In April of the 31st year of Wucheng in the summer calendar, it is the season of spring flowers in the south of the Yangtze River.

In fact, it has been more than five years since Emperor Xia launched the war to destroy the Tang Dynasty in the 26th year of Wucheng, when Yang Zhi left Beijing and went to Shandong. This is the five years of great significance to Yang Zhi's life and destiny, controlling the huge wealth of the rich and rivaling the country, firmly grasping the Yamen system of the customs governor in the court, and being the sea overlord with tens of thousands of subordinates, he can be called the uncrowned king of the powerful ministers, chaebols, and warlords.

For the emperor, it was also the golden five years of Great Xia. The Southern Tang Dynasty and Wu Yue, which were the most important financial lands of the previous dynasties, were converted to the territory, and then the truce and the rest with the people have already achieved initial results. The national strength of Great Xia is becoming stronger and stronger, and it is gradually showing a thriving and prosperous atmosphere.

By the end of the year, the five-year contract between the emperor and Yang Zhi had expired, and the first governor of the Great Xia Customs was about to expire. According to the usual practice, after the expiration of the term of office, a senior foreign official should return to Beijing to report on his duties. At the beginning of the new year, Yang Zhi began to arrange personnel and prepare for various delivery matters. By April, everything was ready, just waiting for the roll to get out. I just wanted to go to Yizhou early to pick up Linglong and a pair of children and take them back to Chang'an for a family reunion.

Zhou Renjie, the prefect of Jinling, Zhang Gan, the envoy of the branch office, and others once asked how the emperor would reward and reuse Yang Zhi after his term expired, and Xue Qingyun almost didn't say anything: With Yang Zhi's power today, is it meaningful for him to reward and reuse? Will he be able to see it?

Xue Qingyun has married Yun Niang and has a son, and the couple are regarded by Yang Zhi as right-hand men, and they have long been core members of the Yang team. In front of his confidants and subordinates, Yang Zhi made no secret of his future plans: resigning. Lao Tzu quit. I owe too much to my wife and children. After returning to Chang'an for a period of reunion and recuperation, he took the whole family to Yizhou. Get ready to set sail for a "long trip".

As long as the situation is stable and there is no war in the surrounding area, the entire customs governor yamen will be handed over simply. Yang Zhi's use value to the emperor is not too great. After the emperor pretended to stay, most of them would half-push and half-agree to the situation. No matter who the new monarch is who succeeds to the throne, in order to stabilize the imperial power, I am afraid that a powerful monster like him will disappear immediately, and the farther away from Chang'an, the better. It's not a big deal if he turns his face, with his Yang Zhi's words, it is enough to drag down Great Xia within three or five years! As long as the emperor is not afraid, Yang Zhi is even more fearless.

However, on April 11, he received a secret report from the Commercial Investigation Division: The emperor issued an edict on the ninth day of the fourth month. Due to the perennial fatigue of political affairs of Xu Wenhan, a scholar of Jixian Palace, he was insincere and deeply indebted to the emperor, so he was deposed as a six-grade attendant of the Hanlin Academy to observe the after-effects.

On April 12, he received secret reports from the Qin family and the Inner Court Guard's Office, all of which confirmed that Xu Wenhan had been deposed by the emperor.

The emperor's entrustment when he returned to Beijing last time, of course, Yang Zhi will not forget. He was very satisfied with the efficiency of the Commercial Investigation Department under his direct control, but he was surprised by the secret report from the Imperial Guard's Office. Since his ascension to the post of Governor of Customs. There is no intersection with the outer guard spies of the Inner Court Guard. Yang Zhi speculated that nine times out of ten, the secret report was from Jin Zishan's hand.

The emperor is known for knowing people, and although Jin Zishan is a palace attendant, he is definitely a special person with a strong will and outstanding ability. Could it be that the emperor deliberately let Jin Zishan, whose identity has always been hidden, surface? Yang Zhi naturally thought of the time when he was competing for the position of the general five years ago. Jin Zishan's stunning sudden appearance. If he fulfills his promise to the emperor and rushes back to Beijing, it seems very likely that he will work hand in hand with Kanekozen. Once it becomes a reality, then the candidate for the new monarch is almost certain. The shoe is on the other foot. No matter who becomes the emperor in the future, it is actually no longer important to Yang Zhi.

Although the pattern of King Ning and King Kang competing for the crown prince has been maintained for many years. But the emperor also carefully pushed his young son, King Yue, who had grown up, to the forefront. As long as the emperor does not re-ornate the crown prince for a day, then everything is possible. Yang Zhi never believed it. A lord like the Emperor will trip twice on the same stone. It is certain that the emperor is sick, but it should not be that he is seriously ill and cannot afford to die for a while.

Therefore, after Yang Zhi received three secret reports, he did not leave immediately.

According to the official system of the Great Xia Dynasty, it is a felony for an important foreign minister to leave his post without being summoned by the emperor. Since the crown prince was deposed, the emperor has grasped the military and political power, Wen has a group of cabinet ministers headed by Wang Yunong, Wu has Chen Wenyuan to preside over the Privy Council as a captain, Zhou Ting commands the forbidden army, Yan Fang is in charge of the Inner Court Guard, and Ye Chuang guards Tongguan. With such a luxurious lineup, can't it guarantee the smooth succession of the desired prince? Could it be that I have dug a pit waiting for me to jump?

Just because his wife and children are still in Chang'an, Yang Zhi is not allowed to hesitate too much. He had a secret discussion with Xue Qingyun for two days, and left for Beijing early on the morning of April 14.

On the third day of the first month of May, Yang Zhi arrived outside Chang'an City. Although he is still riding alone as usual, it has been nearly a month since the emperor issued an order to depose Xu Wenhan, and he is not in a hurry at this time. After having lunch at a roadside wine shop, Yang Zhi still decided to follow the official system of Daxia and go to the Baqiao official post to report first.

Baqiao Yicheng ushered in the princes and dignitaries, high-ranking officials and ministers who were sent to it, and there were still eyes on which one was more important, and he did not dare to slack off at the moment, and immediately sent someone to play the emperor.

The emperor got the report, and said angrily: "To this day, I haven't seen anything that this guy is afraid of, who I am afraid of!" It's good now, pretending to be, aren't you afraid that I will set him up? I haven't seen you for a few years, it's really a long job! ”

It is not difficult to hear that the emperor's complaints are full of vinegar. Because I have to admit that Yang Zhi is indeed a long skill. The ten children of the family who are taken care of by Tuo Yang, if there is no accident, should be worry-free in this life, and Ma Xing and Ma Zhou may be able to glorify the ancestors of the Ma family.

Ma Cheng saw that the emperor was out of order for a while, and carefully reminded: "Your Majesty, the post guards who came to perform are still waiting outside the palace gate. ”

The emperor waved his hand tiredly and said, "That's it, that's it!" This guy is a capable man and a ruthless man, leaving behind his father, wife and young son, and he has not returned for three years after leaving. I asked him for money, and I never lost a penny. Now that I'm back, I'm relieved. There's no harm in being cautious, and I don't blame him. Go and tell Yang Zhi to enter the palace early tomorrow morning to meet him. ”

After Ma Cheng took the order and left, the emperor couldn't help but smile bitterly.

It is taboo for people to return without being called. Yang Zhi is shrewd, how can he not know? This is indeed a set set set set by the emperor for Yang Zhi. The imperial historian used this as an excuse to attack the enemy, whether it was the old emperor or the new monarch, it was an excuse to ask for guilt. Such an excuse was originally insignificant to Yang Zhi, but he refused to let you get his wish.

I can't control him anymore. But when did you keep him in check? After all, I'm back as promised, so let's go straight with this guy in the future! Save everyone from being tired.

―――――――― Dividing Line――――――――――――――――

PS: It's the end of the year, it's a weekend again, and it's a foreign festival...... It's really a bit busy. Excuse me! (To be continued.) )