In the thirteenth year of the Tianbao era: I became Yang Guozhong's eldest son.

Upon hearing this, the entire Xingqing Hall fell silent instantly.

The Peking Opera disciples who were still tidying up their instruments were so frightened that they didn't dare to breathe.

The smile on Emperor Xuanzong's face vanished instantly. He sat up abruptly, a chilling glint flashing in his cloudy eyes as he stared intently at Yang Guozhong, who was kneeling on the ground.

"Yang Guozhong, do you know what you're saying?"

Although Emperor Xuanzong's voice was not loud, it carried a powerful sense of overwhelming rage.

Yang Guozhong broke out in a cold sweat, but he knew he was now in a difficult situation.

Although he was greedy and domineering, he was not stupid.

In recent days, An Lushan's activities in Fanyang have become increasingly large. He not only frequently mobilizes troops, but also uses various pretexts to demand grain, fodder and military equipment from the imperial court.

What made him even more uneasy was that all the informants he had planted in Fanyang had lost contact within just half a month.

All these signs indicate that the fat Hu man, whom the emperor regards as his "godson," is really going to rebel!

If he doesn't step forward to distance himself from the situation at this point, he, as the Right Chancellor, will definitely become the first scapegoat to be sacrificed once An Lushan raises an army!

"Your Majesty is wise!" Yang Guozhong mustered his courage and raised his head.

"I am not making trouble out of thin air. In the past half month, An Lushan, under the pretext of 'defending against the Khitan,' has arbitrarily executed more than thirty Han generals in the Fanyang army who had rendered meritorious service, replacing them all with his own trusted Hu (non-Han) confidants. Not only that, he has also secretly intercepted the autumn grain delivered by Hebei Province and stockpiled it in Youzhou City. This...this is clearly hoarding and speculation, a plot to commit treason!"

"Nonsense!"

Emperor Xuanzong slammed his hand on the dragon bed and roared angrily.

"An Lushan is utterly loyal to me, and I regard him as my own son! His defenses against the Khitan are to ensure the peace of our Great Tang's northern border; his replacement of generals is because those Han generals are arrogant, domineering, and unruly! As for intercepting provisions... the northern border is bitterly cold, what's wrong with soldiers stocking up on more provisions for the winter?!"

Emperor Xuanzong pointed at Yang Guozhong's nose and reprimanded him sternly.

"You, the Right Chancellor, do not think of sharing the burdens of the country. All you know how to do all day is to form cliques and eliminate dissidents in court! Do you think that I am old and senile, and can no longer distinguish between loyal ministers and traitors?!"

"Your Majesty, I dare not! I would rather die ten thousand times than!" Yang Guozhong was terrified and kowtowed repeatedly. "I only... I was only thinking of the fate of the Tang Dynasty!"

"That's enough!"

Emperor Xuanzong waved his hand in annoyance.

"Considering your usual diligence, I will not pursue this matter today. But if there is a next time you dare to falsely accuse An Lushan of treason before me, I will not let you off lightly! Step down!"

"I... obey your order."

Yang Guozhong scrambled to his feet, his body limp, and left Xingqing Hall in a daze.

As soon as he stepped out of Danfeng Gate of Daming Palace, a gust of autumn wind blew by, and Yang Guozhong couldn't help but shiver.

He glanced back at the magnificent palace, a deep despair flashing in his eyes.

He knew it was over.

The Emperor has been completely bewitched by that fat, barbarian An Lushan.

The colossal ship of the Tang Dynasty, under the personal helm of the Emperor, is speeding headlong toward the abyss.

"Prime Minister, what should we do now?"

A trusted advisor stepped forward, looked at Yang Guozhong's pale face, and asked cautiously.

Yang Guozhong took a deep breath and forced himself to calm down.

"Since His Majesty won't listen to advice, we have no choice but to make plans as soon as possible. Issue the order to immediately transfer the gold, silver, and valuables from the Prime Minister's estate outside Chang'an to Jiannan Road in batches. Tell Xianyu Zhongtong to keep a close watch on the gates of Jiannan. That will be our Yang family's last resort!"

At this point, a figure that he found utterly repulsive yet somehow enigmatic suddenly came to mind for Yang Guozhong.

His rebellious son, Yang Xuan.

Several months ago, Yang Xuan pointed at An Lushan's nose and cursed him for being rebellious in front of all the civil and military officials at the Hua'e Xianghui Tower.

At the time, everyone thought Yang Xuan had gone mad and was courting death.

But now it seems that the rebellious son is actually the only person in the entire city of Chang'an who has seen the truth!

Moreover, according to the secret report sent by Xianyu Zhongtong, Yang Xuan not only did not starve to death in Yaozhou, but also made a great show of things, and even subdued the regular army of Zhechong Prefecture.

A few days ago, he even burned his family letters in public, clearly indicating that he wanted to completely break away from the control of the Prime Minister's residence.

"That unfilial son..." Yang Guozhong muttered through gritted teeth, "Did he foresee this day coming? Did he know all along that Chang'an couldn't be defended, so he deliberately tarnished his own reputation and ran off to Yaozhou, that remote place far from the emperor's reach, to raise an army and protect himself?!"

The thought that he had been outmaneuvered by a spoiled brat he usually looked down on made Yang Guozhong tremble with rage.

"Prime Minister, should we send someone to Yaozhou again to put pressure on the eldest son?" the advisor asked.

"Pressure him? He even dared to burn my family letters, what else wouldn't he do?" Yang Guozhong sneered. "Tell Xianyu Zhongtong to stop being lenient with that rebellious son, Yang Xuan. The salt profits and military power of Yaozhou must not fall into the hands of an uncontrollable madman. If he dares to resist..."

A sinister glint flashed in Yang Guozhong's eyes.

"Using the pretext of suppressing rebellion, kill them on the spot!"

In the face of power and family interests, the so-called father-son affection is as thin as paper.

Since Yang Xuan refused to be the knife in his hand, he would rather break the knife himself than allow him to become a hidden danger that threatened his retreat.

……

Just as undercurrents were surging in Chang'an.

Jiannan Road, Yaozhou City.

With each military order issued by Yang Xuan, the entire Yaozhou machine began to operate at an unprecedented speed, operating at overload.

Inside the Qing'aojing camp.

Lee Kwang-pil's grueling training did not diminish over time; on the contrary, it became even more brutal.

"Hurry! Faster! Haven't you guys eaten?!"

Li Guangbi, mounted on his warhorse, brandished his whip and roared at the soldiers who were carrying heavy loads across the plains.

Three hundred crossbowmen and eighty heavy cavalrymen spent almost all their time, except for eating and sleeping, training on the drill ground.

Sweat and blood mingled together, turning the yellow soil of the Qing'aojing camp into a dark red.

Under such intense pressure, the soldiers' physical fitness and tactical skills are soaring at a visible rate.

They transformed from a group of roughnecks who only knew how to fight and be fierce into a cold, efficient war machine that only knew how to kill.

Meanwhile, the county government's ordnance bureau...

Old Huang led over a hundred blacksmiths and carpenters recruited from various places, working day and night by the furnace, sweating profusely.

"Clang! Clang! Clang!"

The heavy iron hammer struck the red-hot pig iron, sparks flying everywhere.

"Hurry up! The crossbows and arrowheads the young master requested must be doubled next month! Anyone who dares to slack off, I'll skin them alive!"

Old Huang shouted at the top of his lungs.

Batch after batch of finely crafted repeating crossbows, steel crossbows, and high-bridged saddles were continuously sent to the main camp.

Yang Xuan poured military funds into the project like water, and in return, this private armed force gained an absolute and overwhelming advantage in equipment.

On the official road outside Yaozhou City.

Lei Laohu's Tingfeng Pavilion also began operating at full speed.

Caravans disguised as medicinal herb merchants secretly smuggled bags of high-purity salt, whiter than snow, out of Jiannan Road under the cover of night through hidden paths unknown even to the local government officials, and delivered them to the black markets in Guanzhong and Longyou.

Just as Yang Xuan had predicted, as the situation across the country became increasingly tense, powerful figures and merchants in various regions were secretly hoarding supplies.

As soon as the refined salt from Yaozhou appeared on the black market, it was immediately snapped up.

Large sums of gold and flying money flowed back into the treasury of Yaozhou County through the channels of Tingfeng Pavilion, filling the terrifying military expenditure hole.

Money, food, soldiers, and weapons.

Yang Xuan is frantically accumulating power in this remote border region of Jiannan Road at an extremely wild pace.

He was like a tiger lurking in the darkness, silently sharpening his claws.