Spring Breeze Crossing Guanshan

"Okay, what a national policy."

Guan Junchen said in a trembling voice: "Master Yan, I have spent my whole life as a soldier of the Great Zhou Dynasty, and I almost sent my life outside the territory - there is no credit, but there should be hard work. Now that I have ended up like this, it turns out that it is already predestined? Cutting the feudal clan Cut off the feudal clan, did my elder brother, King Xiang, get cut down and turned into a traitor Guan Zhenyang?"

……

……

Guan Junchen was emotional at this time, knowing that it was very inappropriate to say this, but he almost couldn't control himself for a while.

"Prince Ning, His Royal Highness King Xiang is very ambitious. In Linqing's last years, the battle with the crown prince has become increasingly fierce. For many years, the arrogance of power has overwhelmed the crown prince. The late emperor saw it. You are the direct brother of Prince Xiang. It's not that you don't know about it, it's just that you didn't intend to join the party struggle, and the late Emperor actually knew it in his heart."

At this time, Yan Hong's first sentence "I see it in my eyes" and the second sentence "I understand it in my heart" suddenly awakened Guan Junchen.

He couldn't help but asked in a hoarse voice: "Grand Master Yan, back then the prince feared and hated King Xiang deeply, and my father would not have been ignorant of it. Father also knows how the prince's heart is, right?"

Yan Hong looked at Guan Junchen, there was no expression on his wrinkled face, only a trace of unbearable flashed across his eyes.

In an instant, the hairs on the back of Guan Junchen's neck stood on end.Only now did he recall that just now Yanhong had told him that the late emperor was worried about giving him the golden sword to save him from death, and this layer of reason finally made him vaguely connect it.

"Yes." Guan Junchen murmured: "Father gave me the golden sword to avoid death, but he did not give it to King Xiang. He had already expected that after the crown prince ascended the throne, there would be a policy of cutting down the vassal state before, and then there would be old grudges about seizing the heir. He wants to take advantage of the situation to liquidate King Xiang severely. Father, father, he has expected everything...he..."

When he said this, he could vaguely feel that hot tears were about to roll down in his eyes, he could only clench his fists secretly under the sleeves of his robe, and squeeze his nails into the flesh and blood of his palms, so he could barely suppress it.

Under the pressure of power, he lost his dignity and struggled to survive in the cracks. He thought this was the greatest suffering, but he never thought that when he was approaching middle age, those royal secrets of the past were revealed layer by layer. Can be hit hard.What he thought he only had in his memory, turned out to be still able to be taken away alive.

The loving father and filial son who used to be in his heart only now lifted his mask, revealing the indifferent gaze underneath.

He fell like a toddler in the endless winter, in a vast expanse of snow, unable to find his way home.

The father kept him, but at the same time he mercilessly abandoned his third brother.

The relationship between flesh and blood, father and son, is like nothing.

"Prince Ning," Yan Hong sighed, and said softly, "Since the late emperor chose the crown prince to succeed him, King Xiang's life was doomed at that time. I can't bear it, this matter is already doomed, he saw through it when he was alive, and he couldn't protect him after he passed away. Besides, if he had chosen King Xiang back then, the prince's fate would be exactly the same. Once he ascended the throne, many things had to be done, and many people I have to kill too. What a dangerous thing it is to seize the heir, it is written in the history books, and the fate of the prince is like this. No one is helpless, come to the end...but the same goal by different routes."

"What a different path to the same destination." Guan Junchen sneered, and said, "Why did Taishi Yan tell me these things today? Let me understand that the emperor killed King Xiang, detained King Pingnan, and suppressed me everywhere. What did you do? The grand master thought too much of me. Now I am a vain title of grand protector and idle prince, and I am always obedient and obedient to the emperor. I dare not have a rebellious heart. The emperor's helplessness, I should try to figure it out , I just don’t know why Grand Master Yan would tell me these things?”

Now he only refers to Yan Taishi in every sentence, but not teacher. It is obvious that Yan Hong, who has seen everything in his eyes and let it go, has also alienated him.

Guan Junchen was originally a man with a deep scheming mind, but today he was hit again and again within a day.

The dissatisfaction with his own fate and the disappointment with the relationship between father and son came one after another, which really made him overwhelmed, so he couldn't hold back, and revealed some of his grief and indignation.

"Prince Ning, I tell you this because I am worried about the emperor."

At this moment, Yan Hong's eyes finally revealed a look of worry, and he said in a low voice: "When the emperor was the prince in the East Palace in the early years, his character can be seen. After that, he became more diligent, freed from the vices of extravagance and pleasure, worked hard for the new policy, and kept wealth among the people. If you only look at these, the emperor will be a rare Ming monarch in the Great Zhou Dynasty. But neither the first emperor nor the veteran Unexpectedly, the mind of the current Holy Majesty also has flaws that will make the great Zhou country unstable."

"The first emperor once said that in a world of peace, perhaps King Xiang would be slightly better, but if the new policy of cutting down the vassals is taken into account, only those with great will and abandoning all personal relationships can be competent. The prince is tolerant and firm-willed. There is a bright and wise side, and there is also a ruthless and ruthless side of the emperor. It should be the most suitable new emperor. Forbearance is a strong point, but the current emperor may have forbeared for too long. Wang Yimai was uprooted, and I saw a hidden danger at that time."

Guan Junchen listened expressionlessly, he actually vaguely guessed what the hidden danger Yan Hong was talking about.

He didn't know whether Yan Hong knew about Zhou Yingdi's inaction. Before that, he didn't understand that well, but now these few days, when his body was empty and he had that unspeakable secret, he suddenly realized a little bit of Zhou Ying. The madness and gloom of the British emperor.

For a prince, the thing between his legs has been in disgrace for more than ten years, just like those humiliating years of dormancy in the Eastern Palace.

The two phases are superimposed, the bed is incompetent, and the power is also incompetent, how can it not make people crazy.

The evil spirits in people's hearts have been reared for a long time, once they are released, how can others predict it?

"The emperor also has weaknesses, emotions and madness that he can't control. Today's sage cuts down the vassals, except for the sake of the public. This kind of cutting method is nothing more than King Miexiang. It removes old enemies and stabilizes the throne. In other words, first reduce the cost, and then slowly cut off the military power, so that the reduction of the feudal clan can be effective, and the turmoil will not be rushed."

"I have advised you several times in the past two years, but the emperor has long stopped listening. The first step is to destroy King Xiang, and the second step is to impatiently attack King Pingnan. Yixiang, however, made the civil and military officials of the Manchu Dynasty dare not speak out. In the Chengde period, the two important events of cutting down the vassals were both the emperor directly attacking the brothers who were the most central blood of the royal family. This matter is so self-willed and will not be violated. I seem to be retiring, but in fact it is really helpless, I have to retreat and live in Meiyuan."

"Father and Grand Master Yan predict things like gods, but they never thought that there would be a day when they miscalculated."

Guan Junchen said coldly.

"People's hearts are like a deep pool, and they dare not speak out."

Yan Hong murmured: "There is one thing that is always on my mind. If the feudal clan continues to be cut down like this, I am afraid that once the golden sword is returned, if one day the emperor has no scruples and no reason to take you down, then the clan of the Great Zhou will Nobles are bound to be in danger for everyone. Throughout the dynasties, emperors must exercise checks and balances. If the clan is dominant, the vassal will be cut and the six prime ministers will be replaced; if the power of the prime minister is too large, the prime minister will be replaced by the clan. , is the long-term way. Now that the emperor is so cruel to his blood brothers, he does not leave a way out for himself in the future, and completely loses his past wise talents.

"I come from the Confucian school. As the saying goes, a gentleman with great perseverance should speak out for the people and take responsibility for the people. I have worked hard to assist three generations of emperors for decades. I only hope to live up to the learning of governing the world passed down from generation to generation. Now that I am in my dying years, I have never Thinking about Da Zhou actually made me worry about this."

The old man was quite energetic at first, but when he said this, his skinny fingers trembled involuntarily. He stood up with a hunched body, and said in a low voice: "Prince Ning, please take back the golden sword today. For other reasons, the purpose is to make the emperor feel a little jealous, and even more so to make you feel at ease. Yan Hongming will not be long, but before he dies, even if it is a death remonstrance, he will explain his strength to the emperor. You are the only one in the Great Zhou Dynasty. The champion of the prince, the pillar of the country in the hearts of all people, this pillar will still be erected for the great Zhou and the emperor. Even if you and I are not teachers and students, we are also ministers of the same dynasty. It must not be destroyed by this dynasty. Even if there is some dissatisfaction in your heart, the way to be a minister is to put loyalty first, and the country and the country first——Prince Ning, you must think carefully about the key points. After the death of the old minister , you still have clan relatives of Da Zhou, you still have to be of one mind with Da Zhou and the emperor."

Speaking of this, Yan Hong held the salute with both hands, bowed deeply and made a big salute to Guan Junchen.

Guan Junchen silently looked at the old man in front of him, and suddenly felt empty in his heart.

The great Confucianism of the day must keep the word "loyalty" until death.

He stood up slowly, and made exactly the same salute to Yan Hong.

After the ceremony, he neither agreed nor refused, but turned around and walked towards the wooden gate of the plum garden.

After pushing the wooden door open with a creak, he suddenly turned his head, looked at Yan Hong and said calmly: "Teacher, you once said that Confucianism is the study of governing the world, not the study of emperors. Back then, I didn't understand the difference. Yes, I have some understanding."

He didn't wait for Yan Hong to answer, and said word by word: "I am a citizen of the Great Zhou. I have devoted my blood and sweat for the Great Zhou and won the reputation of being a champion, but I have become a lifelong shackle. I have been suspected by the emperor to this point, and I still want to call me!" Do one word of loyalty."

"Cutting down the vassal state, we keep saying that it is for the people, but is that really the case? The national treasury is empty, the people's hearts are unstable, and the dragon's position is also unstable. It is true that serving the people is a name, and the emperor's throne will last forever."

"I still call you teacher. It's just a knowledge I learned when I was young. Now I think about it, but there are always some things that don't make sense. I can't think clearly in this life. ——Confucianism is the study of governing the world. Who is governed by the three cardinal guides and five constant rules? Who is it? The study of governing the world is for the people; the study of emperors is for the emperor!

"I've dedicated myself to you for 70 years, teacher—now, do you still know whether you are working at your desk for the sake of the people or the emperor?"

Guan Junchen's voice was very soft. After asking the last sentence, he quietly left the plum garden.

Jian Hong stood under the red plum tree blankly, his beard and hair were all white, and his body was as crooked as a shrimp.

Above the porch behind him, there is still a quaint plaque hanging, with four square and majestic regular scripts——

Three generations of emperors.

……

……

Holding a heavy golden sword in his hand, Guan Junchen walked out of the plum grove step by step.

Before getting into the carriage, he raised his head and looked at the rare clear sky in this cold winter.

Seeing the warm and warm sun passing through the clouds and shining brightly on his brocade robe, it made him feel very peaceful and stable for a moment.

He couldn't help but think of Yan Chunxi again——

Even though the road under his feet has reached the critical moment here, and he stands among the white snow and red plums, there is still a moment when he can't think of any political disputes in his mind, and he only thinks about Yan Chunxi.

Thinking of the feeling of Yan Chunxi in his arms, it was soft and soft.That boy was a gift from heaven, with the aroma of sweet-scented osmanthus.

There was one thing that he had never told Yan Chunxi about it. In fact, there were great changes in the palace many years ago. After he moved to Jinling, his temper gradually became gloomy and reticent. But since they became friends, his face has a lot more smiles than usual. He was willing to patiently say to the boy many things that he thought were useless before.In his life, there were times of extreme hardship and times of glory, but only after being with Yan Chunxi, did he gradually feel that life has a hundred flavors, just like a light boat passing through thousands of mountains, and one must appreciate it slowly before being able to see it. Really heaven and earth.

Love is really a vulgar thing, but it is also the best thing in the world.

It makes people feel that this life is worthwhile even after going through all kinds of dangers.

……

When Guan Junchen was about to step on the chariot, he saw the branches of plum trees scattered among them, and not far away there was another golden-roofed chariot slowly walking towards the plum forest.

"Can you see who it is?" Guan Junchen asked.

The attendant on the horse hurriedly bent down and said in a low voice: "My lord, I see clearly, it's His Royal Highness the Crown Prince."

Guan Junchen turned his head to look at the boy in Tsing Yi who was seeing him off, "His Royal Highness often comes?"

"Yes." The little boy bowed and replied: "The emperor is not feeling well in winter, and he can't come to the plum garden as often as before. His Royal Highness is benevolent and filial, so he often comes here on behalf of his father to fulfill the heart of the students."

Guan Junchen smiled slightly and didn't say much. He turned around and stepped on the chariot, deliberately taking a different path from the prince and his party.

The heirs of Emperor Zhou Ying are extremely rare, and the crown prince is the eldest son. He has been cautious for many years and has not made any major mistakes. If this continues, it can be said that the throne is in his hands.

The first emperor, Fushou Longchang, reigned for nearly 40 years, so Emperor Zhou Ying was already in his 40s when he came to the throne, and now the prince is nearly [-] years old.

Since ancient times, it has been difficult for the crown prince.Inaction and mediocrity are naturally difficult to take on a big responsibility, but if you interfere too much with the government, you will be suspected of coveting the dragon position.

Today's son is a suspicious and greedy person, and the prince has a delicate mind, but it may not be wise for the acting emperor to visit the grand master frequently.

Guan Junchen couldn't help but secretly sighed after thinking up to this point, and put down the brocade curtain.

The royal family is the place where benevolence, filial piety and principles are most respected in the world. It's just that the father and son of the heavenly family may not have any human relations left.He was still a bit lucky before, when he woke up in the middle of the night, he often missed the appearance of his father when he was young and taught him riding and archery, and taught him in a gentle voice.It's just that when I think about it now, the feeling of bewilderment is better than the feeling of admiration after all.

……

……

Guan Junchen's eyes and ears in the palace were not the confidants of Emperor Zhou Ying, but after all they were regarded as servants who served him closely, so even though he didn't know the big things, he could report a lot of trivial things.

Guan Junchen didn't think that everything was complicated, he knew that Emperor Zhou Ying was like a deep pool, and he could only figure out his real movement from the slightest ripples.

Therefore, according to the letter from the Ear and Eye Report, Guan Junchen was able to vaguely piece together the situation of Emperor Zhou Ying during this period.

According to Xia Baimei, after he captured and tortured the assassin, he finally made the assassin send back the message "Xia Baimei is dead".Guan Junchen reckoned that the royal family used to use the fastest harrier pigeons from the Western Regions, so the letter could be delivered within a day or two.

He went through these days in detail, and found that Zhou Yingdi suddenly declared that he was unwell, probably after learning of Xia Baimei's death.

Since then, Emperor Zhou Ying never went to court again.

Guan Junchen originally thought that Emperor Zhou Ying said he was ill because he had other intentions, but according to the news reports from his ears and eyes, Emperor Zhou Ying was bedridden almost every day these days, and at night he had nightmares, often waking up suddenly covered in cold sweat, What's more frightening is that there is actually vomiting blood.

In the dormitory, more than a dozen imperial physicians came and went anxiously, and the servants were all panicked. Such an astonishing battle was definitely not a disguise.

The empresses of all the palaces also wanted to come to serve the sick day and night, but when Emperor Zhou Ying was sick, his temper became more surly, and he drove the queen and other concubines out together.

Lin Lin always reported many trivial matters, one of which surprised Guan Junchen.

The eyes and ears are not close servants, but they just replaced others one night, and served Zhou Yingdi once in the night.But only that night, he saw something extremely strange.

Emperor Zhou Ying's fever persisted, and he was already a little confused from the fever, but he held on to the Huangji sword tightly all night and did not let go.

Afterwards, the eyes and ears quietly inquired with others, and it is said that since Emperor Zhou Ying fell ill, he had to hold this sword every night to barely fall asleep.

The emperor was so ill that he vomited blood and was bedridden, but he missed Xia Baimei tirelessly.

This is not love.

But he still wanted to kill him.

Guan Junchen couldn't help feeling apprehensive at this thought.

Emperor Zhou Ying thought of Xia Baimei so far, and Guan Junchen didn't know whether it was joy or worry.

The more the emperor cared about Xia Baimei, the more he could prove that Xia Baimei's words were true. On Xia Baimei's birthday this year, he should go to Meiwu in person.

But if Emperor Zhou Ying really got worse because of his affection, Guan Junchen was really afraid that he would not be able to sustain the trip to Meiwu.

But the matter has come to this point, no matter what the road ahead is, he can't turn back.

In the past few days, Guan Junchen had exchanged several secret letters with Commander Ye of the Hubiao Camp a hundred miles north of the suburbs of Beijing, and finally had a secret meeting in the suburbs of the city in the middle of the night.

The matter is of great importance, and although Commander Ye Shuye is in a high position, he still came alone.

He was dressed in dark night clothes, one face was covered with a black veil, and only a pair of eyes were exposed. When he saw Guan Junchen, he knelt down on his knees and said respectfully, "Ye Shu sees Prince Ning."

One must know that he is the commander of the Eighth Battalion in the outskirts of Beijing, even if he is facing the current prince, there is no need to perform such a grand ceremony, but Guan Junchen is not surprised, he just looks at Ye Shu calmly.

Commander Ye was just an insignificant little guard under Guan Junchen's command back then, but after being appreciated and promoted by Guan Junchen, he made his way to the top from then on, and was promoted all the way to the deputy commander of the frontier army. He made great military exploits. The first emperor was transferred to the post of deputy commander of the Eighth Battalion in the suburbs of Beijing.

You must know that among the several armies in Chang'an, Zhou Xingwei is the innermost circle and the elite of the emperor, but among the eight battalions in the suburbs of Beijing, there are a large number of elites, and they are even more powerful in defending the power center of the Great Zhou. Not only must there be great talents, but also merits that can be said in the army, and more importantly, there must be a backer in the court.

Guan Junchen was Ye Shu's backer.

"Commander Ye, you are willing to come here to meet me in the middle of the night." Guan Junchen said with his hands behind his back.

He didn't say the journey was hard, but only said the word "heart", which obviously meant something.

Ye Shu was silent for a moment, knelt down and cupped his fists, and said in a low voice: "Your Majesty trusts me so much, Ye Shu will definitely die."

Guan Junchen's long and narrow Danfeng eyes stared at Ye Shu lightly for a moment, and his eyes were pale, so he seemed more alienated than ordinary people, and had the majesty of a nobleman from the Tian family.

"Commander Ye, this king is in recognition of your affection."

Guan Junchen leaned over slightly as he spoke, and then stretched out his hand to help Ye Shu up.

He said this sentence very lightly, but the meaning in it is profound.

——As expected, he was right.

……

Back then, Guan Junchen was the one with the most prestige and connections in the army among the princes.

It must be known that when Guan Junchen was crowned champion in the great frontier victory, many elites in the army under him were promoted. After more than ten years of operation, the forces in the Zhou army at its peak were even more intertwined, even his own brother King Xiang valued this prestige very much.

It's just that when King Xiang fell later, many people who had been attached to Guan Junchen were able to know the autumn at a glance, and separated from him overnight, so as not to suffer unreasonable disasters.

Guan Junchen is well versed in the officialdom, and he is quite used to these things, so he doesn't take it seriously, but this time when he was washed away by the big waves, he also showed many extremely rare people.

Ye Shu is one of them.

Not only did he not alienate him, but he wrote several letters in a row to comfort Guan Junchen. In the year when King Xiang had an accident, the New Year's gift given to Guan Junchen was more generous than in previous years.

Guan Junchen is known all over the world to be good at using soldiers, but few people think that he is also very good at understanding people.

In fact, these two things seem to have nothing to do with each other, but they are actually closely related.

You must know that the situation on the battlefield is ever-changing, and a slight mishap can be life-threatening. Knowing that people make good use of this skill requires not only accurate vision, but also quick decision-making.

The kindness of support is no better than other kinds of kindness. If a person with a cold heart, if he gets rich, he can only think of himself as a lucky person, that is very helpless.

But Ye Shu didn't. He never forgot Guan Junchen's understanding and support.

Guan Junchen saw this loyalty and kept it in his heart.

After all, he is the prince who has been entrenched in the court for many years, and he holds a lot of cards in his hand.

In the next few years, although Emperor Zhou Ying was in power, Guan Junchen's faction could still secure Ye Shu's position in the Eighth Battalion of the capital, and was even promoted to the position of commander of the Tiger Piao Battalion.

But even if there is a lot of kindness in front of him, and it involves such a major event as treason, if there is a slight mistake, the whole family will lose his head, Guan Junchen can't guarantee that Ye Shu will be willing to follow.

But if there is no Ye Shu, no one else can do it.

Of the eight battalions in the suburbs of Beijing, only the Tiger Piao Camp is less than [-] miles away from Meiwu.

For Guan Junchen, this is where the destiny belongs—destiny told Meiwu to be the closest to the tiger battalion, and Ye Shu was the commander of the tiger battalion, and destiny told him to grasp a glimmer of life in the dark.

"Commander Ye, when the time comes, the troops will be dispatched on the grounds that the Holy Majesty is under siege and going to rescue him. The matter is of great importance, so please keep this in mind."

Ye Shu stood beside Guan Junchen and said in a low voice: "My lord, there is no turning back in this matter - if you make a decision, there are only two ways to go, and you know it in your heart. You can either become emperor or support the prince as a puppet. Although the two paths seem to be different, they actually lead to the same goal. The former is quick but misnamed, and the latter is a long-term plan, but it is longer and laborious. But no matter what, what Ye Shu is following today can only be an emperor."

Ye Shu covered his face with a black cloth, but his eyes were deep, like a wolf crouching in the night.

Guan Junchen turned his head to look at him, but his heart shuddered.

He suddenly remembered a farewell in the dry forest, Yan Chunxi hugged his waist tightly from behind, and begged him with sobs—"I don't want you to be the emperor."