first minister

Even in the palace city built in a heroic style, Emperor Liang's palace was still not very big.

But at this moment, there were layers of guards standing outside this small bedroom.

With his head held high and his chest high, his eyes like a falcon, his waist and hips held a scimitar, ready for battle.

In the palace, outside the curtains, there were rows of concubines kneeling in the harem.

These beautiful ladies, who were usually pampered and pampered, all bowed their heads solemnly at this moment, not even daring to breathe.

Even if my waist and knees are sore from kneeling, and my eyes are full of pain, I don’t dare to be lazy and relieve myself.

Among the curtains, the Queen of the Palace sat beside the bed, looking at the man on the soft couch with a sad and worried expression.

I don't know how long it took, but from the side of the bed, a surprised and suppressed cry came from the queen, and the entire palace became silently solemn.

"Your Majesty! Are you awake?!"

Emperor Liang slowly opened his eyes, took a deep breath, regained his mind, and understood the surrounding situation and the current situation.

He said solemnly: "How long have I been unconscious?"

The Queen wiped away her tears and said, "Your Majesty is in poor health and has been resting for more than two hours."

More than two hours.
Emperor Liang slowly repeated it in his mind, it might still be too late.

He waved and signaled the queen to help him sit up, put the fox fur on his back, and covered his chest with the brocade quilt.

"I'm fine. I'm just overworked recently. There's no need to worry. Just go down."

"His Majesty!"

The queen was about to dissuade her, but Emperor Liang only looked at her calmly, so she had to lower her head and respond softly, stood up, turned around and walked out with the concubines in the palace.

"He Zhong."

The eunuch beside Emperor Liang who was waiting at the side quickly stepped forward and said, "Your Majesty."

"I have been unconscious for more than two hours. What can happen in the palace in Beijing?"

"Return to Your Majesty, everything is safe."

Emperor Liang was silent for another moment, "Bring me a pen and paper, I say, you can take notes."

He Zhong knew something big was going on as soon as he heard it, and he didn't dare to delay at all. He immediately ordered people to get pens and paper, brought in desks, and knelt on the ground to record it himself.

Emperor Liang's eyes fell on the pattern of the brocade quilt. He seemed to be in a daze, but thoughts were racing through his mind, and his fingers were tapping lightly on the quilt.

"Yelushi, King of Dingxi, has been assisting me for many years. He has been diligent in state affairs and has made great contributions to the country. He is the pillar of the country. He is specially appointed as the pillar of the country. He is given a military state under the head and two jade belts to protect his eldest son from surrendering. He promotes his second son. Enter Xue Wei."

He Zhong kept his expression calm and recorded calmly.

Emperor Liang pondered for a few breaths and then said: "In all countries, those who are earl and above and have no children can inherit the title through their grandsons or the sons of their brothers from the same mother, as a sign of the emperor's great kindness."

He Zhong's heart was beating wildly and sweat appeared on his forehead, but he still held the pen very steadily in his hand.

"The sage has a saying, there is no greater good than making things better. After I succeed to the throne, all those who have been removed from office due to crimes and have been dismissed for one year or more will be restored to official status. Those who have positions will sign up as candidates in the Ministry of Personnel."

He Zhong recorded it fearfully, for fear of writing a wrong word.

After saying so much in one breath, Emperor Liang took a breath, thought for a while, and then said: "Next autumn and September, we will open an additional session of Enke."

"Summon the prince and all the princes except King Mu into the palace and wait in the Qinzheng Hall. I order King Mu to inspect Si Nabo on my behalf and set off immediately."

He let out a breath and said, "That's all. Let the Central Academy prepare the decree and issue it with a seal."

He Zhong stopped writing and replied respectfully: "Yes."

"In addition, summon Murong Long into the palace."

"The slave obeys the order."

After finishing speaking, He Zhong did not leave directly, but looked at Emperor Liang hesitantly, because there was another very important decree that the other party had not yet said.

But Emperor Liang's eyes were slightly closed, as if he had fallen asleep.

He Zhong sighed secretly, bowed and retreated.

After He Zhong left, Emperor Liang leaned on the soft cushions. Although his body felt warm, his heart felt cold.

A whole 15 troops!

The right time, right place and right people, how could you lose!

A total of one hundred thousand troops were lost, and those were one hundred thousand direct descendants of the Xue family!

If not, why should I give in like this, why should I be so passive!

Xue Zonghan, you waste my trust in vain!
You deserve death!
The anger in his heart was rising, making his heart feel hot, and he couldn't help coughing again.

The waiting chamberlain stepped forward quickly, but Emperor Liang waved his hand, indicating that it was okay.

He sat back slowly, imagining the map of Beiliang and the possible general trend of the world in his mind. He closed his eyes and raised his head, with a look of sadness at the end of his passion.

"Your Majesty, General Murong has arrived."

Emperor Liang calmed down, sat up slowly, took a few deep breaths, and said, "Let him come in."

Soon, a burly and vigorous military man walked into the dormitory. This fierce general of the Murong clan, one of the four Qixue Guards, caressed his chest respectfully through the curtain and said, "Your Majesty."

From behind the curtain, Emperor Liang's angry voice came, "Murong Long, this time your brother Murong Hu was defeated and beheaded in Yuyan Prefecture, which caused the Southern Dynasty to stabilize the situation in Yuyan Prefecture; your brother Murong Bao was killed in the Snow Dragon Cavalry. , first you fell into the trap and neglected your duty, then you absconded and rebelled, resulting in a huge defeat on the front line, what can you, the face of the Murong family, say?"

Upon hearing this, Murong Long quickly bowed his waist again, "My dear, my brother has neglected his duty! I am willing to make meritorious deeds on their behalf!"

"Do you deserve meritorious service?" Emperor Liang sneered, "When you go into battle and lose another battle, all my elite will be wiped out by your Murong family!"

The curtain was suddenly opened, and in front of Murong Long, the upright figure of Emperor Liang and his majestic and gloomy face appeared.

Murong Long immediately knelt down and hit his knees on the ground with a muffled sound. He said in panic: "Your Majesty, I and the Murong family are loyal to Your Majesty. Please tell me clearly!"

"I believe in you."

After a moment of terrifying silence, Emperor Liang's voice softened quietly, "If I didn't believe you, how could I let you be my coward? Get up."

Murong Long, who had heard rumors before and had many speculations about Emperor Liang's body, knelt on the ground and did not dare to move.

"Ok?"

Murong Long stood up immediately, but he bowed his waist and lowered his hands, his expression was very respectful, and he did not even dare to look up.

Emperor Liang clasped his hands behind his back, looked at a picture on the wall, and said calmly: "Go and do something for me!"

"Your Majesty, please give me your orders. I will go through fire and water without hesitation."

Emperor Liang didn't look back, "Go to Yu Wenyong's house and send him on his way. Be decent and don't hurt the rest of the Yuwen family. If he doesn't want to be decent, you can help him be decent."

Murong Long's expression suddenly changed, and sweat oozed from his head almost uncontrollably.

There are seven major surnames in Beiliang: Xue, Yuan, Pei, Yelu, Murong, Yuwen and Wanyan.

As the current head of the Yuwen family, Yu Wenyong, even if the Murong family has a feud with him, still wants him to kill Yu Wenyong.
The most critical thing is that Emperor Liang did not express his purpose clearly.

There is no clear purpose, which means that the anger and hatred of the Yuwen family will have to be borne by Murong Long and the Murong family.

This will be another sword hanging over the heads of the Murong family that can fall at any time.

"What? Don't want to?"

Emperor Liang then turned his head with a smile on his face.

That smile was so cold, just like the eternal glaciers on the far north ice sheet, chilling to the bone.

Murong Long finally understood what Emperor Liang meant.Whether the Murong family is convicted or the Yuwen family is killed, all the decision-making power lies with the No. 1 of the younger generation of the Murong family.

Of course, he had another option, which was to directly unite with the Yuwen family to rebel against Emperor Liang.

But after more than 30 years of gaining power and seeing with his own eyes that Emperor Liang was in good health, how could he dare to bet on that terrible outcome.

"Sir, take the lead!"

Murong Long stood up and retreated in cold sweat.

Seeing Murong Long's back disappear, Emperor Liang waved his hand and asked all the servants to leave the bedroom. He walked to the bed as if nothing had happened. When the door closed, he could no longer hold on and sat down on the bed.

He gasped for air, feeling weak in his body and helpless in his expression.

A once-in-a-century opportunity was missed, a hundred thousand elites were lost, and Lieyang Pass fell into the hands of the enemy. He knew that his dream of unifying the world had been completely shattered in his lifetime.

More than that, what he has to consider is how to deal with the aftermath and how to maintain his half-life achievements.

Yu Wenyong is a hidden danger, but there are more hidden dangers waiting for him to deal with them one by one and clean up the mess that comes in a flash.

When the mental energy that had been supporting him dissipated, his body clearly felt the erosion of time.

He sat back on the bed, covered himself with quilt, rested for a while, and then waited for He Zhong who had left and returned.

"Your Majesty, the decree has been prepared and passed on in a seal."

Emperor Liang closed his eyes slightly and nodded, "Tomorrow, Wang Ruoshui from the Southern Dynasty will be summoned to the palace."

He Zhong nodded, remembered this, and closed his mouth silently.

The name King Zhennan is obviously not suitable to appear in His Majesty's ears today.

I don’t know if this period will be temporary or permanent.

The hall was filled with the smell of medicine, a smell of twilight and decay.
-
Beiliang, Xingqing Road.

On a leeward slope in the night, Zhennan King Xue Zonghan was breathing heavily and looking at the night in the distance with lingering fear.

After fleeing for three full days, without taking off their armor or unsaddled horses, they finally got rid of the terrifying god of death.

He looked around and saw that there were only two to three hundred personal guards left beside him.

Previously, the troops were strong and the horses were strong, and the heroic ambition of leading the troops to Lieyang Pass still seemed like yesterday. At this moment, there was a miserable wind and cold rain in front of them, and they were in a miserable state.

Until he was safe at this moment, he didn't bother to sort out his emotions, and a huge sadness suddenly came like a tide.

He came with the dream of a battle to avenge his humiliation, and left with a disastrous defeat and a new shame.

Night Owl mocked wantonly, mocking his overestimation of his abilities, and mocking his destined reputation in the history books.

The words of the emperor's brother are still in my ears;
Her passionate assurance in front of him had become a complete joke.

If it was just like this, that would be fine, but losing troops and generals would make the emperor's brother's ambition to unify the north and south come to nothing. At the same time, it would also destroy the [-] direct military power directly controlled by the Xue family. This is the most fatal thing.

Condemned, imprisoned, executed, and even the imperial power of the Xue family fell apart and the beams fell apart.
Possible outcomes flashed through his mind, turning his sadness into fear.

He stood up suddenly, pulled out the knife from his waist, and was about to wipe it on his neck.

The guards on the side rushed over and hugged him, pressing him down.

"Your Majesty! Don't let your imagination run wild!"

"My lord, this is just a defeat. Let's start over from the beginning!"

"Yes, Your Majesty, we finally got rid of the pursuers. It's time to regroup. Don't let your mind wander!"

Everyone was talking and urging sincerely, which finally made King Zhennan feel a little warm in his heart.

"Although Heaven is not as good as mine, it is a worthwhile life for me to have a group of loyal followers like you."

Everyone was silent, thinking to themselves: It took a lot of effort to escape from the hands of the murderer. Your touch on the neck looks cool, but can we still survive?
But of course it is impossible to say this, so I can only continue to persuade, "Your Majesty, no matter what, wait until you return to Shangjing. This battle is not your fault alone. The Yuan family failed to defend Lieyang Pass, and the Murong family The main force of the Wudang Army was not prevented from converging, and in the end the Yelu Family's Crane Controlling Army was also responsible."

It was okay to hear what was going on, and it made sense. When his subordinates said that the crane-controlling army was also responsible, the pale face of King Zhennan couldn't help but turn a little red.

If he hadn't escaped first, the Crane Control Army might have been able to hold on.

But those are the overwhelming reinforcements from the Southern Dynasties. Why don't you run away and wait to be taken over?

The King of Zhennan sighed, "That's all. After tonight, let's find a city to stay. Where are you now?"

"Our way back north has been blocked by the Wudang Army's pursuers, so we can only go westward. Now we are on Xingqing Road."

"So it's all here."

The King of Zhennan nodded slowly. The Snow Dragon Cavalry was mainly stationed in Fenghuang City on the border of Xingqing Road and the Southern Dynasty, opposite to Lingwu Pass where the Southern Dynasty's western border troops were stationed. As the generalissimo of the entire Southern Xinjiang defense line, he was stationed permanently. It is in Huaishuo City, north of Lieyang Pass, but it is still no stranger to this place.

King Zhennan nodded, "Let's all take a rest, tomorrow morning."

He originally wanted to go to Phoenix City to comfort him. He paused and thought about how his imperial brother would be suspicious of him if he delayed going to Phoenix City. Then he changed his mind and said, "Tomorrow morning, I will go straight to Beijing."

About 100 miles away from Zhennan Wang and others, there is a dangerous place called Dahu Mountain by the locals.

According to legend, someone killed a tiger here, hence its name.

The terrain here is quite steep, and it is an extremely convenient way to go to the south.

At this moment, thousands of people were ambushing on both sides of the valley, with huge rocks, rolling logs and other things placed beside them.

On the other side, in a flat forest, there were five to six thousand elite cavalry ambushing them.

The commander of the Crane Control Army, Yelu Xiu, stood in the forest, looking at the mountain road in the distance with a solemn expression.

After a huge defeat, he was not frightened, nor did he give up. He still wanted to seize on the slim hope of comeback and deal a fatal blow to the Southern Dynasty.

This bold ambush carefully designed for the Wudang Army was the iron-blooded backbone of his military career for half his life in the face of difficulties.

The deputy general on the side said: "General, will Jiang Yuhu really come back this way?"

Yelvxiu shook his head, "I'm not sure, but this is his safest choice and the most likely way. I have also laid an ambush on the northern line. If he returns the same way, I will give him a head-on blow." , let him know that we in Beiliang are not all mediocre people who can be bullied by him!"

The anger and shame caused by the defeat at the Qingchuan Pass still burned in his heart.

More importantly, he did not want to affect the future of Yelvbabu because of his defeat in this battle.

He dares to fight this battle, and he must fight it!

What about Jiang Yuhu?

He actually dared to lead 5000 people deep into the hinterland of our Daliang to show off his power. If he really takes this path to turn around, he and the Southern Dynasty will know what it means to be extremely happy and beget sorrow!

The winter night in the north was heart-stoppingly cold. Yelu Xiu and the others endured the difficult night until dawn appeared.

Then they waited for another whole day, but there was still no sign of Wudangjun.

When another night passed in the early morning, the ambush troops on the northern front also rushed to report the news, and there was no trace of the unarmed troops.

The lieutenant general looked at Yelu Xiu with confusion, and Yelu Xiu also frowned. He opened the map and looked at it carefully. His expression suddenly changed, and he looked towards the west in fear.

"Jiang Yuhu, you are so brave!"

In the wind and snow, Jiang Yuhu covered his face with cloth and took the lead.

The cloth was covered with dust and blood, but his eyes were still bright and determined. He leaned slightly on the horse's back and stared ahead.

Behind him were five thousand Wudang troops who were equally tired but energetic.

In front of him was the towering important town of Beiliang and South Xinjiang, the home of the Snow Dragon Riders, Phoenix City. (End of chapter)