Memoirs of the Heavenly Khan

Chapter 291 How can they be the same?
Jinyang.

A heavy rain fell, and the banks of the Fen River were shrouded in the bleakness of autumn. The chill of autumn, however, did not bring a trace of desolation to the brightly lit General Tianzhu's Mansion.

When Yuan Tianmu, the sworn brother of General Tianzhu, arrived in Jinyang from his fiefdom as the eldest son, Erzhu Rong prepared an extremely grand banquet for him.

During a break in the banquet, Yuan Tianmu returned to his residence, and Erzhu Tianguang took the opportunity to come to his room.

Unlike the garrison tents of the Six Garrisons outside Jinyang City, which were short of food and clothing, the Prince of Shangdang's house was well-lit with charcoal. Before Yuan Tianmu returned, the servants lit the charcoal fire to warm the house so that the sworn brother of General Tianzhu would not feel uncomfortable when he returned to rest.

Within the Erzhu clan, there were hardliners who advocated for Guanzhong, as well as peacemakers.

Two representatives of the pacifist faction gathered in a room, Erzhu Tianguang looking worried.

"Uncle, news has come from Chang'an that my father is considering launching a military campaign."

If war breaks out between Jinyang and Chang'an, it is not what Erzhu Tianguang wants to see.

Similarly, Yuan Tianmu did not want to see it.

Brotherly affection was one factor. In addition, Yuan Tianmu was also quite aware that the Erzhu clan's rule was not stable at the moment. Once war broke out, how would Yuan Tianmu, the King of Shangdang who was dependent on the Erzhu clan, deal with himself?
Yuan Tianmu stroked his beard, feeling somewhat fortunate.

"Fortunately, that simpleton Erzhu Zhao wasn't in Jinyang, otherwise, if he had instigated it, Tianbao might have been persuaded by him."

Erzhu Zhao was brave but lacked strategic acumen. Erzhu Rong assessed him as only capable of leading three thousand cavalry, but among the northern peoples, represented by the Qihu, his type of general was highly regarded. Therefore, as the Erzhu clan grew stronger, Erzhu Zhao's position within the clan rose increasingly higher.

"Then what should we do?"

"I tried my best to persuade him at the banquet just now. In the end, this idea has always been in Tianbao's mind. However, this matter is not enough to make Tianbao make up his mind."

Yuan Tianmu knew that Erzhu Rong was aware of the price he had paid to seize control of the Northern Wei. Although he saw these costs as the necessary steps to reach the pinnacle of power, this did not mean that Erzhu Rong was blind to the thorny dangers lurking along the path to power.

If you fall, you'll be smashed to pieces.

Yuan Tianmu felt a bit hot in the room, so he opened the window. A gust of autumn wind blew in, and he felt much more comfortable.

"As long as Tianbao understands the pros and cons himself, there is nothing to worry about."

Erzhu Tianguang felt reassured upon hearing this.

But at that moment, the entire Tianzhu General's Mansion suddenly became noisy.

Yuan Tianmu and Erzhu Tianguang looked at each other, neither of them understanding why this sudden change had occurred.
They came out of the house, and it was clear that a large number of Qihu soldiers had been transferred into the mansion.

The Ba Mansion in Jinyang was built according to the regulations of a royal residence.

After the Qihu soldiers in black armor entered, a large number of generals were also summoned into the mansion by Erzhu Rong.

The hall where the banquet was to be held was now empty; all the generals had been summoned to the square of the side hall where Erzhu Rong usually lived.

Yuan Tianmu arrived at this place with Erzhu Tianguang and saw that the generals were also confused and did not know what had happened!
Yuan Tianmu bypassed the crowd and went directly to Murong Shaozong.

"What happened at the banquet just now?"

Others may not know Murong Shaozong's abilities, but Yuan Tianmu does. Murong Shaozong is a man of few words, but he is very perceptive.

When Yuan Tianmu asked him, Murong Shaozong told him everything he knew.

"At the banquet just now, Wang Xiang, the attendant of General Tianzhu, said a few words to him, and then General Tianzhu left. Not long after, General Tianzhu ordered the mobilization of troops."

After Murong Shaozong finished speaking, he told Yuan Tianmu his conjecture.

"This matter must be related to Luoyang!"

Upon hearing this, Yuan Tianmu's expression darkened, and he sighed:

“The tree wants to be still, but the wind does not stop!”

Murong Shaozong advised:

"Just now, the roar of General Tianzhu came from the palace. He was extremely angry. King of Shangdang, you should be careful!"

"Thank you for telling me, I will remember this favor!"

Yuan Tianmu led Erzhu Tianguang forward, intending to see Erzhu Rong. The Qihu soldiers in front of the palace blocked Erzhu Tianguang, but did not stop Yuan Tianmu.

Outside the palace, there was only the King and his minister.

Before Yuan Tianmu entered the hall, he walked to his side and asked a question in a low voice.

"What exactly happened?"

Wang Xiang was trusted by Erzhu Rong, and Erzhu Rong had entrusted him with the responsibility of maintaining the connection between Jinyang and Luoyang over the years.

At this moment, the more Yuan Tianmu knew, the more composed he would be when entering the hall later.

Knowing the relationship between Yuan Tianmu and Erzhu Rong, Wang Xiang remained silent, unlike how he would treat others.

"Xi Yi sent account books from Luoyang, which are related to salt in Hedong."

Upon hearing this, Yuan Tianmu knew things were going badly.

"Has Big Brother arrived?"

At this moment, Erzhu Rong's voice came from the side hall. His voice was unusually calm, which made Yuan Tianmu's heart even more conflicted.

Yuan Tianmu really hoped that Erzhu Rong was in the angry state that Murong Shaozong had described. At least that would show that Erzhu Rong was still struggling with his feelings.

Yuan Tianmu opened the palace door and went inside.

The side hall was dimly lit, and the maids hadn't had time to light the candles. Only a few slivers of light flickered on the short table beside Erzhu Rong.

Erzhu Rong sat on the couch in the side hall, with a box of account books in front of him.

He hadn't finished reading all the ledgers; he had only just put down the general ledger in his hand.

"Tianbao, what exactly happened?"

“I’ve always wanted to find out about the salt tax in Hedong, and I’ve been sending people to investigate for years. Recently, Xi Yi found some salt tax ledgers from the time of Empress Hu’s reign in Luoyang. Do you know how much our third brother gave to Yuan Xu back then?”

Yuan Tianmu did not answer. He knew that Erzhu Rong did not want him to answer, but was venting his anger.

Erzhu Rong stood up, picked up the account book again, and threw it heavily on the ground.

"Over the years, Ohno Sou has given me less than he gave Yuan Xu back then!"

This sound, like a thunderclap, resounded throughout the side hall, and Erzhu Rong's anger reached its peak at this moment.

Yuan Tianmu picked up the ledger from the ground and glanced at the numbers.

To be precise, Li Shuang gave Erzhu Rong more than he gave Yuan Xu. However, Erzhu Rong obviously didn't calculate it that way; he also included the money Li Shuang gave to the officials in Luoyang.

In other words, the salt tax paid by Hedong to Jinyang now is much less than what was paid to Luoyang back then.

"Tianbao, what do you want?"

"My mind is made up. We will stockpile provisions and soon launch an attack to pacify Guanzhong!"

Yuan Tianmu knew that once Erzhu Rong made a decision, he wouldn't easily change it. However, at this moment, Yuan Tianmu still intended to try to persuade him.

"Tianbao, you must think this through carefully. Once war breaks out, it will be difficult to end it. There's something wrong with these account books!"

Erzhu Rong looked at his sworn brother with a complicated expression, and simply said:

"These ledgers are genuine!"

Yuan Tianmu nodded without refuting, as he also knew that the account book was genuine.

"I'm not talking about the authenticity of the ledgers, but rather the timing of their delivery..."

Before Yuan Tianmu could finish speaking, Erzhu Rong interrupted him.

"If we're still brothers, then let's not say any more!"

Upon seeing this, Yuan Tianmu sighed inwardly, bowed respectfully, and withdrew from the hall.

Seeing Yuan Tianmu's actions, Erzhu Rong's anger surged again, and he cursed:
"Ohno Sō, you've gone too far! Do you think I'm a beggar?!"
-
Chang'an. "My second brother is really something. He said he wanted to increase it by 30%, and I did. Now he's clamoring to send troops. He's so stingy."

When news of Erzhu Rong's impending military action arrived, it was not brought by Yuan Tianmu or Erzhu Tianguang, who were on good terms with Li Shuang in Bingzhou.

In fact, after Erzhu Rong decided to launch a military campaign, they proactively cut off all contact with Chang'an.

It was Yuan Ziyou's subordinates in Luoyang who brought this news.

"His Majesty is well aware of the difficulties faced by the Prince of Qin, and has ordered me to risk my life to inform him so that the Prince of Qin may take precautions. His Majesty will also advise General Tianzhu. His Majesty still hopes that the Prince of Qin and General Tianzhu can join hands to protect the land of Great Wei."

"Your Majesty's intentions are clear to me. I hope the messenger will inform Your Majesty that the situation in Luoyang is complex and that Your Majesty should take heed!"

After the messenger left, Hou Jing stepped forward and spat.

"Your Majesty, who did this?"

Li Shuang said:
"They're just a few people anyway, they've become unimportant now. It seems Erzhu Rong is determined to compete with me!"

News from Hedong indicates that a large amount of supplies have been delivered to Baima, the county seat of Pingyang, and a large number of troops are gathering in Jinyang.

In addition, Erzhu Rong was also mobilizing troops and making arrangements for military and political affairs in various prefectures and counties, as if preparing for a major battle.

Hou Jing was somewhat worried and said:

"Your Majesty, Erzhu Rong can mobilize at least 200,000 troops, while we here, even including those Zhechongfu soldiers, only have 80,000. Moreover, Heba, Yuwen, Houmochen and others will not just stand by and watch; we must not let those northerners take advantage of the situation."

Li Shuang smiled and asked:

"Use your strengths to attack others' weaknesses."

What does Your Majesty mean?

"What kind of warfare is Erzhu Rong best at?"

Hou Jing thought for a moment, then quickly said:

"Pretend to be weak, wait for the enemy to be trapped, then launch a flanking attack to divide and encircle them, and then lead the heavily armored troops to charge and crush the enemy."

Although Hou Jing was familiar with Erzhu Rong's military tactics, he was no match for him when they actually met.

It's like how everyone can read Sun Tzu's Art of War, but there have only been a handful of generals of Han Xin, Bai Qi, Wei Qing, and Huo Qubing throughout history.

"This approach works in the Central Plains, but it might not work in Guanzhong! We need to set up layers of defenses and slow down the enemy step by step. Even if Erzhu Rong can mobilize hundreds of thousands of troops, he can't bring them all to Guanzhong. Let's deal with our rear concerns first."

"Whom does Your Majesty mean by 'worries about the future'?"

There are several states like Qin, Xia, Ling, and Jing that could be considered potential threats from the rear.

Li Shuang smiled.

"Whoever jumps out first will become a source of worry for the future!"

A report came from outside.

"Your Majesty, Lady Erzhu has arrived and wishes to see you!"

Upon hearing this, Hou Jing lowered his head and withdrew first. Li Shuang beckoned for Erzhu Ying'e to come in.

At this moment, Erzhu Ying'e was still somewhat weak, and her face was streaked with tears, as if she had just been crying.

"Third Uncle, is Father going to attack Guanzhong?"

"Who did you listen to?"

Upon hearing Li Shuang's words, Erzhu Ying'e couldn't help but shed tears.

"Third Uncle, is it all because I'm useless that Father is like this?"

"What are you thinking? What does this have to do with you!"

Li Shuang comforted her, pulling Erzhu Ying'e into his arms. Still somewhat agitated, she nestled against him and whispered:
"If all else fails, I will go to Jinyang and stop my father from sending troops. If he refuses, I will die in front of him."

Li Shuang smiled and said:

"This matter didn't start because of you, so how could it end because of you?"

Li Shuang patted Erzhu Ying'e on the shoulder and said:

"Ying'e, you have been in my household for many years, yet you still have no official title. I have thought about it and feel that it is truly unfair to you. Therefore, I hereby bestow upon you the title of concubine, placing you below Aru and Mingyue. What do you think?"

Erzhu Ying'e raised her head, and the grievances that had been building up in her heart for many years burst forth, her expression somewhat agitated.

"Uncle San, I..."

"Fool, you should call me husband!"
-
Jinzhou.

Gao Huan inspected the front lines and then returned to his residence.

Wei Jing asked:

"How is it?"

Even before Erzhu Rong decided to launch his attack, there had been activity in Baibi City. Now, seeing Jinyang mobilizing troops on a large scale, the opposing side has stopped its pretense.

Recently, waves of troops have been continuously reinforcing Baibi City. The city has stored a large amount of grain, salt, and military supplies, clearly indicating that it is prepared to fight the enemy.

"This battle seems unavoidable!"

Gao Huan came to this conclusion. However, unlike Erzhu Zhao, he didn't dance with joy as if he had found a great treasure, nor did he seem particularly worried.

The reason is simple: before, he had to face everything alone in Jinzhou, and he had to bear the consequences of any mistakes alone. But now that Erzhu Rong is personally involved, Gao Huan is actually much more relaxed.

"Tell Zhaojun and her sister to restrain the people in the mansion from going out unnecessarily in the coming days."

"They!"

"what happened?"

Wei Jing said:
"They sent a wedding invitation in Chang'an in my younger sister's name, saying that Da Ye Shuang is going to take a concubine. They're so touched!"

Gao Huan looked speechless and asked:

"What business is it of theirs if Ohno Sawa wants to take a concubine?"

"Who says it's none of our business!"

As Gao Loujin's voice came, Gao Huan turned around and saw her walking towards him.

Gao Loujin said:

"Look at King Qin! General Tianzhu wanted to beat him, but he didn't care. Instead, he took Da Erzhu as his concubine. He's truly a man of great loyalty and righteousness!"

"..."

Seeing this, Gao Huan couldn't help but say:

“Brother-in-law usually takes concubines, but you didn’t say that, sister.”

"How can that be the same!"

Seeing this, Gao Huan immediately backed down.

"Sister is right!"

Gao Loujin pointed at Wei Jing and cursed:
"Go home early tonight and don't wander around outside. If I find out you're going to a nightclub again, you'll be in big trouble!"

Wei Jing repeatedly said he wouldn't dare, but after Gao Loujin left, Wei Jing leaned closer and whispered in Gao Huan's ear:
Why did Ohno Sora take Da Erzhu as a concubine at this time?

Gao Huan smiled and said:
"Naturally, it's to tell the world that he didn't betray the Erzhu family, and at the same time, it's to tell the world that he and Erzhu Rong are no longer brothers!"

……

(End of this chapter)