Entering Chang'an City from Chunming Gate, Zhou Jun, guarded by a group of Tang army soldiers, crossed the East-West Long Street and walked slowly towards the imperial city.
Zhou Jun walked all the way and looked around. He saw that Daozhengfang, Shengyefang, and Chongrenfang were all dilapidated. Xingqing Palace, where Li Longji and Yang Yuhuan lived in the early years, most of the walls had collapsed, and the square inside had collapsed.
The courtyard and buildings are already in ruins.
Guo Ziyi rode beside Zhou Jun, followed the latter's gaze, and explained: "The population of Chang'an City was depleted. When Tian Chengsi fled, he ordered his soldiers to plunder the city. Many houses were burned to the ground, even the imperial city.
Some of the houses in it were not spared."
Zhou Jun nodded and asked: "How many people are there in Chang'an City now?"
Kong You on the side said: "The household population is less than 140,000, and this number was only calculated in June. I am afraid it is even less now."
There were no people on the street, and no shops were open. When the army arrived at the intersection of Pingkangfang, a few half-year-old boys hid in the corner and peeked over.
Not long after, several women came, scolded them in a low voice, and took all the children away.
Zhou Jun saw this and asked Kong You: "When the Yan army occupied Chang'an, who will be in charge of governing the people?"
Kong You: "The governor of Chang'an of the puppet Yan State was first temporarily replaced by Li Guiren, then Zhang Tongru, and then Yu Hongshou. When Tian Chengsi was left behind in Chang'an, the governor was Wei Yang."
Zhou Jun: "Wei Yang? This name sounds familiar. Did he have an official position before the Hebei rebellion?"
Kong You: "Yes, Wei Yang was a Jinshi in Tianbao's tenth year, and became an official in the Ministry of Civil Affairs in Tianbao's eleventh year. He was captured by the Yan army when Chang'an fell. Later, he accepted his name and took refuge and became the governor of Chang'an of the puppet Yan."
Zhou Jun: "Besides Wei Yang, how many Tang officials are there who have defected to the Yan army in Chang'an City?"
Kong You: "Rough statistics show that there are a total of one hundred and twenty-nine people, some of whom are officials and some who have fled. Among them are Du, Liu, Pei, Xue, Wei, Yang and other noble families..."
Guo Ziyi, who was riding a horse nearby, heard this and thought of Kong You's methods in Liangcheng. His body trembled slightly and he turned his attention to Zhou Jun.
Zhou Jun's face was calm and he continued to ask: "Where are these officials now?"
Kong You: "They are all in the city."
Zhou Jun: "These people didn't escape with Tian Chengsi, but how dare they stay?"
Kong You nodded and said softly: "There are not only old officials of the Tang Dynasty in Chang'an City, but also clan members."
Hearing this, Zhou Jun was a little surprised.
Li Tang's clan would actually stay in Chang'an City?
When An Lushan led his troops into Chang'an, in order to avenge his son An Qingzong, the first thing he did was to attack the Li Tang clan.
There were about a hundred relatives of the emperor who were too late to follow Emperor Xuanzong of the Tang Dynasty to flee, including Princess Huo, Princess Yong, Hou Mochen, Princess Yi, Princess Yan, Princess Chen, Wei, Princess Xin, Ren, etc., as well as many princes-in-law.
Lushan killed them all "at Chongren Street".
After being humiliated for several days, the woman took off her clothes and showed them in the street, and then was washed and slaughtered; the man was disemboweled, his bones broken and his heart removed, and then his body was cut into pieces.
The heads of these people were placed together in front of Anqing Zong's tomb as a memorial.
Even so, Zhou Jun was somewhat unexpected that a clan would appear in Chang'an City.
Kong You explained it again, and Zhou Jun finally understood.
The clans in Chang'an City came over one after another after Tian Chengsi fled Chang'an.
Moreover, these clans are not the main branch of the current emperor Li Longji, but are all side branches that can be traced back to Tang Ruizong Li Dan or even Tang Zhongzong Li Xian.
As soon as Tian Chengsi ran away, these Li Tang clan members rushed to Chang'an before Zhou Jun arrived.
In the meantime, whether there is an organization and what kind of intentions are behind it is a matter worth pondering.
Thinking of this, Zhou Jun shouted behind him: "Li Siye."
When Li Siye heard this, he quickly came from the rear and replied: "The general is here."
Zhou Jun: "The gates of Chang'an City will be strictly guarded from today on. Everyone entering and leaving should be registered. Don't let down your guard."
Li Siye responded.
Zhou Jun saw that Li Siye did not dare to raise his head from beginning to end, as if he was ashamed, so he said: "I have read all the military reports. You fought bravely, but did not think about the consequences, which led to the failure of the Battle of Tongguan. It should be regarded as
Had."
Hearing this, Li Siye's tone was full of regret: "Siye led the troops in an incompetent manner, resulting in numerous casualties among his subordinates, and even made Deputy General Guo tired..."
Guo Ziyi sighed and said to Li Siye: "A general who dies on the battlefield is the fate of a warrior. My son had already realized this when he joined the army, so you don't have to worry about it."
Zhou Jun: "Having said that, since you have done it, you will naturally be punished. Li Siye, I will demote you to the rank of military envoy. From next month, you will lead the Gaoling Army and be responsible for the defense and peace of Gyeonggi Province. Duan Xiushi's injury has improved, and he will be there later.
The day will come to Chang'an, and I will make him the deputy military envoy again. You will discuss with him more often on weekdays, and you will not act rashly again. Do you remember this?"
Li Siye said loudly.
Zhou Jun looked at Li Siye: "There is no one who is not frustrated in this life. Wherever you fall, you get up."
Li Siye's eyes turned red, he turned over, jumped off his horse, knelt on one knee on the roadside, and said loudly to Zhou Jun: "I will fight for my life and live up to the Prime Minister's expectations!"
Zhou Jun nodded and continued to move forward on horseback.
The army marched to Zhuque Street. Zhou Jun looked at the Zhuque Gate of Chang'an Imperial City. Behind that gate was the center of Chang'an City and the heart of the Tang Dynasty.
Kong You said: "There are several things that need to be dealt with by the prime minister. First, although Chang'an City has been captured, supplies and city defense are lacking. In order to prevent the Yan army from counterattack, the army needs to decide on a policy; second, Tian Chengsi leads the Yan army
Before leaving, they looted the city's supplies, leaving the people without food, clothing, or medicine. We need to make a strategy on how to deal with it..."
Zhou Jun heard the pause in Kong You's words and asked: "What about the third one?"
Kong You: "Thirdly, the surrendered ministers in Chang'an City, as well as the clan members who came over, are waiting outside the imperial city, hoping to meet the Prime Minister."
Zhou Jun: "They want to seek official positions?"
Kong You: "I'm afraid it's more than that."
Zhou Jun said coldly: "Those surrendered ministers once served in the bandit army, and those clan members are running around like bereaved dogs. What do they think they can rely on to negotiate with me?"
Kong You took two steps closer to Zhou Jun, blocked others' sight with his body, wrote a word in the air with his right hand, and then said: "I guess this is what they rely on."
Zhou Jun saw Kong You's movements clearly and couldn't help but frown.
The character written by Kong You is clearly the character "Tang".
Zhou Jun thought for a moment and said to Kong You: "Let them go to Hanyuan Hall. I would like to hear what these people plan to do."