Memoirs of the Heavenly Khan

Chapter 288 What’s wrong?
Jinyang.

A bloodcurdling scream echoed from the mansion of General Tianzhu.

A group of Erzhu clan members lay prostrate on the ground, trembling.

These usually arrogant and domineering members of the Erzhu clan were all terrified when faced with the enraged Erzhu Rong, and were as frightened as children.

Only Erzhu Zhao stood firm, never uttering a sound no matter how many lashes Erzhu Rong lashed him.

"You little brat, Erzhu Tumo, you've grown wings and now I can't handle you!"

Erzhu Zhao was covered in bloody welts from being whipped, but he looked at Erzhu Rong without any fear.

"Uncle, it was wrong of me to hide Da Ye Shuang's grain from you, but I don't think I did anything wrong!"

Erzhu Rong sneered, narrowed his eyes, and said:
"Is it your fault or mine?"

Erzhu Zhao glanced at Erzhu Rong and said firmly:

"Yes, Uncle, you're wrong!"

Enraged, Erzhu Rong drew the sword of his attendant Wang Xiang and roared:

"You beast, I'll kill you!"

Murong Shaozong rushed forward, embraced Erzhu Rong, and advised:

"General Tianzhu, no! Tumo, why aren't you leaving!"

Erzhu Zhao listened to Murong Shaozong's words without any emotion, and instead coldly replied:

"Murong Shaozong, I don't appreciate your kindness. If my uncle wants to kill me, then so be it!"

Erzhu Zhao stuck his head out, looking ready to chop at anyone who wanted to, showing no fear whatsoever.

Hearing this, none of the Erzhu clan members dared to stop them; they all kept their distance.

However, it was Murong Shaozong, Chilie Yanqing, and other outsiders who held onto Erzhu Rong tightly.

Just then, Princess Beixiang rushed over and, seeing the situation, quickly advised:

"Tumo, what are you doing here? Run!"

Princess Beixiang was Erzhu Rong's principal wife, and Erzhu Zhao respected her greatly. He hesitated at first, but as Erzhu Rong's knife drew ever closer, Erzhu Zhao got up and ran away as fast as he could.

"Let me go!"

Seeing that Erzhu Zhao had escaped, Murong Shaozong and the others finally let go. Erzhu Rong was filled with rage but could not vent it, and those who tried to stop him were whipped several times.

After Erzhu Rong finished venting his anger, Princess Beixiang advised him from the side:

"What did Tumo do to make you so angry? Even if he did something wrong, we're still family, why are you so upset?"

"What did he do?" Erzhu Rong sneered. "He colluded with Erzhu Shilong and those people from Luoyang to steal a batch of grain from my third brother."

Princess Beixiang frowned slightly upon hearing this.

"Tumo is really muddle-headed!"

Erzhu Rong patted his face and said:

"My third brother even wrote me a letter, saying he would send me the batch of grain that Erzhu Zhao had stolen!"

Princess Beixiang nodded and said:

"I've told that kid Tu Mo so many times not to make things difficult for Third Brother. Does he think he's a match for Third Brother? He's just asking for trouble!"

Erzhu Rong was very dissatisfied upon hearing this.

"Does it matter? How can I save face after this kid did these things?"

In Erzhu Rong's mind, if Erzhu Zhao stole Li Shuang's grain and wasn't caught by Li Shuang, then it really wasn't a big deal.

Who knows, Erzhu Rong might secretly reward Erzhu Zhao with something.

But now that Li Shuang has caught Erzhu Zhao red-handed, this is purely a matter of face.

Enraged, Erzhu Rong threw down his whip and went back inside.

Princess Beixiang looked at the group of people in the room and gave the following instructions:

"It's all gone!"

……

A few days later, led by Princess Beixiang, Erzhu Zhao came to Erzhu Rong to apologize, carrying thorns on his back. "Uncle, I was wrong!"

Erzhu Zhao knelt on the ground, his face streaked with tears.

"Alright, Tianbao, Tumo knows he was wrong, so please forgive him!"

At first, Erzhu Rong ignored it, but after being persuaded by Princess Beixiang, he waved his sleeve and cursed.

"Woman!"

Seeing this, Princess Beixiang knew that Erzhu Rong had calmed down.

"Alright, I'm a woman, okay? I'll go get some wine and food for you two, uncle and nephew."

Erzhu Rong stood up and looked at Erzhu Zhao, who was kneeling on the ground covered in wounds. In the end, he still felt a little sorry for him.

"Those lashes must have hurt!"

"You did something to anger your uncle, so you deserve to suffer the consequences!"

Do you know what you did wrong?

“I shouldn’t have done these things behind my uncle’s back,” Erzhu Zhao said, raising his head to look at Erzhu Rong with sincere eyes. “I know you like Tian Guang more than me, but I don’t think what he said makes sense.”

What do you mean?

"He said we shouldn't be enemies with Da Yeshuang, but I think he's completely wrong. In the entire Great Wei, who dares to defy my Erzhu clan? It's none other than Da Yeshuang! He's recruiting soldiers in Guanzhong, completely disregarding my Erzhu clan. Uncle, do you know that Da Yeshuang is secretly in contact with Yuan Ziyou? What is he trying to do? Isn't he trying to replace you and become the next Heavenly Pillar General?"

Erzhu Rong looked at Erzhu Zhao with great patience and a smile on his face.

"What do you think should be done?"

"While Da Yeshuang has not yet reorganized the garrison troops inside and outside Guanzhong, we will gather elite troops, break through Baibi, enter Guanzhong, and seize Chang'an."

Erzhu Rong asked:
"If I were to fight my third brother as you suggest, and the war reached a stalemate, what would happen if Hebei descended into chaos?"

“Those Han people in Hebei can be pacified by someone like Hou Yuan.”

"What if Chen Qingzhi, Lan Qin, and the like go north again? What then?"

Erzhu Zhao had been beaten by Chen Qingzhi, so he was somewhat insecure.

Upon seeing this, Erzhu Rong said again:

"Is Emperor Yuan Ziyou in Luoyang only involved with his third brother? He also has close ties with the powerful families of Hebei. Erzhu Shilong wants to become Yuan Ziyou's brother-in-law, do you want to be too?"

"Of course not!"

Erzhu Rong sighed:

"Although my Erzhu clan has gained half of the country, it is not secure. Not only in the Great Wei, but also in the Liang Kingdom, how many people are hoping that my third brother and I will fight each other? Don't you know that?"

"But if we don't deal with Ohno Sō now, when will we?"

Erzhu Rong looked at Erzhu Zhao and said:
"That's where you're wrong!"

"I don't understand what you mean, Uncle!"

"What good has it done to break ties with your third brother over those 120,000 shi of grain? Even if your third brother can't find out in the end and you manage to get away with it, so what? It's just 120,000 shi of grain, does it have anything to do with the big picture?"

Erzhu Zhao heeded Erzhu Rong's words.

"Then what constitutes the big picture?"

"Salt from Hedong!"

Erzhu Rong's expression turned somewhat grave, and he said:

“At the height of the Great Wei Dynasty, salt taxes from Hedong accounted for two to three tenths of Luoyang’s revenue. But now, I don’t know what’s going on there, and neither does anyone in Luoyang. Only my third brother knows. That’s what we should really be worried about.”

“I understand. I will keep an eye on the salt lake in Hedong next.”

"You can't do it alone, you need to find a smart person to help you."

"Uncle, are you referring to He Liuhun?"

Erzhu Rong smiled.

"At least you're not completely muddle-headed."

……

(End of this chapter)