Memoirs of the Heavenly Khan

Chapter 10 Wang Zuo’s Talent
Pingcheng.

As the former capital of the Northern Wei Dynasty, Pingcheng was the base camp of the Northern Wei army against the Rouran.

Li Chong's expedition against the Rouran was fruitless. Due to his advanced age, he returned to Luoyang. Then Prince Guangyang Yuan Shen took over and became the governor of Hengzhou.

Yuan Shen was tall, handsome, and talented, and was highly valued by the Luoyang court.

Originally, Yuan Shen should have stayed in Hengzhou for a few years, accumulated enough military merits, and then returned to Luoyang with a brilliant resume and entered the central government.

But unfortunately, the Six Towns rebelled.

Before Li Chong left, he advised the court to change the six towns into prefectures.

As one of the few sensible people among the Northern Wei royal family, Yuan Shen naturally understood Li Chong's good intentions.

However, Yuan Shen also understood that Luoyang would not agree.

Because the Xianbei people understood the Rouran people better than the Rouran people did.

The Xianbei were once the overlords of the northern grasslands. After moving south, their original ecological niche was occupied by the Rouran.

The Northern Wei court called the Rouran "Rourou", but this contempt was mixed with some fear.

When the Xianbei officials of the Luoyang court looked at the Rouran people in the north, weren't they just looking at their past selves?

Once the towns are changed into states, the people in the six towns will probably migrate south immediately, and it won’t be long before the six towns will be empty.

Without this firewall, the Rouran marched southward in large numbers. How could the Northern Wei court, which had lost all its elite troops in the Battle of Zhongli, resist?
What if you can’t resist it?

If the Han noble families could cooperate with the Xianbei people, why couldn’t they cooperate with the Rouran people?

Li Chong, a Han Chinese, could propose changing the town into a state, but Yuan Shen, who knew the power of the matter, could not easily agree.

However, Yuan Shen did not expect that the rebellion in the Six Garrisons would come so quickly and spread so rapidly.

Both the Six Garrisons and the Hu tribes around Pingcheng originally belonged to the same military system and were the biggest victims after the Northern Wei Dynasty moved its capital.

Yuan Shen had to be wary, as they would collude with each other.

After Wan Ziqizhen responded to Po Liuhan Baling, Yuan Shen had already seen the signs.

At this moment, a military report made Yuan Shen even more worried.

"Erzhu Rong reported that his commander, the Xiurong Commander Daye Shuang, had defeated the Qifumoyu bandits."

Yuan Shen looked around and asked:

"Who is this Ohno Shuang? Why haven't I heard of him before?"

Qi Fumo was a chess piece used to contain Erzhu Rong, and now he died in such an unclear manner. Yuan Shen had to suspect that this was Erzhu Rong's way of eliminating dissidents.

At this time, someone spoke:

"This Daye Shuang was Li Shuang, the biggest bandit leader in Jin. He was later recruited by Erzhu Rong, and it's rumored that they became sworn brothers."

Qi Fu Mo Yu had several thousand soldiers under his command, but they were easily defeated by Li Shuang.

Judging from this record alone, it is not unreasonable for Erzhu Rong to win him over.

Yuan Shen continued reading, and his expression grew worse the more he looked.

It’s not that the military report was too detailed, Yuan Shen was shocked by Li Shuang’s battle record.

On the contrary, what was written above was very simple, so simple that it drove Yuan Shen a little crazy.

Qi Fu Mo Yu was at least the leader of a large tribe, with more than 30,000 people under his command and countless cattle, sheep and property.

But there is not a single word written in this military newspaper!

What do you mean?
Yuan Shen growled angrily:
"What is Erzhu Rong going to do!"

At this moment, Yuan Shen's advisor Yu Jin stepped forward, quietly pulled Yuan Shen's sleeve, and whispered:
"There are spies behind this wall. The king must be cautious. Jin is already in chaos, and without Erzhu Rong, there is no way to control it."

After hearing Yu Jin's words, Yuan Shen suddenly realized that Erzhu Rong could not be offended at this moment. However, he could not bear this anger.

"So, what should we do?"

Yu Jin smiled and suggested:
"The bandit leader Qifumoyu surrendered, and Daye Shuang was the chief meritorious official. Therefore, Daye Shuang can be appointed as the military commander, and he will be in charge of Qifumoyu's former territory."

Yuan Shen glanced at Yu Jin and a smile appeared on his face.

What a good strategy to sow discord!
-
In the territory of Qifu Moyu.

The new military leader killed their original leader and took over their tribe.

Immediately, a group of subordinates who originally belonged to Qi Fu Mo Yu came to flatter him and lined up outside the tent waiting to be received by Li Shuang.

The first person to enter the tent was a strong and powerful Hu man. "What are you capable of?"

"My Lord, I can draw a bow of eight dou, so shooting an eagle is no problem for me."

"You must have eaten a lot, then?"

The Hu man was stunned and touched his head.

"Not much, just one sheep a day."

Li Shuang's expression changed and he waved his hand.

"Send him to Erzhu Zhao."

Hou Jing, who was standing aside, waved his hand, and the soldiers on both sides threw it out of the tent door.

"Next!"

"Military Lord, I am good at using two hammers..."

"How much to eat?"

"A sheep every two days!"

"Throw it to Erzhu Zhao!"

……

After meeting so many people, Li Shuang was a little tired and couldn't help complaining:

"Don't beg for help from this loser. He's surrounded by good-for-nothings."

Hou Jing was also somewhat indignant.

"Eating so much, yet being so weak in battle."

Just then, the next person walked in.

Unlike those strong and muscular men, this man did not wear Hu clothing and dressed like a Han Chinese.

"Who are you?"

"Liu Gui from Xiurong greets the military commander!"

"What's your skill?"

"You can help the military leader connect with tribes from all directions and exchange what you have."

merchant?

A smile appeared on Li Shuang's face.

"Finally, something interesting!"
-
Bei Xiurong.

"Tianbao, my third brother organized the elite troops of Qifu Moyu into an army and sent three thousand of them here! In addition, he also sent many of Qifu Moyu's warriors to Erzhu Zhao's camp to serve under his command."

Qi Fu Moyu had a total of five to six thousand soldiers and horses under his command, and after deducting the losses in the war, more than half of them were sent over at once.

Erzhu Rong was not happy after hearing Yuan Tianmu's words.

"Who was the one who gave Yuan Shen the idea to promote my third brother to military commander?"

"Yu Jin is a good friend of Yuan Shen. He comes from a distinguished family and possesses the talent to assist a king. After Yuan Shen went north, he also followed him to join the army."

Erzhu Rong heard this and shook his head.

Yuan Tianmu thought that it was Yu Jin's plot to sow discord that displeased Erzhu Rong, so he advised:
"Tianbao, there's no need to be like this. Yu Jin is just serving his own master!"

"I'm not dissatisfied with Yu Jin, but I'm dissatisfied with what my third brother did."

Yuan Tianmu was stunned and asked:
"Why?"

"A true man conquers a city and captures a stronghold, and achieves military merit. Why should he share his gains with others?"

Erzhu Rong said:

"I've read history books and seen how Emperor Gaozu of Han, armed with a three-foot sword, destroyed Qin and Chu. What a hero he was! But I don't like how he executed his meritorious officials."

After hearing what Erzhu Rong said, Yuan Tianmu understood.

Erzhu Rong was giving him, Li Shuang, and even those who would join him in the future a reassurance.

The leaves were falling, the weather was cold, and looking at the solemn scene in the courtyard, Erzhu Rong felt a surge of ambition. Looking at the distant sky, he murmured:
"This Bei Xiurong, like this courtyard, is still too small. Tell my third brother, it's time to go south!"

(End of this chapter)