In the city of Chengdu, after Li Longji issued the edict of abdication in the afternoon, it fell into chaos. This chaos is not only visible chaos, but also inner confusion and panic. Nearly two million people and refugees in the city were stunned by the shocking news. People don't know what's going on, yesterday everything was as usual, why suddenly today there is a new emperor in the Tang Dynasty, and the old emperor announced his abdication to become the emperor? There was no warning beforehand, and the speed with which things changed was unacceptable.

In any case, in the hearts of many people, Xuanzong, who has been the emperor for so many years, has long taken root in their hearts. No matter how stupid Xuanzong has been in recent years and how many ridiculous things he has done, which has caused Datang to fall into the current chaotic situation, he is after all the person who has sat on the throne for decades, and the people are used to that person sitting on the throne. And now, the old emperor suddenly gave way, and it was Li Mao, the longevity king who had a very bad reputation among the people, which made many people's hearts suddenly empty.

Li Mao's reputation among the people is very poor, of course, the reason is that he was robbed of a woman by Xuanzong. Because of this incident, this Shouwang is regarded as synonymous with cowardice and incompetence among the people, and when the Hantian slaves in the market quarrel with each other and insult each other, they even attack and insult each other with the insulting words derived from the humiliation of Shouwang. Reflect that something indecent has happened in the other party's family, and the other party is powerless. It is conceivable how bad the people's impression of King Shou is.

On the contrary, people don't have too much criticism of Xuanzong, on the one hand, it is His Majesty today, and they don't dare to laugh at it, on the other hand, Xuanzong is the winner in this matter, and the winner is always worshipped. Datang is an era of open folk customs, although it is an ugly thing for a father to rob his daughter-in-law in these years, this is not the point. The point is that the person who robbed his wife was cowardly and incompetent, and even took the initiative to offer his wife to flatter Xuanzong, which is what makes people despicable.

And now, it is this despicable person who has become the emperor, and the awkwardness in people's hearts can be imagined.

Of course, a large part of the population does not care who sits on that throne. Ordinary people only care about Gou Quan in the troubled times, and only care about the livelihood of their families, and who becomes the emperor has nothing to do with themselves. But it happened suddenly and strangely, and people always had to wonder if something big was going to happen. is already in the midst of troubled times, and there will be another civil strife within the Xiao Wall, but this day can't be passed?

Another part of the shrewd speculators have begun to think of the way back, since the old emperor abdicated and the new emperor ascended the throne in Lingzhou, then it is natural to abandon the emperor to be loyal to the new emperor. Maybe what you can't get from the Emperor will get from the new emperor. So this part of the population sees this as a rare opportunity. The so-called troubled times produce heroes, there are many opportunities for chaos, and they are half-dead in Chengdu, so it is better to try their luck in Lingzhou.

With all kinds of ideas, public opinion in the city is boiling, and people's hearts are fluctuating. In the market, the people inquired about each other's news and discussed the ins and outs of the matter. Various versions of the news have sprung up like mushrooms after a rain, circulating in the streets and alleys of Chengdu City, changing flavors and breeding distortions.

Several city gates began to leave in the early afternoon, especially some opportunistic officials and literati, who were eager to immediately put on their wings and fly to Lingzhou, prostrate at the feet of the new emperor to express their loyalty. Because they know that once the son of heaven is a courtier, most of the officials appointed by the new emperor will be replaced, and if they go to the new emperor to show their allegiance earlier, they may be able to get rich rewards and coveted positions.

Driven by these people, even some small officials and squires in the city and even some people began to pack up their belongings and wanted to go out of the city to Lingzhou.

Li Mi led the Shence army to maintain order in the city, and he had already received Wang Yuan's order to maintain stability in the city. As for the officials and people who were going to leave Chengdu, Wang Yuan's order was: All of them will be released! Wang Yuan wished that they would get out, because it was also a burden for them to stay in Chengdu, and Wang Yuan would never want to force anyone to stay in Chengdu.

Of course, although the vast majority of the people are flustered and confused, they are still sober. Especially the local people in Jiannan Chengdu, they will only stare at Wang Yuan. As long as Wang Dashuai is in Chengdu, he will not leave if he kills them. Because they have been living a stable life under the shadow of Dashuai for so many years, they believe that as long as Dashuai is in Chengdu, everything will be fine. When the sky falls, there is a big handsome to support them, and when the ground falls, there is a big handsome to block for them, and Wang Yuan is the needle in their hearts. They don't care who becomes the emperor, they only care about whether the marshal leaves Chengdu.

In the chaos, the residence of the royal relatives near the scattered flower building was quiet. In a large mansion in the west of Sanhua Building, a meeting convened by Li Heng and attended by several princes was underway. After saying goodbye to Wang Yuan's house in the morning and returning home, Li Heng immediately sent someone to invite several princes in Chengdu to gather together. Although they are very dissatisfied with the recent actions of the twenty-sixth prince, at this time, the princes have already put aside their prejudices against Li Heng and happily go to the appointment. Because it was not Li Hui who became the emperor, but Li Mao. For several princes who are interested in getting involved in the throne, Li Heng is not their opponent now, and now everyone is the same person who has fallen to the end of the world, and they are all failures and frustrations.

Around the square table, sat the thirteenth prince Ying Wang Li Xuan, the sixteenth prince Yongwang Li Luan, the twelfth prince Yi Wang Li Pu, and the twenty-seventh prince Heng Wang Li Xuan. Feng Wang Li Heng sat on the main seat of the east head, pointing and talking.

"Brothers, I have invited you here because I have something to discuss with you. You should already know all about today's events, King Shou ascended the throne as emperor in Lingzhou, his father abdicated as the emperor, everything changed overnight, this matter has a lot to do with our brothers, I have to ask you to come over and discuss countermeasures. After today, the situation will be very different, and you can freely talk about what you think about this. ”

The princes were silent, and Wuren was willing to speak first, although they had a stomach full of words to say and a stomach of anger to vent, but they were unwilling to speak easily.

"Brother Twelve, you are the eldest brother of the brothers here, can you please take the lead in saying your views on this matter." Li Hui looked at Li Pudao, who was bowing his head and contemplating.

Li Pu raised his head and saw that the eyes of all the brothers were looking at him, but he was a little nervous. He was a cautious man, and he was easily reluctant to show his heart, although he was also shocked and angry at the accession of Shouwang Li Mao to the throne, after all, he was the eldest of the living princes, and he was the most qualified to obtain the throne, and he himself had always thought so. But now, things have come to such a point that he doesn't want to say anything that will lead to becoming a handle in the future.

"I don't have much to say, but now that it's over, we should follow the will of God. Since it is the eighteenth brother of my father's throne, I firmly support my father's decision. In short, the throne of my Tang Dynasty is in the hands of my brothers, whether it is King Shou or all the brothers here who succeed to the throne, the elder brothers are all in favor. ”

Li Pu's words made a blank of eyes, and the fiery thirteenth prince Li Jian immediately sneered: "The twelfth emperor brother is generous. But why did I hear that not long ago, when you were drinking privately in the palace, you still told your palace staff that you were the eldest brother, and that the crown prince was the rule, and you were the candidate for the prince? How did you become so generous now? ”

Li Pu said angrily: "Thirteenth brother, how do you know what I say in private? Could it be that you still have eyeliner in my house? ”

Li Jian sneered: "It's all at this time, what else is there to hide?" Yes, I do have eyeliner in your house, not only you, but also in the houses of several younger brothers here. I'm not hypocritical, I also want to be the prince, so I put my eyes in your mansion in the hope of knowing myself and the enemy, and grasping the news that is favorable to me at any time. I'm not afraid to tell you about it. ”

As soon as these words came out, the faces of the princes changed greatly, and the sixteenth prince, Yongwang Li Luan, pointed at Li Xuan's nose and scolded: "You bastard, you can do such things, you are really dizzy." He actually planted eyeliner in our house to watch over us. It's outrageous. ”

Li Jian sneered: "Sixteenth brother, don't pretend to be so innocent, do you think I don't know what you do?" Isn't Zhang Wensheng, a staff member in my house, your eyeliner? Don't think I don't know. Li Qiu'er, the servant in the twenty-sixth brother's mansion, is also the eyeliner you placed in his mansion. Everybody's not clean, I dare admit, but you don't. ”

Yongwang Li Xuan's face turned red, and he pointed at Li Xuan speechless. Yi Wang Li Pu said coldly: "Thirteenth brother, you are too much. We are brothers, how can you do that? If this matter is reported to my father, you know what will happen. ”

Li Jian sneered at each other: "Brother Twelve, don't pretend to be a good person." If I tell my father about the drama you are making a play in the palace and asking the maids to call you Your Majesty, what will happen to you? ”

Li Pu opened his mouth in shock, his face full of shock.

"I dare to say it because I'd rather be a real villain than a hypocrite. It's not like you, you want to be a prince again, you want to sit on that throne but you still have to say you don't want to. Thinking is thinking, we're all the same. What's wrong with talking about it now? Now those eyeliners are useless, because now the throne has been seized by our brother Shouwang, who made a fortune quietly. We people are also pitiful, fighting for the head one by one, and in the end, we let others get it quietly. Haha, it's ridiculous and pathetic. Li Jian smiled bitterly and said loudly.

Everyone was speechless, Li Zhen's words were good, it was already this time, what was the use of caring about those subsections? has already been taken by others, what else to say? Everything is already meaningless.

The crowd was silent, and at the thought that there was no longer motivation to work hard, and that what they hoped for would be obtained, they were like deflated balls and did not want to speak.

Li Jian turned to Li Heng and said, "Twenty-sixth brother, what is your purpose in calling us here today?" If you want us to quarrel with each other because of disappointment and annoyance, then you have done it. It was you who climbed the big tree of Wang Yuan. That Wang Yuan also led his ministers to recommend you as the crown prince to his father more than ten days ago. Among all the brothers here, you should be the one closest to the throne, and now you should be the most disappointed. Although those of us have a heart, we don't have a good chance, and I think you have the most feelings about this matter. Why don't you tell your brothers what you think? ”

All the princes nodded and said, "Yes, twenty-sixth brother, why don't you say it?" We don't know what our intentions are. ”

Li Heng hurriedly arched his hand and said, "Brothers, there is naturally a reason why I invited you here today. Regarding this sudden change, I actually know some amazing inside information, but I don't know whether to say it or not, after all, now that the wood is in the boat, King Shou ascended the throne and his father abdicated, everything is a foregone conclusion. ”

"Oh? Twenty-sixth brother, what do you know? Speak it up and tell it to your brothers. Li Jian and the others hurriedly asked.

Li Heng smacked his lips and said, "I'm afraid that if I say those things at this time, I will get into trouble." I said yes, but if the brothers here spread it out and said it came from my mouth, then I would not admit it. ”

Yongwang Li Xuan said loudly: "Twenty-sixth brother, you just say it." Today's events are only today, and whoever betrays his brother afterwards is a son of a turtle. ”

The princes rolled their eyes, King Yong was probably not the biological son of his father, otherwise how could he say such a thing. No wonder his father doesn't like him, and he doesn't look like his father at all.

"I don't want my brothers to swear or anything, it's just that this matter is related to King Shou's accession to the throne as the emperor, which is extremely important, so I don't dare to say it casually." Li Heng continued to hang everyone's appetite.

Li Jian said loudly: "Twenty-sixth brother, what do you know to say, why are you doing such a grind? Now we are grasshoppers on a rope, Li Mao is the emperor, our brothers are not having a good time, what are you still doing to hide it? ”

Li Heng coughed and nodded, "Okay, since that's the case, I'll be blunt." I had just returned from Wang Xiangguo's mansion before inviting my brothers to my mansion, and Wang Xiangguo inadvertently revealed a piece of news, and I was shocked when I heard it. Wang Xiangguo warned me not to spread it, but I would not pay attention to his words, I think I should make it clear to my brothers, so that they will not be kept in the dark. ”

"Speak quickly, but we're in a hurry." The princes urged.

"That's right, the matter of the father's claim to be located in Li Mao is actually strange. Li Mao's ascension to the throne in Lingzhou was not at the behest of his father, his father just sent him to Lingzhou to do business, but he colluded with Li Guangbi and Guo Ziyi to pretend that his father passed on to him, but in fact, it was not the case at all. He forcibly ascended the throne and rebelled against his father to stand on his own. Li Heng said these words in a low voice.

"What?"

"Is that true?"

"Is there any evidence for this?"

Li Heng's words seemed to alarm a pool of water ducks, and the eyes of several princes were full of light, their necks stretched out, and they all asked in shock.

"Brothers, I said it, this matter was inadvertently leaked by Wang Yuan and was known to me. I was also shocked in a cold sweat. Afterwards, I also asked the reason, but Wang Yuan really couldn't resist me, so he told the inside story. ”

"What did he say? How did he know? Li Jian asked repeatedly.

Wang Yuan said that this was what his father said to him personally. Before Wang Yuan and the others met him, his father summoned Wang Yuan and told him the news that Li Mao had rebelled against his father and ascended the throne on his own. The news that the political hall got was much later than the news that his father received, and his father was angry and annoyed when he learned about it, and after thinking about it for a long time, he finally summoned Wang Yuan to tell him the truth. The father was worried that he would not be able to hide this matter, so he asked Wang Yuan to promise him to suppress the ministers for him and keep this secret. Because his father was worried that once this matter was exposed, Li Mao would become the finger of Wanfu. But Li Mao had the support of Li Guangbi and Guo Ziyi, and had 60,000 or 70,000 troops. At this time, if the matter is exposed, it will inevitably cause public outrage, and the court will have to send troops to crusade against him. In that case, if we have more internal strife than ourselves, the rebels will be able to take advantage of the weakness, and the situation will inevitably be eroded. In view of this, the father swallowed his anger and declared to the outside world that it was indeed the matter of Li Mao, in order to calm the matter and take into account the overall situation. Li Heng said in a low and fast voice.

"This bastard, is this worth it? Unexpectedly, he is silent all day long, but he is a poisonous snake that bites people without making a sound. actually took advantage of the crisis of my Datang to do such a rebellious thing and seize the throne of Datang. Li Jian scolded loudly.

Yongwang Li Lan also slapped the table and scolded: "Sure enough, he is very evil, how could my father allow him to do this?" Just swallowed his anger and gave him the throne? Is this fair to us? Why is my father so confused? ”

Li Yao, the king of Heng, who was dressed in Taoist robes, hurriedly said: "Isn't my father also thinking about the overall situation? The twenty-sixth brother said very clearly, his father didn't want to make swords and soldiers fight each other at this time. Now that the rebellion has not been settled, let's fight ourselves internally, wouldn't it be faster for our relatives to bitter our enemies? My father is thinking about the country. ”

"For the sake of the fart of Jiangshan Sheji, I think it's eccentric. Didn't my father want to make Li Mao the crown prince a long time ago? Li Mao forcibly ascended the throne as emperor, didn't he just fulfill his wish? If it were a few of us, my father would immediately issue an order and let Wang Yuan lead the troops to fight. The eccentric father actually tolerated such a thing. Li Jian said angrily.

"Hey, who told us that we don't have a princess who will fall into the city? If there is also such a princess and dedicates it to his father, my father is afraid that he will be more partial to us. Li Xuan sneered, his words were vicious and sarcastic.

Several princes were indignant at what you said and I said, and they scolded angrily. Yi Wang Li Pu remained silent, and after everyone shouted and scolded, he frowned and asked, "Twenty-sixth brother, did Wang Yuan tell you these words himself?" ”

Li Hui