When the news of Han Zhaoxing's surrender to the Jin Dynasty reached Beijing, the government and the public were outraged. It was said that Xie Zhongren fainted on the spot.
Yan Sikong hurried to visit Xie Zhongren and brought some top-quality tonic medicine.
Xie Zhongren didn't seem to be in any serious trouble, but he was shocked and angry, and he was shaking all over as he scolded Han Zhaoxing.
Yan Sikong watched from the side and felt very happy.
After cursing, he wailed again: "This evil beast has killed my family!"
Yan Sikong comforted him, "Don't be anxious, Grandpa. You need to take care of yourself."
"He should have died in Liaoning, but he actually surrendered to the Jin Dynasty. This... this beast..." Xie Zhongren pounded his chest fiercely.
The young eunuch hurriedly went to pull it, sobbing and saying, "Eunuch, take care of yourself."
Xie Zhongren grabbed Yan Sikong and said, "Sikong, has His Majesty summoned you?"
"Not yet. Your Majesty may have just received the news."
Xie Zhongren wiped away his tears and regained his cunning look: "We can't let this beast drag us down. What do you think we should do now?"
Yan Sikong also looked helpless. He sighed deeply, "My father-in-law has been very kind to me. I am thinking of you wholeheartedly and dare not deceive you. But honest advice is unpleasant to the ear, and I am afraid that you will hear it..."
"It's already so late, just tell me what you can do!"
Yan Sikong bowed slightly and said, "Eunuch, Han Zhaoxing was recommended by you, and he is also your nephew. Now that he has been defeated and surrendered to Jin, not only will the ministers be dissatisfied with you, but even His Majesty will be angry with you..."
"Nonsense! Do you even need to say that?" Xie Zhongren slammed the table in anger.
"Eunuch, please calm down." Yan Sikong said calmly, "In my opinion, you must show weakness now. The ministers can ignore it, but as long as you can calm down His Majesty's anger, the big thing can be resolved."
Xie Zhongren nodded: "We think so too. What do you think we should do?"
Yan Sikong rolled his eyes, as if he wanted to say something but hesitated.
"Well, go ahead."
Yan Sikong reluctantly said, "Selling out one's country to the enemy is a serious crime punishable by the extermination of nine generations of one clan. Han Zhaoxing still has an old mother, daughter, daughter-in-law, children and grandchildren, as well as many relatives and servants in his hometown of Xiangyang. They will not be able to escape death. If you can kill your relatives for the sake of justice..."
Xie Zhongren's expression suddenly changed, and his pair of gray eyes stared straight ahead with a cold look.
Yan Sikong knew that Xie Zhongren had already planned this in his mind, but he couldn't say it out loud after all, because he was his close friend. He could only rely on outsiders to "admonish" him, and finally he had no choice but to act.
As expected, Xie Zhongren shook his head: "After all, she is my sister from the same mother. No, no..."
"Father-in-law," Yan Sikong advised, "Even Han Zhaoxing surrendered to the enemy without caring about the lives of his entire family. For the sake of himself and his three sons, he abandoned more than a hundred people in the Han family. What kind of family affection are you still considering for him?"
"But……"
"Even if the eunuch did nothing, they would still be dead. If the eunuch showed resentment, put aside personal interests, and apologized to His Majesty, His Majesty would not be able to bear it for the sake of his many years of service."
Xie Zhongren frowned and hesitated.
Yan Sikong advised earnestly: "Eunuch is so loyal and righteous, but have you ever thought about where Han Zhaoxing would put you in order to save his life and continue the family line?"
Xie Zhongren looked angry.
"Eunuch, please pretend to be sick and apologize to His Majesty. We, the younger generation, will also plead for you. It is most important to get through this catastrophe first."
Xie Zhongren's trusted eunuch also advised: "Father, the Prince Consort is right. It was Han Zhaoxing who was unjust first. Besides, he was the one who killed more than a hundred people in his family. He also implicated the father-in-law who was kind to him. Father-in-law, how can you be kind to such a villain who deserves death?"
Xie Zhongren sighed: "I don't want to be a heartless and ungrateful person, but Han Zhaoxing forced me to..."
"It's good that the eunuch has come to his senses," Yan Sikong soothed. "I will go to the palace to see the emperor today and plead for the eunuch, saying that the eunuch was sick because of Han Zhaoxing. The next day, the eunuch will go to the palace with illness and plead guilty to Your Majesty. I want Your Majesty to exterminate the Han family and give an explanation to the world."
Xie Zhongren clenched his fingers, which were as old as dead branches, and said fiercely, "Okay!"
Yan Sikong smiled secretly.
——
After visiting Xie Zhongren, Yan Sikong went straight into the palace. He did not dare to delay for a moment because this was the opportunity he had been waiting for for many years.
Xie Zhongren, this great traitor with deep roots and widespread harm throughout the world, has stood firm for thirty years. He outlasted Yan Zilian and killed Feng Jianping, and caused the eunuchs' party to spread throughout the court and the country. Countless loyal ministers and generals have become innocent souls at his hands. Now the opportunity to put him to death has finally come. If we are not careful, he will escape and the old thief will probably die of old age.
When they entered the palace, Emperor Zhaowu was furious, and the palace maids and eunuchs were kneeling on the ground. Concubine Wen was whispering to them, but she didn't dare to get too close.
The eunuch informed the emperor that Yan Sikong wanted to see him, and Emperor Zhaowu immediately summoned him in.
Yan Sikong ignored the mess on the ground and knelt on the ground, "I have seen..."
“Forget it.” Emperor Zhaowu waved his hands, and his fat body trembled violently. His face turned pale and red, and he was shocked and angry.
Yan Sikong raised his head and sighed, "Your Majesty, please calm down. Your Majesty's dragon body is the foundation of the country."
"The foundation of the country, what is the foundation of the country?" Emperor Zhaowu pointed at Yan Sikong and said, "You just talked about it at the imperial lecture last month. Please repeat it to me."
Yan Sikong looked embarrassed and glanced at Yu Ji, who shook his head helplessly.
Emperor Zhaowu grabbed a shallow-mouthed vase filled with flowers and smashed it to the ground: "Speak!"
"'The foundation of a country is only... only its territory.'"
"Han Zhaoxing, that bastard, is about to sell my Liaodong territory to the gold thieves!" Emperor Zhaowu was so angry that he could not speak clearly. "Once the gate to Liaodong is opened, there will be no danger in the north. The gold thieves will drive straight in and... they will kill us in the capital!" When he finished speaking, his tone was full of fear.
"Your Majesty, calm down. Your Majesty, calm down."
"Calm down? How can I calm down?" Emperor Zhaowu slumped down in his chair, trembling. "Liaodong is already in danger, and there is also the rebel Feng Ye, who started an uprising in Shu and captured seven cities without losing a single one. This is God's will to destroy our Great Sheng."
Concubine Wen knelt at his feet, sobbing softly.
Yan Sikong said respectfully, "Your Majesty, it will be useless to worry now, and I am afraid that you will hurt yourself. I came to the palace today to share your worries."
Emperor Zhaowu looked at Yan Sikong and sighed, "Sikong, you understand my thoughts best. I knew you must have a good plan. If you didn't come, I would have gone to call you."
"Your Majesty, I will never be able to repay your trust in me even if I die."
Emperor Zhaowu tried to stand up by holding onto his chair, and the eunuch beside him hurried forward to support him. He said, "Come in and talk." He thought of something and said to Concubine Wen Gui who was standing beside him, "My beloved, please go back to the palace and have a rest." His tone was somewhat impatient.
Concubine Wen wiped her tears and said affectionately, "I am most worried about your Majesty's health. Your Majesty, please take care of yourself."
"Well, let's go back first."
In her early years, Concubine Wen was young, beautiful, and charming, and was deeply favored by Emperor Zhaowu. However, as the years passed, her beauty faded and she was inevitably loved. New lovers on the dragon bed came and went without fail. Although she was still favored, she was not as favored as she used to be.
A few people moved to the inner courtyard of the palace, and Emperor Zhaowu was helped into a chair. Perhaps because he was angry, he was already panting after walking this distance.
Yan Sikong said: "Your Majesty, the situation in Liaodong cannot be delayed. We must send capable generals to the front immediately. It will be too late if we delay any longer."
"That's exactly what I was thinking." Emperor Zhaowu touched his forehead, and Yu Ji immediately came over to massage him. "What do you think of sending General Zhao?"
Yan Sikong smiled bitterly: "At present, only General Zhao can stabilize the situation and reassure the people."
Emperor Zhaowu shook his head and said, "I really regret not listening to the advice of my ministers to change the commander. If I had replaced General Zhao earlier, we wouldn't have suffered such a defeat. It's all..." He suddenly said angrily, "It's all because of that old guy Xie Zhongren. He kept recommending Han Zhaoxing, his good nephew, to me!"
"Your Majesty, don't blame yourself. Although Governor Han has suffered defeat, he once repelled the Jin army with a small city. Victory or defeat is unpredictable. But this traitor actually surrendered to the enemy after his defeat. He deserves to be killed!" Yan Sikong said indignantly.
"Yes, he shall be cut into pieces!" Emperor Zhaowu said fiercely, "I have ordered an investigation into his family. This crime should be...the whole clan should be exterminated!"
"Your Majesty, the Han family cannot escape. The most urgent task is to immediately order General Zhao to go to Liaodong. There should be no delay for a day, not even an hour."
Emperor Zhaowu nodded: "You, you are right, Yu Ji."
"The old slave is here."
"Immediately issue an order to appoint Zhao Fuyi as the Governor-General of Liaodong and lead a garrison of 10,000 troops to rush to the front line."
"Yes." Yu Ji bowed and walked out.
Emperor Zhaowu was stunned for a moment, and then asked Yan Sikong: "Now that General Zhao has left, who will lead the garrison troops?"
"Does your Majesty have a candidate in mind?"
Emperor Zhaowu was somewhat hesitant.
Yan Sikong knew that he had already thought of Zhu Lanting, but Concubine Wen's brother also served in the garrison. He said, "Your Majesty, Commander Zhu is the commander of the Imperial Guard. He has been conscientious in his duties for many years and has protected the safety of the palace. Moreover, he is your Majesty's nephew, so he is the best choice."
"This... let me think about it."
Yan Sikong did not continue to advise, because he knew that the ministers would have to participate in the discussion on the new commander of the garrison army. As Han Zhaoxing had been defeated and surrendered to the enemy, the eunuchs were busy with their own affairs. Concubine Wen's brother would never be able to compete with Zhu Lanting for the position of commander.
Emperor Zhaowu picked up a silk handkerchief and wiped the sweat off his forehead, looking exhausted both physically and mentally: "Sikong, if Dasheng is destroyed in my hands, I...how can I face my ancestors?"
Yan Sikong said hurriedly: "Your Majesty, you are too serious. Although we are facing internal and external troubles, our treasury is abundant, food and grass are sufficient, and our army is strong. A few barbaric rebels cannot shake the foundation of our Dasheng."
"I..." Emperor Zhaowu seemed to be embarrassed, but after looking at Yan Sikong, he still whispered, "I am scared."
Yan Sikong soothed him, "Your Majesty, don't panic. We swear to live and die with the country. In fact, I think the biggest crisis right now may not be in Liaodong and Shu, but in this court."
"Oh?" Emperor Zhaowu frowned.
Yan Sikong sighed and said, "Before coming to see Your Majesty, I heard that Eunuch Xie was ill, so I went to visit him."
When mentioning Xie Zhongren, Emperor Zhaowu's face showed disgust and anger: "Xie Zhongren... I have been very kind to him. I have provided him with all his needs, including troops and military expenses. However, he recommended such a bastard to be the commander-in-chief of Liaodong!"
"That's exactly what I'm referring to." Yan Sikong shook his head helplessly. "I think this is the biggest crisis right now. Han Zhaoxing defected to the enemy at a time when we needed people, which angered the entire court. How to appease people's hearts and get everyone to work together to stabilize the country and resist foreign aggression, Your Majesty, this is the top priority."
Emperor Zhaowu seemed to have just woken up from a dream. He stared at Yan Sikong in a daze for a long time before he asked, "How is Xie Zhongren...?"
Yan Sikong understood the underlying meaning of the words. Xie Zhongren was already in his seventies. If he died of illness, he wouldn't have to take any action, and it would also ease the anger of his ministers.
He knew that Emperor Zhaowu still cared about the master-servant relationship with Xie Zhongren. After all, Emperor Zhaowu succeeded to the throne at an advanced age, and Xie Zhongren had served him for nearly forty years.
Yan Sikong looked embarrassed and hesitated to speak.
"What? Are you dying?" Emperor Zhaowu widened his eyes.
Yan Sikong shook his head and said in embarrassment: "I dare not deceive Your Majesty. From what I see, I am afraid..."
"What are you afraid of?"
"I'm afraid he's pretending."
"What a jerk!" Emperor Zhaowu slapped the armrest. "How dare he pretend to be sick?"
Yan Sikong knelt down hurriedly: "Your Majesty, please calm down. I dare not confirm it. If Eunuch Xie is really ill, I would be wrongly accusing him. But I am loyal to Your Majesty, so I will tell you what I mean and dare not hide it."
"I will send Yu Ji to take a look."
"No, Your Majesty! Even if Eunuch Yu went to see him, he would think he was pretending and there would be nothing he could do to him."
"What should I do?"
"When I met Eunuch Xie, he scolded Han Zhaoxing and said he wanted to kill his relatives for the sake of justice. He pleaded with Your Majesty to exterminate all the Han family members to thank the world. I guess that Eunuch Xie will come to Your Majesty sooner or later. Your Majesty can test him in person when the time comes."
Emperor Zhaowu snorted coldly, "He is just talking after the fact. Even if he doesn't come, no one in the Han family will be able to escape."
"Your Majesty is right, but..." Yan Sikong hesitated to speak.
"Stop stuttering," Emperor Zhaowu said anxiously, "If you have anything to say, just say it now."
"If, as Your Majesty said, you want to exterminate the three clans of the Han family, then Eunuch Xie... is also among the three clans."
Emperor Zhaowu's expression changed slightly. He lowered his head, thinking about something.
Yan Sikong advised: "I know that Your Majesty cares about Eunuch Xie's many years of service, but Your Majesty should also understand that Eunuch Xie is the root of the anger of all the ministers."
Emperor Zhaowu gritted his teeth and said, "This old man really makes me hate him to death, but if you want me to kill him, I will..."
"Your Majesty, what if Eunuch Xie is faking illness? That would be a crime of deceiving the emperor."
Emperor Zhaowu still hesitated.
Yan Sikong bowed again and said, "Your Majesty, thank you for your kindness to me. I also respect him very much, but I am your Majesty's subject. I married your Majesty's princess. I am loyal to your Majesty with my whole heart. I cannot ignore the safety of Da Sheng because of my personal relationship. I urge your Majesty to make a decision."
Emperor Zhaowu blinked his eyes and made up his mind: "If...if he really pretended to be sick to deceive me, I will never show mercy to him."
Yan Sikong whispered: "I have a plan that can be tried out."