How could the Prince of Anhua, who was far away in Ningxia, have plotted a rebellion and even executed all the high-ranking officials in Ningxia?!
And Xiao Bin, Xiao Bin is also in Ningxia!
Could he have also met a tragic end and been killed?
Suppressing her chaotic thoughts, Su Wanwan forced a smile and said to the two children, "You two eat first."
Lu Xingjian frowned and pondered for a moment while holding the letter, then calmly issued several orders.
Just as he was about to get up and leave, Su Wanwan called out to him, "There's no rush. Let's have our meal first before you go."
Lu Xingjian paused for a moment, then sat down again. "Fine."
The meal was quite depressing.
From the Prince of Rong's rebellion to the Prince of Jin's treacherous plot, they have experienced several coups.
Only the Prince of Anhua, who was thousands of miles away in the impoverished Ningxia, could openly massacre the highest-ranking local official and raise the banner of rebellion!
Faced with such a major event, Lu Xingjian remained elegant and composed.
He ate a bowl of rice before leaving.
Urgent military intelligence from Ningxia was constantly being sent to the Imperial Study.
Lu Xingjian convened cabinet ministers, the Directorate of Ceremonial, and the Ministry of War to discuss countermeasures.
Grand Secretary Li Dongqian read aloud the proclamation issued by the Prince of Anhua to punish the rebels:
“In recent years, the country has been in danger due to the young emperor, corrupt officials have been in power, the laws have been manipulated, loyal officials have been persecuted, and channels of communication have been blocked. They have no scruples and have lost the hearts of the people, almost losing the weight of the imperial regalia.”
"Now the entire city's government troops have jointly executed the officials who oppressed the people and harmed the government. They brought the heads of the officials to be presented to the emperor, and the rest of us could not avoid it. We will lead the three armies to punish the evil faction and win the hearts of the people."
"Tezi instructed the officers and soldiers that those engaged in trade, farming, and other crafts should remain as before, and that all their outstanding debts and miscellaneous taxes should be waived. They should continue to guard the borders and await further orders."
"The number of troops and the maps and records of each town should be delivered immediately; those who dare to resist will not be spared!"
All eyes quietly fell on Liu Jin.
Liu Jin's forehead was covered in cold sweat, but he forced a cold laugh and retorted:
"Those who plot rebellion are turning black into white; this is outrageous! Chief Minister Li, do you agree with the contents of this manifesto?"
Li Dongqian couldn't help but curse Liu Jin's cunning in his heart.
If he agrees, Liu Jin can then accuse him of supporting a traitor.
If you disagree, then you are saying that the claims of "treacherous officials in power, manipulating the law, persecuting loyal officials, blocking channels of communication, and having no scruples" are false.
The blame cannot be placed on Liu Jin.
Li Dongqian gave Liu Jin a cold look: "Whether I agree or not is not important; the key is whether the people of the world agree."
Liu Jin was speechless.
His reputation is now completely ruined. If it weren't for his immense power and ruthless methods that kept him in check, he would probably have been denounced and beaten to death long ago.
But now, even the venue can't be controlled anymore.
If the situation is not handled properly after the Prince of Anhua rebels, the vassal kings across the country will take advantage of the chaos to rise up in rebellion, and the situation will become complicated.
Lu Xingjian narrowed his eyes.
Things should be done one step at a time, and food should be eaten one bite at a time.
The most urgent task now is to resolve the matter of the Prince of Anhua's rebellion; the elimination of Liu Jin's faction should be put on hold for now.
Lu Xingjian asked, "What was the cause of the Prince of Anhua's rebellion?"
Li Dongqian: "Firstly, the Prince of Anhua is ambitious and has a tall and imposing appearance among the princes. A physiognomist told him that he was destined for great wealth and honor. Secondly, there is a sorcerer who used a parrot to make divine pronouncements that were just like his appearance."
He paused and added, "Secondly, the governor and censor-in-chief An Weixue has always been harsh and has repeatedly beaten and humiliated the wives of his officers and soldiers, which has aroused resentment among them."
"Then, Vice Minister Zhou Dong was ordered to measure the military farmland. He was strictly supervised and his duties were urgent. He was required to collect silver from each 50 mu of land as one qing."
“The anger of the local generals and soldiers was aroused, and with a little guidance from the King of Anhua, they raised an army to rebel.”
Liu Jin's face turned ashen. He lowered his head and remained silent, cursing inwardly.
An Weixue and Zhou Dong are two bastards!
They were ordered to find Maggie and the child immediately and bring them to the capital, but they failed and messed things up, causing a huge mess!
He has now established a foothold in the capital's army, and with the prince in his hands, a coup could not be impossible if he joined forces with Empress Dowager Zhang in the harem.
Lu Xingjian's face was tense.
The purpose of measuring the land for military settlements was to prevent corruption among the border troops.
One qing is one hundred mu.
Under such tyrannical rule, treating fifty acres of land as a single hectare for tax collection and embezzlement, the clearing of border reserves and the measurement of hoarded land lose their original purpose of punishing corruption.
Liu Jin and his gang are insatiable parasites!
If they are not eradicated, such "officials forcing the people to rebel" will likely continue to emerge, and chaos will soon follow.
After dealing with the matter of Prince Anhua, it is imperative to weaken the power of Liu Jin's faction as soon as possible.
"My esteemed ministers, do you have any brilliant plans to overturn this injustice?"
Li Dongqian and Yang Ting exchanged a glance and stepped forward:
"I recommend that Yang Yiqing, the former Right Vice Censor-in-Chief, be reinstated to his original post and appointed as the General Commander of military affairs in Shaanxi, Yansui, Ningxia, Gansu, and Liangzhou."
Yang Yiqing served as the General Commander of the Shaanxi-Gansu Military Affairs for many years and had a distinguished record of achievements. He was highly respected in the local army for his work in building the Great Wall and constructing military fortifications.
With him involved, the results will be twice as good with half the effort.
Moreover, he was Empress Su's maternal uncle. Although he wasn't her biological uncle, this kinship made him trustworthy.
When Liu Yu served as Minister of Personnel, he recommended Yang Yiqing, but Yang was quickly suppressed by Liu Jin.
Liu Jin gritted his teeth.
Over the years, he has sent several trusted confidants to Shaanxi and Ningxia, but they all returned in disgrace after a short time, offering him large bribes in the hope of being transferred to lucrative positions.
On the contrary, Yang Yiqing was a tough nut to crack and refused to bend his spine and submit to him.
Of course, given Yang Yiqing's kinship with the Su family, even if he were willing to attach himself to them, Liu Jin would never accept him.
Like Liu Yu, a typical member of the Su family faction, he appears respectful and enthusiastic towards Liu Jin on the surface, but in reality, he has been working for Empress Su all along.
Lu Xingjian immediately summoned Yang Yiqing, and the emperor and his ministers discussed the matter all night long.
...
Su Wanwan didn't sleep either, and asked someone to bring Zhang Yong over.
Yan Ge'er was very perceptive and noticed the tension in the situation. He blinked his big eyes as he watched Su Wanwan busy herself.
When Zhang Yong saw Yan Ge'er sitting right next to Su Wanwan, his pupils dilated slightly, and he bowed his head in greeting.
There's a big difference between knowing something and seeing it with your own eyes.
However, sometimes things really do need to be pushed forward.
If he hadn't deliberately led Liu Jin to suspect Qian Ning, the little prince would still be staying at Qian Ning's house.
Su Wanwan asked calmly, "Daban, would you like to become the second Liu Ma'er?"
Zhang Yong's breath hitched, his face turned serious, and his eyes shone brightly.
Liu Ma'er, whose real name was Liu Yongcheng, was Emperor Taizong's personal bodyguard. Emperor Taizong affectionately called him "Ma'er" and he was the second most influential eunuch in the dynasty, second only to Zheng He.
He served six emperors throughout his life, enjoying their favor without waning. He led troops in various campaigns, and his nephew was also highly valued and granted the title of Earl for his military achievements.
It should be said that Liu Ma'er was the benchmark and pinnacle of all eunuchs, historically known as "the eunuch who had long served in the military without making any mistakes."
Liu Ma'er always wore a fake beard when he went into battle; he was not a real man, but he was even more so than a real man.
Su Wanwan's words directly ignited Liu Yong's ambition as a man.
He also wanted to deploy troops, charge into battle, kill the enemy, make a name for himself in history, and be admired by future generations.
I also want to be a hero in the eyes of some people.
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