In Kaifeng City, the eastern capital, Zhu Youzhen, the new left-behind guard of the eastern capital who succeeded Zhu Youwen, the king of Bo, is facing a big choice in life.

Zhu Youqi killed his father and ascended to the throne, although everyone understood the inside story, but as soon as Zhu Youqi remedied it in various ways afterwards, he shifted the blame for Zhu Wen's death to Zhu Youwen, so he barely stood firm in legal theory.

No matter how much the ministers of the DPRK and China objected, they did not dare to take the lead, for fear of being shot in the head by Zhu Youqi.

As for the various turmoil launched by some local ambitious people, although it gave Zhu Youqi a headache, after all, it could not shake the foundation of Liang Guo.

So in the past half a year, Zhu Youqi has barely stabilized the situation and can give orders as the emperor.

Of course, another important reason why the situation in Liang has not been further turbulent is that it is affected by external pressure.

Those powerful generals and local festival envoys have been bound to the Liang State, and it is a relationship of both glory and loss.

If they act rashly, it may plunge the Liang State into civil strife, and when the Jin State, the Wu State and other forces take advantage of the situation, and the Liang State will be in a big position, which will not be beneficial to their people who hold great power.

Anyway, whether Zhu Youqi is in the position or someone else is in the position, it is impossible to shake their interests, let alone give them more benefits, so they are naturally happy to watch from the sidelines.

However, Zhu Youwen is different, if he can defeat Zhu Youqi, I believe that the entire Liang State will support him to sit on the throne of the emperor.

But in today's situation, Zhu Youqi is already the de facto emperor, the title of the monarch and minister has been decided, and the domestic situation has basically stabilized, and if they want to rebel, they will inevitably take great risks.

"Your Highness is hesitating, but our strength is insufficient?" At this time, a middle-aged man standing in front of Zhu Youzhen asked in a deep voice.

This person Zhao Yan is Zhu Wen's son-in-law and Zhu Youzhen's brother-in-law, who was originally ordered by Zhu Youzhen to come to the Eastern Capital to deliver a decree to Zhu Youzhen, but he didn't want this person to take the opportunity to collude with Zhu Youzhen and wanted to persuade him to launch a mutiny.

"Yes, although this king has not ascended the throne now, he has the identity of the eastern capital left, and presumably the third child does not dare to do anything to this king. But if you start an army......" Zhu Youzhen bowed his head, frowned and asked, "In addition to your people, how many people can listen to it?" ”

The lack of troops is the biggest difficulty for Zhu Youzhen to rebel.

Zhu Youqi is not a fool, he has tried his best for more than half a year, and he has basically controlled the defenders in Luoyang City, and the crane control army in the palace is under the command of his henchman Feng Yange, which is heavily guarded, and if he wants to succeed in the rebellion, it is impossible to support it without sufficient troops.

But if a large number of troops are to be dispatched, the army on the side of Kaifeng, the eastern capital, obviously cannot be used, otherwise it will inevitably arouse Zhu Youqi's vigilance; The only way is to use the army in Luoyang City.

However, Zhu Youzhen had no way to use the army in Luoyang City, so he felt extremely embarrassed.

Zhao Yan said with a smile: "Your Highness doesn't have to feel embarrassed, if you want to do this, in fact, the key is to persuade two people!" ”

Zhu Youzhen's eyes lit up, and she hurriedly asked, "Which two people?" ”

"The first one is Gao Jichang, the envoy of Jingnan Jiedu, who has 3,000 troops in his hands, and is currently in Luoyang City, but because he is in trouble, he has been squeezed out for most of the year. If Your Highness sends someone to persuade him, he will definitely be supported! Zhao Yan said confidently.

"Gao Jichang? Yes, this person can indeed be used by me, and this person has no foundation in the court, and after the matter is completed, Lone can send him away as long as he is given a random position! Zhu Youzhen said overjoyed.

Last year, the Liang-Shu coalition army was defeated in the Battle of Jiangling, and Gao Jichang fled north with the Liang army with the remnants, and his family and others also broke through from Jiangling to the north under the protection of the generals.

However, Gao Jichang lost his foundation in the end, and he had a close relationship with Liang before, so after the loss of Xiangzhou, Zhu Wen quickly used means to deprive him of the army, and transferred his army to Luoyang, but left Gao Jichang in Tangzhou.

In this way, Gao Jichang and his army are separated, and if time goes by, and then uses means to win over, the three thousand soldiers will not be owned by Gao Jichang.

However, the situation in Liang was turbulent later, and the methods of division and co-optation in Zhu Wen's hands died before they could be used, so now Gao Jichang should still have some influence on his old department.

Zhu Youzhen believes that if he sends someone to join forces with Gao Jichang, and promises to give him a piece of land after the matter is completed, so that he can regain the position of Shangjiedu, presumably Gao Jichang should be very happy to serve him.

Thinking about it, Zhu Youzhen then asked: "I don't know who the other key person my brother-in-law is talking about?" ”

Zhao Yan said: "Your Highness, this other person, his importance is still above Gao Jichang, if His Highness can get his help, this matter will be done!" ”

Zhu Youzhen pondered for a moment, and suddenly came to his senses: "Recruit Yang Linggong? ”

"Yes, Yang Zhaojiao is prominent in my dynasty, and most of those forbidden army generals are his old subordinates, if this person comes forward, why worry about big things?"

Yang Shihou, Yang Zhao, this person's status in the Liang Guojun, I am afraid that Zhu Wen, who has already died, can overpower one, and others, even Kou Yanqing, Liu Yan, Niu Cunjie, Wang Yanzhang and other people who are known as famous generals, are far from being able to compare.

If Yang Shihou could support Zhu Youzhen's ascension, the success rate of the mutiny would indeed have greatly increased.

Thinking of this, Zhu Youzhen finally made up his mind and sent his henchmen to Tangzhou and Weizhou respectively, preparing to persuade Gao Jichang and Yang Shihou.

In the city of Tangzhou.

Although the main force of the Wu army has already withdrawn, there is still rumors in the city at this time, and the situation is extremely tense.

On the streets, there are patrols everywhere, checking the identities of passers-by.

In a house in the west of the city, Jingnan Jiedu made Gao Jichang's family live here.

A phoenix with a falling hair is not as good as a chicken.

Although Gao Jichang still has the identity of Jingnan Jiedu envoy, he now has neither an army nor a territory in his hands, and in order to protect himself, his relationship with Liang Guo was not very close, and his identity in Tangzhou at this time is really embarrassing.

The only thing that made him feel fortunate was that the cronies under his command had not left him now, and Ni Kefu, the commander of the 3,000 troops who had been called into Luoyang City, also sent someone to contact him again some time ago, and he still remained respectful and had no intention of betraying.

With the support of these old ministries, coupled with the turbulent situation in Liang State now, Gao Jichang finally still has some thoughts, so he will not feel desperate.

"That's it, Uncle Liu Huang was adrift all his life, sending people under the fence all the year round, and finally established a career? Ben Shuai is in trouble now, presumably it is also a test of God. ”

A hero like him often has a firm will, and naturally he will not be easily convinced.

At this moment, the servants hurriedly came to report that a messenger claiming to be from the Eastern Capital asked for an audience.

"Kaifeng, the eastern capital?" Gao Jichang's heart moved, and he hurriedly sent someone to invite, and invited Liang Zhen and other confidants to discuss it.

"Jieshuai, this is a handwritten letter from your Highness to you, Your Highness's meaning is in it, and please see it later."

Gao Jichang nodded, opened the letter handed over, and suddenly changed his face.

"It's actually ......" Gao Jichang was silent, and the others didn't know the inside story, and they didn't dare to speak casually.

Only Liang Zhen guessed some inside information, but he didn't say anything.

"Does Your Highness have anything else to explain?" Gao Jichang's expression was cloudy, and it took a long time before he asked in a deep voice.

"No, what His Royal Highness wants to say is all in the letter, presumably the marshal has already figured it out, I don't know what the marshal is going to do?"

Gao Jichang nodded and said, "You go back and tell your Highness, just say that the minister Gao Jichang is willing to see him go further!" ”

When the other people present heard this, they immediately understood the content of the letter, and their faces immediately changed.

"His Royal Highness wants to rebel? And you want the festival marshal to help him? Everyone was worried, but what Gao Jichang had already decided, they didn't stop it.

Then, Gao Jichang wrote another letter by himself, took out another token and handed it to the messenger: "You give this token and the letter to Ni Kefu, he knows what to do." ”

The letter gave an affirmative reply, and he was immediately overjoyed and took his leave.

When the messenger had gone, the crowd began to talk about it.

"Jie Shuai, now that the situation has fallen to this point, and we are involved in this kind of great change, if we fail, I am afraid that we will die without a place to be buried!" A young man dressed in a white Confucian robe said with a pale face.

The other sneered: "The current situation is very good." Although there is a big risk in this move, there is also a big opportunity. If we succeed, we may be able to create another foundation! ”

"But what if it fails?" The young man in the hundred clothes before asked rhetorically.

"Failure? If it fails, it's nothing more than death! ”

At this time, Liang Zhen spoke: "Okay, since the festival commander has already made a move, then there is absolutely no possibility of stopping." And even if the festival commander doesn't make a move, do you think our life will be better? ”

Liang Zhen glanced at the people just now, and said coldly: "Don't forget, the first emperor didn't have a good heart for us at the beginning, if it wasn't for the turmoil caused by the change of the old and new courts, I don't know how we are being concocted now!" ”

Everyone's hearts sank, and they came to their senses.

Yes, they were in charge of Jingnan before, and in order to protect themselves, they secretly used many means, and even semi-openly mixed up with Shu.

At the beginning, for the sake of the overall situation, Zhu Wen not only did not investigate the responsibility of Gao Jichang and others, but sent troops to help him resist the attack of the Wu army.

But now that Jingxiang has been lost, Gao Jichang has no use value, if it weren't for luck, catching up with Zhu Wen and being killed suddenly, I'm afraid that they wouldn't be so simple as living in Tangzhou now.

After thinking about it, everyone no longer objected to Gao Jichang's decision.

"Wealth is in danger, maybe this is another opportunity?"

……

Compared with the people in distress on Gao Jichang's side, Yang Shihou in Weizhou City has been extremely proud recently.

Although he had the title of Xuanyi Jiedu Envoy before, he did not have an actual territory, and the power and heritage of the Xuanyi Jiedu Envoy obviously could not be compared to the Tianxiong Jiedu Envoy, that is, Wei Bojiedu.

The six states of Weibo are located in Hebei, each of which is populous and economically developed; During the Warring States Period, the Wei State was centered here, and later Yuan Shao and Cao Cao respectively took this as the center and established a great cause.

After he got Wei Bo's army, he also served as the envoy of the capital, and even the elite soldiers of the guards in the Luoyang Palace were mostly his old troops, and he was able to transfer the troops of various towns in the world, and his prestige and power were very heavy, so he was extremely contemptuous of Zhu Youqi, and he often acted arbitrarily when encountering things, and only reported to Zhu Youqi afterwards.

Not only that, that year, Wei Bo Jiedu made Tian Chengsi have 100,000 troops in Wei Bo, and selected 10,000 strong people to be strong and strong, and the number of tooth soldiers, after a hundred years of inheritance, he completely controlled Wei Bo's power, and even the abolition of the Jiedu envoy was decided by the tooth soldiers.

Later, Luo Shaowei served as Wei Bo's envoy and was worried about the chaos of the tooth soldiers, so he joined forces with Zhu Wen to kill all the 8,000 tooth soldiers and their families overnight, which led to the rebellion of Wei Bo's six states, and the strength of Wei Bo's army also declined greatly, and finally could only rely on Zhu Wen.

Now after Yang Shihou became the envoy of the festival, in order to strengthen his control over the feudal town, he followed the practice of Tian Chenghei back then, relied on Wei Bo's wealth, selected thousands of brave warriors in the army, gave them preferential treatment, and named it the silver spear service festival.

With the support of this powerful army, Yang Shihou's power grew even stronger, and even Zhu Youqi was not taken into account in the entire Liang country.

But even if he acted so recklessly, Zhu Youqi didn't dare to do anything to him, but carefully wooed him.

In October last year, Zhu Youqi ordered Yang Shihou to go to Luoyang to meet him, but the generals dissuaded him, fearing that Yang Shihou would be harmed by Zhu Youqi after he went to Luoyang.

But Yang Shihou said with confidence: "I know Zhu Youqi's personality, this person has a low eye, and he is not a person who has achieved great things." Even if the old man goes in person, what can he do with me! ”

Yang Shihou immediately ignored the dissuasion and led an army of 10,000 to cross the Yellow River to Luoyang to meet him; Zhu Youqi was extremely frightened when he heard this.

Then, Yang Shi ordered the army to be stationed outside Luoyang City, and he himself took a dozen guards into the city to meet Zhu Youqi.

Only then did Zhu Youqi feel relieved, and hurriedly used all kinds of sweet words to curry favor with Yang Shihou, and took out a huge amount of money and goods to reward the army outside the city, and then sent Yang Shihou back to Weibo.

Since Zhu Youqi is so upright, Yang Shihou naturally doesn't mind expressing obedience to him; And now that the situation in the Liang State is turbulent, he doesn't dare to do too much, otherwise he really wants to say that the Liang State has collapsed, no matter how much he can fight well, it will be difficult to resist the crusade of the Jin State.

After deciding the title of monarch and minister, in November last year, Wang Rong, the king of Zhao, ordered the general Wang Deming to lead 30,000 troops south to prepare to take advantage of the fire to rob, first looted Wucheng County, and then approached Linqing, attacked Zongcheng, and successfully captured Zongcheng.

Yang Shihou was ordered to lead the army to resist, and on the ninth day of the first day of November, he set up an ambush in Tangdian, defeated the Zhao army, killed more than 5,000 people, and shocked Hebei for a time.