Compared to the difficulty of dealing with Yuan Tao, Sun Zhaoyang is much simpler.

The next afternoon, the seven thousand Tang army surrounded Sun Zhaoyang's three thousand troops. At this time, the news of the sudden cavalry and Shi people occupying Yiwu had already reached Sun Zhaoyang's army.

The secret collusion between Yuan Tao, Sun Zhaoyang and Tuqi Shiren has long been an open secret in the Yiwu army, and everyone knows it, but it does not involve everyone's personal interests, and everyone can still tolerate it.

However, the capture of Yiwu County means that the soldiers' families fell into the hands of the Tuqi Shiren. This news immediately triggered a mutiny in the Tang army. Dozens of low-level generals rushed into the tent in anger and killed Sun Zhaoyang, who betrayed the main general of Yizhou.

Li Xiu immediately ordered Gao Xianzhi to rectify the army, with 10,000 troops stationed in the northern part of Xizhou, and sent scouts to spy on Tuqi Shiren's intelligence.

.........

In the side hall of Ziwei Hall, the emperor Li Longji, the regent Li Guan and the prime ministers were urgently discussing the Beiting Incident.

Before dawn, Emperor Li Longji received a letter from the eagle sent by Li Xiu through relay. The content of the letter was that Tuqi Shiren and Yuan Tao colluded with each other and occupied Yizhou.

This news shocked Li Longji and immediately asked the Political Affairs Hall to hold an emergency military and political discussion.

Emergency military and political deliberation is a kind of deliberate discussion. Once a decision is made during the deliberation, it must be implemented immediately without passing various cumbersome approval procedures.

During this period, Li Chengqi fell ill and was unable to attend this important military and political discussion. He could only allow the prince's son to attend on his own.

Zhang Jiuling stood up and said, "Your Majesty, the Regent Prince, all prime ministers, we all know the importance of Yizhou. Yizhou connects Beiting and Hexi. Once Yizhou is lost, it will not only endanger Beiting, but also endanger the security of Hexi. Your Majesty, we must deal with this emergency immediately."

Li Longji nodded and asked Li Linfu, Minister of War, and said: "Li Xiangguo, how many troops does Doulu army have now?"

The Doulu Army was the Dunhuang defender and the only army in the north of the Hexi Corridor. If the Tuqi Shi army wanted to invade Hexi, the Doulu Army would be the first to be affected.

Li Linfu quickly stood up and said, "Report to Your Majesty, the Doulu army currently has 4,000 people, including two thousand cavalry."

Li Longji pondered for a moment and said, "There are only two thousand cavalrymen, and the number is too small. I suggest that the Ganzhou Army or the Liangzhou Army go north to support immediately. Do you have any objections?"

Zhang Jiuling hesitated and said, "Your Majesty, the Ganzhou Army and the Liangzhou Army mainly defend against Tubo. Once they are mobilized, the Hexi Corridor will be empty and even more dangerous. Weichen believes that we can try our best to rely on the Beiting Army and the Anxi Army to resolve this thunderclap crisis."

Li Longji nodded. Zhang Jiuling was right. Beiting's crisis had to be resolved in Beiting. He glanced at Li Guan and asked with a smile: "What suggestions do the prince have?"

Li Wen pondered for a moment and said, "My nephew's father said that the biggest problem of Beiting is that each army is in its own formation and there is no unified command. My nephew suggested that the 38th prince be authorized to temporarily take over the position of Beiting Jiedushi and be fully responsible for resolving the Beiting crisis. This is also what my nephew's father meant!"

Since it was the regent, Niu Xianke, Li Linfu and others were not willing to object anymore. Zhang Jiuling also knew that only the 38th prince who had the gold medals of the emperor and the regent could suppress the military leaders of Beiting, and it would not be possible if anyone had any.

Zhang Jiuling also said: "Your Majesty, I agree with the prince's suggestion. In addition, the Doulu army can be temporarily handed over to the 38th prince to the commander of the thirty-eighth prince. His status and status must be clarified, and only by just being justified can the army be controlled."

Zhang Jiuling was actually reminding Li Longji that Li Xiu was just a marquis at present, and the marquis was only given enough attention, but he did not have the power to command the army or interfere in local government affairs.

Only by being unified in titles, official ranks and positions can Li Xiu be the only one who is legitimate to lead Beiting and resolve the Beiting crisis.

Otherwise, the governor of Doulu Army alone would be on par with him, and even had a higher status than him.

The title of Duke of Guo Guo, the governor of Doulu Army, was the third-rank general Yunhui.

Li Xiu was just a marquis, three levels worse than the Duke of the State.

Li Longji looked at Li Wang again. To be promoted, the regent must agree.

Li Wen said slowly: "The Regent's opinion, if the 38th prince can resolve the Beiting crisis, he can consider restoring the title of prince, but before that, he can only adjust his position."

Li Wen’s implication is that he will not receive titles without merit. If the Beiting crisis can be solved, even if he makes an exception and restores the prince of Qiantang, it is impossible to grant additional titles before the credit is completed.

Li Longji pondered for a moment and immediately ordered: "Transfer my will to grant the 38th prince Li Xiu the champion general, serve as the commander of the Western Regions, the governor of Beiting, and control the four towns of Anxi and the army of Shazhou, and be fully responsible for resolving the Beiting crisis."

.........

Everyone walked out of Ziwei Palace, and Zhang Jiuling heard someone calling him behind him.

When he turned around, it was Pei Yaoqing. Pei Yaoqing had been transferred back to Beijing and was currently the Minister of the Ministry of Revenue and the Minister of Revenue. He actually controlled the financial power of the Tang Dynasty.

He also has the qualifications to be a member of the Secretariat of the Secretariat, so he is also called the Minister of Finance and has the right to attend emergency military and political affairs.

Pei Yaoqing's wealth minister was exchanged for the emperor's will by Li Longji, which was a major concession from the Regent. Originally, Li Longji wanted to add a prime minister, but the Regent firmly opposed it and finally had to compromise and give up his financial power.

This is actually the inevitable result of Li Longji becoming stronger and stronger this year. After all, Li Longji is the true dragon emperor. Once he breaks free from the shackles of the palace and takes over the two major cities of Luoyang and Yangzhou, the weak situation in the court will inevitably change, and Li Chengqi's situation of covering the sky with his hands in the court will inevitably be broken.

Zhang Jiuling asked with a smile: "But God Pei wants to give me some money to spend money?"

"I dare to give tens of thousands of coins, but I am afraid that the prime minister will not dare to accept it!"

"You give you tens of thousands of guan first and try it!"

The two laughed, and Pei Yaoqing whispered: "You noticed what the Regent Prince said today, but the Regent actually wanted to compromise."

"You mean to restore the King of Thirty-Eight Lang?"

"You have noticed it too, that means that the case of Huangfu Concubine Huangfu may have to be reconcluded."

Zhang Jiuling smiled faintly, "Whether the case of Huangfu Taishu is reconclusive, it is no longer significant. The key is that Wu Xianyi may rehabilitate the evidence involved. Once Wu Xianyi is innocent, then the Thirty-Eight Lang will be able to recover the prince."

"But why the Regent did this? This is the most incomprehensible point of view. This is the ironclad case he personally decided!"

"You can't think of it?"

Pei Yaoqing was stunned, "I can't imagine anything?"

Zhang Jiuling lowered his voice and said, "This will inevitably be related to the condition of the Regent. I can infer from this that his condition is much more serious than what was announced to the public. The Regent had to start to compromise. The emperor now favored Concubine Wu Jie. Instead of waiting for the emperor to declare Concubine Wu Jie's innocent in the future, it is better to take the initiative to cancel the unjust case that Concubine Wu Jie has been borne, and at least there is room for bargaining."

"So that's how serious is the Regent's condition?"

"I don't know this, but I specifically asked the imperial physician that people who are obese like him will not live long, especially after the age of fifty, once they get sick, they will be seriously ill. Brother Pei, we have to be mentally prepared for some things."

Pei Yaoqing nodded silently, he understood what Zhang Jiuling meant.

.............

Li Feng returned to Xingqing Palace and met his father Li Chengqi on the sickbed.

Li Chengqi was indeed ill, and he was very ill and fainted several times a day.

His obesity caused severe hypertension and hyperlipidemia. The Tang Dynasty did not have antihypertensive drugs and lipid-lowering drugs. In the end, his body could no longer bear it.

Although the condition was serious, Li Chengqi blocked the news. No one except a few confidants could get his true condition.

"What do you mean?" Li Chengqi asked in a dizzy manner.

"The court decided to use Beiting, Anxi and Shazhou Doulu Army to resolve the Beiting crisis. Everyone agreed that Li Xiu was fully responsible. The emperor had appointed him as the arch-guardian of Anxi and the governor of Beiting, but there was no concession in the title, and the child also made his father's attitude clear."

After pausing, Li Feng asked worriedly: "My father really wants to restore Li Xiu's position as the prince?"

Li Chengqi sighed, "It's not that I want to recover, but that I have to recover. This is my biggest bargaining chip. If I don't use it, when Li Xiu uses the accumulated credit to achieve the king's title, my bargaining chips will lose their meaning."

Li Chengqi took a few breaths and continued: "And if Li Xiu quelled the Beiting Rebellion this time, he was a prince again. It would be unreasonable not to name him a prince, so I said that he has a kind of luck given by God."

Li Feng finally understood what his father meant. He pondered for a while and asked, "How did my father plan to use this chip?"
Chapter completed!