"Now that Imperial Father is seriously ill,
The Imperial Court is in chaos,
People's hearts are different,
How should I deal with it? "
The King of Qin sat at the head of the table and did not talk nonsense.
He directly went to the main topic.
Jia Xie's father-in-law, Zhang Xu, stroked his long beard.
He muttered, "I think that although the Emperor's body is not well,
General He Qi still has the military power of Lam Tin Tai Camp,
Guarding all parts of the capital,
The Prince cannot act rashly,
It's better to wait and see! "
There are risks in a mutiny,
Decision-making needs to be cautious.
"I don't agree with Minister Zhang's words,
You have to know that if something happens to the Emperor, the Crown Prince, as the heir to the throne, will naturally ascend to the throne.
Even if the Emperor continues to hold on and is determined to depose the Crown Prince, the position of heir to the throne may not necessarily be given to the Prince.
Therefore, I think that the one who strikes first has the advantage, should be decisive! "
Kang Hetai was obviously an aggressive person.
There were also many supporters of these two views.
Although there were only a few dozen people in the hall, the quarrel was not worse than in the Imperial Court.
Everyone had their reasons,
What the old woman said made sense. For a moment, the Duke of Qin couldn't figure out the reason.
Because Feng Zizhi was in charge of Dongchang, the Crown Prince and the other Princes' disciples tried every possible way to avoid Dongchang's eyes and ears to enter the Eastern Palace and the Prince's Mansion.
The members of the King of Qin's party only needed to enter the Prince's Mansion through the back door.
The King of Qin rubbed his temples with a headache.
He turned his head and asked the two men sitting leisurely next to him, "I don't know what Yan Nian and Jingya have to say to me?
"
This voice made the people who were still arguing look at Feng Zizhi and Jia Lian.
Feng Zizhi gently put down the teacup in his hand,
He said unhurriedly, "Last night, You Shitai entered the Eastern Palace.
After that, the Crown Prince sent people to contact and mobilize the Crown Prince's Left Guard Commander and the Crown Prince's Left Guard Commander. Jingtai and Jingwang both went to the Jin Mansion.
Yesterday, the Prince of Qi's Secondary Consort used the excuse of being pregnant and missing her family to summon Commander Jian and his wife from the Warden's Office of the Five Cities. The Prince of Kang separately entered the Prince of Chu's Estate and the Prince of Ning's Estate. After entering the palace to attend to the sick, he entered Imperial Consort Wen's Xiangkun Palace. Afterwards, Imperial Consort Wen rewarded a pot of chrysanthemum to the Marchioness of Changxing.
"
The Crown Prince, Prince Jin, and Prince Qi were obviously contacting the soldiers. Everyone knew what Sima Zhao was thinking.
Although the Chu royal party had been ordered by Emperor Wen Of Zhou to reflect on their mistakes in seclusion due to the core of the Chu royal party, the King of Chu and the resourceful King of Ning, with the King of Kang acting as a middleman and Imperial Consort Wen personally asking her family to make preparations, this was not a problem at all.
As soon as these words were spoken, the entire hall was in an uproar.
Among them, Kang Hetai was the most agitated. He slapped the table and shouted, "Your Highness, we can't wait any longer!
The Crown Prince, Prince Jin, and Prince Qi are already preparing to make their move!
"
Stupid. "
Feng Zizhi lowered his eyes, revealing half of his white wrist. He raised his hand to pick up the teapot and virtuously filled the Jia Lian's cup to the bottom.
This tea was the glowing tea that the Jia Lian had given him in the past. It was brewed with mountain spring water and was a top-notch tea. After drinking it, one would feel refreshed and refreshed, so he had specially brought it to brew.
The Jia Lian took out a bag of things from his bosom as if he was presenting a treasure and spread it open on the table. It was crystal-clear sugar-coated haws from Uncle Eggfork.
The two of them looked at each other and smiled. As if there was no one else around, they drank tea and ate sugar-coated haws in the middle of a large group of civil officials who were arguing until their faces were red. It was as if the fight for the throne had nothing to do with them. The two of them were full of friendship.
This public display of affection made Kang Hetai, who was over fifty years old, blind.
Although as a scholar, Kang Hetai had a natural disdain for eunuchs, he had personally witnessed the 'wisdom' of this Changdu of Dongchang and was very impressed.
Although he couldn't stand the leisurely attitude of the two people in front of him, he still maintained his composure and asked, "I wonder if Changdu Feng thinks that my words are inappropriate?"
Kang Hetai didn't understand.
Feng Zizhi didn't answer him immediately. He picked up a sugar-coated haw and put it in his mouth. He slowly swallowed it and felt the sweet and sour taste spread in his mouth.
"How did Assistant Minister Kang know that Prince Chu doesn't intend to make his move?"
He slowly took out a handkerchief and wiped the syrup on his and the Jia Lian's fingers.
Kang Hetai said matter-of-factly, "Isn't it because Changdu Feng said that Imperial Concubine Wen bestowed a pot of chrysanthemum to Madame Marquis Of Changxing?
Chrysanthemum means picking chrysanthemums under the eastern fence, leisurely looking at the southern mountain.
This means that Prince Chu and the others intend to wait and see!
"
Although the chrysanthemum has become the 'flower hermit' after being favored by Tao Yuanming, it has become the symbol of a hermit, but …
"Has Official Kang forgotten about Huang Chao who killed eight million people?
"
Kang Hetai and even the officials who thought that Prince Chu intended to wait and see changed their expressions.
Huang Chao, the leader of the peasant uprising at the end of the Tang Dynasty, was known as the 'Soaring General'.
He once attacked and occupied Chang 'an and took the throne in Hanyuan Palace. The country was called' Da Qi ', establishing a golden rule and pardoning the world.
Of course, this wasn't the main point. The main point was that he had written a poem.
To be able to make a hundred flowers the leader, naturally the heavens bestowed yellow clothes.
The chrysanthemum was a metaphor for the heavens bestowed yellow robes.
The Jia Lian knew of Huang Chao, but didn't know that he had written such a poem. He only knew, "When autumn comes on the eighth day of the ninth lunar month, when my flowers bloom, a hundred flowers die.
Soaring incense permeates Chang 'an, the city is covered in golden armor.
"
"Since that's the case, Jingya, please make the first move!
Now that the Crown Prince has lost his virtue, it is difficult for him to be the Crown Prince. Take advantage of the fact that the Crown Prince and the others haven't gathered their troops and remonstrate with them! "
Kang Hetai's eyes flashed with murderous intent.
"No."
The Jia Lian refused neatly.
The Jia Lian said firmly, "I have already declared that if there is anything that requires me to point my blade at the Emperor, please forgive me for not being able to do it!
"
"Clap, clap!"
Kang Hetai had already expected that the Jia Lian would not agree, so he raised his hands and clapped.
Outside the hall, a group of the Prince of Qin's personal guards in heavy armor trotted in. They drew their bows and arrows and aimed at the Jia Lian.
Zhang Xu was the first to shout angrily, "Assistant Minister Kang!
What do you mean by this!? "
The Jia Lian was his cousin's nephew.
"I don't have any other intentions. As long as Jingya is willing to hand over the commander's seal and stay in the Prince's mansion for a few days.
After everything is done, Jingya will definitely be the one to take the credit!
When the time comes, Kang Hetai will definitely kowtow to Jingya and apologize! "
Kang Hetai said sincerely.
The Jia Lian had been reinstated as the Deputy Commander of the Imperial Army by Emperor Wen Of Zhou and was a great help to the Prince of Qin's party. However, since the Jia Lian was unwilling to help them, he had no choice but to target the other 8,000 new soldiers under the Jia Lian's command.
When the Prince of Qin saw his personal guards appear, he was also startled.
"Teacher Kang!"
After regaining his senses, he roared in a low voice. His eyes were fixed on Kang Hetai, waiting for an explanation.
The Prince of Qin had always trusted Kang Hetai. He had also expressed to everyone in the Prince of Qin's mansion that Teacher Kang's orders were his orders, so everyone in the mansion respected and obeyed Kang Hetai.
However, he never thought that Kang Hetai would secretly mobilize his personal guards to surround the Jia Lian!
Kang Hetai was completely loyal and did not have any selfish motives. "Your Highness, now that everything is hanging by a thread, the Crown Prince and the others are all gathering troops to fight for the throne. The old conflict between Emperor Yang of Sui and Emperor Taizong of Tang is right in front of us!
The situation is imminent, Your Highness cannot be softhearted!
"
The struggle for the throne was extremely dangerous, and there could only be one winner.
Many times, the person who would have the last laugh was not based on how much power he had, but how vicious and merciless he could be.
For the throne,?
So what if an S brother killed his own brother?
Killing one's father and nephew, and even killing all the relatives who had the qualifications to inherit the throne was worth it!
"Teacher Kang, you don't need to say anymore!
Since this Prince has promised Jingya, I naturally will not go back on my words! "
The Prince of Qin pursed his lips tightly and turned to his personal guards to reprimand them, "Why are you still standing here?
Hurry up and leave! "
"
In the end, the Prince of Qin was the real master of these personal guards. Once they heard the Prince of Qin's order, they all put down the bows in their hands and orderly withdrew from the hall.
Kang Hetai anxiously shouted, "Your Highness!"
He hoped that the Prince of Qin would change his mind.
Because the Jia Lian was building a new army, the military power in his hands was one level higher than the Crown Prince and the others combined.
As long as he obtained the Jia Lian's military seal, he could directly crush the Crown Prince and the others with his military power. When the time came, the situation would be set. Even if the Emperor Wen Of Zhou woke up, he would not be able to reverse the situation. He could only pinch his nose and admit defeat like Li Yuan of the Tang Dynasty!
"Tch!
You just want my military seal, that's all. I'll give it to you. "
"Catch!"
The Jia Lian scratched his head, took out an item from his sleeve, and casually threw it to Kang Hetai.
Kang Hetai hurriedly caught the item in mid-air. When he fixed his eyes on it, he was immediately stunned.
It was a bronze plate engraved with half of a ferocious wolf's head. The other side of the plate was kept in the palace.
Kang Hetai simply wanted to cry. He did so many things behind the Prince of Qin's back just for the military seal. If he had known that the Jia Lian did not care about it at all, he would not have risked offending the Prince of Qin, Zhang Xu, and Feng Zizhi by directly threatening the Jia Lian!
But it was also good. The Prince of Qin had finally succeeded in seizing the throne. His efforts had not been in vain.
Just as his eyes were filled with tears, recalling all the hard work he had done for the Prince of Qin over the years, and wanting to find a quiet place to cry, the Jia Lian half leaned on Feng Zizhi and said lazily, "If you want it, I'll give you the military seal, but …"
"My soldiers only recognize people, not talismans."
A very confident sentence cruelly shattered all the fantasies in Kang Hetai's mind.
Kang Hetai's face immediately stiffened.
If the soldiers only recognized people, not talismans, then they could not be mobilized. Then what did he do all these things for?
Between great joy and great sorrow, Kang Hetai's vision darkened and he felt dizzy. He wished he could pass out immediately.
Although the Prince of Qin was angry that Kang Hetai had concealed his actions from him, he could not bear to see him being teased by the Jia Lian. He changed the topic and said, "What advice does Jingya have?
"
The Jia Lian sat up straight and stared at the Prince of Qin. He said slowly, "Why didn't the Crown Prince and the Prince of Qin think of seizing the throne by relying on military power?
"
The Prince of Qin said matter-of-factly, "Because at that time, Emperor Hou was in good health and was in charge of all the affairs of the court. But now …"
"Now he is dying and will not live for long!"
"So when everyone sees the real dragon lying down, they want to commit treason and heresy?"
The Jia Lian's eyes quietly turned red as he said mercilessly.
He was grieving for his Third Master!
Everyone said that the imperial family was heartless, but did the imperial family really not have true feelings?
Under the cover of the table, a white, ice-cold hand quietly held the Jia Lian's hand as if to comfort him.
The Jia Lian saw Feng Zizhi's worried gaze and his heart warmed. "Has the Emperor ever let the Prince eat less?
Has he ever let the Prince suffer from poverty and illness?
Or has he ever been indifferent to the Prince and turned a blind eye to him? "
"
"No."
The Prince of Qin felt that his throat was very dry after asking these three questions in a row.
Because he was born with a "defect," apart from the Crown Prince, his Imperial Father doted on him the most and was the most forgiving.
"Dare I ask the Prince, have you brothers ever been close to each other before?"
"Yes."
"Yes."
The Prince of Qin replied without hesitation.
He remembered that when he was very, very young, Prince Jin... his eldest brother would take him to ride horses and climb trees, his second brother would teach him how to read and write, his fourth brother would peel oranges for him, his fifth brother would play the zither for him, his sixth brother would teach him how to wield a sword... Little Eight, Little Nine, and Little Ten also had a period of time when they were very close to him...
The Prince of Qin covered his face and laughed. If the Jia Lian hadn't mentioned it today, he would have forgotten that the brothers had once been very close to each other.
'Since that's the case, how could Prince bear to see his own sons kill each other when the Emperor is so old and sick? Or even want to see him?
Father S?
Lord S!
How could the Prince bear to see his own brothers fight each other? How could the Prince even wield a butcher's knife and kill his own brothers? "
For example, he was the same as Jia Zheng. Even if he didn't like Jia Zheng, and there was also a treacherous official (Jia Xie) inciting him from the side, and he wanted to tear Jia Zheng apart countless times in his heart, he didn't make a move in the end!
Moreover, they didn't even have the most basic of brotherly love for each other for a single day!
Feng Zizhi didn't stop the Jia Lian from speaking a bit out of line. In any case, didn't he choose the Prince of Qin because he was lenient and broad-minded? He could even tolerate such a radical and brainless fool like Kang Hetai. Naturally, he would also be able to tolerate his and the Jia Lian's "straightforwardness."
"A bunch of nonsense!
Prince!
If I don't act now, I'll be the meat on the chopping block! "
Kang Hetai woke up and said anxiously.
"Prince!
Jingya is right!
Brothers fighting against each other, brothers fighting against each other, and father being forced?
Brother S can't kill his own brother!
Didn't you see that after the Xuanwu Gate of Tang Taizong, there were more than two or three cases of his sons rebelling?
Even if Prince succeeds, Prince has set a precedent in this dynasty. In the future, the tragedy of brothers fighting against each other from the same roots and killing each other will continue! "
"Prince, please reconsider!"
Zhang Xu was the first to kneel on the ground and advise.
He was born in a traditional scholarly family and had the demeanor of an aristocratic family. He didn't care about a day or night. At worst, he would resign and go back to his hometown to study. After two generations, he would make a comeback.
"Prince, please reconsider!"
The civil officials behind him, whether they were ambitious or just cowardly, also kneeled on the ground.
Kang Hetai could see that the Prince of Qin was wavering and also didn't want to kneel. "The winner is king, the loser is a bandit!
This official asks Prince to reconsider! "
"Prince!"
"Prince, please reconsider!"
Those who were also part of the radical faction or wanted to fight to succeed the Emperor also came out and said loudly.
"Enough!
This Prince has his own decision! "
The Prince of Qin couldn't stand the annoyance and said.
He stood up in irritation and paced with his hands behind his back. Everyone's nervous eyes followed his movements.
One step, two steps …
After a long time, the Prince of Qin stood still.
He slowly said, "If the mandate of heaven is in this Prince's hands, this Prince doesn't need to do anything and the throne will naturally belong to this Prince. If the mandate of heaven is not in this Prince's hands, then this Prince will only waste my energy no matter how much I do."
After saying this, he seemed to have put down a large stone in his heart and let out a sigh of relief.
If Imperial Father died, he, who had no military power and no support from his mother's family, but had the qualifications to fight for the throne, would only have a dead end.
Whether it was the Crown Prince, Prince Jin, Prince Qi, or King Chu, they would rather keep the other princes who didn't have the qualifications than choose to let him go.
"Prince!"
Kang Hetai wanted to spit out the blood in his throat and splash it all over the Prince of Qin's residence!
On the other hand, "Prince is wise!"
Zhang Xu's face lit up with joy.
"Teacher Kang, there is no need to say anymore. This Prince has made up his mind.
For the next few days, this Prince will stay in the palace. Jingya, please take care of my family! "
The Prince of Qin bowed deeply to the Jia Lian.
He was entrusting the lives of the 342 people in the Prince of Qin's residence to the Jia Lian.
Feng Zizhi gently pulled the Jia Lian away, not letting him receive the Prince of Qin's full bow. His eyes flashed with admiration.
He didn't care if the Prince of Qin really couldn't bear it or not. At least he had shown his attitude.
If he really couldn't bear it, he and the Jia Lian could rely on the Prince of Qin's soft-heartedness to do more things in the future. If he really couldn't bear it, then it proved that the Prince of Qin was a smart person. It was always easier to deal with smart people than with stupid people.
That idiot Kang Hetai didn't even think about it. Even if the Prince of Qin wanted to gain the initiative by striking first, did he have the ability to do so?
The Jia Lian wasn't willing to cooperate with their plan. Did they want to catch the Crown Prince and the others in one fell swoop with just a few dozen guards?
What a joke!
Now that the Prince of Qin's residence was guarded by the Jia Lian, it was as stable as Mount Tai. The Prince of Qin had no more worries.
He entered the palace to take care of the Emperor and stayed by Emperor Wen Of Zhou's side all day long. He could act according to the situation.
Perhaps when Emperor Wen Of Zhou woke up and saw this filial son, he would be so moved that he would be so happy that he would depose the Crown Prince and give him the position of Crown Prince!
Moreover, Feng Zizhi felt that something was wrong.
"Prince, please don't worry. I will follow you into the palace later.
With me here, I won't let anything happen to you! "
"I will mobilize eight hundred of the most elite soldiers to guard the border. The other soldiers will also gather in the north of the city. If anyone dares to harm the Prince of Qin's residence, they can kill them all at any time!"
The Jia Lian cupped his fists and said solemnly.
On the day of his coronation, the Emperor gave him the Zhanlu Sword. He couldn't let the Emperor down.
The Zhanlu Sword was a sword of benevolence. This didn't just mean that Emperor Wen Of Zhou hoped that the Jia Lian would be invincible but not be controlled by his murderous intent. He also hoped that his general would be able to persuade the Emperor to be benevolent and righteous.
Perhaps the Jia Lian didn't know what benevolence and righteousness were, but no matter how one looked at it, it didn't matter.
Brother S killing his younger brother, father, and nephew was definitely not benevolent.