With flags fluttering and horses' hooves clattering, tens of thousands of Anxi cavalrymen slowly marched northward. The armor they wore shone in the sun, and the swords in their hands also emitted a chilling cold light.

It left dust all the way and was as powerful as a rainbow.

But at this moment, such majestic cavalry is no longer the focus of people's attention.

After Yan Zhenqing finished speaking in a voice that sounded almost like a question, all his subordinates listened attentively.

They wanted to know why the Western Region had become like this in just one year?
Where has the King of Tianshui gone, who once cared about the people, tried to reform the law, and was praised by the people?
"Qingchen, you want to ask why I didn't follow the will of the saint to march west. Why did I become like this? Then I would like to ask first, why did the country become what it is today?"

When all eyes were on Li Xuan, Li Xuan pondered for a moment and did not answer Yan Zhenqing's question, but asked instead.

He knew that he could no longer make excuses to his staff.

Different from military generals.

The generals are full of courage, passion, and murderous power.

Especially the middle and low-level generals and soldiers, they almost developed a blind worship of Li Xuan.

Except for rape and looting, Li Xuan gave them everything a soldier wanted.

Honor, official position, military merit, reward.

He treated his soldiers well, was selfless, and used both kindness and severity.

It's not just Li Xuan's own strength, but also her unparalleled charm.

This enabled Li Xuan to gain the support of the entire army.

The Anxi and Beiting armies under his control were even more solid than when An Lushan started his rebellion in Fan Yang.

At the same time, the generals were eager for achievements and were not satisfied with the status quo.

If they want to be granted titles of nobility and become generals and go down in history, they must follow Li Xuan and take a chance.

The ideas of the civil servants were very different from those of the generals. In particular, the civil servants selected by Li Xuan, such as Yan Zhenqing, Yan Gaoqing, and Wang Changling, were loyal to the Tang Dynasty and believed that disobeying the emperor's orders was a heinous crime.

For Li Xuan, although it is difficult to persuade the civil servants, Li Xuan must do it, as he has even greater challenges ahead.

For example, persuading the officials in Hexi and Longyou, as well as some famous and capable ministers in the court.

To govern the world, Li Xuan alone is not enough, he needs a large number of like-minded people to follow him.

Those who were once his subordinates might also turn around and accuse Li Xuan and become his enemies.

Because Li Xuan's ascension to the throne was unreasonable, even though he was a descendant of Li Shimin and Li Chengqian.

From the moment Li Chengqian was deposed for treason, his descendants had lost their legal rights.

Li Xuan has never underestimated the definition of "bulk" in this era.

How could the country become like this?

Li Xuan's rhetorical question made Yan Zhenqing and his colleagues including Cen Shen, Wang Changling, and Dugu Jun fall into deep thought.

Recalling the heyday of Kaiyuan, Xiaoyi still hides thousands of families.

The rice is fat and the corn is white, and the public and private granaries are full.

Most of the officials had experienced the Kaiyuan Period of Prosperity and understood the huge difference compared to today.

They probably know what the situation is in Chang'an and what the situation is in the world.

Looking back on the Kaiyuan period, it seems like a dream.

They are unwilling to accept this as a flash in the pan.

But no one could save this prosperous era, not even Li Xuan when he was appointed prime minister.

Among the subordinates around Li Xuan, who is not well-read and familiar with history?
They also understand that everything that goes up must come down.

Just as subjects, they wanted to try their best to save this prosperous era.

But they are powerless and it is far from enough.

"Once the war breaks out, it will be a disaster for the people no matter what. The Grand Protector is a man of great military and literary talents. Doesn't he know that when history changes, rivers of blood will flow?"

Yan Zhenqing was the first to speak.

As the deputy ambassador who was in charge of Anxi affairs on behalf of Li Xuan, he was 100% sure of Li Xuan's actions.

He also knew that Xue Cuo and Luo Xing were constantly selling silk for profit at the instigation of Li Xuan.

Although part of the payment was used as a treasury payment, most of the gold, silver and jewelry went into Li Xuan's pocket.

It was obvious that Li Xuan intended to use the gold, silver and jewelry obtained from the trade to start a rebellion.

Yan Zhenqing did not deny the corruption of the current court, but raising an army to rebel was the worst solution.

Because Li Xuan did not get the support of powerful families, it meant that it was impossible for Li Xuan to seize power easily.

By then, there will be fireworks everywhere and the world will be in chaos.

Whenever there is chaos in the world, millions of people die.

"It is better to remove the firewood from under the cauldron than to stir up the boiling water to stop it. My policy of reform cannot be implemented throughout the country, so I should use my method to spread it throughout the country. Cutting flesh and removing sores only treats the symptoms but not the root cause, and will leave endless disasters behind."

Li Xuan insisted on his opinion.

"The situation in the world has not yet reached that point. I believe it can still be salvaged in time."

Yan Zhenqing still had hope in his heart and believed that the situation had not yet become so bad.

"Can Yang Guozhong turn the tide? How long will the powerful keep serfs in captivity? When will the big families stop annexing land? Human desires are insatiable and there is no limit to human desires."

"When I went back to Chang'an this time, I saw the Five Yangs' mansion covering an area of ​​200 acres, as luxurious as an imperial palace. In order to build the mansion, they cut down all the trees north of the Wei River. The Five Yangs demanded gold, silver and jewelry from local officials without restraint, and the local officials who wanted to take shortcuts could only exploit the people more vigorously. The saints could only attend court several times a year. The southern expeditionary army was defeated twice in Nanzhao, but Yang Guozhong was still the prime minister."

"And An Lushan in the northeast has already united the Xi, Khitan, Mohe, Shiwei, Tongluo and other Hu tribes. He could lead his troops south at any time. Everyone knows that An Lushan is going to rebel, but the saint just doesn't believe it."

"I think the military preparations in the interior are lax, and An Lushan will march straight into the Central Plains and threaten the two capitals. In this case, why shouldn't I prepare?"

Li Xuan expounded on the ills of the current court and listed the crimes of certain individuals.

He was certain that An Lushan would rebel, so he prepared troops to fight against An Lushan.

This situation in the Western Regions cannot be concealed for long.

After the heavy rain stopped, Yang Guozhong had lost contact with the countries in the Western Regions for a long time, and he must have had some doubts.

In addition to An Lushan, Li Xuan was also a target that Yang Guozhong wanted to eliminate.

"Grand Protector, once An Lushan rebels, the saint will surely wake up and dismiss Yang Guozhong. Please go back to take charge of the situation. Your chance has come! Quwo replaced Yi, which has been criticized for thousands of years. A small clan replaced a big clan, which is ultimately shameful."

Yan Zhenqing said to Li Xuan.

Judging from Li Xuan's decisive character, he definitely does not want to be a powerful official.

In history, few powerful officials had a good ending. Even if they themselves lived a safe life, their descendants would not have a good life.

The only explanation is that Li Xuan wants to replace Dazong.

"What the Qing minister said is all hypothetical. I am sure that if An Lushan rebelled, the Saint would not dismiss Yang Guozhong. Moreover, the Saint would call me back and let me lead the Southern Court Guards that have not been trained for a long time and the newly recruited soldiers. If there is any mistake, the Saint might kill me."

"A real man stands tall and proud. I can say with confidence that after my death, the Tang Dynasty will have no future. I cannot die, so I have no choice but to resort to this last resort."

"The people are the most important, the country is second, and the king is the least important. This is a Confucian classic, but since ancient times, ministers have often confused it and regarded the king as supreme. This is a factor in the demise of a country."

Li Xuan did not specify the time of his rebellion or whether he intended to usurp the throne.

He knew that he could not make a promise just to assist the new monarch and follow the example of Yi Yin and Huo Guang.

Because if Li Xuan wants to win over his interest group, he can't just do that.

He has a more important mission!

He is planning something that is unimaginable and unacceptable in this era.

When you come to this world, you must do your best to leave your own mark.

Even if you cannot change it, it proves that you have tried.

To accept disgrace from a country is to be the master of the country; to accept misfortune from a country is to be the king of the world.

Governing with virtue is like the North Star, which stays in its place and is surrounded by other stars.

During the Zhou Dynasty, if a famine disaster occurred in the country, the monarch had to follow etiquette and eat vegetarian food, stop music, and even wear mourning clothes until the famine was over.

The monarch regards the people as his own relatives. This does not require the monarch to cry for strangers, but on the level of rituals and music beyond private emotions, he should clearly understand his responsibilities and position.

Historically, the meeting between Lao Tzu and Confucius was like the co-appearance of the sun and the moon. The reason why Confucius and Lao Tzu could chat so well was because they had the same ideas on Zhou rituals.

But the Zhou rituals were later abandoned, and later kings were too lazy to deduct themselves.

Although Confucius' advocacy of "self-discipline and restoration of propriety" became a national belief, in reality no emperor actually did all of this.

Now with the development of the times, the meaning has changed, but the essence remains the same.

Li Xuan firmly believes that he can do it.

"The loyalty of the Grand Protector to the Emperor was known to all the world. If he betrays the Emperor, even if he has made outstanding contributions, the world will be dissatisfied."

Yan Zhenqing still thought that Li Xuan was taking an unconventional approach.

When border generals rise up in rebellion, they will cause endless troubles.

What Li Xuan did would lead to his downfall.

In the past, Li Xuan’s humility and respectfulness would also make him be criticized as being like Wang Mang.

Several years ago, when in Dunhuang City, Li Xuan and Yan Zhenqing had a conversation.

At that time, Li Xuan had the courage to go forward even if there were tens of thousands of people against him.

He was the first person to know that Li Xuan wanted to reform. Li Xuan quoted classics and claimed that he would either be torn to pieces like Shang Yang, or commit suicide like Li Kui.

This is a sign of loyalty.

The current unusual situation impacted Yan Zhenqing's heart and made him feel confused.

"Emperor Taizong once said that the ruler is like a boat, and the people are like water. Water can carry a boat, but it can also overturn it. During the Spring and Autumn Period, Guan Zhong also said that loyalty to the country is greater than loyalty to the king. I have the blood of Emperor Taizong in my body. I am loyal to the country, the country, and the people, and I have no regrets!"

Li Xuan's words were powerful and he would not waver.

A subject should be more loyal to morality than to the king.

If anyone tried to stop him from entering the country, he would definitely imprison him, even if it was Yan Zhenqing, Wang Changling and others.

He must also be responsible for his father, brothers, sisters, and son.

Be responsible for the world!
If the news leaked at this time, relatives in Chang'an would be in danger.

So he deployed a large number of cavalry on all roads under the pretext of expanding the official roads, and even blocked the roads to Xiaoboluo and Daboluo to prevent the news from being transmitted from Tubo to the Tang Dynasty.

Of course, some ordinary businessmen and people did not know that Li Xuan was going to rebel.

In the short term, it is still under Li Xuan's control.

"If An Lushan leads the Yanyun cavalry to rebel, he will certainly unite with the Northeastern Hu tribes. Only the Grand Protectorate can resist him."

At this time, Cen Shen spoke up to express his support for Li Xuan.

He was a man with a clear distinction between love and hate. As one of the first subordinates to follow Li Xuan, he admired Li Xuan like a surging river.

Liu Dan understood what Li Xuan meant and knew what to do without her reminding him.

What's more, Cen Shen believed that Li Xuan had no choice but to do so.

If the sage had fully supported Li Xuan's reforms and agreed to Li Xuan's dispatching of border troops into the Central Plains to suppress the powerful, the current situation would never have occurred.

The imperial court, which is in a terminal state, needs drastic measures to treat it.

Some tragedies are inevitable.

He imprisoned military supervisors, recruited soldiers, stored up food grains, and manufactured weapons privately.

If Li Xuan opened the passage from the Western Regions to the Hexi Corridor, the suspicious Li Longji would surely kill him.

"Qing Chen, we have come to this point, there is no turning back. I believe that the Grand Protector will be able to eradicate the treacherous officials, support the country, and restore the Tang Dynasty if he is forced to do so."

Wang Changling also spoke, but he was trying to persuade Yan Zhenqing.

He was demoted again and again, but was rescued by Li Xuan repeatedly. The Grand Protector was very kind to him.

Having come to this point, he was also very helpless.

He felt that the Grand Protector was forced here step by step and had no choice but to take a risky move. But honestly, Wang Changling hoped that the Grand Protector would be like Zhou Gong and win the hearts of the people.

Once the smaller clan replaces the larger clan, the Tang royal family will rush to follow suit.

Unless the Tang Dynasty no longer reuses members of the royal family.

After Li Xuan's speech, some of his subordinates were impressed by his "loyalty to the country."

Some even believe that Li Xuan's rebellion was to eliminate An Lushan for the country and eventually establish a new king, becoming Duke of Zhou.

Of course, there were also some subordinates who were excited and hoped that Li Xuan could succeed in his rebellion and become emperor.

Li Xuan is capable enough, has both literary and military skills, and controls important troops and strongholds, so the probability of success is very high.

If Li Xuan becomes the emperor, they, his subordinates, can conservatively become local leaders and show their talents.

"I am ignorant and would like to know what the Grand Protector wants to become in the end."

Yan Zhenqing was somewhat persuaded. He bowed his head and saluted, trying his best not to speculate on Li Xuan's intentions.

"My first step is to control the troops of the world, so that I can fight against An Lushan, the powerful families, and the Tubo and Huihe who may take advantage of the situation. As for the rest, I didn't think much about it. There are many variables in major events, and we must proceed step by step."

Li Xuan replied to Yan Zhenqing.

It was impossible for him to give Yan Zhenqing an answer now.

Even if they rebelled, at most they would do so in the name of clearing the court of corrupt officials, just like An Lushan.

Li Xuan launched a rebellion in the name of eliminating An Lushan.

"The Grand Protector has a long-term vision, and I am incompetent. I respectfully request to resign from my position."

Without getting the answer he wanted, Yan Zhenqing was afraid that a scene he didn't want to see would occur.

His family teachings did not allow him to become someone who would usurp the throne.

"We are in great need of people right now, so please continue to handle Anxi's government affairs!"

Li Xuan refused Yan Zhenqing's resignation.

Yan Zhenqing had actually noticed the abnormality a long time ago, but he did not report it to the court, which shows that he was struggling inside.

Yan Zhenqing came from a scholarly family and was influenced by Confucianism from an early age. He was a defender and practitioner of Confucianism.

However, his Confucianism was influenced by the propaganda of the imperial court. He had the awe-inspiring integrity of a loyal minister and martyr, but he was also a die-hard fan of the emperor.

If the emperor made a mistake, they would only persuade him to correct it, but would not have the idea of ​​overthrowing him, or even criticizing him.

In contrast, although Du Fu was loyal to the emperor, he also criticized Li Longji harshly, comparing him to Emperor Wu of Han in terms of warmongering.

Confucianism emphasizes personal responsibility rather than personal power.

People regard this as noble, but few people can actually do it.

Sometimes, just being responsible is not enough. One needs to go beyond Confucius' thoughts and expound one's own Confucianism, just like Mencius and Xunzi did.

Li Xuan just wanted Yan Zhenqing to get over the hurdle in his heart and continue to work for him.

Everything he said was also to make his subordinates accept his ideas.

"After I resign, I will not leave Anxi, nor will I inform on the Grand Protector."

Yan Zhenqing requested again.

What he didn't know was that when he said this, he had already lost.

Knowing that Li Xuan's rebellion was inevitable, he did not try to inform on her. This was not the loyalty in his heart.

"Everyone, I want to save the Tang Dynasty just like you do. We just use different methods, but in the end we all end up in the same place."

Li Xuan did not answer Yan Zhenqing's words, but spoke to the officials around him.

He used the four words "different paths leading to the same destination" to make their rebellion seem noble and elevated the vision of those present.

It also gave everyone a reason to convince themselves.

"Grand Protector..."

Yan Zhenqing wanted to say something else, but was interrupted by Li Xuan: "Qingchen, I have recently studied a new type of font. Although it is not worthy of being acclaimed, you are a master of calligraphy, so please appreciate it."

Li Xuan waved his hand, and Pei Ying came to Li Xuan with a calligraphy piece.

When everyone was puzzled, Li Xuan handed the calligraphy to Yan Zhenqing.

Yan Zhenqing hesitated for a moment, reached out to take Li Xuan's calligraphy, and slowly unfolded the book under the gaze of everyone.

What catches your eye are the distinctive words.

The thin strokes are smooth and look as tall and straight as a pine tree. The structure is tight yet relaxed, which is eye-catching.

At first glance, the paintings appear to be beautiful and free-spirited, but every stroke has been carefully conceived and meticulously executed.

This kind of highly individual calligraphy was first seen by Yan Zhenqing, Wang Changling and others.

What Li Xuan wrote was the famous Slender Gold style.

He studied ancient Chinese and history in his previous life, so naturally he had seen the Songti style of calligraphy many times.

Since he did not know the specific strokes of Slender Gold Style, Li Xuan began to try to conceive his own Slender Gold Style strokes ten years ago.

With hard work and guidance from calligraphy masters such as Yan Zhenqing, Li Xuan's calligraphy has long been outstanding, and he is particularly good at regular script.

Only after Li Xuan gradually conceived and completed the commonly used characters in the Slender Gold style did the thin and vigorous charm of today's calligraphy come into being.

It shocked everyone for a moment.

The evaluation of Slender Gold Style in later generations is polarized, because it does not conform to the aesthetic taste of some literati after the Song Dynasty. It is also very difficult to imitate.

But the prosperous Tang Dynasty was an era of high spirits and unique aesthetics. The Slender Gold style of calligraphy written by Li Xuan amazed Yan Zhenqing, Cen Shen and others.

Of course, at this time, Li Xuan was not showing off his calligraphy.

After everyone was immersed in calligraphy, they suddenly saw the content of the calligraphy.

Establish your mind for heaven and earth.

To make a living for the people.

To continue the unique learning for the Holy Spirit.

Create peace for all generations.

These four sentences are even more stunning than the Slender Gold script.

From philosophers’ pursuit, to caring for the people, to literary inheritance.

All of them reflect a person's character.

What they saw was a saint who cared about the world and had a high level of spiritual attainment.

At this moment, they seemed to think of Li Xuan, who was worried about the worries of the world and happy about the happiness of the world.

It also verifies Li Xuan’s supreme ideals.

If the monarch is unjust, overthrow him, eliminate the treacherous and corrupt officials, and restore peace to the world.

However, Li Xuan's realm was obviously higher than theirs, so he had to make a "military remonstration".

As for the situation after the military remonstration, it was naturally Li Xuan's stage.

They should serve Li Xuan, and achieve the same goal by different means, and bring eternal peace.

It is undeniable that this is a state that is almost impossible to achieve. In later generations, when people’s efforts are not rewarded and they feel resentful, they will reject such empty words.

But it was proposed by Li Xuan in this era, which is full of enterprising spirit.

It is also easy to incite the emotions of followers.

Once Li Xuan completes the feat!
Then these four sentences will become sacred.

"Qingchen, how is my handwriting?"

Li Xuan did not ask about the content, but instead asked about the Slender Gold style.

"The edges and corners are clear and the writing is powerful. Good calligraphy. What is this character?"

While Yan Zhenqing was recalling these four sentences in his mind, he asked Li Xuan.

"I call myself the Crane Body of Heavenly Bones."

Li Xuan replied to Yan Zhenqing.

"The font is like the feathers of a crane, with natural beauty and grace, just as its name suggests. This vitality should be passed down through the ages."

Yan Zhenqing made a double entendre with his words and bowed deeply to Li Xuan. After reading Li Xuan's four sentences, he no longer mentioned the matter of resigning.

This gift convinced Li Xuan.

I believe that Li Xuan can bring peace to the world forever.

He finally understood that Li Xuan had no chance to stop and had embarked on a path of no return. There was only one way to go.

With the full support of these people, we can accomplish the feat of saving the people and rescuing the Tang Dynasty from danger.

"We are willing to do our best to help the Grand Protector eliminate the treacherous and corrupt officials and support the country."

Wang Changling, Cen Shen and other colleagues also expressed their opinions.

"Persian grain is almost reaching Kucha. Build more granaries to store food. Make all your efforts to build spare armor and weapons."

"An Lushan thought I had gone on an expedition to the Arabs, and that he would certainly rebel this year."

"The saints do not believe that An Lushan will rebel, and we are the only ones who can stand up."

Until this time, Li Xuan's words were still ambiguous.

Only he knows what the real plan is.

Afterwards, Li Xuan asked Yan Zhenqing, Yan Jiming and Yan Quanming to go to Beiting Protectorate to persuade Yan Gaoqing to help Li Xuan accomplish great things.

With the persuasion of his brothers and son, and Li Xuan's promotion, Li Xuan believed that he could get Yan Gaoqing to join the campaign to purge the court.

There are essential differences between Li Xuan and An Lushan.

If all else failed, Li Xuan would temporarily dismiss Yan Gaoqing from his post and take him to Qiuci.

Yan Gaoqing had no military power in the Western Regions, let alone recruit local militia.

The Beiting Protectorate was also entirely composed of Li Xuan's troops.

Li Xuan summoned Feng Changqing back from Zhezhi City and asked Lu Jing to take over Feng Changqing's affairs temporarily.

When the time comes to send troops, Feng Changqing can be a general, commanding thousands of troops.

Although Feng Changqing was loyal to the Tang Dynasty in history, his thoughts were already approaching Li Xuan and he was influenced by Li Xuan subtly.

In addition, Feng Changqing followed his grandfather to the Western Regions when he was young, grew up in Qiuci, and was influenced by the customs and people of the Western Regions.

In history, Li Longji promoted Feng Changqing, which made Feng Changqing grateful. But this did not happen in this life.

Perhaps Li Longji had forgotten the name Feng Changqing.

It can be seen from the time Feng Changqing joined Gao Xianzhi that he longed for fame, wealth and power.

Li Xuan can give him all of these.

The loyalty of Yan Zhenqing, Wang Changling and others was very important to Li Xuan.

Many things can be done openly and with great fanfare.

Li Xuan no longer embezzled money in the economic and trade exchanges with Liangzhou City, and handed over all the money to the Anxi Protectorate for allocation.

The gold, silver, jewelry, gold coins and silver coins hidden in Suiye Town were continuously transported to Qiuci.

Granaries were erected outside the city, cattle and sheep were increasing in the pastures of Anxi, and powerful crossbows were sent to the armies...

Now everything is ready, only the east wind is missing.

Li Xuan was handling military affairs, accumulating military supplies and equipment, while waiting for the drums to sound in the northeast...

(End of this chapter)