Sword from the Tang Dynasty

Chapter 150 One Emperor Falls, Many Emperors Emerge
Thin clouds, like gauze, dimmed the stars of the winter night, yet added a hazy, tender feeling.

Dugu Feng nestled in Zhou Yi's arms, no longer dwelling on what she had wanted to say earlier.

Having too much talent suddenly isn't a good thing anymore.

Seeing that she remained motionless and seemed lost in thought, Zhou Yi wondered if he had gone a bit too far.

Putting myself in her shoes and thinking about her experiences in Jiangdu, I couldn't help but reach out and stroke her flowing black hair down her back with gentle tenderness.

"Xiao Feng, don't worry, it's still early."

Dugu Feng was somewhat troubled: "You've progressed too fast. It's only been a short time and Shanmu is no match for you. I've tried my best, but I still can't catch up with you."

"There is a way to do that."

"any solution?"

Zhou Yi looked up at the night sky: "If I really shatter the void, it will look like this."

"What kind?"

The girl barely uttered a sound before he pulled her into a tight embrace.

"Let's not let go, let's escape together into another world, how about that, isn't that a kind of heart-stirring romance?"

Zhou Yi looked down at her and found that Little Phoenix did not follow his wishes.

They clearly didn't believe this method would work.

She simply hummed in agreement, then fell silent, immersed in the warmth of the moment.

After a while, when Zhou Yi coughed once, her chest heaving, she realized what was happening and pulled away from his embrace.

He was seriously injured in the fierce fight with the kind mother just now.

But this method of transforming the illusory into the real, allowing the spirit to solidify and merge into the vital energy, is truly captivating.

As midnight approached, the winter evening breeze felt even cooler.

That night, almost no one slept, inside or outside Linjiang Palace.

Zhang Xutuo sent people to handle the aftermath of the army's affairs, and also had to guard against Yuwen Huaji's trickery and return. At the hour of Chou (1-3 AM), he heard a scout's report that the Xiaoguo Army had marched north overnight. Only then did he feel at ease and return to Chengxiang Palace.

With the fighting within the city over, the officials who had previously left Linjiang Palace naturally knew the news.

They were well aware of the troubles happening in Jiangdu, but the Sui Dynasty had fallen to this state and lacked the ability to govern the world; they could only drift along with the tide.

After confirming that the city was safe, they began to make inquiries.

Upon learning that Zhang Xutuo had defeated the Yuwen clan and fled north, most of the officials of the Six Ministries, the Censorate, the Nine Temples and the Five Directorates were greatly encouraged.

Normally, they rely more on the Yuwen Clan, but in critical moments, they know who they can trust.

However.
As the chaos subsided, another piece of news surfaced, causing a huge uproar in Jiangdu.

The emperor has died!

When the court officials learned of this major change, everyone felt insecure and did not know who the new ruler would be.

As lights were lit in every house, the court officials who had been too afraid to sleep at night rushed out of their homes, calling out to their friends and relatives.

Finally, the imperial road outside Linjiang Palace was lit up with lanterns.

All the court officials gathered outside the imperial city, only to be stopped at the city gate by the imperial guards.

Dugu Xiong, who was temporarily in charge of the Left Guard General, blocked the officials in accordance with orders.

Many court officials recognized him and knew that he was a member of the Dugu clan.

Several people who had close ties with the Dugu clan approached him to discuss their relationship, hoping to enter the palace to pay their respects to His Majesty, but none of them were allowed to pass.

However, he heard some things about what happened in Chengxiang Palace from Dugu Xiong.

Many court officials were astute enough to foresee the future situation in Jiangdu, guess who would be in charge, and even consider the changes in the Sui Dynasty.

However, no matter how shrewd one is, one must still feel bewildered by the current state of affairs.

Yang Guang was ambitious and stubborn, but he was the orthodox ruler.

Now that he has died at the hands of the Shadow Assassin, the chaos across the land will never cease.

Thinking of this, some veteran officials wept bitterly outside Linjiang Palace, overwhelmed with grief.

They called out "Your Majesty," seemingly reminiscing about Yang Guang and unable to let go of his death, but in reality, they saw the fate of the Sui Dynasty and felt bitterness, confusion, and sorrow for a dynasty that might perish after only two generations.

All sorts of emotions were vividly expressed in those cries and screams.

Zhou Yi, who was meditating on the imperial city wall, was also disturbed by their noise and went to the roof of the imperial kitchen to recuperate.

When chaos broke out, the imperial chefs fled in all directions.

The once bustling imperial kitchen was deserted in the middle of the night.

How can one endure going hungry three times a day?

Dugu Feng found some food, started a fire to reheat it, and Zhou Yi finally had a full meal today.

The day after Emperor Yang Guang of Sui died.

The morning mist dissipated, and the sun rose as usual.

"Are you feeling any better?"

"I am fine now."

Sensing that his breathing had completely stabilized, Dugu Feng felt relieved.

In the morning, the imperial chef, who had been fleeing for his life, reappeared from some unknown corner.

Upon learning that they were from the Dugu family, the imperial chefs casually prepared a few Jiangnan dishes that Yang Guang liked, so Zhou Yi was able to taste the imperial breakfast.

They also told me that the Imperial Kitchen is now staffed entirely by locals.

Those imperial chefs from the north who had accompanied the emperor south had already fled and returned to their hometowns in the north.

These people had only gone to Yangzhou out of necessity. Now that Yang Guang was dead, they were freed and, in their joy, carried away several large, handy pots from the imperial kitchen.

Zhou Yi chatted with the imperial chefs for a few minutes, then lingered near the water palace.

They waited until the Chengxiang Palace was less noisy before heading there with Dugu Feng.

Court officials gathered in the square outside the main hall.

The bodies left from yesterday's battle have been cleared away, but one person was beheaded in public.

Feng Deyi, the Imperial Secretary who colluded with the Yuwen Clan, has a much worse reputation than Pei Yun and Yu Shiji, who died at the hands of Yuwen Chengdu.

Previously, he had stood up for the Yuwen clan in the Chengxiang Hall and criticized Yang Guang, and was later reprimanded.

Now that he has been beheaded as a form of solace, many court officials have hurled insults at him.

He was once trusted by Yu Shiji, the Vice Minister of the Imperial Secretariat, and they colluded to cause the court to deteriorate. He deserved his fate.

Just as the court officials were cursing, a young man dressed as a scholar was seen walking from beside Feng Deyi's corpse toward Chengxiang Hall.

Everyone was puzzled, and even after a close inspection, they couldn't recognize it.

The officials from the Six Ministries looked at each other, then at the officials from the Nine Temples and Five Directorates.

After that, I became even more confused.

However, upon seeing the newcomers, the generals of the Twelve Imperial Guards immediately straightened their backs, and the commanders of the main camp clasped their hands in a respectful salute.

The people directly under the Sui Emperor's command, the Left and Right Feather Guards, were even more hostile than the people outside the Imperial Guards and the Left and Right Martial Guards.

The court officials were greatly puzzled, but they had never seen this face before, no matter how hard they racked their brains.

When he arrived at the entrance of Chengxiang Hall, he was greeted by Dugu Sheng.

Now, everyone seemed to understand.

Pei Qiantong, Sima Dekan, and Yuwen Zhiji, the three chief bodyguards, rebelled and were all killed.

Yuwen Huaji fled north with Yang Hao, the son of the King of Qin. Of the five imperial guards, only Dugu Sheng remained, and the palace guards were basically under his command.

In this light, the attitude of the Twelve Guards is not surprising.

Dugu Sheng looked strange; compared to this young man, he seemed to be at a disadvantage.

Who in Jiangdu City deserves his attitude?

Most of the court officials who did not flee with the Yuwen clan planned to remain in Jiangdu and establish a southern court.

How could we not pay attention to such a person who suddenly appears?

When Eunuch Li arrived from the direction of the Water Palace, Fan Yibai, the Minister of the Treasury in charge of the storehouse, went up to inquire.

He was on good terms with the Dugu clan, so it was most appropriate for him to ask the question.

Eunuch Li stayed near Chengxiang Hall, managing to save his life by feigning death.

At this point, a brief explanation of what had happened around Yang Guang was given, which finally gave them a general understanding.

It turns out to be a hidden master of the Dugu family, a loyal minister of the Sui Dynasty!

From Eunuch Li's cryptic words, everyone gleaned an important piece of news.

Without this man, both Linjiang Palace and Jiangdu City would have changed hands, and the Sui Dynasty would have had nowhere to stand.

He was not only a key figure in preventing the collapse of the empire, but also preserved the last vestige of dignity for His Majesty.

Although the faces of the crowd still showed sorrow, they realized one thing: the Dugu family's status in Jiangdu City needed to be further elevated.

There were whispers outside, and inside the Chengxiang Hall, there was a similar uproar.

They are discussing how to handle the funeral.

Zhou Yi knew how to play the black card, but royal etiquette was too complicated for him to bother with.

"Your Highness the Queen~!"

Outside the Chengxiang Hall, court officials paid their respects.

Despite her haggard appearance, Empress Xiao was still able to maintain some of her former dignity when facing her subjects.

After gesturing for them to stand up, he entered the Chengxiang Hall with an imperial edict in his hand.

Zhang Xutuo and Dugu Sheng looked closely and saw that on the jade-colored tray held by the palace maid, there was only a yellow scroll.

Dugu Sheng asked, "Your Majesty, weren't there supposed to be two imperial edicts?"

Empress Xiao shook her head: "His Majesty did say something, but I only found this one letter in Liuzhu Hall."

"Generals, please open it and take a look."

Eunuch Li took the imperial edict and handed it over with both hands.

Zhang Xutuo glanced at Dugu Sheng, and the old man did not refuse. As Yang Guang's bodyguard, he knew very well Yang Guang's handwriting and seal, and it would be impossible for others to forge them.

The Sui Dynasty had eight imperial seals, which were divided into the emperor's official seal and the traveling seal, each with a different purpose.

The Divine Seal and the Imperial Seal were used the least.

And this imperial edict bears the seal of the Imperial Seal.

Dugu Sheng looked solemn as he saw the words written above:
"I have inherited the spirits of the Seven Ancestral Temples and received the mandate of the Five Elements. Now I entrust my body to the imperial mausoleum. Heaven has no favorites, but only virtue is its guide. King Zhao Gao is benevolent and filial, a gift from Heaven. Therefore, let Gao succeed to the throne and continue the ancestral sacrifices."

Dugu Sheng wanted to read on, but it ended there.

The handwriting was correct, and the imperial edict still smelled of alcohol, as if it had been dampened with alcohol and then dried.

There is no mistake, it was written by Yang Guang.

Your Majesty, why are you so stingy with words and ink?
How can this be good?

Dugu Sheng handed the imperial edict to Zhang Xutuo, who only glanced at it before immediately returning it to Empress Xiao.

No one could make up their minds.

King Zhao, Yang Gao, was the most favored by Emperor Yang Guang, so he was brought to Jiangdu and it was no surprise that the throne was passed to him.

But he had already been killed by the traitor Pei Qiantong.

In that case, wouldn't the imperial edict be rendered invalid?

"Your Majesty, please find the other imperial edict."

Empress Xiao shook her head: "I have ordered my men to search the Liuzhu Hall thoroughly, but we have found nothing. His Majesty was drunk that day and spoke incoherently, so perhaps he left no further instructions."

Empress Xiao said this, and Dugu Sheng and Zhang Xutuo had no choice but to accept it.

If they were rebels, it would be very simple, but they are holding themselves back right now.

Seeing their hesitation, Zhou Yi didn't want to linger and said directly, "The Prince of Zhao accompanied His Majesty to the capital. Now, in Jiangdu City, only the Prince of Yan, Tan, meets the requirements of the imperial edict. In order to stabilize the people's hearts, before Your Majesty finds the second imperial edict, why not establish the Prince of Yan as emperor?"

Zhang Xutuo and Dugu Sheng nodded to each other secretly.

Empress Xiao would have no objection.

The Prince of Yan was young, but he was born to Crown Prince Yang Zhao of Yuande, and Yang Tan was her grandson.

If it weren't for the King of Zhao, it would have been the King of Yan's turn.

However, of these three women, one was devoted to her husband, and the other two were loyal to the emperor, so they could not alter the imperial decree privately.

Now that Zhou Yi brought it up, the three of them gracefully backed down and all agreed.

Empress Xiao gave the order, and then summoned all the officials to the palace, where Eunuch Li read out the imperial edict.

The Prince of Yan was made emperor, Zhang Xutuo was put in charge of the army, and Dugu Sheng was appointed as the commander of the imperial guards.

The young emperor was clearly regarded as having entrusted Dugu Sheng and Zhang Xutuo as his regents.

Inside the Chengxiang Hall, Yang Guang lay quietly in his coffin. Zhou Yi glanced at him, then ignored the subsequent trivial matters in the Chengxiang Hall.

After deliberation, it was decided to allow Yang Guang to be laid to rest and enjoy peace as soon as possible.

The next day.

The city of Jiangdu was filled with white mourning clothes for Yang Guang's funeral, with elaborate ceremonial guards, and he was buried at the foot of Wu Gong Terrace.

When the people in the city heard the news, they were not saddened at all; on the contrary, many of them wore smiles as if they had finally gotten their revenge.

Apart from the officials and soldiers, no one saw them off.

This is a true and simple scene. He made the people suffer greatly, so naturally the people hated him to the bone.

Some people even thought that Jiangdu was originally called Guangling.

The name "Ling" means "the mausoleum of emperors," and the addition of the character "Guang" indicates that Yang Guang liked the place but disliked the name.

Therefore, the name "Yangzhou" was no longer used, and it was changed to Jiangdu.

Unexpectedly, fate was watching closely; changing his name was useless, and he was still called "Guangling".

Before and after Wu Gongtai's funeral, General You Hongda, who was in mourning, stayed by Yang Guang's side throughout.

They covered his coffin, carried him into the mausoleum, and for a period of time thereafter, they often stood silently guarding the mausoleum. Everyone called them loyal and righteous.

With the funeral of Wu Gongtai over, the Chengxiang Hall was repaired and perfected by a group of craftsmen skilled in martial arts in just seven or eight days. All officials paid homage to the young Emperor Yang Tan, regarding him as the legitimate ruler.

But
The so-called orthodoxy is merely the view of the Jiangdu court.

News of Yang Guang's death spread like wildfire from Jiangdu to all corners of the country.

The people of Jiangdu were still somewhat repressed, but outsiders didn't care about that.

Especially those people who lost loved ones because of his three campaigns against Goguryeo and the digging of the canal felt a sense of relief and shouted, "Good riddance!"

For the rebel armies in various regions, this was an even greater celebration.

The forces that were previously somewhat hesitant no longer needed to hide their true intentions.

After its establishment, the Jiangdu court, led by Prince Yang Tan of Yan, made its first attempt by distributing edicts to nearby rebel kings, urging them to submit.

However, they received no good news.

Li Zitong of Hailing only accepted official positions offered by the imperial court, but refused to go to Jiangdu.

Shen Faxing occupied Piling and Wujun, and threw the Sui imperial edicts into the trash heap.

What's so great about appointing a prefect of a prefecture?

Taking advantage of the time during Yang Guang's mourning period, Shen Faxing marched all the way from Wu County to Yuhang and proclaimed himself King of Liang.

Xiao Xian, also a prince of Liang, went even further, following the old system of the Liang Dynasty, setting up a hundred officials, posthumously honoring his paternal uncle Xiao Cong as Emperor Xiaojing, commanding an army of 100,000, and declaring himself emperor in Baling, establishing the reign title Mingfeng.

Furthermore, with a wave of his hand, he bestowed titles upon seven kings. His general Zheng Wenxiu was among them, being named the King of Chu.

Upon hearing this news, Lin Shihong, the good neighbor, felt offended.

Are you also the King of Chu?
He then tore the imperial edict into pieces, proclaimed himself emperor in Yuzhang County, and named his state Chu.

On the day he was crowned emperor, Lin Shihong's face turned purple, as if a purple aura was coming from the east.

The news arrived faster in the south. By the time news of Yang Guang's death and the support for the Prince of Yan in Jiangdu reached the Central Plains, how could the officials in the Eastern Capital possibly agree with it?

Why the King of Yan? Why not the King of Yue?
We haven't seen the imperial edict. Even if Empress Xiao said so, it doesn't count.

Moreover, if a new emperor is to be established, it should be in the Eastern Capital.

Therefore, the officials in Luoyang supported Yang Guang's grandson, Prince Yang Tong of Yue, as emperor, and posthumously honored Yang Guang as Emperor Ming, with the temple name Shizu.

When the news reached Guanzhong, Li Yuan, the head of the Li clan, supported Yang You, the Prince of Dai, as emperor and changed the era name to "Yining".

Not to be outdone, Xue Ju, the overlord of Western Qin, who lived near the Li clan in Lanzhou, declared himself emperor and established Western Qin.

Li Gui, who controlled the entire Hexi region, also declared himself emperor and established the Liang Kingdom.

In just over a month, six emperors emerged, and the number of rebel kings was countless.

In the north, there were also two major Turkic lackeys, Liang Shidu and Liu Wuzhou.

The chaotic situation in the Central Plains has emboldened the bandits beyond the Great Wall.

Families and sects across the land also placed their bets, with wave after wave of people flocking to neutral forces to seek more support in order to achieve hegemony.

There were countless people who went to Bashu to search for the three major forces: Duzunbao, Bameng, and the Sichuan Gang.

The 41st day of the Emperor's death.

Two middle-aged scholars in gray cotton robes stood in front of Fenglin Palace, which is also one of the ten palaces of Shugang.

As its name suggests, there is a maple forest in front of the palace garden.

These two individuals are Fan Yibai and Qiu Hui, who are the Minister of the Imperial Treasury and the Vice Minister of the Imperial Treasury, respectively.

One was a third-rank official, and the other was a fourth-rank official.

The scholar following behind them was looking up at the gate of "Fenglin Palace," where the three characters were written in a vigorous and powerful style.

Just as the palace guards were about to step forward to ask questions, Fan Yibai took out a token from his pocket, and the guards retreated.

"Mr. Zhou, please come with us."

"it is good."

Zhou Yi smiled at the two men, and as he stepped forward, he asked, "Aren't you two high-ranking officials in charge of the treasury? Why are you walking around in Maple Forest Palace?"

His tone was casual, but Fan Yibai and Qiu Hui dared not be negligent.

Fan Yibai said, "Sir, you may not know this, but after we came to Jiangdu with the late emperor, he knew that we had this hobby, so he arranged for us to organize books in the Fenglin Palace library. In the Eastern Capital, although we had the responsibility of managing the library, we were treated the same way."

Qiu Hui revealed a look of reminiscence:
"When the late emperor was serving as the governor of Yangzhou in Jiangnan, he recruited scholars to organize the classics. Before the chaos in the city, the two of us even brought people here. Fenglin Palace was a place the late emperor often visited, but we gradually drifted apart from it, and the library was entrusted to us to manage."

Zhou Yi nodded: "I see."

Led by Fan and Qiu, Zhou Yi traveled through several courtyards before arriving at the enormous library.

The two then proceeded to introduce the works, starting with "Changzhou Jade Mirror" and moving on to "Regional Gazetteer".

These two books alone comprise 1,600 volumes.

"This volume, 'Records of Local Products and Customs of Various Prefectures,' was drawn with great effort. It was commissioned by imperial decree to be drawn by various prefectures throughout the country according to the local customs and products."

Under Qiu Shaoqing's introduction, Zhou Yi also saw three volumes of "Illustrated Records of the Western Regions".

It contains information about the mountains, rivers, customs, and other aspects of the Western Regions.

Upon opening the book, one finds maps, descriptions, and colorful illustrations of people from various ethnic groups dressed in their traditional costumes.

This book was compiled and edited by Pei Ju, and includes entries from forty-four countries.

The Evil King put in a tremendous amount of effort to produce this book.

As they told stories, they also talked about Yang Guang, mentioning things like, "Now, in the prosperous Sui Dynasty, books and books are frequently published."

Yang Guang was sitting in the palace when he suddenly thought of this idea. He then gave his subordinates some instructions and told them to do it.

Thus, more than 17,000 volumes were compiled. Nearly 400,000 volumes were also recovered from lost books.

He was very satisfied with the success of the task.

One day, he had a flash of inspiration and thought of a canal, so he immediately ordered people to dig it.

If you think of Goguryeo, then give it a shot.

Everything seemed as simple as he had imagined.

If he accomplishes all of this, he will become the holy emperor he has always dreamed of.

The truth is that it was a pipe dream, which angered both heaven and man, and he was despised by everyone.

So he hurriedly left Dongdu to escape reality and came to Jiangdu to give up.

Zhou Yi felt that he understood Yang Guang a little better. That guy deserved to die, causing chaos in the world, but he was also somewhat pathetic.

At least from the perspective of these two men from the Imperial Treasury, they only showed their remembrance of Yang Guang through their hobby of writing books.

Zhou Yi saw books on engineering technology, astronomy and calendrical calculations, and medicine along the way, which were all Guang Shen's hobbies.

Even inside the library, there is a mechanism called "Flying Immortal".

Fan Yibai walked up to the second floor, stepped on the wooden floor, and the curtain rolled up, automatically opening the bookcase door.

I have seen the trap that allowed Lu Miaozi to bury himself.

Yang Guang's little trick was naturally not surprising to him.

"Mr. Zhou, what you want to see is right here."

Upon hearing this, Zhou Yi glanced at the bookshelf and his eyes lit up immediately.

No wonder he's an emperor.

The first book he saw was the "Huangdi Jiuding Shendan Jing" (The Yellow Emperor's Nine Cauldrons Divine Elixir Classic), followed by the "Pengzu Shesheng Lun" (Peng Zu's Treatise on Nourishing Life).

The later part of the classics also includes works by Wu Chengzi, Laozi, Guan Yin, Geng Sangzi, and Lao Laizi.
The Spiritual Text of Guiguzi's Heavenly Essence.
"You two ministers may go about your business; I will stay here and observe."

Fan Yibai and Qiu Hui exchanged a glance, and were about to say goodbye when Zhou Yi suddenly asked:
"Are all the books collected by His Majesty here?"

Fan Yibai said, "There are still many in Dongdu."

Qiu Hui coughed and said, "There's still a pill furnace over there, but it hasn't been started yet."

Upon hearing this, Zhou Yi couldn't help but laugh.

As expected, emperors all desire immortality, and some even have a wicked thought: Guang Shen's alchemy furnace has been left unused in the East; perhaps it was taken by Er Feng, who could then open it in her later years.

Fan and Qiu felt that Mr. Zhou was being a bit presumptuous.

What a joke, Emperor! You should have avoided people too.

After saying goodbye to Zhou Yi, the two walked to the first floor of the bookstore and stood at the door looking back.

"Old Fan, what do you think his relationship is with the Dugu family?"

Fan Yibai pulled him away and whispered, "The Dugu Clan Chief has a daughter in Jiangdu, and it's said that she has a close relationship with him."

"Doesn't the Dugu clan leader only have one daughter?"

"This is it."

Fan Yibai pondered and said, "If you want specific information about him, then I don't know either. However, his martial arts skills are extremely high, probably among the best in the world, and he has the potential to become one of the three grandmasters in the future."

Qiu Hui clicked his tongue: "The Dugu family is really something, how did they pick such a good family? Even if Old Madam Dugu is no longer here, with this person in charge, we can still rest easy."

He added:
"The world is in chaos these days. Having a strong fist is more useful than a hollow reputation."

Fan Yibai nodded in agreement, then sighed, "I heard that Yuwen Huaji took Yang Hao to Wei County and made Yang Hao declare himself emperor. What a mess!"

When talking about these things, Qiu Hui couldn't help but recall something.

He revealed a hint of caution and tension:
"His Majesty's edict to Qingliu went unanswered. On the Jianghuai Army side, Li Jing and a general surnamed Xu joined forces to attack Yong'an County to the west. Just ten days ago, Jingling County and Nan County sent people to Anlu, and the prefect Yu Jurong surrendered without a fight."

This Prefect Yu even sent an urgent letter to General Zhang requesting assistance, oh dear!

He sighed:
"The situation has changed so quickly that the entire area between the Yangtze and Huai Rivers has fallen to that Grand Commander. This man is truly composed; he hasn't even declared himself emperor yet."

Fan Yibai stroked his beard, his face full of worry:

"This man is no ordinary person. He has a fierce record of killing a Grandmaster of the Demonic Sect with a single sword. Among all the rebels, he has the greatest power and the best reputation. You may not know this, but I heard from people in the Inner History Department that the person sent from Nanjun to Anlu to persuade them to surrender came from the Pegasus Ranch."

Upon hearing about Pegasus Ranch, Qiu Hui's face grew even more somber.

"That ranch is incredibly wealthy, with countless warhorses, yet they've always been focused on business. If they were to side with the Jianghuai Army, then..."

He sighed and said, "The future of my Great Sui Dynasty is truly fraught with difficulties."

Fan Yibai understood his friend's feelings and didn't want to say anything discouraging, so he didn't continue the conversation.

It was more than just "extremely difficult".
Anyone with common sense knows that the three Sui emperors from Luoyang, Chang'an, and Weijun who vied with Jiangdu for legitimacy were nothing more than puppets of others.

During the reign of Emperor Sui, only Jiangdu remained, surrounded by bandits.

No matter how powerful General Zhang or General Zhenkou were, they could never win back the country.

A city is a country; the Sui Dynasty may have come to an end.

Feeling heavy-hearted, the two changed the subject.

For example, let's talk about this guy from the Book Tower. I heard that someone saw him and the young lady from the Dugu family being quite intimate on the city wall.

Talking about these things makes me feel much more relaxed.
Zhou Yi spent seven or eight days in the library of Fenglin Palace, immersing himself in Taoist classics.

Many of these books were ones he had never read before.

Perhaps due to his improved martial arts skills, he gained a completely new understanding when he reread the Taoist scriptures.

Especially in the secret techniques of the Louguan School.

The spirit of the left wandering immortal is separated from the spirit, while the benevolent mother is the essence of spirit combined with primordial energy.

A mix of thoughts swirled within him. What had initially seemed like merely the path of sword energy flowing together had now become a giant leap forward.

Three more days passed while I studied the scriptures and practiced cultivation.

The Emperor died on the 52nd day of the calendar.

Dugu Feng came looking for someone and brought him back to the Dugu residence.

Just like when they first met Zhang Xutuo, they drank in the hall of the Dugu family's house.

You Hongda, Luo Shixin, Cheng Yaojin, Qin Shubao and several others were present.

Nearly two months have passed, and Jiangdu City has completely stabilized.

Without the Xiaoguo Army, the people's lives returned to normal, and the city's security improved significantly.

Zhang Xutuo came here partly out of gratitude, and partly to seek advice.

He knew how great the crisis the Dugu family was facing in Jiangdu this time, and that they could turn the tide without relying on Dugu Sheng.

"Sir, I have a question I would like to ask you."

"General Zhang, please speak."

Zhang Xutuo gestured to Zhou Yi with his wine cup, then downed it in one gulp before saying:
"Although Jiangdu has been stabilized, it is surrounded by enemies. I want to turn the tide and wipe out the bandits, but I am facing many difficulties."

"But is it because of the Jianghuai Army?"

"Yes."

Zhang Xutuo said in a deep voice, "Sir, do you think we should send troops to Liuhe City?"

Zhou Yi did not respond immediately, but looked at You Hongda: "General You, what are your thoughts?"

You Hongda's face was gloomy: "I want to eliminate Li Zitong first. This traitor is isolated in Hailing, and we can hope to destroy him in one blow, which will boost our military prestige. The Jianghuai army is powerful, so we must deal with it slowly."

Zhang Xutuo asked, "What do you think, sir?"

"Li Zitong should be eliminated."

Zhou Yi looked at Zhang Xutuo, shook his head, and said very bluntly:

"General Zhang should also know that Liuhe City cannot be taken. It is the military strength of the entire Jianghuai region, not something that Jiangdu alone can withstand. Unless the General can create miracles time and time again, win every battle, and defeat the many with the few.

Dugu Sheng said, "This is too difficult."

Zhang Xutuo poured himself a drink: "The speed at which the Jianghuai Army is developing is frightening. I would like to wait until they fight Xiao Xian and Lin Shihong before making a decision, but I am worried that even these two are no match for the Jianghuai Army."

Dugu Sheng suddenly looked at Zhou Yi: "It is said that the Grand Commander of Jianghuai is also a peerless master. Are you confident that you can defeat him?"

"not sure."

Upon hearing Zhou Yi's unwavering response, Dugu Sheng's expression immediately changed.

This person is so terrifying that even Mr. Zhou is not confident.

Little Phoenix, who was eating nearby, almost choked on her food.

You Hongda, however, remained unfazed and poured Zhang Xutuo another cup of wine.

"General, you have already done enough. Why add more burdens to yourself with such stubbornness?"

He advised in a very tactful way.

Everyone knows what the world is like these days. Zhang Xutuo wants to help the Sui Dynasty defy fate and change its destiny, but he has virtually no conditions.

Zhang Xutuo drank the wine and stopped mentioning the attack on Liuhe.

Dugu Sheng suddenly remembered a problem his colleagues had been discussing recently, and asked Zhou Yi:
"Can you guess why that man from Jianghuai doesn't declare himself emperor? Lin Shihong and Xiao Xian, who fought against him, have already declared themselves emperors and established their own countries."

Dugu Feng also looked over curiously.

Zhou Yi smiled and said, "How would I know? Or maybe I just don't want to join in the fun like Xiao Xian and his group. These days, it's not unusual to claim to be a king or emperor."

"There's one more thing."

"Being an emperor is very hard work, with politics and palace intrigues. Not everyone likes it."

After hearing this, You Hongda lowered his head and drank by himself.

Dugu Sheng nodded seriously: "That's true, it reminds me of the late Emperor."

"On the day of the chaos in Linjiang Palace, the late emperor told me that 'being an emperor like this is very tiring.' But that was the late emperor. The rebels in Jianghuai would never think like that in their struggle for supremacy. They must have some conspiracy that we don't know about."

He added, "As for the harem, with so many emperors and concubines, harem infighting is just a trivial matter."

For the first time, Dugu Sheng did not entirely agree with Mr. Zhou's words.

You Hongda glanced at Dugu Sheng and sighed inwardly, "Courage."

Zhang Xutuo smiled and said, "Sir, your thoughts are indeed different from those of ordinary people. I have never thought of it this way before."

He offered a compliment, and then added:
"I wonder if you, sir, are interested in serving in the court? If I could have your help, I would be even more confident in helping His Majesty eliminate the bandits in all directions."

Zhou Yi said tactfully, "This has already caused a long delay. In a few days, I will return to Dongdu to find the old lady. When I come to Jiangdu next time, I will join forces with the general again."

Zhang Xutuo did not try to persuade him further, but upon hearing that he was leaving, he sighed and stood up.

Holding the wine cup, he said, "Sir, you have done me a great favor. I originally intended to repay you slowly, but now it seems I may never have the chance in this lifetime."

Zhou Yi also raised his glass: "General, you flatter me. My help to you is also for the sake of the stability of Jiangdu."

"Two months ago, I had a meal at a roadside stall. The old stall owner talked to me about how hard life was, which touched me deeply."

Zhou Yi slowly said:

"I sigh deeply and wipe away my tears, lamenting the hardships of the people's lives. Although I am not so indignant, I cannot bear to see suffering. I hope these people can live a better life. If General Zhang can protect this region, why should he talk to me about gratitude?"

A look of astonishment appeared on Zhang Xutuo's old face.

He stared at Zhou Yi with a hint of respect: "Only now do I truly understand you, sir."

You Hongda stood up, and Qin Shubao and the others also stood up: "A toast to you, sir!"

Zhou Yi also said, "Please."

After saying this, everyone drank their wine in one gulp.
……

(End of this chapter)