Memoirs of the Heavenly Khan

Chapter 16 I was obviously the one who came first

Pingcheng.

"Is Wan Ziqi really dead?"

Facing Yuan Shen's doubts, Yu Jin just nodded calmly.

"Not only that, after Erzhu Rong quelled the rebellion of Wanzi Qizhen, he took up residence in Xiurong County and gave the land east of the Sanhui River to his eldest brother Yuan Tianmu, and the large tract of land north of the Hutuo River to his third brother Li Shuang."

They deposed and enthroned emperors on their own and had no regard for the laws of the country.

After hearing the news, Yuan Shen no longer felt angry, but deeply fearful.

In the past, Yuan Shen had a certain degree of condescending contempt for Erzhu Rong.

This kind of contempt is not disdain for talent, but suppression of blood relationship.

The old Xianbei's attitude towards the Khitan people has always been like this.

After all, the Erzhu family used to only raise horses for the Tuoba family.

"Go out with me!"

Even before winter arrived, Pingcheng was already very cold.

In the warm room of the small building, charcoal fire was burning all day long.

The cold wind outside the house was as sharp as a knife. As far as the eye could see, there was only endless vastness, vast yet deathly empty.

On this land, Pingcheng was once a place of faith in the hearts of all the Hu people.

This place represents military merit, wealth and glory!

But now, it is different.

Even the long walls built in the north to defend against the Rouran could not bring even a little sense of security to the people in the former capital of the Xianbei.

The Six Garrisons Rebellion was raging, and the government troops were losing ground.

Among the towns in the northern border, Huaishuo and Wuchuan, which had not rebelled, were on the verge of collapse under the attack of Wei Kegu, a general under the command of Po Liu Han Baling.

Yuan Yu stationed a large army in Yuncheng, but delayed advancing.

Whether he was afraid or wanted to tire out the enemy, the war was in chaos.

"Do you think our Yuan clan will follow the same path as Ji Zhou?"

Yuan Shen’s words shocked Yu Jin.

Yu Jin looked at Yuan Shen and thought that he was under too much pressure, which was why he spoke without thinking.

But looking at the cold face in the cold wind, Yu Jin sighed in his heart again.

"Erzhu clan can't be Ying Qin!"

"Why?"

"The Erzhu clan's roots are not deep, so how can they compare with the Ying Qin clan, who cultivated Guanzhong for five hundred years?"

"What about the others?"

His heart was in turmoil, and Yuan Shen's voice was filled with deep worry and fear.

"The Cui family of Qinghe, the Lu family of Fanyang, the Li family of Zhaojun, and the Zheng family of Xingyang!"
-
Xiurong County.

After suppressing the rebellion of Wanzi Qizhen, Erzhu Rong moved the Erzhu clan and the core Khitan warriors into this city.

After sweeping away the blood and smoke of war, the city, which had regained its tranquility, showed the style of the largest city in Sizhou.

The towering city walls, clad in blue bricks and black tiles, reveal the vicissitudes of time and the weight of history. Within the city, winding stone streets crisscross, lined with shops, a vibrant atmosphere amidst the hustle and bustle. The towering city towers, with their soaring eaves and angled corners, carved beams and painted rafters, exude a majestic aura. Outside, the city walls flow, and the moat, like a jade belt, reflects the towers.

Standing behind the railing of a tall building, Erzhu Rong was in a very good mood admiring the beautiful scenery, but he heard a noisy sound in his ears.

Not far away, the Khitan warriors from his tribe were openly fighting with the local Hu people.

The leader was still his nephew Erzhu Zhao.

Erzhu Rong's expression changed.

"Tell Erzhu Zhao to come here!"

Erzhu Rong turned around and entered the pavilion. His order was quickly issued, and Erzhu Zhao went upstairs in disgrace after a while.

"Are you hurt?"

Erzhu Rong did not ask Erzhu Zhao why he fought, because he knew what Erzhu Zhao was thinking.

From childhood to adulthood, Erzhu Zhao could not hide anything from him. Erzhu Zhao listened to Erzhu Rong's words, took the tea from his hand, but drank it with great depression, like a duck about to be cooked, feeling uncomfortable.

After all, Erzhu Rong still had some fondness for this nephew.

"Just say whatever you want to say!"

"Uncle, I really don't understand. The main force fighting against Wan Ziqi was actually the descendants of our Erzhu clan. Why did we give so much to outsiders when we divided the territory? Yuan Tianmu is fine, but how long has Li Shuang been here?"

Erzhu Rong did not answer Erzhu Zhao, but asked a question.

"How many soldiers of our own tribe are under our command?"

"Seven thousand!"

"How many soldiers do Yuan Xu and Po Liu Han Baling in the North have under their command?"

"About a few hundred thousand each!"

Erzhu Rong nodded, thinking that his nephew had good military skills.

"If you know, why are you asking again?"

Erzhu Rong had many dissatisfactions with his nephew, but after all, he was still a family member, so he had to guide him patiently.

"As a descendant of the Erzhu clan, your mind and bearing must be more open-minded than ordinary people. Only in this way can you achieve great things!"

Erzhu Zhao responded, but he was still somewhat reluctant in his heart.
-
"My Lord, look what good stuff I found in the cellar?"

Hou Jing ran over excitedly holding a wine barrel.

The scarlet wine, with its fragrant aroma, wafted through the room.

"These guys really know how to hide things!"

Li Shuang now lives in a manor located north of the Hutuo River.

The manor is dilapidated, but the framework is still preserved. With some simple repairs, it can still be lived in.

Li Shuang took a sip and asked:

“How many wines like this are there?”

"It's all in the cellar. There are over three hundred barrels."

"First, give Yang Kan and Gao Gao two buckets each."

Following Li Shuang came a large number of Han refugees. These days, they were gathering in a camp outside the manor, temporarily managed by Yang Kan and Gao Gao.

When Hou Jing heard this, he felt a little jealous.

"My Lord, I think you're being a little too nice to those two freeloaders!"

"What do you mean?"

Hou Jing came over with a smug look on his face and whispered:
"My Lord, I have already investigated Gao Gao's background. He refused to leave because he had committed a crime."

"Did you commit a crime?"

A lewd smile appeared on Hou Jing's face.

"I heard that his brother Gao Qian fell in love with the young lady of the Cui family of Boling, but the Cui family of Boling refused to allow it. So Gao Ang kidnapped the young lady and wanted to make his brother have sex with her!"

Li Shuang also became interested.

"Is it cooked?"

"How would I know? Anyway, that guy is being hunted by the Cui family of Boling, otherwise he wouldn't have come to hide with us!"

Li Shuang had an expression as if he was watching a Japanese romance movie where all the action scenes were skipped.

"Okay, send the wine over!"

"My Lord, you don't understand the point of what I'm saying. That boy is a man of corrupt character!"

Li Shuang felt a little weird after hearing this.

He never thought that one day he would hear the word "morality" from Hou Jing's mouth.

What does the word "morality" have to do with him?
"Wan Jing, we need to be more open-minded. There are tens of thousands of refugees crying out for food outside. People from our village in the north are also coming here. All those old brothers hiding in the mountains throughout Jin have heard that I've become prosperous and want to join me. Tell me, can you handle it all by yourself?"

Hou Jing shook his head, and a look of enlightenment soon appeared on his face.

"My Lord, I understand!"

(End of this chapter)