Chapter 313: The Case of Selling Officials (Part 2)

"Tell me quickly, why kill two birds with one stone?"

Yan Zhuang narrowed his eyes and smiled, "It's very simple. Isn't Pugu Huaien a Uighur? I'll deal with him for collusion with Uighurs and force him to flee to Uighurs. In order to retaliate against the General, he will inevitably lead the Uighur army to invade Beiting. At that time, wouldn't the excuse for the General to attack the Uighurs be more sufficient?"

Li Qingan smiled happily and said, "It's indeed a vicious plan, I can consider it."

Yan Zhuang continued: "I heard that his daughter is beautiful, so it is better to release her into the Uighurs together, so that Pugu Huai'en can also have a level of advancement."

"Sir, I think very thoughtfully, yes! I can arrange it."

Li Qingan walked a few more steps with his hands behind his back. He pondered for a moment, and then said, "Justice just mentioned the problem I am most worried about. I also feel that the emperor may attack me after the battle of Tubo. Mr. thinks, how should I deal with this crisis?"

Yan Zhuang didn't say anything for a long time. He suddenly knelt down and kowtowed to Li Qing'an and said, "I have something to say in my heart that has been hidden for a long time. Can the general allow me to say it?"

"Tell me! No matter what you say, I will not blame you."

"General, my subordinates want to say that there is actually only one way to go for the general."

"Continue!"

"The general controlled Anxi, regained Hezhong, expanded the territory of the Tang Dynasty, and controlled the land that was not inferior to the Central Plains. He had 200,000 soldiers, and Guanzhong could not compare. To put it far, he was famous for his generation, but to put it closer, he was a great master. Anyone with a little brain knew that neither the current emperor nor the future emperor could tolerate the general to dominate the Western Regions. The general had only one fate, and Wang Zhongsi was the second. There was no doubt that if the general wanted to stay in Anxi for a long time, he could only support the army and stand on his own. Apart from that, there was no other way."

Li Qingan thought Yan Zhuang would say the bold words that he could replace, but he only advised himself to be independent. If he knew about Prince Yin, he would not know if he would persuade him to enter Chang'an like he had advised An Lushan to rebel in history.

Li Qingan smiled and said, "What if my ambitions are greater?"

Yan Zhuang suddenly widened his eyes, almost falling off his eyes. His legs became weak and he sat on the ground. He understood what Li Qing'an meant to be the 195th Lord. He knew that An Lushan had such an idea, but he didn't expect that Li Qing'an also had such ambitions. His lips moved and he couldn't say a word.

"I'm just a joke, sir, don't take it seriously." Li Qingan smiled lightly.

"No! No!"

Yan Zhuang sat up like a spring, his head shaking like a rattle, "General, this is exactly what I think in my heart. But I didn't dare to say it, so I turned around and persuaded the general to become independent."

Li Qing'an's purpose was to wake up Yan Zhuang, and he didn't want to have a deep conversation. Seeing that Yan Zhuang had already understood, he changed the topic and said, "Sir, I'll go back to Kucha tomorrow! I'll talk to Pei Yu in the morning and we'll go together in the afternoon."

Yan Zhuang came out of the yamen and it was already dark. He got on the carriage and returned home. The carriage was driving rapidly in the darkness. Yan Zhuang's heart was undulating and could not calm down for a long time. Today he finally realized that Li Qing'an also had ambitions, which was something he had been looking forward to for a long time.

After the main force of Han Navy followed Cui Qianyou in the northern expedition, there were less than 2,000 people left behind, and was led by the deputy envoy Pu Gu Huaien. In the past few days, Pu Gu Huaien has been in a state of fear. He heard a news that the wife of the team leader Zhao Ying had already sued him for sacrificing Ye. The thing he was most afraid of finally happened. Pu Gu Huaien did not expect that things would go to this point. Originally, the collection of money and promotion in the army was a common rule in various armies. Pu Gu Huaien had long been accustomed to it. He thought Anxi was the same, so after the commendation at the beginning of the year, he instructed his confidant, the Sima of the Hanhai Army, to recruit money, and earned more than 40,000 yuan, which made him full.

Pugu Huaien himself failed to get promoted, and he could only rely on making money to satisfy his loss. But after making money this time, he realized that money would be so hot. He didn't know that Gao Xianzhi strictly prohibited the Anxi Army from buying and selling officials when he was in office. When he arrived at Li Qing'an, Gao Xianzhi's provision was listed as the first ban on Anxi.

Pugu Huaien later understood this, but the money had already been obtained, so it was impossible for him to return it to him. He could only try his best to cover up the matter. It seemed that more than a month had passed and the matter gradually subsided, but Zhao Ying's wife's sudden complaint revealed the matter.

For several days, Pu Gu Huai'en was in panic all day long. That afternoon, Pu Gu Huai'en went out to patrol and returned to the camp. As soon as he entered the camp, he felt something strange. At this time, a personal soldier ran and whispered: "General, the scattered leaves inspector is here."

Pugu Huai'en's mind buzzed! The things he was worried about finally came. He hurriedly asked, "Is Li Qing'an here?"

"Didn't come here!"

Pu Gu Huaien's heart was slightly relieved. As long as Li Qingan didn't come, things would not be so bad. He walked quickly to the camp and asked while walking, "How many people have come in total?"

"Five people came, all civilian officers."

While he was talking, he came to the door of a big tent that had just been set up. The curtain was not lowered. Through the door, you could see the scene inside. There were five low tables inside, and the table was filled with a large number of files. Sima Yao Guang was facing his back to his outside, explaining something to a sitting person.

Pugu Huai'en coughed heavily and walked into the tent. Several people stood up together. When Yao Guang saw him coming in, he turned to him in panic and asked for help. Pugu Huai'en ignored him. He had made up his mind. At worst, he would let Yao Guang take the blame. Didn't he get two thousand guan?

"Five, which yamen do you come from?"

Among the five inspectors, the leader was a middle-aged man. He bowed and said, "I am the chief of the Anxi Army Supervision Office. At the order of the general, I came to the Hanhai Army to investigate the cause of Zhao Ying's death. Please cooperate with Deputy Envoy of Pugu."

As he said that, all the five people took out their respective silver medals and put them on the table. Jiang Yong also handed Li Qing'an's handwriting to Pu Gu Huaien.

Pugu Huaien sneered in his heart. Zhao Ying's body had long been destroyed. His wife brought Anxi to just an empty coffin. What causes of death can be found? He looked at the warrant and said, "I don't think there is any investigation on this matter. I can prove that Zhao Ying died of drunkenness and fall, and the evidence and physical evidence are conclusive. If you don't believe it, you can find a few of his teammates to ask. You don't need to read any files. Come on! Take all these files back."

More than a dozen soldiers came up to carry the file, but Jiang Yong hurriedly stopped him and said, "Let's wait!"

He stepped forward and bowed to Pugu Huaien, "General Pugu, there are regulations in the Anxi army that the supervisory envoy has the right to decide the required investigation method, and no one shall interfere with and stop!"

Although he was very polite, his tone was very tough. In the end, his tone became stern, "This person, including General Pugu, and this Yao Sima, is suspected of being involved in the case. I also want to investigate him in a key manner. Without our permission, no one in the Hanhai Army may contact him, and this person also includes General Pugu."

Pugu Huaien seemed very impatient, and waved his hand and said, "Whatever you want to do, please do whatever you want!"

After saying that, he turned around and walked out of the tent, and he faintly heard Jiang Yong say, "Yao Sima, let's continue. I want to know what basis is your basis for formulating the list of promoted personnel?"

Pugu Huai'en returned to his tent and was very upset. Although Li Qing'an did not come, the matter had reached its worst. These supervisors obviously came to sell their official positions. Will Yao Guang admit that it was his own to save him Pugu Huai'en? It was obviously impossible, that is to say, sooner or later he would confess himself.

At this time, a personal soldier rushed into the tent and said anxiously: "General, they have started looking for people according to the list!"

"What!"

Pugu Huaien was shocked. Did it start so soon? He asked anxiously: "How many people have you found?"

"It seems that more than twenty people have entered!"

At this time, another personal soldier came to report: "General, an army from Suiye has arrived in the east of Jinman County, with about 3,000 people."

"The general, the second batch of ten investigators came, and brought three hundred soldiers, who had entered the camp."

Bad news after bad news shocked Pu Gu Huaien, especially the arrival of the army cut off all his hopes. What should he do? What should he do?

Pugu Huai'en was like an ant on a hot pan, walking back and forth in the big tent with his hands behind his back, sweat rolling down his forehead. He knew the severity of this matter. Li Qing'an must have known that it was his work, so he sent troops. He also knew that Li Qing'an would never forgive him. In order to seize the Shuofang Army, Li Qing'an would definitely take the opportunity to kill him and silence him. Leave! Only by escaping is his only way out, but where can he escape?

At this time, a surveillance envoy appeared at the door of the tent. The surveillance envoy followed the man with more than twenty soldiers who had just arrived. The surveillance envoy bowed to him and said, "General Pugu, please come with me, it's your turn."

"I got it, come here right away."

"No, please follow me immediately!"

A personal soldier who was arranged by Gu Huaien to eavesdrop outside the tent quickly walked forward and whispered in his ear: "Yao Guang has already recruited all the money. I heard from him that the general has accumulated 50,000 yuan in wealth."

"Forget it!"

Pugu Huaien made a fuss. He suddenly drew his sword and rushed forward to slash the inspector. The inspector could not hide, and his collarbone was cut off by a sword. He screamed and fell to the ground. He was shocked by his soldiers. Pugu Huaien roared and swept the soldiers to the long spear. Pugu Huaien pulled out his long spear and swept the soldiers. Pugu Huaien was very skilled in martial arts, and the soldiers could not resist it. He dragged the inspector on the ground and fled to the inspector tent, running and shouting: "Pugu Huaien rebelled!"

There was a sudden chaos in the military camp. Pu Gu Huaien turned over and shouted to the soldiers: "Li Qing arranged to squeeze into the Shuofang Army. I don't want to do it anymore. I am willing to go with me!"

He shouted three times, but no one except his 100 guards were willing to follow him. However, the inspector Jiang Yong shouted: "Pu Gu Huaien colluded with the Uighurs. Those who captured this person alive will be rewarded with a thousand guan!"

The military camp became even more chaotic, and people began to surround them. Seeing that the big thing was over, Pu Gu Huaien sighed in his heart, and had to wave his iron spear and shout: "Follow me!"

He led a hundred personal guards to rush out of the gate of the rear camp and fled eastward. He only escaped for more than twenty miles. He was stopped by Murong Sheng, the general sent by Li Qing'an, and three thousand people were stopped. Pugu Huai'en could not rush over, and his personal soldiers were almost completely injured and injured. Pugu Huai'en knew that there were many interceptions in front of him and he could not escape back to Chang'an. He had no choice but to turn his horse's head and flee northward and flee to the Uighurs.

Ten days later, the news that Pugu Huai'en colluded with the Uighurs and betrayed the Tang Dynasty and fled to the Uighurs was sent back to Chang'an by the military supervisor Bian Lingcheng in the form of emergency military information.

At this time, the court was no longer as complicated as Li Qing'an left. As Li Yu gained a foothold in the Eastern Palace and as he formally supervised the country, the court had a clear distinction. One faction was led by Li Yu, including Wei Huan, Pei Min, the former Eastern Palace party, and Wang Gong, the Prime Minister, to fight against another faction, Yang Guozhong, Wei Jiansu, Chen Xilie and other Yang parties, while Zhang Yun supported Yang Guozhong in the dark, and the two sides were evenly matched.

Li Longji, who had created two camps, was even more unconscious of the government affairs. He moved back to the Daming Palace and favored Concubine Mei very much. He also favored his former beloved Wu Xianyi. Although he was not cold to Concubine Yang, his degree of favor was obviously not as good as before. However, this did not affect his trust in Yang Guozhong. In April, Li Linfu resigned as the post of the Secretariat Ling and no longer involved in the affairs of the court. Li Longji appointed Yang Guozhong as the right prime minister of the Secretariat Ling, officially replaced Li Linfu, but promoted Wang Gong to the subordinate minister and the left prime minister. Chen Xilie was promoted to the Minister of Justice, which completed the confrontation between the two provinces under the Secretariat Ling.

Li Longji was quite satisfied with his masterpiece. As for the impact of the two factions on political affairs, whether the confrontation between the two factions would have on political affairs, whether the government orders would be incapable of implementing them, etc., he didn't care. He only cared about the balance of power, and only cared about the power of the Eastern Palace that could not surpass the imperial power. After arranging these, Li Longji went to enjoy the paradise of the world with peace of mind. The only thing he cared about and waited for was the battle of Tubo. Only this thing could pull him out of his pleasure. In addition, he would listen to some major events by chance, and the person responsible for reminding him was his personal eunuch Yu Chaoen.

Although Yu Chaoen did not gain the power of Gao Lishi, he became Li Longji's only external ears. Many major events reported by Li Yu, such as the flood of bad money, the slaughter of merchants in the two cities, the annexation of land in Jianghuai triggered public rebellion, and other major events were suppressed by him. On the contrary, the good news reported by Yang Guozhong, such as the great victory of An Lushan, Gao Xianzhi repelled the Tubo army's invasion, the abundant treasury in various places, and the auspicious signs appeared in a certain place, but he promptly transferred it to Li Longji, making Li Longji very happy.

That afternoon, Yang Guozhong hurried to the Daming Palace. He waited in the Linde Palace for a while, and heard a cough. Yu Chaoen walked slowly in a step surrounded by several small eunuchs.

"Is there anything wrong with Yang Xiangguo looking for our family?"

Yu Chaoen obviously gained weight than before, and his airs were put on. Seeing Yang Guozhong, he was not as respectful as before. Now he needs others to be respectful to him.

Yang Guozhong cursed in his heart, but he did not dare to offend this person, so he had to smile respectfully and said, "I am worried that the fish is the big driver of the fish. I have something to ask the Zhongling to tell the emperor."

Yu Chaoen now hates others calling him Eunuch Yu. He wants to learn from Gao Lishi and ask others to call him Yu Weng, but he feels a little awkward. A little eunuch flattered him and gave him a title of "Zhongling", which made him very satisfied. From then on, all court officials called him Yu Zhongling when they saw him, and even Li Yu had to follow the crowd.

Yu Chaoen sat down and drank a sip of tea, and said slowly: "Yang Xiangguo, what our family told you last time, how are the 100-acre salt fields in Yangzhou now?"

"Please rest assured that Yuzhongling. I sent it to Yangzhou with a flying pigeon that day. It has been completed. Tian Qi is on the way. It is estimated that it will be available in three to five days."

Yu Chaoen's eyes narrowed, and then asked, "Jiang Xiangguo said something was wrong just now, what's the matter?"

Yang Guozhong took out a booklet and handed it to Yu Chaoen and said, "Please give this book to the emperor for review."

"What's the matter?" Yu Chaoen asked in a long voice.

Yang Guozhong then woke up and hurriedly said, "It was the Uighurs who sent an envoy to question him, saying that the Anxi Army of the Tang Dynasty attacked the Uighurs without authorization and killed their tribesmen, and asked us to explain."

"Is it Li Qing'an?" Yu Chaoen's face sank.

Yu Chaoen had no good impression of Li Qing'an because he wanted Li Qing'an to report Bian Lingcheng to the Anxi military supervisor, but Li Qing'an ignored him. Bian Lingcheng had a deep grudge with him. He wanted to kill this person more than once to relieve the hatred in his heart, but he just couldn't get involved in the military supervisor. Li Longji refused to give him this power. A few months ago, Li Longji appointed an old eunuch named Liang Chaoyi to send and receive news about the military supervisor for him. Liang Chaoyi was a man from Gao Lishi and never bought him Yu Chao'en, which made Yu Chaoen hate him but helpless. He wanted to punish Bian Lingcheng. Only Li Qing'an came to impeachment would be effective. Li Qing'an refused to do this, and offended Yu Chao'en.

The eunuch's desire to hold grudges was far stronger than that of ordinary people. Yu Chaoen snorted and said, "Don't worry, Yang Xiangguo, let's hand the letter to the emperor."

At this time, Yang Guozhong clapped his hands, and a little eunuch brought a red lacquer plate forward. There was a pillow on the plate. When Yu Chaoen saw it, he immediately said in surprise: "It's a fairy pillow!"

Yang Guozhong stroked his beard and smiled: "That's right, I heard that Zhongling is not sleeping well, so I found it from the database and lent it to Zhongling!"

Yu Chaoen was extremely happy. He took the pillow and touched it with love. He knew that it was worshipped by Kucha. Its color is like agate and warm as jade. If it is like a pillow, it will be seen in the ten continents, three islands, four seas, and five lakes. Therefore, the emperor named it Youxian Pillow, which was given to Yang Guozhong the year before.

He handed this pillow to Yang Guozhong with his own hands. He touched it all the way, and he secretly loved it in his heart. Unfortunately, he couldn't think of it. Unexpectedly, Yang Guozhong was so tactful and gave it to himself. Of course, he knew that the so-called borrowing was just an excuse, and it was not up to him, so that he would not be caught.

"Captain Yang is not asking me for something!" Yu Chaoen said with a smile.
Chapter completed!