Memoirs of the Heavenly Khan

Chapter 203 Heyin is a good place!
The nobles and officials of Luoyang rode in carriages in large groups out of the city, heading towards Heyin. The people of Luoyang hadn't seen such a sight for a long time.

In the imperial palace of Luoyang, Empress Hu stood in the empty hall, momentarily lost in thought.

Hu Xuanhui walked in and asked:

"Is my sister still longing for you?"

Empress Hu turned around, looked at her younger sister, and said:
"What's there to be nostalgic about!"

The vast palace remains magnificent, but Empress Hu has lost everything.

"Let's go!"

Empress Hu, holding her granddaughter, followed Hu Xuanhui into the carriage, intending to leave Luoyang.

The courtiers headed west, but they alone headed east.

However, they were stopped as soon as they stepped out of the city gate of Luoyang.

Hu Xuanhui opened the car window and saw that the person leading the obstruction was Yuan Yi's younger brother, Yuan Luo!
At this moment, Yuan Luo's face was ashen, and the armored soldiers following behind him were all imperial guards from Luoyang. However, these imperial guards no longer held the respect and awe they once had for the Hu sisters.

Everyone knows that Luoyang is about to undergo a major change.

"Yuan Luo, what are you doing!"

Hu Xuanhui questioned. Looking at this group of menacing men, Lady Fengyi, who had been enveloped in the sugar-coated allure of power, felt for the first time that the situation was out of her control.

"Erzhu Rong gave me orders to protect the Empress Dowager. Sister-in-law, you can leave, but the Empress Dowager cannot!"

Hu Xuanhui was furious and questioned:

"What gives him the right to order you around?"

Yuan Luo gave a wry smile and shook his head.

"Sister-in-law, how come you still don't understand? Our family has no other choice."

Hu Hou's voice came from inside the carriage.

"Alright, I'm going with Yuan Luo!"

Empress Hu came out carrying her granddaughter, handed her to Hu Xuanhui, and asked only one question.

"Erzhu Rong didn't want this emperor, did he?"

Yuan Luo choked for a moment, then cupped his hands and said:
"Erzhu Rong only wants the Empress Dowager!"

"Let's go then!"

As Hu Xuanhui watched the carriage disappear into the distance, he felt lost and confused, unsure of what to do.
-
Heyin Imperial Palace.

Yuan Ziyou, dressed in rather inappropriate imperial robes, was receiving the homage of the high officials.

The defenses inside and outside the palace were taken over by Erzhu Rong's soldiers.

At this moment, Erzhu Rong was standing below the throne, receiving the homage of the officials and ministers along with Yuan Ziyou.

Yuan Ziyou was so angry he wanted to grind his teeth, and the officials below also felt a sense of unease.

However, they were all enduring it.

After the officials finished their homage, Yuan Ziyou waved his hand, and the eunuch beside him opened the imperial edict. Before all the ministers, he slowly said:
"General Erzhu Rong, the General of Chariots and Cavalry, has served the King faithfully and protected him. His loyalty and righteousness are commendable. He is hereby specially appointed as the Grand General, the Imperial Envoy, the Grand Coordinator, the Commander-in-Chief of the Military Affairs of the Capital and the Outer Regions, the Grand General, the Grand General, the Grand Chancellor, the General of the Army, the Commander of the Left and Right Armies, and the Prince of Taiyuan, with a fief of 20,000 households."

Erzhu Rong felt an indescribable sense of satisfaction as he watched the once arrogant Celestial Dragons bowing before him.

Keerzhurong did not show any joy at this; he remained as cautious and prudent as ever.

Just like back then when he led his fine horse to Luoyang to serve the high-ranking officials and ministers in the palace.

"I am a Qihu person, of humble origin. How dare I shoulder such a great responsibility and receive a royal title? I beg Your Majesty to reconsider!"

Erzhu Rong's statement was similar to the impression that the officials had of him.

The emperor and his ministers did not meet, and both inside and outside the court were Erzhu Rong's men. For a time, all the officials suspected that Yuan Ziyou had just ascended the throne and was afraid of losing control of the court, so he had pulled in Erzhu Rong, a Qihu man, to use his influence to control them.

Yuan Ziyou, seeing Erzhu Rong's appearance, had no words to express his bitterness.

He knew perfectly well that Erzhu Rong was faking it, but what could he do? Even knowing that Erzhu Rong was acting, he couldn't refuse to play along.

"What are you saying? The court rewards merit and punishes demerit. If you do not accept rewards and punishments, how can I command the officials? Wouldn't that be a breach of faith with the world?" Erzhu Rong smiled, bowed his head, and cupped his hands, saying:
"If Your Majesty says so, then I deserve to die a thousand deaths, and I accept it!"

"That's good!"

After the court session ended, Yuan Ziyou wanted to say a few words to Yuan Yong, but his men were watching him closely, not giving him a single chance to slip by.

Erzhu Rong stayed behind, and despite the congratulations from the assembled officials, he remained respectful.

"You are all my close elders, there's no need for that, just call me Tianbao!"

Seeing Erzhu Rong in such a state, the officials and ministers breathed a sigh of relief.

"His Majesty will be offering sacrifices to Heaven at Heyin tomorrow, so please arrive early!"

"well!"

As the officials and nobles left, Erzhu Rong's expression turned cold. He looked at his trusted confidant Xi Yi and asked him the question that concerned him most at that moment.

"Where is Empress Hu?"

"Yuan Luo has already taken notice of them."

Erzhu Rong's heart, which had been hanging in suspense, finally relaxed, and he slowly said:

"Heyin is a wonderful place!"
-
Huazhou, Yongfeng Warehouse.

The 50,000 shi of grain sent from Jinyang traveled down the Fen River into Hedong. When it reached Longmen Ferry, it was transferred into the Yellow River and flowed downstream to the confluence of the Yellow River and the Wei River, where it was transported into the newly built Yongfeng Granary.

Water transport is convenient; although the distance is thousands of miles, it only takes a dozen days to travel, and the losses are not significant.

Yongfeng Granary is a large granary built on high ground, surrounded by walls, resembling a military fortress. Inside are more than a dozen large granaries and smaller granaries scattered around.

The main warehouse is not yet completed, but some of the sub-warehouses are already in use.

The newly repaired granary still carried a mixed smell of grass, wood, mud, and ash, and was filled to the brim with grain.

Li Shuang glanced at the sky.

"It is going to rain!"

Su Chuo stood to the side, cupped his hands, and said:
"Rest assured, my lord, I have already checked and there is no problem with the moisture protection of the granary."

"That's not what I'm talking about!"

After Li Shuang finished speaking, Han Ling arrived.

Su Chuo had always been very curious about this old man. He was the only one among Li Shuang's subordinates who had not entered the Xingtai Mansion, nor did he hold any position in the Tang State Duke's Mansion.

However, his status was quite prestigious, and he was able to meet directly with Li Shuang to discuss confidential matters.

His relationship with Li Shuang was even closer than that with his confidants like Su Chuo.

"News from Luoyang indicates that Erzhu Rong has already enthroned Yuan Ziyou as emperor."

It has been some time since the message arrived from Luoyang, so it's impossible for it to reach you immediately.

However, now that Erzhu Rong has already enthroned Yuan Ziyou as emperor, it is self-evident what he will do next.

"Assemble the troops and head to Shancheng."

"How many people will you take?"

"Three thousand cavalry!"

Han Ling remained silent, but Su Chuo had already spoken up to advise him:
"My lord, is it too late to go to Luoyang now?"

Erzhu Rong has already won the favor of supporting the emperor, and if he goes to Luoyang now, he will be a step too late.

Li Shuang smiled.

"It's better to arrive at the right time than to arrive early!"

……

(End of this chapter)