Why did the emperor rebel?

Chapter 538
The capital city, Changping Marquis Mansion.

Wearing a python suit, Wynn kept pushing Yang Hong who wanted to come out to see him off, and kept saying.

"Marquis Yang is too polite. Our family is here to visit you on behalf of His Majesty. His old man specifically explained that you don't have to get up to see him off. As long as you are healthy, that is the most comprehensive etiquette."

Even so, Yang Hong still sent him to the courtyard, and then stopped to let his son Yang Jie continue to send Wynn out.

Compared with when he was in the Xuan Mansion, Yang Hong at this moment is obviously much thinner and haggard, and his body has become a little rickety, as if he is just an ordinary old man who does not see the famous "King Yang" at all. .

In fact, this is the normal state of most generals who are fighting abroad.

When guarding various places, they seemed to stand like a monument, bringing a vigorous military spirit to the whole army.

However, once they were transferred back to the capital, they seemed to grow old all of a sudden.

Not only the spirit of the whole person, but even the originally healthy body will continue to have various problems.

This is not Yang Hong's accidental one person, but the normal state of many generals.

Military generals like them, fighting on the battlefield all year round, are like a long knife that has gone through hundreds of battles, soaked in blood and killing, just looking at it, one can feel the aura of killing.

But in fact, this long knife has already been scarred.

Every strand of dried blood on its body is a feat and glory, as well as a scar.

When I was in the army, I had a spirit that kept me going, but as soon as I left the army, all kinds of old wounds followed.

For Yang Hong, he was like a longbow during his days in Xuanfu.

The bowstring was constantly drawn and pulled. Over the past few years, the more powerful he was, the more uneasy he felt.

Because, he knows that his longbow has been drawn to a full circle, and if he pulls it down again, sooner or later the string will break and the bow will be destroyed.

Therefore, when the emperor transferred him back to Beijing, Yang Hongming knew what it meant, but he returned without hesitation.

He doesn't know how long he can last...

It was nearly October, and the weather in the capital was getting colder and colder. Yang Hong had an old injury on his leg, and it would recur every time this season came.

Therefore, as soon as he came back from the courtyard, the study room was tightly closed, and several stoves were burning together, making the room very warm.

"Father, Eunuch Wynn is gone."

The door was pushed open a small gap, and a handsome-looking young man flashed in. While talking, he stood beside the stove, first warming his body to get rid of the cold, and then He came to Yang Hong's side and served him carefully.

Yang Hong beckoned and motioned him to sit down, but his expression was a bit complicated.

This is his second son, Yang Jie. At the same time, he is also his only legitimate son. However, because they are not together all the year round, there is always some separation between father and son.

The Yang family has been in the army for generations.

This is even more so in Yang Hong's generation. He has two younger brothers who went to the battlefield together, but in the end, only he survived and won his current merit step by step.

As for his two younger brothers, both died young and died in battle.

Fortunately, there is still a little flesh and blood left behind, that is, his two nephews, Yang Xin and Yang Neng.

Yang Xin, Yang Neng, and his eldest son Yang Jun are on the same border as the town, forging the heroic prestige of the Yang family.

However, few people know that Yang Jun is only the eldest son of Yang Hong, and his real son is the young man in front of him who has never been on a battlefield, named Yang Jie.

It's not that Yang Hong is eccentric, but that Yang Jie is congenitally deficient and can't practice martial arts at all. Although he is said to be talented, he is weak and sick.

Therefore, Yang Hong could only put him in the capital and take good care of him.

So much so that Yang Jie is different from his brothers and cousins. Yang Jun and others are heroic and strong, with the demeanor of a warrior, but Yang Jie is green and scholarly, like a scholar trained by a scholarly family.

It should be said that this is not a bad thing.

The battlefield is dangerous, and Yang Hong himself doesn't want it. Every one of his nephews will go to the battlefield to fight. It is also a good thing to study at home with peace of mind.

However, what made him feel helpless was that, perhaps because he had met too few times, or perhaps because he had read the book, Yang Jie was always courteous and thoughtful in front of him, unlike Yang Jun and others who were careless and casual.

Of course, the way of filial piety, Yang Jie is not diminished.

During Yang Hong's return to Beijing, Yang Jie personally took care of his basic necessities, food, housing and transportation. This child is careful, humble, gentle, and understands etiquette.

Only this child will notice the small details just entering the door to dispel the cold air.

Trying hard to put away his stern face for many years and put on a kind smile, Yang Hong patted the cushion beside him and said.

"Sit down, you heard what Eunuch Wynn said just now, tell me, what do you think the Son of Heaven means?"

Yang Jie hesitated, not because of Yang Hong's question, but because of Yang Hong's attitude.

He knew that his father's personality was not like this, but he was deliberately changing for himself, but to be honest, Yang Jie didn't want him to be like this.

Yang Hong felt that Yang Jie was unfamiliar with him, but Yang Jie, why didn't he think so?
Since childhood, my father has been strict with the three elder brothers, but he has never reprimanded him. After returning this time, he has become even more cautious.

This made Yang Jie a little helpless, but there was nothing he could do.

With a slight bow, Yang Jie sat down beside Yang Hong, seeing his father's little bit of joy, he couldn't help but sighed.

Some things do need time to truly melt...

Putting his mind back, Yang Jie thought for a while, Fang Dao.

"Father, you know that my son is weak, so I have never participated in military affairs with you, but about today's incident, my son has to ask, but what happened in the army?"

Hearing this, Yang Hong pondered for a moment, but instead of answering directly, he said.

"You haven't answered Dad's question just now."

"Prosperity brings brocade, and fire cooks oil."

Yang Jie spit out the eight words softly, but he couldn't hide the worry in his eyes.

He couldn't help standing up again, stepping on the soft carpet, pacing back and forth lightly, said.

"Father has guarded the Xuanfu for many years, and made great contributions in the first battle of Oara. The title of Marquis is well deserved. His Majesty transferred his father to Beijing because of reliance and trust. You must know that before father, he was the admiral of the Beijing camp. It is Yu Qian Yu Shaobao."

"Let's talk about the elder brothers. The eldest brother continues to guard the Xuan Mansion. Although he has not been awarded a lord, being able to stay in the Xuan Mansion is in itself a sign of His Majesty's trust in my Yang family. The same is true for the second and third brothers. Although they are in the border town, But it’s all important land.”

"Father has been a soldier all his life, and he has carried forward the Yang family, and it can be said to be very prosperous now."

"However, there are some things that cannot be overdone. The father said to the child before that the bow must be loosened when it is fully drawn. If it continues to be drawn, the bowstring will break..."

After Yang Hong's two younger brothers died in battle, Yang Xin and Yang Neng were adopted by him. In order to show that they were treated equally, he called the children brothers.

The eldest brother Yang Jie mentioned was Yang Xin, the second brother was Yang Neng, and the third brother was Yang Jun.

"In my child's view, His Majesty's will is just pulling the strings!"

Yang Jie sighed, stopped and looked at Yang Hong.

Yang Hong was silent.

So Yang Jie continued.

"Since Yexian made a big push, Yu Shaobao was ordered to supervise the Beijing camp as a civil servant. He drastically changed the old system of the three major battalions into a ten-regiment battalion, which is in charge of the admiral. checks and balances, so that there will be no excessive power.”

"However, now that my father is in charge of the Beijing camp, and His Majesty has transferred the second and third brothers back to take charge of the first camp, this is no longer trust, but a temptation."

"What's more, His Majesty also added an official to the rank of the elder brother. All kinds of things make the child have to worry about what happened."

"These days, my father seldom goes to the court due to illness, and there is nothing serious in the military mansion and the capital camp. Therefore, if something happens and His Majesty makes such a move, it must be because of the Xuanfu army... "

After these words, Yang Hong couldn't help raising his eyebrows, and looked at his son in agreement.

At the same time, there was another burst of regret in his heart.

With such eyesight, if Yang Jie hadn't been congenitally deficient, he would be a good general who is not weaker than Yang Xin in resourcefulness. It's a pity that now he can only nest in the capital, living with a medicine jar every day...

This time, Yang Hong finally did not continue to remain silent, but said.

"You guessed it right. A few days ago, your elder brother sent a letter saying that Yu Qian was in Datong and Gansu to investigate the case of Luotong's arms reselling. In fact, he was secretly investigating the situation of private land reclamation and military settlements in various places. , now, Yu Qian has already touched all these border towns, and if he goes down, he must be the Xuanfu..."

"Cultivating fields privately, and occupying military settlements?"

Yang Jie frowned, and looked at Yang Hong with some doubts.

So, Yang Hong sighed and explained.

"Taizu set up military camps, hoping that the frontier troops would be self-sufficient, but after so many years, the military camps in various places have long since been abandoned, and many soldiers have been used to reclaim wasteland. This method has been hidden, and it has become a people's field."

"This is already a chronic disease of the frontier army, and Xuanfu... naturally has it too!"

Now, Yang Jie frowned even tighter, subconsciously he wanted to blurt out more specific information.

However, just as the words came to his lips, he abruptly took them back and asked.

"No, father, since Yu Shaobao conducted a secret investigation and only visited Datong and Gansu, then even if there is news, it should come from these two places. How did the elder brother get the report because he is in the Xuanfu?"

Yang Hong was also taken aback. After a while, he took out a letter from his sleeve, opened it to read it, and finally nailed it to a sentence that he ignored.

"Hou Renli of Ningyuan sent a message..."

At this moment, Yang Jie also took the letter from his father, and coincidentally, his eyes immediately fell on this sentence.

At this time, Yang Hong spoke with a hint of coolness in his voice.

"Before Ren Li, he guarded Gansu for many years. Now, if Yu Qian wants to investigate the military settlements in Gansu, he will definitely get the news. This Marquis of Ningyuan intends to use my Yang family as a spearman..."

Yang Jie didn't speak.

No matter what purpose Ren Li passed on, there is an unchangeable fact, that is, the actual situation of Xuanfu lies there.

The conflict between them and Yu Qian exists naturally, not deliberately created by someone.

Ren Li certainly played a role in fueling the flames, but without him, this matter would not have calmed down.

Then, the most important thing is...

"Father, can you tell the child how much I, the Yang family, have been involved in this matter?"

Taking a deep breath, Yang Jie's expression was more serious than ever.

Hearing this, Yang Hong's face became more and more bitter.

Although he usually wouldn't deliberately say these things to Yang Jie, his own child had nothing to hide, not to mention the current situation.

Holding the teacup tightly with his right hand, Yang Hong said softly.

"It's very deep, so deep that once it is traced, it is enough to wipe out all the merits of being a father."

The crackling sound of the stove rang out in the room, making it extremely ear-piercing.

Yang Jie stood where he was, with bursts of blood on his pale face.

After a long while, he asked, "Then, what is father's plan?"

Yang Hong shook his head, this veteran of all battles, unexpectedly showing a trace of confusion at this moment, said.

"Weifu...haven't thought it through yet. What your elder brother meant was to ask Weifu to ask His Majesty to stop Yu Qian from pursuing this matter, but..."

Looking at the edict in his hand, Yang Hong couldn't help but sighed.

As Yang Jie said at the beginning, when the fire cooks the oil, the flowers blossom.

The emperor's attitude is already very clear!
He will not stop Yu Qian, nor does he hope that others will stop him.

The honor and favor that should be given, he will give enough...

However, the dragon has reverse scales that cannot be touched.

The bitterness at the corner of Yang Hong's mouth grew stronger.

Of course he understands the truth, but just because he understands, he hesitates even more.

He knows better than anyone how deep the water in the Xuan Mansion is, and he has seen the determination of the emperor.

However, when everything is exposed to the sun, the Son of Heaven, is he really mentally prepared?

Although Yang Jie is frail, he has a delicate mind.

As soon as Yang Hong's words came out of his mouth, he was keenly aware of the faint possibility hidden in them, so he immediately stood up straight and said.

"Father, if my child's expectations are correct, Yu Shaobao should have arrived at the Xuan Mansion by this time. Could it be possible? Brother thinks..."

Just thinking about this possibility, Yang Jie felt chills down his back.

Fortunately, Yang Hong immediately shook his head and denied, saying.

"Don't worry, if your second or third brother is here, you might have such an idea, but your eldest brother won't!"

Among Yang Hong's descendants, Yang Xin is the most outstanding.

Otherwise, he would not have handed over the Xuan Mansion to Yang Xin. He was serious and trained Yang Xin as his heir in the army.

Therefore, he knew Yang Xin's character well.

What Yang Jie was worried about would never happen to Yang Xin!
Hearing this, Yang Jie let out a long sigh of relief.

Walking back and forth in the room for a few steps, he frowned, turned around, and said solemnly.

"Father, I don't know what is going on in the Xuan Mansion, but I know that His Majesty is a person who cares about old love. Therefore, the only way to keep the Yang family is to break your arms and survive."

"Second brother and third brother's right to the regiment camp must never be taken. If necessary, father's power in the Beijing camp must also be handed over. As for the elder brother, we must fully cooperate. If it is not possible, the elder brother will also return to Beijing."

"As long as we can clean it up, my child believes that His Majesty will not go too far. Moreover, this matter must be done quickly, before Yu Shaobao finds out the truth, otherwise, I'm afraid there will be no chance. "

As Yang Jie himself said, he didn't know what the Xuan Mansion was hiding.

However, he knows what kind of person his father is, even if he gathers less and leaves more, but he knows that his father is a person who does not easily open his mouth and bow his head.

For him to show such an expression, it can only show that this matter is indeed involved, beyond Yang Jie's imagination.

Yang Hong didn't speak.

Of course he understands the truth, but...

Doing so would be tantamount to completely giving up on the management of the border for many years, and the Yang family would have nothing left but the lintel of the Marquis Mansion.

Moreover, even if he gave up everything, he might not be safe.

How could the people involved in this matter let him get away?On His Majesty's side, is it really possible to be lenient?

After pondering for a long time, Yang Hong finally said.

"Okay, you go down first, you have to think about this matter again as a father."

Yang Jie opened his mouth, but in the end he didn't continue to persuade him. He just saluted respectfully and exited the room.

Carefully closing the door, the last thing Yang Jie saw was, against the warm fire, his father, the "King Yang" who had dominated the battlefield for many years and made countless captives fearful.

At this moment, as if the spine was taken away by someone, the whole person hunched up...

Standing outside the door, he suddenly heard his father's old whispers.

It seemed to be talking to him, and it seemed to be talking to himself.

"When the boy was fifteen or twenty, he won the horse riding on foot."

"Shoot and kill the white-fronted tiger in the mountains, and kill the yellow-bearded tiger!"

"One body fought for three thousand miles, and one sword was once a master of millions."

"..."

(End of this chapter)