Chapter 697: Li Siye enters Chang'an on a white horse
Yuan Zai and Xiao Hua's upper bodies were tied tightly with ropes, and their lower bodies were riding on horses. The reins of the horses were pulled by long ropes by the cavalry in front, and they were swaying along with the bumps on the road.
After this partnership, the gap between the two deepened, and they despised each other. Now they seem to have relieved themselves of their burdens, and they pass the time by bickering.
"Mr. Xiao, you haven't thought about it, have you? When you first entered Hexi to investigate the case, it was a smooth journey. You were welcomed and escorted by people, and you were rewarded with large sums of money and beautiful women. You didn't accept it. Now that you have become a prisoner, what else do you want to say?
"
Xiao Hua glanced at him with contempt and snorted: "Aren't you tied up too?"
"Ha, I am different. I have made great contributions to Prime Minister Yang. The misunderstanding of entering Chang'an will naturally be solved. It goes without saying that I will be promoted to a higher position."
"You are a despicable person who only cares about your own future and does not care about the country. I am ashamed to be associated with you."
Yuan Zai chuckled and said: "I think you are too naive. You think about supporting the country all day long. What will happen if the country is separated from you? None of the Gonggun princes in the court have your vision and ability? Li Siye is running a trade route in Hexi.
, if others don’t stand up, why do you have to stand out like this?”
Xiao Hua closed her eyes and sighed heavily: "Our Tang Dynasty is full of short-sighted people like you, how can the country not be in danger? What did you see when we entered Hexi this time? What I saw is that the weather in Hexi is extraordinary
As usual, this place was already rich, and now the Western Region Chamber of Commerce is making a lot of money. Li Siye, the governor of the three towns, has a heavy army. Although the military strength of Anxi, Beiting, and Hexi is not as good as that of Youyan in Hedong, their elite combat power is far better than that of Anlu.
Mountain. Now Li Siye occupies thousands of miles of land in the Western Region, and is constantly looking for excuses to expand his troops. There are thousands of miles of pastures under the Qilian Mountains, and thousands of miles of greenery along the Yili River in the Tianshan Mountains. He occupies two major horse breeding lands, and has trade routes and financial resources. If he retreats, he can stand on his own in Wushaoling.
To conquer the Central Plains, advance across the Yellow River and Han Valley to capture Guanzhong. If Li Siye is ambitious, the world will be in danger."
Yuan Zai shook his head and said: "Otherwise, although Hexi is strong, the population is sparse and it is not enough to become a king. Someone in the court said that Anlu Mountain in Youzhou has strong soldiers and horses and wants to commit rebellion. Instead of doubting him, you doubt Li Siye? Why is this?"
"The strength of Youyan can bring disaster to the Central Plains, but if there is a change in Longyou, Shenzhou will overthrow and Jiuding will rotate. Before Li Siye took over, the biggest shortcomings of Hexi, Anxi, and Beiting were the insufficient storage of granaries. But now Anxi has sufficient wealth.
You can buy grain from the Central Plains to fill your warehouses, and you can also encourage farming to reward farming and fighting. The master of a vassal town can reward his subordinates with private wealth. If things go on like this, the soldiers in Hexi only know the military envoys, and how can they know the saints of the court?"
After Xiao Langzhong said these words, he turned around from his horse and looked behind him in the distance. The rope was holding his body and he couldn't turn around enough, so he could only twist his neck hard.
The vast undulations of Wushaoling outline the clear sky, with peaks and ridges gathering together, and white clouds flowing over the top, just like a white horse passing through the gap in time and space.
…
In June of the Thirteenth Year of Tianbao, Fan Yangping, the governor of the three towns in Luhedong, An Lushan, impeached Li Siye for monopolizing the trade routes in the Western Regions and amassing wealth for personal gain. Emperor Xuanzong of the Tang Dynasty ordered Li Siye to come to Beijing in order to mediate between the northwest vassal town and Youyan Liaodong vassal town.
contradiction.
Li Siye rode a white horse and entered Chang'an with only two followers. They crossed the Wei River and arrived at the Jinguang Gate of Chang'an City.
He was wearing a crimson cloak, a purple crotch-less robe, and a black gauze bun with a silver hairpin on his head. The passage of time had made him officially enter middle age, and his temples were already showing signs of vicissitudes. All the events of yesterday were still before his eyes.
It's like a dream.
He raised his riding whip and pointed at the cornices and brackets on the top of Jinguangmen City. He turned around and asked Yan Xiaosi behind him: "Xiaosi, how many times have you come to Chang'an with me?"
Yan Xiaosi raised his arms and crossed his hands and said, "Doctor, I have come to Chang'an with you seven times."
"Seven times." Li Siye let out a long sigh and said, "That's right. I didn't expect that time flies so fast and half of my life has passed like this."
"I think..." Yan Xiaosi hesitated, and Li Siye glanced at him and asked, "What's wrong? Just say what you have to say."
"I feel that it is not safe to come to Chang'an this time. The doctor only has me and Dao Rou with him. If something unexpected happens, I'm afraid it will be difficult for me to protect the doctor."
Li Siye smiled and reassured him: "Don't worry, I will enter Chang'an today without any surprises or danger. Let's go and enter the city gate."
It was early in the morning, and the streets of Jinguangmen were bustling with people. As soon as the merchants saw Li Siye's attire, they all retreated to the side to hide.
Li Siye did not return to the Xiliang Prince's residence in Guangfufang first, but went to Fan Yang to enter the memorial hall. Cao Anding and Michagan were waiting at the door to greet him. When they saw Li Siye coming on horseback, they quickly knelt down on one knee.
Li Siye got off his horse and helped the two of them up, waved his hand and said, "Let's talk after we go in."
Several people entered the back hall of the residence, and Li Siye sat down on the main seat. The two of them came forward one after another to report to him the recent trends in Chang'an City and the situation in Anlu Mountain. Overall, the situation was very good, and it was almost as expected by Li Siye.
.
At this time, a Chinese clerk from the hospital slipped through the door and entered the hall. He whispered a few words next to Cao Anding. He nodded and came to Li Siye and whispered: "There are guests waiting to see you in the right wing."
"Okay, I'll be there right away."
He came to the right wing of the backyard and knocked lightly on the door. Someone inside opened the partition, but it was Dou Hua, a member of the Zhongshu House, who stood behind the door with a serious face and crossed his hands. He looked the same as when he usually served the right minister.
Smiling and flattering is completely different, as if he has a different face.
"Dou Hua has met Dr. Li."
Li Siye put his arms around his shoulders and said with a smile: "Why do we need so many false gifts between you and me? Come on, sit down quickly."
The two sat cross-legged on a felt, and Li Siye asked him, "How is Prime Minister Yang doing lately?"
Dou Hua smiled bitterly and nodded: "It has indeed calmed down a lot. Dr. Li, what you said in your letter to teach me and what strategies you suggested, I have repeated them according to the original words, and now it seems to be working well. I just have some feelings in my heart.
I have doubts, doctor, why do you want Yang Guozhong to passively shift the conflict between you and An Lushan? In fact, a fight between An Lushan and Yang Guozhong is in your best interest."
"The one that matches is not necessarily the best." Li Siye squinted his eyes and said in a deep voice: "An Lushan has always had the intention to rebel. Yang Guozhong represents the saint in the court, and he does not know the importance of advancing or retreating. If the conflict with An Lushan deepens and intensifies
, will cause An Lushan to take risks and conspire in advance. If there is a conflict between me and An Lushan, the Chang'an court can also act as a mediator and buffer. If there is a conflict between the court and An Lushan, who else can buffer it?
This is also the expectation and strategy of a saint. How can inheritance be covered up by petty selfishness and destroy great righteousness?"
"What a man who doesn't destroy justice with petty selfishness." Dou Hua stepped forward in admiration, crossed his hands and said: "Compared to you, Yang Guozhong is so narrow-minded and partial. He thinks about the prime minister's self-dignity every day. Don't you know that the more selfish he is?
The more short-sighted he is, the more An Lushan looks down on him. When Li Linfu, the right prime minister in the past, was in power, although he set up unjust prisons to eliminate dissidents, he often looked beyond the big picture and could easily intimidate the governors of various places. "
"That's fair to say. I hope Dou Sheren is by Yang Guozhong's side and can give him more advice."
"I'm afraid that this person relies on his power and refuses to listen to me. Alas, take care of yourself, doctor. Dou Hua can't stay long. See you some other time."
Li Siye stepped out of the porch with him and watched him quickly walk towards the back door of Jinzou Courtyard. Cao Anding came to his side again, waiting for him to issue new orders.
"Tomorrow we will go to Yang Guozhong's mansion in Kaihuafang and then change into the palace the day after tomorrow."