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墨書 Inktalez
Chapter 136: The Edict
As Li Jian Cheng left the palace, invitations from various families arrived as expected, all eager to discern his stance.
If he intended to eliminate Yang Xuangan, they naturally wanted to share in that merit, willing to follow Li Langjun and enjoy the spoils.
Conversely, if he planned to rally troops in support of Yang Xuangan, they did not want to miss out on that opportunity either, equally willing to send their own sons alongside Li Langjun.
Li Jian Cheng's resolve was firm, which surprised many. As a scion of noble families, it was rare to find someone wholly loyal. After all, the nation was founded by their ancestors together, and the emperor was not particularly impressive.
Especially since the current emperor had returned empty-handed from two campaigns against Goguryeo; regardless of the reasons behind it, could the current state of affairs truly be their fault?
Upon returning home, Li Jian Cheng briefed his family and then headed straight to the Ministry of War to receive the military orders. He first commanded his thirty thousand elite soldiers to camp outside the city and instructed his officers to accompany him in selecting brave individuals from among the commoners.
Out of one hundred thousand, he chose over forty thousand. He also ordered some old acquaintances to assist with recruitment at the gates of Chang'an. If it weren't for the emperor's prior large-scale recruitment efforts, Li Jian Cheng wouldn't have needed to select from the commoners at all.
Given his reputation in Chang'an, as long as the court permitted him to recruit, he could easily attract seventy or eighty thousand capable young men.
Thus, recruitment did not go as smoothly as hoped; only about ten thousand were gathered. However, their overall quality was significantly better than that of the commoners, especially regarding their fighting spirit.
Commoners required prodding and supervision on the battlefield; without a disciplinary force, they struggled even to maintain formation.
Currently, it seemed that the three thousand elite troops assigned by the Ministry of War were the strongest, followed by over ten thousand recruits and then more than forty thousand commoners at the bottom tier.
The most critical issue was that there was no time for training; they were set to march in just three to five days. His relatives understood his predicament and sent some Guardians to assist him in managing both ranks and files.
Yang Xuangan had won several consecutive battles, and Wei Wensheng had been defeated to the point of being unable to fight back. Additionally, several Provincial Troops that had come to assist were also scattered and in disarray.
Unfortunately, Luoyang City remained unchanged. Yang Xuangan was desperately showcasing his abilities to make the noble families inside recognize his talents and send someone to negotiate with him.
He was willing to offer a tremendous price to buy Luoyang City; a hereditary Duke would not suffice, nor would a Prince. He would even consider a King, as long as they were willing to negotiate.
The problem was that no one was willing to negotiate with him. Yang Xuangan felt increasingly anxious; he had won every battle but still saw no hope of winning the overall campaign.
He began to distrust Li Mi and relied more on Wei Fusi. This was not only due to Li Mi's strategic issues but also because the once-prominent Li Family had little influence in Luoyang now.
Wei Fusi was different. The Capital Wei of Jingzhao was favored by many, and he himself held considerable influence in Luoyang City. Yang Xuangan depended on him, hoping he could convey his intentions.
However, while the King had intentions, the goddess was indifferent. Wei Fusi was not genuinely inclined to support Yang Xuangan; he led his troops into battle, only to find that his comrades surrendered without hesitation.
Only he and his personal guards could withstand Yang Xuangan's forces, which ultimately led to his capture.
At first, Yang Xuangan thought Wei Fusi was like everyone else, a result of the noble families' bets. But he quickly realized it was not the case.
"Brother Wei, have you finished writing the proclamation for Fan Zigai?"
Yang Xuangan asked with a friendly smile, "With your talent, how could it take so long for such a simple proclamation?"
Wei Fusi was of the same age as Yang Xuangan but was tall and slender with an elegant demeanor. However, he now appeared pale with dark circles under his eyes, forcing himself to hand over the completed proclamation.
If there is no sincere submission, what is there to fear? By forcing you to hand over your loyalty, cutting off your escape route, sincerity will naturally follow.
Yang Xuangan took a look at the document and found it filled with ambiguous words that lacked any sharpness. It did not resemble a proclamation for subjugating the Tyrant but rather looked like a memorial presented to the emperor.
Wei Fusi's eyes showed some fear, but he still stood up straight. This was the most he could do; he could not endanger his wife and children for the sake of his own life.
Yang Xuangan smiled and said, "Thank you for your hard work, Wei brother. Please join me for a feast."
Wei Fusi was quite surprised that this could be passed off so easily. Gratitude rose in his heart, and he couldn't help but advise, "Duke Chu, although the people resent it, His Majesty's Destiny still stands. It is not something you can shake with your own strength; it would be better to escape overseas early."
"If Brother Wei can assist me, what is there to worry about in achieving the Great Undertaking? The tyrannical ruler has long mistreated us nobles; this has been going on for quite some time. Otherwise, why would so many people come to seek refuge?"
"Duke Chu, there are only the two of us here, so I will speak frankly. Because Your Majesty's campaign against Goguryeo has failed, the bandits that Zhang Suduo had suppressed have once again gathered. This is something no one wishes to see."
Yang Xuangan declared with righteous indignation, "As long as the Tyrant and the bandits are not eliminated, the wars and burdens on the people will never cease. The common folk cannot survive; how can they not rebel? Zhang Suduo may suppress them for a time but cannot suppress them forever."
Wei Fusi nodded, "That may be true, but it should not be you who raises an army to rebel first. Duke Chu, you have been greatly favored by the Two Emperors and have held a position of immense wealth and power. You were granted the title of Duke before even reaching adulthood. Before your rebellion, you were esteemed as Duke of Chu and Minister of Rites. The rewards bestowed upon your family by the Predecessor Emperor and His Majesty have never been seen before."
"Brother Wei means to say that I am ungrateful? But how did my father die? Are you truly unaware?"
"The Prince of Chu passed away at sixty-three."
Yang Xuangan's gaze turned cold as he looked at Wei Fusi. Wei Fusi dared not meet his eyes but continued to speak, "Regardless, it should not be you who rebels against His Majesty first."
Yang Xuangan suddenly smiled, "Forget it, forget it. We can talk about this later. Brother Wei, come and drink with me first, then have a good rest."
Wei Fusi breathed a sigh of relief, thinking that Yang Xuangan was bound to fail. Although this proclamation was somewhat excessive, the Emperor should understand that he was in enemy territory and had to bend to survive.
The two arrived at the large tent that had been prepared long ago. After greeting everyone, Yang Xuangan took out the proclamation from his bosom. "Brother Wei has spent several days writing this proclamation for Fan Zigai. Everyone, please listen."
An unjustified war does not win people's hearts. Yang Xuangan's earlier words at the city gate could only be considered a token of intent; what truly needed to be conveyed to the world was this official proclamation.
Yang Jishan cupped his hands toward Wei Fusi, saying, "I am looking forward to appreciating Brother Wei's magnificent writing."
Yang Xuangan began to read aloud with a smile: "To establish loyalty and righteousness, there are many paths to take. One must act according to circumstances; it is not merely a single course of action. In ancient times, Yi Yin released Tai Jia at Tong Palace, and Huo Guang deposed Liu He at Changyi. These matters are within public consideration and cannot be fully elaborated in one or two statements.
Emperor Gaozu of the Wen Dynasty was born with destiny, creating this realm and establishing the seven ministries. He held the golden mirror to control the six dragons, achieving transformation effortlessly and governing the world with ease.
The current Emperor inherits the Treasure Calendar and should solidify his foundation. However, he has severed ties with heaven, causing harm to the people and losing virtue. For many years, he has allowed chaos to flourish; thus, bandits have increased in number. Everywhere he governs, the people's strength is exhausted by his indulgence in wine and lust. Children are inevitably affected by this corruption as they indulge in hunting birds and dogs, while beasts flee from their poison."
But Wei Fusi, who had been dumbfounded all along, suddenly snapped back to reality and roared as he lunged at Yang Xuangan to fight him to the death: "No! This is not what I wrote! You wicked man, Yang Xuangan! You will surely die an untimely death, your soul scattered in the Nine Hells! Your Majesty, today I..."
…………
(End of Chapter)
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