Tibet

For several days, the people of Xiangyang City spontaneously organized themselves and beat gongs and drums to celebrate the death of the bandit leader An Lushan.

That afternoon, a passenger ship approached the Xiangyang City Pier. There was an old man with white hair sitting in the ship, but it could be seen that he was pampered and his skin was smooth and delicate.

If Li Ye saw him, he would be shocked. This old man was none other than the eunuch Gao Lishi.

Gao Lishi was sent by Emperor Li Longji to Xiangyang to discuss a secret deal with Li Ye.

Gao Lishi once visited Xiangyang in the sixth year of Tianbao. Compared with the last time, Xiangyang has basically not changed much. It has not been devastated by war like the northern counties. There seem to be a lot of people on the dock, but it is understandable. There are millions of people Fleeing from the north.

Gao Lishi lamented in his heart that the boy who played polo back then has now become a prince, and he didn't know if he would be able to see the imperial concubine during this trip.

Gao Lishi knew the imperial concubine's love for Li Ye back then, and also knew what happened when the imperial concubine summoned Li Ye alone. There must have been an agreement between them.

Therefore, Li Ye must be the biggest suspect when the imperial concubine disappears, not to mention that Li Ye appeared in Chang'an on the eve of her flight to the west.

Many people believed that the imperial concubine was hidden secretly by the prince, but Gao Lishi believed that the imperial concubine was most likely in Xiangyang.

Of course, this was Gao Lishi's secret. He did not tell the Supreme Prince Li Longji or anyone. Gao Lishi also knew that this matter must not be mentioned in front of Li Ye.

The passenger ship arrived at the dock, and he changed into a carriage and entered the city. Not long after, Gao Lishi's carriage arrived at the Jiedushi Mansion. Gao Lishi was waiting on the carriage, and an attendant went to deliver the post.

After a while, Li Ye personally welcomed him out of the official gate.

"Why is Gao Weng here?"

Gao Lishi stepped out of the carriage and said with a smile: "I came to see you. I haven't seen you for more than a year. It feels like many years have passed."

"Gao Weng's hair has turned white."

Gao Lishi nodded, "Life is hard in Chengdu!"

Li Ye enthusiastically invited Gao Lishi to his official room and asked his entourage to serve tea.

"How is the Emperor doing now?"

Gao Lishi took a sip of hot tea and said slowly: "The Supreme Emperor is still in Chengdu. He abolished Concubine Yang and sent her out of Qingyang Palace. After quitting Fushou Pills, her health is much better than before."

"It is rumored that the Emperor is disabled and cannot stand up. Is he still paralyzed now?"

Gao Lishi smiled lightly, "The Supreme Emperor was forced by the new emperor and had to become disabled. Otherwise, how could the new emperor relax his supervision? Otherwise, how could I leave Chengdu and come to Xiangyang by boat?"

Li Ye was startled, "Could it be that the Supreme Emperor used a bitter trick?"

Gao Lishi nodded, "Who is the Supreme Emperor and how many things he has experienced? Although Concubine Yang's affair with a guard made him angry, it did not paralyze him. On the contrary, Chen Xuanli retired from his official position and went home to take care of his old age. He was replaced by Jiannan Jiedu. The envoy's general, named Fan Kaisheng, was won over by the Supreme Emperor. He kept lying to Chang'an about the Emperor's condition, and the new emperor gradually relaxed his control over the Supreme Emperor."

Li Ye had already guessed that Li Longji's disability and dementia were a ploy to confuse Li Heng, and it was just as he expected.

Li Ye asked calmly: "What is the purpose of the Supreme Emperor asking Gao Weng to come to me?"

Gao Lishi smiled slightly and said, "Does Your Highness know that you are in danger?"

"I know that Xiangyang is strangling Chang'an's money and food, which means that the government's finances are looking at my face. Of course the emperor is very unhappy with me."

Gao Lishi shook his head, "This is only one aspect, but more importantly, your achievements have shocked the emperor. Originally, the emperor asked you to attack Chang'an with the intention of using An Lushan's hand to weaken you, but in the end you took back Chang'an and became stronger. , how could the emperor not be more wary of you? The struggle for imperial power has always been cruel, not only limited to fathers, sons and brothers, but also due to suspicion and infighting between clans.

You are not a prince in name now. Your grandfather's tablet has entered the ancestral temple, and you have also entered the clan genealogy. This means that you are also qualified to inherit the throne. You should know what this means? Your Highness, you have actually been involved in the struggle for imperial power, but you don't know it yet. "

Li Ye would not be fooled by Gao Lishi. There were at least hundreds of people in the clan who were eligible to inherit the throne, so what's the use? The key is to look at your own strength.

"Mr. Gao, please explain your mission in Xiangyang clearly!"

Gao Lishi looked around and saw that there was no one around, then came back and lowered his voice: "The Emperor wants to make a deal with you. If you can support his restoration again, he promises to pass the throne to you in the future!"

Li Ye looked at Gao Lishi for a moment and said calmly: "The last person who said this to me was Feilong."

"Could it be that you doubt the sincerity of the Supreme Emperor?"

"When has the Emperor ever been sincere?"

Li Ye sneered and said: "The Supreme Emperor has a son, a grandson, and a great-grandson. How do you expect me to believe that he will pass the throne to me instead of passing it on to his own descendants?"

"It is precisely because they are unreliable that the Emperor can count on you."

Li Ye shook his head, "There is no need to discuss this plan anymore. It is meaningless. I believe Gao Weng has a backup plan. You might as well talk about your backup plan."

Gao Lishi was helpless. He knew that Li Ye could not accept this plan. He also tried to persuade the Supreme Emperor, but the Supreme Emperor insisted on telling him. He had no choice. Fortunately, the emperor did have a second plan, and Gao Lishi also felt that it was the second plan. This solution is more reliable.

Gao Lishi nodded, "Since His Highness cannot accept the first plan, let's talk about the second cooperation plan."

"Gao Weng, please speak!"

Gao Lishi pondered for a moment and said: "The second plan is about King Yong. The Supreme Emperor wants King Yong to lead his troops into Shu."

"The Supreme Emperor wants me to borrow a way?"

"Not only am I borrowing the passage, but I also hope you can provide some of the warships!"

This plan was acceptable to Li Ye. He nodded and said, "This plan can be negotiated!"

"What does Your Highness want?"

"It's not what I want, the key is what can the Supreme Emperor give me?"

Gao Lishi said for a long time: "The only thing the Supreme Emperor can use is the Supreme Emperor's decree, but even if it is the Supreme Emperor's decree, some decrees are useful and some are useless. It depends on what you want?"

Li Ye fully understood what Gao Lishi said. As the saying goes, once the emperor and one courtier, most of the emperor's decrees were meaningless. For example, no one recognized him when he was appointed as the observer of Jiangnan East Road. When he was appointed as Taifu, the court also did not accept it. Approval, because these substantive canonizations are not within the power of the Supreme Emperor at all.

However, some ritual decrees have legal effects and must be recognized by the court, such as canonization within the clan, changing oneself to the title of King of Chu, etc. The emperor can canonize, but the emperor can also canonize. The key is that the edict of the emperor must be Can get out of the palace.

Historically, Li Heng put Emperor Li Longji under house arrest because he was afraid that the Emperor would use his remaining power to intervene in politics. Once under house arrest, the Emperor's will would not be conveyed, and no matter how many orders were issued, it would be meaningless, and they would be burned in the end.

Li Ye walked a few steps with his hands behind his back: "The prince had previously agreed to give me the land west of Congling, and allowed me to establish a kingdom west of Congling and be the king, and inherit it from generation to generation, but it was only a verbal promise. The same content, I hope the emperor will give it to me. A formal decree.”

"What does His Highness want to do west of Congling?" Gao Lishi was puzzled.

"This is one of my conditions!"

Li Ye said calmly: "I have another condition. The Emperor officially issues a decree recognizing my qualifications to inherit the throne!"

Gao Lishi understood that the west of Congling was actually just a retreat.