Lin'an Never Night

Chapter 864 The tree wants to be quiet

Yang Yuan employed a political blitzkrieg tactic.

On the night of welcoming the new year, the emperor's inner circle was purged.

On the first day of the first lunar month, the legitimacy of the "removal of corrupt officials from the emperor's inner circle" was confirmed by imperial edict.

He also used swift and decisive measures to suppress all the villains in the capital.

On January 2nd, all those on the "royal court" list were executed without trial.

This move not only shocked the government and the public, but also stabilized the government and the public.

Since these people all died cleanly and efficiently, it means that there will be no more entanglements such as false accusations, confessions, or revenge that could implicate others.

On January 3, taking advantage of the two prime minister positions vacated by the "purging of corrupt officials," two elderly men who were originally invisible to everyone were appointed as prime ministers.

On January 4th, taking advantage of these two newly appointed prime ministers who had barely settled into their positions and didn't even know all the people in their offices, he swiftly and legally reshuffled the commanders of the Three Military Commands, thereby gaining control of the army in the capital region.

On January 5th, after the army had been completely stabilized, Wei Liangchen retired!
Yang Yuan found Wei Liangchen's previous memorial requesting retirement.

For such senior officials to retire and return to their hometowns, they usually had to go through a process similar to "three resignations and three concessions" to show the emperor's favor.

However, Yang Yuan is not a rule-abiding person.

These rules of etiquette don't apply to him.

Yang Yuan retrieved Wei Liangchen's previous memorial requesting retirement, then affixed the emperor's seal and granted it.

Wei Liangchen had just become the leader of the "Guardians Alliance" when he was "forced to retire".

The young emperor was still considerate of his old minister, so he bestowed upon Wei Liangchen the title of Grand Master of the Left and the title of Marquis of Jiankang, and sent him back to his hometown of Gaochun County, Jiankang Prefecture in a grand manner.

What did he plan to do on January 6th?
Everyone in the court and the public was watching closely, waiting to see what other earth-shattering move the Prince of Yan would make.

Inside the Cining Palace, Yang Yuan sat on the couch, looking at Zhao Qu with delight.

Zhao Qu has recovered a lot, but it will take some time to expel the toxins from her body.

Wu Youyao's Zen practice can help him expel a large amount of toxins, but since the toxins have already been absorbed by his body and integrated into his internal organs, he can only slowly recover and be eliminated little by little through the body's metabolism.

"Erlang, do you think I've been living too carefree a life? Even the heavens can't stand it anymore?"

Zhao Qu chuckled and said to Yang Yuan, "Last time, it was my woman who poisoned me; this time, it's my nephew who poisoned me, hehe..."

He laughed self-deprecatingly, but Yang Yuan could still see a deep sadness in his eyes.

He never coveted the throne. His discipline of his nephew was also for the sake of his nephew's imperial title and his empire.

Otherwise, given his consistent laziness, he would rather never attend court or worry about government affairs, so why would he do such a thankless task?

He never imagined that his nephew would harbor such deep resentment towards him.

If it weren't for my mother's timely induced vomiting, and if it weren't for Erlang's woman using Zen techniques to expel the poison, I would have already died in a daze.

"Erlang, do you know? He was my eldest brother's first child. When he was little, he even rode on my neck."

At this point, Zhao Qu chuckled again, but he could no longer control himself, and the laugh was more like a cry.

Knowing that Zhao Qu was not in a good mood and could not talk for a long time, Yang Yuan carefully asked the question while he was in high spirits.

"Your Majesty, the current emperor is unrighteous. Both palaces agree to depose the emperor and establish a virtuous one in his place."

Both palaces favor Your Majesty, but I wonder if Your Majesty…

Zhao Qu smiled: "Two empresses? The Grand Empress Dowager is definitely inclined towards me, but the Empress Dowager may not be..."

Even though he's not my biological son, he's still my son.

It's always better for the son to be emperor than for the brother-in-law to be emperor.

However, Xie was no match for the Empress Dowager in the harem.

Moreover, given the circumstances that night, both Yang Yuan and the Empress Dowager agreed, so how could Empress Dowager Xie dare to have any objections?

Yang Yuan shook his head and said, "That's not important. What's important is that as long as Your Majesty nods, you will be the Emperor of the Great Song Dynasty."

Zhao Qu shifted his gaze to the top of the tent, remained silent for a long time, and then slowly said, "I cannot accept this nomination."

Yang Yuan looked at him silently, waiting for his reason.

Zhao Qu said, "If I were to take the throne, then... then wouldn't it have been the right thing for that kid to poison me?"

Yang Yuan was both amused and exasperated, and whispered, "Your Majesty has always disregarded public opinion, so why are you suddenly so concerned about it?"

Zhao Qu smiled, looked at Yang Yuan, and said, "You don't think I'm afraid that if I seize my nephew's throne, I'll be ashamed to face my elder brother in the afterlife and won't know how to explain it to him, do you?"

Yang Yuan shook his head: "The King is not such a shallow person."

A slight smile appeared on Zhao Qu's lips as he slowly said, "I've known since I was little that I'm not stupid, in fact, I'm quite smart. But I'm really lazy."

Yang Yuan was stunned; he really hadn't expected this reason.

Zhao Qu said, "I can't be diligent in state affairs from dawn till dusk. I'll definitely get tired of it before long."

Do you really think that people like Emperor Xuanzong of Tang were senile?

Zhao Qu shook his head: "Your mind is not on that anymore. You still want to hold onto power tightly and make all the decisions yourself."

Yet, they couldn't be as diligent as before; all their folly stemmed from arrogance and this lack of focus.

Zhao Qu smiled at Yang Yuan: "I know my own affairs best. I won't bother with the myriad details of government affairs. I'm just that kind of person..."

Zhao Qu said, "I am naturally unable to focus on one thing for too long!"

Yang Yuan patiently said, "If Your Majesty is worried about this, the court officials will do their best to help you share the burden."

Zhao Qu said, "Since that's the case, I'm a naturally lazy person who won't do what I can't do and doesn't want to do what I can do. Why make things difficult for me?"
You think I'm the most suitable, so I'm the most suitable? What kind of logic is that?

If I were to actually assume that high position and become a tyrannical ruler, who among you would bear the responsibility for me?

Zhao Qu became increasingly confident as he spoke, and looking at the speechless Yang Yuan, he said, "Second Brother, who do you think is suitable to be emperor after Zhao Qi?"

Yang Yuan took a deep breath and said, "Back in Zongyang Palace, the Empress Dowager also asked me, 'Who is suitable to be the emperor?'"

"what do you say?"

“His Highness Prince Jin is fit to be the emperor.”

"What did the Empress Dowager say?"

"The Empress Dowager asked me, 'Besides the Prince of Jin, who is suitable to be the emperor?'"

Zhao Qu laughed: "Mother knows me well. What did you answer?" "I said, 'The Third Prince Zhao Dun is fit to be the emperor.'"

Zhao Qu didn't ask Yang Yuan why he thought the third son was more suitable than the second son, and waved his hand, saying, "Then the third son will do."

Yang Yuan was about to persuade him further when Zhao Qu closed his eyes and said, "Second Brother, I'm tired again. Let's rest for a while."

Yang Yuan noticed a slight sheen of sweat on his forehead and knew he wasn't making excuses to avoid the conversation, so he stood up and said, "Yes, Your Majesty, please rest."

Yang Yuan stood by the bed for a moment, then sighed softly, turned and walked out.

He no longer trusts anyone in the Zhao family except for Zhao Qu.

Zhao Qu refused to become emperor. He couldn't risk his life, his entire family, and everything else on the possibility that Prince Qing or Prince Gong might be a benevolent ruler.

Then he had to activate the contingency plan.

Yang Yuan walked out of Zhao Qu's bedchamber. The palace maids and eunuchs who had previously avoided the outside due to their private conversation bowed to Yang Yuan and returned to the palace.

Yang Yuan was about to step out of the palace when he suddenly stopped, looked sharply at a pillar, and whispered, "Who's there? Come out!"

As the sunlight slanted in, a patch of apricot-colored skirt peeked out from behind a vermilion pillar.

At Yang Yuan's shout, the person hiding behind the pillars stepped out. With her hair in two buns and pearl necklaces hanging down, and her wide sleeves trimmed with gold thread, she was none other than Princess Zhao Ning'er of the Jia Kingdom.

Zhao Ning'er looked at Yang Yuan with her almond-shaped eyes, and gave a somewhat awkward curtsy: "General Yang."

Although Zhao Ning'er had grown up a lot since two years ago, her eyebrows and eyes had not changed much, and Yang Yuan recognized her at a glance.

"General Yang!"

Zhao Ning'er gave him a graceful curtsy.

Yang Yuan cupped his hands and said, "Your Highness."

Zhao Ning'er pursed her lips, then suddenly mustered her courage and asked, "General Yang, the Jia Kingdom has something to ask you."

"Princess, please speak freely."

Zhao Ning'er stared intently at Yang Yuan, then suddenly asked, "General Yang, do you harbor any disloyal intentions?"

Yang Yuan's heart skipped a beat. Why would this little princess ask such a question? Could it be that the Empress Dowager or the Empress Dowager had become suspicious of me?
But Yang Yuan didn't hesitate for a moment: "No!"

"Really do not have?"

Yang Yuan said helplessly, "My wealth and glory all come from the Song Dynasty. How could I be disloyal to the Song Dynasty?"

Zhao Ning'er's willow-leaf eyebrows furrowed slightly, making her shimmering eyes appear even brighter.

"But... my older brother isn't good to you."

Yang Yuan shrugged: "So, the Empress Dowager and the Empress Dowager have decided to depose the Emperor. What more could I possibly want?"

Zhao Ning'er smiled faintly upon hearing this.

Ever since her grandmother's ambiguous words a few days ago, she felt a sense of unease.

Hearing Yang Yuan's affirmative answer, she felt a warmth spread through her slightly swollen chest beneath her lotus-colored cross-collar blouse.

"That's good. Now Jia Kingdom knows that General Yang is loyal, brave and unparalleled. He is the pillar of our Great Song Dynasty, and his loyalty is beyond doubt."

Yang Yuan's eyes flickered slightly, and she suddenly asked, "Why does the princess suddenly ask such a question?"

"Ah! That's because... General Yang was so fierce that night when he purged the treacherous officials from the court, and Jia Guo was a little uneasy."

Zhao Ning'er knew she couldn't tell Yang Yuan what her grandmother had said in private, so she quickly made up an excuse.

Was Yang Yuan very fierce that night?
That night, it was at Zongyang Palace.

That night, it was also at Zongyang Palace.

Zhao Ning'er suddenly remembered the scene of her sitting steadily in Yang Yuan's strong arms, being held by him, running through the surging crowd in front of Zongyang Palace.

Her heart suddenly became confused.

"Jiaguo will not say any more to General Yang. Jiaguo is going to see the Imperial Uncle."

After Zhao Ning'er finished speaking, she hurriedly walked towards the main hall, the tassels hanging from the "Jade Forbidden Step" at her slender waist swaying gently on her skirt.

Her pace was so fast, yet her walk remained so steady; she truly lived up to the reputation of a princess raised in the royal family.

Yang Yuan didn't turn around. As the girl hurried past him without daring to lift her head, a faint fragrance wafted into his arms.

Yang Yuan remained standing silently, her eyes dimming slightly.

He didn't believe that Zhao Ning'er's sudden question today was because the little girl had a sudden whim.

The tree may wish to be still, but the wind will not cease.

Yang Yuan sighed softly and slowly walked out of the palace.

Just as he stepped out of Hening Gate and was about to board his carriage, a servant in brocade robes hurriedly approached him and bowed deeply.

The bowing etiquette is divided into three types according to the degree of respect: "full bow", "medium bow" and "short bow". The full bow is the most solemn and has the largest range of motion.

When Yang Yuan met Zhao Ning'er just now, he only bowed slightly and greeted her, which was considered a brief greeting.

Yang Yuan looked at the servant in brocade robes, who respectfully said, "The Second King invites His Highness Prince Yan to his residence for a chat!"

The second king?
Yang Yuan was slightly taken aback; she had just been talking about him with Zhao Qu.

Zhao Yuan had three sons. The eldest son became emperor, while the second and third sons were princes, with the titles of Qing and Gong respectively.

However, in informal occasions such as non-official ceremonies, more people are used to addressing each other by their order of address within the same group, which feels more intimate and natural.

The second king is naturally Prince Qing, Zhao Kai.

Yang Yuan's first thought was to avoid seeing him.

I am a high-ranking official in the court, and you are a prince. I have just purged the court of corrupt officials, and the news of the emperor's impending abdication has not yet spread. Why would I go to see you in private?
I'm afraid that the moment I step through the gates of your palace, all sorts of rumors will start spreading.

Besides, you're not the one I'm going to put on the throne.

Don't go!

However, Yang Yuan's mind was faster than his mouth. Before he could utter the words of refusal, and before he could even flick his sleeves, a thought suddenly struck him.

No, this Second King, we can see him, we should see him.

(End of this chapter)