Fang Chuning smiled but said nothing, but his mood was very solemn. Han Ziqi's words meant that he wanted to join forces with the Northern Barbarians. They still didn't know how the Sangnan royal family and the Northern Barbarians contacted. If the Northern Barbarians really took action, Ningzhou would be unable to move.
If Sang Nan raises another army, the people will be miserable again. They have just lived a peaceful and stable life for two years.
Ningzhou Cavalry and Yanyang must work together to fight against the enemy.
The Ningzhou Cavalry is the strongest army in Yanyang, but without the support of food and military supplies throughout the territory, it will be difficult to fight a protracted war with the Northern Barbarians. If the Northern Barbarians have not damaged their roots, it will be a matter of time before they resurgence.
But the imperial court and the Ningzhou cavalry cannot be of the same mind. The current dilemma is that one of the Yuwen royal family and the Xie family brothers must die. For Fang Chuning, this is not a multiple choice question.
However... Xie Xun wants to become emperor.
More difficult than ever!
These new policies implemented in Ningzhou will affect the fundamental interests of the clan and trigger an invisible war.
It’s so difficult!
This court is riddled with holes.
"It is difficult to establish a new order unless the old order is overthrown." Fang Chuning said softly, "Yanyang does need a fierce and brave monarch like Zhixu. But, Tingfeng, you can't convince my handsome father."
My father-in-law will not help Xie Zhixu become emperor for the sake of his friendship with the Zhenbei Hou Mansion, nor will he break his promise, nor will he allow himself to do anything unfaithful or filial.
"Can we talk about a third way?" Fang Chuning asked suddenly.
"Appreciate further details."
As the sky grew dark, Xie Jue lit an oil lamp, and the room was enveloped in a warm light. Xie Jue's face became calmer and calmer in this warm light.
After Fang Chuning hesitated, he plucked up the courage, "Lin Heli came to Jiaozhou to negotiate with you that year, saying that Yu Wenjing issued an imperial edict to sin against himself. Are you willing to cease the war and become vassal? Now add one more thing, after he issued an imperial edict to sin against himself, his life will be added to it.
?”
"A Bao is still young, you want me to be the regent?" Xie Jue raised his eyebrows, feeling a little sad. Fang Chuning was too naive in order for the two sides to cease the war. How many times had he said these words to Marshal Fang? What happened to Marshal Fang again?
He was reprimanded or beaten. The relationship between father and son was not good in the first place, and they still had to mediate in the middle. "Do you think the commander-in-chief will agree?"
"It doesn't necessarily mean that the young master will ascend the throne." Fang Chuning breathed a sigh of relief.
"Prince Duan, or Prince Kang?"
"No." Fang Chuning shook his head and sat up straight, "When the Marquis helped Yu Wenjing's lineage become emperor, you were quite critical of it, remember?"
"Remember!"
At that time, Xie Jue was still young and still studying in the Imperial College. The New Deal failed in the Zhenbei Marquis and the late emperor was burned to death in the palace. After the prince's line was also killed, he had no choice but to support Emperor Ming's family. At that time, Emperor Jianming was not the only Marquis.
The Yuwen clan was huge, and the hottest topic in Beijing at that time was who would be the emperor.
The Imperial College is the highest academic institution in the world. It is full of students from Kyoto or selected from all over the country, so discussions are inevitable. Fang Chuning is not interested in this matter. Someone even asked Xie Jue who your father plans to support as emperor.
The most discussed topic in the Imperial College at that time was that the Marquis would choose the clan from the capital, and King Qi was the best candidate. The King of Qi was young at the time, so the Marquis could directly become the regent. The cabinet was also headed by his father-in-law, so no matter who came to the throne, he would be the one to choose.
As a puppet, King Qi was a popular candidate at the time.
Fang Chuning was not interested, but he would inevitably be disturbed by the comments. He had a private conversation with Xie Jue, and Xie Jue also preferred the Prince of Qi. The Hou Mansion could directly serve as the regent without having to choose an adult emperor.
However, King Qi was good at eating, drinking and playing, and he was a dandy in the capital. The Marquis of Zhenbei felt that he was not useful. Emperor Jianming had been a vassal in Ningzhou for many years and had outstanding political achievements. The Marquis of Zhenbei felt that Emperor Jianming could be a good emperor.
.
"My father was loyal and naive. After my grandfather and uncle died in the battle, he only wanted to defeat the Northern Barbarians. He could not feel the fierce fire in the capital. My grandfather and mother also blocked all the open and secret arrows for him. Back then,
When Emperor Jianming was in Ningzhou, he was gentle, benevolent, and well-governed. My father naively thought that after defeating the Northern Barbarians, he would release his military power over a glass of wine. Although Emperor Jianming would be wary of the Marquis Mansion, as long as he was loyal and returned his military power, the Marquis Mansion would be free.
Nothing will happen. The five generations of Zhenbei Hou Mansion have been loyal to the emperor and guarded the territory. He is very concerned about the clan saying that he has great achievements and evades the imperial power. The adult and kind-hearted Emperor Jianming is indeed more suitable to be a king than the King of Qi who only knows how to eat, drink and have fun.
Mingjun. When I was young, I followed my grandfather and often listened to him and Taifu Zhang discussing state affairs. I could clearly feel the situation of the Hou Mansion, so I was not as naive as my father. I did not agree with his choice to build Emperor Ming, eat, drink and have fun.
My dandy is so easy to control, stupid and cowardly. Even if I give him ten courages, he would not dare to kill my family. Since the prince is a loyal monarch, he should choose puppets. Choose a wise ruler... Oh, which wise ruler would be willing to be ignored by a powerful minister?
Sooner or later, blood will flow like a river. Unfortunately, I was too young, just a child, and had no right to speak. However, even if I became an adult and gave advice, my father would still choose Emperor Jianming. Because he felt that Emperor Jianming was a good person.
Mingjun will bring happiness to the people of Yanyang, and he sincerely despises the dandy who is doing nothing in Kyoto. He knows that Mingjun will not tolerate the Hou Mansion, but he will still insist on his own way. Because this is his original intention as a minister, and it is
He was loyal and loving to the people of Yanyang, so he chose the most capable and suitable monarch."
Fang Chuning said, "In fact, the Marquis is right. Emperor Jianming was a wise king. During his eleven years in office, he obeyed the cabinet in everything, promoted imperial examinations, and focused on agriculture and mulberry. He did not build construction projects or enjoy pleasure. He never killed innocent people indiscriminately.
, although he would use the clan and the Hou Mansion to seek balance, he never made a big mistake. After the Marquis's triumphal return, he wanted to drink and release his military power. He had a good relationship with the Marquis and hoped that the Hou Mansion would return his military power. It was also true that he went to defend Ningzhou.
of."
"I know!" Xie Jue closed his eyes in pain, "He is a very good emperor. Ningzhou needs food and troops, and he has not stopped for ten years. He cannot change the situation of the clan and the prince's mansion.
It's not that he is incompetent, it's because the situation in the Yanyang government and the public has been like this for many years, and he is also afraid of being burned to death in the palace like the late emperor. I suspected the wrong person at first, because during the peace talks, he was the one planning to kill my Hou Mansion. This is
My negligence was that I didn't expect Yu Wenjing at first, let alone that Yu Wenjing would be so crazy that he even killed his father. He must have discussed his plan with Emperor Jianming, but Emperor Jianming refused, so it became a stumbling block for him.
Killed by Yu Wenjing."
Fang Chuning already understood what Xie Jue meant.
But Xie Jue still told him straightforwardly, "My father didn't choose the wrong emperor back then, but he didn't expect that the prince would be someone like Yu Wenjing. An Ning, I don't want to entrust the lives of Zhixu and Ruyi to someone who doesn't even know who I am."
Zhixu must become emperor and hold great power, otherwise I won’t feel at ease and I don’t believe in the Yuwen royal family.”
"I know." Fang Chuning sighed, "I'm afraid there is no one in the world who can make you feel at ease."
"have!"
"who?"
Xie Jue did not answer but asked, "If your candidate is not King Duan or King Kang, then who is it?"
"If you're not worried, then don't mention it."
"You know my temper, and you won't mention this matter without reason."
Fang Chuning knew that he couldn't hide it from him, "The eldest grandson of Emperor Wen Hui was homeless during the palace coup that year, and his father found him."
"Why are you living outside? It's obviously the eldest princess who risked her life to rescue her."
"how do you know?"
"It's true, I guessed it." Xie Jue chuckled and said, "The eldest princess was raised by the late queen since she was a child, and she and the prince's siblings have a deep love. It's not surprising that the eldest princess saved people. Why did she end up living outside?"
"The old people in the Prince's Mansion were instigated and thought he was in danger in the capital. They planned to take him away from the capital. They just took him away and failed to take good care of him." Fang Chuning frowned and said, "Anyway... now he has been found.
.”
"How can you convince the public if you have no foundation? Yu Wenjing has already matured, don't let him get involved."
"I don't want to!" Fang Chuning had no choice but to say, "What's the point of being an emperor? The imperial city is just a gorgeous prison. My father, the commander-in-chief, wants to resolve this grudge and reconcile the Ningzhou cavalry and the imperial court, so he sent me to be the emperor.
Guest, my father's fate is difficult. Let me say it first. This is his wishful thinking, not mine.
"Then what do you think?"
"Me?" Fang Chuning lowered his eyes and said in an aggrieved voice, "I want to go back in time and nothing happened. Let's go to the south of the Yangtze River together and travel around. I know it's impossible in this life, so I don't have any ideas now. It's time to defend the city.
The city is just fulfilling its responsibilities."
"I don't believe it." Xie Jue chuckled, leaning over the chessboard and lifting his chin with one hand, "Aning, tell me, what do you think?"
The night was shrouded and the oil lamp was swaying. Xie Jue's brows in the warm light had a rare touch of softness in the spring breeze of March. The hand with clear joints was close at hand, and he could smell the fragrance of pine in the man's palm.
Those forbearance, restraint, rolling like spring tides like magma, the light in the dark night seems eclipsed, and the heartbeat becomes as viscous as blood.
"Tingfeng..." Fang Chuning's voice was hoarse, "Is this a honey trap?"