Three months after Shi Siming proclaimed himself emperor.
Suzhou Prefecture, Changzhou County, Dongshikou.
Hundreds of prisoners were escorted to Fangtou Changyuan and pushed onto a blood-stained high platform.
The people who were watching saw that among the death row prisoners there were also young children who had just learned to walk.
The leader among the prisoners was a Suzhou scholar with white beard and hair. His clansmen, disciples and friends were all famous dignitaries and wise men in Jiangnan. Unexpectedly, he ended up in such a situation today.
Being forced to the guillotine by the soldiers of the Yan army, the great scholar opened his eyes angrily and shouted to the sky: "Historical thieves act contrary to nature, harm the world, and will not end well!"
As soon as he finished speaking, the executioner raised his knife and dropped it, and the blood immediately dyed the bluestone red.
At the same time, in the palace of Suzhou Fucheng, Shi Siming was sitting on the throne, watching his men pile up the treasures collected from everywhere in the past few days in the palace, with a smile on his face.
Gold, silver, calligraphy and paintings, gems, antiques and other treasures were evenly placed from one end of the hall and spread to the other.
Sunlight shines into the main hall from outside the window lattice and shines on the treasures, diffusing colorful rays of light and causing the hall to drift with light, making it look like a dream.
Facing this pile of property, Shi Siming looked at it with fascination.
The emperor's desire for power and wealth made him lose his past ambitions, and he only wanted to enjoy the present.
An Taiqing, a general under Shi Siming's command, said: "Your Majesty, the Lou family in Wuxian County, Suzhou, not only refuses to submit to Dayan, but also gathers people to make trouble in Taixue. These clans, which have brought harm to the country and the people, have all been punished on the spot.
In order to uphold the principles of the country, as for the Lou family's property, it should naturally be put into His Majesty's inner treasury for the use of the country."
Hearing this, Shi Siming laughed and said: "What Ai Qing said is very good. Suzhou, Huzhou, Hangzhou... but under my jurisdiction, all those remnants who are devoted to the Tang Dynasty will not be let go!"
An Taiqing: "Your Majesty, don't worry, all the prefectures and counties have issued strict orders to hunt down the anti-Yan rebels."
Shi Siming nodded first, then remembered something and asked, "By the way, how was the war with the Northern Tang Army?"
An Taiqing: "Our general Zhou Zhi is building a defense line in Jiangyin and Wuxi areas and fighting with Guo Ziyi and Li Guangbi's troops. The two sides are still in a stalemate with no winner or loser."
Shi Siming: "Zhou Zhi is indeed my favorite general. It is not easy to be able to resist the attack of Guo and Li alone."
An Taiqing: "Your Majesty, we have no worries on the northern front. Dayan has occupied all the rich lands south of the Yangtze River. In time, as our army grows stronger, we can counterattack northward and regain the land we lost before."
Shi Siming was stimulated by these words, and there was a moment of clarity in his eyes. He stood up from the throne and said to the civil and military officials of the Manchu Dynasty: "Jiangnan has money and food, and it can also recruit a large number of soldiers for my use. Don't look at the coming of the people from the north now."
Xiangxiang, this time next year, I will personally lead the army to fight back to the Yangtze River!"
In response to Shi Siming's heroic words, people in the palace offered flattering words one after another, making the former overjoyed.
An Taiqing: "Your Majesty, there is no need to worry about the war, but there is still an important matter in the country that is not clear yet."
Shi Siming: "What's the important thing?"
An Taiqing: "Now, the position of crown prince is vacant, and your Majesty has not decided on a prince yet. This matter may cause instability among the Yan officials."
Shi Siming was stunned, pondered for a moment, and looked at his eldest son Shi Chaoyi in the palace.
When Shi Chaoyi saw Shi Siming's gaze, he was so frightened that he quickly lowered his head, not daring to look at him.
Shi Siming had never liked his eldest son Shi Chaoyi, partly because of his mother's family, and partly because he favored his second son.
An Taiqing now talked about the crown prince. Shi Siming intended to make his second son Shi Chaoqing the crown prince, but he was worried that the ministers in the court would object, so he hesitated.
Finally, Shi Siming waved his hand and said: "The matter of the prince will be discussed later."
After retiring from the court, Queen Xin of the Yan Kingdom heard about everything that happened in the court from her chamberlain, and knew about the appointment of a crown prince. She needed to strike while the iron was hot, so she went to the emperor in person to intercede.
Mrs. Xin said to Shi Siming: "My son Shi Chaoqing is both civilized and military, and he is loyal to His Majesty. Naturally, he is the best candidate for the crown prince."
Shi Siming: "I have inquired about the opinions of the ministers in the court, and many people, including Zhou Zhi, said that establishing direct descendants does not establish elders, and establishing elders does not establish virtuous people. This is an eternal palace motto, and it cannot be broken easily."
Mrs. Xin shook his head and said: "Shi Chaoyi has become a full-fledged man and has interacted with ministers both inside and outside the palace. Moreover, as a Yin of Suzhou, he also serves as a guard in the capital. He holds the military power of the Suzhou guards. If your Majesty appoints him as
Prince, are you sleeping and eating well?"
When Shi Siming heard this, he immediately fell silent.
Mrs. Xin added: "Shi Chaoyi seems to be content and content, but in fact he has long hated this palace and the Qing Dynasty. If he becomes the prince, we, mother and son, will have no way to survive."
Speaking of this, Mrs. Xin couldn't help crying.
Seeing the woman crying, Shi Siming waved his hands with a headache, and then said: "Even if I plan to make Shi Chaoqing the crown prince, I have to find a reason and a process."
When Mrs. Xin heard this, Shi Siming loosened his tone and was secretly happy in his heart. He said, "What's so difficult about this? For Shi Chaoyi, your majesty can move him from the position of Suzhou Yin to the north position in the palace."
The Yamen Imperial Army used this excuse to first relieve him of the military power left behind in the capital and give him a false position."
Shi Siming, who was turned a deaf ear to this suggestion by the woman, did not realize that there was anything wrong with it at all. Instead, he thought the idea was a good one.
Therefore, Shi Siming immediately issued an imperial edict, conferring Shi Chaoyi the rank of Imperial Guards Superior (a third-grade honorary officer), relieved him of the post of Suzhou Yin, and took away the military power left behind in the capital.
When the angel brought the imperial edict to Shi Chaoyi and read it out, the latter immediately realized that something was wrong.
Although the full text of the imperial edict was full of compliments, Shi Chaoyi was not stupid and quickly guessed the real purpose behind the imperial edict - to deprive him of military power.
In addition, in the court, An Taiqing had proposed to Shi Siming to establish the throne as soon as possible. Shi Chaoyi was vaguely aware of changes in the palace, and now he was planning to take action against him.
Therefore, Shi Chaoyi pretended to be happy and agreed to hand over military power.
After seeing off the angel, Shi Chaoyi wrote quickly and immediately wrote a secret letter. He also found a loyal servant at home and said to him: "You immediately take this letter and rush to the Jiangyin camp in the Northern Tang Dynasty.
Tell them that the matter is so urgent that it cannot be delayed any longer, and if you want to take action, it can only be done in these few days!"
The loyal servant sewed the secret message into the inner pad of his arm, then saluted Shi Chaoyi, and finally left the house without looking back.
Shi Chaoyi looked at the servant's leaving figure and gritted his teeth and said: "No matter how much I tolerate it, I still end up worrying about it. At this point, everyone is a slave and I am a fish, so I can only give it a try in order to have a way out!"