Tibet

Of course, there are more than just the Dugu brothers in the Dugu family. The Dugu family is the richest family in the Sui and Tang Dynasties. Dugu Xin is also the most powerful father-in-law in history. All three daughters became queens, the Empress of the Northern Zhou Dynasty, the Empress of the Sui Dynasty, and the Empress Yuanzhen of the Tang Dynasty.

Precisely because of their transcendent status, the Dugu family was not affected by the changes in the Sui and Tang Dynasties. During the Sui and Tang Dynasties, the Dugu family spread out and formed a huge family, which was scattered all over the world and formed four lines, the Chang'an family, the Luoyang family, the Hedong family and the Yangzhou family.

Although they all have the same ancestor, over more than a hundred years, they have developed independently and each has its own ancestral hall.

The Chang'an line of the Dugu family is the backbone, and is subdivided into five families. In fact, the five brothers of Dugu Lie's grandfather divided the family during the Wu Zetian era. Dugu Lie is the eldest family member, and there is the second family member in Yongxian County. In addition, there are Qingzhou family, Ningzhou Fang and Tongzhou Fang, these three rooms are concubines.

The fifth uncle who was assassinated was Dugu Kuan, the head of the Yong County family, and the only living elder of the Chang'an clan was their uncle.

This news was so shocking that Dugu Lie asked urgently: "How did Uncle Wu die?"

"He was shot dead by a poisonous arrow in the study. The assassin escaped and his whereabouts are unknown!"

Dugujun frowned, "I don't understand. The fifth uncle is an old country squire. Several of his sons are also landlords or doing business. Only one grandson is the county magistrate of Xi County. He has almost nothing to do with the court. The eunuchs assassinated him. What?"

Dugu Ming said slowly: "I couldn't figure it out at first, but now I understand that their real target is actually the eldest brother!"

Dugu Lie nodded, "The third child is right. If my fifth uncle dies, I will definitely go to pay my respects, and they will attack me in Yong County."

"Big brother can't go like this."

Dugu Lie sneered, "Not only do I want to go, I also want to go with great fanfare. I don't believe that the evil spirit of the eunuchs can't be suppressed."

Dugu Ming handed a note to his elder brother Dugu Lie, "This is the reason why Jinyang was assassinated last night."

Dugu Lie took the note and was stunned when he saw it read: 'Grandma is critically ill and cannot survive tonight. Come and see her for the last time. ’

The signature was none other than Dugu Lie, and the handwriting was exactly the same as his, but it was definitely not written by him. Someone imitated his handwriting. Mother was nice, but the other party actually used this despicable method.

"Did Jinyang believe this note when he saw it?" Dugu Lie said angrily.

Dugu Ming sighed, "Of course this note alone is not enough, plus the sender is the third housekeeper Aku, Jinyang has to believe it."

"A letter from Aku?"

Dugu Lie was shocked and immediately ordered: "Go and find the third housekeeper!"

Aku is an aristocratic slave of the Dugu family. Both his grandfather and father are stewards of the Dugu family's estate. Aku is a few years younger than Dugu Lie. He has been smart and capable since he was a child. Later he became the third housekeeper of the Dugu Mansion and served as the third housekeeper for thirty years. , loyal to the Dugu family, so Dugu Lie didn't believe it at all.

Dugu Ming shook his head, "Brother, there's no need to look for it. I asked just now. Aku asked for leave yesterday and was not at home."

At this time, there was a slight commotion outside. The three Dugu brothers came to the atrium and saw a young man talking to the housekeeper, very excited.

Dugu Lie recognized him at a glance. He was Man Gu, the son of the third steward Dugu Kufu. The slaves of the lonely family were all given the surname Dugu, but from their names, he could tell that the five characters Renshoufufuyi plus five grains were added. That was a slave from an aristocratic family. If they were very promising or became an official, the Dugu family would give them another name.

Dugu Lie shouted and asked: "What's going on?"

Man Gu turned around and saw the owner of the family. He rushed forward and knelt down crying. The chief steward stepped forward and sighed: "Master, Aku committed suicide by hanging from a beam early this morning."

Man Gu said with tears on his face: "Master, my son disappeared last night. My father searched everywhere for his grandson but couldn't find him. He hanged himself early this morning."

Dugulie and his two brothers looked at each other, and they both understood that the eunuchs must have kidnapped Aku's grandson and forced him to deliver a message. When Aku heard the news of Jinyang's assassination, he committed suicide by hanging himself from the beam out of guilt.

Dugu Lie asked after a while: "Did your father leave any words?"

Man Gu took out a crumpled piece of paper and handed it to Dugu Lie. Dugu opened it and there was only one sentence on it, "It's all my fault, I deserve to die!"

Dugu Lie felt a sting in his heart, sighed and asked, "Has your son been found again?"

Man Gu shook his head sadly, and Dugu Lie turned back to Dugu Ming and said, "Use all means to find his son!"

Dugu Ming nodded and took the first step. Dugu Lie said to Mangu again: "Your father did make a big mistake, but he atones for his sins with death and cleared most of his sins. I specifically allow him to be buried in the ordinary cemetery of the Dugu family."

There are three types of cemeteries in the Dugu family, one is the owner's tomb, the other is the slave tomb of the aristocratic family, which requires three generations of service to the Dugu family to qualify, and there is also an ordinary tomb.

Aku could have been buried in the tomb of a slave of aristocratic family, but after all, he betrayed his master. Even if he died to atone for his crime, he could not be buried in the tomb of slave of aristocratic family. He could only be downgraded and buried in an ordinary tomb. However, this is already an extra mercy. Otherwise, He was not even qualified for the Dugu family cemetery, so he could only be buried alone in a mass grave.

Man Gu was extremely grateful and kowtowed and left. Dugu Lie shook his head and said to the chief steward: "Let's arrange his funeral arrangements for him!"

"I understand the humble position!"

Dugu Lie returned to the back hall and considered the aggressive threat of the eunuchs alone. He must fight back, otherwise the eunuchs would attack the Dugu family unscrupulously.

He immediately wrote a letter and sent someone to Li Ye to tell him about the current difficulties the Dugu family was encountering. Dugu Lie hoped that Li Ye could help.

The armistice period had just passed a month, and Li Ye had been waiting for news from the north, and was also paying attention to the movements in Luoyang City.

The news from Yun Zhong has not yet come, but Li Ye unexpectedly got news from Youzhou. His patrol car and boat on the Yellow River intercepted Youzhou's messenger and brought important information.

A war broke out in Youzhou. Li Huaixian's 30,000 troops and Shi Chaoqing's 30,000 troops fought fiercely on the outskirts of Jixian County. Both sides suffered heavy casualties, and the civilians suffered countless casualties.

Liu Yan read the information and asked with a smile: "Does Your Highness think Li Huaixian is really loyal to Shi Chaoyi and destroys Shi Chaoqing for Shi Chaoyi?"

How could Li Ye not know that Li Huaixian was the founder of Fanlu Fan Town among the three towns in Hebei Province, and Shi Chaoyi seemed to have died in his hands.

"Li Huaixian is a warlord on the same level as Shi Siming. He is not Shi Siming's subordinate. He found an excuse to attack Shi Chaoqing, but he just wanted to take Youzhou as his own and become Shi Siming's second."

Liu Yan pondered for a moment and said, "Last time I heard His Highness say that there will be a situation of separatist vassal towns in Hebei and the Central Plains?"

Li Ye nodded, "Looking at the determination and strength of the imperial court, if we can't win over them, we will have to compromise in the end. The result of the compromise is to recognize the imperial court in name, but in fact separate the two sides. This is what I call the separatist regime of vassal towns."

At this time, a soldier said at the door of the tent: "Your Highness, the head of the Dugu family in Chang'an sent someone to deliver an urgent message!"