Wang Yuan didn't plan to send him out of the city, but after all, this was the last time he would say goodbye to Xuanzong, and he didn't know what year or month he would see again, so he persuaded himself to send him out of the city. But after only sending out the land of Lixu, he returned to the city with Wei Jiansu, Li Mi and others. Everyone was silent along the way, Wang Yuan didn't speak, and everyone was a little absent-minded. But in fact, from everyone's expressions, Wang Yuan saw a sense of relief.

Wang Yuan knew what they were thinking, and he actually felt a sense of relief. After countless contradictions and hesitations, the step of sending Xuanzong back to Beijing was finally taken, and after this step was taken, it would be a road of no return, a road that could only move forward and not go back.

For Wang Yuan, everything in front of him was still a fog. Is it a broad road to a glorious future under the fog, or an abyss full of thorny cliffs? No one knows. But in any case, this step has finally been taken. Wang Yuan is that kind of person, once he makes a decision, he will not think about anything else, just move forward wholeheartedly. As for how much courage it takes to take this step, how much courage and suffering it takes, and how much inner torture it takes to endure, no one knows. Wang Yuan will not tell anyone, this is a secret in his heart, a secret that will never be revealed to outsiders.

If sending Xuanzong back to Beijing is a step that cannot be turned back, then in order to meet the next tests, Wang Yuan needs to do a lot. In ten days at most, Xuanzong's car will arrive at the foot of Chang'an City, and everything will be clear at that time. Wang Yuan had to step up preparations for sending troops, and he decided to lead his army to Gyeongju in the northeast of Longyou Province seven days later, and launch an attack on the Hui people on the day that Xuanzong arrived in Chang'an.

At the same time, the soldiers and horses of Li Heng, Li Pu and others, who had long been unable to hold back, could also notify them to send troops. When the Hui cavalry had to evacuate Chang'an to fight against him, Li Hui and Li Pu's soldiers and horses launched a crusade against Li Mao. Of course, the premise is that Li Mao refused Xuanzong to enter Chang'an, and Li Hui and Li Pu had a reason to launch a crusade.

In short, Xuanzong's departure is just the beginning, and the real life-and-death struggle is about to begin. Wang Yuan's mood was both apprehensive and extremely excited at the same time. Wang Yuan knew that he had opened a box. Whether the box was a reward for a beautiful God-given thing, or a ** that could break his bones, Wang Yuan didn't know. But it was this unknown that gave him endless pleasure. I don't know when it began, Wang Yuan has been reborn, and he is like the ordinary soul who came to Yong'an Fang at the beginning.

……

On the afternoon of May 13, in the pavilion in the back garden of the Wanchun Hall of the Taiji Palace in Chang'an City, Li Mao and Li Guangbi were sitting opposite each other. A letter was placed on the stone table in front of them. Strictly speaking, it was not a letter, but a broken piece of paper torn into several pieces. Just now, Li Mao read the letter, and when he was furious, he tore the letter into several pieces.

"Here he came, he still came. Does he have to come to the capital? Can't he not come? Why do you want to be the dark cloud on my head, why does the ghost linger around me? I've been living in his shadow with my tail between my legs for thirty years, and to this day, why should I be left to live in peace? Why? Li Mao patted her thigh and muttered, with a hint of helplessness on her face full of anger.

"Your Majesty is angry, Your Majesty must not mess up. Although the emperor's car arrived in Jinzhou, it would take three or four days to arrive in Chang'an. So Your Majesty still has time to think about it. Now is not the time to be angry, it is time for Your Majesty to decide. Li Guangbi said in a deep voice.

"What decision? I must not let him enter Beijing, absolutely not! I know my father too well, once he returns to Chang'an, it will be a return to the mountain. I don't know if I will go back to the past overnight, and one day I will open my eyes, and the throne will be changed. No, I can't let him come back. Li Mao shook her hand violently, and her head shook like a rattle.

"Your Majesty's mood is understandable, but if you don't let the Emperor come back, I'm afraid it's also inappropriate. After all, it is also reasonable for the Emperor Taishang to return to Beijing, and everyone in the world is watching it, if His Majesty does not let the Emperor Taishang return to the capital, I am afraid that some people will have to make a fuss about it. Li Guangbi said in a low voice.

"If you make a fuss, you will make a fuss, and I will never allow him to come back. Li Guangbi, don't persuade me. I absolutely do not follow this matter. If you persuade again, I will be angry with you. Li Mao said decisively.

Li Guangbi sighed and said in a deep voice: "Since this is the case, the minister will not say more. The minister has a suggestion, otherwise the Emperor Taishang will be settled in the Lishan Palace, so that the Emperor Taishang will not be able to enter Chang'an, and the mouth of the world can be blocked. ”

Li Mao pondered for a moment, frowned, and said, "It's okay to be placed in Lishan Palace, but since he is back, something will happen sooner or later." It's not that I'm not filial, it's that I know him too well. When in his life would he have been willing to live idle? When I ascended the throne, it was not with his consent, and he was forced to abdicate. I'm worried that sooner or later he will say something, and if he is used by Li Hui and Li Pu, then my throne is really unjustifiable. ”

Li Guangbi said in a low voice: "Your Majesty." It's just a stopgap move. At present, it is precisely to prevent Wang Yuan and Li Heng from finding a handle. If Your Majesty acts rashly at this time, will it not be in their arms? The minister believed that the emperor's return to Beijing this time was also a helpless move, and it must be Wang Yuan who forced him to return to Beijing. Wang Yuan just wants to use this to persecute His Majesty, haven't we already reached a consensus on this matter? Emperor Taishang temporarily lives in Lishan Palace, His Majesty sent guards to guard, Emperor Taishang is a smart person, and there will be nothing out of the ordinary. Besides, even if the Emperor Taishang does something, His Majesty can ...... at any time Feel free to take action. I'm not afraid that something will happen to him. ”

Li Mao frowned and said: "It seems that it can only be like this, Guangbi, I am not complaining about you, the guy named Pang Long you sent seems to be a waste." It didn't work out at all, and if it had been done in Chengdu, why would we have the trouble we have now? ”

Li Guangbi sighed: "Your Majesty forgives me, judging from the current situation, Pang Long should have missed." Hey, the minister's fault, the minister should choose the right shrewd person. ”

Li Maowu said angrily: "Originally, this was a plan to kill two birds with one stone, if he died in Chengdu, Wang Yuan would not be able to get out of it, and I don't have to worry about him returning to the capital from now on." Now it's good, it's not done, he's back. And I'm worried that Pang Long was captured by mistake, if Pang Long confessed everything, and Wang Yuan made it public to the world, how would it end? ”

Li Guangbi hurriedly said: "Your Majesty, rest assured, according to the minister's estimate, Pang Long must not have been caught, otherwise how could he be so calm?" How could Wang Yuan not make a big fuss about this matter? ”

Li Mao frowned and said, "How do you know that he didn't make a big fuss?" Maybe he deliberately kept it a secret, just so that he could send his father back to Chang'an openly. Once he announced Pang Long's affairs, he would not be able to let his father return to Beijing, because if he did so, wouldn't it be for the world to accuse him of sending the Emperor Taishang back to Chang'an to die? And he can still hold on to me, and once he falls out, he can use this matter to threaten me. ”

Li Guangbi shook his head and said, "Your Majesty doesn't have to worry, Wang Yuan is not that kind of person. Pang Long only acted on my verbal orders, and we don't have any evidence in his hands. Even when he was forced to confess, no one was convinced. The minister had already thought about this section, otherwise how could the minister have the audacity to send someone to do something? Don't ministers consider the possibility of failure? If Wang Yuan confessed to something, the minister taught him to eat his body. The minister had already made the identity of Pang Long and forged more than a dozen letters to prove that Pang Long was Wang Yuan's eyeliner in the capital. Once Wang Yuan Pang Long's confession spoke, the minister proved that Pang Long was Wang Yuan's person, so the murder of the Emperor Taishang was a play that Wang Yuan let others perform to deceive the world. intends to slander His Majesty, conspire to rebel and rebel. At that time, to whom will the public opinion be directed? He, Wang Yuan, was afraid that he was going to eat a big mouthful of. ”

Li Mao was pleasantly surprised: "You have already made such an arrangement?" It's wonderful. Guangbi, your methods are really clever, why don't you talk to me beforehand? I was worried in vain. ”

Li Guangbi smiled and said, "Your Majesty is so busy every day, how can such a trivial matter bother Your Majesty?" If Your Majesty has to worry about such a thing, what else do you have to do? ”

Li Mao nodded again and again and said, "Guangbi, you are really my minister, I can't live without you, I will rely on you in the future." ”

Li Guangbi bowed and said: "Your Majesty praises falsely, this is all the duty of the ministers, and it is not worth mentioning." Back to the matter of the Emperor Taishang's return to Beijing, please bear with Your Majesty. The Emperor Taishang actually has no strength, if His Majesty has a barrier in his heart that is difficult to erase, even if it is a hundred, it will have to wait until the right time. ”

Li Mao sighed and said, "When will I wait, will Wang Yuan, the dog thief, really send troops to exterminate Li Hui and Li Pu like Yuan Mingyuan did when he returned?" I saw that he was just fooling me. Li Heng, Li Pu, these thieves are not dead, and I am really uneasy in my heart. But with Wang Yuan's stinky and hard stone blocking the way, and the soldiers and horses in my hands can't guarantee that they can destroy him, my majesty is really aggrieved. I had limited money and food, and I couldn't recruit more soldiers. Guli Peiluo, this dog thing has opened his mouth again, and recently he has been clamoring to increase the conditions for borrowing troops, and I am really annoyed. When will this change? ”

Li Guangbi smiled and said, "Your Majesty, the minister has just received a letter here, which was supposed to surprise Your Majesty. Your Majesty will look at it, and you will feel that the clouds are clear. ”

"Whose letter?" Li Mao was surprised. Stretched out his hand to take the letter from Li Guangbi's hand, glanced at the cover, and said in surprise: "Is it a letter from Zheng Qiushan, the head of the Zheng family in Jiangnan?" ”

Li Guangbi smiled and nodded: "I just received this letter before entering the palace, and the minister just read it once, and was called into the palace by His Majesty." Originally, the minister was also going to enter the palace to present it to His Majesty. ”

"What are you talking about?" Li Mao said.

Li Guangbi smiled mysteriously and said, "Your Majesty looks at yourself, and what the minister says is boring." ”

Li Mao couldn't wait to take out the letterhead, read the two pages of letterhead for a while, and saw that the haze on Li Mao's face was swept away, his face was full of joy, and he said in a continuous voice: "Okay, great, this news is simply a long drought and a rainstorm, it is really timely rain." Unexpectedly, Zheng Qiushan was so capable, he actually did it. Very good, very good, Guangbi, immediately drafted a decree and told Zheng Qiushan that I asked him to be the envoy of the east and west of the Yangtze River. Named him the Duke of the Kingdom. I agreed to all his requests. But there is one condition, within a month, he must raise a large number of soldiers, horses, money and food to rush to Chang'an. Oh yes, tell him that I am determined to marry her daughter into the palace and make her a concubine. After the defeat of the thieves, I held a canonization ceremony. ”

Li Guangbi smiled and bowed and said, "The minister obeys the order." So he ordered to send someone to send it to the starry night. Your Majesty now knows that the minister wants His Majesty to be patient for a while. After this time, we will have enough soldiers and horses to quell the rebels and thieves, and return the world to peace and prosperity. ”

Li Mao laughed and said: "That's right, although Wang Yuan is strong, there are only a lot of good enemies. As long as I have money, food, and people, I fight one out of ten, and I am afraid that he will not be defeated? He thought that if he could argue with me, I would teach him to regret and oppose me, and I would make him kneel in front of me and ask for mercy. ”

……

Xuanzong's car arrived in the western suburbs of Chang'an on the evening of 17 May. On the official road at sunset, smoke and dust billowed from the cars that stretched for five or six miles, and everyone was gray and tired.

Yan Zhenqing sat in a carriage and followed the convoy in front of him. Among the ministers who accompanied him, Yan Zhenqing's official position was the largest, and he naturally became the backbone of the ministers. On the way, Yan Zhenqing and other ministers wanted to see Xuanzong more than once, but they were all blocked by the escorting Shence army. Whether Yan Zhenqing is angry, begging for help, or using his official position to oppress people, the cavalry escorting only one sentence: 'Xiangguo has an order, protect the Emperor Taishang along the way, and no one is allowed to approach, so as not to disadvantage the Emperor.' I blocked it.

Although the ministers who didn't know the inside story were full of complaints, Yan Zhenqing knew that Wang Yuan's move was not an unnecessary move. Because he had personally experienced Pang Long's trial of intending to poison Xuanzong, he knew that Wang Yuan didn't want an accident on the road. Wang Yuan just wanted to send Xuanzong to Chang'an City without accident, and what happened after that had nothing to do with Wang Yuan.

In the open space three miles west of Chang'an City, cars and horses slowly stopped. In the distance, the tall gates and city walls of Chang'an City are already in sight, but the scene that many people are looking forward to when His Majesty leads hundreds of civil and military officials to welcome the return of the Emperor Taishang has not appeared. All that was in front of me was the grassy earth and the empty and lonely sky at sunset.

"What's going on? Why didn't you enter the city in advance? The ministers asked each other.

Yan Zhenqing got off the station and was on the side of the road, feeling very desolate in her heart. He had already expected this meeting, and only he and a few people knew that he was actually forced to return to Beijing this time. His Majesty in the city did not welcome the return of the Emperor at all.

"Yan Pingzhang, what's going on? Why is there no one to greet them? Even if Your Majesty doesn't come, send someone to pick him up. More than a dozen ministers surrounded Yan Zhenqing and asked.

Yan Zhenqing waved his hand and said, "Don't be bored, don't be bored, I'll ask for it." ”

Yan Zhenqing stepped on the dust all over the ground and walked forward with one foot at a time, and when he came to the range of the emperor's car, several guards on horseback stepped forward to stop him.

"Yan Pingzhang, please stop. There is a royal car in front of you, please do not approach. A cavalryman said.

Yan Zhenqing frowned and said, "I'm just here to ask, didn't you inform the imperial court in advance that the emperor would arrive today?" Why didn't anyone come to pick them up? ”

"Yan Pingzhang, I have already sent someone to inform the imperial court, but the notice I received is to wait here, waiting for the imperial court's will. Yan Pingzhang, please go back, you can't enter the city without a will. The soldier arched his hand.

Yan Zhenqing's brows twisted into a pimple. He looked at the black carriage in front of him, which looked like a huge coffin, and knew that it was Xuanzong's chariot. So he asked, "Is the Emperor alright?" ”

"Yan Pingzhang, we are only responsible for the outer guards, but I don't know the situation of the Emperor. I'm afraid I have to ask General Qin about this. General Qin was personally in charge of the emperor's chariot escort. The soldier replied.

Yan Zhenqing felt an inexplicable burst of irritability in his heart, and suddenly stomped his feet and shouted angrily: "Then let your General Qin answer me." ”

Several cavalrymen were startled and glanced at each other, and a soldier was about to refuse, when he suddenly heard someone shouting not far away: "Yan Pingzhang, you can go to see the emperor." ”

The person who spoke was Qin Zhong, the cavalry general of the Shence Army who was in charge of escorting this time. Yan Zhenqing was overjoyed when he heard this, he forgot to thank Qin Zhong, and took a big stride and rushed towards Xuanzong's car. Due to running too fast, he tripped over the roots of a tree protruding from the pothole, and the whole person fell heavily to the ground, and he ate a large mouthful of dust in his mouth, and the pain was unbearable. But Yan Zhenqing didn't care at all, got up, patted the dust, limped and ran again.

A moment later, Yan Zhenqing arrived at Xuanzong's carriage. Yan Zhenqing reorganized his clothes and appearance, stood next to the carriage and bowed, and said: "Emperor Taishang, minister Yan Zhenqing see Emperor Taishang." ”

There was silence in the carriage, and soon after there was a weak voice from Xuanzong: "Are you ...... Yan Zhenqing? ”

"It's the minister, the emperor, and the minister is Yan Zhenqing."

The black curtain was torn open from the inside, revealing Xuanzong's thin and tired face. During the more than ten days of journey, Xuanzong almost never got off the car, and the whole person became untidy and decadent. But from the moment he saw Yan Zhenqing, Xuanzong's eyes were full of light again.

"Sure enough, it's you. Did you really go back to Beijing with me? I thought you were just talking. Xuanzong said happily.

"The minister does what he says, how dare he deceive the emperor? Emperor Taishang, are you okay? Can the body still eat? You've lost a lot. The ministers couldn't take care of the emperor along the way, and they didn't let the ministers see the emperor. Yan Zhenqing said in a deep voice.

It's okay that Yan Zhenqing doesn't say this, but as soon as he says this, Xuanzong's heart is depressed and wronged