Chapter 3804 Entering the city to express condolences
Zhang Liang and his entourage galloped on horseback, heading straight from Tongguan to the capital. The willow trees on both sides of the Ba Bridge were already green. Standing on the bridge and looking at Chang'an amid the rain, I felt a sense of the long absence and the changes in things and people.
Last spring, hundreds of thousands of troops set off from here and headed east, vowing to create unprecedented achievements. When they returned here after a year, what greeted them was a building that was almost completely destroyed in the flames of war. The ruins of Chang'an City...
Arriving all the way outside the Chunming Gate, Zhang Liang took out Li Ji's general seal and handed it to the captain of the city guard: "I am Zhang Liang, Duke of the State of Yun. I have entered the city on the orders of the British Duke to express my condolences to Princess Baling. Please notify the commander as soon as possible. The city released it.”
The lieutenant inspected the seal and handed it back with both hands. He did not dare to neglect: "Please wait a moment, Duke Yun. I will see you soon."
Now Li Ji has led hundreds of thousands of troops to garrison Tongguan, eyeing Chang'an. Once the army comes, the mountains will collapse and the earth will crack. Guanlong is frightened by this. Facing Zhang Liang, Duke of Yun who entered the city on Li Ji's order, Who dares to treat someone lightly?
The captain turned around and ran up to the city tower. Not long after, a group of generals quickly came down from the city tower. They knelt on one knee in front of Zhang Liang's horse and saluted very respectfully: "The last general at Chunming Gate is guarding Yuchi Gang. I have seen Yun Guo." "Mr."
Zhang Liang raised his eyebrows: "Yuchi?"
The captain paused for a moment and replied: "The last general is from the same clan as the Duke of E, but he is just a distant branch."
"Xianbei Yuchi" is a large family in the Northern Wei Dynasty. There are many outstanding people in the family. They have been military generals since the Northern Wei Dynasty, Northern Qi Dynasty, Northern Zhou Dynasty and even the former Sui Dynasty. They are powerful and powerful and can be regarded as part of the Guanlong clan. It's just that since Yuchi Jingde's grandfather, the Yuchi family and the Guanlong clan have gradually drifted apart. Even today, although they are known as the "Guanlong clan", they have actually gone their separate ways. Yuchi Jingde's achievements and status all depend on him. Being unable to work hard has nothing to do with Guanlongmen.
It would be difficult to understand if a member of his clan served as a garrison general at an important place like Chunmingmen under the rebels...
However, the captain was obviously spiritual. After hearing Zhang Liang's inquiry, he immediately understood the key and clarified it.
Of course, most people with the surname "Yuchi" have the same surname, and no one can tell whether they are related to each other. Of course, the Tang Dynasty was built with the help of Guan Long, and the Li Tang royal family itself was a part of Guan Long. It is actually difficult to completely separate the relationship with Guan Long in the upper and lower parts of the empire...
The city gate opened, Zhang Liang and his party rode in, heading straight to Princess Baling's mansion.
Zhang Liang is representing Li Ji on this trip, so naturally he cannot go directly to Yanshoufang to meet Changsun Wuji. Li Ji does not want Guan Long to think that he is siding with the East Palace, and conversely, he does not want the East Palace to think that he and Guan Long are flirting with each other. , I'll just take a look and don't interfere... This is Li Ji's stance.
At the same time, Yu Chigang, the gatekeeper of Chunming Gate, immediately reported the news of Zhang Liang's entry into the city to Changsun Wuji of Yanshoufang.
After hearing the news, Changsun Wuji pondered for a moment, called Yu Wenjie in, and ordered: "Prepare the car and take me to Mingfu Temple."
Although the Tang Dynasty respected Taoism as the state religion, many temples were built since the Sui Dynasty, almost everywhere. Princess Baling's Mansion was once part of the Mingfu Temple. After entering the Tang Dynasty, it was given to Princess Baling to build a mansion, adjacent to the temple. , beautiful scenery.
Yu Wenjie naturally understood what Changsun Wuji meant: "Here! I will go to the princess's mansion later to express my condolences."
Changsun Wuji nodded with satisfaction.
Not long after, a carriage came out of Yanshoufang and went to Mingfu Temple. Yuwenjie led several soldiers to ride to Princess Baling's mansion.
……
Zhang Liang entered the city from Chunming Gate and looked around. There were soldiers from Guanlong and Longmen coming and going on the streets. The places where the lanes met and the spacious streets were full of military camps. It was noisy and chaotic, with shit and urine flowing everywhere. The once prosperous and beautiful Chang'an City Now it has become dilapidated and dirty.
Fortunately, the Guanlong Clan's restrictions on soldiers entering the city were quite strict, and no troops were stationed in Lifang. Although ordinary people were imprisoned in Lifang, they were at least safe.
But Zhang Liang knew that as the fire outside Jinguang Gate burned all the grain stored by Guan Long, the food shortage would spread among Guan Long's army. If this situation continues, sooner or later the morale of the army will be unstable, discipline will be loose, and starving soldiers will break into the village and snatch food.
By that time, the huge city of Chang'an and its hundreds of thousands of residents will be completely plunged into dire straits. This most majestic capital city in the world will also be completely destroyed by war and disasters, irreparably...
Although Zhang Liang had never considered himself to be one of those virtuous ministers who "cared about the country and the people" and "had the country at heart", seeing the current situation in Chang'an City at this moment, he still felt heavy-hearted. The area controlled by Guan Long is already like this, and one can imagine what the situation is like in the imperial city that has repeatedly competed with the East Palace...
At the end of the Sui Dynasty and the beginning of the Tang Dynasty, Zhang Liang also saw with his own eyes the scenes of chaos, ruined industries, and people's livelihood. However, he was still young and had little experience at that time, and could not yet understand the "human lives in troubled times are as cheap as dogs" and "bones covered in bones". "There is no cockcrow for thousands of miles in the wild". When I see this scene today, I feel deeply sad.
Arriving outside Princess Baling's house, Zhang Liang gathered his mood, cheered up, and pushed out all the sadness that arose from his mind. Later, he tried his best to deal with Changsun Wuji, hoping that he would be able to survive in this situation. Try to seize greater benefits during the mutiny...
Zhang Liang came to the gate of the mansion, looked at the few carriages and horses in the streets outside the gate, shook his head, and got off his horse. Even though Chai Lingwu had no real power, he was the prince-in-law of the dynasty, and his brother Chai Zhewei, Duke of Qiao, was in charge of Zuotunwei, so the Chai family was considered a prominent family.
Now that Chai Lingwu died violently, during the funeral, there were only a few guests and carriages in the mansion, which is really sad...
After handing Li Ji his seal and famous tattoo, Chai Xu, the elder of the Chai family, went out to greet him in person.
At that time, Zhang Liang was also a reckless and fast-moving figure in the world. He had five hundred adopted sons and was rampant in the streets of Guanzhong. He and Chai Xu, known as the "wall dragon", were both prominent figures in the streets of Chang'an. Although they did not have a close friendship with each other, they had a good reputation. We meet each other in front of the door now, and we have some similar spirits.
Chai Xu clasped his fists, out of politeness: "The Chai family is extremely grateful that Duke Yun is here. Please go in first to see His Highness, and then I will have a talk with him."
Zhang Liang returned the greeting: "As a member of the military, I can't help myself, so I came late. I hope you won't be offended."
Chai continued: "You are welcome, there are many people who are adding insult to injury, and there are few people who are sincere and sincere. If Duke Yun can come, everyone in the Chai family feels friendship."
There are rumors in the city that Chai Lingwu was killed by Fang Jun. It is said that as the victim, Chai Lingwu should be given more sympathy and blame the murderer Fang Jun. However, the result is that now the East Palace gradually reverses the situation and defeats Fang Long's army. Jun became more and more famous and powerful, and many relatives and friends of the Chai family were afraid that coming to pay homage would offend Fang Jun, so they did not come because the situation was tense...
The two of them entered the mansion gate one behind the other.
When everyone inside and outside the mansion heard the news that Zhang Liang had come from Tongguan, everyone became excited and talked about each other. Countless messages were sent from the mansion to various parts of Chang'an City...
Zhang Liang and Chai Xu entered the mansion, first went to the mourning hall to mourn, and after paying homage, they went to the back hall to see Princess Baling. Seeing the two direct princesses of Changle and Jinyang, as well as the princesses of Nanping, Sui'an, Yuzhang, Pu'an, Dongyang, Linchuan, Ankang, etc., all present, they hurriedly came forward to salute one by one.
Princess Baling returned the gift with a sad and extremely weak face: "Thank you so much, Duke Yun, for coming. Please also express my gratitude to the Duke of England on my behalf."
Zhang Liang said hurriedly: "This is the duty of our ministers."
Princess Linchuan on the side suddenly said: "Duke Yun has returned to Beijing to express his condolences. I don't know what will happen. Do you want to go to Neizhongmen to see His Highness the Crown Prince?"
The hall fell silent for a moment.
Li Ji's position has always been inexplicable, and there has been a lot of speculation from all parties in Chang'an. Now someone has finally come to Beijing on behalf of Li Ji. Every move may represent a deeper meaning and can also express Li Ji's position. After all, the East Palace has now turned the tide of the war and completely taken the initiative. If Li Ji does not express his position, when the East Palace wins and the prince defeats the mutiny in the future, he will definitely be dissatisfied with him and even resent him.
Zhang Liang smiled slightly, bowed and said: "This time I am just here to express my condolences to Chai Prince Consort on behalf of the British Duke. I have no other intention. After the condolences are over, I will leave immediately to return to Tongguan."
Princess Linchuan was slightly disappointed...
She was probably the one in the hall who least wanted to see Dong Palace turn the tables on her and turn defeat into victory. It wasn't that she had any objections to the prince, but she really didn't want to see Fang Jun prosper after the prince's position was stabilized. That scene. (End of chapter)