Feng Ye lowered his eyelids, his thick eyelashes trembling slightly. He said sinisterly: "If the emperor can abdicate, everyone will be happy. The prince trusts you very much, and he is young and easy to control. Then you can catch all the eunuchs in one fell swoop."

"Yes." Yan Sikong's breathing was a little agitated, and his chest rose and fell violently twice. "Your Highness can take this opportunity to seize the power of the capital's garrison troops. With a young ruler and a country in doubt, it is only natural for him to take over the government. The world of the Chen family will now be in the hands of the Feng family."

Feng Jia raised his head, his eyes were fierce and full of savagery: "I'm afraid Yan Zilian will not agree."

"If we want to start a rebellion, we must have the teacher's help. This is indeed a problem." Yan Zilian wanted to eliminate the treacherous and corrupt officials and rectify the government, not to destroy the eunuch party and create a regent who would hold all the power. Once Yan Zilian knew about this, he would immediately understand what they wanted to do.

Feng Ye snorted coldly: "Yan Zilian is an old fox. He wants my Feng family to help him defeat the eunuch party, but he is also afraid that my Feng family will become too powerful. He wants to take advantage of everything. There is no such a good deal in the world."

Yan Sikong wanted to say that from Yan Zilian's perspective, he had to do so. He was capable of maneuvering, mediating and constraining things, and he was worthy of the heavy official hat of the Chief Minister of the Cabinet. However, in front of Feng Ye, he had to try his best to avoid speaking for Yan Zilian.

From his own perspective, although he respected and appreciated Yan Zilian, he would definitely put Feng Ye first. Apart from the relationship between him and Feng Ye, only if the Feng family took power could he avenge himself and realize his ambitions to establish a long-lasting peaceful and prosperous era.

Feng Ye continued, "Yan Zilian is even on guard against you. Can't you see that? He's afraid that you and I will become too deeply involved."

"I can see that." Yan Sikong said, "Since he has become the Prime Minister, it is impossible for him to have anyone he can trust wholeheartedly. I am always cautious in my words and actions in front of him."

"I'm afraid that we might have a chance to force the emperor to abdicate, but he would find out and stop us."

Yan Sikong pondered and said, "In fact, the key to this matter may not lie with the teacher, but with General Zhao Fuyi."

Feng Ye nodded: "General Zhao leads 30,000 garrison troops. With his help, we will surely succeed."

"How much do you know about this man? Was he once a subordinate of your Highness?"

"Indeed, but that was more than ten years ago. Even if my father personally went out to persuade him, the result is hard to say." Feng Ye remembered something, "What about Zhu Lanting who delivered the letter for me? He is the commander of the imperial guards and the prince's martial arts teacher. If I can get his help, it will be more advantageous than General Zhao."

"The Zhu family is the Empress Dowager's family, and the current head of the family is your Majesty's uncle. The power of the in-laws cannot be underestimated. However, your Majesty has been very kind to the Zhu family and even married his sister to the Zhu family. Zhu Lanting is a decent person." Yan Sikong shook his head, "They have absolutely no reason to force the emperor to abdicate. It won't work."

"According to what you said, Zhu Lanting will become the biggest obstacle in this matter." Feng Ye narrowed his eyes with a fierce look.

"We need to think long-term." Yan Sikong said, "I still think that General Zhao Fuyi should be appointed."

"But now my father and I can't leave the city. I can't even go to Jingshan Camp."

Yan Sikong thought of She Jun's secret passage and said, "If there is a real need, I have a way to get you out of the city."

"real?"

"real."

"What did She Jun prepare?" Feng Ye curled his lips.

"Yes, he can leave the city without anyone noticing, and come back without anyone noticing." Yan Sikong smiled, "I told you, he's got a way."

Feng Ye couldn't help but feel a little jealous, but he didn't want Yan Sikong to see it: "If that's the case, maybe we can give it a try."

"The most important thing now is Your Highness." Yan Sikong said, "Everything depends on Your Highness."

Feng Ye said in a deep voice: "My Feng family will never allow others to bully us."

Yan Sikong was in mixed feelings for the moment. Although if he succeeded, he would be done with it once and for all, the risk was too great. Once he took that step, there would be no turning back, whether it was life or death, for both him and Feng Ye.

Feng Ye held Yan Sikong in his arms: "I won't let anyone bully you."

Yan Sikong smiled slightly: "I know."

——

Feng Chan submitted a document to the emperor to reduce Datong's military equipment. The inner cabinet quickly drafted an opinion and presented it to the emperor.

Everyone's heart was in tension, not just those who were related to the matter, but also people inside and outside the court were watching and waiting. After all, Feng Jianping was a man who could shake the mountains and rivers with a single stomp of his foot. This matter was of great importance, no less than reducing the power of the princes. Reducing the power of the princes could force Prince Liang to rebel. Who knew how Prince Jingyuan would respond?

This is a game with undercurrents, a balance between imperial power and military power. If the person on the chessboard makes a wrong move, he may lose everything. The murderous atmosphere in the court is as cold as the river water in February, which makes people's hearts tremble.

A few days later, Emperor Zhaowu secretly summoned Yan Zilian to the palace to discuss matters. Yan Sikong only found out about it later. He shouldn't have known about it, but Yan Zilian told him personally - when he was secretly summoned to discuss matters.

Yan Sikong already had a bad feeling in his heart, and he said in a deep voice: "Teacher, do you have any bad news to tell me?"

Yan Zilian nodded.

"Please go ahead."

"Recently, we received a report from Liaodong that winter is coming, the Jin people are short of food and clothing, and are ready to attack. They have looted more than a dozen of our villages. Your Majesty, citing the serious situation in Liaodong..." Yan Zilian said solemnly, "is going to transfer 150,000 troops from Datong to Liaodong to destroy the Jin people."

"Nonsense!" Yan Sikong stood up angrily. At this moment, he couldn't control the violent anger in his chest, because the commander-in-chief of Liaoning at that time was still Han Zhaoxing, who deserved to be killed!

"I have temporarily persuaded Your Majesty that Han Zhaoxing, the General of Liaodong, is Xie Zhongren's nephew. The Governor of Liaodong is timid and cowardly, and is just a puppet. This move is actually to hinder the generals." Yan Zilian gritted his teeth and said, "I never thought that Xie Zhongren's appetite was so big that he wanted to get involved in military power."

"No matter how big his appetite is, he was raised by the emperor!" Yan Sikong clenched his fists. "Han Zhaoxing is incompetent and has been defeated by the Jin people twice. Even if he is given more soldiers, he will just send his soldiers to die. The Guangning Defense War that year..."

Yan Zilian was quite surprised: "You know about the Guangning defense battle?"

Yan Sikong's lips trembled slightly: "I've heard of it."

"How much have you heard?"

"Rumor has it... Han Zhaoxing framed the garrison at the time in order to gain credit."

"Hey, it was General Zhao who told you that," Yan Zilian shook his head. "It happened more than ten years ago. I'm afraid only General Zhao remembers it."

“…”

"Han Zhaoxing not only framed the Guangning garrison commander, but also the Liaodong general before him was framed by him and Xie Zhongren, and resigned out of despair. If not for this, how could Qingzhou be lost, and how could we lose the seven states of Liaobei?"

Yan Sikong trembled all over when he heard this. Only now did he realize that Han Zhaoxing and Xie Zhongren, the two bastards, not only killed his adoptive father, but also his biological parents. They caused his family to be destroyed twice!

Yan Zilian noticed something was wrong with Yan Sikong: "Sikong? What's wrong with you?"

Yan Sikong dug his nails into the tender flesh of his palm, trying to use the pain to suppress his crippling emotions. He whispered, "It was because of the same pampering of treacherous people that the late emperor lost the Hetao area and your majesty lost Liaobei, allowing the Oirat and Jin to grow stronger respectively. This was the biggest mistake Dasheng made since its founding. The country has been weakened since then. I... regret it!"

Yan Zilian also looked heartbroken: "So we must not let Your Majesty repeat the mistakes of the previous emperor and make the same mistakes again and again."

"But your majesty listened to Xie Zhongren's words and wanted to give Han Zhaoxing the power of 150,000 troops in order to weaken King Jingyuan? What should we do, teacher? What should we do?"

"Your Majesty has only two plans now. Either reduce the military by 150,000 and force General Feng to reduce his troops, or transfer the 150,000 troops to Liaodong." Yan Zilian rubbed his forehead tiredly. "But he is worried that this move will completely anger General Feng, so he came to me for a secret talk. First, he wants to test General Feng's attitude through me, and second, he wants me to persuade General Feng."

"I think the troop deployment is fake, but disarmament is real. Xie Zhongren knows that we will definitely not agree to the troop troop deployment, so he can only retreat and choose disarmament. If the troop troop deployment is really carried out, it will be in line with his wishes." Yan Sikong said fiercely, "This gelding is so cunning and cunning!"

In the past, Yan Sikong had been hiding in the dark and playing tricks for the eunuch party, from Wang Shengsheng to Ge Zhong and then to Wen Youchi. He succeeded because I was the enemy in the dark and Yan Zilian blocked him and Feng Ye assisted him. This time, although he was still in the dark, it was their most direct confrontation with Xie Zhongren, and he finally faced Xie Zhongren's power. This illiterate eunuch was able to rise from a lowly little eunuch to the position of the eunuch in charge of the Imperial Household Department and was deeply favored by the emperor. His wisdom and means were truly extraordinary. This man had played the emperor in the palm of his hand. They were really in a dilemma. One wrong step would mean falling into the abyss.

"I have fought him for most of my life. If he was easy to deal with, we wouldn't be in this situation today." Yan Zilian sighed, "I dare not tell General Feng for now. You are close to the Feng family. I want to hear your opinion."

"If we tell General Feng, I'm afraid..." Yan Sikong shook his head and said affirmatively, "General Feng will not agree, whether it is to reduce the army or to transfer troops."

"If he disagrees, he will be disobeying the order."

Yan Sikong was silent. It wasn't that he had nothing to say. He was just considering how Yan Zilian would react if he told him about the plan to force the emperor to abdicate. If Yan Zilian agreed, that would be great. If he disagreed, he would be finished. After thinking it over, he still didn't dare to take the risk. He had to further test Yan Zilian's bottom line.

"Sikong." Yan Zilian called Yan Sikong.

Yan Sikong was forced to raise his head and look at Yan Zilian.

Yan Zilian looked old, but his eyes were still sharp: "Will he disobey the order?"

Yan Sikong was shocked.