Strange Tales from the Northern Qi Dynasty

Chapter 399 Dugu Jialuo
He Ruobi and Han Qinhu left the hall, leaving only Yuwen Yong and Yang Jian in the hall.

There was always a fragrance in Yuwen Yong's hall.

The Taoist priests he supported provided him with a kind of incense, which, when burned, would diffuse fragrance and make people feel refreshed.

The soldiers were standing far away, and the hall was extremely spacious.

Yuwen Yong asked Yang Jian to move forward a little. Yang Jian kept moving, approached Yuwen Yong respectfully, and sat beside him.

There was an indescribable fatigue in Yuwen Yong's eyes.

Different people often see different Great Zhou in their eyes.

In Yuwen Yong's eyes, Da Zhou was a seriously ill patient.

The previous doctor was not very skilled, but he was able to maintain the patient's life.

In his hands, he had to both maintain life and heal wounds.

He looked at Yang Jian. His eyes were much sharper than Yang Jian's own, like a knife, trying to pierce through the loyal general in front of him.

Yang Jian was horrified and lowered his head quickly.

"Duke Sui, this time it's all thanks to you. If it weren't for you, I'm afraid the bandits would have invaded Chang'an."

"It is also because of you that He Ruobi's life was saved."

"He is truly a wise minister who has never been seen before."

"I am ashamed to accept this!"

Yang Jian hurriedly declined.

Yuwen Yong suddenly asked, "However, I don't understand why you appeared on the west side when you were ordered to guard the northern wall? Did you know about Yuwen Zhi's matter?"

Yuwen Yong's expression was calm and his words were gentle, but the words he asked were somewhat aggressive.

Yang Jian hurriedly said, "I led the troops to patrol the city and heard from my subordinates that the Duke of Wei suddenly withdrew the soldiers guarding the city, and many generals and officers disappeared."

"I didn't know the details, so I sent someone to the palace to report it. The person I sent suddenly came back and claimed that the Duke of Wei was fighting with others at Suzhang Gate."

"I knew something was wrong, but I didn't have time to report it. I immediately gathered the troops and headed to the west gate. I wanted to guard against an enemy attack, but I didn't expect that the gate was wide open and the enemy was lined up outside. So I sent troops to repel them."

Yang Jian explained carefully, including everything from the names of the people he sent to the time when he would gather the army, without missing a single detail.

Yuwen Yong believed what he said.

Yuwen Yong nodded with a smile on his face.

"You are indeed my wise minister."

"Duke Sui is truly brave and capable of winning people over. With just one order, thousands of elite soldiers are willing to follow you to the west gate to fight."

Yang Jian said seriously: "All the soldiers are your majesty's attendants. When they learned that the capital was in danger, they were all willing to fight to the death. Not a single one retreated!"

Yuwen Yong finally couldn't find any other words, so he gestured to Yang Jian to pour him some tea.

Yang Jian prostrated himself before him and served the emperor.

When Yuwen Yong saw him like this, the haze in his eyes finally dissipated.

He smiled and helped Yang Jian up. "How can a dignified duke like you perform such a formality? Just sit down and pour tea."

Yuwen Yong then sighed, "This Liu Taozi is really difficult to deal with. When the knights under his command attacked outside Chang'an, I could only hide in the capital and watch him kill my subjects and burn villages and farmland. Now, this bastard Yuwen Zhi has caused such a thing again."

"I didn't want to kill him, even though he intended to rebel. But I only have this one brother, and my mother dotes on him. I didn't expect that."

"There has been no sign of reinforcements in recent days. I think we have been attacked by the enemy. What should we do now?"

Yang Jian said without hesitation: "Your Majesty, the enemy's goal is not Chang'an."

"It's in the north."

"Oh?"

"It is wishful thinking for these thousands of people to take Chang'an. I think they spent so much energy and crossed the river not just to set fire here to scare people."

"Then their purpose is very clear, the Xiazhou defense line."

"When Chang'an is attacked, the surrounding armies will certainly panic and send out reinforcements. They will surround Chang'an and attack the reinforcements. The reinforcements will surely come at full speed. The enemy will be well rested and tired. How can we defeat them?"

"The food logistics of the armies in Xia, Yin and other places are mostly transported from Chang'an to other places. They destroyed all the bridges, mountain roads, wharves, post stations and houses along the way. The food and grass for the front-line army are transported twice a year. If the food and grass cannot be transported in time."

"The enemy's real goal is to cut off food supplies at the front line?"

The Xiazhou defense line could not be self-sufficient. As to why it could not be self-sufficient, Yuwen Yong was reluctant to say more.

Yang Jian continued to analyze: "This should be just one of the enemy's ideas. The enemy has many different preparations."

"It is inevitable that our morale will be damaged. Soldiers from all over the country will know that Chang'an has been attacked. It will definitely affect their morale."

"In addition, food shortage is one of them. This Xia Yin is like a sharp blade. The hilt of the sword is in Chang'an, right in your hand. You can easily stab this sword and make the enemy dare not invade."

"But now, the hilt of the sword has been broken, we have lost contact, and the road for transporting food has been destroyed. Even if we repel the enemy this time, food transportation will become a big problem in the short term, and we may have to take a detour."

"The front line needs reinforcements, morale is unstable, food is scarce, and communication is lost."

"Everything is aimed at the Xiazhou front. When the frontline troops retreat, the enemy will attack with all their might. I'm afraid they want to completely break this sharp blade."

A cloud covered Yuwen Yong's face, and his eyes began to flash with anger.

He whispered, "So how should we deal with this?"

"Your Majesty, I am willing to lead a group of elite cavalry out of the city to fight the bandits."

"Can you fight him off?"

"I dare not say that I can definitely repel him, but I can make him not dare to be as presumptuous as he is now, and reduce more casualties. The troops from various places are approaching continuously. I can restore contact with them and organize these reinforcements to prevent them from being defeated separately. As long as we have enough troops, we can occupy all the important intersections outside the city. When the bandits come, they will definitely consider retreating."

"If we defend the city from the inside and cut off their roads from the outside, the bandits will not dare to continue to harass them and will leave as soon as possible. If they leave, food can be delivered to the front line in time, and there is still a chance for survival at the front line."

"After all, the Duke of Yun is a famous general and a calm person. With him guarding the front line, there is no need to worry in the short term."

Yuwen Yong looked at Yang Jian in surprise.

It was difficult for him to describe the young man in front of him.

Yang Jian had a very strange appearance, and many people were worried about him because of this, including Duke of Qi Yuwen Xian, who told him many times that Yang Jian had ulterior motives.

But Yuwen Yong did not believe this. How could one determine a person's character based on his appearance?
Most of the time, Yang Jian seemed to have no talent. He was not the best at fighting, and he was just average at governing. He said he had read a lot of books, but he did not know how to write articles. He said he could win people over, but he did not have many followers around him.

But such a seemingly ordinary person can always make the right choices at important times. Yuwen Yong searched for a long time but could not find any faults or handles on him.

At critical moments, he always stands up.

Previously, when Emperor Yuwen Yong issued an order to deal with the powerful families, Yang Jian was the only duke who publicly expressed his willingness to support Emperor Yuwen Yong.

Emperor Yuwen Yong wanted to recruit soldiers to serve as attendants, and Yang Jian was the first military leader to implement Yuwen Yong's policy.

When Chang'an encountered a crisis, Yang Jian was the first general to come out to rescue.

Yuwen Yong looked at him with an extremely complicated look in his eyes.

He grabbed the other person's hand with a fiery look in his eyes.

"I'll leave the matters outside the city to you."

"We must repel this gang of thieves as soon as possible. I will not tolerate Liu Taozi being so rampant."

Yang Jian bowed again hurriedly.

Yuwen Yong then sent someone in to write the imperial edict and personally handed it to Yang Jian.

When Yang Jian walked out of the palace, there was not much joy or excitement on his face.

He got on the carriage and left quickly.

Yang Jian had lived in Chang'an for some time and usually stayed at home. This time, because of the enemy attack, Yang Jian was ordered to guard the city wall.

When he hurried back to his mansion, the warriors were extremely excited. They shouted and opened the door to welcome their master.

Yang Jian was a serious person, but he was relatively honest with his friends and subordinates. He did not like to engage in intrigue or test his subordinates. At least it was still like this now, and everyone respected him for that.

Just walked into the backyard.

A beautiful and dignified woman walked out slowly with a slightly bulging belly.

Yang Jian was shocked and walked quickly forward to support the other person.

The two looked at each other, and their eyes were particularly gentle.

"My wife is pregnant, how can she go out?"

"Come in, come in."

Yang Jian carefully supported Dugu Jialuo, and the two walked into the house one after the other.

Dugu Jialuo had gained some weight due to her pregnancy, which made her look more noble and gentle, which made her a perfect match with Yang Jian, who was strict but lenient at the same time.

Dugu Jialuo was the daughter of Dugu Xin, whom Wei Xiaokuan dared not discuss publicly. Dugu Xin was a veteran who started the business with Yuwen Tai, an old Xianbei from the Six Garrisons, and one of the major shareholders of the Great Zhou. He was handsome and charming, and when he was young, he could make a living just by relying on his face. Most of the generals in the country liked him very much, and many of them were his old subordinates.

When Yuwen Tai fell and Yuwen Hu took control of the government, the situation was quite unfavorable for the Yuwen family.

Dugu Xin became a thorn in Yuwen Hu's side. In the subsequent coup, Yuwen Hu successfully forced Dugu Xin to death and then set about eliminating future troubles.

Why was Yang Zhong not loved by Yuwen Hu?
Because Yang Zhong was Dugu Xin's confidant, Dugu Xin even married his daughter to Yang Jian.

Why was Wei Xiaokuan not loved by Yuwen Hu?
Because Wei Xiaokuan was also Dugu Xin's confidant, the two were once called the "linked wall".

Why was He Ruobi's father killed?

Because he was also Dugu Xin's confidant.
There are also people like Mo Chen Chong, Duke of Liang.

Although Yuwen Hu seemed to be killing people indiscriminately, he actually had a clear goal, which was to kill those strong contenders for power. The problem was that most of these contenders, who were capable guys, had some connection with Dugu Xin.

After Yuwen Yong came to power, the situation still did not improve much. Although Yuwen Yong tried to win over some of Dugu Xin's old confidants, he was still wary of them and refused to trust them completely.

Yang Jian walked into the house with his wife and gently helped her to sit down. Dugu Jialuo glanced at him helplessly, then chuckled and stroked her abdomen.

"Actually, you don't have to worry so much. There is still a lot of time."

"Even so, you shouldn't go out in winter."

Dugu Jialuo did not refute, "He just went to bed. He kept calling me grandpa today and refused to go to sleep. I was worried that something happened to you."

"Nothing happened."

Yang Jian said seriously: "It's just that I may have to go out for a while."

"Out?"

"Your Majesty wants me to be responsible for defending against the enemy."

Dugu Jialuo was silent for a moment, "My dear, if you are sure, then go ahead and do it. Don't worry about the things at home, and don't worry about me. I will take care of these things."

Yang Jian gently touched his wife's abdomen, "Is he okay?"

"It depends on when you come back. If you come back early, you can name him and everything will be fine. If you come back late, I will name him myself and let him be close to me only."

Yang Jian burst into laughter.

"That can't be done."

"I have already thought of a name. If it is a daughter, I will name her Yang Liying. If it is a son, I will name him Yang Guang!"

Dugu Jialuo gently stroked her belly, "I hope it's a capable child who can help his grandfather relieve his worries."

The two of them talked in whispers for a long time in the mansion and no longer discussed any important matters.

When it was dark, Yang Jian summoned a few confidants into his mansion.

Zheng Daoqian was among them.

Yang Jian told everyone that he was going out and asked them to stay at home and not panic no matter what happened. They should send someone to report in time. In case of major issues, they could ask his wife to make the judgment.

At dawn the next day, Yang Jian led his army out of the city through the south gate.

He Ruobi was asked to come over by him, and now he was riding a warhorse and following him.

He Ruobi looked particularly excited. He had always been looking forward to the day when he could go out to fight, make a name for himself and establish himself as a king. Now was the best time for him.

He also had great respect for Yang Jian. After all, if it weren't for this man, he would have died long ago.

After leaving the city, Yang Jian did not rush to investigate the enemy's movements, but headed west, ordered the knights to go out in teams and actively contact the troops in various places to connect them.

Yao Xiong also discovered that there were enemies going out.

He sent his troops to pursue, but they didn't get very far.

As the war progresses, the scope of Yao Xiong's influence continues to expand.

On this day, he led his men to capture the wharf near Wuxiang on the Luo River.

He killed the defenders here, pierced the large ship that was docked here, and burned the area.

The dock here was an important channel for transporting grain to the north, but within a day, it was reduced to ruins.

at night.

Yao Xiong stood on a high place, looking at the burning dock in the distance, his eyes full of joy.

Chang'an has docks and large ports on the Yellow River, Luo River, and even many surrounding river basins to be responsible for logistics and transportation.

The enemy could evacuate the surrounding officials and civilians, but could not move the docks and ports away.

Moreover, the incident happened suddenly, and many places lost contact with the government, so they had no idea what to do.

The flames lit up half the sky. Yao Xiong's face was immersed in the flames, constantly changing with the flames' dancing.

Gao Yanzong stood not far away with a frustrated look on his face.

He has been feeling guilty for several days.

That day, I almost broke into Chang'an.

The King of the Sky that was about to be in his hands just slipped away from his hands.
What he could not accept the most was that he was actually defeated by two young boys.

If Shi Wansui were also here, he would never be defeated by them.

Gao Yanzong has been saying this all the time.

Suddenly, a scout rushed over, came to Yao Xiong, whispered something, and handed the document to Yao Xiong.

Yao Xiong was stunned. He picked up the document, looked at it for a few seconds, and was even more shocked.

“Yeonjong!!”

"Yeonjong, come here!!"

Yao Xiong shouted hurriedly.

Gao Yanzong walked to his side weakly, with some frustration in his eyes.

Yao Xiong took the document and looked Gao Yanzong up and down, then suddenly asked, "Duke Weiguo Yuwenzhi, was killed by you?"

"who???"

Gao Yanzong took the document from Yao Xiong's hand and looked down at it.

This document is a manifesto written by the Zhou people, telling the story of the Han army attacking Chang'an and the death of Duke Weiguo outside the city. It also clearly mentioned that the general of this Han army was Gao Yanzong.

Gao Yanzong was stunned.

I killed a duke? ?
When did this happen?
I do not know how.

Yao Xiong couldn't help but praise him, "Good boy, you are really amazing! Duke, only my brother and Hulugu have killed a Duke in the country, you are the third one!"

"You're going to be famous all over the world now!"

Gao Yanzong was still a little confused. He thought about it seriously and suddenly thought of something.

"It's that person!"

"The one who opened the city gate to surrender!"

"He is the Duke of Wei?"

"He might have been killed because of rebellion, but Yuwen Yong couldn't tell me directly, so he blamed me for his death!"

Gao Yanzong explained it clearly in a moment.

Yao Xiong smiled and said, "I see. This is a great achievement given to you by Yuwen Yong himself."

Gao Yanzong looked stubborn, and raised his head, "I would rather not have such a credit!"

"I want military merit, why do I need to cheat? Why do I need others to give it to me?"

"I have to personally chop off a duke's head for this to count!!"

Yao Xiong couldn't help but clap his hands, "What a warrior!"

Gao Yanzong pulled himself together, not even looking at the flames rising to the sky in the distance, "General, we have done what we should do. What should we do next?"

"Go north and meet up with Governor Gao."

"The enemy is leaving the city and contacting reinforcements from various places. These people are on guard and colluding with each other, so it's difficult to fight them. If we let them block the road, it will be really troublesome."

"We should take a detour, pass through the enemy's Huizhou, and enter Lingzhou."

"We are mostly cavalry. The checkpoints along the way have been destroyed once before. We can't stop them at all!"

"This plan is about to succeed!!"

(End of this chapter)