Memoirs of the Heavenly Khan

Chapter 109 Red Romantic Night

The warm wind blows through the green grass, bringing a sense of comfort.

There was a blanket on the ground, and fresh meat was cooking in an iron pot not far away.

The old man in front of him was sitting on the ground, but a casual movement of his could still make Hou Jing nervous for a long time.

"True King!"

Li Shuang didn't know how to address the rebel leader who suddenly found him, so he shouted like this.

"I am no longer a true king."

Po Liu Han Baling was relatively easygoing. From this perspective, no one would have thought that he was the culprit who single-handedly launched the monstrous rebellion that led to the decline of the Northern Wei Dynasty.

"I was born during the Liu Song Dynasty. Later, I fled north through Shu to avoid the war and ended up in the Six Garrisons. The past is gone. You may now call me Han Ling!"

Li Shuang was still very alert in his heart. He didn't know the old man's intention, but he also knew that he had many secrets.

Seeing Li Shuang like this, Han Ling leaned forward slightly and said:
"I have come here to ask for a favor. I would like to ask the Duke to take Ling as his retainer!"

When Li Shuang heard this, his face changed drastically.

"Why?"

"I am already over sixty years old. My only wish for the rest of my life is to see the unification of the world! The Duke of the County is the one who can help me achieve this."

Li Shuang glanced at Yu Jiulu Qingyu standing beside him. The woman also seemed a little surprised, but the expression quickly faded away.

"Is unification of the world important to you?"

Han Ling nodded, his eyes deep.

"Since the end of the Han Dynasty, the world has been in turmoil for over five centuries. For over three hundred years, the Sima family briefly unified the country, only to soon usher in even greater chaos. In today's world, some people prefer to see the north and south continue to be divided, as this is how they can maximize their benefits. But there are also people like me who want to see the world unified."

It sounds strange that one of the biggest traitors in the world says that he wants to see the world unified.

"You don't mean to say you have a great wish and don't want to see people suffer anymore?"

"The reason I want to see the world unified is naturally not for such a grand ambition, but for myself. However, I cannot tell the Duke of the County frankly yet."

Han Ling was very calm.

When Li Shuang saw this, he smiled, and his smile made Hou Jing, who was already frozen beside him, a little confused.

"You are the greatest traitor in the Wei Dynasty, at least for now. If I were to accept you as my retainer, I would be taking a huge risk, and what would you give me?"

When Han Ling heard this, the corners of his mouth curled up, as if he had been waiting for it for a long time.

"What do you think, Lord County, of Erzhu Rong's victory or defeat in his campaign against Liu Lisheng?"

"It's hard to win."

Seeing Li Shuang's straightforward answer, Yu Jiulu Qingyu beside him was a little surprised, then reacted and said:
"So you didn't go back to Mayi just to avoid this?"

"What do you mean by hiding? I am the governor of Fenzhou, and I cannot bear to see the people and soldiers suffer."

"But you..."

Before Yu Jiulu Qingyu could finish his words, he was interrupted by Hou Jing.

"My lord is staying in Mayi, so he can't be seen!"

Yujiulü Qingyu opened his mouth wide, speechless for a moment, but saw Han Ling smile and did not comment.

"Erzhu Rong is like a tiger, and Liu Lisheng is just a cat. But now the cat has provoked the tiger and is hiding in a tree. The tiger can't catch it at all, so it can only shake the tree hard. In the end, after exerting its strength and suffering, all it can do is leave a mess on the ground."

Li Shuang listened and nodded slightly. Han Ling had a keen insight into current affairs, and his analysis made a lot of sense.

"indeed so!"

"After Erzhu Rong's defeat, Liu Lisheng will become even more rampant. By then, Hengzhou, Shuozhou, Fenzhou, and even Xiazhou will be affected. Is this really beneficial to the Duke?"

"What can you do?"

"The Jihu are not a single entity. Rather than attacking them with all our might, it's better to use both appeasement and suppression. As long as we can alienate the remaining Jihu leaders from Liu Lisheng, there's nothing to worry about." "This is no ordinary job. Can you do it?"

Li Shuang asked, and Han Ling bowed and said:

"I am willing to serve the county lord."

"But even so, it's still not enough!"

Han Ling seemed to have anticipated this and played his trump card.

"Does the Lord know why Xiao Baoyin is related to me?"

"Does he have rebellious intentions?"

Han Ling nodded, not shying away from it.

"He was the prince of Qi, and he wanted to restore Qi, so he set his sights on the Guanzhong area. Seeing that the world was about to fall into chaos, he secretly sent people to the Six Garrisons, and eventually found me. Only when the Six Garrisons rebelled would he have a reason to enter Chang'an and occupy Guanzhong. However, he would not succeed in the end!"

"Why?"

"His talents are insufficient to maintain national stability. Living in a foreign land, his foundation entirely dependent on the Yuan family, he dreams of restoring Qi. Furthermore, Guanzhong is impoverished, with a mixed population of Han and Hu peoples. The situation is complex. The day he plots rebellion will be the day of his demise."

As he spoke, Han Ling looked at Li Shuang and said:

"Once Xiao Baoyin has cleaned up Guanzhong, the Duke can seize the opportunity to advance to Chang'an."

Li Chong and Han Ling both had the same view, but Li Chong was ultimately a member of the Longxi Li family, while Han Ling was completely different.

"In today's world, the only places that can achieve great success are Jiangdong, Hebei, Shuzhong, and Guanzhong.

Hebei is a wealthy country, but the aristocratic families are complicated and intertwined. In these troubled times, whoever benefits will suffer the consequences. There are many entanglements, just like a tangled thread. If you can't cut it quickly, you can't take it lightly!
The Guanzhong region was different. Its disadvantages lay with the Hu people, but its advantages were also the same. The Hu people were not good at managing the land and were known for their brutality and slaughter. The Han people, on the other hand, lived in the prefectures and counties and cultivated the land. The two served as a check and balance, each with its own advantages and disadvantages, so there were few obstacles.

If the Duke can enter Chang'an, occupy Guanzhong, promote the advantages and eliminate the disadvantages, and take the good of both the Hu and Han peoples as a foundation, he will be able to achieve hegemony."

Li Shuang looked at Han Ling. It was obvious that the old man was referring to himself as the one who could destroy the evil of the Hu people.

Who else could understand how to mobilize the goodness of the Hu people better than the True King?
Li Shuang looked at Han Ling, and Han Ling also looked at him.

For a while, the scene was deadlocked.

Hou Jing secretly grasped the sword in his hand, waiting for Li Shuang's order to strike. Yu Jiulu Qingyu also sensed the danger, but she was helpless at the moment.

In order to reassure Li Shuang, they did not bring any weapons. This place was also chosen by Li Shuang, and there were no helpers around.

Unexpectedly, Li Shuang burst into laughter.

"Mr. Han is indeed the wisest man under my command!"

As the laughter died down, Han Ling, who seemed fearless, felt relieved.

"Your Majesty, I have seen you!"

"No hurry, no hurry, you look like this?"

"Don't worry, my lord. There are very few people in this world who know my face. I am also very skilled in the art of disguise. No one will notice."

"So good."

Li Shuang nodded, and Hou Jing beside him also stood up.

"First, I will build a house for you, give you a hundred gold coins as a living, and also give you a welcome dinner."

When Hou Jing heard this, he immediately understood.

"Sir, follow me!"