At night, more than a dozen war horses galloped into the Mingde Gate of Chang'an, the sound of horses' hooves shattered the silent night of Chang'an, there were still many pedestrians on Suzaku Street, but the war horses did not slow down, but accelerated and ran, as if to fly.

"Eight hundred miles of urgent military information, passers-by flashed." Immediately the knight roared loudly, causing the pedestrians in the street to crawl and flee to the side of the road.

"It's a disturbance in Shu County again." Some passers-by who knew pouted, they didn't take the knight's shouting seriously, although the imperial court strictly sealed the news, but the rumors of rebellion in Shu County had already spread all over the teahouses and restaurants in Chang'an.

The word rebellion has left the people of the Tang Dynasty for more than ten years, but it has taken root in the hearts of many people, as soon as the news came, everyone's hearts were like overturning the five-flavor bottle, worry, anxiety, sadness, everyone's eyes invariably turned to Bashan Shushui.

"Is Datang going to be in chaos again?"

The news of Zhu's rebellion made Cui Yuan lose sleep several times, and after the initial Yang family's extermination case, he only regarded it as a vicious case, and did not take it very seriously, his whole mind was thinking about how to seize Pei Jun's financial power and curb Zhang Huan's development.

After the battle of Huixi Fort, Cui Yuan and Wei Ge both realized the seriousness of the problem, and in less than a year, Zhang Huan was able to independently defeat the attack of 40,000 or 50,000 Tubo troops, but it was still led by Ma Chongying, a famous Tubo general.

The common enemy and common threat made Cui Yuan and Wei Ge abandon their previous suspicions and finally come together, and the symbol of this alliance is that Wei Qing will marry Cui Yudi's eldest daughter. This is the alliance of the world's largest family and the third largest family, and the huge power effect produced by the strong alliance quickly broke the balance of power in the imperial court, so that Pei Jun had to go to Jincheng County to seek advice from his son-in-law.

Just when Cui Yuan threw off his arms and was about to make a big move, the news that Cui Wuxian was killed disrupted his deployment.

Cui Yuan didn't realize that this Zhu Wu was not an ordinary person until Cui Wushu was killed. He also began to suspect that this person might be Zhu, who had been missing for a long time, at this time. The results of the investigation came from Shandong, and the Qingzhou army had been on the run since last year, and most of the sergeants in the fleeing area were the old units of the Zhu family.

Cui Yuan finally realized that this Zhu Wu was Zhu.

Then. Son Choi Hyun brought a cup of hot tea. Gently placed on his father's table, he whispered: "Father, you haven't slept well for two days, just take a rest!" ”

Cui Xian has been an official in Shu County for many years, and knows that the Yang family is rich and unkind in Shu, and the Yang family's fortune depends on the favor of the concubine back then. Lin Lei's fate of the Yang family being wiped out also made him sigh, after all, his wife was Yang's daughter.

Cui Yuan nodded, he sat down on the seat and took a sip of the teacup, and asked his son: "You have been in Shu for many years, you should know the public opinion." Let's talk about it. If there is a rebellion, to what extent will the people support it? ”

Cui Xian thought for a while and said, "Shuzhong has been rich since ancient times. The humanistic atmosphere is heavier, the people are inclined to live and work in peace and contentment, if the bandits who rob the house and rob the people rebel, no one will support him, at most one or two counties and counties, it will be quelled by the officers and soldiers, but if he Zhu is not a rebellion, but intends to replace the Yang family and become the lord of Shuzhong, then the court will have to think about it. ”

Cui Yuan sighed, "This is what I'm worried about, Zhu Xinzang is violent, but he is treacherous and cunning, if he wanders around, it doesn't matter if he kills people and sets fires, I'm afraid that he will occupy the state and county and become the second An Lushan in the future." ”

As soon as Cui Yuan's words fell, the chief housekeeper ran to report in a panic, "Master, there is an emergency military situation of 800 miles outside the mansion, and it is about the latest situation in Shu County. ”

Cui Yuanteng! Standing up, he strode towards the gate of the mansion, and it was not the good news of the bandits who came from Xian Yu Shuming, but the urgent military situation, and he already secretly felt bad in his heart.

Outside the gate of the mansion, several messengers were anxiously going back and forth, as soon as they saw Cui Yuan come out, the officer led by him immediately stepped forward and knelt down, holding up the express newspaper cylinder in his hand and said in fear: "Xiangguo, the big thing in Shu is not good!" ”

Cui Yuan's heart has been suspended, could it be that Xian Yu Shuming is not able to do things effectively, so he can't run away? He snatched the letterbox, took out the express report inside three times and opened it, but the anxious voice of the messenger was clearly heard in his ears, "The officers and soldiers were defeated by the Zhu bandits, the whole army was annihilated, Xian Yu Jiedu died in the chaos of the army, Shu County Yang Thorn Shi offered Chengdu surrender, and the bandit army has occupied Chengdu!" ”

Syllable! The letter box fell to the ground, Cui Yuan suddenly felt a sharp pain in his heart, a mouthful of blood spurted out, his body shook, and he fainted softly to the ground.

"Xiangguo!"

"Father!"

Chengdu has been in chaos for two days, as soon as Zhu entered the city, he looted the wealth of hundreds of huge wealthy people in Chengdu on the pretext of searching for spies, and more than 6,000 people from their local families, both old and young, were slaughtered in the north of the city, and their wives and daughters were plundered into the army and camp.

Fortunately, under the persuasion of his younger brother Zhu Tao, Zhu did not massacre the city, but plundered property in a targeted manner and distributed it to the soldiers, and the ordinary families of Chang'an have not been impacted for the time being.

At noon on the third day, every household was still closed, everyone hid in their homes and quietly ate cold food, no one dared to light a fire to cook, every shop was empty, goods were looted, not a single pedestrian could be seen on the street, there were smashed carriages everywhere, many large houses had their doors open, the blood stains on the steps had not dried, and from time to time out of the streets and alleys came out of the streets and alleys groups of ruffians and hooligans, carrying large bags of belongings in their hands, laughing proudly.

At this time, more than a dozen knights galloped in from the north gate, they were dusty, and it could be seen that they had come from afar, they were the guards sent by Zhang Huan to send a letter to Zhu, and the leading officer was Chen Ping, the deputy of the guards.

They went to Yang's Mansion to meet Zhu, but along the way, they saw that the city was already devastated, and the walls of most and less families had been pushed to the ground. The courtyard of the deep house with carved beams and pillars was almost demolished into white ground, and everyone secretly shook their heads.

Coming to the gate of the Yang Mansion, it was heavily guarded, with hundreds of soldiers lining up on both sides of the steps. Chen Ping stepped forward to explain his intentions, and immediately the soldiers went in to report. In a moment they came out and brought them into the house.

"General Zhu, this is a handwritten letter from the governor of my family to General Zhu." Chen Ping respectfully handed the letter to Zhu.

In the past two days, Zhu Chu's excitement in Chengdu has gradually cooled down, and he began to think about his whereabouts, he knew that Cui Yuan would definitely not let him go. Sooner or later, he and he will meet each other. There is no objection to expanding the army and preparing for war, but what is his current position, which makes Zhu quite annoying, as soon as he enters Chengdu, some of his subordinates persuade him to call himself the king of Shu, but many generals want to support him as the emperor and change the name of the country to Han.

It has always been Zhu's dream to be an emperor, but he also knows that it is not a wise move to become emperor too early, and now the priority is to expand his power. Gather enough strength to resist the army that the imperial court is about to send.

Zhu carefully looked at Zhang Huan's boy twice, he did not express his position immediately, but hurriedly ordered left and right: "Take these brothers down, they must be entertained, and they must not be neglected." ”

Chen Ping gave a salute. And he went down with his own soldiers. Zhu stood up and took a few steps with his hands in his hands, carefully considering Zhang Huan's suggestion. At this time, his younger brother Zhu Tao rushed over when he heard the news.

Zhu Tao is three years younger than Zhu, looks like his brother, he can not only lead the army to fight, but also quite resourceful, Zhu also loves this younger brother very much, after the Taiji Palace incident last year, he couldn't forget to rush back to the house to take his younger brother with him to flee together, and this time to occupy Chengdu, it was Zhu Tao's painstaking persuasion, Zhu only withdrew the order to loot the whole army for three days.

As soon as Zhu Tao entered the room, he asked in a deep voice, "Big brother, I heard that Hexi Zhang Huan sent someone to see you?" ”

Zhu nodded, and handed the letter on the case to his brother, Zhu Tao read it carefully, his eyes gradually lit up, he pondered for a while and asked, "What does the eldest brother think?" ”

"I think he has some point, but I also know that he has selfish intentions, so it's hard to decide for a while." Zhu sighed, suddenly seemed to think of something, couldn't help but look up at his brother, and saw that he seemed to have a plan, so he smiled: "I know that this guy of yours is knowingly asking, say it!" What are your thoughts? ”

"I think Zhang Huan's insight is extremely lofty!" Zhu Tao stretched out his thumb and sighed, and said with a slight smile: "Take his first suggestion as an example, he asked you to play the slogan of the Qing monarch's side, asking Cui Yuan to step down and return to the Tang Emperor, this knife cuts the disadvantages of the times, in this way, we will immediately get rid of the suspicion of rebellion, and we will get the sympathy of many opponents of the family and government, and even get the response of the Li Tang clan, then we are not a rogue, but a political force, which creates great convenience for us to seize Jiannan Road, and push it away. It also laid a solid foundation for the eldest brother to enter the court in the future. ”

Zhu took a deep breath, and he had to admit that Zhang Huan's advice was like the nectar of drought for him, making him feel like he could see the sun, and he nodded silently, expressing his approval of his brother's opinion.

"Then why did you say that he was far away in Hexi, but he sent this letter in a daze?" Zhu smiled and asked, this is where he was a little confused, he knew that Zhang Huan must have a purpose, but he couldn't see through it for a while.

Zhu Tao shook his head with a smile, handed the letter to his brother and said, "Big brother take a good look at the letter, in fact, his second suggestion has already exposed his purpose." ”

Zhu took the letter and read it carefully, Zhang Huan's second suggestion was to let him try his best to support Wei Ge as the right minister, he seemed to see something faintly, but it was still very unclear, Zhu frowned and looked at his brother, hoping that he could explain to himself.

"That's where Zhang Huan comes in."

Zhu Tao raised his eyebrows and said with a faint smile: "This is his plan to kill three soldiers with two peaches, and his intention is to seize Longyou." ”

In August of the second year of Xuanren, Zhu suddenly played the slogan of the Qing monarch, he ordered to open a warehouse to release grain, openly killed more than 1,000 scoundrels who took advantage of the chaos to seize wealth, and promised not to commit any crimes in the autumn of the future, won the broad support of the middle and lower class people, in just ten days, Zhu only recruited 50,000 troops in Shu County, he and his brother Zhu Tao divided the troops in the north and south, and more than 30 counties in Liankejian South Road, by the end of September, his military strength had reached more than 100,000 people, and the momentum was huge.

In September, Zhu officially wrote to the Empress Dowager Cui Xiaofu, listing the top ten crimes of Cui Yuan's bullying of the monarch, demanding the immediate removal of Cui Yuan, returning to the Tang Emperor, and strongly supporting Wei Ge, the military secretary, as the new right minister of the Tang Dynasty