When Gao Cheng returned to the army, it was the early winter of another year, compared with the previous two southern expeditions, this time he did not win much success, at least his soldiers and horses on this road can be said to be unsuccessful, and there is nothing captured, the Rouran people have suffered heavy losses, and they can no longer rob them.

The economic losses were huge, but fortunately, the state and county soldiers and civilians were not mobilized, and the national treasury was able to support it.

After further consultation with An Luochen, Gao Cheng did not garrison in Shuozhou as planned, but left 10,000 cavalry soldiers stationed in Dai County, and transferred 20,000 foot soldiers from Jinyang to the north, leaving 30,000 infantry cavalry in Dai County, under the command of Hu Lujin, the governor of the six states, so as to be able to support Rouran at any time.

When Gao Cheng returned to Luoyang, it was not long after the first snowfall, this time he rejected the proposal of the remaining ministers to go out of the city to greet him, and there was no so-called entry ceremony, and the troops were disbanded outside Luoyang City, and they drove directly to the palace city by Jianchun Gate.

Everything in Luoyang is calm, but at the same time, there is an undercurrent in Jiankang City.

Even if Xiao Yan did not experience the siege of Hou Jing, he was 87 years old after all, and his body was still collapsing day by day, especially since the beginning of winter this year, he fainted at the court meeting for the first time, which caused everyone to panic.

The 87-year-old man fainted when he was in the court, and Xiao Gaowang, a 29-year-old young man pretending to be unconscious, was two different things, Xiao Yan woke up the next day, and paid all the government to the prince Xiao Gang, Xiao Yan's body no longer supported him to deal with heavy government affairs.

Xiao Gang's joy needless to say, since he was canonized as the crown prince in 531 AD, to now in 550 AD, he is already 47 years old, he has been the prince for 19 years, and the old father who sits on the throne is 87 years old.

If it weren't for the sudden fainting incident, he really thought that he would be boiled to death by his father like his eldest brother, Prince Xiao Tong of Zhaoming.

Some people are happy, and naturally some people are worried, and Xiao Zhengde, the general of Pingbei and the military of the capital governor, couldn't sleep all night.

After all, there is only one son of heaven who treats the clan like Xiao Yan, Xiao Gang will not rest assured that he has committed treason no matter what, and Xiao Zhengde, who once regarded himself as a deposed prince in the north, commanded the soldiers and horses of the Beijing Division.

I'm afraid that Xiao Yan has just left on the front foot, and after Xiao Gang ascends the throne, he will easily take away his military power.

For the throne, Xiao Zhengde actually has a little thought, even if he was returned to his own sect as early as after Xiao Tong was born, but he always insisted on his identity as Xiao Yan's adopted son in his heart.

In recent days, the old evils of Xiao Zhengde's past have been circulating again in the streets and alleys of Jiankang, such as the four evils with Leshan Hou Xiao Zhengze, Xiahou Hong, and Dong Xianam, murder and robbery, adulteration of wives and daughters, and self-proclaimed 'jokes'.

Among the four evils, Xiao Zhengze was exiled to Lingnan, and the other two died, leaving Xiao Zhengde alone.

Xiao Zhengde knows who put these rumors, isn't it just that Xiao Gang is dirty with his reputation, and it's interesting to go through some old accounts.

Since Xiao Yan couldn't look at the court, Xiao Zhengde's heart became more and more urgent, and he felt that Xiao Gang definitely couldn't tolerate himself, so he set out to do three things.

One is to continue to recruit a large number of outlaws to spy on the court and find out the news.

The second is to send people to secretly cross the river and contact the Northern Qi, once his palace changes to the throne, hoping to get the support of the Northern Qi.

At this time, at that time, Gao Cheng was rejected at the beginning, because the Northern Qi was vigorously preparing for the southern expedition, and now the Northern Qi is out of the fortress, there is nothing to gain, it is a waste of money, and it is unable to go south in a short period of time, and it is suitable to use it as a backup.

The third is to spread rumors that the vassal king will cause chaos in Jiankang City, and say some things to catch the wind and shadows, and muddy the waters.

For example, Xiao Ji has transgressed, Xiao Yi often encourages himself with Liu Jun, Liu Jun is a person who is absurd and promiscuous, but it is also a fact that he raised troops as a vassal king.

Xiao Gang is not worried about Xiao Zhengde, how could he forget his own brothers.

Xiao Yan played a good calculation and sent his sons to guard the Quartet, he had eight sons, Xiao Tong, the prince of Zhaoming, Xiao Zan, the fourth son Xiao Ji, and the fifth son Xiao Xu died successively, the third son Xiao Gang was the prince, the sixth son Xiao Lun Zhen Jingnan, the seventh son Xiao Yi Zhenjiangzhou, and the eighth son Xiao Ji Zhen Lingnan.

It seems that the rule is firm, but he didn't think about it for Xiao Gang, the southern Liang of Nuoda, Xiao Gang will only be able to control the land of Jiangdong when he ascends the throne in the future, and it is imperative to cut the domain.

On the one hand, Xiao Zhengde rumored that the vassal king would make trouble in Jiankang, and on the other hand, he advocated that Xiao Gang intended to cut the feudal domain in other places, and the Xiao brothers already had a lot of grievances, and then after some provocation by him, Xiao Gang ordered Xiao Lun, Xiao Yi, and Xiao Ji to return to the dynasty to visit their father, but they were all resigned for various reasons.

One will say that the Tibetan people are in turmoil, and the other will say that the Northern Qi intends to go south, and find various reasons for the trip to Jiankang, and they are afraid that Xiao Gang will take the opportunity to put him under house arrest.

Xiao Gang knew that these were just excuses, but he was helpless.

Northern Qi has a move, but not in the land of Jianghan, but Huainan, since knowing that Xiao Yan is ill and can not come to the court, Hezhou Thorn Shi Gaoyue after receiving Xiao Zhengde's secret letter, he and Shouzhou Thorn Shi Duan Shao, Yangzhou Thorn Shi Di Gan discussed.

In order to keep Xiao Zhengde's military power, the three of them made a lot of noise in Jiangbei, which put Jiankang under military pressure and made Xiao Gang dare not change generals in battle.

In particular, the sailors under the command of Di Gan often had water conflicts with Xiao Yuanming's river patrol sailors, and Danyang had to deliver good news to Jiankang every day, giving Xiao Yuanming a good name, and also allowing him to regain the trust of the court.

However, Liu Zhongli has completely lost his position, although he is Xiao Gang's cronies, but in the defeat of An Lu, he is not Xiao Yuanming's ordinary clan background, there is a chance to be reused and prove himself, Xiao Gang faced his past of burying 30,000 elite soldiers in World War I, even if he wants to use it, he has to weigh it in his heart.

Liu Zhongli was not convinced, that's right, he lost 30,000 elites in Anlu's defeat, but Xiao Yuanming rode Huainan with 100,000 steps, and the fight was a mess, and now he is boasting about the heavens again, and even Xiao Gang deliberately gets close to him.

After all, in Xiao Gang's view, talents are rare, and Xiao Yuanming is so proficient in water warfare that he is the best candidate to defend the Yangtze River defense line.

The original chaos in Nanliang was only limited to the private economy, and with Xiao Yan seriously ill, the latent contradictions at the upper level burst out, which also made many people who were worried about current affairs unable to swallow.

I can't help but rejoice, fortunately, Gao Cheng's labor division went on an expedition to Mobei, but he didn't understand that if the Northern Qi didn't go to the outside of the fortress, in the face of the threat from the north, the Xiao family's internal fighting might not be so fierce.

Brothers are against the wall, and they are insulted outside.

It was Xiao Gang, Xiao Zhengde and others who believed that the Northern Qi was temporarily unable to move south, so they could leave foreign enemies behind and fight for power and profit.

Gao Cheng received information about Jiankang in Luoyang, called his five sons to him, and took this as a negative example and taught them a lesson.