Chapter 9 Sejong Chapter 1 Who will succeed the emperor?
On a cold and snowy day, by the rocky beach, Liu Wenji, wearing a felt hat and a raincoat, was sitting by the river fishing. However, the fishing rod stuck out of the river not only had no hook, but also no fishing line. Obviously, what King Jing was fishing was not fish.
But the loneliness of the dormant.
There was cold mist on the river, and the line of sight was not very clear, but the passing boats were vaguely visible and continued within the field of vision.
There are many people in Prince Jing's Mansion, and only in this environment of fishing alone in the cold river can Liu Wenji be given a sense of stability, and can he let down his guard and relax his nerves.
The winter in the South is also very cold, and the river wind is raging, making the cold even worse. Even if there is a charcoal stove beside him, the effect of dispelling the cold is not good. However, Liu Wenji has long been content with such an uncomfortable environment, and it was in
In this kind of self-sharpening and precipitation, his whole person tends to be "perfect" from the inside out.
There are not many followers, only five or six of them, standing around to guard the surroundings. They are all the most loyal and capable guards. They are hard to penetrate by cold winds and calm by waves.
On the path leading to the fishing place, a figure came hurriedly, which aroused the vigilance of the two guards. However, when they saw the person, they released the handle of the knife and returned to sentry status.
Liu Wenji listened in all directions and naturally noticed the movement of the person coming, but did not move at all. When Xiao Gong rushed to his side, Liu Wenji asked: "Your steps are hurried and your emotions are exposed. What happened to make you so rude?"
After hearing the question, Xiao Gong took a deep breath of the cool air by the river, almost without a breath, and exhaled heavily. He was as calm and calm as Xiao Gong. At this time, it was difficult to conceal his excitement. He bowed his hands and bowed, his voice even louder.
Shivering consciously is definitely not cold, because the fire inside is enough to smooth out the cold of the winter moon.
"Your Majesty, a letter from the capital. Your Majesty has passed away."
It is difficult to accurately describe the psychological activities of King Jing of the Han Dynasty when he first heard such "bad news". However, from the moment he suddenly stood up, slipped and fell, and then quickly stood up again, staring at Xiao Gong with his eyes fixedly, all these things
The reaction seems to be enough to explain his mood.
The meaning in Liu Wenji's eyes was self-evident. Xiao Gong bowed again and said: "Your Majesty passed away in Shangyang Palace on the 19th!"
"Go back to Jiangling!" After saying this, without saying much, Liu Wenji turned around and walked away, walking swiftly on the path. It wasn't until he got on the car that he realized that he was still holding the fishing rod tightly in his hand, and the joints were already broken.
pinch white.
After putting down the fishing rod, he found that the fish basket was missing. Without the help of his attendants, Liu Wenji chose to go back and get it himself. When Liu Wenji came back with a very ordinary fish basket, he had returned to his usual calmness, and there was no trace of any disturbance on his face.
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For everyone in the Jingwang Group, they didn’t know whether the years of dormancy, accumulation, and waiting were just for this day. However, after the news of the emperor’s death came, the people in the inner circle could not hide their excitement.
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Regarding this matter, Liu Wenji's forces naturally held an urgent discussion and made a decisive decision. They decided to set off immediately to go to Beijing and seize the throne!
Immediately afterwards, a letter from Mrs. Xiao flew over, with only one word on it: Steady!
A concise and powerful word, like the word "ding", completely helped Liu Wenji calm down. After thinking about it for a while, he changed his plan and decided not to rush to Beijing for the time being. After all, the imperial court had not announced the funeral yet.
As for Liu Wenji, there was also a reason to be stable. After the death of the emperor, his connection with the fate of the Han Empire suddenly became closer. If not for other reasons, just because he was the son of Emperor Taizong. Apart from the "bloodline issue",
The prince has no other faults to speak of.
When the emperor collapses without an heir, no matter who is in power in the court, it is impossible to bypass him when deciding on the successor! Of course, Dowager Xiao in Beijing can also give Liu Wenji a certain degree of confidence.
After waiting for another three days, the news of the emperor's death spread to Jiangling normally through official channels. Starting from Jiangling, it continued to spread to the entire Huguang, and even more difficult Guangdong and Guangxi and even Annan.
As a result, Jiangling was shaken, Hubei was shaken, and Central and South China was shaken! You know, just last spring, the emperor visited Huguang. Although it was ridiculous at that time, he seemed normal and healthy. In less than two years,
How could such a shocking change happen?
There are so many smart people in the world! Just before Jing Wang Yi drove north from Jiangling and returned to Beijing for the national funeral, a heavyweight in the officialdom of Jinghu North Road, Prince Yanguo Wang Zeng, who was the deputy chief minister of Hubei at the time, came to see him.
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Just by looking at the title, you can tell who this person is, the grandson of Wang Pu and the son of Wang Qian. Speaking of which, the Wang family has not developed well in the past thirty years and has gradually withdrawn from the ranks of the top dignitaries of the Han Dynasty.
came out.
The reason lies in the Yulin Rebellion more than 30 years ago. Wang Qian, as the early commander of the counter-rebellion, had many deficiencies in his handling at that time, and the result was that the situation in Yulin was corrupted. Although the cause of the Yulin Rebellion,
There are many more complex factors behind the raging and the pacification, but Wang Qian's blame is not wrong at all.
It was also after Yulin dismissed the commander-in-chief that the Wang family began to decline. Of course, Wang Pu had a great reputation and had a high status in the eyes of the ancestors. If it had been anyone else, he might have been knocked down from the mortal world.
Wang Qian was a man of great spirit, but not broad-minded. He was also arrogant in temperament, but he still had some talents. It was precisely because of the lessons of the Yulin Rebellion that he calmed down and plotted to revive.
When he was in Danzhou, it took him four years to completely eliminate the local barbarians, and he was decisive and ruthless, killing tens of thousands of people, which greatly changed Shizu's impression of him.
Later, he was transferred to Annan and served as the commander of the capital. He was still responsible for suppressing bandits and quelling the chaos. During his tenure, he eliminated a large number of original indigenous tribes who were superficially submissive but secretly harbored dissident intentions. Although it caused great turmoil for a time, in reality,
Promote the development of local Chinese culture. Although the reputation is not good, the hard work and merit are great.
However, after more than ten years of hard work, just to get back the honor and status that originally belonged to him, this experience was quite depressing for Wang Qian.
At the same time, shortly after the death of Shizu, Wang Qian also died of depression after years of fatigue and the lingering depression. He could not even return to the core area of the empire until his death, let alone restore the lintel of the Wang family.
, the late father was glorified.
Now, more than twenty years have passed, and the Wang family has been losing its talents. Although the honors and honors have continued to be passed down, politically it has degenerated into an ordinary noble family. This is at least the same as when Wang Pu was in the empire during the Qianyou period, and when his ancestors were still alive.
The status in mind is inconsistent.
As the direct eldest son of the Wang family and the current head of the family, Wang Zang has been working hard for many years to rebuild the family's glory and bring the Wang family back to the center of imperial power. Of course, his ideals are full, but his talents are actually limited.
After so many years, he was only a deputy chief envoy to Hubei Province. For ordinary bureaucrats, this was a high-ranking official position, but for Duke Yan, it was far from enough.
At this time of great change, Wang Zeng took the initiative to find King Liu Wenji of Jing. His purpose was, of course, to surrender. Normal efforts were really difficult, so he had to take shortcuts. In the past two years, Wang Zeng was
One of the dignitaries who was silently paying attention to Liu Wenji felt that he could take a gamble on Liu Wenji.
Regarding Wang Zeng's surrender, Liu Wenji was more surprised than happy. He had developed a cautious character and did not accept it. Instead, he told him that he should be loyal to his duties and manage the government and the people during this great change.
Wang Zeng was disappointed by this, but he was not discouraged. At least, His Highness King Jing did not refuse, right? Immediately afterwards, Wang Zeng began to quietly contact each other, especially the Gyeonggi side. He not only found out the news, but also
Grasp the development of the situation and be prepared to support King Jing's succession at any time.
There are still three pounds of nails in a broken ship, not to mention the Yanguo Duke's family. Some resources are not used, but it does not mean that they are not available. Once they are used, they still have some influence. At critical times, they may not be able to have miraculous effects.
Even the Wang family, which is declining day by day, has made plans of its own, and even taken risks to take certain actions. One can imagine how treacherous and deceitful the capital is.
In Luoyang in the late winter, except for the colder weather, nothing seemed to have changed much. The death of the emperor seemed to have no impact on the people of the capital. The streets were crowded, transactions were frequent, and the bustle was still the same.
Of course, it is impossible not to have any impact. At least many scholars and people have stopped purchasing and preparing for the New Year. The emperor has passed away, and the upcoming New Year is destined to be difficult.
At the same time, all the imperial troops stationed in Gyeonggi Province received military orders from the Privy Council. The entire army was under martial law and entry and exit were prohibited. Those who disobeyed the order were killed. The same was true for the garrison troops at various key passes around Luoyang.
When the emperor dies, even the Privy Council actually has no power to mobilize troops, but a martial law order is still within the scope of its authority. And all the actions are just to ensure that before the new emperor succeeds to the throne,
The Han army must remain neutral and ensure stability. This is also the consensus of all nobles. Anyone who dares to act rashly will be besieged.
Of course, patrol security and order in the capital still need to be maintained. The officers and soldiers of Luoyang Prefecture and the Inspection Department are also mobilized in large numbers to strictly control access. This also leads to the fact that Chang Guzhen, the veteran who actually controls the Inspection Department,
He suddenly became one of the few people with the most powerful power in Luoyang City. Without him, he had to give him this face because of the 30,000 patrol officers and horses he held.
Chang Guzhen came from a mediocre background, and he was a veteran who truly worked his way up from the bottom, and his experience is quite legendary. He suffered a tragedy at a young age, took revenge as a young man, joined the army in his middle age, and is now nearly 70 years old. He can even influence the imperial throne.
Inherit and participate in activities that determine the future of the empire
Chang Guzhen was a standard "Western Expedition" general who fought in the northwest for more than 20 years. He even became one of the camp leaders during Wei King Liu Min's "camp system" reform in Anxi.
Under the Anxi system, he enjoys the treatment of a true feudal noble (currently run by his descendants in Anxi).
Behind the rise of Chang Guzhen, of course, the support of Emperor Taizong was indispensable. It was under Taizong that he was continuously promoted and reached his current status. This also reflects that since the ancestors, underachievers from poor families have been promoted to balance the traditional merits.
Your general’s intentions.
No matter what, at least in the winter of the eighth year of Pingkang, a large number of people in Luoyang City, including the powerful people in the court, needed to see Chang Guzhen's face and act. At the same time, more people used various methods to win over him, and the veteran also felt that
A "passion" that I haven't felt in decades.
The situation in Luoyang is also in such a complex, strange and even absurd atmosphere. Perhaps the most absurd part is that after the emperor passed away, in addition to the palace, the court, and the government officials hung up white flags and put on mourning clothes, from inside
Outside, from top to bottom, there is no sign of national mourning.
Of course, this is understandable. The emperor passed away too suddenly, and he had no heirs. Did he clearly designate a successor during his lifetime, or even have a spare tire? Under such circumstances, the powerful men of the Han Dynasty were of course focused on,
Who can inherit the throne is a major issue related to the future of the empire and the interests of all people.
The struggle for the throne has always been fierce and cruel, and what Kangzong left behind was an unprecedented chaotic situation, which intensified the conflict and chaos, and even made many powerful people at a loss what to do.
However, after a brief period of chaos, everyone quickly adapted. Although people's hearts are unpredictable and the situation may be chaotic, interests are eternal, regardless of public interests or private interests. As for the struggle for the throne based on interests, Zi Gong returned to Ziwei
The city has already been opened.
At that time, the first person to express his proposal was the Prime Minister Kou Zhun. He was always so resolute and courageous, attracting attention, and straightforward and firm in saying that the Daxing Emperor had no heir, so he should welcome Liu Wenji, King of Jing, as the emperor.
It has to be said that in the past few years, Kou Zhun and Liu Wenji had almost no relationship beyond colleagues, or even had little contact. Of course, this was Liu Wenji's deliberate concealment. He did not make any attempts to please the prime ministers in the court.
However, when the landslide occurred, Kou Zhun did not hesitate and chose to support Liu Wenji by name. His position was also very simple. He firmly adhered to one position. After Taizong. And after talking about Taizong, he continued to count.
, in Kou Zhun’s eyes, Liu Wenji was the only one.
What Kou Zhun represents is actually the view of a large number of people in the court. At least the premise of "after Taizong" is almost a consensus, but when viewed in detail, there are many considerations.
After Taizong, there was not only Jing King Liu Wenji.
After Kou Zhun, Xu Shilian and Xiang Minzhong, the prime ministers and assistant ministers, successively seconded the proposal, but they only expressed their intention to establish Taizong.
Then the voices of opposition began to emerge, and they actually came from the Murong family's relatives. Of course, they opposed Liu Wenji's succession. There are three reasons: first, since ancient times, only brothers succeed to the throne, and no brothers succeed to the brothers; second, Jing Jing
The king has been ill for a long time and cannot bear the weight; thirdly, he has Khitan blood.
Of these three points, the first one is certainly untenable. Not only brothers end up becoming brothers, but nephews end up becoming uncles.
The second point is that it is a shortcoming, but the disease is not as serious as the legal system. As long as King Jing is still alive, he is qualified to succeed to the throne.
The real lethality is naturally the third one, which is enough to arouse the hidden resentment and rejection in the hearts of many powerful people.
Speaking of Liu Wenji, it is only natural that Annan King Liu Wenhuan, the eldest son of Emperor Taizong, should be put on the stage.
Compared with Liu Wenji, Liu Wenhuan's legal rationality is stronger, and at the same time, his blood is still upright.
But again, after Liu Wenhuan was proposed, the opposition came even faster than Liu Wenji. The reason was that there was no need to mention anything about the country. The reason was that "Concubine Chang committed adultery and her bloodline was doubtful."
Although this matter has long been a secret in the palace, the upper-class dignitaries actually knew it well. They did not mention it in the past because it was just a taboo for the nobles. But when it comes to the purity of the Han Empire and the orthodoxy of the royal family, they have no regard for face.
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Of course, there is still a solution to this problem. At least Liu Wenhuan later gave birth to several sons, and he could just deprive the second son of Concubine Chang from the inheritance rights.
This is a method, but the opponents will not consider its rationality, and the battle for high positions is never a reasonable matter. In the end, the battle depends on strength, or a bit of luck.
The struggle for the throne also began to enter a new stage with the arrival of the two brothers Liu Wenhuan and Liu Wenji in Beijing.