Chapter 40: People from the South
In mid-May, Yuan Hongsi personally led 10,000 county soldiers from Dazhen Pass to Fufeng County to suppress bandits. The combat effectiveness of the two sides was very different. The bandit soldiers were defeated in one battle. The bandit commander Xiang Haiming was killed in the chaos. More than 10,000 troops were beheaded, and countless surrendered. Yuan Hongsi immediately asked to enter Chang'an to present prisoners to the Daiwang, but was rejected by Wen Sheng, guard of Chang'an Leiliu, and asked him to return to Honghua County immediately.
However, Yuan Hongsi not only did not leave Fufeng County on the grounds that the rest of the bandits were not clear, but instead increased 10,000 troops to Fufeng County. Wei Wensheng realized that the situation was not good and sent general Chen Zhi to lead an army of 30,000 to expel Yuan Hongsi, but was ambushed by Yuan Hongsi to the east of Guo County. Chen Zhi was killed and the Sui army was defeated.
On May 20, Yuan Hongsi led his army to attack Yong County. Zhang Yuanlang, the prefect of Fufeng County, committed suicide and died. Yuan Hongsi immediately launched the slogan of deposing the foolish monarch and establishing a wise monarch, announcing Yang Guang's twenty major crimes to the world, and calling on the people of the world to revolt and overthrow the foolish monarch.
On May 24, Yuanshou established King Yang Xiu of Shu as emperor in Renshou Palace, and changed the country's name to Daming. Yang Xiu immediately granted Yuanshou the title of King Yong, the Secretary of the Shang Dynasty, and was in charge of government affairs. He also granted Yuan Hongsi the title of the Grand Marshal of the World to fight against the foolish monarch.
Yuan Hongsi obtained 40,000 surrendered soldiers from Xiang Haiming and captured more than 20,000 Sui troops. In addition to the defenders of Fufeng County, his troops had reached 100,000, but he was not in a hurry to attack Chang'an. Instead, he led a 50,000 army to sweep Longyou, Tianshui County, Anding County, and Pingliang County surrendered one after another. However, Chen Ji, a prefect of Beidi County, led tens of thousands of soldiers and civilians to defend Anding City. Yuan Hongsi could not capture the city and had to lead his army back to Fufeng County. At this time, the powerful people in Guanlong rose up one after another and joined the Yuan army, which quickly increased Yuan Hongsi's army to 150,000 people, with great momentum and shocked Guanzhong.
In early June, Yuan Hongsi led his troops eastward and led an army of 100,000 to surround Chang'an City. There were still 70,000 defenders in Chang'an City. Wei Wensheng held on to the city while sending people to Liaodong and the capital for help.
The news of the Yuan family's rebellion quickly reached the capital, shocking the capital. The King of Yue Yang Tong, left the capital, immediately sent the Zuotun Guard General Qu Tutong to lead 40,000 elite troops to Guanzhong to rescue Chang'an. Yang Tong issued a statement that King of Shu Yang Xiu was still imprisoned in the palace, and the King of Shu was established by the Yuan family as a fake.
Fan Zigai, the Minister of Civil Affairs, who was left behind in the capital, ordered the arrest of the Yuan clan members who were still in the capital. A team of soldiers ran in the capital. The capital was in a panic and chaos. Affected by the Yuan rebellion, the food price soared, and the rice stolen coins were 800 yuan. The capital was once again set off a wave of rice stolen.
Chongyefang and Yang Yuanqing's mansion were stationed on the east side of the mansion. Five hundred soldiers who were sent to protect and monitor Yang Yuanqing's family were temporarily pulled away due to the urgent situation. Only 200 soldiers were left. They were still divided into three teams, patrolling around Yang Yuanqing's mansion day and night.
At night, a medium-sized ship of 500 stone was moored in the river behind the Yang Mansion. The boat was brightly lit, and it was actually a flower boat. In the capital, this kind of flower boat is more common, walking in various yards, especially in Luoshui. Some are water brothels, some are lefangs, and some are hop boats. The flower boat hangs a string of blue lanterns high on the flagpole, indicating that this is a leboat.
Lefang stopped opposite the river, and several Le girls were taking off their lanterns, saying that they had stopped business and stayed here to rest overnight.
The soldiers on patrol were not interested in Lefang and did not ask much. Lefang quietly stopped at the river Taoist priest, the lights went out, and the surroundings fell into darkness.
At the right time, the ship slowly approached the river on the side of the Yang Mansion. When a team of patrol soldiers walked by, the back door of the Yang Mansion opened. Pei Minqiu quickly came out with the child in his arms, and Zhang Chuchen and others followed closely behind. She was quick and called everyone to run towards the river. They got on the boat, and the door closed again, as if nothing had happened.
But Lefang disappeared silently in the night. Lefang arrived at Luoshui, and the family changed another official ship to transport grain in Luoshui, which had a pass. The official ship passed through the water checkpoints and successfully left the capital.
At this time, Yang Xuangan from Dongping County still had no movement.
In the early morning, a red sun rose from the east, spreading the dazzling clouds, and the sun appeared like a fireball, pouring the red light of fire on the ocean, on the trees, on Yanshan Mountain and the entire earth, the endless military camps were also dyed red, and the huge city seemed to burn in the morning.
Yang Guang's imperial study was also dyed with a magnificent color. In front of the imperial desk, the tireless Emperor of the Sui Dynasty had been dealing with the court for nearly half an hour. It was not until the red light shone on the imperial desk and disturbed his red pen that he had to stop writing and stretched his waist. The eunuchs quickly presented more than a dozen plates of exquisite snacks to the imperial desk like flowing water and brought them to tea.
This is Yang Guang's habit. When he put down his pen for the first time, it was the time for him to eat. Although most people ate two meals a day, the nobles were not restricted. Yang Guang had to eat six meals a day. His appetite was very small, and he only ate a little at a time.
Yang Guang ate a small piece of cake and drank a few sips of ginseng tea. Even if his breakfast was over, the eunuchs took down all the snack plates. At this time, an eunuch reported, "Your Majesty, General Yuwen and Minister Yu asked for a meeting!"
These two people actually arrived at the same time, which was rare. Yang Guang nodded, "Please let them meet!"
After a moment, Yuwen Shu and Yu Shiji walked in and bowed together, "See Your Majesty!" Yang Guang saw the two of them look serious and couldn't help but feel a little surprised, so he asked them, "Two dear friends, what happened?"
Yu Shiji bowed and said, "Report to Your Majesty, the Liaodong Pastoral Supervisor just reported urgently that Yang Yuanqing sent someone to forcefully take away 70,000 war horses."
Yang Guang was also a little strange, but he still asked without saying a word: "What's the matter? The war horses on the Liaodong Horse Farm were originally used to attack Goryeo. Isn't it just right for him to take 30% of them?"
"Your Majesty, but he did not accept the order of the Ministry of War and took the horse without authorization."
Yang Guang also felt something was wrong, and he immediately said to Yu Shiji: "Isn't Hu Sizheng in Liaodong? I'll ask him to investigate the matter thoroughly."
Yuwen Shu next to him said, "I suggest that Your Majesty change to someone else to investigate. If you use Husi Zhengchen, you will definitely not be able to find out anything..."
Yang Guang was stunned, "Yuwen Aiqing, what do you mean?"
"Report to Your Majesty, I sorted out the Ministry of War's approval last night and found some problems, which were related to Husizheng, so I dare not hide them."
Yuwen Shu took out several approval documents from the Ministry of War and presented them to Yang Guang with both hands. A eunuch took them and transferred them to Yang Guang.
"What's the problem?" Yang Guang asked, taking the approval.
"Your Majesty, something happened to Yang Xuangan from Dongping County."
Hearing that it was Yang Xuangan's problem, Yang Guang was so energetic that he immediately sat up and looked at the approval carefully. He looked at three replies in a row, all of which were approved to recruit 2,000 county soldiers. The author signed the following signing, which was Hu Sizheng.
"How many county soldiers are there in Dongping County?"
"Report to Your Majesty, there were only two thousand people, but now there are eight thousand people."
Yang Guang was shocked and angry. He had to approve more than 3,000 county soldiers. Now Yang Xuangan's county soldiers have reached 8,000, and he knew nothing.
Yang Guang slapped the table heavily and said furiously: "Transfer the couplet and order Hu Sizheng to come and see the film immediately!"
Yu Shiji said carefully: "Your Majesty, the problem is not Husizheng, but Yang Xuangan's eight thousand county soldiers and Yang Yuanqing's 70,000 war horses. Don't Your Majesty find it a bit strange?"
Yang Guang closed his eyes and pondered for a while, nodded, "Lian is to be careful and immediately pass on the order of Lian to change Yang Xuangan to the prefect of Nanyang County."
Yuwen Shu wanted to say something else. At this moment, a fierce running sounded outside, and an eunuch shouted: "Your Majesty, Chang'an is urgently asking for help!"
The news shocked all three people in the room, and Yang Guang immediately said: "Come in and report!"
An eunuch rushed in and fell to the ground. He said angrily: "Your Majesty, Yuan Hongsi rebelled in Yong County, Fufeng County, and made King Yang Xiu of Shu the emperor. They defeated the Chang'an army, and the King of Dai of Chang'an urgently asked for help."
This news made Yang Guang both happy and surprised. The Yuan family finally rebelled. He can now attack the Guanlong nobles without mercy. How could the Yuan family rebel in Fufeng County? And there was actually the King of Shu Yang Xiu. Isn’t Yang Xiu imprisoned in the capital?
"What's going on?"
Yuwen Shu and Yu Shiji looked at each other, and both of them said in horror: "I don't know!"
Yang Guang snorted heavily. At this time, he no longer cared about Yang Xuangan's affairs. Yang Guang immediately issued an order, "Transfer the order of the couplet, and the army returned to Zhuo County."
The decree was issued, and a 500,000 army began to pack up the camp and prepare to withdraw the camp and return to Zhuo County. The camp was busy. At this time, the news of Yuan Hongsi's rebellion was still strictly kept secret. Everyone had no idea why they wanted to return to Zhuo County, but it was still exciting to not attack Goryeo.
To the west of the camp was the tent of the ministers. The tent of the Chaosan doctor Shen Guang was located on the edge. At this time, he also received an order to return to Zhuo County.
This is what Yang Yuanqing repeatedly instructed Shen Guang. Once the Shengjia wants to take the camp back to Zhuo County, he must be notified immediately.
Shen Guang was anxious and immediately wrote a note and handed it to a confidant soldier. "Run to Liaodong immediately and handed it to General Manager Yang, hurry up!"
After his confidant led the order, Shen Guang then felt relieved and ordered his other subordinates to clean up the tent and return to Zhuo County.
In the imperial study room, the Beijing Express also arrived. The Beijing Express was more detailed. The Express admitted that King Yang Xiu of Shu had been lost and escaped. However, the Beijing official immediately issued a statement that the King Yang Xiu of Shu established by the Yuan family was a fake, and the real Yang Xiu was still imprisoned in the palace.
This made Yang Guang highly praised Dong'er's decision was very timely and wise. He must never admit that the other party is the real Yang Xiu and cannot let the other party have any legal and reasonable aspects.
At this time, Yang Guang also secretly regretted that he underestimated the influence of the Yuan family's rebellion. Only then did he realize that the Yuan family's rebellion would cause him great trouble. If he had known this, he would have nipped the Yuan family in the bud of the rebellion.
But regret is useless, and Yang Guang will never admit his strategy mistake. Yang Guang paced back and forth in the imperial study with his hands behind his back. It would take at least twenty days to come from Chang'an. In addition, the time for his army to rush back to Zhuo County, this was a month, and I don't know what the situation in Chang'an was like.
At this time, Yang Guang suddenly remembered the incident of Yang Xuangan, and thought of Yang Yuanqing in Liaodong. Yang Xuangan was a mediocre person. He was not worried, but he was a little afraid of Yang Yuanqing. Although it was possible that Yang Yuanqing would not rebel with Yang Xuangan, with the lessons of the Yuan family, Yang Guang could never let the incident of Yuan family happen again.
When Yang Yuan returned to his seat, he immediately wrote two secret decrees, summoned two eunuchs, and handed them over the secret decrees and two gold medals.
"You rush to Liaoshui immediately and hand over these two secret decrees to Yang Yichen and Wang Rengong." (To be continued)
Chapter completed!