Chapter 61: Everyone was discussing it.
News of the Duke of Dingguo's death spread quickly.
However, the news was spread in a somewhat chaotic manner.
The ordinary people outside, unaware of the inside story, considered all aspects of the situation.
Some say that the Duke of Dingguo disappeared for three years, but in fact he went to the Northern Hu to work as a scout. However, he was discovered by the Northern Hu people while delivering a message, and jumped off a cliff and disappeared.
“No, the Northern Hu is a desert, how could there be cliffs?” someone immediately retorted.
"That's because you're ignorant. Who said there aren't any high mountains in the north?"
Do you know how big the Beihu is?
It is precisely because the area around the Northern Hu is either desert or high mountains that they covet the territory of my Great Yu.
I've heard that the Duke of Dingguo jumped off a cliff, and all that was left was his blood-stained clothes.
"What you said is wrong, the information I received is correct!"
My nephew often helps a palace eunuch sell things, but that's not what he said.
He said that three years ago, when the Duke of Dingguo was on an inspection tour, he encountered the troops of a prince from the Northern Hu, and then the two sides started fighting.
Who is our Duke? He is a great general who can kill 100,000 Northern Hu cavalry with 30,000 soldiers.
So, after our Duke led his troops to kill those Northern Hu people, he went to chase after that Northern Hu prince.
As a result, they accidentally wandered into the desert and were trapped there with that prince.
Finally, it encountered a pack of wolves again, and that's when it died.
"Alas, what a pity! Our Duke spent his life fighting on the battlefield, but who would have thought..."
"What you're saying is just the official story. Actually, the Duke didn't die in the Northern Barbarian lands," another person suddenly muttered under his breath.
These words startled everyone.
"What...what do you mean by that?"
“My neighbor has a distant relative who is from Weiyuan Army.”
Three years ago, the Duke was on an inspection tour in the north when his whereabouts were betrayed, resulting in him being trapped for a whole month.
With great difficulty, the Duke and his guards fought their way out and returned to the territory of Dayu.
As a result, upon returning to Dayu, they were ambushed and killed by their own people.
Think about it, what happened three years ago?
What happened in the capital before the Duke disappeared?
Following this line of thought, everyone immediately felt that this might be the closest to the truth.
The most favored concubine in the palace, Consort Xian, has passed away. Consort Xian was the second daughter of the Shangguan family, and the Duchess of Dingguo was Consort Xian's elder sister...
"What... what's the point of this! Isn't this harming our Great Yu?" someone exclaimed anxiously.
"What's the point? I have no military achievements and I'm just living off my ancestors' legacy."
Seeing others achieve great military exploits, they become envious and jealous, and naturally resort to underhanded tactics.
Do you remember, in the days immediately following the news of the Duke of Dingguo's disappearance, there were rumors that the Duke of Dingguo had betrayed Dayu?
Later, seeing that no one believed it, those rumors disappeared all at once?
I'm telling you, these are all rumors spread by people with ulterior motives.
"Alas, the Duke of Dingguo's departure was rather aggrieved!"
Everyone nodded in agreement.
Yes, the Duke of Dingguo is the guardian of Dayu. With him around, the north is safe.
The Northern Barbarians are barbaric. A hundred years ago, their raid on the Central Plains almost wiped out the entire population!
"Alas! To abandon the common people for a little wealth and glory, they are truly heartless!"
Everyone tacitly stopped talking.
As for who would kill the Duke of Dingguo, is there any need to guess?
It must be the Duke of Anguo's mansion, which controls the Pingnan Army!
Relying on their merit in supporting the emperor, the Empress Dowager's family became arrogant and domineering, committing countless evil deeds.
That family doesn't even respect the imperial family.
Therefore, it's best to say as little as possible about their family. If you say too much, you might accidentally get arrested and imprisoned by the Ministry of Justice!
"When is the Duke's funeral? Let's go see him off!"
"I heard that the Imperial Observatory has set the date for five days from now. Let's go see off the Duke together!"
......
In the Anguo Duke's Mansion.
Duke Anguo, King Qin, Marquis Wuding, and a group of others were all in the study.
However, no one dared to speak.
"Actually, this is good news for us too." After a long silence, the King of Qin finally uttered this sentence.
Marquis Wuding didn't dare to speak, but Duke Anguo shook his head.
"It's not bad news, but it's not good news either."
Even though the Duke of Dingguo is gone, the Weiyuan Army is still in the hands of the Marquis of Changsheng.
The Marquis of Changsheng's family had just formed a marriage alliance with the Duke of Qi's family, which meant they were on the Crown Prince's side.
From this perspective, the Crown Prince's only weakness is eliminated.
In civil affairs, there was Prime Minister Xu; in military affairs, there was Marquis Changsheng.
The Crown Prince has secured his position.
"The imperial family has gone to great lengths for this son!" Duke Anguo sighed.
"Uncle, is there really no other way?" King Qin was unwilling to give up.
"Why is there no way? He is just the crown prince, not the emperor."
Of all the emperors of the Dayu Dynasty, which crown prince ever became emperor?
Until the very last step, no one can say for sure.
Your Highness, rest assured. Back then, our Zheng family was able to support the insignificant imperial family to rise to power.
We will also support you to rise to a higher position in the future.
Anyone who wants to sit in that position should first see if the Zheng family agrees.
The imperial family has its own agenda, and so does the crown prince.
"The Weiyuan Army? Marquis Changsheng is still a bit too green for Duke Dingguo." Duke Anguo snorted coldly.
"Uncle, what did you say?"
"Lord Duke, didn't you just say that it's like the imperial family gave the Weiyuan Army to the Crown Prince?"
Both the King of Qin and the Marquis of Wuding were somewhat puzzled.
Duke Anguo stroked his beard and paced back and forth in his study.
"We all know that the imperial family is wary of the prestige of the Duke of Dingguo, which is why, after the Duke of Dingguo disappeared, the emperor immediately sent the Marquis of Changsheng to take over the Weiyuan Army."
The imperial family wanted to weaken the influence of the Duke of Dingguo in the Weiyuan Army.
However, the imperial family also feared that a second Duke Dingguo might rise up.
The Weiyuan Army was stationed in the north, where the northern barbarians frequently invaded, making it the easiest place to achieve military merit.
It was only a matter of time before the Marquis of Ever Victory gained prestige.
Therefore, the imperial family quickly established the heir of the Duke of Dingguo.
When the heir of the Duke of Dingguo grows up, he will be sent to the Weiyuan Army.
The Weiyuan Army would then split into two groups.
A group of supporters of the ever-victorious Marquis.
The other group supported the heir apparent of the Duke of Dingguo.
In this way, the Weiyuan Army was not a monolithic entity, and any internal strife would be an opportunity for the imperial family.
What about our crown prince...?
He dreamed of placing his own people in the army; he wouldn't be satisfied with just the imperial family's arrangements, he wanted to place his own people there.
Therefore, there will also be disagreements between the imperial family and the crown prince.
"As long as there are disagreements, we have an opportunity," Duke Anguo analyzed.
Both the King of Qin and the Marquis of Wuding nodded repeatedly.
"So now, what about the Duke of Dingguo's mansion..."
"Father Emperor ordered all the officials to go and offer sacrifices." The King of Qin was somewhat unwilling.
"Go! Why wouldn't you go!"
The dead should be respected, especially since the Duke of Dingguo had guarded the northern part of Chongqing for more than 20 years.
"Just for this one thing, it's enough for this old man to go and pay my respects to him," Duke Anguo said calmly.
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