In the Taiji Palace, Liu Xuan sat on the throne, his eyes turned to the princes on the right hand and said, "The princes of the rank have come from afar, and they have worked hard." ”

After speaking, Liu Xuan raised his wine glass, and all the princes hurriedly raised it and drank it all.

At this time, the sound of clear chanting sounded on both sides, circulating throughout the hall, Liu Xuan signaled to the ministers on the left, and they ate respectfully.

In the presence of the emperor, all the princes fell silent slightly, and looked at Liu Xuan: he talked moderately, looked dignified, looked a little immature, but there was a depth in his eyes.

Looking at the whispered discussions of the princes, Liu Xuan smiled lightly and said, "I have not been on the throne for a long time, there are many things I don't understand, and I hope that the rank will forgive me. ”

I saw that Grandpa Zhuang immediately held an account book and presented it.

The music gradually subsided, and everyone looked at the account book in Liu Xuan's hand, not knowing why.

Liu Xuan opened the account book and said, "Zhang Hao, the king of Changshan." ”

As soon as these words came out, many princes were slightly stunned, and a slightly thin forty or fifty man stood up not far away, and replied respectfully: "Your Majesty." ”

"This ledger records the performance of the princes in previous years and the tribute tax, and I ask you, the tribute tax of the previous year was 3.2 million taels of silver, and last year it was 4 million taels of silver, why has this year's tax become less than 2 million taels?" Liu Xuan looked at Zhang Hao and asked calmly.

The princes of all walks of life will pay tribute every year, which is a common practice, but it is not proposed at the court meeting, when the emperor was alive, the court meeting was basically a happy party, because the princes of all walks of life only paid a lot more tribute every year, so these things, as between monarchs and ministers, will generally not be singled out at the court meeting.

But now that Liu Xuan came, he first overwhelmed the momentum of the princes like a 'noisy master', and the scene suddenly quieted down.

When the princes from all walks of life heard Liu Xuan's questioning, their faces were a little difficult to look at, Zhang Hao, the king of Changshan, was one of the weakest among the princes from all walks of life.

As soon as the emperor came up, he stirred up the atmosphere and made the princes dissatisfied, not to mention that Zhang Hao's tribute tax was reduced by half, and all their princes were reduced by two or three or even six or seven points.

Obviously, Liu Xuan is going to make an example of the chickens.

"This" Zhang Hao looked a little flustered, under the slight lowering of his head, his eyes secretly looked at the few princes in the front row, but to his disappointment, all the princes were silent, it seemed that he was going to be used as a stepping stone, his face showed a trace of shame, Zhang Hao said, "Your Majesty, in the Changzhou area, this year's harvest is not good, and the population flow has decreased sharply compared with previous years, so the tribute tax is a little cold, and I hope Your Majesty will forgive you." ”

"Oh?" Liu Xuan smiled slightly, and said, "King Changshan will lead more than 6,300 troops this year, which is more than five or six times more than about 1,000 in the past, that is to say, in recent years, King Changshan's army is 600,000, right?" ”

All the princes were shocked, Zhang Hao was even more pale, the emperor's direct words had to make his heart tremble slightly, anyone with a discerning eye could hear that the emperor was suspecting him in recruiting troops.

Thinking of this, Zhang Hao hurriedly bowed down and replied, "Your Majesty, the old minister followed the emperor to fight in the south and the north, and he was loyal, and the whole world was not the king's land, most of these soldiers and horses were old and weak soldiers who followed the emperor to die and were born, and the ministers felt the grace of the gods, and there was no way to go beyond it!" ”

"King Changshan is serious, I naturally know that you are loyal to the emperor, but it is difficult for King Changshan to collect taxes, and he still takes care of so many soldiers, so he must be overstretched, I" Liu Xuanhao smiled indifferently.

When Zhang Hao heard this, before Liu Xuan finished speaking, he hurriedly said, "Weichen heard that the western border is in danger, and Jianwei Hou generously allocated 800,000 troops to support, so the old minister should also do his best to allocate 600,000 troops to support the western border. ”

As soon as these words came out, everyone was shocked, and Zhang Hao sent out 600,000 troops in one go, that is, he took the initiative to hand over the military power and gave it to Liu Xuan.

With such words, where can the other princes still sit still, although Zhang Hao only has 600,000 troops in his hands, but he is the first to hand over the military power, and now they know why the emperor was the first to pick the weakest Changshan King.

If the king of Changshan refuses to hand over the military power, Liu Xuan will be displeased, with his identity as a small king of Changshan, if he wants to kill him, he only needs one sentence, not to mention the other princes, I am afraid that even the prime minister Li De will willingly let Zhang Hao disappear in the capital for the emperor.

Thinking of this, the hearts of the princes fell silent, and now they are under the emperor's invisible house arrest.

Liu Xuan dared to use this trick so blatantly, which surprised them, but he was not too flustered, which prince didn't arrange everything when he came, if they really had something missing, I believe that within three days, the entire Nine Shadows would become torn apart.

Liu Xuan didn't expect to get all of Zhang Hao's military power so easily, which was also a strategy he came up with for a while, and there is an allusion in the ancient book called "A cup of wine releases military power".

In order to strengthen the centralization of power, Zhao Kuangyin, the Song Taizu of the Song Dynasty, summoned all the princes to the main hall, and under the threat and inducement of hospitality, all the princes took the initiative to give up their military power.

This trick is so similar to the current scene, I didn't expect it to be so easy here.

But Liu Xuan also knows that he is just a little emperor who has just ascended the throne, and all the princes are born and died with the former emperor to have today's achievements, even if he is high, if he continues to use this trick to make all the princes give up their military power, it is almost impossible, the reason why it is used on Zhang Hao is because he is the weakest of all the princes, and as far as he knows, Zhang Hao is relatively comfortable and easy-going, cautious everywhere, and loyal to the former emperor, does not like war, in modern terms, He was a pacifist.

"Since King Changshan has this intention, I am very relieved, and I salute you with a cup." Liu Xuan raised his wine glass and said.

"Thank you, Your Majesty." Zhang Hao's heart was relieved, and he hurriedly raised his wine glass and bowed down to drink it all.

Liu Xuan finished drinking a cup and glanced at the little Zhuangzi on the side, who understood, and said loudly to the musicians on both sides, "Play music!" ”

Suddenly, music rose in the hall, and the atmosphere eased.

Seeing that Liu Xuan was not pressing the other princes tightly, although the princes were confused, they couldn't help but speculate in their hearts, everyone was thinking, what was Liu Xuan thinking in his heart, why didn't he force the other princes to hand over their military power?

Do you want them to hand it over voluntarily?

Or is it just a temptation?