Lin'an Never Night

Chapter 827: Market Prince
Yang Yuan was conferred the title of King of Yan, which meant that he was destined to stay in Lin'an for the rest of his life.

However, Yang Yuan also held the official position of envoy to Sichuan, Shaanxi and Longyou.

Although the young emperor would never let him go back to lead the troops himself, he could still serve as a military advisor.

In fact, most officials in the court agreed to reduce Yang Yuan’s military power.

This includes Prime Minister Wei Liangchen, who has always held a tough attitude towards the Jin Dynasty.

Wei Liangchen was not targeting Yang Yuan personally, but no matter who it was, if his resume was the same as Yang Yuan's, if he had the same power as Yang Yuan today, Wei Liangchen would agree to reduce his military power.

The importance and fear of military power is something that is deeply rooted in the bones of the civil officials of the Song Dynasty.

……

After the grand court meeting, the young emperor and Zhao Yu immediately convened another small court meeting.

This small court meeting will discuss the current external situation of the Song Dynasty.

Such an important matter involving military secrets could not be heard by all civil and military officials at the court meeting.

Yang Yuan noticed that one-third of the people at this small court meeting were unfamiliar faces.

Given his status, there couldn't have been anyone he didn't know who was qualified to attend such small court meetings.

Obviously, the little emperor's people have begun to take up important positions.

The final discussion of this small court meeting, which was chaired by the young emperor himself, was:

There have been frequent rebellions in Western Xia recently, so it will take two to three years to manage the Western Xia region.

Since the Tatars have joined the war on the Jin side, they can use means such as cutting off military aid to force the New Jin Empire to increase its efforts to crack down on the Tatars.

At present, Song is strong and Jin is weak, so Song does not need to be impatient and rashly launch a full-scale war against Jin.

The Song State had been at war for nearly a year and had consumed too much energy. It was entirely possible for it to recuperate and then reorganize to fight against the Jin State and recover its homeland.

These principles, at least on the surface, are not problematic.

However, when Yang Yuan looked at the new faces who first proposed these strategies and then responded in unison, he realized that the court made such a decision not only based on an assessment of the strength of the Song and Jin countries, but also an analysis of the general situation in the world.

With the birth of a new emperor, a new interest group also emerged.

This new interest group that emerged around the new emperor needed a reason for promotion.

Military merit is undoubtedly the most convincing reason for promotion.

The Song State now has the upper hand over the Jin State, so this new interest group is about to come out to reap the benefits.

The young emperor obviously also hoped that the final blow to recover his homeland would be accomplished after he took power.

Since Yang Yuan had already decided to lie down and had seen the intentions of the young emperor and these upstarts, he naturally would not say anything more.

From beginning to end, Yang Yuan only introduced the situation in the northwest and southwest regions when the young emperor asked him politely, and did not say anything to provide any decision-making guidance.

The little emperor was obviously very satisfied with Yang Yuan's attitude.

After the small court meeting ended, Zhao Kai deliberately kept Yang Yuan.

At that time, apart from some palace maids and eunuchs, there were only three people in the Qinzheng Hall: Zhao Ke, Zhao Yu and Yang Yuan.

Zhao Qi held Yang Yuan's hand and said sincerely: "Prince Yan, in public, you are my subject. In private, you are my uncle."

"Although my uncle is in his prime, he is also a veteran of three dynasties. He has always been outstanding and has made great contributions to our Zhao family.

Naturally, my Zhao family will not treat my uncle unfairly. Now we have appointed him as king, and he can use all the land, shops, wealth and women as he pleases.

I only hope that my uncle and I can get along well as a monarch and subject, and that we can become a legend that will be passed down through the ages."

Yang Yuan, who was receiving a high salary of 11,000 households and was planning to retire at the age of 30, was also "moved".

He held the little emperor's hand and said with moist eyes: "What a man seeks in his life is nothing more than success and wealth.

I now have a beautiful wife and concubines, and numerous servants; all of these are gifts from the emperor.

The emperor's kindness to me is higher than the mountains and deeper than the sea. My contributions are not worthy of such a generous gift from the emperor.

Since Your Majesty ascended the throne, I have been stationed in the local area and cannot meet your Majesty in person.

From now on, I will stay at the imperial court and be available to answer your inquiries at any time."

When it comes to acting, Zhao Kai is no match for Yang Yuan. When he saw the tears in Yang Yuan's eyes, Zhao Kai couldn't help but feel moved.

"Three days later, I will hold a family banquet in the palace to welcome my uncle and aunt. Uncle Jin, you have to come too."

Zhao Qu was only afraid that Yang Yuan was obsessed with his career and was dissatisfied with the emperor's control.

During today's small court meeting, he had been quietly observing Yang Yuan. Seeing that Yang Yuan was in a calm state of mind and did not seem unhappy, he felt relieved.

He himself is a lazy person, but he doesn't think there is anything wrong with being a lazy prince since he has nothing to do.

Now that he saw that Yang Yuan had really let it go, Zhao Yu was happy and quickly agreed.

……

Yang Yuan left the palace, got in his car and headed home.

He had just returned to Beijing, and it was inevitable that some old acquaintances would come to visit him.

Although he has been promoted in name only and has lost his real power, his situation is somewhat awkward.

But the friends Yang Yuan made were not necessarily those who curry favor with the powerful.

As for the former, Zhang Xiaoxiang simply didn't care whether his action of personally welcoming Yang Yuan and treating him warmly would be criticized.

Now that he has returned to Lin'an, Yu Yunwen, Fan Chengda, Xiao Yiran, Lu Chengze and others will definitely come to visit him.

The car entered Renmeifang, but was stopped before it reached the Zhuangyuan Archway.

Yang Yuan thought it was an old friend who had arrived, so he lifted the curtain of the sedan chair and took a look.

Then I saw a person wearing a dark green satin fu head with a bright rose pinned next to the fu head.

The man was tall and slender, wearing a dark green straight gown made of Suzhou silk embroidery, with a piece of jade hanging on the leather belt around his waist. He held a folding fan with a bamboo frame and a green lotus pattern in his hand, and looked at Yang Yuan with a smile.

Yang Yuan was slightly startled and did not recognize this person for a moment.

It looks familiar, but I can't remember who it is.

"Are you blocking the way? Please forgive my shortsightedness, you are..." The man was gently waving a folding fan and looking at Yang Yuan with a smile. When he suddenly heard him say this, his face suddenly changed.

"Yang Fushuai, you really are a forgetful person. It's only been a few months since we last met, and you don't recognize me?"

"This..., you are..."

Yang Yuan suddenly shuddered and cried out in a lost voice: "Li Renxiao!"

When Li Renxiao heard him calling him by his name, his face suddenly darkened. He snorted coldly and said, "It is Li."

Yang Yuan didn't expect to see the former Xixia emperor here, and hurriedly jumped out of the car.

As he returned to Beijing, the secret agents on the same boat kept him informed of the latest news in the capital.

However, the news about Li Renxiao was irrelevant to what Yang Yuan cared about, so he only mentioned it in a secret letter.

After Li Renxiao arrived in Lin'an, the young emperor granted him a mansion and made him the Marquis of Anshun.

Western Xia had just been incorporated into the territory of the Song Dynasty. At this critical juncture, Li Renxiao was still very useful and was often pulled out to accompany the young emperor to various activities.

In fact, it is equivalent to a prop for the little emperor to show off his martial arts.

So during this period, Li Renxiao was still very active in Lin'an City.

However, Yang Yuan did not expect that he would be assimilated so quickly. He was wearing a crown and robe of noble style, which was dark green in color.

He even accepted the custom of wearing flowers on his fu fu.

Little do people know that older men, especially married men, usually do not wear flowers in their hair like unmarried young men.

Li Renxiao said with a fake smile: "It is Li."

Yang Yuan was surprised and asked, "Duke Anshun is here to see me?"

Li Renxiao rolled his eyes and said, "The mansion given to me is in Renmeifang, you see..."

Yang Yuan looked in the direction Li Renxiao pointed, and suddenly saw a mansion with bluestone floors and a vermilion lacquered gate.

Above the door lintel were four large characters: "Anshun Marquis Mansion".

There are two squares in Lin'an city that are home to the most dignitaries. One is Xiaoren Square in front of the imperial city, which is suitable for attending court nearby.

One is that it is adjacent to Qingbo Gate, surrounded by many government offices. Beyond Qingbo Gate is the elegance of West Lake.

Unexpectedly, Li Renxiao was assigned to Renmeifang.

It is not known whether it was because the name of Xiaorenfang was too similar to Li Renxiao's name, and the young emperor did not want people who did not know the details to mistakenly think that the archway was named after Li Renxiao.

Yang Yuan smiled and said, "I see. I never thought that I would become a neighbor of Anshun Hou."

Li Renxiao said sarcastically, "So, you and I are really destined to be together. I will be the Marquis of Anshun, and you will be the Duke of Anle. From now on, we will live next to each other and be in harmony. Isn't it wonderful?"

Li Renxiao did not know the news that Yang Yuan was crowned king. Before that, Yang Yuan had already been crowned Duke.

However, his duke title was Zhenguo, and Li Renxiao called him Duke Anle, which can be interpreted as meaning that he would enjoy peace and happiness from then on.

But it is obvious that he was satirizing Yang Yuan as A Dou who "is happy here and doesn't miss Shu".

Yang Yuan's smile suddenly faded, and he said with a gloomy face: "What did you say?"

Li Renxiao was delighted to see that he had angered Yang Yuan. He waved his folding fan and said, "This Marquis said that you are the Duke of Anle..."

"boom!"

Yang Yuan hit Li Renxiao's nose with a "sky rocket".

Li Renxiao groaned and fell on his back.

Yang Yuan jumped over, sat on Li Renxiao's body, grabbed his collar, clenched his right fist, and punched him several times with heavy punches.

Yang Yuan wanted to let it go and become a rich man from now on.

However, his skill of cultivating Qi was not so advanced.

This is like a CEO who does his job well and is in high spirits, and all colleagues in the industry give him thumbs up when they see him.

Suddenly, the chairman convened a shareholders' meeting and removed him from his post.

Although the chairman compensated him and gave him a salary increase, he still received dividends from the shares he held.

But how could he not be angry at all after suffering such a loss in silence?

Li Renxiao was sure that a high-ranking official like him would have to endure the ridicule from his ambiguous words and would not lose face and make things difficult for him.

He is now the political mascot of the young emperor's peaceful conquest of Western Xia.

It was obvious that Yang Yuan was suspected by the Emperor of the Song Dynasty, and from then on he became a duke in name only. Why should we be afraid of him?

But I didn't expect that Yang Yuan had a smile on his face at the small court meeting, but he was cursing in his heart, feeling angry and worried about where to vent it.

I didn't expect that Li Renxiao would come to provoke me. Yang Yuan has already given up. If he is unhappy, he will beat you up. What can you do?

Li Renxiao is also quite skilled in martial arts. Although he is not as good as Yang Yuan, he is not so bad that he cannot even fight back.

But he never expected that Yang Yuan would start a fight over a disagreement, and hit him in the nose with just one punch, leaving him unable to move.

Yang Yuan didn't hit fast. He gathered all his strength in his iron fist and punched Li Renxiao again and again, leaving Li Renxiao's face covered with bruises.

The guards and attendants in Li Renxiao's mansion are all from the Ren family.

Yang Yuan and Ren Dejing, the head of the Ren family, were so close that it was the two of them who worked together to take down the Western Xia emperor.

Now that Yang Yuan has taken action against Li Renxiao, they naturally will not sincerely try to stop him.

It was not until Li Renxiao could no longer utter a single curse or shout, and his face was covered in blood, that they rushed forward and carried Yang Yuan away, fearing that he had been beaten to death.

"You bastard, I am the uncle of the emperor. The emperor's grace is so great, and you dare to ridicule me as a Liu Chan.

Are you scolding me or the emperor?"

Yang Yuan pointed his finger at Gan Lin and cursed: "I will go to Gan Lin's mother tonight and fuck your wife!"

The guards on both sides, as well as the neighbors who had gathered around to watch the fun, were all stunned as they listened to the Song prince cursing so wildly.

For a moment, Yang Yuan seemed to have turned back into the idle man who had slapped Qin Hui in the face, cursing him in a vulgar manner.

(End of this chapter)