Chapter 372 Taking Over
The Tai Mausoleum of Emperor Wen of Sui Dynasty, in addition to a pyramid-like burial mound, also has a large number of palaces built around it. There are special officials and soldiers stationed at the Tai Mausoleum to guard the body. In addition, there is Yang Liang who is under house arrest here. Yang Guang ordered him to guard the mausoleum for his father for three years.

Yang Liang was stripped of his title and became a commoner, and was also under surveillance day and night. His wife Dou Lu and son Yang Hao lived in her parents’ home in Chang’an, and were not under surveillance, but were not allowed to leave Chang’an.

Yang Liang had only a dozen concubines around him. He was extremely depressed and spent every day drinking and having fun, or fooling around with them.

That night, Yang Liang was drinking when an old servant came to report, “There’s a visitor outside!”

Yang Liang was startled and surprised. He was not allowed to receive outsiders. Even if someone came to visit him, they would be persuaded to leave by the soldiers outside. Who was this person? He could actually penetrate the surveillance soldiers.

“Invite him in!”

A moment later, a tall young man with a mask on his face and a bamboo hat on his head, covering most of his face, walked in.

“Who are you?”

The visitor presented a jade pendant, which was the emperor’s grandson’s jade pendant. The emperor gave one to each of his grandsons.

Yang Liang hurriedly said to several concubines: “You all leave!”

After several concubines left, the man took off his mask and bamboo hat.

“Ah! It’s you—”

The person in front of him turned out to be Yang Guang’s second son Yang Ling. Yang Liang was stunned for a moment and asked, “Why didn’t the surveillance soldiers outside stop you?”

Yang Ling smiled faintly and said, “I was the one who recommended Sima Dekan, the commander outside. He will give me this honor.”

Yang Liang nodded, “Sit down!”

The uncle and nephew had similar personalities and traits, and they had a very good relationship during the Kaihuang and Renshou years. Even at the last moment, Yang Ling was doing logistics at Lantian Pass and did not participate in the campaign against Yang Liang.

Yang Ling sat down and said, “We don’t have much time, so let’s make it short! I came here to ask for a token from my fifth uncle. I have talked to Wang Yu and Qiao Heng, and they said that unless my fifth uncle agrees, they don’t want to participate in the fight for the throne anymore.”

Yang Liang narrowed his eyes immediately. This kid did not hide his ambition at all and aimed at the throne. It was interesting that several sons of the second brother were also fighting for the throne.

Yang Liang said after a while: “I can give you a token, but what benefit will it bring me?”

“Once I ascend the throne, I will pardon Uncle Wu and restore his title of king.”

“Is this true?”

“God knows that nothing is false.”

Yang Liang nodded and took out a gold medal and gave it to him. “Seeing the medal is like seeing me. As long as you are my old friend, you will obey my orders.”

At this point, he tried again: “Xiao Moke is very capable in training soldiers. He is a rare talent. I also recommend him to my nephew.”

Yang Ling smiled and said, “He has pledged his loyalty to me!”

Yang Liang immediately understood that Yang Ling was eager to build a team, but he had no one, so he directly set his sights on himself and wanted to take over his subordinates.

This is a good idea, but it also has flaws. Just like all things that are picked up from others, there is a common problem, which is that the experience is not deep enough. If it is a person, it will lead to a lack of mutual understanding and trust.

Yang Liang said: “Your elder brother is too fat and will not live long. He will definitely die early. The person who really competes with you for the throne is Xiao Xia. Although he is an illegitimate child, he is ruthless and decisive. You must not underestimate him.” “He is an illegitimate child. Father will never consider him.”

“Then you are wrong. He has been included in the royal family tree, so he is the legitimate heir to the throne. Even if your father does not want to establish him, as long as the ministers recognize him, he can still legally ascend the throne. In the end, it depends on strength and reputation. You are not as good as him in both. You must find a way to surpass him. In the end, you can become the emperor in name only. Otherwise, you will be like Yang Yong. Wasn’t he overthrown and replaced by your father?”

“Uncle Fifth’s teachings, nephew will remember them in his heart!”

Yang Liang patted his shoulder and said, “My freedom depends on you. I sincerely hope that you can ascend the throne. If there is anything, we can communicate frequently. I have summarized many lessons from failure and I believe they can help you.”

Yang Liang then wrote another letter to Yang Ling. Yang Ling took the gold medal and the letter and left.

When Yang Ling disappeared, Yang Liang sighed, “What virtue and ability does he have to sit on the throne?”

The next day, Yang Liang rushed to Huxian and Lantian counties successively, and used Yang Liang’s gold medal and letter to persuade two advisers, Wang Lu and Qiao Heng, to be loyal to him. Then he recruited Huangfu Dan, who was teaching in Xianyang, under his command. The frustrated generals Qiao Zhongkui, Yu Gongli, Qi Liang, Liang Pusa and others also successively pledged allegiance to Yang Liang.

These were all top talents who had not been valued by the court because they had been loyal to Yang Liang. Now Yang Liang gathered them one by one, and soon, Yang Liang’s Shenlong Palace began to be enriched.

After a month’s long journey, Xiao Xia led an army of 30,000 and arrived at Jincheng County, which is today’s Lanzhou. Here he will cross the Yellow River to Hexi.

It is now early October, November in the Gregorian calendar, the end of autumn and the beginning of winter. There is already a hint of chill in the air. The wind is strong on the surface of the Yellow River and it is exceptionally cold.

But it is just dry and cold now. It will take another month before it starts snowing and freezing, and the cold winter season will officially arrive.

People usually cross the Yellow River by ferry or raft, but that is for ordinary people. If an army of 30,000 soldiers, thousands of camels, and thousands of carts were to cross the Yellow River with only a few boats, it would take an eternity.

Xiao Xia immediately ordered the construction of a pontoon bridge using rafts. Hundreds of military craftsmen and thousands of soldiers worked together to quickly build the pontoon bridge. In order to ensure the stability of the pontoon bridge, hundreds of wooden piles were driven into the ground to make it more solid.

On the river bank, Liu Wenjing said to Xiao Xia, “Once we cross the Yellow River, we will be completely far away from Chang’an. I heard that the King of Qi has established the Shenlong Palace. Your Highness, aren’t you worried?”

“What are you worried about? Are you worried about King Qi ascending the throne?” Xiao Xia asked with a smile.

Liu Wenjing nodded. “In fact, everyone is very worried, but they just don’t say it. Your Highness has a bad relationship with the King of Qi. The King of Qi didn’t even come to your Highness’s wedding. Instead, he made an excuse that he was ill and didn’t even have a gift. If he takes the throne, the consequences will be much more serious than if Crown Prince Yang Yong took the throne.”

Xiao Xia said calmly: “My father is only forty years old. He will be the emperor for at least ten years. Yang Ling can only be the crown prince at most. But with his brutal character, I don’t think he has a chance to be the crown prince.”

Xiao Xia had long seen through Yang Ling. Yang Ling was a typical super-male syndrome. Not only did he hate his elder brother Yang Zhao, he also hated himself extremely. He even harbored hatred towards his parents and sisters. He hated everyone around him and hated this society.

Such a person will not be patient and will easily expose his ambitions. If he becomes the crown prince, he will never be patient for more than ten years and will definitely launch a coup soon to seize the throne directly from his father.

This is what happened in history. After Yang Zhao’s death, Yang Ling had no competitors. With the support of Empress Xiao, he became the crown prince, the future emperor. All he had to do was to be patient. But he couldn’t. He prepared to launch a coup during the crown prince’s probation period and was immediately imprisoned by Yang Guang.

Unless Yang Ling completely changes his character, history will not take a different path in his fate.

The pontoon bridge was built in a day and a night. The next morning, a sturdy pontoon bridge appeared in front of everyone. The pontoon bridge was wide and large trucks could move slowly on it.

Wang Jiansheng, the governor of Jincheng County, took a fancy to the floating bridge and begged Xiao Xia not to demolish it. Xiao Xia then kept the floating bridge, and the government made some minor modifications and built a suspension bridge in the middle to facilitate the passage of ships.

It took a full thirty years for this floating bridge to be replaced by a newly built iron cable floating bridge.

At daybreak, 30,000 troops began to line up to cross the river, with troops, carts, and camels heading towards the other side in a mighty procession.

(End of this chapter)