Memoirs of the Heavenly Khan

Chapter 251 We're All on the Same Side

On the banks of the Fen River, in the post station pavilion.

The roaring fire in the stove dispelled the cold.

Yuan Ziyou's edict of self-reproach arrived from Shangdang, and it was finally time for Baibi City to withdraw its troops.

In fact, Erzhu Rong was also starting to feel the strain.

It wasn't the pressure of food supplies, but rather that after Yuan Tianmu was defeated by Chen Qingzhi once again in Henan, there were already some signs of instability in Hebei.

Before parting, Erzhu Rong and Li Shuang said their goodbyes in the pavilion.

"Third brother, I don't know when we will meet again after this parting. There is something I want to say, but I don't know if I should."

"Second Brother, please speak freely!"

Li Shuang and Erzhu Rong sat together, while Erzhu Tianguang, Gao Huan, Hou Jing, and others stood beside them.

“We rose from Heng and Si, and have served under many generations. Now, our third brother favors Han people over Dai people, which has caused many complaints!”

Gao Huan, who was standing nearby, frowned slightly upon hearing this, unsure of what Erzhu Rong was thinking.

After listening, Li Shuang laughed and said:
"Second brother is so foolish!"

Erzhu Rong's expression changed.

Perhaps only Li Shuang would dare to speak like this in front of the current General Tianzhu.

"Second brother, think about it, what are those people who complain to you really thinking?"

After listening, Erzhu Rong asked:

"What do you mean, Third Brother?"

"No matter how many Han soldiers I have, they are less than 30,000. But the troops in the six garrisons around Jinyang originally numbered over 200,000, not to mention the Hu people in Guanzhong, Hebei and other places. Their numbers far exceed those of the Han soldiers under my command..."

Li Shuang paused here, and seeing Erzhu Rong's thoughtful expression, continued:

"—And they are far more numerous than the Qihu soldiers under my elder brother's command!"

Upon hearing this, Gao Huan's expression changed.

The Erzhu clan subdued the world by force, but the Qihu soldiers, who could serve as the core fighting force, numbered only about ten thousand, which was far too few and could not compare to the Xianbei and Tiele soldiers.

Erzhu Rong, as the Grand General of Tianzhu, seemed to be enjoying boundless glory, but if he suffered a major defeat and lost more than half of his Qihu soldiers, the Erzhu clan's empire would likely collapse.

Having served under Erzhu Rong for so long, Gao Huan knew that Erzhu Rong was also aware of the fatal weaknesses of the Erzhu clan's rule, and he had made attempts to remedy these weaknesses.

That would mean making himself the common ruler of all Northerners.

Whether they were Xianbei, Qihu, Tiele, or Han Chinese from the Six Garrisons, in the eyes of the officials in the Luoyang court, they all belonged to the Northern people.

Erzhu Rong heavily relied on renowned generals from the north, such as the Heba brothers, and tried to win over capable military officers from the Six Garrisons, including Gao Huan, while also attempting to absorb the brave and elite troops of the Six Garrisons...

All of this was done to make himself the de facto leader of the Northerners, thereby suppressing the Celestial Dragons whom Luoyang had already deeply offended.

However, firstly, the time was too short, and secondly, many of the Erzhu clan's members were cruel. Erzhu clan suppressed the Six Garrisons' troops by resorting to force, which led to several rebellions by the Six Garrisons' troops.

Erzhu Rong then separated the more than 15,000 troublesome soldiers from the Six Garrisons, allowing the Heba brothers and others to lead their troops away from Jinyang.

Gao Huan was also one of the beneficiaries.

Gao Huan was a smart man, and he naturally understood what Erzhu Rong was most worried about.

But he didn't expect Li Shuang to say it directly.

So blatantly brazen!
"Second brother, so many high-ranking officials in Luoyang have died, leaving so many vacant positions. Those people who complain to you could have been trusted subordinates of General Tianzhu in Jinyang. Does that mean they can't become new high-ranking officials if they go to Luoyang?"

Don't be fooled by the poor appearance of the northerners; they are plotting a rebellion against the imperial court in Luoyang.

However, some meritorious officials among the Northerners could switch between their status as Northerners and those of the Heavenly Dragons of Luoyang.

Erzhu Rong is no good!
It wasn't just that he killed high-ranking officials, but also because he was a Qihu person.

Erzhu Rong listened, his expression complex. After a long while, he burst into laughter. "I was just saying that, Third Brother, and you took it seriously."

Erzhu Rong smiled, and Li Shuang laughed heartily as well.

"I was just saying that casually, Second Brother, just take it as it comes!"

That's what they said, but after they finished, the atmosphere between them became quite subtle.

After a casual chat, the two said their goodbyes.

Erzhu Rong sent Erzhu Tianguang to see Li Shuang off. As he watched Li Shuang and the others walk away, Erzhu Rong's expression darkened.

"He Liuhun, why do you think my third brother just told me all this?"

Gao Huan stood beside Erzhu Rong, watched as Erzhu Rong stood up, took a few steps back, and bowed slightly.

"I believe that what the King of Qin said is not without merit!"

Erzhu Rong turned his head and saw Gao Huan with his head down.

"I heard you married your sister to your third brother?"

Gao Huan took a slight breath upon hearing this. He knew Erzhu Rong was suspicious of him, but he didn't hide anything and said:

"The person has already been sent over, and the wedding will be held soon!"

Erzhu Rong smiled and asked again:
"Why don't you marry your sister to a member of my Erzhu clan? Is it because of your third brother's status as a member of the Longxi Li clan?"

Gao Huan made no attempt to conceal anything, telling Erzhu Rong everything he knew.

"To be honest, General Tianzhu, it's not that no Erzhu clan members have taken a liking to my sister, but she dislikes them because she finds them too rough and uncouth and their appearances unsightly. I had no choice but to pay for her dowry and send her over."

Erzhu Rong burst into laughter after hearing this.

"Tell me, where does Third Brother's statement make any sense?"

"General Tianzhu commands the world with his military might, but if he wishes to stabilize the world, he still needs to win the hearts of the scholars and officials!"

Gao Huan uttered a pointless remark, but Erzhu Rong found it quite pleasing.

The most correct statement is often nonsense.

……

"Your Majesty, I was watching from the side just now. After you said those words, General Tianzhu's expression was unpleasant, and he seemed to be angry!"

Hou Jing, riding on horseback beside Li Shuang, said...

"I said those things precisely to anger him!"

Hou Jing asked, puzzled:
"Why?"

“After my second brother became the Heavenly Pillar General, everyone started to cater to his wishes. If I anger him, he will remember it for a long time. He will eventually realize that his biggest threat is not me.”

Hou Jing didn't understand, so he asked again:
"But now in the Wei Kingdom, only Your Majesty can rival General Tianzhu. Who else can threaten General Tianzhu?"

Li Shuang smiled and said:

"The state of the world and people's hearts are the biggest threat to my second brother. Even though he is a brilliant military strategist and has unparalleled military prowess, his identity as a Qihu person means that many people in this world will not submit to him, even those who are currently under his command and speak very well of him."

After listening, Hou Jing sighed:

"That guy is such a jerk!"

Erzhu Tianguang listened to their conversation from the side, his cheeks beaded with sweat, looking extremely nervous.

"Third Uncle, I'm still right here. How can you say that to my face?"

"Isn't this because I'm not treating you like an outsider?"

"..."

(End of this chapter)