Memoirs of the Heavenly Khan

Chapter 298 Why Hit Him?
Jinyang.

The siege has lasted for nearly a month, with no progress made; it can be said that all efforts have been in vain!

Upon returning to Jinyang City, Erzhu Rong opened the city's treasury and the animal pens outside the city, taking all the fine wine and livestock to distribute to the soldiers who had accompanied him on the expedition, and feasting for several days.

Inside the Jin Yang Ba Mansion, the dancers' alluring figures captivated the generals who had been drinking.

In addition to distributing fine wine and livestock to reward his soldiers, Erzhu Rong also spent a lot of money to bring in a large entertainment team.

It wasn't just in his own mansion that it existed; it was also in the camps of the six garrisons outside the city.

Erzhu Rong blushed, but he wasn't in the mood to appreciate it at the moment. After drinking some wine, he got up and left.

Back in his study, someone was already waiting for him.

Murong Shaozong stood in the room without drinking any wine. He was a little uneasy after being summoned by Erzhu Rong, wondering what Erzhu Rong wanted to do.
Erzhu Rong, having drunk some wine, staggered and, with the help of Wang Xiang, sat down in his seat.

Wang Xiang was quickly driven out by Erzhu Rong. Erzhu Rong stared at Murong Shaozong, only to see him bow and give a salute.

"You must be cursing me in your heart!" Erzhu Rong said slowly, with a hint of sarcasm. "You might even be thinking that I was so confident not long ago that I would conquer Baibi, but then I found an excuse to retreat!"

Murong Shaozong truly thought so, and even the generals who had followed Erzhu Rong in the tent that day thought so too.

However, even if he thought it to himself, Murong Shaozong dared not say it out loud.

"I dare not!"

With a flushed face, Erzhu Rong raised his head and roared in front of Murong Shaozong.

"Shame on you!"

Murong Shaozong was taken aback, not expecting Erzhu Rong to behave in this way.

"With over 100,000 troops, we were held up by a city for a month, and in the end, we had to retreat under the pretext of rain. Thinking about it now, I still feel frustrated and ashamed!"

Erzhu Rong was already somewhat regretful; he shouldn't have started the war so easily. In fact, Erzhu Rong had taken Murong Shaozong's advice to heart, but he couldn't back down at the time.

Now, he has gained nothing and has to spend a lot of reserves and money to appease his soldiers.

It's a completely unprofitable business.

Of course, the loss of money and grain was not the main concern. What truly worried Erzhu Rong was that the Erzhu clan's military might, which had intimidated the world, would inevitably be questioned after this battle.

That's where the biggest loss lies!

As a subordinate of General Tianzhu, Murong Shaozong always adhered to the duties of a subject, offering appropriate advice at the right time.

At this time, Murong Shaozong was in the same boat.

"The King of Qin has been cultivating his power in Hedong for a long time, and it is clear that he had planned this all along. General Tianzhu, there is no need for you to do this. Even if the positions were reversed, the King of Qin, with his hundreds of thousands of troops, would not be able to break through Baibi City!"

Erzhu Rong laughed and said:
"But the world won't see it that way. They'll only see that from beginning to end, Da Ye Shuang stayed in Chang'an City, never taking me, the Heavenly Pillar General, seriously, and in the end, I could only slink back in disgrace."

As Erzhu Rong spoke, a murderous glint suddenly appeared on his drunken face.

"Just watch, those restless people will jump out one by one."

Murong Shaozong cupped his hands and said:
"The bandits in the Central Plains are not a concern; a few thousand iron cavalry can easily quell them. What I am worried about is Guanzhong!"

Upon hearing Murong Shaozong's words, Erzhu Rong sat up straight, and his expression became serious.

"What do you think!"

"During our attack on Baibi, the King of Qin never left Chang'an. He had at least several thousand cavalry and over ten thousand infantrymen under his command who could have been mobilized to Hedong, but he did not do so, not because he was unwilling, but because he was unable. If the King of Qin had left Chang'an, the troops from the surrounding Qin, Xia, and Ling provinces would have attacked him en masse, and he would probably have been unable to cope."

Murong Shaozong paused for a moment before stating his conclusion.

"Although our army has retreated, the King of Qin is not as at ease as people think. He is also surrounded by dangers and has to be very careful."

Erzhu Rong was pleased to hear this.

Sometimes I really don't know if you know how to talk or not.

Murong Shaozong always tells the truth when he doesn't want to hear it, but the results are drastically different.

"What I am worried about is that after this battle, the King of Qin will not let the situation continue like this. He will surely deal with the governors of the surrounding border counties. Once he unifies the Qin and Long regions and connects with Hebei, he will have no more worries about the rear and will become our greatest enemy."

Erzhu Rong nodded, and Murong Shaozong continued:
"Although our army is backed by Hebei and occupies the Central Plains, and its financial and human resources are far superior to those in Guanzhong, the people in these places are not convinced, and the emperor in Luoyang has long harbored resentment. If that really comes to that, I fear the situation will be reversed."

Luoyang must exist, because Jinyang cannot replace this nominal capital of the Great Wei. However, the city cannot be moved, but the people can.

Erzhu Rong thought for a moment and asked:
"What do you think about moving Yuan Ziyou to Jinyang or Yecheng, placing him under house arrest, and then simply replacing him with a new emperor?"

Murong Shaozong knew that Erzhu Rong had this idea in his heart, but he was still somewhat shocked to hear him say it out loud.

Erzhu Rong's consultation with him on this matter clearly indicated that he considered him a confidant. However, Murong Shaozong felt no pride whatsoever; instead, he remained very cautious.

“Yuan Ziyou has no faults and is well-regarded. He is good at caring for the people. If we rashly change the emperor, it may cause a great uproar. At this time, the situation in the world is better left undisturbed.”

Erzhu Rong stroked his beard, seemingly acknowledging the situation and calming his anger, then asked:
What do you think of Gao Huan and Yuwen Tai?

Without a second thought, Murong Shaozong replied:
"They are all outstanding individuals!"

"Now that we've broken ties with Ohno Sawa, these two should be put to good use!"
-
Changan.

When news of the victory at the Battle of Baibi arrived, the people of Chang'an were overjoyed.

Heba Yue, Yuwen Luosheng, and others who were still fighting also withdrew their troops and returned to their respective cities with the spoils of war.

In the tenth month of winter, Dugu Ru, heavily pregnant, gave birth to her third son, Li Lian; in the twelfth month of winter, Gao Leling gave birth to her fourth son, Li Hui.

The Qin Prince's mansion was filled with a festive atmosphere.

Taking advantage of this event, the tribal chiefs from the grasslands also brought gifts to Chang'an to offer their congratulations.

However, it is true that they are congratulating each other, and it is also true that these grassland tribal leaders, who have been more or less ravaged by Heba Yue and Yuwen Luosheng, want to seek revenge on Li Shuang.

Cao Ni and She Digan, in particular, were quite aggrieved.

They had good relationships with the generals in the Qin King's mansion, and they cried and complained in front of everyone.

"You have no idea, that Heba Yue is a real scoundrel. He besieged Licheng for dozens of days and almost wiped out my entire fortune! In the end, I was practically starving, but he still wouldn't back down. If it weren't for the might of the King of Qin, I probably wouldn't be able to see my brothers again."

Upon hearing this, Shedi Gan also began to curse.

"Even if he's a scoundrel, could he be as scoundrel as Yuwen Luosheng? I've always seen him as a wolf in sheep's clothing, and sure enough, he took the opportunity to bare his teeth at us brothers. If it weren't for my good reputation, She Di Qianqiu, this bastard would have really taken over our family business. How can we set the people in order if we don't crush this scoundrel!"

Upon hearing this, Cao Ni quickly waved his hand.

"No, no, no, no matter how despicable Yuwen Luosheng may be, Xia Prefecture is still poor, and Yuwen Luosheng has limited troops. Heba Yue of Ling Prefecture is the real threat. Now, the entire Ling Prefecture, except for Licheng County, has been subjugated by him. After this battle, Licheng is too ruined to stay in. If I hadn't left early, he would have devoured me completely. If Heba Yue stays in Ling Prefecture for a few more years, he will probably become a tyrant in the Northwest, difficult to deal with. It's more important to deal with him first."

It's clear that although Cao Ni managed to preserve his tribe's forces, he suffered a significant loss.

But there are many people who suffer far more losses than him.

Shedigan quickly replied:

“Lingzhou has long been ravaged by Hu Chen and his gang. Giving Heba Yue another ten years wouldn’t be a problem. But Tongwan City is in a crucial position. It was once the capital of Huxia and can accommodate 50,000 people. Yuwen Luosheng isn’t just one person; his brother Yuwen Tai is the governor of Dongxia Prefecture. I heard that Erzhu Rong has even reinforced Yuwen Tai’s troops. If we let this go unchecked, it could become a major threat, constantly threatening Guanzhong.”

The two sides started arguing, and the argument reached its climax with the arrival of Hou Jing.

"Hou Jing, you be the judge!"

After listening to both sides' opinions, Hou Jing came to a conclusion. "I think we should attack Hebasheng first!"

Upon hearing this, both Cao Ni and She Digan were puzzled.

"Why bother attacking him? He hasn't even taken Wuguan Pass yet!"

Hou Jing replied quite naturally:
"He's the easiest to beat!"

"..."

"The armies of Liang Jun and the Prince of Chenliu are attacking Jingzhou. If our army were to march out of Wuguan now and attack Hebasheng from behind, we might be able to capture him! If we capture Hebasheng, what face would Erzhu Rong have left!"

In Hou Jing's view, Hebasheng, who was highly respected, had made great military achievements, and was now facing a dangerous situation, was the best prey.

Why not take this opportunity to rack up battle merits!
Hou Jing faced joint opposition from Cao Ni and She Digan.

Just as they were arguing, Li Shuang walked in and said with a smile:

"What are you talking about? It's so lively!"

After everyone bowed, they told Li Shuang about the argument.

Li Shuang, dressed in a round-necked robe and wearing a hat, sat on the throne and nodded.

"What you all say makes a lot of sense!"

Hou Jing stepped forward, cupped his hands, and asked:

"Your Majesty, who do you suggest we attack first? I think it would be best to deal with Hebasheng first."

Cao Ni and She Digan also came out and expressed their opinions.

"Attack Hebayue!"

"Attack Yuwen Luosheng!"

……

Seeing that the crowd was arguing again, Li Shuang waved his hand and tried to calm them down:

“Heba Yue is a tyrant in the Northwest, Yuwen Luosheng is the wolf of Xia Prefecture, and Heba Sheng is the tiger of Jing Prefecture. They each control a prefecture and gather refugees; their strength should not be underestimated. Therefore, I intend to…”

Everyone held their breath, waiting for the result.

"—Attack Houmo Chenyue first!"

After Li Shuang finished speaking, everyone was stunned.

Hou Jingdao:
"Your Majesty, Houmo Chenyue is quite honest; he hasn't done anything!"

"Precisely because he did nothing, we should hit him first!"

Everyone was a little confused when Li Shuang said:
"Think about it, Erzhu Rong led an army of over 100,000 to attack Baibi and advance into Guanzhong. The momentum was enormous. If you were on Erzhu Rong's side, would you have let this opportunity pass by and not tried to make some money?"

Everyone nodded subconsciously, then realized something was wrong and quickly shook their heads.

At this moment, someone emerged from the crowd, grinning obsequiously, and said:
“Your Majesty, what are you saying? We are all honest men, how could we take advantage of your misfortune and attack you! Besides, Erzhu Rong is just a Qihu, how could he be worthy of our service! If anyone is to serve, it is Your Majesty!”

Everyone was about to agree when they saw Li Shuang frown.

Li Shuang looked at Cao Ni and asked:

"Who is this person?"

"he is……"

Li Shuang, somewhat impatient, waved his hand before listening to the whole thing and said:
"Drag him away and beat him!"

"I am innocent!"

Li Shuang said:
"I'm not hitting you because you're guilty, but because you're dishonest with me and don't tell the truth!"

The guards in the mansion dragged him away, and as screams came from outside, the leaders of the Hu tribes became somewhat nervous.

"Do you think so?"

When Li Shuang asked the question, everyone nodded in unison.

"Your Majesty is right!"

"Then why doesn't Houmo Chenyue take advantage of this time to go down to Longshan and make some money, instead of doing nothing?"

The group looked at each other, unable to come to a conclusion.

At this moment, Hou Jing tentatively said:

"Is this Houmo Chenyue treacherous and harboring grand schemes?"

After Hou Jing finished speaking, Li Shuang nodded.

"It seems that Wan Jing has already seen through Hou Mochen Yue's evil intentions."

Upon hearing this, Hou Jing became furious. He puffed out his belly, making the belt around his waist seem even more vibrant.

But everyone was still confused, and someone asked:
"But we still don't understand, how is Hou Mochen Yue cunning?"

Li Shuang said:
"Think about it, you're away fighting for months, and Hou Mochen Yue, who lives next door, takes the opportunity to sneak into your women's tents. When you come back, your women are all pregnant and claim that the child is yours."

Upon hearing this, everyone gasped.

“Think about it again. When you women are all pregnant and you are old and lying on your beds, this child suddenly brings back Uncle Hou Mo Chen Yue, who lives next door, saying that he wants to recognize his father.”

At this moment, some people were already clutching their hearts.

"Think about it one last time. You've fought tooth and nail to finally accumulate some wealth, but Hou Mochen Yue, who lives next door, will eventually take all your women and kids back to his own home."

At this point, some people were already experiencing difficulty breathing.

"What I said doesn't even reach one-tenth of Houmochenyue's treachery. Tell me, shouldn't Houmochenyue be punished?"

Upon hearing this, everyone was filled with righteous indignation and came to a unanimous conclusion.

"Such wicked people deserve to be dealt with immediately. Your Majesty, please send troops at once."

Li Shuang nodded in satisfaction.

"I am very pleased that you can see through Houmo Chenyue's ugly face!"

After Li Shuang finished speaking, someone asked:

"Your Majesty, whose woman's tent did Houmo Chenyue sneak into?"

The moment this question was asked, the gossip spirits of everyone in the room were ignited.

Li Shuang looked up at the sky at a 45-degree angle and said:
"That man is strong and mighty, and has a well-known reputation. He can be called a gem of the North and a rare flower of the grasslands. I will not mention his name."

After Li Shuang finished speaking, the tribal chiefs who had recently visited Qin Prefecture all felt that their hats were a bit green.

……

(End of this chapter)