first minister

In the remote and secret room, there was only a dim lamp, illuminating the chiseled face of Xue Rui, the Prince of Beiliang.

Hearing this, he stood up slowly and looked at the head of the Murong family in front of him with a faint smile, "Didn't Prince Anton come as promised?"

The four kings of Daliang were Xue Zonghan, the king of Zhennan, Yelvshi, the king of Dingxi, Murong Chui, the king of Andong, and Wanyanda, the king of Pingbei. But in fact, only Xue Zonghan was the real powerful vassal king, and the other three were just honorable men in name only. A vain title.

Anton King Murong Chui snorted: "I just want to see who dares to seduce with such words!"

Xue Rui stood with his hands behind his back, "The man has been forced into a corner and has no way to retreat; the sharp edge of the sword and gun is close to the skin, and death is imminent; the trapped beast is still fighting, how can we not give it a try?"

He looked at Murong Chui with a deep gaze, "This sentence is not only for me, but also for you, Murong Family Master!"

Murong Chui's expression remained unchanged, "What problem can I have with this king!"

Xue Rui chuckled, "They are all smart people, why would King Anton speak like this? Murong Hu's death ruined Yuyanzhou's plan, but my father could tolerate it; Murong Bao made a mistake, and Murong Long had no choice but to force Yuwen to death." Yong only gained his father's tolerance by letting the Murong family and the Yuwen family form a deadly feud; but now, Murong Long has died in Yuyan Prefecture, ruining his father's last hope of a comeback. What will the Murong family prepare to do? How can we appease our father's anger? The most important thing is, what can your Murong family do to train a few outstanding heirs to compete with the other surnames?"

Murong Chui still looked calm, "Thunder, rain and dew are all due to your kindness. That is a private matter of my Murong family and has nothing to do with Your Highness."

Xue Rui chuckled, "King Anton, you are also a veteran. Do you really not know the character of my father? Now that I have a way to save you, you still have to bring the entire Murong family to bury you with you." Are you really going to let your ancestors’ inheritance fall into your hands?”

Murong Chui snorted coldly, "Your Highness, with all due respect, if I agree to you, I will ruin the entire Murong family."

Xue Rui suddenly realized that since this old fox was willing to come but didn't leave immediately when he saw him, he was actually weighing his own chips.

If you are still analyzing the pros and cons, you will probably look like a fool to others.

So, he immediately gave up talking in circles and said: "In these years, under the nose of my father, despite the hardships, I have secretly raised hundreds of dead soldiers, scattered scattered on the outskirts of the city, and I will be here soon after passing the message. The city gate Here, I have arranged for the patrolling garrison to enter the city at night. And among the most critical palace confinements, there are also my dead soldiers, which are the secrets I have buried the deepest. If King Anton can provide me with a thousand Warriors, with nearly 2000 of us, we can break through the palace city and stage the story that happened more than 30 years ago."

Murong Chui sneered when he heard this, "Are you kidding, Your Highness? There are less than 2000 people, and you want to break into the palace to rebel? Don't you know that there are a thousand soldiers and horses on duty in the palace all year round? Don't you know that the Qixue Guards The camp is in the east city, less than three miles away from the palace city, so it will be there in a blink of an eye?"

Xue Rui was calm and said slowly: "What if I have a way to stop the coward Xue Wei?"

"Why do you stand in the way? When His Majesty started the rebellion, it was Yelvshi's crane-controlling army. Where did you find so many people? Do you think you can still win over the Wanyan family or Yuwen?"

Murong Chui paused with a bit of sneer in his voice. He remembered the sudden death of Yuwen Yong, and a serious expression appeared on his face. He thought for a moment, "Can you really win over the Yuwen family?"

Xue Rui said in a deep voice: "Yuwen Yun, the new head of the Yuwen family, has secretly ordered the Yuwen family's five thousand private soldiers to be divided into parts and march towards the capital. They have assembled twenty miles outside the city this afternoon!"

"Are you crazy?!"

Murong Zhui couldn't help but roared again. Before today's news came, they had no possibility of wooing him, but they had already put the matter into action!
A trace of madness flashed in Xue Rui's eyes, "King Anton, just as Gu said before, the sword has been drawn upon you. If you don't resist, you will die. If you resist, you may still live. Why not resist? If it happens, the Murong family and the Yuwen family will He is Gu’s right-hand man and the great power, shared by Gu and the two of you! Gu will make you more glorious than the King of Dingxi who has been favored for 30 years!”

Murong Zhui knew that after hearing so much, Xue Rui would never let him leave alive if he didn't make some promise.

What's more, since he chose to come, he already had an inclination in his heart. Now that he saw that Xue Rui was fully prepared, and then considered the possibility of it happening, he knelt down on one knee, touched his chest and said, "Murong is willing to listen. Your Highness sends you!"

Xue Rui was overjoyed and stretched out his hand to help Murong Chui up, "With the help of King Anton, great things will be accomplished!"

Murong Chui stood up and said, "Your Highness, when will it be launched?"

Xue Rui said: "I don't dare to underestimate my father at all. Today I will enter the palace to entangle my father, and ask King Anton to help entangle Linghu Yan and cut off my father's eyes and ears. Tomorrow night will come, let's not delay! "

Murong Chui nodded in approval, "This is the right principle. Nights are long and dreams are many, so it is indeed better to do it sooner rather than later!"

After that, the two of them talked about a few more details, then blew out the dim lamp and quietly disappeared into the night.

The winter day comes very late, like a lazy man unwilling to get up.

The sky was dawning, and Linghu Yan had just finished washing up under the service of his beautiful concubine when he received a greeting card from the housekeeper, "Sir, King Anton has sent a greeting card to invite you to talk."

Linghu Yan slowly put on his clothes. He knew very well the reason why Murong Zhui asked to see him. He must have been flustered by the news about Murong Long and wanted to find out some information from his own side.

However, no matter what His Majesty will do next, Murong Chui is still the real King Anton. Although he is the embroiderer, he can't really control his attitude too much and make grudges for nothing.

So he dressed up, rode out of the mansion without even eating, and came to the place where he met Murong Chui.

At the same time, Prince Xue Rui also took the initiative to enter the palace and report to Emperor Liang on the rectification of Si Nabo's bad governance and the subsequent improvement strategies.

The days in winter are very short, especially in Liangdu, which is located in the northern border of Daxia. Noon arrives in an instant, and not long after, twilight begins to exaggerate its existence, exuding an increasingly thick and gloomy pressure.

The whiteness and filth between heaven and earth were covered by absolute darkness, and Liangdu entered a winter night that seemed to be the same as usual.

People blew out the lamps, wrapped themselves in quilts, and lay on the kang, preparing to sleep peacefully against the unbearable cold night.

In the Killing Cow Alley outside the palace city, there is a small puddle on the road in the alley.

The snow melted, mixed with the mud on the soles of people's feet, and turned into dirty water, filling it up.

The dark sewage was so quietly stored in the puddle, just like the stagnant water of Liangdu City.

A big foot suddenly descended from the sky and stepped on it, causing the water in the puddle to splash.

The stagnant water shook violently. Before it could calm down, another foot stepped forward.

Rapid footsteps sounded one after another, flying like wind through the dead alley towards the palace gate.

At the same time, the cold wind howled outside the city, and the roar covered up the sound of the march of the large army of soldiers and horses.

They were running on the road mixed with mud and snow, and they were also running on the journey to seal their wives and shadows.

Approaching Liangdu, the tall and insurmountable city gate quietly opened a gap.

It's like a glimpse of the eyelids raised by a giant beast, or even better like a glimmer of hope given by God.

The team rushed into the city without any hesitation. Not long after, fire, commotion and shouts of killing appeared in Qixue Wei's camp.In the palace city, after the dead soldier who had been trained by Xue Rui for many years and had never been used, risked his life and led his confidants to open a door in the palace, the cry of killing also rang out in the palace that had been quiet for more than 30 years.

Murong Chui gathered all those in his clan who could fight, guarded Xue Rui and his dead men, and launched an indomitable charge towards the main hall of the palace;
Yu Wenyun personally led the Yuwen family's troops who entered the capital privately and rushed to Qiuxuewei's camp, intending to use a pack of wolves to drag down Qiuxuewei, a fierce tiger, to avenge his father's death;

Xue Rui was wearing armor and charging among the crowd, his eyes firm and decisive.

He was the prince himself, so he did not allocate his men to attack King Mu like a cat drawing a tiger. Instead, he gathered all the forces at his disposal. What he wanted was to succeed in the battle.

Step by step, he gradually approached his father's palace.

He saw the lights in the main hall, the guards of the Forbidden Palace who looked down upon death, and the panicked faces of the eunuchs at the door.

Amidst the light and shadow of swords, the eunuchs running away with howls, and stepping on the corpses of the guards who fell one by one, he finally pushed open the door of the hall.

His eyes looked into the main hall and met the figure sitting on the dragon chair.

The figure who was once tall and mighty is now old and frail.

Emperor Liang looked at Xue Rui, who was covered in blood, but there was no trace of panic on his face. Instead, he said with a sense of relief, "So it's you. Fortunately, it's you. My son, you're finally here."

Xue Rui frowned.

Emperor Liang smiled slightly, "If King Mu forces you to this point and you still dare not take action or risk your life to fight, then you are not a qualified heir."

He sat at the large table and looked at his son who was coming with a sword. There was no trace of panic on his face as he was being forced into the palace, but only peace and relief.

"Daliang is different from the Southern Dynasty. In the Southern Dynasty, the monarchs, ministers, fathers and sons are the shackles that they cannot escape. But I, the hero of Daliang, have been fighting with the sky, the earth, and people since I was a child. I only believe in the strong. Therefore, I, Daliang, need a king who is as fierce as a tiger, in order to deter those wolves who have their own abilities and thoughts."

He nodded towards Xue Rui again, "I'm very pleased that you finally have the courage to take this step."

He slowly stood up and came to the steps in front of the dragon chair. He sat down without caring about the image of an emperor. Then he patted the open space next to him and said, "Come here, let me and my father have the final say, and also let the emperor I’ll tell you what needs to be said.”

Xue Rui hesitated for a moment, then walked over with his sword in hand and sat aside.

Emperor Liang tightened the fox fur around his body. He didn't look like an emperor looking down on the world, but just like an old man who could be seen everywhere on the streets and alleys enduring the winter.

He shrunk and squinted, as if the noisy fighting outside the palace had nothing to do with him, and said softly: "After today, I have arranged the rest with you."

"If Murong Long's affairs in Yuyan Province fail, Yelvshi will not be able to take back Lieyang Pass and Phoenix City, but he will redeem the [-] Snow Dragon Riders at a very humiliating price. When the time comes, he will take the six The Xue family’s elite direct line and the [-] crane-controlling army support you.”

"Your Uncle Zhennan Wang, I deliberately locked him up in the sky prison. You can pardon him. With this great kindness and the name of a monarch, he will definitely support you. With his prestige in the army, the [-] direct descendants of the Xue family He will not be used by Yelvshi, and he can also check and balance Yelvshi in the future court and become your right-hand man."

"In exchange, you need to marry Yelu Caiqi and make her your queen, so that the Yelu family will stand firmly behind you."

Emperor Liang smiled and said, "As Yelu Caiqi is the pearl of the prairie, you will definitely not suffer any loss. I have also terminated her engagement with Wenlu, but you have to find two more stunning ladies for Wenlu's child to appease him and Wenlu." Your Uncle Zhennan Wang."

Xue Rui listened blankly. At this moment, he finally felt that there was a huge difference in structure, skills, and scheming between himself and his father.

"I have been suppressing Linghu Yan for a long time. You can trust me again. The emperor of the Southern Dynasty trusted too much and gave his wealth and life to such a dark dog. In the end, he died miserably. You must take this as a warning. But I As an emperor, sitting in the palace, you need such a pair of ears and eyes to help you corroborate the court's remarks, and you must know how to grasp them."

"Finally, I sent a few dead soldiers over to Lieyang Pass to see if they could kill Xia Jingyun."

Emperor Liang spoke slowly and turned to look at his prince, "It is extremely difficult for Jiang Yuhu to succeed in his assassination, but this Xia Jingyun can give it a try. If he dies, your future situation will be better."

Xue Rui's eyes suddenly turned a little red.

Before coming, he had thought that his father might angrily rebuke him, and he would be able to retort with confidence;

The father may also beg in a panic, and he can release the repression and forbearance of the past many years;

The father may also resist desperately, and then he can mercilessly wipe him out;

But he never expected that his father, the emperor who also came to power through such a route, and who, at least so far, was almost recognized as a talented and strategic leader in both the Northern and Southern Dynasties, would face him with such an attitude. He came towards him with sword in hand and full of murderous intent.

Those instructions and arrangements are a father's sincere teaching and earnest entrustment to his son.

Emperor Liang sighed, "In my life, I ascended the throne at the age of 20 and ruled Daliang for 32 years. I opened up territory and conquered more than [-] countries, large and small. I tamed the remaining six of the seven major surnames, stabilized the imperial power of the Xue family, and improved the official system of Daliang. , centralize power to the king, and consolidate our Xue family. The country will be safe and healthy, and the people will live and work in peace and contentment. Not to mention a generation of saintly kings, at least they are conscientious and worthy of the ancestral temple."

"However, the Southern Dynasty is so big that it is like a hundred-footed insect that is dead but not stiff. People who are able to come out in large numbers to destroy my plans show that the destiny is not mine. After you ascend the throne, don't be full of energy, but stay dormant first. People in the Southern Dynasty are most susceptible to this trick. A little false fame is not a big deal. Slowly accumulate strength. One day, the iron cavalry will go south and threaten the monarchs and ministers of the Southern Dynasties with swords and guns. Remember this."

The shouts of killing outside the palace seemed to have become smaller. It was not known whether the two sides had decided the winner, or whether they wanted to wait for the outcome of the father and son in the palace.

Emperor Liang didn't care at all. His gaze seemed to be looking through the palace gate to the distant south.

"My life has been full of satisfaction and regret; there has been joy and sadness; there has been glory and embarrassment; but now, I am fortunate that I have a good successor who is courageous enough, courageous enough, and embarrassment enough. able."

He turned his head and looked at Xue Rui with relief.

Xue Rui couldn't bear it anymore and choked up: "Father."

Emperor Liang patted his shoulder with a smile, "Come on, son, just like your father did back then, pierce the sword in your hand that symbolizes courage and ambition into your father's chest. Use your father's imperial blood to fight for You ascend the throne and roll out a bright red carpet!”

Xue Rui lowered his head and choked, "Father."

The opportunity he had been waiting for finally appeared. Emperor Liang's left hand quietly reached for his boots, held the dagger hidden in the boots, and was about to pull it out when he felt a sudden pain in his chest.

He looked at the sword protruding from his body, at the blood stains that suddenly spread on his chest, and at the crazy look on his son's tear-stained face. A smile of relief and relief suddenly appeared on his unwilling face, and he fell on the steps. , and then the body rolled weakly in front of the steps.

Murong Chui walked into the main hall, staggered out, and cried loudly toward the messy hall: "Your Majesty! He is dead!" (End of Chapter)