted confidants in the Palace Guard. Hearing that Emperor Yang Sheng was constantly making underhanded moves, he smiled and made some arrangements for the Palace Guard.
So when Emperor Yangsheng approached the Palace Guard, a man named Abao cleverly gave him a suggestion: most of the court officials had already submitted to His Majesty, so the retired emperor should try to win over those clans, who had deep roots and great power, and could even stand against the court.
Emperor Yangsheng agreed wholeheartedly and was overjoyed.
So, the clever little palace attendant secretly gave a list to Emperor Yangsheng: "Your Majesty, the people on this list have not yet been subdued by Your Majesty."
When Emperor Yangsheng saw the list, his eyes lit up. These people included powerful families and high-ranking officials, all of whom had deep roots in the government.
Emperor Yangsheng would travel in plain clothes, accompanied by his trusted confidants, under the pretext of taking a break, leaving the palace and secretly visiting the homes of those on the list every day.
Emperor Yangsheng felt that if he could win their support, launch a palace coup, and carry out a surprise attack, he would have a high chance of success.
He's not that old; he can work for several more decades without any problem.
Many people on the list were willing to work with him, while most of the established families declined.
The clans are the most opportunistic. The one who calls the shots on the stage is Emperor Aotian. How could they possibly collude with the deposed Emperor Emeritus?
Emperor Yang Sheng was very active in contacting the various companies on the list, and A Bao was secretly following up on them.
With Yin Jin'an absent from the court, Emperor Yangsheng frequently left the palace for secret talks.
Abao gathered the information and reported it all to Yin Jin'an.
Yin Jin'an summoned A Bao and Xiahou Yan, gave them some instructions, and that day he and his ministers rushed to Liangzhou, the capital, where the land was the most fertile.
A grand ceremony was held in Liangzhou to celebrate the spring sowing of high-yield grains. These seeds were high-yield seeds that he had entrusted Ling Xun to provide.
The launch ceremony was very grand, and tens of thousands of people saw the young emperor wield a hoe and dig the first shovel of soil.
However, in the quiet capital, an unprecedented tragedy occurred.
Several powerful and influential families that Emperor Yangsheng had visited were suddenly attacked by a large number of masked men who stormed in at night and killed them all.
Upon receiving a tip, the imperial guards immediately arrested the masked assassins.
Those people were caught and shouted, "You ungrateful wretches! The Emperor Emeritus treated you well, yet you dare to disobey his orders!"
Only then did everyone realize that the assassins were actually sent by the retired Emperor Yang Sheng.
If they disagree with his rebellion, then exterminate their entire family to prevent future troubles.
Immediately, the powerful and wealthy in the capital, along with their surviving family members, nearly broke the Emperor's drum.
They filed a complaint with the Emperor! Their attempt to accuse the Emperor Emeritus of rebellion failed, so they killed him to silence him—a heinous crime.
The imperial guards said awkwardly, "His Majesty and Prime Minister Wang have gone to Liangzhou to hold a grand spring planting ceremony and are not in the court."
The powerful and wealthy were filled with rage, wishing they could tear Emperor Yang Sheng apart alive.
Yang Sheng is gloomy, while Ao Tian is not arrogant at all and is as pragmatic as an old farmer. It's obvious which one is better and which one is worse.
On that day, Qi Songliang, the Minister of the Court of Judicial Review, intervened to receive the aggrieved parties who beat the Emperor's Drum. They were the last remaining masters of the victimized families.
Qi Songliang accepted the lawsuit.
While sending people to consult His Majesty, they also spread rumors among the people that Emperor Yangsheng had killed people to silence them after failing to win him over.
Those powerful families also took advantage of the situation to kick him while he was down.
The Chunyu family, in particular, was the largest clan in the State of Qi.
Almost all of them were broken in and slaughtered overnight.
Besides the Chunyu family in the capital, even the patriarch of the Chunyu family in Guazhou was killed.
It is said that this ancestor is already a hundred years old, which is unprecedented in the entire Qi Kingdom. He was originally on the verge of death, but the Chunyu family found a miraculous medicine, and the ancestor became energetic again. He could even carry a large pumpkin and run very fast. No one would have guessed that he was already a hundred years old.
This time, even the guardian deity of the house was killed.
The head of the Chunyu family knelt outside the palace, holding up a petition and demanding severe punishment for Emperor Yangsheng.
The people coming and going all cursed Emperor Yangsheng to the core.
Some close friends also quietly asked the head of the Chunyu family, "Are you sure it was Emperor Yangsheng who did it?"
The Chunyu family head said sadly, "The only ones who could mobilize such great power and kill the four great families and the powerful figures in the capital with lightning speed are the retired emperor and His Majesty the present."
Whoever it is, the murderer is connected to the Xiao family father and son. This time, let's pin it on the Emperor Emeritus. I want to see how those two will fight like dogs.
When Emperor Yangsheng learned in the palace that the clans and nobles he had visited had all been arrested and had filed complaints against him, demanding severe punishment, he was furious.
"I didn't kill anyone. I don't have many men at my disposal right now, how could I possibly kill so many people?"
He was furious, but it was too late for him to leave the palace.
Xiahou Yan ordered his men to surround his residence, and he was not allowed to leave the house except for his servants who came out to get his meals.
However, the outcry from the outside world grew louder and louder, and many ordinary people even began to hold rallies, demanding that the retired emperor issue an "edict of self-reproach".
Amid the clamor of officials and common people, Yin Jin'an finally returned from Liangzhou with a group of court officials.
As a down-to-earth emperor, Yin Jin'an decided to be frank and open about the case, and to hold a public trial.
Emperor Yangsheng was furious: "How dare you publicly try me? This will be recorded in history. I am the emperor, and I cannot be infamous for eternity."
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