Chapter 114 The Situation Has Been Decided
Upon hearing that the Empress Dowager wanted to see him, Yan Shixu quickly arrived at the Cining Palace.
The Queen Mother looked up at him, her eyes full of fatigue.
"Xu'er, what's the situation outside the palace?"
After Yang Guifei's death, the situation inside and outside the palace became somewhat serious.
If the matter is handled inappropriately, Yan Shixu's position in the hearts of civil and military officials will be shaken.
Yan Shixu knew her worries and said gently, "Don't worry, Grandma. All the people from Yang Guifei's faction have been suppressed."
According to Yang Guifei's original plan, if she failed to successfully persuade the emperor to depose the prince, she would lead troops to force the emperor to abdicate.
But the military force she relied on was the approximately 60,000 Yulin Army and the left and right Longwu Army that her brother Yang Zhenxiong could dispatch.
The four armies of the Northern Court consisted of 15,000 men each, for a total strength of 60,000;
It was originally directly controlled by the emperor and belonged to the palace guards.
However, the emperor trusted the Yang family. Although the sovereignty was in the hands of the emperor, in fact, Jingzhao Yin Yang Zhenxiong could dispatch them at will.
The death of Yang Zhenxiong disrupted all of Yang Guifei's original plans.
Seeing that Yang Zhenxiong was dead, other forces of Yang Guifei's faction did not dare to act rashly and just watched in secret.
In this way, it is much easier for Yan Shixu to control the situation today.
But in fact, even if all the troops of Yang Guifei's faction were mobilized today, they would not succeed.
Although Yan Shixu did not have military power, General Luo Yuan, who was in charge of the Sixteen Guards of the Southern Court, and Duke Rong Xie Heqi were his men.
The Sixteen Guards of the Southern Court were responsible for the rotation of the national soldiers and border defense, with approximately 120,000 troops stationed in the capital.
Together with the later added Left and Right Divine Martial Imperial Guards, the total strength was about 30,000 troops, commanded by the Imperial Guards Commander Zhou Jingtao.
Therefore, if Yang Guifei chose to force the emperor to abdicate, it would be like hitting a rock with an egg.
Yan Shixu had already laid a tight net in advance, waiting for the rebels to fall into it.
But getting rid of Yang Zhenxiong and suppressing the rebellion in advance without any loss of troops was undoubtedly the best choice.
The Queen Mother looked at Yan Shixu, her eyes full of relief.
She rubbed her aching brow and spoke directly.
"Xu'er, from now on, the Kingdom of Dayan will be handed over to you. You must prioritize the country and the people's well-being. Work hard to govern the country and be a good emperor. Don't let your grandfather down."
Yan Shixu understood what the Empress Dowager meant.
Father's health was already like a candle in the wind, and after this incident, he was injured again. I'm afraid...
Yan Shixu knelt in front of the empress dowager and kowtowed solemnly.
"Don't worry, Grandmother. I will do my best to govern Dayan well and live up to your and Grandfather's expectations."
The Queen Mother stepped forward, helped him up personally, and patted the back of his hand.
"You have been exceptionally intelligent since childhood, and you care deeply about the people of the world. I believe you are capable of shouldering this important responsibility."
"But the road to the throne has never been a smooth road paved with flowers and praise, but rather paved with thorns and dangers."
"You must be prepared to face all difficulties and obstacles. If you feel unsure, consult the Grand Tutor. He is a veteran of three dynasties, having assisted your grandfather and father. He has a sense of justice and is truly a loyal and righteous minister."
Yan Shixu raised his head with a firm gaze.
"Grandson understands. Regarding the affairs of the court, I hope the Royal Grandmother can give more advice."
The Queen Mother sighed softly and shook her head.
"This is the end of what I can do for you. You have to walk the rest of the way on your own."
"In the court, various forces are intertwined and intertwined. Your most important task is to learn to maintain balance and checks and balances, to identify and appoint the right people, and to stabilize your regime."
"Those confidants who have followed you for many years can be trusted, but they cannot be completely relied upon."
"At the same time, you don't have to rush to suppress Yang Guifei's faction."
"The best decision is to balance the forces of all parties, divide and disintegrate the hostile factions, and use them to your advantage."
"Also, Cheng'er and Liang'er, you must appease them properly and don't let them harbor resentment towards you, so as to avoid any further trouble."
Yan Shixu listened carefully and felt deeply moved.
Although the Empress Dowager was a woman, her insights and strategies far surpassed those of most men.
This is why the Imperial Grandfather trusted and respected the Imperial Grandmother.
My father was able to ascend the throne thanks to the support of my grandmother.
For decades, she has done her utmost to protect her father and help him secure the throne.
He saw all the hard work and effort involved.
Unfortunately, her father ultimately disappointed her.
Yan Shixu thought of the emperor's uncle's secret movements, then looked at the emperor's grandmother with gray hair, and felt a little sad.
He deliberately lowered his voice and smiled like an ordinary grandson, saying:
"Grandmother, you've been worrying all your life. It's time to relax."
"How about you just be a hands-off manager with your grandson around?"
"You can drink tea with the Queen Mother, plant flowers, or even ask her to help you with your studies."
"Or, if you want to leave the palace and travel around the beautiful mountains and rivers, that's fine too. I will arrange it for you."
The Queen Mother looked at the genuine concern in Yan Shixu's eyes, and her heart was filled with warmth, which almost made her cry.
She laughed and scolded, "I'm old, how can I still travel around the beautiful mountains and rivers? When the situation settles down, I would like to live in the nearby palace for a while."
Yan Shixu nodded.
"Whenever the Empress Dowager wishes to go, please ask Xiuping to inform me, and I will make all the arrangements for you in advance."
"I know you're filial, but you're already too busy with state affairs to care about me. Why would you still be thinking about me? Just focus on your own affairs. When I need you, I'll let you know."
Yan Shixu responded and retreated respectfully.
…
Yang Mansion.
Marquis Changshun Yang Hongzhi had been waiting for his daughter to deliver news from the palace.
As a result, after waiting for a whole day, what I got was bad news.
Following closely behind was a large number of guards.
Before he could do anything, he was captured.
Yang Hongzhi has no ambition at all and his ability is far inferior to that of his eldest son Yang Zhenxiong.
This marquis obtained his title by virtue of Yang Guifei's favor.
Now the son is dead, the daughter is dead, and the whole family has been detained.
He felt regretful in his heart.
Why are you so obsessed with dreaming of reaching the sky in one step?
Yang Hongzhi's round body collapsed to the ground like a deflated ball.
He kept muttering, "It's over... It's over... Everything is over..."
Now, the emperor is still in a coma, so the Yang family naturally has to deal with him as soon as possible.
Otherwise, when the emperor wakes up, something strange will happen.
As for Yang Guifei, she was sentenced to death for treason.
Originally, they should not have been buried in the imperial mausoleum.
However, the crown prince ordered her to be buried in the imperial mausoleum because of her contribution in giving birth to the second princess, the third prince and the fourth prince.
After Yan Shicheng learned about it, he brought Yan Shiliang to the East Palace, and the two kowtowed to express their gratitude.
Yan Shixu helped them up and saw that they were immersed in sorrow.
After a long while, he patted Yan Shicheng on the shoulder and said sincerely:
"Acheng, you still have Aliang to take care of, don't fall down."
"After your mother's funeral, everything will be the same as before, without any difference."
"You must remember that you will always be the Third Prince of the Great Yan Dynasty and my younger brother. If anyone dares to bully you, feel free to come to me. Do you understand?"
Yan Shicheng looked at him blankly.
After a long time, he held back the tears that were about to burst out of his eyes and nodded heavily.
Yan Shixu sighed as he watched the two figures, one big and one small, walking away hand in hand.
…
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