SWDnovel 0030 What was the biggest problem with the Empress's ascension to the throne in the Dayong Dyna
0030 What was the biggest problem with the Empress's ascension to the throne in the Dayong Dyna
Yan Li resigned himself to his fate.
It's not that he's fragile, but that reality is too surreal.
Shen Changsheng was resurrected and joined forces with Yuwen Zhe; such things have all happened.
What else is impossible?
Of course, Chen Zhong's methods also played a part.
Yan Li had his Qi Hai point depleted, his essence and blood drained, his joints dislocated, and his acupoints sealed.
Aside from speaking, he was almost completely unable to move.
He was extremely weak.
Zhao Jing further activated the Buddhist pagoda to suppress his mind and completely subdue him.
Yan Li conceded defeat, and Zhao Jing smiled faintly:
"I ask, you answer."
"Yes, Young Master Yuwen."
"Where is Her Highness?"
Yan Li replied:
"Her Highness the Princess is still in the palace, trying to persuade His Majesty."
"I heard from Lord Baili that His Majesty has always refused to hand over the Imperial Seal, and the palace is heavily guarded."
"Your Highness can only surround them and negotiate with His Majesty."
really?
It should be true.
Although the eldest princess wiped out the Nine Dragons and killed most of their sons and nephews, the aftereffects of patricide were too great.
If you can avoid killing, then don't.
In any case, Emperor Hongjing's days were numbered.
It's just a little strange.
Zhao Jing continued to ask:
"Even with Father joining forces with the Prince of Zhenbei and Abbot Liaochen, they couldn't easily defeat him?"
"They actually ordered His Majesty to activate the palace's grand formation?"
The Xuanwu Gate Incident was clearly a two-pronged attack.
The eldest princess was responsible for killing the nine dragons, while Yuwen Huan and others were responsible for capturing Emperor Hongjing.
The latter is more important.
How could Young Master Yuwen not know?
Was this a deliberate test?
Although Yan Li had doubts, due to anemia and impaired intelligence, he subconsciously answered:
"The young master is away, and there is nothing I may know about this."
"Prime Minister Li has made his move."
"Li Xiang was originally a clay or wooden statue of a bodhisattva who never got involved in anything, but this time he actually stepped in to stop the Grand Tutor."
"What's even more astonishing is that Prime Minister Li actually possesses the cultivation level of a Grandmaster."
Li Xiang, Li Xuanqing.
Although he was the prime minister, he did not belong to the Confucian school; he came from the Taoist school and advocated governing by non-action.
If we don't cause trouble and do less, the world will be at peace.
We oppose all foreign wars and refuse any unnecessary expenditures.
That's why everyone, from the Grand Tutor and the Prince of Zhenbei to others, had a lot of opinions about him.
Confucian scholars often attacked him as a wooden prime minister, but to no avail.
Unexpectedly, at the crucial moment, it was he who came to protect the emperor.
No wonder the battle in the palace is not over yet.
Could this be an opportunity?
If we find someone to help Prime Minister Li, we can severely injure Yuwen Huan...
Just as Zhao Jing had this thought, Yan Li added:
"But don't worry, young master."
"Prime Minister Li has stated that he will protect His Majesty and is willing to resign as prime minister."
Even a seventh-rank official before the prime minister, Yan Li was the head of the gatekeepers at the princess's residence, and his information network was terrifyingly extensive.
"We should have the results around tomorrow."
"News has come from the palace that His Majesty is simply unable to get over it."
"Prime Minister Li told the princess that he would persuade His Majesty."
Forget it, I can't count on them.
Li Xuanqing was not exactly a staunchly loyal minister.
For him, as long as the situation is stable, it doesn't matter if the emperor is changed.
As for his grandfather's temperament, Zhao Jing knew it all too well.
She's probably throwing a tantrum.
Like a child, after throwing a tantrum, they still back down.
……
Yujing, the Imperial Palace
Emperor Hongjing roared:
"No, no, I absolutely forbid it!"
"No matter how many times I say it, I will never hand over the imperial seal!"
"Otherwise, how will I face my ancestors after my death!"
"Do you all intend to kill your ruler?!"
The "Heavenly Mandate Bone," the dream of becoming an emperor for all ages, is like a bubble.
It shattered with a soft pop.
The past three years have felt like a dream.
Emperor Hongjing was of mediocre talent and unable to control his ministers; he could only resort to playing the game of imperial psychology.
He first established a crown prince, and then instigated a power struggle to establish a balance of power.
As a result, the struggle for succession among the nine princes led to the emergence of many talented individuals.
Emperor Hongjing then supported the eldest princess in reducing the power of the princes.
As soon as the princess had a chance to take off, she issued three imperial edicts, ordering the army to halt.
He's gone too far now.
How could I possibly admit that it was my fault?
"With the passing of the kings, the country cannot be without a crown prince for even a day."
"For the sake of the Great Yong Dynasty, Your Majesty, please reconsider."
"Your Majesty, the Eldest Princess is wise and decisive..."
"This old minister is willing to escort Your Majesty to flee to Jiangnan."
"Your Majesty, there must be no surrender to the Emperor."
……
Countless voices of persuasion buzzed around like flies.
The ministers each held their own opinion, and a heated argument ensued.
Emperor Hongjing sat on the dragon throne, wishing he could draw his sword and kill everyone in the hall.
"I will not listen to anyone!"
"Shut up, all of you, and get out of my way!"
The hall fell into a deathly silence, and even the loyal ministers who supported Emperor Hongjing felt a deep sense of despair.
Only the grand formation remained of the imperial palace.
Once the princess leads a large army, how long can the formation hold out?
"You may all step back."
"Please allow Your Majesty to have some peace and quiet!"
When Chancellor Li Xuanqing spoke, the assembled officials were astonished.
It felt like I was meeting this old man for the first time.
Who would have thought that this quail-like prime minister could actually stand up to Yuwen Huan?
Three strokes!
He blocked three of Yuwen Huan's attacks before being defeated, buying Emperor Hongjing time to activate the great formation.
Otherwise, the coup would have ended long ago.
This prime minister, who rarely formed cliques and was practically invisible, gained absolute authority for the first time.
"Yes, Your Excellency."
The officials withdrew one after another, offering no further advice.
After all, what's the point of internal strife within the royal family?
Soon, only two people remained in the main hall. Even the eunuchs and maids had to take their leave under Li Xuanqing's gaze.
It was as if he were the emperor.
Emperor Hongjing's tone was unfriendly:
"Xuanqing, are you also going to betray me?"
Clearly, Emperor Hongjing had developed a grudge against his old friend.
But Li Xuanqing coughed twice:
"Ahem, Your Majesty."
"It's not that this old minister has betrayed Your Majesty, it's just that circumstances are beyond our control."
"Your Majesty, these words should not be heard by a third party."
As soon as he finished speaking, Li Xuanqing unleashed his domain, and a Tai Chi diagram slowly appeared around his body.
The main hall was completely sealed off.
Emperor Hongjing did not panic; instead, he calmed down.
"Xuanqing, what do you want to do?"
Li Xuanqing lowered his voice:
"Your Majesty, the capital garrison is silent; Gu Changfeng has not yet arrived."
"The Nine Gates Admiral has gone missing, and Yin Wujiu's whereabouts are unknown."
"Whether they surrender or die, Her Highness has taken control of the situation."
Emperor Hongjing's sixty-year-old foundation was destroyed in an instant.
Loyal and strong men either die or surrender.
Li Xuanqing had never seen anything like this before, and coughed a few more times:
"Ahem!"
"Xuanqing, are you alright?"
Emperor Hongjing still cared about his old friend after all.
Li Xuanqing replied:
"This old minister is fine."
"Another point is that Yuwen Huan is already a half-step Immortal."
"If this old minister doesn't expose himself, there's nothing we can do about him."
Li Xuanqing was a prime minister made of wood, which does not mean he did nothing; he simply advocated governing by non-interference.
This is both a policy direction and a martial will.
Only in this way can one become a grandmaster.
Li Xuanqing, a grandmaster, could only withstand three moves.
Emperor Hongjing said resentfully:
"Why didn't my grandfather kill this scoundrel sooner? He's caused such trouble until now!"
Grand Tutor Yuwen was a senior minister of Emperor Shizong.
Emperor Shizong appointed talented individuals to important positions, revitalized Dayong, washed away the shame of the Yan-Yun War, reclaimed Liangzhou and Yanzhou, and restored the prestige of Dayong.
This marked the restoration of Emperor Shizong's reign.
Grand Tutor Yuwen was a veteran of three reigns.
Unfortunately, the old ministers who had helped him restore the dynasty became too powerful, which made Emperor Hongjing's life extremely frustrating.
This made him unable to help but complain.
Li Xuanqing advised:
"Even setting aside Yuwen Huan, doesn't Your Majesty think the power of the Imperial Seal is too weak?"
"There may be unforeseen events at the imperial mausoleum, which could render the power of the late emperor ineffective."
"If one possessed the power of a terrestrial deity, one might not be unable to put up a fight."
"But now, the palace's grand formation is not functioning properly."
"Moreover, experts from the Xiliang Army, the Beifu Army, and the Xuanwu Army are continuously heading to Yujing."
"Does His Majesty still expect the reinforcements to come to his aid?"
The Great Yong Dynasty had a total of five field armies and three major military groups in the north, all of which supported the eldest princess.
The remaining two are beyond our reach.
Ultimately, the sudden alliance of the three major military groups is truly terrifying.
The Imperial Guards were completely unaware.
The Xuanwu Army suddenly turned against them, while the Beijing Garrison remained inactive.
The Princess Alliance swept through the land like a rainbow, catching Emperor Hongjing completely off guard.
He still can't figure out where things went wrong.
Seeing that Emperor Hongjing had tacitly acknowledged these facts, Li Xuanqing continued:
"If Your Majesty delays for a few more days, Yuwen Huan will be able to rely on the army to assemble his forces and break through the palace."
"What will Your Majesty do when the great formation is no longer protecting you?"
The Imperial Palace Array was created by the royal family over countless years with immense effort.
With the great formation in place, even if the emperor is not the strongest, he can still maintain his rule over the world.
The eldest princess was unwilling to destroy it, but Yuwen Huan might not be.
Therefore, Li Xuanqing persuaded him to surrender.
Emperor Hongjing was furious:
"Xuanqing, you're absolutely right."
"But she killed her brothers to seize the throne. How can I face our ancestors?"
Will there still be food for the living in the future?
Li Xuanqing countered with a question:
"Your Majesty, if we don't choose the eldest princess, who can shoulder this heavy responsibility?"
Emperor Hongjing was still hesitant:
"But if she relies on the Yuwen family, will she still be able to offer sacrifices to the Zhao family in the future?"
"The Yuwen family will definitely plot rebellion."
"You should know about the matter of returning to one's ancestral lineage after three generations."
"If the ancestral temple collapses then, I will be a sinner for all eternity."
Li Xuanqing then smiled:
"The princess is wise and will not be content to be a puppet."
"Regardless of the nature of their relationship, conflicts are bound to arise regarding sacrificial rites."
"Who will receive the offerings?"
"Your Majesty, there is plenty of time in the future."
Emperor Hongjing suddenly realized the truth.