Tang Dynasty: Father, if you don't rebel, I will!

"uncle......"

When Lu Wenhu rushed to the Zongxiang residence and saw Lu Zhaojing, before he could even greet her, Lu Zhaojing's next words made his expression change instantly.

"It looks like Cui Jun and his men are about to make their move!"

"What?!"

Lu Wenhu's eyes widened in disbelief as he exclaimed, "Them? Do they really think that with their meager strength, they can survive after rebelling?"

Lu Zhaojing shook her head: "A person with rebellious intentions wouldn't care about these things, and besides..."

He paused for a moment, then handed over several documents that were currently on the table.

“If they don’t rebel now, they will never have another chance. Last year, I received the court’s permission to implement a civil service reform in Pyongyang Province, increasing the proportion of officials from commoner backgrounds, especially in positions like the city guards.”

"Now, the imperial court has already sent over the lists of appointed officials and some transferred officials. If we don't take action now, in another month or two..."

He didn't say anything more after that, but his meaning was already very clear.

He sighed wearily, his gaze falling on Lu Wenhu with a complex expression.

"Wenhu, this absolutely cannot happen. If Cui Jun and his men really make a move, then for His Highness, there's no need for our aristocratic families to distinguish between treason and non-treason!"

Lu Wenhu took a deep breath: "Uncle, please tell me, what should we do?"

......

"What?! They're attacking the Cui, Lu, and Li families? This...!"

Zheng Wuyang stared in disbelief at Wang Qingyun, the second brother of Cui Xiaoguo, a commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, who stood solemnly beside him.

"Whose order is this?"

Wang Qingyun looked at him but remained silent.

However, under the cold gazes of Wang Qingyun and Cui Xiaoguo, Zheng Wuyang understood perfectly well what was going on and nervously swallowed.

"The moment we were both transferred to Liaodong and given high-ranking positions, you should have understood that the affairs of the world would inevitably end with the hands of aristocratic families like ours! Third brother, you must know about your father's situation. This is also your chance to save him!"

Wang Qingyun said coldly.

"And what about my elder brother? The current Chancellor of Pyongyang Province, Lu Zhaojing, has no intention of rebelling, as you should know. My elder brother is even less likely to plot a rebellion..."

"But he couldn't stop the rebellion in Pyongyang today!"

Beside him, Cui Xiaoguo gave a sharp shout.

He had been serving as the head of the Imperial Guard in Liaodong and Pyongyang for over a year, and he was fully aware of the relationship between Lu Wenhu, Wang Qingyun, and Zheng Wuyang.

However, among the three brothers, Zheng Wuyang is at least able to distinguish his own position.

That Lu Wenhu is a bunch of complete idiots!

And it's the kind of person who can't be woken up.

The Lu family of Fanyang has always been number one in his heart.

To Cui Xiaoguo, who was born into a collateral branch of the Boling Cui clan but who put the court and the royal family first when the Boling Cui clan rebelled, this was no less than the least sympathetic person in the world.

He placed one hand on the embroidered spring knife at his waist.

His eyes flashed with ferocity as he stared coldly at Zheng Wuyang: "Zheng Sima, please at least understand one thing: the salary you receive is the blood and sweat of the people, and the official robes you wear are a gift from His Highness!"

"Now that the world is at peace, even the children of ordinary people can read and write and become officials. We martial artists, with our skills and strategies, can also gain the court's appreciation and be appointed based on merit!"

"In such a prosperous era, what do aristocratic families have to say? I, Cui, was once a collateral member of the Cui clan of Boling, and my status in the clan was not as high as that of your direct line, Young Master Zheng. Yet I still see through all the aristocratic families clearly and distinctly!"

"As long as the powerful clans are not destroyed, the world will not be at peace!"

This is an even more radical figure, and one who has personally killed his own relatives!

Even someone as cold and resolute as Wang Qingyun couldn't help but twitch his lips slightly when he heard the other party's roaring rebukes directed at Zheng Wuyang.

A prestigious family... even the Wang family of Taiyuan is considered a prestigious family.

It was once home to five prominent families and seven prestigious clans.

But at this moment, facing the other party's slowly turning gaze, Wang Qingyun had no choice but to nod earnestly in agreement.

“Third brother, Commander Cui is right. Although we come from a noble family, we must understand that the country comes first, and family comes second. My father has reminded me more than once that if he ever betrays the country, I will personally kill him!”

Zheng Wuyang: "......"

He hesitated for a long time, but finally, faced with the intense gazes of the two, he had no choice but to grit his teeth and nod.

"I'll listen to you, Second Brother!"

Although she still felt somewhat guilty, as her second brother Wang Qingyun said, the Zheng family of Xingyang had made a big mistake and needed a merit to make amends.

He could only pray in his heart that his stubborn older brother, Lu Wenhu, would be able to distinguish between what was important and what was not.

Cui Jun and his team acted quickly.

After all, they were a large and powerful family with a history of thousands of years. Even the followers who fled to Pyongyang with them had accumulated wealth over several generations. In the eyes of the common people, they were all from prominent and wealthy families.

The members of the aristocratic families, who initially had some reservations, mobilized all the able-bodied men and servants of their clans without hesitation after learning about the situation in Jiangnan and Huainan.

Pyongyang, Ansi, Guihak...

Almost on the same day, major cities in Pyongyang Province raised a large banner with the character "Sui" on it on the city walls.

Rebel against the Tang and restore the Sui!

In Pyongyang, a fierce battle unfolded between the garrison of the Lu family of Fanyang and a group of aristocratic families led by Choi Jun.

"Kill! Kill that old scoundrel Lu Zhaojing! We've exhausted ourselves to this point, all thanks to this villain!"

Cui Jun roared fiercely, clad in armor, and surprisingly possessed considerable martial arts skills.

He was charging at the forefront, holding a shield in one hand and a knife in the other.

Behind them, the Li family of Zhao County, the Cui family of Qinghe, and their subordinates such as the Qi family of Weizhou and the Luo family of Dingzhou followed closely. Looking around, the rebels were all armored and carrying swords.

Moreover, judging from the fierce and brave among them, they are clearly veteran soldiers who have been training for a long time.

Lu Zhaojing was carried out of the Zongxiang Mansion and looked at the crazed aristocratic family members through the crowd with eyes wide with rage.

"Foolish! You're all foolish!!!"

He had just managed to mobilize his troops and was about to have Lu Wenhu lead men to capture Cui Jun and his men.

Who would have thought that these madmen would move even faster than he had imagined.

"Uncle, hurry! Quickly, get out of the city!"

Blood splattered on Lu Wenhu's face, he brandished a long-handled broadsword, his terrifying aura managing to lead the outnumbered Lu clan members to withstand the first wave of attacks from Cui Jun and his men.

He was like a blood-soaked tiger, his eyes bloodshot as he glared at Cui Jun and the others in front of him.

"You can't even stand up for the name of starting an uprising, how dare you plot a rebellion!"

"Does he want his entire clan to be beheaded?!"

Cui Jun, however, had a similarly ferocious expression.

"The moment the Tang dynasty forced us to leave our homes, we had no way out. Now, only you, a fool, still believe the stupid words of that spineless old dog Lu Zhaojing!"

"Do you think we'll live if we don't rebel?!"

"Fire! We absolutely cannot let that scoundrel Lu Zhaojing escape!!!"