The Rebellious Officials and Traitors of the Late Han Dynasty

Chapter 538: Rebellion in the Southwest
Thick smoke billowed from the mountains south of Yizhou, blocking out the sun. The Nanman army led by Meng Huo surged toward the border of Yizhou like a tide, and wherever they passed, villages were reduced to scorched earth.

"Kill! Leave no one alive!" Meng Huo wielded his nine-ring broadsword, his copper-bell-like eyes flashing with a beast-like light in the firelight. He was eight feet tall, with muscular body and strange totems painted on his face, like a demon crawling out of hell.

Yong Kai stood beside him, a sneer on his sinister face: "The Tang Dynasty's main focus is in the north, and this is a great opportunity for us to seize the southwest."

A group of barbarians dragged dozens of Han people to the front of the battle. The flash of swords passed by, the screams stopped abruptly, and the blood dyed the land red. In the distance, Zhuti City on the border of Yizhou was engulfed in flames, and the defenders on the city wall were retreating step by step.

"Report--" a spy came running over, "Report to the king, Yuexi and Zangke counties have fallen into our hands, and the local tyrants have responded!"

Meng Huo laughed loudly, his voice like thunder: "Okay! Pass the order down, continue to attack Yizhou in three days! I want to let Qin Shou know who is the master of the southwest!"

Chang'an City, Taiji Hall.

Qin Chengji stood in the center of the hall holding a memorial in his hand. He shouted in a sonorous and powerful voice: "Your Majesty has gone on a long expedition to Youzhou, and the affairs of state are entrusted to the cabinet. Now the southern barbarian Meng Huo has colluded with Yong Kai to rebel, and the people in the southwest are suffering. I request to lead an army of 100,000 to the south to quell the rebellion and protect the country!"

The cabinet minister Zhong Yao received the memorial from Yizhou with a frown on his face. The memorial detailed the tragic situation of the rebellion in the south: three counties were occupied, tens of thousands of civilians were killed and injured, roads were cut off, and business travel was impossible.

"Second Prince." Gu Yong pondered, "The southern expedition is no small matter. The mobilization of 100,000 troops affects the foundation of the country."

"Grandmaster Gu!" Qin Chengji interrupted, his eyes flashing with determination, and snorted coldly: "Every day of delay will result in thousands of civilians dying at the hands of barbarians. Meng Huo is brutal, leaving no one alive wherever he goes. Are we going to sit back and watch the southwest turn into scorched earth?"

The ministers in the hall were whispering. Li Ru stepped out and said, "Your Highness is right. However, the Crown Prince is the regent, so this matter should be decided by the Crown Prince.

Qin Chengji turned his gaze to his brother Qin Chengqian who was sitting at the top. Their eyes met in the air, sparks flying.

"Although I am the regent, mobilizing troops is a major matter, and I need to report to my father before making a decision."

Qin Chengqian was angry, but still rejected the other party's request on the spot.

In the East Palace, the night is dark.

Qin Chengqian threw the teacup heavily to the ground, and the porcelain pieces flew everywhere. He snorted coldly, "What a good Qin Chengji! He actually dared to bypass me and ask for orders directly from the cabinet! He is trying to use his military merits to compete with me for the throne!"

Jia Xu stood aside quietly, waiting for the prince's anger to subside a little, and then he slowly said: "Your Highness, calm down. Your Highness's move is indeed wise."

"Smart?" Qin Chengqian sneered, "If he really leads an army of 100,000 to the south, it would be a great achievement if he wins, but what if he loses? He can only command an army of 100,000 at the cost of 100,000 men of the Tang Dynasty? How can I let him do what he wants?"

Jia Xu stroked his beard and smiled, "That is why Your Highness should not object directly."

"Oh? What do you think, Wenhe?"

Jia Xu's eyes flashed with a gleam of light and he said, "The Southern Expedition is of great importance. Why don't you submit the memorial to His Majesty? First, it shows that Your Highness is cautious. Second, throughout history, any emperor would be most afraid of the prince commanding the army. Your Highness's move may have violated a taboo."

Qin Chengqian's eyes lit up, then he frowned and said, "But if the emperor really agrees to it..."

"No." Jia Xu said confidently, "Your Majesty is on a long expedition, and what he fears most is instability in the rear. If the Second Prince leads the army south, Chang'an will be empty, how can Your Majesty be at ease? In my opinion, Your Majesty will most likely send another general."

Qin Chengqian clapped his hands and laughed: "Great! Great! Let's follow Wenhe's plan!"

Jia Xu chuckled and said, "Your Highness is too kind. Even if I don't remind you, Your Highness will understand."

Qin Chengqian shook his head and said, "In fact, military merit is secondary. I am just worried about the safety of 100,000 soldiers. My second brother was bewitched by Zhuge Liang. This damn guy alienated the royal family and should be killed." Jia Xu did not say anything. Whether Zhuge Liang could be killed depended on Qin Shou. Without an imperial edict, who would dare to kill him!
Three days later, the cabinet discussed the southern expedition again.

Qin Chengqian sat at the head of the table, his expression calm: "I have thought deeply about what my second brother said. However, the southern expedition is of great importance, and I dare not act on my own. I have ordered an urgent delivery of the memorial to my father, the emperor, eight hundred miles away, for his decision."

Qin Chengji's face changed: "Brother! The military situation is urgent, how can we delay? By the time the memorial is sent back and forth, the southwest will have been destroyed!"

"My second brother, you are wrong." Qin Chengqian said calmly, "Before leaving, my father ordered that all major military affairs must be approved by him. I am just following his orders. But my second brother, why are you so eager to lead the troops to the battle? I wonder what your intention is?"

The atmosphere in the palace suddenly became tense. Seeing this, Chen Qun hurriedly tried to smooth things over: "Your Highnesses, calm down. I think we can first mobilize troops from nearby prefectures and counties to help Yizhou, while waiting for your Majesty's order."

Qin Chengji knew that it was useless to argue further, so he suppressed his anger and said, "Since this is the case, I request to go to Yizhou in person to supervise the battle, which will at least stabilize the morale of the army."

Qin Chengqian smiled slightly: "I am deeply moved by your sincere heart, but there are countless famous generals in the court, so why should the prince go there in person? Just send a general to Yizhou to take charge first."

All the ministers agreed. Qin Chengji was isolated and helpless, and could only watch his plan fail.

After the court session, Qin Chengji stood alone outside the palace gate, looking at the gloomy sky, clenching his fists. He knew that he had once again been defeated by his brother's scheme.

In the distance, Chen Qun stood behind the column, watching all this silently, with an elusive light flashing in his eyes.

On the border of Yizhou, the war intensified.

Meng Huo's army was approaching Anshang. The county defenders fought desperately, but were outnumbered.

“Shoot!”

The defender Wang Xin shouted at the top of his lungs. Arrows rained down from the city walls, but they could not stop the barbarians who were rushing in like a tide.

With a loud bang, the city gate was smashed into pieces by the battering ram. The barbarians poured in like a tide, killing anyone they saw.

Wang Xin led his personal soldiers in a desperate battle. Although he was hit by several arrows, he still swung his sword and cut down several enemy soldiers.

"Protect the people and retreat!"

He roared, and then a spear pierced his chest.

In the city, people were crying and running around. A woman holding her baby was caught up by the barbarians. With a flash of swords, the mother and child fell in a pool of blood.

"Hahaha!" Meng Huo climbed up the city wall by stepping on the corpses and said proudly, "Pass the order down, the swords will not be put down for three days."

Yong Kai stood beside him and said with a sinister smile: "Chang'an has not sent a large army yet. It seems that Qin Shou can't take care of us."

Meng Huo grinned and said, "Once we take Chengdu, the entire southwest will be ours! By then, even if Qin Shou leads the army himself, he won't be able to do anything to us!"

"The Tang Dynasty is nothing more than this." Yong Kai said with great disdain.

(End of this chapter)