The death of the emperor was a big event. Chen Mun was a king with a different surname personally granted by the late emperor. No matter how the senior officials in the imperial court understood this matter, in the eyes of the people of the world, he was greatly favored by the emperor.
If we don't go there, we will not only lose our right to control Yizhou, our glorious image in the hearts of the people will be greatly reduced, and we will also be in a dilemma.
Rebellion? It is obvious that I am ashamed of the imperial court in the first place. How can I lead the world to rebel?
If you don't rebel and welcome the new state pastor, even if you are the actual controller now, you will eventually be eroded little by little.
"Then...what if the royal family really attacks you?"
Chen Mu waved his hand and said with a smile: "There should be a lot of bandits in the southwest area right now, right?"
Zhang Bowen nodded: "Because of this famine, banditry has indeed broken out in many places. What's the matter?"
"There is no need to hide the strength of our men. We should write a letter to the imperial court in a dignified manner, saying that the banditry in the southwest is serious now. We should recruit 20,000...30,000 Yizhou people to put down the banditry and ensure the peace of the people."
Hearing this, Zhang Bowen's face suddenly relaxed: "If this is the case, even if you go to Chang'an, they will not dare to do anything."
Chen Mu smiled, but he didn't say what he meant.
Once the imperial court knew that they still had 30,000 troops on hand and that they had penetrated into every city and county in the southwest in the name of suppressing bandits, they would never dare to touch them.
It is intended to warn them not to touch them, otherwise the southwest will fall in an instant!
Early the next morning, a scout came on horseback.
The imperial edict calling him back to Beijing finally came.
The imperial edict clearly stated that the emperor was seriously ill and dying. His Majesty the Emperor was kind to him and immediately went to Beijing to mourn and establish the new emperor's enthronement.
"This time, I will accompany Brother Chen. With my martial arts, I can protect you."
Zhang Bowen had a worried look on his face. He had been counting on Chen Mu to realize his grand ambitions all his life. If he left it to Chang'an, it would be in vain.
Chen Mu refused: "How many can you fight by yourself? Do you think you can break an armor for two thousand six with one sword? I will take two Qianjun battalions and leave you in Yizhou, but there are more important tasks.
Leave it to you."
Zhang Bowen frowned and said, "Is there anything else?"
"During this famine, in a mountainous place like the southwest, many people must have turned into bandits. I sent you to gather these bandits to strengthen the military strength. Now the relationship with the imperial court has become more subtle. With the addition of Japan, within ten years
, lest the war breaks out again.”
Looking at Chen Mu, the defeated figure in the snow, Zhang Bowen nodded slightly.
"That's fine. You can rest assured that you can leave the affairs of Yizhou's political leaders to me. But Brother Chen, please be more careful."
The matter happened in a hurry, so Chen Mu prepared to leave the next day.
If I go this time, I'm afraid it will be half a year before I can come back.
At night, the snow was still falling. Every time he went out for a run, Chen Mu always liked to sit in front of the bed, hugging Liu Si and chatting.
Under the candlelight, I vaguely remember the same situation when I first went to Monan.
Women age quickly. Even now, Liu Si is no longer the same as before, and her skin is slightly yellow. In Chen Mu's often ridiculed words, she has an old smell.
But from beginning to end, love never diminishes by half.
Liu Si in her arms said softly: "When I come back this time, I'm afraid he will be able to run around in the courtyard until autumn. It's better to be in the poor days before, at least we can stay together more often."
Chen Mu smiled: "I will come back as soon as possible, but remember you are thirty this year, right?"
Liu Si frowned and pinched Chen Mu. Women are too sensitive to the word age when they turn twenty-five.
As for Chen Mu, he just smiled, then threw Liu Si onto the bed, and said with a smile: "You still don't know what it is like to be a wolf-like woman in her thirties. It seems that we haven't slept together for a long time, right?"
Liu Si blushed: "I'm not ashamed even if I'm an old married couple. I'll take care of you until Qiu. Where do you find the time to have sex?"
Although he looked irritated, Liu Si, who had always taken the initiative, grabbed Chen Mu and immediately dragged him into bed.
Early morning of the second day.
Under the watch of everyone, Chen Mu led two Qianjun battalions and rushed towards the bank of the Yangtze River.
After boarding the big boat, the next step is nearly a month of water travel, which is destined to be a boring journey.
As for today's Chang'an City, due to the news of the old emperor's death, the court has already shuffled the cards again.
In the past, the civil and military forces of the DPRK and China were fighting against each other, but now, since the battle in Tubo, the King of Jin no longer has any say in the DPRK, and Liu Ding's succession to the throne is a certainty.
And now it seems that although Empress Du is temporarily in charge of government affairs, no one with a discerning eye can see that she wants to hold on to the imperial power and never let go.
Because of this, there are no longer two factions, civil and military, and it is difficult for the entire court to be unified.
"Your Majesty the Queen, what is said in this memorial is true. Now the 30,000 soldiers from Yizhou have indeed gone to Shuofang, Yizhou and other prefectures and counties to start clearing out the banditry."
In a courtyard, the Minister of Household Affairs was reporting the matter behind Empress Du.
As for Empress Du, her face was cold and she said with an angry smile: "I really didn't expect that Chen Mu would be so hidden. I thought there were only five or six thousand people at most. Who would have thought that there would be an army of thirty thousand?
Threaten me?"
Zhang Tian said softly: "Then Your Majesty the Queen, should we still take action?"
Empress Du sneered and said without any concealment: "Now in the entire Longxia, I am the supreme emperor. He has threatened me, but... to be more subtle, even if the 30,000 Shu troops rebelled, they are still at fault.
First."
Zhang Tian nodded: "His Royal Highness the Crown Prince... has been staying in front of His Majesty's bed. It seems that he has not eaten for two days. Your Royal Highness the Queen... do you want to go and persuade me?"
Empress Du did not answer, and went straight out of the courtyard, muttering to herself: "Something that is neither male nor female!"
In her eyes, Liu Ding was just a pawn for him to reach the pinnacle of power. For the sake of becoming the crown prince, he had been fed that strange medicine since he was a child.
But now that the entire Longxia court has been firmly in control, there is no need to care so much.
But Chen Mu and his party finally came to Chang'an City again.
But after this famine, today's Chang'an City is no longer as prosperous as before. Many shops were forced to close, and the streets were desolate and lonely.
As for Chen Mu, he was currently wearing a python robe and riding a horse, which was very eye-catching for a while.
"This royal robe...is the King of Shuchuan!"
"I came all the way to Chang'an, probably to wait for a funeral. The emperor treated him well, and he was also a very affectionate man."
It is said that although various officials in the imperial court scolded Chen Mu harshly, in the eyes of the people, he was worshiped and admired endlessly.
The King of Shuchuan who fought on the battlefield, the talented Xishu Yibai, the Yizhou Mu who provided disaster relief and rescued the people, all these have left an indelible image in the hearts of these people.
But just when Chen Mu was about to enter Weiyang Palace, there was a figure who had been waiting for a long time.
"Brother Chen, I've been waiting here for you almost every day these days, and I finally got you here."