r18novel Page 259
Page 259
The power of the Celestial Realm was known throughout Luzhou City.
"From this day forward, people throughout the land will be ashamed to bear the surname Hong!"
After finishing his rant, he vomited three liters of blood and left in a desolate manner.
Zhao Yi said to Gu Jiantang, "General, why not order the army to surround him?"
Gu Jiantang laughed smugly, "Ancestor Gu was loyal to the Southern Tang, but the Southern Tang is such a thing."
"Just now, he has fallen to the Finger Profound Realm. His heart is dead; he is nothing but a walking corpse."
Liyang, Tai'an City.
With the fall of the Southern Tang, the world was unified and fell to Liyang.
The whole world rejoices at Liyang Temple, and a grand celebration ceremony is held.
The two meritorious officials, Xu Xiao, the King of Beiliang, and Gu Jiantang, the Grand General, along with all the princes Zhao Chun, Zhao Yi, and Zhao Heng, participated.
Even the Southern Tang emperor who had just surrendered, now the Tang king, had secured a seat at the very end.
Emperor Zhao Li held a grand banquet for his officials. When the wine was flowing freely, he suddenly noticed the Tang King sitting in the corner.
"Your Majesty, why is Du Jiankang's head the only one seen, and Gu Dazu's head not?"
Du Jiankang and Gu Dazu together decimated the 100,000-strong navy of Liyang.
Zhao Li was very unhappy that he had lost face in front of Xu Xiao.
Emperor Hong knelt on the ground and replied loudly, "Your Majesty's loyalty to the Celestial Dynasty has a long history!"
"Master Gu has already gone into seclusion. Once I return to the country, I will definitely capture him!"
Zhao Li smiled and said, "Have you long harbored the desire to submit?"
"How come I heard that you once formed a marriage alliance with Western Chu, agreeing to fight against my dynasty's army together?"
Upon hearing Zhao Li's words, the Hong family emperor broke out in a cold sweat and trembled violently.
“Your Majesty, at that time, the Western Chu sent Sun Xiji to coerce us, and I had no choice but to deal with them.”
At this time, Sun Xiji was still highly valued by Zhao Li after the fall of Western Chu, and he was present at the scene.
Zhao Li said with a smile, "Sun Xiji, listen to this! Listen to this!"
"The Southern Tang Dynasty was deceiving you back then, hahaha!"
As a surrendered official, Sun Xiji dared not say anything more.
"Your Majesty's divine might is overwhelming. At that time, the Tang King's words were so eloquent that this old minister truly believed them."
Sun Xiji's words made the Hong family emperor even more nervous.
He suddenly shouted, "My loyalty to Your Majesty is as clear as day!"
"If Your Majesty does not believe me, I may execute my son Chang'an upon returning to my country to prove my innocence!"
Even Xu Xiao, the butcher of Liyang, was stunned when he heard the Emperor of the Hong family's words.
"Hey! This brat! Even tigers don't eat their cubs!"
Zhao Li revealed a disdainful smile, "Humans can be so heartless!"
"Your Majesty, you don't need to return to your country. Just stay in Tai'an City."
“Let my son Zhao Yi go and guard the former territory of the Southern Tang.”
Emperor Hong felt a chill run down his spine, but then he thought, how could a deposed monarch reside in the old land?
He had surrendered voluntarily, offering up even the head of his general and his son. What else could Zhao Li possibly worry about?
That night, Emperor Hong died peacefully in his palace in Tai'an City.
The next day, Zhao Li summoned his old partner Yuan Benxi.
Yuan Benxi, along with Li Yishan, Huang Longshi, and Nalan Youci, is known as one of the four great strategists of the Spring and Autumn Period.
"Benxi, as long as the Hong family emperor is alive, there will always be people in the Southern Tang who yearn to restore their country."
"So it's better that he's dead."
"However, I have also announced to the world that the ruler of the Southern Tang Dynasty who surrenders can become a king."
"With the empire newly established, what our dynasty needs is the support and allegiance of the people. What do you think we should do?"
Yuan Benxi's eyes darted around. What did that mean? Did he want both?
"Your Majesty, among the Tang princes, spare only the most useless heir to the title, and kill the rest!"
Zhao Li pondered for a moment and said, "Why don't we leave Hong Chang'an, the son that the Tang King wants to kill, behind, and then tell him that the Tang King wants to kill him?"
"We still need to think of a way to make the remnants of the Southern Tang dynasty give up their hopes of restoring their kingdom."
Yuan Benxi said, "There are two feasible strategies."
"Firstly, changing Hong Chang'an's surname to Li symbolizes leaving his homeland and becoming disloyal!"
"Secondly, the new Tang king Li Chang'an cannot stay in the old territory of Southern Tang; he must go to Yongzhou."
Zhao Li's eyes lit up when he heard these two ideas.
"Yongzhou, on the border of Beiliang... Wonderful!"
PS: Map in the snow.
Chapter 172 Shang Xuwei Bear? Xu Fengnian Curses His Father! (33)
"Your Majesty, all we need is the image of the Tang King."
"Give him a royal palace and a higher salary, but forget about personal guards and such."
"This old minister has already had Zhao Gou investigate, and this Hong Chang'an is not favored at all."
Zhao Gou of Liyang, Fushui Society of Beiliang, and Zhuwang of Beimang are their respective secret service agencies.
"The Hong family emperor arranged for him to marry the princess of Western Chu, intending to use her as a scapegoat at any time."
"This Hong Chang'an is neither good at literature nor martial arts. He loves playing the zither, chess, calligraphy, and painting, and enjoys listening to music in brothels. He's a complete playboy."
Yuan Benxi was well aware of Zhao Li's imperial ambitions: to act like a prostitute while trying to maintain a virtuous image.
He wouldn't feel at ease unless he killed the Hong family emperor.
However, he did not want to break his promise and still wanted to keep the title of Tang King to maintain appearances and win people's hearts.
To show the world that the people of Liyang are of one heart and mind, and that the Emperor of Liyang's word is law.
Yuan Benxi suggested that Li Chang'an inherit the title because the Hong family emperor wanted to kill Li Chang'an in public, and there would definitely be a grudge between the father and son.
After listening, Zhao Li nodded in satisfaction. When it comes to having a lot of bad ideas, Yuan Benxi certainly has it all.
Placing a Tang king, who was merely for show, near the Northern Liang would have made it even less likely for him to establish a major kingdom.
You should know that Xu Xiao, the King of Northern Liang, was a ruthless man who destroyed six kingdoms!
However, Yuan Benxi's ruthless methods once again shocked Zhao Li.
"Your Majesty, there's a limit to putting on a show. In seven or eight years, the world will be at peace."
"Your Majesty may bestow the princess of the Northern Liang Kingdom upon Li Chang'an in marriage, but Li Chang'an shall not marry the princess..."
Zhao Li's eyes lit up; this move even included arranging the Tang King's whereabouts.
"Benxi, do you mean that the Tang King should marry the Princess of Beiliang and become a live-in son-in-law of the Xu family, so that the Tang King will be a mere figurehead?"
Yuan Benxi nodded and said, "In that case, we can even save the trouble of reducing the power of the feudal lords."
"If Xu Xiao is unwilling at that time, he will arrange for someone to assassinate Hong Chang'an, so as to save the court's reputation from being tarnished."
After listening to everything Yuan Benxi said, Zhao Li was completely satisfied.
That old man arranged everything for Hong Chang'an, the Tang emperor, from birth to death.
There was another hidden worry that neither of them brought up.
With an army of 350,000, Xu Xiao has become the number one vassal king of Liyang.
It's impossible for Zhao Li not to be worried about such a powerful military force being in the hands of a non-royal prince.
However, Xu Xiao's achievements are at their peak, so the reduction of the power of the princes must not be mentioned.
With the Spring and Autumn Period wars completely over, future conflicts between Li Yang and Bei Liang will outweigh cooperation.
"Benxi, the idea is good, but it's probably too early to bring this up now."
Yuan Benxi said, "Xu Xiao is in Kyoto now, so it will be difficult for him to enter the capital in the future."
"The most appropriate thing to do in this matter is to have him agree in person."
"Moreover, he's already gained enough prestige by marrying the daughter of a prince bestowed upon him by His Majesty!"
Zhao Li nodded and said, "Xu Xiao should also share my burdens! I will personally bring it up with him another day."
A few days later, on the eve of Xu Xiao's departure from Tai'an City.
In the Baohe Hall of Tai'an City, Zhao Li, Xu Xiao, and Yang Taisui were completely drunk.