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At night, King Yang Neng of Yan sat alone in the room to practice calligraphy. He wrote so concentratingly that he did not find his grandfather Yang Guang standing behind him.

Yang Neng is the eldest grandson of Yang Guang. Yang Guang and his wife Empress Xiao gave birth to two sons and one daughter. The eldest son Yang Zhao unfortunately died of illness. The second son, King Yang Ting, had misconduct, was hated by Yang Guangshen and imprisoned him for a long time.

Although Yang Guang also had a son, King Zhao, Yang Gao, who was still young and only seven years old, and on the other hand, it was impossible to become the crown prince because he was not a legitimate child.

Yang Guang placed all his hopes on the three sons left by his eldest son Yang Zhao. Yang Neng was the eldest grandson. He was extremely intelligent since childhood and was simple by nature. He was deeply loved by Yang Guang and his wife. Yang Guang had already named him the crown prince and was preparing to find a suitable opportunity to officially enthrone the crown prince of the Eastern Palace.

At this time, Yang Neng suddenly felt someone touching his head. He then found that the emperor's grandfather was behind him. He was so scared that he quickly put down his pen, leaned over and kowtowed, "I don't know that the emperor's grandfather has arrived, please forgive me for being rude."

Yang Guang smiled lovingly and said, "What are you writing?"

"Reporting to my grandfather and grandson are copying Yu Boshi's "Confucius Temple Posts."

Yang Guang looked at his grandson's handwriting and saw that he was written with dignity and steady, with a round pen tip. Although he was a little immature, he could not help but praise him: "The handwriting of the handwriting is very well written!"

"My grandson still lacks a lot and is studying hard."

Yang Guang nodded and said, "But why did Neng'er copy Yu Shinan's characters without Yu Shiji's characters? I think Yu Shinan's characters are a little heavier, not as clear and smooth as Yu Shiji's characters. In comparison, Yu Shiji's characters are more vivid."

Yang Neng was silent for a moment and said, "My grandson doesn't like Yu Xiangguo's name very much."

"Why?"

Yang Qing bit his lip and said, "Although Yu Xiangguo is beautiful and smooth, he is obviously not stable enough. The words are a little impetuous, which makes the grandson's heart unable to calm down."

Yang Guang laughed, "You are talking about him!"

"Seeing words is like seeing people. This is the same as the words, and so is people!"

Yang Guang understood what his grandson meant. In fact, he was advising himself not to reuse Yu Shiji. He took Yang Qing's hand and said earnestly: "If you don't work in your position, what kind of person is Yu Shiji? In fact, my grandfather knows better than you. He is greedy for money and bribes, his family has a huge fortune, and his affairs are far less fair than his brother Yu Shinan, and he lacks the courage to speak out. I know all these."

"Since the emperor's grandfather knows, why do you still want it?"

"Why do you need to reuse him, right?" Yang Guang said with a faint smile.

"yes!"

Yang Qing finally found an opportunity to say the words he had suppressed in his heart for a long time, "In fact, it's not just him, but Yu Wen Shu, who is treacherous, cunning, despicable and greedy. The emperor's grandfather has obviously dismissed him, so why did he have to regain his position? The grandfather's words are so please forgive me!"

Yang Guang sighed softly. "I don't want to use loyal ministers and good generals, but if there is ten in the Sui country, only three points will belong to me."

"Why did the emperor's grandfather say that?" Yang Qing was stunned and puzzled.

Yang Guang smiled bitterly and said, "Last time, Zhang Xuan was right. The imperial decrees were basically unable to leave Luoyang City. The power of local governments was controlled by the prominent families of various counties. This has been the case since the end of the Eastern Han Dynasty. These famous families only have family interests and will never take the survival of the Sui Dynasty to the heart.

Yu Shiji's biggest advantage is that he is good at adapting. He can balance the interests of the court and local governments, so that the court's government orders can be implemented a little bit locally. However, Yu Shinan is more upright, but lacks flexibility. If he is the prime minister, the court's government orders will become death orders. If the water is too clear, there will be no fish. You must understand this principle."

Yang Qing nodded silently and asked again: "What about Yuwen Shu? What is his function?"

Yang Guang gently stroked his grandson's head and said, "I know you are dissatisfied with Yuwen Shu. I am actually dissatisfied with him, and he has ambition, which makes me have to be alert to him. However, he has a deep military qualification and is the mortal enemy of the Guanlong nobles. I am using him to fight against the Guanlong nobles. Otherwise, how could I take the opportunity to clean up the military forces of the Guanlong nobles during the first east expedition to Goryeo?"

Yang Qing lowered her head and said nothing. Yang Guang looked at the clever grandson and said earnestly: "There are no external troubles in the Sui Dynasty, only internal troubles, and they are all fixed diseases for hundreds of years. I hope to clear these fixed diseases one by one in my lifetime and give you a bright country. The reason why I promoted Zhang Xuan was to cultivate your own ranks for you. I hope he would not let me down."

Yang Neng was moved and cried: "Grandson thanks to grandfather for his kindness!"

Yang Guang pulled him in his arms and continued with a smile: "The reason why I didn't let Zhang Xuan stay in the preparation house is because I discovered that he was a tiger. Only by putting the tiger into the deep mountains can he quickly grow into the king of the army."

"Grandson understands!"

At this time, a eunuch outside reported: "Your Majesty, Shangshu Pei has an urgent matter to ask for a visit!"

Yang Guang nodded, "Let him wait in my imperial study and I will come soon."

Yang Guang stood up and gently pressed his grandson's shoulder, "You keep writing! I'm going back to deal with political affairs."

"Grandson obeys the order!"

Yang Guang encouraged him a few more words, then stood up and left Yang's room, and quickly walked towards his temporary imperial study.

At this time, outside the imperial study room, the Prime Minister Pei Ju had been waiting for a long time. Pei Ju had a medium figure, fair skin, a short beard, and a pair of extremely sharp eyes. Although he was over 70 years old, he was energetic, proficient in power and tricks, and was very trusted by Yang Guang. To a certain extent, he was Yang Guang's military advisor.

Pei Ju is the head of the Pei family, a famous prestigious family in Hedong. The Pei family is also a rising star in the Shandong family. Among the five powerful ministers of the dynasty, the Pei family occupied two of them.

In addition to Pei Ju, there is also the Censor Pei Yun, who controls the Censorate and has great power. Yang Guang's favor for the Pei family is extremely unreliable. It is precisely because he is too dependent on the imperial power that it has attracted dissatisfaction with the Pei family in Hebei. The major families in Shandong are basically not very willing to invite the Pei family in various exchange activities.

This time Mr. Lu celebrated his birthday. If Pei Ju hadn't happened to be in Zhuo County, the Lu family would not have invited him to attend. Pei Ju knew it very well, but he didn't care too much. He always believed that famous families with power could go further.

Pei Ju was also responsible for dealing with the Turkish foreign vassals. Last year, Goguryeo wanted to transport a batch of 300,000 pieces of armor to the Turks, and the Sui Dynasty also received news at the same time.

The Sui army could not enter the country to intercept it, so Pei Ju contacted the pro-Sui Dynasty Baye Gu tribe and asked the Baye Gu tribe to intercept the armor. Unexpectedly, the Baye Gu tribe had greedy and ambitions, and wanted to monopolize the armor, which caused a series of future troubles.

It was not until Zhang Xuan destroyed this group of soldiers and armor that Pei Ju was finally able to make an appointment with Yang Guang. This was not only a blessing for the Great Sui Dynasty, but also Pei Ju's luck. He was also full of gratitude to Zhang Xuan.

At this time, a light cough came from outside the door. A eunuch said loudly: "Your Majesty the Emperor is here!"

Pei Ju, who was originally sitting on the couch, quickly got up, and saw Emperor Yang Guang of Sui quickly walked into the study. Pei Ju hurriedly bowed and saluted, "Pe Ju, see Your Majesty!"

"Pei Aiqing is exempt from courtesy!"

Yang Guang seemed to be in a good mood today. He smiled and asked Pei Ju to sit down and asked, "How is it, is the news true?"

Pei Ju nodded, "This afternoon, Weichen got the exact news from the Baye Gu tribe. Shi Shu Huxi was indeed shot and killed by Zhang Xuan. Tule intercepted Shi Shu Huxi's army. He got the exact news from them."

"good!"

Yang Guang pounded the table with great joy. Although destroying the soldiers made a big rock in his heart fall to the ground, killing Shi Shu and Hu Xi also removed a major concern for him.

The grassland people are too utilitarian and doomed to have strong tactics, but they lack strategic vision. They do many things when they are hot, and there is serious internal strife, so the Turks have never become a major concern in the Central Plains.

But Shi Shuhu and Hu Xi, a Sogdian Hu, was a man with great strategic vision. He had only been the military advisor of Shibi Khan for three years, but it made Shibi Khan more than twice as powerful.

The Turks generally did not accept the Han people fleeing north, or they would become slaves directly. However, Shi Shu and Hu Xi strongly urged Shibi Khan to accept the Han people fleeing north, allowing the Han people to use their intelligence and talents for the Turks. The Han people fled north brought advanced smelting technology and handicraft technology, which greatly promoted the strength of the Turks.

Shi Shuhu Huxi not only helped Shibi Khan unify the Turks, but also made plans to destroy the alliance between the Tiel people.

This military and armor incident was actually a careful planning by Shi Shu and Hu Xi, and even the Sui Dynasty was deceived.

Pei Ju secretly contacted the Baye Gu tribe and asked the Baye Gu tribe to intercept the troops, and fell into the trap set by Shi Shu Hu Xi. Shi Shu Hu Xi was just trying to find an excuse to destroy the Tieler tripartite alliance and completely eliminate the Baye Gu tribe.

It was Zhang Xuan who accidentally destroyed this group of soldiers and the evidence that the carefully deployed plan of Shi Shu and Hu Xi was lost, and even he himself died at the hands of Zhang Xuan.

Shi Shu and Hu Xi also became Yang Guang's confidant. He was worried about how to eliminate this person, but unexpectedly learned that Shi Shu and Hu Xi were shot and killed by Zhang Xuan in the military incident. How could Yang Guang not be surprised?

He stroked his beard and smiled, "It seems that I have not read the wrong person. He is really the minister of the Great Sui Dynasty."

Pei Ju smiled and said, "After Shi Shu Hu Xi died, Shibi Khan would not consider the southern invasion again within three years. Your Majesty has time to deal with the matter of Goguryeo, quickly rebuild the new army, and then quell the civil strife. I believe that the Great Sui Dynasty can go from chaos to rule, and Your Majesty can also regain great achievements."

"Yes!" Yang Guang also sighed: "I have appointed the year name as a great cause, hoping to surpass my father and completely eliminate all kinds of disadvantages left over from hundreds of years, but what I worry most is that it is difficult to find talents."

"Didn't Your Majesty get a talent for placing a tripod today?"

Yang Guang nodded, "He is also a talent, but I want to leave him to the crown prince and make him a pillar minister of the crown prince. Therefore, the appointment of him as the general of the crown prince is to give him a starting step and let him take it step by step. He cannot make him rise too fast in the first step, which will not do him good. Moreover, I don't want him to have too much contact with the crown prince, so as not to think he has a backstage and develop a sense of arrogance."

"Your Majesty is wise!"

Pei Ju smiled and advised Yang Guang: "I heard that Your Majesty plans to reuse the Lu family. I think I can use the Lu family as a breakthrough point to reuse the Lu family, so that the Lu family can feel grateful to Your Majesty. This will defeat the hidden alliance between the major gentry in Shandong one by one, which can be said to kill two birds with one stone."

Why didn’t Yang Guang think so? He took a sip of tea and asked calmly: “What kind of official position do you think I should grant Lu’s family to be appropriate?”

Pei Ju pondered for a long time before he stroked his beard and said slowly: "Your Majesty, you must value the Lu family, but you cannot give the Lu family real power. Is it better to let the Lu family be in charge of the Imperial College? What does your Majesty think?"

Yang Guang nodded happily and said, "Pei Qing and I goes together, and the Imperial College Priest is just vacant. Let Lu Zhuo be appointed as the Imperial College Priest. You can inform the Lu family for me!" (To be continued.)
Chapter completed!