Dahan: A 100-year-old veteran, I will build the strongest family

Chapter 102: Li Hong Returns to the Han Dynasty, the Emperor Supports the Horse (Long Chapter)

As the Yellow Turban Rebellion broke out, states and counties were destroyed, and more and more people who could no longer survive joined the Yellow Turban Army.

The destructive power unleashed by the Yellow Turban Army shocked and disbelieved Emperor Liu Hong and the aristocratic families.

After the imperial hometown of Nanyang County was captured by Zhang Mancheng and Zhang Xi.

Zhang Mancheng killed the prefect of Nanyang.

Zhang Xi led a Yellow Turban Army to attack Runan, Shouchun and other places.

The massacre of the Yuan family, the top family in the Han Dynasty, shocked all the aristocratic families.

Liu Hong finally realized that the Yellow Turbans were not just a group of villagers who took up arms but had no fighting power.

Instead, they were all determined warriors who fought to the death with the government and the imperial court.

As time went on, more and more states and counties were conquered, and letters for help came in like snowflakes.

Hundreds of thousands of Yellow Turbans were targeting the imperial court and the aristocratic families. Wherever they went, they burned down government offices, captured and killed officials, seized back the land occupied by the aristocratic families, released prisoners, and opened warehouses to provide relief to the hungry.

There were also many women from the common people who participated in the Yellow Turban Rebellion. They fought in the battlefield just like the men and their fearlessness and bravery dealt a heavy blow to the government troops.

The Yellow Turban uprising storm swept across the north and south of the Yangtze River and both sides of the Yellow River.

Inspired by the Yellow Turbans' massive momentum and continuous victories, more and more people were drawn into the struggle against the Han rule, dealing a heavy blow to the Han's ruling order.

The Yellow Turbans gradually took shape, forming four main forces: the first was led by the three brothers Zhang Jue, Zhang Liang, and Zhang Bao, active in the Julu area of ​​Jizhou; the second was led by the Yellow Turban leader Zhang Mancheng, occupying the imperial hometown of Nanyang; the third was led by the cantonment commander Bo Cai, like a sharp knife piercing the heart of the Han Dynasty near Yingchuan. The last and fourth force was led by the cantonment commander Zhang Xi, active in Runan and Shouchun, attacking a large number of aristocratic families, accumulating strength, and providing blood transfusions to the three teams of Zhang Jue, Zhang Mancheng, and Bo Cai, acting as a strategic rear.

They cooperated with each other and surrounded the Han Dynasty's capital, Luoyang City, from all directions.

Liu Hong finally became afraid. He was afraid that the Han Dynasty would be lost in his hands, and he was even more afraid that the Yellow Turbans would capture Luoyang.

At this time, Liu Hong was already at a loss.

Li Hong, the most capable fighter in the court, led the Beiwei Army to an expedition far away in the grassland, and it was unknown when he would return.

Liu Hong did not trust anyone in the court or the country, as they were either mediocre or generals from aristocratic families.

However, it happened that Queen He Lian gave birth to another "prince".

Liu Hong suddenly began to trust He Jin, who was already his "brother-in-law".

He believed that He Jin was one of his own, so he made important use of He Jin.

He Jin was promoted to the rank of general on the spot, and he led the five battalions of the left and right imperial guards to station at Yuduting, where they organized their weapons and stationed themselves in Luoyang. He also stationed commanders at the passes of Hangu Pass, Dagu Pass, Guangcheng Pass, Yique Pass, Huanyuan Pass, Xuanmen Pass, Mengjin Pass, and Xiaopingjin Pass. He issued an edict to all places to take strict precautions, and ordered all prefectures and counties to prepare for battle, train soldiers, organize their weapons, and summon the rebel army.

But, at this time.

Huangfu Song, who had made great contributions in the last attack on Xianbei with Li Hong and was named General Yijun, stood up and took the opportunity to petition for the lifting of the ban on political parties. He also gave the palace's money and good horses from the Western Garden to the soldiers in order to boost morale.

The eunuch Lu Qiang also took the opportunity to speak to Liu Hong: "The Party Imprisonment has accumulated resentment for a long time. If we collude with the Yellow Turbans, I am afraid the situation for the Han Dynasty will be even worse."

Although Liu Hong was indignant that Huangfu Song and other children of noble families took the opportunity to threaten him, under the instigation of the eunuch Lu Qiang, he accepted the suggestions, pardoned the party members, returned the exiled people, required all officials to donate horses and crossbows, and recommended the descendants of generals and people in the society who were well versed in strategy to the Public Vehicle Office for examination and promoted them to generals.

On the other hand, Liu Hong sold everything he had and mobilized the army to suppress the unrest in various places.

Lu Zhi was sent with the deputy general Zong Yuan and five officers of the Northern Army to take charge of the northern front and deal with Zhang Jue's main force.

He sent Huangfu Song, Cao Cao and others to control the Five Schools, the Sanhe Knights and the newly recruited elite soldiers, totaling more than 40,000 warriors, to attack the Yellow Turban Army in the Yingchuan area.

He dispatched Zhu Jun, and Zhu Jun recommended Sun Jian from Xia Pi as assistant military commander, to bring young men from their hometown, as well as merchants and elite soldiers from Huaishui and Sishui, to form an alliance with Zhu Jun's army to attack Zhang Mancheng in the Nanyang area.

The imperial court sent out three armies in succession, carrying the hopes of Liu Hong and a group of civil and military ministers and even the world's aristocratic families, and marched out of Hulao Pass, dividing the troops into three groups to attack the three Yellow Turban forces of Zhang Jue, Bo Cai and Zhang Mancheng.

However, the three generals Lu Zhi, Huangfu Song and Zhu Jun did not fulfill the expectations of the world's aristocratic families.

Faced with the turbulent and fearless Yellow Turban wave in the early days, in which everyone was a death warrior, the armies of Lu Zhi, Huangfu Song and Zhu Jun were directly stunned.

Huangfu Song and Cao Cao attacked the Yellow Turbans in Yingchuan, and the Yellow Turbans were defeated like a tide. The army fled all the way and finally escaped into Xu County.

Zhu Jun and Sun Jian arrived at Nanyang County and were waiting for their soldiers to attack Wancheng. Unexpectedly, a large number of Yellow Turban soldiers suddenly rushed out from the mountains and forests on all sides. The armies led by Zhu Jun and Sun Jian were directly defeated. The two generals fled to Xinye County in the south of Nanyang County with thousands of people.

Lu Zhi led a large army into Julu County, but was defeated and forced to retreat in panic when faced with more than 200,000 elite Yellow Turbans who were ready to die.

Faced with the Yellow Turban Army, which was firm in faith and as numerous as the sea in the early days of the Yellow Turban Rebellion.

The three armies of the imperial court did not attack with unstoppable force, sweeping away the Yellow Turbans.

Instead, he was beaten.

The news that the three armies of the imperial court had suffered setbacks spread.

The Yellow Turbans in all states and counties were all excited and their morale was boosted. They became more and more confident that they could capture Luoyang City and pull Liu Hong off the throne.

Compared to the boiling morale of the Yellow Turbans, more civilians were brought into the Yellow Turban Army, and the number of Yellow Turbans swelled again. The number of Yellow Turbans was likely to exceed one million. However, the local aristocratic families and Luoyang were furious and anxious.

Just then, noble families from all over the country gathered in the court, asking Liu Hong to gather the army again.

Even if it costs their own families money and manpower to wipe out the Yellow Turbans in various places, they will do so at all costs.

A piece of news that shocked Luoyang came back from the north.

Li Hong, who led the Beiwei Army to the grassland, returned with a great victory.

He will lead the Beiwei Army to Luoyang soon.

The news that Li Hong sent a different horse but not a different person shook the city of Luoyang. From the emperor Liu Hong to the people of Luoyang, everyone was excited and excited. The white terror that was previously shrouded by the might of the Yellow Turbans seemed to have been dispelled by the news of Li Hong's return.

This day.

As soon as the sun rose, the people of Luoyang poured out of the city like a tide.

There was a lot of noise and crowds everywhere, and with peddlers and hawkers mixing in, it was very lively.

Liu Hong also got up early and took the empress and all the civil and military officials to personally go out of the city thirty miles to welcome Li Hong and the Beiwei Army who were about to return.

A group of civil and military officials stroked their beards and looked at the bustling crowd of people around them, with a hint of anticipation on their faces.

If we talk about the last time Li Hong defeated the Xianbei, Liu Hong took them ten miles out of the city to welcome him, this honor would make them feel a little jealous.

However, this time, the civil and military officials as well as the heads of the aristocratic families had no jealousy in their hearts, only joy.

Because, at this moment, Li Hong is the savior in their hearts.

The Yellow Turbans wreaked havoc, causing them heavy losses every day.

They just wanted the Yellow Turbans to be put down as soon as possible.

Not only the aristocratic families thought so, but the common people who were watching were also discussing it excitedly.

"Have you heard that General Li has conquered a large area for the Han Dynasty during his expedition to the grasslands for several months? I heard that General Li has conquered the grasslands in the middle of Mo Nan, and the territory of our Han Dynasty has expanded by thousands of miles." A Luoyang citizen excitedly said to his companions. "That's right, General Li has sent someone to send the news back to the court in an urgent manner. It is said that the middle of Mo Nan grassland has been conquered, and he was about to attack the western and eastern grasslands of Mo Nan, but as soon as he received the imperial edict to return to the court, he immediately led the army south, otherwise the whole Mo Nan would belong to our Han Dynasty. That's the whole Mo Nan, which is larger than Jizhou."

"General Li is really amazing. He beat the foreign tribes so hard that they cried out in pain. But what about Huangfu Song, Zhu Jun, and Lu Zhi? They were defeated before they even started fighting."

"With General Li leading the Beiwei Army back, the Yellow Turbans will no longer have to worry."

"Yes, my hometown is Jizhou. I heard that the Yellow Turbans are causing a lot of trouble there. I can't go back at all. I don't know what the situation is like. If General Li comes back, he will be able to put down the Yellow Turbans faster."

There was endless discussion.

The queen looked at the huge crowds of people, her beautiful eyes sparkling, and whispered to Liu Hong beside her:

"Your Majesty, the last time General Li led an army, he defeated the invading tribes of Yanmen Pass, crushed the Xianbei royal court, and rescued hundreds of thousands of Han people, making an unprecedented contribution. This time, in just a few months, he has made another unprecedented contribution. I'm afraid that Wei Qing and Huo Qubing can't compare to the old general. Your Majesty must reward him well and keep him by your side."

Liu Hong listened to the Queen's words, but he could not hide the smile on his face. The decadent look caused by the Yellow Turbans' worry disappeared, and he smiled:
"Don't worry, Queen. I will definitely reward General Li generously. Not only will I promote General Li to a higher rank and rank, but I will also make General Li's name immortal."

"Taishigong, you must record it carefully."

Liu Hong said this with a smile, and at the same time, spoke to Taishigong who had set up a desk beside him.

Upon hearing this, Taishigong bowed to Liu Hong and said, "Your Majesty, rest assured. I will record everything!"

At this time, a group of imperial guards came riding on horses.

"Your Majesty, General Li heard that Your Majesty had come out of the city thirty miles away to welcome us, so he has already left the main force behind and led his generals on horseback. They are only five miles away!"

The imperial guards' report made Liu Hong nod with greater satisfaction.

Li Hong’s loyalty has always been what made him most satisfied.

Liu Hong, the Queen and the officials did not have to wait any longer.

Soon, smoke and dust filled the distance, and dozens of cavalrymen were seen riding towards them.

The onlookers were excited and stretched their necks to look.

Dozens of cavalrymen rushed closer and saw a strong old warrior in armor in front of the team. Who else could it be but Li Hong?
"It's General Li. General Li is back. The Han people are saved!"

"General Li has returned triumphantly. The Yellow Turbans will no longer be so arrogant."

"Yes, seeing General Li, my heart is completely at peace. I was always worried that the Yellow Turbans would break through Luoyang, but now that General Li is here, it is definitely impossible!"

Excited exclamations rang out one after another.

Li Hong led Jian Shuo, Xia Yu, Tian Yan, Zang Min, Huang Zhong, Yan Liang, Yue Lu, Zhang Fei and other generals to dismount from their horses, come to Liu Hong and salute respectfully.

"I, Li Hong, am here to greet Your Majesty. When I heard that there was a rebellion in the Han Dynasty, I immediately led the Beiwei Army south overnight. Fortunately, Your Majesty is safe and sound. I am relieved!" Li Hong, who looked haggard and exhausted, saluted and said to Liu Hong.

Hearing Li Hong's words, Jian Shuo, who was also exhausted, immediately stood up and said to Liu Hong:
"Your Majesty, after receiving the imperial edict, General Li immediately made arrangements for the grasslands and led the Beiwei Army southward overnight without any delay. Along the way, General Li even neglected to eat, thinking of ways to speed up the army's return to Luoyang."

When Liu Hong heard Jian Shuo's affirmative words, he was immediately deeply moved by Li Hong, who looked haggard and exhausted.

"General Li, you must take good care of yourself. You are the pillar of our Han Dynasty. There is no need to march so quickly." Liu Hong hurriedly helped Li Hong up and said with emotion.

Yes, at this moment, when Liu Hong heard Jian Shuo say that Li Hong was so loyal that he did not delay at all after receiving the imperial edict and traveled more than ten thousand miles to the south, he was deeply moved and his favor towards Li Hong soared.

"Your Majesty, don't worry. I am still healthy and can still eat eight bowls of rice for each meal."

Li Hong patted his chest and smiled.

"Okay, okay, I'm relieved that the old general is in good health."

"Your Majesty, I led the army back all the way quickly, and I only have some information about the current situation in the Han Dynasty. I wonder what the situation is like now?" Li Hong changed the subject and asked about the current situation in the Han Dynasty.

Liu Hong was quite relieved to hear that Li Hong was concerned about the situation again after he got off the horse, but he still said:

"Old General, you have come a long way and need to rest first. You don't need to lead troops to fight for two days. Listen to me and go back to rest first!"

As Li Hong led the Beiwei Army to the vicinity of Luoyang, Liu Hong, who had been worried about the Yellow Turbans' unstoppable advance, finally let go of his worries and felt at ease and no longer anxious.

The Queen also smiled and said, "General Li is indeed tired. You should go back and rest for two days. The Yellow Turbans cannot reach Luoyang in two days. General Li's health is the most important."

The civil and military ministers on the side also spoke up:
"Yes, General Li, no matter how healthy you are, you can't send troops immediately. You need to rest first and get your spirits back."

"General Li, please go back to the city first and rest for three days at your residence."

Civil and military officials rushed to comfort Li Hong, and they all wanted Li Hong to rest for a few days and recuperate.

Li Hong now looked tired, haggard and dusty. In fact, they were more worried about Li Hong's death than others. After all, they were all counting on Li Hong to lead the troops to quell the Yellow Turbans.

At this moment, Yuan Feng and Cao Song, who had a grudge against Li Hong, would have wanted to persuade Li Hong if it had not been difficult to speak up.

"This... My body is very strong, I'm really fine!" Li Hong said with a wry smile as he looked at so many people persuading him.

He possesses surging blood and is also a powerful and peerless military general.

Li Hong was not lying. He could really pick up the halberd, charge into the battlefield, and charge into battle.

But no one believed it. Everyone felt that Li Hong was eager to pacify the Yellow Turbans, and they admired him even more.

Liu Hong waved his hand towards the distance, and a guard hurriedly brought a majestic BMW.

This BMW is Liu Hong's mount.

"General Li cares deeply about the country. He conquered the central grasslands of Monan and still traveled thousands of miles back to the court. I will help General Li mount his horse and return to the city!"

Under the excited gazes of a crowd of civil and military officials, Liu Hong pulled Li Hong and wanted him to ride on his mount.

Li Hong declined hurriedly and said:
"Your Majesty, this is not allowed. This is your majesty's mount. How can I ride it and ask your majesty to help me get on the horse?"

"Old general, get on your horse. This is my imperial decree. How dare you disobey it!" Liu Hong said loudly with a serious face when he saw that Li Hong refused to obey.

"This...Yes!" Li Hong finally surrendered under the pressure of Liu Hong's imperial edict, and with Liu Hong's help, he rode on Liu Hong's mount.

Sima Qian, who was standing by, seemed to have been prepared and quickly wrote down: The emperor leads the horse.

Although the civil and military officials were envious and jealous, no one said anything.

After all, Li Hong took over the central grasslands of Monan in just a few months, which was another unprecedented achievement.

Li Hong was so brave and good at fighting that Liu Hong's move seemed more like an attempt to win over Li Hong.

Liu Hong and others were still counting on Li Hong to continue to show his bravery and fight well and put down the Yellow Turbans.

With the help of Liu Hong, Li Hong rode on Liu Hong's mount, and together with Liu Hong's dragon sedan chair, they entered Luoyang City, surrounded by the shouts of the people who were watching like a tide and shook the world.

(End of this chapter)