Strange Tales from the Northern Qi Dynasty

Chapter 211 Seeing Destruction

"Holding King Pengcheng hostage?"

Liu Taozi looked at the person in front of him, and Tian Zili hurriedly said, "Brother, that's right."

“They would never lie.”

Liu Taozi nodded and asked someone to arrange for the bandit to rest. Tian Zili frowned and analyzed: "Brother, this is not to hold King Pengcheng hostage to start an army, this is clearly to murder King Pengcheng."

"King Pengcheng is a strong man, how could he be held hostage? If someone could really send the bandits to King Pengcheng's mansion, King Pengcheng would have nothing to lose."

"Is it Gao Zhan?"

Liu Taozi said: "King Pengcheng has offended many people."

Tian Zili hesitated for a moment before saying, "Brother, this may not be a bad thing."

"Most of the people in the court are good-for-nothings with no talent. Only the King of Pengcheng has a long-term vision, is decisive, and has a high reputation. Moreover, he is still very young. He is dedicated to the court. It was because of his advice that Hulu Xian was able to take office."

"Bao Xian is a Han general, and Hulu Xian is related to you. These two are both capable generals who can help you resist the enemy, but they cannot be close to you openly."

"This person's administration is extremely powerful!"

"With such a person in the temple, it will be difficult for us to start a rebellion in the future."

"Whether it's Gao Zhan or any other nobleman, killing him would be like undermining the foundation of the government, which would be beneficial to us."

Tian Zili looked at the situation from the perspective of his brother's uprising. From this perspective, the more talented those capable ministers and generals who were loyal to the court were, the more disadvantaged they would be to them.

The brave generals are actually okay, but the ministers like King Pengcheng are really difficult to deal with.

This is a bit like how Wei Xiaokuan felt about Liu Taozi. If there is such a person among the enemies, he must be eliminated!
Liu Taozi looked at him slowly, "Being the king is not what I want."

"The King of Pengcheng was wise and experienced in worldly affairs, decisive in making decisions, and treated all matters with compassion, no matter how big or small. What is most rare is that he cherished the people's strength, sympathized with their feelings, was kind and benevolent, and implemented many good policies."

"Since he came to power, he has promoted many virtuous people, re-issued the land equalization order, and saved many people. How can we not save such a benevolent man?"

Tian Zili wanted to say something, but he pursed his lips and gave up.

"Brother, even if we want to save him, how can we do it?"

"This man has never met my brother. Even if I send someone to remind him, he may not believe it. Besides, this happened more than 50 days ago. We don't even know whether he is dead or alive now!"

"Hurry up and hurry."

Liu Taozi signaled Tian Zilie to bring paper and pen and wrote a few words.

"You should also write to Cheng An's old brothers, asking them to follow the trend but not to harm them."

Tian Zili was still a little helpless, "Brother, is it too late?"

"Do your best."

Jinyang, Jinyang Palace.

The palace was pitch black. Armored soldiers holding torches stood everywhere, barely able to illuminate the empty hall.

The wooden pillars in the hall were hung with various magical instruments used in witchcraft. They were shining brightly and looked even more terrifying under the candlelight.

King Pengcheng walked into the hall and looked at the familiar scene. He was stunned for a moment, frowned, and continued walking forward.

If you get closer, you can see people in the distance.

In the shadows, Gao Yan was lying on the bed. He was disheveled, skinny, and his eyes were bloodshot. Under the candlelight, half of his face was twisted and shaking. He was grinning and whispering something in a very fast and unclear voice.

For some reason, Gao Yu suddenly felt a little creepy.

He walked up to Gao Yan and saluted him.

"His Majesty."

Gao Yan suddenly looked at him with extremely vigilant eyes, examining Gao Yun in front of him fiercely. He stared at Gao Yun for a long time, as if he was sure of something.

"Brother? Is that you?"

Gao Yu bowed again, "Your Majesty, you are the emperor, how can you call me brother?"

"Brother, come here quickly, come here quickly."

Gao Yu walked to Gao Yan's side. Gao Yan struggled to sit up and quickly held his hand, "It's really you."

"Your Majesty, are you alright?"

"I"

Gao Yan opened his mouth and suddenly said excitedly: "I can't tell the difference anymore. I know they are fake, but when they hit me, I can feel the pain!"

"They can still push me down, is this really a lie?"

“I don’t know what to do anymore”

"Brother, please save me!"

Gao Yu looked at him blankly, looking at a loss.

Gao Yan looked at him for a moment before he calmed down. He sat back in his seat, his expression no longer as anxious as before. "Since there are no outsiders here, I will address you as my brother. What else do you want, brother?"

Gao Yin then took out the music sheet from his sleeve and handed it to him.

"At the beginning, Emperor Wenxuan ordered people to compile the "Linzhi New Code", and it is still being added to, but it has not been written. The courts in the country do not follow the law, and it is said to be reforming the law. I think it is really inappropriate. I hope Your Majesty can allow it and select ministers who are familiar with the law to complete this task and revise the "Linzhi New Code" into the "Da Qi Code". In this way, the courts in the country will have something to follow and will not be in chaos."

"I believe that Dali Qing Feng Shu, Pushe Wei Shou, Shangshu Yang Xiuzhi and others can accomplish this task."

Gao Xun spoke in detail, and Gao Yan listened very carefully, nodding from time to time.

When Gao Yu finished speaking, Gao Yan waved his hand and said, "This matter is entirely up to you. You don't need to play it again."

"Thank you, Your Majesty!"

Gao Yu said again: "I am going to Yecheng."

Gao Yan's expression became a little ferocious at that moment, but he calmed down again, "What is the purpose of going to Yecheng?"

"Your Majesty, the current order to distribute land equally is progressing rapidly in Jinyang, but Yecheng is somewhat sluggish. I want to go to Yecheng to urge its completion and find out the truth. In addition, the Queen Mother is feeling unwell, so I want to go and see her."

"What happened to mother?"

Gao Yan held Gao Yin's hand tightly.

Gao Yu hurriedly said, "Your Majesty, don't worry. The Queen Mother found a witch. After checking her condition, the witch asked her to change her surname to Shi to ensure her safety. After she changed her surname, her health improved a lot. Your Majesty is very tired and it is not easy for you to go. I am willing to go to see you on your behalf."

Gao Yan sighed, "It's all my fault."

Gao Yin didn't say anything.

Gao Yan suddenly spoke up and said, "Zhan and you are not very close. Besides, the nobles and the great families all hate you to the core. I think it is best for you to stay in Jinyang and not go out. They dare not do anything in Jinyang. If you leave Jinyang, I am afraid it will be difficult."

Gao Yu's face was stern and he was extremely solemn. "If the politics of the world cannot be governed from Jinyang, how can we govern the world?"

"If Yecheng cannot accomplish anything, then other places will not be able to accomplish anything either. Only when Yecheng succeeds first can we order other places to follow suit."

"I'm not worried about that. I'm worried about your safety."

Gao Yu said calmly: "For the sake of worldly affairs, why fear danger?"

Gao Yan was suddenly speechless. He sighed and nodded, agreeing.

Just as Gao Yu was about to stand up and say goodbye, Gao Yan suddenly asked, "Brother, I have a family matter that I want to ask you about."

Gao Yu suddenly stopped and looked at him.

"Your Majesty, please speak."

"Gao Zhan and the Crown Prince, who is more suitable to succeed me?"

Hearing this question, Gao Yu frowned, but Gao Yan said: "Please tell me, brother. Most people are afraid and dare not answer. I know that you are upright and will not lie."

Gao Yu said, "Since the founding of the Great Qi, there have been many disturbances. The crown prince is not even ten years old. If he succeeds to the throne, the important ministers will take control of the power, the generals will control the military affairs, and the princes will rise up in rebellion, then the Great Qi will be in danger."

"Prince Changguang may have behaved badly, which may have saved Da Qi from civil war."

Gao Yan clenched his fists and gritted his teeth, "Even you are unwilling to help the prince?"

Gao Yu bowed again and said, "I have spoken out of turn. Your Majesty, please punish me."

Gao Yan shook his head, "Go ahead. Go ahead."

"I cannot punish someone for telling the truth. Brother, please tell me when you see mother. I admit my guilt and just want to see her again."

"Yes." Gao Yun walked out of the palace. A man suddenly jumped out and looked at him with a silly smile.

Gao Yin lowered his head and looked at the little fat man in front of him.

His brows slowly knitted together, "Yanzong! I told you, I don't need any protection! Go back to your house quickly!"

At this moment, the little fat man standing in front of him was Gao Yanzong. Now Gao Yanzong was transferred back to Jinyang and served as a general in the central army. He continued to learn the skills of marching and fighting from several elders and brothers.

A year later, he had grown a lot taller, but his body was still fat. He was shorter than Gao Yu, but his waistline was much bigger than Gao Yu's. He followed Gao Yu with a silly smile, "Uncle, my brother said that someone wants to murder you, I must protect him!!"

He just squeezed into the carriage, and the carriage shook noticeably.

Gao Yin's coachman looked at the shameless fat man who was trying to get into the car, shook his head helplessly, and continued driving.

Gao Yu looks handsome, yet extremely solemn.

In fact, his appearance is very similar to Gao Zhan, and he is very handsome, but he is too serious, with his brows always furrowed, and you never see him relaxing. Gao Yan is also very solemn, but he will occasionally joke with people and smile, but Gao Xun doesn't.

He is always so cold and seems difficult to get along with.

It is said that he was like this when he was very young. When he was just eight years old, he followed Doctor Han Yi to learn calligraphy. His handwriting was not good, so the doctor joked that his handwriting was not good and he would not be able to become an important official in the future.

But Gao Yu replied to him: Since ancient times, important officials have been selected based on their talents and conduct, and I have never heard of judging them based on their calligraphy. Your handwriting is very good, so why don’t you become one of the Three Dukes and govern the country?

The doctor was speechless immediately.

Gao Yanzong was actually a little afraid of him. Among his many elders, Gao Yun was the most serious and the most rude to the younger generations.

If you do something wrong, you can be forgiven if it falls into the hands of other elders. If it falls into his hands, you can only wish for the best.
Looking at Gao Yanzong who was squeezed into the car, Gao Yu stared at him seriously and suddenly said, "I heard that when you were in Dingzhou, you fed pig feces to your subordinates, humiliated your confidants on the city wall, and even went out to kill people. Is this true?"

Gao Yanzong was stunned and began to tremble all over.

"Uncle, those were my slaves, and the people I killed were criminals. They deserved to be killed."

"Bastard thing!"

Gao Yu scolded: "That's a human being, not an animal! Even if it's an animal, you shouldn't humiliate it like this!"

"Your slaves? You treat your slaves like this. Have you never thought about your father?"

"Whether marching or fighting, or governing a place, people should be the most important thing. You have no sense of shame and treat your people so badly."

Gao Yanzong said with a bitter face: "Uncle, I know I was wrong! General Liu scolded me for this matter, my brother scolded me for this matter, and Your Majesty even beat me with a hundred sticks. I know I was wrong, why do you still scold me?"

The news of what Gao Yanzong did in Dingzhou spread out. After Gao Yan took power, the first thing he did was to send people to Dingzhou to beat Gao Yanzong with a hundred military sticks.

After the fight, he was dismissed from his post and taken back to Jinyang.

As for his brother being beaten, Gao Changgong said: He did it well.

That is to say, Gao Yanzong had thick skin and strong flesh, and he was still alive and well after being hit by a hundred military sticks. If it were a weaker person, he would have been beaten with a hundred military sticks long ago, like Prince Gaoyang Gao Xi.

Gao Yu said, "How can you improve if I don't scold you a few more times?"

Gao Yanzong wanted to run away at this moment, but when he thought of the letter his brother had shown him and Liu Taozi, he gritted his teeth and said, "Uncle, I was very young when my father passed away. No one taught me what to do, so I did a lot of ridiculous things. Please allow me to stay by your side and learn some principles of dealing with people and practicing benevolent governance."

Gao Yu once again looked at Gao Yanzong in front of him.

He was silent for a moment, "Okay."

"You can follow me if you want, but don't disturb me while I'm doing my work."

"only!!"

Gao Yu was extremely busy. Even when he was sitting in the car, he had a pile of documents to read. At present, there were three people in power in the government.

Although Zhao Yanshen was the highest-ranking Han minister, he was a man who followed the crowd and was decisive in doing things. However, he could not make a decision on his own on anything. Even if it was a small matter, he would ask Gao Yin for his opinion before executing it.

The other Gao Yan, as the fourth child of the Gao family, is generous and cautious, but his talent is not as good as that of the fifth child, Gao Yin, and perhaps not as good as that of the sixth child, Gao Yan. He listens to his younger brother Gao Yin in everything and fully supports him in doing things. Sometimes Gao Yin is too upright, so he intervenes as a good guy and forms a brotherly alliance.

Therefore, the only person who really does things is Gao Yu.

Many other ministers could not even rank in front of him.

Gao Yu first went back home, met with several ministers, explained many things, then got in the car and hurried to Yecheng.

Gao Yanzong sat in the car, looking at the busy Gao Yin, his eyes full of fear.

He never thought that governing could be more tiring than fighting a war.

After following him for a few days, he never saw him resting. He was busy when he woke up, and he was also busy before he went to bed. He didn't know when he rested.

Looking at the document in his hand, Gao Yu's frowning face became more and more twisted, as if water was about to be squeezed out of it.

"uncle."

Gao Yanzong finally couldn't help but speak.

He lifted the car curtain and looked outside.

"You have been looking all the way. You shouldn't miss the beautiful scenery outside."

"Why not put down the paperwork and take a quick look"

Gao Yanzong stuck his head out and looked at the gurgling stream in the distance, the beautiful flowers, the dazzling sun, and the lush woods in the distance. He felt much more relaxed.

Gao Yu put down the document in his hand and looked outside in the direction Gao Yanzong was looking.

The small river where there is no fishing boat even in the fishing season, the wasteland where there are weeds and flowers but no crops, the glaring and merciless sun that may cause drought, the dense forest where there are countless wild animals that may attack passers-by at any time.
The worry on Gao Yu's face seemed to deepen. He frowned and lowered his head to continue looking through the documents.

After traveling for an unknown amount of time, Gao Yanzong finally arrived in Yecheng when he began to feel nauseous and weak.

But no one came out to greet them.

Gao Yanzong was very surprised. Only after he reported it to the city gate official did an official come out to greet him.

Under the guidance of that person, they returned to Gao Yan's residence. Gao Yan had a residence in Yecheng. The officials told them that Prince Changguang was extremely busy and could not spare time to see them at the moment, and they could only meet tomorrow.

Although Gao Yu felt somewhat helpless, he had no other choice.

At night, the mansion was quiet.

Gao Yanzong was snoring and sleeping soundly.

"kill!!!"

Suddenly there was a cry of killing outside, and Gao Yanzong woke up immediately. He jumped up, drew his sword, and rushed out of the house.

He ran all the way to the house where Gao Yin was.

Two groups of people were fighting. They were dressed exactly the same, and Gao Yanzong couldn't tell which family they belonged to. Several soldiers fell to the ground. Gao Yanzong saw Gao Yun not far away at a glance. Gao Yanzong roared and rushed towards his uncle immediately. Two people raised their knives and slashed at Gao Yun.

Gao Yin closed his eyes in despair.

"Pfft!"

"Pfft!"

In a moment, two heads flew up, and Gao Yanzong looked like a demon. He picked up a knife, held two knives, stood in front of Gao Yu, and chopped left and right. He was extremely powerful, and the long knives were whistling. Those who were close to Gao Yu were all chopped down on their backs. Someone shot arrows, and Gao Yanzong picked up the corpses and blocked them in front of himself, protecting Gao Yu behind him, and did not retreat.

A moment later, the lobby was filled with bodies.

Those people put away their swords and bowed to Gao Yu, "Your Majesty, we are here to protect you under your command!"

Gao Yanzong was still alert, but Gao Yu said slowly: "Yanzong, it's okay. If they hadn't suddenly attacked just now, I would have died in the hands of the bandits."

Gao Yu looked at them again and said, "Hide in the backyard for now. Don't come out."

He looked outside with a complicated expression.

"Ugh"

"Yanzong, go back to sleep. Don't stay here. Don't come out if you hear anything. If anyone asks you, just say you don't know."

Gao Yanzong was shocked. He held the knife tightly in his hand and said, "I have promised my brother and General Liu that I will protect my uncle! Even if I have to die, I will die before my uncle! How can I avoid it?!"

"Why would I care what kind of bandits they are? I'll kill them all if they come!"

At this moment, there was a sudden sound of clapping outside the door.

"well said!"

"As expected of my nephew!"

(End of this chapter)