Thief Emperor

Chapter 553 The Embryo of the Northern Dynasty

The Great Zhou naturally had external threats.

However, in recent decades, the Tibetan tribes, which were once the biggest external threat, have become sluggish and basically pose no threat.

Even though the Great Zhou was in such chaos, Tubo remained obedient and peaceful.

However, the Khitan tribes in the northeast are a nomadic force that has only emerged in the last hundred years or so. They are extremely powerful in combat. However, over the past hundred years, the Khitan tribes have never been unified. In addition, the Fanyang army is strong enough to defend one side.

So there hasn't been any major trouble.

It was for this reason that General Xiao Xian was forced to lead his troops to Guanzhong with a calm mind. In his opinion, it didn't make sense that he could accomplish something that had not been accomplished in a hundred years just by going out.

However, the reality was far beyond General Xiao's imagination. The actual situation was that a powerful figure emerged among the Khitan tribes. In just two years, he unified the Khitan tribes and was on the verge of unifying Liaodong.

The Bohai Kingdom, which had been in Liaodong for many years, was now on the verge of collapse under the attacks of the Khitan tribes.

Moreover, this young Khitan leader even fought on two fronts, attacking the Bohai Kingdom on one side and fighting against the Fanyang Army on the other, and he won both battles.

General Xiao rode his horse all the way back to Youzhou. When he arrived, half of the 20,000 defenders in Youzhou City had suffered casualties.

Fortunately, Youzhou City was not lost.

The deputy general Chen Yang was guarding Youzhou. His face was covered in blood. When he saw Xiao Xian, he knelt on the ground and cried, "Great General!"

Xiao Xian, who was wearing armor, helped him up and frowned, saying, "What's going on? How could the Khitans attack the city and force us into this state?"

"Those Khitans have also learned to use ladders and catapults."

The deputy general surnamed Chen clenched his fists, looked at Xiao Xian, and gritted his teeth and said, "General, these Khitans are fierce. If it weren't for our subordinates fighting to the death to defend the city, Youzhou would have fallen by now."

"The Khitan leader said..."

Chen Yang clenched his fist and said, "He said that their Khitan Khan has already destroyed the Bohai Kingdom, and it won't be long before he goes south and takes over the entire Great Zhou!"

"Insanity."

General Xiao said expressionlessly, "I'm in Youzhou, waiting for him to go south."

After saying this, he glanced around the situation in Youzhou and asked about the detailed battle damage.

After Chen Yang reported the casualties of the Youzhou defenders to him, he bowed his head and said, "General, this time the city was lost and the Khitans broke in. I'm afraid they have abducted tens of thousands or even hundreds of thousands of people."

"Among them, there are a large number of women and children, who are now on their way out of the customs."

Chen Yang clenched his fist and said, "They must have suffered heavy casualties in the battle against Bohai, so they need to replenish their population. General, do you want to... do you want to send troops to stop these Khitans?"

When the foreign tribes outside the Great Wall entered the territory of the Central Plains dynasty, most of the time they did two things: the first was to steal food, and the second was to steal people.

It's not just about robbing women.

In fact, men are more useful to them. After all, most of the Zhou men in the interior of the country know how to farm or have some other skills. Taking them to the north can quickly improve their productivity.

As for women and children, they were used to reproduce the population and train soldiers.

Xiao Xian was silent for a long time, and finally shook his head slightly and said, "Send the cavalry to take a look at the situation, and then we can talk about it."

Chen Yang sighed deeply and said nothing.

He had followed Xiao Xian for too long and knew the general in front of him very well. He knew that once the general said "let's talk about it later", things would become difficult to handle.

But he also knew that the Khitans were fierce in battle and had first-rate riding and archery skills. They were plundering people, so there must be a large number of cavalry following them nearby. If he chased them at this time, he might be able to rescue some civilians, but he himself would probably suffer heavy casualties.

At this time, what the Fanyang army needed was rest and recovery to prepare for the next battle.

General Xiao was not willing to harm himself for the sake of some civilians.

After roughly knowing the situation of this battle, Xiao Xian first arranged the subsequent defense of Fan Yang, and then returned to his study. After hesitating for a long time, he wrote a letter to Zhou Xu and General Li Tong of Taiyuan respectively.

The general idea is that the foreign races are rampant and once they enter the pass, there will be endless troubles. If necessary, please ask these two to help.

After sending the two letters, Xiao Xian sat in his seat, silent, with complicated feelings in his heart.

"National destiny, national destiny..."

He murmured a few words and then fell silent again.

The fate of the Great Zhou Dynasty has indeed come to an end. In recent days, natural disasters and man-made disasters have continued, and the court is no longer like a court at all.

Now, there is another border threat.

When the Khitans absorb the Bohai Kingdom in the northeast, they will probably be even more unstoppable. At that time, the Khitan tribes that have already completed unification will become the biggest border threat.

It can even be predicted that once the Fanyang Army can no longer hold out and is invaded by these Khitans, with their fighting power, they will probably be able to occupy most of the land in the north!

By then, the Khitan tribe will no longer be just a tribal alliance, but may transform into a vast country!

Everything seemed to have reflected the decline of the Zhou Dynasty.

The country’s fortune is gone!
Xiao Xian thought for a long time, then closed his eyes helplessly.

He was wondering, should the 20,000 men he had stationed in Guanzhong... be withdrawn?

…………

The third year of Zhaoding, the twelfth month.

Zhou Liang and Li Zheng escorted the captain Yu Huan back to Jinling City.

Zhou Bi also followed them on horseback.

At this time, the expansion of Jinling had already shown great results, and the outline of the new city had begun to emerge. It was not much smaller than the original Jinling City. It was clear that Jinling was about to be built into a huge city in the southeast.

However, Yu Huan, who was chained, was in no mood to appreciate the new city. He was locked in a prison car and sent all the way to the Jinling government office and locked in a prison.

From beginning to end, he kept his head down and said nothing.

After Li Zheng and Zhou Liang threw him into prison, they were led by Zhou Bi all the way to Li Garden.

After entering Li Garden, Zhou Bi looked at his father, then at Li Zheng, and asked, "Brother, how will the higher-ups deal with Yu Duwei?"

Li Zheng was feeling uneasy at the moment.

He glanced at Zhou Bi, shook his head slightly, and exhaled: "I don't know either."

After a pause, Li Zheng said softly, "You have never been in the anti-theft team, and you didn't know Yu Huan before. Why do you look so nervous?"

Zhou Bi thought for a moment and said, "I also saw some things during this trip to Quanzhou. Although Commander Yu was wrong, it was the gentry in Quanzhou who took the initiative to give him money and women. He just couldn't control himself for a while."

"Later, it was those gentry who reported Yu Duwei to Lord Fei and Mr. Yao. This matter, this matter..."

"All right."

Zhou Liang looked at his son with a dark face and said in a low voice: "Is this something you should worry about?"

"Have you forgotten why the superior asked you to go with him? The superior asked you to go and see more and think more. When did he ever let you talk nonsense?"

Zhou Bi looked at his father, then lowered his head and stopped talking.

Zhou Bi had previously lived in Li Yuan and worked as a follower for Li Yun, so he was very familiar with Li Yuan. After asking about Li Yuan's acquaintances, he quickly brought Zhou Liang and Li Zheng to the door of Li Yun's study.

Before he knocked on the door, Zhou Bi vaguely heard the conversation in the study. He only listened to a few words and turned back to Zhou Liang and Li Zheng and said, "Father, brother."

"Mr. Du is here, let's wait for a while."

Having followed Li Yun for such a long time, he could naturally remember the voices of those who often came to Li Garden.

At this time, Du Qian was indeed in the study. He was looking at a piece of intelligence with a serious expression: "Bohai State was destroyed, and the Fanyang Army was also defeated."

"These Khitan tribes were not well-known before, how come they are so powerful?"

Li Yun also reread the information and whispered, "Yelü...Yi."

This is the Chinese name of the Khitan Khan, and the name of someone in another world...

There is almost no difference.

Li Yun had a myriad of thoughts in his mind.

Two completely different worlds, yet seem to have some of the same waves.

If the Khitan tribe rose like in the other world, then more than a hundred years later, the entire north, the Northern Dynasties, would have been ruled by this Khitan.

If this is true, it would be very easy for Li Yun to give up now. He has already pushed the front line to the Huai River. Theoretically speaking, it would be easy for him to establish the Southern Dynasty.

It can even be done now.

But he did not want to establish such a Southern Dynasty.

Mr. Li touched his chin and thought for a long time before he slowly said, "Being unknown doesn't mean you're not powerful."

"And the Fanyang Army doesn't seem to be as powerful as the rumors say."

According to rumors, as a border army, the combat effectiveness of the Fanyang Army is far superior to that of the Pinglu Army.

But now it seems that Li Yun did not realize how powerful the Fanyang army was.

It can be seen that the rumors are untrue.

He looked at Du Qian and said softly: "Brother Du, with the Khitan tribe entering the battlefield, the situation in the world..."

"We need to change. We must take the Khitan into consideration."

Having said that, Li Yun suddenly turned his head and looked outside the door.

He heard Zhou Bi's voice, so he cleared his throat and said in a deep voice, "Come in."

(End of this chapter)