There are many people in Linzhou, hundreds of thousands of people inside and outside the city alone.
They all gathered because the emperor was here. The emperor's departure from Linzhou would certainly cause turmoil.
The resettlement of people is a big problem.
Cui Zheng said: "Your Majesty, don't worry. Of course, we must make proper arrangements before leaving. We cannot take everyone back to the capital. We need to disperse them to various cities and equip them with enough soldiers and horses to guard you. Moreover, when your Majesty leaves Linzhou, the thieves will not be watching.
Linzhou is considered safe here..."
"Prime Minister, we can't relocate them." The emperor interrupted, "Most of these people are not from Linzhou."
When Linzhou was besieged by the rebels, almost all the soldiers and civilians in Linzhou died. Now Linzhou has hundreds of thousands of people, some of whom migrated here with the imperial army, and some who gathered from all directions after the emperor ascended the throne.
"This is not their hometown." The emperor said, "If I leave, they must follow me. How can I keep them? Should I let the soldiers and horses lock them in the city? Let the soldiers and horses drive them away and not follow me?"
Of course that's not possible, Cui Zheng pondered.
"Even if I ignore them, they follow them and are massacred by the rebels along the way. How can I turn a blind eye? Even if I leave Linzhou quickly, if Linzhou is attacked by the rebels out of anger and slaughters hundreds of thousands of people, how can I be in the capital?
Can you sit still?"
The emperor started crying when he said this.
"The reason why I am here today is because the people of Linzhou protect each other. I cannot abandon them and ignore them."
Cui Zhengdao: "I know that your Majesty is kind, but at this time, your Majesty should return to the capital as soon as possible to bring peace to the world, so that more people in Daxia can be saved from suffering."
The emperor looked at the palms of his hands and saw that they were full of hard-to-separate flesh: "Master Prime Minister, how can we have both?"
He raised his head and looked at Cui Zheng.
"Why don't the prime minister take Wu'er back to the capital first to appeal to the world and stabilize the people's hearts? I will stay in Linzhou and return to the capital after the thieves are punished."
Cui Zheng said flatly: "How is that possible? When it is..."
He had to blurt out his words, but he bit the tip of his tongue and cleared them up in time under the emperor's gaze.
"...I and my ministers will relieve your majesty's worries."
He took two steps back, leaned over and saluted.
"Your Majesty, please wait a moment while I summon all ministers for discussion."
...
...
The lights were flickering on the palace road. Cui Zheng was led by a small official carrying a lantern, and his figures were swaying on the ground.
"Then your Majesty doesn't want to go back?" the clerk asked in a low voice.
Cui Zheng said: "No."
His voice was faint, and the flickering light occasionally shone on his face, and you could see that his face was livid.
If possible, His Majesty would run to the capital now. It's not that he doesn't want to go back, nor is he worried about the people of Linzhou, he is worried about his own safety! He is afraid of being robbed and killed by Ankang Mountain on the way!
He actually said such words.
"Your Majesty said that you want the Prime Minister and the Fifth Prince to return to the capital first?" The clerk heard what he said and whispered, "That's not bad. It's safer to go separately."
Cui Zheng clenched his hands in his sleeves, but the emperor didn't really mean it.
The emperor wanted him to say the next sentence, "Your Majesty must not do it. Your Majesty should return to the capital first, while I and the fifth prince stay in Linzhou to calm the people."
What's wrong with the people? It's obviously an old habit that happened again!
This means I want to run! Run secretly.
How can the people be pacified by leaving the imperial court and the fifth prince behind in Linzhou? Only by deceiving everyone that the emperor is still there, and the emperor is the one left behind, can the people be pacified, and the emperor will not alarm the people wherever he goes in the name of the fifth prince.
You can't say these words to anyone. Cui Zheng looked solemn and annoyed. Where is the majesty of Da Xiazi!
.......
.......
"He just wants me to suffer."
In the dim palace that saved lamp oil, the emperor sat on the dragon bed, looking at the tank of fish on the desk and murmuring in anger.
"It's not like I lost this world. He makes me feel uneasy every day and tremble every night."
The emperor broke off a piece of cake bit by bit, crushed it and threw it into the fish tank, his hateful expression softened again.
"Eat, eat, this is what I saved from my rations for you."
The fish shook their tails and fought for it, creating circles of water ripples and shattering the shadow cast by the emperor. The emperor's face turned livid again.
"At this time, you should let me go back secretly and leave immediately. The longer you wait, the more trouble you will have."
"The people can't see whether I'm here or not. It's not you who has the final say!"
Having said this, he smashed half of the pastry in his hand into the water.
"Don't think that I don't know. You have a small guard of honor, but you just want me to die in Linzhou!"
The fish were fighting for each other, shaking and splashing in the water. A servant leaned out of the curtain and called to His Majesty: "It's time for Your Majesty to rest. Take care of your dragon body."
The emperor put his hands on his knees: "I understand, I'm going to rest."
The waiter came in to serve.
The emperor asked: "Are the people preparing to return to Beijing? Are you happy?"
The chamberlain whispered: "No, Your Majesty, everyone seems to be crying. They even ran to the government office to cry and beg Your Majesty not to leave."
The emperor was shocked: "Why?"
The chamberlain looked outside, which made the emperor's face look a little ugly, but he didn't live alone in this palace, Cui Zheng was also there.
"Nowadays, everyone is saying that there are many traps set up along the Ankang Mountain, which will make it difficult for thousands of troops." The chamberlain whispered, "Seven or eight thousand people from the capital died along the way, and they came here."
The emperor was even more surprised: "Really? How is it possible?"
"My servant asked Liu Fan to question him, and he flatly denied it. He said that only three thousand soldiers and horses came, and that the dead men were also due to illness." The servant whispered, "I don't know how the news spread outside."
The emperor stood up and took a few steps: "What should we do?"
The chamberlain hurriedly reassured: "Don't worry, Your Majesty. The Prime Minister and the officials have already reassured the people, saying that Your Majesty will not leave and will definitely arrange everyone before returning to Beijing."
The emperor sat down and breathed a sigh of relief: "That's good, that's good."
The chamberlain curled his lips: "Then your Majesty really won't leave? You don't need your Majesty to arrange the people. There are so many officials here. The Prime Minister is really..."
The emperor interrupted him: "Don't say this, the prime minister is devoted to the court."
"Your Majesty is kind and easy to talk to." The chamberlain complained, "The prime minister is devoted to the court, but not to Your Majesty."
"You slave, stop talking." The emperor waved his hand, "I'm going to have a rest, why don't you let me have a good sleep?"
The chamberlain responded that the servant was guilty, lowered the curtain and retreated outside. The emperor called him again from inside.
Through the curtains, the emperor's low voice came: "Inquire more about what's going on outside."
The chamberlain leaned over and responded: "Your Majesty, don't worry, your servants are all watching."
There was no more sound inside the curtain, and the waiter slowly withdrew.
...
...
When it was daylight, Liu Fan followed the minor officials and entered the palace again. This time, it was not Cui Zheng or the emperor who summoned him, but Xiang Yun.
"I am now in charge of guarding Linzhou and arranging troops and horses when I return to Beijing, so I came to ask Mr. Liu to tell me more about the journey."
Xiang Yun sat in front of the case, his face a little weak, but his voice was calm.
There were many generals crowded in the narrow room.
Liu Fanshili responded and told him everything about the journey after leaving the capital. Xiang Yun listened attentively, while marking the map spread out in front of him, and the generals gathered around to discuss and give guidance in low voices.
"Captain Xiang." Liu Fan finished speaking and asked, "Is this the way to go?"
Hearing his sudden question, Jiang You, who was standing aside, frowned. Isn't this inappropriate? It's not Xiang Yun who has the final say whether he can leave or not. This Mrs. Chu's wife is really arrogant.
Xiang Yun has already spoken: "I can leave, no problem."
Liu Fan then saluted: "It is indeed Governor Xiang."
Jiang You also breathed a sigh of relief. Of course Governor Xiang could go, even if he didn't have three thousand soldiers and horses, he could go this way. He only spoke about himself and did not represent others.
Liu Fan asked what else. Someone came in and whispered a few words to Xiang Yun. Xiang Yun stood up and said to everyone: "Mingyu is back and has gone to His Majesty."
Hearing this sentence, the generals in the room looked a little complicated.
"This is too outrageous." said an older general. "Running out without saying goodbye in such a dangerous time is subject to military law."
Jiang You said: "I'm afraid that age will have to be discussed before military law at this time."
Xiang Yun interrupted them: "Okay, stop talking, Mingyu will explain to His Majesty."
He looked at Liu Fan and stood up to invite.
"Mr. Liu, come with me. We will go to see His Majesty and have a discussion with Governor Li."
Liu Fan knew who the Mingyu and Governor Li they were talking about were. It sounded like the young governor had done something inappropriate, so he answered yes.
Xiang Yun took Liu Fan to the main hall while sitting on the shoulder carriage gifted by the emperor.
"I have long admired the name of the Lady of Chu." Xiang Yun chatted with Jiang You on the way, "When Governor Wu left Linzhou, I knew that the recapture of the capital was just around the corner."
Liu Fandao: "This battle opportunity is fleeting. Madam took a risk and found the right time, place and people to capture the capital."
"It is true that fighter planes are rare, and it is not something ordinary people dare to take risks." Xiang Yun nodded, and then clasped his hands in a salute, "Thanks to Madam for not disdainful of my nephew Xiang Nan, I entrusted Huainan Road to him for guarding."
Liu Fan returned the favor: "Here in Huainan, the one who can fight against Andezhong's rebels is none other than Xiang Weisu."
Not talking about guarding Huainan Road, but only talking about fighting against the Andezhong rebels. Xiang Yun smiled and accepted his compliments without saying anything else. When the palace where the emperor held meetings arrived, Xiang Yun got off the shoulder carriage, and a chamberlain ran forward to help him.
.
"Is Mingyu still here with Your Majesty?" Xiang Yun asked.
The chamberlain whispered: "I've been in there for a while, and I'm crying. Your Majesty is coaxing me."
Xiang Yun smiled and said: "My father-in-law, please tell me..."
Before he finished speaking, a young man's raised voice came from the hall.
"Your Majesty, you cannot go back to the capital! Who asked you to go back to the capital? It is to harm your majesty!"
Xiang Yun paused and glanced at Liu Fan beside him. Liu Fan frowned slightly. This guy... is not good.