To Yang Guang's surprise, the Qincha who rushed to Guangling from Chang'an to convey the imperial court's plan to promote the Juntian edict in Jiangnan turned out to be Yang Guang's cousin, Li Yuan, the current Duke of Tang Guoqing.

Wei Weiqing was in charge of the official position of the palace guard in the Sui Dynasty, and the queen Dugu Jialuo proposed to depose the crown prince Yang Yong and set up the second son Yang Guang as the prince of the East Palace.

Therefore, according to common sense, he traveled thousands of miles to Guangling to convey an edict about the imperial court's edict to implement the Juntian system in Jiangnan, and he should not have sent such a messenger as Li Yuan.

It was precisely because Yang Guang heard that the Qin Cha who had arrived in Guangling to deliver the decree was his cousin Li Yuan, so he was extra careful, leaving Zhang Heng and Pei Yun, the two most important subordinates around him, in Jiankang, a place where murders have occurred repeatedly, and returned to Guangling alone to meet the Qin Cha.

Taking advantage of the opportunity to cross the same boat with Zhuge Ying, who was newly recruited into the shogunate, Yang Guang asked Zhuge Ying in detail how to implement the imperial edict and the matters that need to be paid attention to in the smooth implementation of the Juntian system in various parts of the Yangtze River.

Li Yuan and Yang Guang brothers have not seen each other for more than ten years since they said goodbye to Chang'an in the early years of the emperor's reign.

After the two of them finished greeting each other, Li Yuan did not ask Yang Guang to set up an incense case and kneel to accept the edict, but retreated from the attendants, leaving Yang Guang alone in the meeting hall, and asked him: "Ah Zong, why didn't you see Li Jing guarding by your side?" ”

Yang Guang saw that Li Yuan did not convey the edict to him, and as soon as he opened his mouth to ask about Li Jing's whereabouts, he was puzzled in his heart, and replied with a smile: "Oh, there is a public case, I sent Li Jing's messenger. Why, could it be that my cousin is here, and there is another errand? ”

"Ah Zong, this matter can only be known to you and me, before I came, Niang Niang confessed something, if the news is leaked, you and I can't afford to be guilty." Li Yuan lowered his voice and said to Yang Guang with a serious expression.

Yang Guang's heart tightened suddenly, knowing that it was inconvenient for him to take the initiative to inquire about the matter at this time, so he only sat up straight and listened to Li Yuan's continuation.

Recently, news came from outside the Guan, saying that Liu Jushi, the son of Liu Chang, the Duke of Peng, assumed the alias Yang Qin, and absconded to the Eastern Turkic tent outside the Guan, lobbying Dulan Khan to raise troops to attack Sui. Niangniang specially ordered me to come here to arrest Liu Jushi's righteous brother Li Jing and return to the dynasty to verify the details. Li Yuan said solemnly.

Liu Jushi lobbied the Turks to raise troops to attack Sui?

Yang Guang was surprised, and his mind couldn't help but pass the figure of the playful boy who instigated people to beat drums and gongs late at night outside his mansion a few years ago, and he couldn't believe what Li Yuan said for a while.

"Please ask the King of Jin to recall Li Jing as soon as possible, and hand him over to the last general to escort him back to Chang'an to return to Niangniang." Li Yuan saw that Yang Guang looked hesitant, so he changed his official name to remind Yang Guangdao.

"But...... Li Jing made a great contribution to the imperial court not long ago and captured the bandit leader Gu Zi'er alive, how could he rebel against the imperial court? Yang Guang really couldn't accept the fact that Li Jing rebelled against the imperial court with Liu Jushi, and couldn't help but excuse him.

"Although there is no conclusive evidence to prove that Li Jing and Liu Jushi colluded and rebelled against the imperial court, the purpose of the last general's trip is to arrest Li Jing and return to Beijing to ask him, please forgive His Royal Highness the King of Jin and hand over Li Jing as soon as possible." Li Yuan stood up and clenched his fists and asked Yang Guang.

Yang Guang hurriedly stood up together, and was about to continue to defend Li Jing, when he suddenly heard Guo Yan report loudly outside the hall door: "Lord Wang, there is now Li Jing binding himself outside the door of the government office, and he asks to see the prince to ask for guilt." ”

This time the incident happened suddenly, and in front of Li Yuan, Yang Guangtui had no choice but to order with a calm face: "Pass him in." ”

After a while, I saw Li Jing's hands tied behind his back, walked in from outside the door, knelt down in front of Yang Guang with a "plop", straightened his waist, and said loudly: "The last general has the trust of His Royal Highness, let go of the rebel Zhang Zhongjian, and I have come to ask His Highness to punish the crime of the last general." ”

"Li Jing, this king asks you, how did you let Zhang Zhongjian go? In front of Tang Guogong, he didn't recruit from the truth! Yang Guang asked sharply.

Li Jing then told Yang Guang and Li Yuanyu about what happened that night in the "Baishun Old Store" outside Xiapi City, and said: "The last general was confused for a while, and let go of the rebel Zhang Zhongjian for personal reasons, and he didn't dare to hide the truth, so he specially bound himself and pleaded guilty. ”

"Favoritism? I'm afraid that you have committed more than this one mistake for personal reasons, right? Yang Guang listened to Li Jing's report, his heart flashed, he glanced at Li Yuan, and asked.

Li Jing listened to Yang Guang's question, he couldn't help but be stunned, lowered his head and thought about it, but still couldn't remember what Yang Guang wanted to ask, so he raised his head and replied truthfully: "Please make it clear to Your Highness, in addition to letting Zhang Zhongjian go without authorization, what other mistakes have the last general committed?" ”

Li Yuan only obeyed the dictation of Empress Dugu Jialuo, and ordered him to arrest Li Jing and return to Beijing with Yang Guang to interrogate him, but did not order him to interrogate Li Jing's will on the spot, so he stopped Yang Guang, sneered at Li Jing, and said: "Don't you know what you have done?" Come on, take Li Jing down and take him to prison for the time being. ”

Several lieutenants of the forbidden army under Li Yuan entered in response, and after saluting Yang Guang with their fists, they couldn't help but say something, dragged Li Jing and left.

Seeing that Li Jing, who he was going to arrest on this trip, had already been arrested, Li Yuan turned to Yang Guang and smiled: "Please set up an incense case for Your Highness, and prepare to receive the order." ”

Only because of the complications, Li Jing and Liu Jushi colluded to rebel against this public case, which greatly affected Yang Guang's mood, after ordering someone to arrange an incense case in the chamber, and somewhat absentmindedly received the long-awaited edict from Li Yuan's hands, Yang Guang specially asked Li Yuan to stay, and unwillingly interceded for Li Jing: "Cousin, I hope that when you return to Beijing to report to your mother, you can excuse Li Jing a little, and when I take care of the official business at hand, I will go to see my mother and explain the details to her." ”

"I remember that Li Jing didn't have a long time with you. Why, for his sake, you actually want to go back to the court to see the mother in person and intercede for him? Ah Zong, I advise you not to be too rash. That is, as Li Jing himself said, just talking about the fact that he let go of the rebel Zhang Zhongjian without permission, he has already committed the great crime of rebellion. Li Yuan was very puzzled by Yang Guang's persistence in exculpating Li Jing, and kindly reminded him.

"If Li Jing is willing to go to Guanwai in person and capture and kill Liu Jushi, is it enough to prove that he is loyal to the imperial court, and the queen mother can also forgive him for his mistakes?" In a hurry, Yang Guang blurted out to Li Yuan.