The time goes back to an hour ago, when King Zhao Hongyin of Yi quietly replaced King Zhao Hongxin of Qing, but still asked King Zhao Yuanzuo of Nanliang to attack the front and back of the palace in the name of "King Qing". At that time, the defense of the palace gate was still there.
In the hands of Prince Hongyu.
Until Emperor Wei held the Emperor's Sword in hand, and was surrounded by Li Zheng, the President of the Three Guards Army, and a group of guards from the Gongwei Division, he came to the Guanmin Terrace where Prince Hongyu was.
When he saw Emperor Wei, Prince Hongyu's eyes widened.
You must know that in the past year, Emperor Wei gradually delegated power to him mainly because of "the dragon's body was not in good condition", so that Prince Hongyu could smoothly gather the power of the imperial court, even including the Junshui Army and the Chenggao Army.
, Fenxing Army and other garrisons directly under the emperor of Wei.
But looking at this father at this time, how does he look like a "dragon body is not in good health"? He is even more energetic than Prince Hongyu! You must know that because of the "Three Kings Revolt", Prince Hongyu has been working hard and working hard these days.
Sad.
"Swish, swish, swish"
Hundreds of imperial guards quickly surrounded the Guanmin Tower, expelling all the imperial guards except the Zongwei around Prince Hongyu to the outside.
Seeing this, the imperial guards who were truly loyal to Prince Hongyu wanted to resist, but when they saw Emperor Wei approaching with a gloomy expression holding the Emperor's Sword, they dared not act rashly.
After all, no matter what, the emperor of Wei, Zhao Yuancai, was the king of Wei who had accumulated power for a long time. The power of the emperor who had reigned for twenty-five years was beyond the power of ordinary people.
"Father...Emperor..."
Looking at Emperor Wei walking towards this side step by step, even the prince Hongyu felt an inexplicable feeling of fear and uneasiness.
However, Emperor Wei did not criticize the prince Hongyu. Instead, he said kindly: "Leave the rest to me. The prince can go back to the East Palace to rest for a while."
After hearing this, Prince Hongyu not only did not feel the slightest disgust, but even his face gradually became ugly.
How could he not understand the implication of Emperor Wei's words?
At this time, Emperor Wei no longer paid attention to Prince Hongyu, and began to issue orders with the Emperor's Sword: "Li Zheng, take over the defense of the palace, Tong Xian, order the eunuchs to pass orders to Baili Ba, Xu Yin, and Zhu Hai, call them the latter.
Try to retake the city gate."
"As you command!"
"Yes, Your Majesty."
Li Zheng, the president of the Three Guards Army, and Tong Xian, the chief eunuch, saluted respectively and said.
After saying this, Li Zheng raised his arms and shouted: "The Imperial Guard, Lang Guard, and Royal Guard obey the order. In the name of Your Majesty, I, Li Zheng, will now take over the defense of the palace. Anyone who disobeys the order will be treated as treason!"
Hearing this, the Imperial Guards near the Guanmin Tower looked at each other. In the end, they obeyed Li Zheng's order, and Li Zheng arranged for them to go to various important roads in the palace to provide support.
Seeing this scene, Prince Hongyu's face became even more ugly. He never expected that the imperial guard he had worked so hard to manage would obey Li Zheng's orders so easily. To be precise, he obeyed his father, Emperor Wei.
arrange.
Looking at his father who was watching the battle in the palace with an expressionless face, Prince Hongyu clearly noticed his father's indifference towards him.
He felt very unreasonable about this.
You know, he is the crown prince. Why did his father ask him to retreat at such a critical moment? Logically speaking, as a prince, shouldn't he need to step forward at this time?
Or does it mean that the father has someone else in mind to "step forward"?
Involuntarily, a familiar face appeared in Prince Hongyu's mind, that is, his younger brother, King Su Zhao Hongrun.
Regarding the attack on Su Wang Zhao Hongrun, Prince Hongyu heard it mentioned by his aide Zhang Qigong a while ago. At that time, Prince Hongyu was also inexplicably shocked, and he also wanted to thoroughly investigate the imperial guards and find out Xiao Ni's secret work or informant who was among them.
However, due to the upcoming battle with King Qing Zhao Hongxin, King Huan Zhao Hongxuan, and King Yan Zhao Hongjiang, Prince Hongyu could only shelve the matter temporarily.
In recent days, he had also heard some rumors, saying that King Su Zhao Hongrun was injured by a bandit with a sharp arrow while escaping from Daliang, and died after returning to Shangshui.
After hearing the news, Prince Hongyu was extremely shocked and angry, but besides being shocked and angry, he was also secretly happy.
What makes him angry is that Su Wang Zhao Hongrun, the younger brother of the king, is still his candidate for the "General of the Wei Dynasty" in his mind, and is the important minister he needs to rely on to open up new territories in the future. However, such a brave younger brother of the king has
He actually died under Xiao Ni's conspiracy and assassination. How could this not make Prince Hongyu feel angry?
What makes him happy is that in the current difficult situation he is facing, it is actually more beneficial to him that "King Su who fled back to Shangshui" is dead. After all, in this way, he, Zhao Hongyu, no longer has to worry about this person.
Brother Wang will raise an army to resist him, so there is no need to worry about Yan anymore
Will the Ling Army, Shang Shui Army, Youma Army, and even the Jiejiao Cavalry rebel? Even if Prince Hongyu feels guilty towards Su Wang Zhao Hongrun, his brother who has always trusted him and supported him, but in the
At this moment, he was still secretly happy.
But today, his father's attitude made Prince Hongyu notice that something was wrong.
"Could it be that Hongrun...isn't dead?"
After secretly glancing at Emperor Wei's expression a few times, Prince Hongyu's heart gradually sank to the bottom.
"That's it, that's it..."
After muttering a few words to himself, Prince Hongyu laughed, turned to look at Emperor Wei, and said as if mocking or self-deprecating: "Father, you are really good at calculating..."
After hearing this, Emperor Wei turned his head and looked at Prince Hongyu calmly.
I saw Prince Hongyu looking directly into his father's eyes, suddenly tightening his face, and saying with a hint of anger: "I thought that what I said back then may have made my father feel guilty.
Therefore, over the past year, my father has gradually transferred power to his sons. However, I did not expect..." After saying that, he raised a sneer at the corner of his mouth and said as if questioning: "My father is waiting for Hongrun to lead me.
Are the soldiers coming to quell the rebellion?"
"..." Emperor Wei looked deeply at Prince Hongyu for a few times, and suddenly said calmly: "Yes, at this point, only Hongrun can turn the tide."
"Why?!" Prince Hongyu was so angry that his whole body was trembling.
Glancing at the excited Crown Prince Hongyu, Emperor Wei still cast his gaze towards the palace gate and said calmly: "Hongyu, it's not that I didn't give you a chance... When you complained to me, saying that you were a dignified Crown Prince and Crown Prince,
The order cannot come from this
After careful consideration, I thought that I was too harsh on you, so I gradually transferred the power to you, allowing you to exercise the rights of a king as the prince for the past year... But the result was that
To end today’s catastrophe.”
"..."
Prince Hongyu opened his mouth but was speechless.
Indeed, as Emperor Wei said, in the past year or so, Zhao Hongyu has been able to get wind and rain in Daliang. Even the Minister of the DPRK withdrew at the request of the Central Government, and even the troops stationed in the Sixth Battalion were unable to do so.
It means that the merger was a merger. From the beginning to the end, his father never stepped forward to stop it. Even the generals such as Baili Ba, Xu Yin, Zhu Hai, etc. cooperated very well and handed over their military power.
Therefore, in this matter, Emperor Wei can indeed be said to be "the most benevolent and righteous".
But in this case, it still caused the three kings, including Qing Wang Zhao Hongxin, Huan Wang Zhao Hongxuan, and Yan Wang Zhao Hongjiang, to raise troops to attack. In both public and private matters, Prince Hongyu could no longer say that this was caused by his father's favoritism.
This is his own problem.
Just as King Su Zhao Hongrun advised him that day, it was because he acted too hastily that he aroused a strong backlash from King Qing Zhao Hongxin.
but……
"Does my father really think that my son has done something wrong?"
Looking directly at the Emperor of Wei, Prince Hongyu said angrily: "Not to mention the fourth and ninth laos, the fifth lao supported his own troops and ignored the king's order in Daliang. What's wrong with my son's taking over his military power?"
I heard that the whole world is not the king's land, and the shore of the land is not the king's ministers... King Qing did not respect the king's order, and even led his army to try to force Daliang to seize the throne. Doesn't his actions like this prove the judgment of my ministers? "
Emperor Wei waited calmly for Prince Hongyu to finish speaking. Then he looked at the latter a few times and said in a somewhat disappointed tone: "Do you really think that your opponent is Prince Qing? Do you really think that Prince Qing is Prince Qing?"
The biggest threat?"
"..." Prince Hongyu's face froze upon hearing this, and he looked at Emperor Wei in confusion.
Seeing this, Emperor Wei smiled brightly, shook his head and sighed: "You have worked hard these days. I will clean up the mess for you. You can go back to the palace and rest... This time, don't say that I favor one over the other."
"..." Prince Hongyu opened his mouth, not knowing what to say.
He walked down the audience platform in a daze.
"The opponent this time is not Lao Wu? If not Lao Wu, then who is it? ... Lao Si? Lao Ninth? How is it possible? Or is it Hongrun? Impossible..."
With his father's slightly mocking words in his mind, Prince Hongyu walked towards the depths of the palace in a daze.
Unknowingly, he came to the Jinxiu Palace where his adoptive mother, Concubine Shi, lived during her lifetime. Since Concubine Shi's death, he has not returned to this palace once.
The main reason is that I am afraid of being hurt by seeing things.
Strange to say, even though Concubine Shi is no longer here, when Prince Hongyu returns to Jinxiu Palace, he can still feel an inexplicable sense of relief, and the hesitation, confusion, and frustration in his heart seem to have calmed down a bit.
"Your Highness the Crown Prince."
"Your Highness the Crown Prince?"
The maids of Jinxiu Palace paid tribute to Prince Hongyu one after another.
During this period, a younger palace maid asked timidly and uneasily: "Your Highness, has the rebellion in the city been suppressed?"
However, as soon as the young palace maid finished speaking, she was stopped by an older palace maid.
The reason is very simple, because these palace maids who have served Concubine Shi know that in fact, the Crown Prince in front of them is not Concubine Shi's biological son, but the biological son of the Queen. Therefore, they naturally cannot do what they used to do.
That was not because of anything else, but because of Crown Prince Hongyu's life experience, which made these palace maids who were very familiar with His Highness suddenly feel alienated and unable to be as close as before.
"Don't worry." Prince Hongyu smiled and said with relief: "Those rebels will be suppressed in a short time..."
"That's good." The young palace maid patted her plump chest and breathed a sigh of relief.
Seeing this, Prince Hongyu smiled slightly and said, "Please step aside and leave me alone for a while."
"yes."
After hearing this, the maids retired, leaving only Prince Hongyu sitting alone in the inner hall of Jinxiu Palace.
"...Did I really do something wrong?"
Recalling the panic on the young palace maid's face when she mentioned the rebellion, and hearing the noise outside the Splendid Palace, Prince Hongyu felt a little uncomfortable.
Because Su Wang Zhao Hongrun had clearly warned him, and even he himself knew that the article he published in Chui Gong Hall labeling Qing Wang Hongxin as a traitor would only cause a strong backlash from the latter.
In other words, the civil strife in the Wei State was caused by Zhao Hongyu. If he had not been forced to do so, it would have been impossible for Qing Wang Hongxin to take the risk and raise his troops to rebel.
What was most difficult for him to accept was that his father actually told him that his opponent was not Prince Qing Zhao Hongxin... How could this be possible?!
For a full moment while burning incense, Prince Hongyu turned a deaf ear to the chaos on the other side of the palace gate, concentrating on all kinds of thoughts.
He suddenly thought of the "Jinxiang Mingming" incident that shocked Daliang. Although it was Zhao Hongyu who benefited in the end, it was because his biological mother, Queen Wang, took action in time and sent the imperial guards to kill Qu.
Song of Liang Hou Sima.
Otherwise, if the secret of his secret dealings with Sima Song, the Marquis of Quliang, is later exposed, he and Zhao Hongyu will also be killed along with King Qing Hongxin. In comparison, the circumstances of King Hongxin of Shi Qing are lighter.
"Is it Xiao Luan who is adding fuel to the flames?"
Frowning his brows, Prince Hongyu felt something was wrong.
If Xiao Ni's purpose that day was to bring down Qing Wang Hongxin and Zhao Hongyu together, who would benefit?
After much deliberation, he still couldn't figure it out, but he vaguely believed his father's judgment: Prince Qing Hongxin was probably not the real beneficiary of this rebellion.
"Author's note: According to the original outline, there is actually a plot between Prince Hongyu and Emperor Wei, which can make Prince Hongyu truly understand at this time that his father did not completely treat him as a pawn, but truly tried to use him as a chess piece.
The throne was handed over to him, so Prince Hongyu felt guilty. Unfortunately, some book friends pushed for progress, so let’s just get rid of it. If this book is lucky enough to be made into a TV series in the future, I will make suggestions to the screenwriter when the time comes, if I still remember it.”
"I wonder how the battle is going at the palace gate..."
Prince Hongyu glanced at the window and couldn't help but feel a little anxious.
I don't know how long it took, but Chen Lang, one of the royal guards of Prince Hongyu, hurried to Jinxiu Palace.
Seeing this, Prince Hongyu asked with some urgency: "Chen Lang, how is the battle situation at the palace gate?"
A strange look flashed across Chen Lang's face, and he said hesitantly: "Reporting to the prince, over at the palace gate... Well, King Su has led his troops into the city. I think the rebellion in the city will not last long.
Already..."
Upon hearing "King Su", Prince Hongyu was stunned for a moment, then continued to laugh at himself and feel lonely on his face, nodded and said: "Very good, very good."
After a while, he suddenly laughed.
"Lao Wu is a chess piece, I am a chess piece, and even Hongrun is a chess piece. Every one of my brothers has been played by my father, hahahaha... Father, oh father, you are really good at planning!"
After that, he stood up slowly, and under the shocked gaze of Zongwei Chen Lang, he picked up an oil lamp on the lamppost next to him, looked at the flames jumping in the oil lamp, and murmured: "Prince's Mansion, East Palace
, I’ll leave them all to you, but I won’t let anyone in this Splendid Palace!”
After that, he raised his hand casually and poured the oil cup, the kerosene and the fire core in it on the gauze curtain of the beam.
Suddenly, the gauze curtain burst into flames.
Seeing this, Chen Lang was shocked and said: "His Royal Highness?!"
He was simply incomprehensible.
Looking at Chen Lang's shocked face, Prince Hongyu raised his hand to stop him: "Chen Lang, let me leave the last trace of my face..."
After saying that, he turned to look at Chen Lang and said bitterly: "Your Majesty, I leave it to you."
Chen Lang opened his mouth, but hesitated to speak, but looking at the resolute look in Prince Hongyu's eyes, he looked sad and knelt on the ground with one knee: "Your Highness... don't worry!"
After saying that, he made up his mind, turned around and left.
After glancing at Chen Lang's leaving figure, Prince Hongyu returned to his original seat without looking at the burning beams next to him, recalling the past with tenderness on his face.
After waiting for a while, when the fire got out of control, he vaguely felt as if he saw the figure of his mother, Concubine Shi, in the flames.
"...I disappoint you, concubine."
"Boom"
The main hall collapsed.
At this time, in front of the palace gate, Su Wang Zhao Hongrun was scolding his younger brother Huan Wang Zhao Hongxuan: "Avenge me?! Do you know that you are being used by others?!"
It turned out that after hearing the news that "King Su led troops into the city to quell the rebellion", King Huan Zhao Hongxuan and King Yan Zhao Hongjiang were overjoyed and hurriedly came to look for Zhao Hongrun. Unexpectedly, as soon as they found the latter, Zhao Hongrun started to teach his brother a lesson.
.
It's no wonder that Zhao Hongrun was so angry, because in his opinion, this so-called "Three Kings Revolt", including Qing Wang Zhao Hongxin, might have all been used by Xiao Luan.
In full view of the public, King Huan Zhao Hongxuan was so reprimanded that he could not raise his head. After a while, he said sarcastically: "Brother, you're fine... just fine..."
Next to him, King Yan Zhao Hongjiang also looked embarrassed. After all, he had also heard about the news that "King Su was under house arrest by the crown prince" and "King Su was killed", so he led his troops to attack Daliang in anger.
How could he have thought that his act of avenging Zhao Hongrun, his closest brother, would be used by the remnants of the Xiao family.
Maybe it was due to the talkative people in this place, or maybe it was because the crisis at the palace gate had not yet been resolved. Zhao Hongrun suppressed the anger in his heart and told King Yan Zhao Hongjiang and King Huan Zhao Hongxuan: "Fourth brother, Xiaoxuan, you two immediately send an order to the city gate.
No one is allowed to enter or leave the city, and the rest of the troops are idle and stationed in various streets in the city. On the one hand, they suppress the rebel forces and the King Qing's army, and on the other hand, they pacify the people in the city..."
"Okay, okay." King Yan Zhao Hongjiang and King Huan Zhao Hongxuan knew that Zhao Hongrun was angry at this moment, so they nodded in agreement, then turned around and ran away.
At this time, the Yanling Army, the Shangshui Army, and even the Youma Army, after being delighted to learn that His Highness was safe and sound, had quickly arrived in Daliang City and were fighting against the defecting Imperial Guards, King Qing's Army, and Jiejiao Cavalry.
Together, they blocked the streets and alleys of Daliang, and then attacked near the palace gate.
Seeing the overwhelming troops from Su Wang Zhao Hongrun's side, for some reason, Nanliang King Zhao Yuanzuo felt relieved. He ordered his soldiers to call General Pang Huan, who was directing the war not far away, and told the latter:
: "Pang Huan, pass the order and surrender."
As a loyal Zongwei to Zhao Yuanzuo, King of Southern Liang, Pang Huan would naturally not disobey the latter's orders.
However, when Pang Huan was about to go to give the order, he saw Yi Wang Zhao Hongyin frowning at Zhao Yuanzuo, the Nanliang King, and said: "Third Uncle, you..."
Raising his hand to signal Pang Huan to wait a moment, Nanliang King Zhao Yuanzuo sighed slightly and said, "Your Majesty, it was our side that lost..."
Yiwang Zhao Hongyin looked ugly. He glanced at the palace just around the corner and clenched his fists involuntarily.
It was clear that he was only a little short of becoming the king of Wei.
But reason told him that Southern Liang King Zhao Yuanzuo was right. The moment Su King Zhao Hongrun came forward, they were completely defeated.
After thinking for a moment, Yi Wang Zhao Hongyin lowered his voice and said: "Third uncle, the matter has come to an end. Prince Qing, Marquis Huyao, as well as Marquis Yuanling, Marquis Wanlong, Marquis Gaoyang, Marquis Pingcheng, and Marquis Kuangcheng, one
You can’t stay either!”
Zhao Yuanzuo, the king of Southern Liang, remained silent.
Seeing this, Yi Wang Zhao Hongyin urged: "Third uncle?"
Zhao Yuanzuo, the King of Nanliang, took a deep look at Yi Wang Zhao Hongyin, then nodded and said, "I understand. Your Majesty, please leave first."
After receiving the reply from Zhao Yuanzuo, King of Nanliang, Yi Wang Zhao Hongyin quickly left under the protection of several guards.
At this time, Pang Huan walked up to Nanliang King Zhao Yuanzuo and asked in a low voice: "Your Majesty, do you really want to do this?"
"Even if those people don't die, the Fourth Brother will not let them go lightly...kill them!" Zhao Yuanzuo, the king of Nanliang, said with a serious face.
"But if this happens, you..." Deep worry flashed across Pang Huan's face.
Zhao Yuanzuo, the king of Nanliang, sighed and said with a wry smile: "No matter what, I am in doom this time, so just think of it as... I have repaid the favor I gave you back then. I won't owe him anything this time to help him deal with the aftermath...
…”
Pang Huan nodded, and then asked cautiously: "Then Prince Qing..."
A trace of hesitation flashed in the eyes of Nanliang King Zhao Yuanzuo, and he hesitated to speak.
Seeing this, Pang Huan understood.
A moment later, when the soldiers and horses under the command of Su Wang Zhao Hongrun came from all directions to the palace, the anti-rebel troops in front of the palace were desperate and surrendered one after another.
Whether it was Zhao Yuanzuo, the king of Southern Liang, or his generals Yang Yu, Meng Luo, Pang Huan, Chen Ji, etc., they were all captured without hesitation.
Seeing that the situation had been decided, Li Zheng, who had been paying attention to the fighting situation around the palace gate, ordered the city gate to be opened and put Su Wang Zhao Hongrun and his Shang Shui army into the palace.
Although some of the imperial guards guarding the palace gate were the confidants of Prince Hongyu, at this moment, they did not dare to disobey Li Zheng's order, or in other words, they did not dare to block the footsteps of King Su's army.
At this time, Zhao Hongrun didn't care so much and entered the palace on his mount.
Not far away, Zhao Hongrun saw his father's royal family chief, Li Zheng, the president of the Three Guards Army, and some imperial guards and imperial guards coming to greet him, saying: "Thankfully, His Highness Prince Su turned the tide."
However, Zhao Hongrun did not respond and asked expressionlessly: "Where is your father?"
"Your Majesty?" Li Zheng's eyes flashed with a strange color, and he said swornly: "Your Majesty's dragon body is not in good condition, and he is still in the Manna Palace..."
"Huh?" Zhao Hongrun snorted softly, with an expression that looked like a smile but not a smile, which made Li Zheng feel guilty for some reason.
Fortunately, Zhao Hongrun had no intention of arguing with Li Zheng, an unrelated person, and immediately ordered Shang Shuijun to be responsible for maintaining law and order in the palace, especially in Ningxiang Palace, while he himself came directly with a team of guards.
Arrive at Ganlu Hall.
When Zhao Hongrun came to the inner hall of Ganlu Hall in a hurry, he saw his father lying on the couch, looking like he was dying.