It has been snowing for two days and two nights, and the entire northern land is shrouded in snow, and the streets of Pengcheng, which are covered in snow, have not become depressed because of the heavy snowfall, but seem to be extremely lively.

Today is the twenty-eighth day of the lunar month, and one more day is the night of Chinese New Year's Eve, which also indicates that the new year is also coming. The people of Pengcheng are busy shopping for New Year's goods in the market, and the streets are crowded with people, and they are in full swing.

Since Zhang Yan discovered that the civil and military ministers led by Chen Qun, Zhang Zhao and others secretly gathered together and conspired to put him on the throne, Zhang Yan has been very low-key, as if nothing had happened on the surface, but in fact, Zhang Yan sent Mi Zhu and Mi Wei father and son to secretly investigate the matter, and gave Zhuge Liang a secret order to assist Mi Zhu and Mi Wei father and son in the investigation. After more than half a month of unannounced visits, a court official was involved, and Mi Zhu played all the results in writing to Zhang Yan.

When Zhang Yan saw such a recital, he just frowned slightly, and he no longer had the shock he had at the beginning, for half a month, he had been secretly paying attention to this matter, and he could know some news from Mi Zhu's mouth almost every day.

What he saw now was just a summary of Mi Zhu's past half a month, but when the names that he had followed him from birth to death appeared on the paper one by one, his heart was still as if he had been hit by a boulder, and it was so heavy.

The number and scope of people involved in this matter have exceeded the scope of his expectations. Yang Biao, Sima Zhi, Guo Yuan, Bing Yuan, Hua Xin, Wang Lang, Gu Yong, Dong Zhao, Kong Rong, Zhuge Jin, and Jiang Ji were almost all involved. Besides. Wei General Xu Chu, Jinyi Wei Commander Xu Sheng, Zhenbei General and Jizhou Assassin Shi Zangba, Zhennan General and Yangzhou Assassin Shi Lusu, Bingzhou Assassin Shi Gaoshun, Zhengdong General Zhou Tai, Annan General Jiang Qin, Pingnan General Li Dian, etc., also participated.

It can be seen that whether it is a senior member of the court, a commander in the army, or a local official, almost all have great expectations for Zhang Yan to be the emperor.

Zhang Yan slowly put down the book in his hand and sighed heavily, thinking back to his reform policies after taking power in the past few years. Although the thunder of reform is very loud, the power of actual implementation is very small, and it can be said that the thunder is loud and the rain is small. Moreover, it has only been three years since the reform, and it has already suffered a serious setback.

Originally, Zhang Yan's reform had the meaning of separation of powers, but now it seems that the goal has not been achieved, and when all officials encounter common interests, they will all form a group and unite together. to contend with it.

Although the purpose of these people is to change the dynasty and turn themselves into the founding fathers. But one day after Bao Buqi encountered a similar thing, as soon as everyone summed up, he was deposed as the emperor.

It seems that Zhang Yan underestimated these subordinates of his. Now Zhang Yan is thinking more about how to hold all the power in his own hands if he really ascends the throne as the emperor.

The selfishness of human nature and the defense of one's own interests gave birth to Zhang Yan's strange thoughts, and now he gradually understands why China's feudal society has lasted so long, and the fundamental reason is that deep-rooted and unshakable stubbornness and old-fashioned thinking.

It's easy to kill a person, it's easy to establish a regime, but it's not so easy to change people's minds.

"Your Highness, what should we do next?" Mi Zhu asked.

Zhang Yan said: "Since everyone wants me to be the emperor, then I will be the emperor, if I don't want to be the emperor, it is estimated that they will also hold a knife on my neck to force me to obey." Rather than that, it is better to accept it as a matter of course. However, I want these people to understand that I am not a puppet in their hands, and I want them to know that I am me, and that no one can sway me or coerce me. ”

Mi Zhu has been listening carefully to every word Zhang Yan said, he found that Zhang Yan's tone became more and more heavy, when he raised his head and glanced at Zhang Yan, he found that Zhang Yan's face was pale, and two terrifying lights shot out of his deep eyes, this kind of gaze was something he had never seen before, but he knew that Zhang Yan wanted to kill someone.

"Brother!"

Mi Zhu heard Zhang Yan's shout, and hurriedly responded: "Your Highness is here, what does Your Highness command?" ”

"Brother!" Zhang Yan walked to Mi Zhu's side, took out a few secret letters from his arms, personally handed them to Mi Zhu's hands, and instructed: "Now that there is no one around me who is available, I can only rely on my brother, please be sure to appoint his cronies to send these letters, remember!" ”

Mi Zhu took these neatly stacked secret letters, and after a quick glance, he saw the name written on the envelope, the word "Jia Xu", which was particularly dazzling, and shot into his eyes, but he didn't see the other letters, just held them in his hand, but didn't dare to see who it was for in person.

"Your Highness wants to ......" Mi Zhu can roughly guess Zhang Yan's thoughts, he has known this brother-in-law for a year or two, although Zhang Yan does not dare to say that he is 100% right, but he can also guess ** not far from ten, so he asked cautiously.

Zhang Yan just smiled, raised his hand and patted Mi Zhu's shoulder gently, and said: "From today on, you don't want to come to me again, so as not to arouse suspicion, and when the time comes, I will send someone to inform you separately, and you will still be the Marquis of Tan at that time!" ”

Mi Zhu didn't understand what Zhang Yan meant, but he didn't dare to ask more, so he took his leave.

It wasn't until he returned home that Mi Zhu looked at the names on those envelopes, in addition to Jia Xu, there were also the names of Zhao Yun, Tai Shici, and Zhang Hong, a total of four letters.

Mi Zhu did not open the letters, but called his confidants and asked them to go to different places to deliver the four letters.

Two days later, the Spring Festival of Wude's fifth year came as scheduled, and the lights in Pengcheng were colorful, and there was a New Year's atmosphere. However, in the far southwest, there are two armies at arm's length. The Han army led by the cavalry general Zhang Liao, and the Chen soldiers were in the Dianchi area, and they were confronting the Southwest Yi army led by Meng Huo.

Thousands of miles of snow drifting in the north, thousands of miles of ice, completely immersed in the new atmosphere of the New Year, but the two armies in the south of the colorful clouds are in tension, and a big war is about to kick off...... (To be continued.) )

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