As if he was escaping from something, starting from the beginning of autumn in the 28th year of Kaibao's reign, the old emperor visited Shangyang Palace in Xiyuan, Luoyang, and stayed there for more than half a year, unwilling to return to the palace or move.
The concubines and even the ministers had no choice but to rush to Shangyang Palace to pay their respects. Even during major festivals such as the Mid-Autumn Festival and the Winter Solstice, they did not want to show up and only allowed the prince to preside over the celebrations according to the rituals.
The old emperor seemed to have returned to his youth, a little autistic.
The Shangyang Palace in the Tang Dynasty had already declined due to the destruction of war and the erosion of time, and had been abandoned for nearly two hundred years. When Luoyang was being built, some repairs were also made. Of course, in terms of overall scale,
Look, the restored Shangyang Palace cannot compare to the grandeur of the Tang Dynasty. It only has a name left.
The old emperor chose Shangyang Palace to "recuperate", perhaps for the sake of purity. The main body of Shangyang Palace is still the Guanfeng Hall, which is also the most perfectly restored palace. Sitting west and facing east, you can face the rising sun in the east every day.
It was also just enough for the old emperor to gaze at Ziwei City silently.
It is already the twenty-ninth year of Kaibao. The spring breeze is still cold, the green grass has just sprouted, and the greenery is gradually infiltrating the earth. The old emperor who made an appearance at the Lantern Festival Ceremony did not stay in Ziwei City for a few days.
After returning to Shangyang Palace, his temperament and behavior became even more bizarre.
On the imperial steps in front of the Guanfeng Hall, there was a dragon bed. The old emperor was wrapped in a brocade quilt and huddled on the bed. The gentle spring sun released a shallow warmth, but what it illuminated was a scrawled and ugly picture.
His old face, gray hair and beard all looked like they hadn't been groomed for several days.
Nowadays, the biggest trouble for the palace attendants in serving the old emperor is to give him a haircut, because he has begun to lose his hair. His hairline keeps moving back, and his crown is about to fall off, which makes the old emperor very unhappy.
I am happy, but I can barely accept being old and ugly, but being bald and bald makes me really embarrassed to see people.
As for the serving maid, although she would not lose her head just because a few strands of the old emperor's hair had been pulled out, the gloomy expression the old emperor always showed was too scary.
Nowadays, the old emperor's condition can no longer be described as a normal person. A few years ago, he might have been said to be old, twilight, and desolate. But now, he is more decadent and degenerate. That is a kind of mentality.
Feeling like it’s almost worn away by time
Nowadays, the old emperor cannot drink freely, cannot enjoy all the food, has a weak heart for women, and does not have the physical strength to ride a horse or hunt. As for the relationship between relatives and friends, he has become more and more indifferent, and his energy is low all day long, and he feels groggy.
The only thing I still miss and insist on is to guard the power in my hands, no longer like a real dragon, but more like an old dog, guarding pitifully.
And this stubborn protection has gradually become unstable as time goes by. It is unrealistic that an emperor who has been idle for many years and an old emperor who is not feeling well can still firmly hold on to power.
thing.
However, the prestige of the old emperor who founded the country was too high, and his "power" was growing day by day. There were enough checks and balances among the upper-level powers, the system that had been running for decades was stable enough, and the prince's performance was sufficient.
Be patient. Otherwise, if you are any less, drastic changes may break out in a moment.
Today's old emperor is probably only an aging body. Even his ambitions have gradually turned into an incomprehensible stubbornness. As for his leisurely concern for the country and the people, he does not know where he has been forgotten. It is almost impossible to mention it.
Not much interest.
The decay of the body is not terrible. What is terrible is that the soul has also fallen. This is also a bit sad and cruel for an autocratic emperor. What is even more tragic is that the old emperor seems to be unable to even satisfy his own selfish desires.
"The Crown Prince, please see me!" Hu De bowed down and reported cautiously from a distance of ten feet, for fear of disturbing the old emperor's "spring sleep".
There was no reply, and the old emperor seemed to have really fallen asleep, and there was no movement at all. The saddest thing about this was Hu De, please give me a few words, His Highness the Prince has been waiting until his waist is sore.
, there was still no movement. When Hu De hesitated to speak again, the old emperor's slow voice finally came: "Xuan"
Suddenly opening his eyes, like a waking monster, the old emperor looked at the sky. The sunlight was not dazzling. With his eyes, he could vaguely see several paper kites flying in the southeast under the blue white clouds. It could be seen that
Those who fly kites in the palace garden should be the nobles of the palace.
While the old emperor was thinking about who it was, Prince Liu Yang came forward and bowed humbly. The old emperor was stunned for a moment, and then he looked away and motioned for a seat.
"You disturbed my sleep! If you want anything, tell me!" the old emperor said.
Hearing this, Liu Yang's face showed no emotion. He made a complaint first, and then calmly started the matter. This was Liu Yang's daily task. Every now and then, he would always choose some important military and political matters to report to the old emperor in person.
This is also Liu Yang's experience gained from long-term exchanges with the old emperor in his later years. Regardless of whether the old emperor is willing to listen or not, his attitude must be shown and he must be respected enough. Even if the old emperor is bored, he must come. The more bored he becomes, the more
The more you have to persist. What's more, Liu Yang also has a vague hunch that the hard days should be over soon.
"The third brother reported that he was ill and could not bear the heavy responsibility. He hoped that the imperial court could appoint another minister to go to Tubo to take charge!"
A piece of news made the old emperor's eyes widen. He turned and stared at Liu Yang: "What's going on? Is it serious?"
"As mentioned in the memorial, it's just a minor illness!" Liu Yang said in a deep voice: "It's just that when it comes to big things, the third brother has never been one to shirk and slack off. Now that he has submitted the memorial to ask for leave, I think it is because his health is really embarrassing. The secluded nature of Tubo
Located on a snowy plateau, the geography and climate are very different from those of the Central Plains, and the environment is harsh. It is said that many of the soldiers who entered Tibet, even if they were strong, contracted diseases and even died of them.
For the sake of my third brother's health, I secretly thought that the imperial court should surrender and summon him to leave Tibet and go to Chengdu to recuperate first. After he recovers, he will return to the capital."
There was a hint of sincerity in Liu Yang's tone. Listening to his words, the old emperor looked at the prince carefully, as if he was considering whether the feelings he revealed were true or false.
It's a pity that Liu Yang was so flawless that even his breathing rhythm was almost the same, and he couldn't feel anything strange at all. After a long time, the old emperor gave up and raised his hand to instruct: "That's it! It's been nearly two years since Liu Xi went to Tibet!"
Liu Yang nodded: "Since the 'Tubo Conference' the year before last, the third brother has been in charge of Luoche. Over the past year and a half, Tubo has been experiencing frequent chaos. Now the situation has been initially settled, and the imperial court's control over Luoche and Fannan has been further strengthened. This is all
The third brother’s contribution to strategizing can be said to be the result of hard work.”
The prince did not begrudge the King of Jin for his contribution to Tubo at all. Hearing that the old emperor felt much relieved, he pondered a little and then said sadly: "When the imperial concubine passed away, Liu Xi could not return to Beijing. More than half a year has passed. I am afraid that there is no place in front of the mausoleum."
They are all overgrown with grass. We have to let him come back and visit his mother’s grave!”
"Yes!" Liu Yang responded, and asked for instructions by the way: "When the third brother leaves office, whoever will succeed him, please give me your Majesty's instruction!"
"What's the opinion of Zhengshitang?" the old emperor asked.
Liu Yang cupped his hands and said, "I think that Yin Jilun can control Tibetan affairs!"
"Yin Jilun" the old emperor chewed on the name.
Liu Yang said: "The situation in Tubo is more important to suppress than to appease, and it needs to be rectified with heavy laws. Yin Jilun has courage and insight. He has led the army in western Sichuan for many years and is familiar with the local conditions. He led the army into Tibet and performed outstandingly, extinguishing both large and small.
Thirteen rebellions, outstanding achievements. Don’t use it if you are familiar with it. If the third brother leaves office, there will be no minister more suitable to take charge than Yin Jilun at the moment!"
Listening silently to Liu Yang's introduction, the old emperor tried hard to recall who decided to let Yin Jilun lead the army to support Tibet after the Tubo rebellion. Was it the prince? He tried hard to retrieve his memory, but it was too vague and he couldn't remember it.
.
However, just like most situations in the past few years, the old emperor did not veto it and said: "Since the political hall has made a decision, let's lower the system!"
"yes!"
"Song Zhun and those guys are still making trouble?" the old emperor suddenly asked about something.
When the word "noisy" came out of the old emperor's mouth, it was obviously serious in nature, and could even be regarded as a political incident. Of course, it was indeed the case.
What Song Zhun was causing trouble was naturally the reform plan in Anxi, which was what Liu Min and Xiang Deming had anticipated in advance. After the intention was reported, even if some modifications and concealments were made, when it came to the Luoyang court, it was still the same.
The response was huge, it could be described as an uproar.
The prime ministers who stand in high positions are rich in political wisdom and do not give up easily, but their silence cannot stop the raging public sentiment. And those who dance the most, speak the most fiercely, and have the toughest attitude are those who presented the memorial that day.
Song Zhun, Yin of Luoyang Prefecture.
In the eyes of people like Song Zhun, Liu Min's plan to carry out reforms in Anxi was illegal and chaotic, and even completely deviated from the basic political principles of the Han Dynasty, which was as abominable as a heresy.
To put it simply, it violates the ancestral system and cannot be tolerated. Although it is very magical and even slightly absurd to talk about the ancestral system when the old emperor, the most authoritative "ancestor" of the Han Dynasty, is still alive, but
A group of court officials headed by Song Zhun, in order to maintain the integrity of the Han Dynasty, also set a clear banner and directly targeted Wei King Liu Min and violently criticized him.
The commotion was so serious that when it reached the ears of the old emperor, his first reaction was not the incident itself, but to ask Song Zhun what his intentions were! The old emperor directly thought of Lu Mengzheng, the two former governors of Luoyang.
The interval was only half a year, but troubles arose at the same time.
One targeted his minions, the Imperial City Secretary, and the other simply targeted his son. They were so bold and unafraid. In the eyes of these people, the majesty of the Tian family was nothing!
It is true that the views of Song Zhun and others have some truth. The "ideological" struggle is more serious and more dangerous than the differences in the system. But in the eyes of the old emperor, this is just started by Song Zhun for his own interests.
The political tide and Anxi's reforms are just an excuse.
Under such circumstances, the old emperor naturally felt a little disgusted with Song Zhun, and even easily thought of Liu Yang. After all, Song Zhun, the governor of Luoyang, was promoted to the throne by the prince.
So, when he took the initiative to ask about it at this time, the old emperor also had a rather unkind tone: "I've been struggling for more than half a year, but I still won't give up. The political hall has no decision, so it's just dragging on? Others have no idea, and neither does you, the prince.
An accurate attitude?”
Facing the question, Liu Yang's heart sank slightly. He raised his eyes and glanced at the old emperor, and then said slowly: "Return to your majesty, Song Zhun has already gone to the west."