Tibet

Jiangnan West Road in the Tang Dynasty, which is the source of the name of Jiangxi Province today, was located in Yuzhang County, Hongzhou, which is today's Nanchang.

Yongwang Li Lin was a first move made by the emperor Li Longji, who used Yongwang Li Lin to restrain the crown prince from ascending the throne.

After the Sizhuyuan Incident, Li Longji arrived in Hanzhong and secretly wrote a handwritten edict, ordering a confidant eunuch to rush to Yuzhang County, "Once the prince ascends the throne, you can divide the country according to Jiangnan."

It was this handwriting that gave Li Lin the idea of ​​establishing the Eastern Tang Dynasty and confronting the imperial court. Unfortunately, it was just a handwriting, not a decree. There was no emperor's seal on it, only the emperor's private seal. The emperor's seal had been taken by the prince. gone.

The handwriting is never a legal document and will not be recognized by any local officials. Therefore, it is very difficult for Li Lin to directly ascend the throne as emperor, and his officers and soldiers will not agree.

After An Lushan occupied Luoyang, Li Lin, together with other princes, was urgently sent by the emperor Li Longji to take control of military power in various places to resist the invasion of the Central Plains, Jianghuai, Jiangnan, Jingxiang and other places by An Lushan's army. Li Lin was named Observation envoys for Jiangnan West Road, Qianzhong Road and Lingnan Road.

Li Lin currently has an army of 300,000, including the troops he raised and soldiers from three states. However, these troops are used to resist An Lushan's army, not to support him in establishing himself as emperor.

So now Li Lin is eager to get a legal certificate for his accession to the throne. His confidant Li Taiqing gives him a plan and sends an army to Chengdu to snatch the emperor to Hongzhou. With the emperor sitting in Yuzhang, it is useless for the prince to ascend the throne again. Everyone will Surrender to the emperor, and hold the emperor hostage to form a situation among the princes.

Even if the prince forcibly ascends the throne, the emperor will still establish a new court in the southeast, and the Eastern Tang Dynasty will be legally established, and it will be more justifiable. Let the emperor wait for two years, and King Yong will ascend the throne as the prince again.

Li Lin was convinced by counselor Li Taiqing's plan to kidnap the emperor to defeat the princes. Bringing back the emperor was the top priority in all his plans, so Li Ye became the obstacle to his rough implementation.

Li Ye controlled the five important prefectures and counties entering Sichuan: Jingzhou, Xiazhou, Guizhou, Kuizhou, and Wanzhou. Even if his fleet passed through Jingzhou by force, what about Xiazhou, Guizhou, and Kuizhou behind them? He couldn't get through them all.

He does not have that many ships to transport troops into Sichuan. His ships can only carry 10,000 people at most, but 10,000 people obviously cannot take the Emperor back. At least 30,000 troops are needed, so most of the troops still have to go by land.

Therefore, Li Lin had to get Li Ye's permission to lead his army into Sichuan in the name of his father's pilgrimage.

Of course, Li Lin was also prepared for Li Ye's refusal. If Li Ye refused, he would use force to enter Jingzhou. In order to find an excuse, he planned the rebellion of Yuezhou general Kang Chuyuan, and he used the idea of ​​​​quelling the rebellion as an excuse. As an excuse, he pursued Kang Chuyuan westward. As long as he occupied the south bank of the Yangtze River all the way, his army could enter Sichuan smoothly.

Li Lin also sent thousands of warships to block the Han River to prevent Li Ye's navy from going south, and to block the Yangtze River to prevent Li Ye's army from crossing the Yangtze River and going south.

Li Lin has been planning to enter Sichuan for several months, and he is bound to win this time.

In the palace of King Yong in Yuzhang County, Li Lin was pacing back and forth in the lobby with his hands behind his hands, feeling quite restless. He was waiting for news from Li Bai. Although Li Bai was not his confidant, Li Bai brought his autographed letter, The letter is enough to explain his attitude.

"Father!"

The third son, Li Zhen, walked quickly into the hall, followed by counselors Xue Yu and Li Taiqing.

Li Lin's eldest son Li Xi and his third son Li Zhen were both highly skilled in martial arts and could lead troops on expeditions. The eldest son was mainly responsible for the east. Li Lin wanted his third son Li Zhen to lead an army of 30,000 to Sichuan to bring back the emperor.

Li Lin quickly asked: "Is there any news from Xiangyang?"

"I just received a pigeon letter from Li Bai!"

Li Zhen handed a copy of the pigeon letter to his father. Li Lin took the pigeon letter and looked at it carefully. It said two things. First, he conditionally agreed to borrow the road, and he had to use Mianzhou and Ezhou in exchange for the borrowed road, and You can't take the north bank of the Yangtze River to borrow the road. Second, you can pledge your allegiance, but you need a formal edict from the emperor to abdicate.

Li Lin was a little hesitant. Hanyang in Mianzhou and Jiangxia in Ezhou were both important. He could reluctantly give Mianzhou to the other party, but how could he give it to Ezhou?

"What do you think?" Li Lin asked counselors Xue Yu and Li Taiqing.

Xue Yu smiled slightly and said: "Li Ye's second condition is very interesting. He means that as long as we successfully bring the Supreme Emperor back, he will turn his allegiance to His Highness. He is actually loyal to the Supreme Emperor."

Li Lin nodded, "I'm actually more concerned about his first condition. He agreed to borrow the road, but he wanted my Mianzhou and Ezhou. I can give him Mianzhou. After all, Mianzhou is across the Yangtze River and we can't take care of it. But how can I give him Ezhou?"

Li Taiqing was silent for a moment and said, "Your Majesty, I can agree!"

Li Lin was startled, "Why?"

"My lord, he is really capable. Even if we don't give it to him, he can take it back. If he doesn't have the ability, even if we give it to him, he can't keep it!"

Li Lin understood a little bit, "What do you mean, promise him first and then take it back later?"

"Your Majesty, if we succeed in bringing back the Supreme Emperor, and if he is loyal to the Supreme Emperor, then it is okay to give Ezhou to him. But if we cannot bring back the Supreme Emperor, then we can find any excuse and take back Ezhou. We have a powerful naval force. We can completely block his reinforcements on the other side of the Yangtze River, making it impossible for him to rescue, and Ezhou will be within easy reach."

Li Lin frowned, "Sir, do you think it will fail?"

"That's why I agreed to my humble suggestion, but we have to add one thing during our negotiations. He must keep it secret and cannot leak it to the court, especially his supervisors."

"Okay! Listen to your husband's suggestion and I will agree to it."

Next to him, Xue Yu added, "Your Highness must restrain Kang Chuyuan to prevent him from sending troops without authorization and breaking the contract between the two families."

Li Lin was also a little arrogant. Kang Chuyuan's rebellion was half true and half false. His rebellion was true, but in order to avoid being annihilated by his own army, he put forward some conditions for him to cooperate with him. Kang Chuyuan also agreed, but what did he really think? , I don’t even know!

Li Lin nodded, "I understand, I will try my best to restrain him!"

Li Ye and Li Lin finally reached a borrowing agreement, and Li Lin agreed to hand over Mianzhou and Ezhou to Li Ye.

Li Ye promised to use the road so that Li Lin's 30,000 troops could enter Sichuan from the south bank of the Yangtze River belonging to Shannan East Road. At the same time, Li Ye promised to keep this matter secret and never leak it to the court.

When Ji Guangchen led his army to withdraw from Ezhou, Li Ye immediately appointed Wei Shouchun, the governor of Jingzhou, as the governor of Ezhou. Lei Wanchun led an army of 5,000 to guard Jiangxia. Li Xun, the magistrate of Jiangling County, was appointed the governor of Mianzhou. He also appointed General Huang Yingyanglang, who was good at naval warfare. Xinwu led an army of five thousand to guard Hanyang.

In the long run, Ezhou will be a springboard for Li Ye's eastward expansion, but its significance does not lie in the present.

Mianzhou is the most important and urgent strategic location at the moment. Mianzhou is where the Han River enters the river. It controls the lower reaches of the Han River. Without Mianzhou, his navy cannot enter the Yangtze River, and he cannot Building ships, Hanyang's shipbuilding industry is very developed, especially the construction of warships, where there are many talents.

By taking Hanyang, not only will the entire middle and lower reaches of the Han River be gained, both trade and the army can go out, but also the continued shipbuilding industry will be gained. In addition, the trade in the Yangtze River will also prosper because of Hanyang, which will be beneficial to his army. Extremely important.

Li Ye then wrote another "Public Suggestion Letter to King Yong". While sending it to King Yong Li Lin, he also copied it to the states of Shannan East Road, Jiangnan West Road and Jiangnan East Road, making it known to all officials of the three provinces.

In the letter of advice, he urged King Yong to focus on the overall situation, conform to the general trend of the world, and comply with the will of the people, work together to put down the Anlu Mountain Rebellion, and support the recovery of the two capitals with practical actions.

This proposal won enthusiastic responses from various states and counties in the south. The provincial governors of each state also issued open letters in support of Li Ye's statement and urged Yong Wang Li Lin to fight against Anlu Mountain's southern invasion with all his strength.

The day after Li Bai said goodbye, Li Ye's aunt Li Tengkong arrived in Xiangyang with more than 20 apprentices.

Li Tengkong's young apprentice Qing Yu is Li Bai's daughter, her family name is Xu Pingyang, but she just missed her father Li Bai.

Li Tengkong's arrival also brought someone whom Yang Yuhuan had never expected.

Her personal bodyguard, Gongsun Auntie, and her three palace maids who were close to her, including the little palace maid A Bao whom she regarded as her daughter.

Aunt Gongsun was also Lie Feng's apprentice. She escaped from Sizhuyuan and naturally went to seek refuge with her senior sister Li Tengkong. Unexpectedly, by mistake, Aunt Gongsun also came to Xiangyang.

Things are a bit troublesome.