Memoirs of the Heavenly Khan

Chapter 303 You have changed

Lueyang City.

Looking at the soldiers from the Six Garrisons who were being released and shouting below the city, Hou Mochenyue frowned, unsure whether to open the city gates.

Soon, Doulu Guang hurriedly came up and whispered in Houmo Chenyue's ear:
"General, let them enter the city. Otherwise, these defeated soldiers from the six garrisons will be shouting at the city gate, which will damage the morale of the army!"

These troops from the six garrisons were defeated, but they didn't look like defeated soldiers at all. On the contrary, they were very carefree and acted as if they had won a great battle.

Hou Mochenyue naturally knew that letting these people out would damage the morale of the troops, but he was even more worried that letting them into the city would damage the morale of the troops even more.

Do you think Hou Mochenyue doesn't know what kind of people these soldiers from the Six Garrisons are?
Even Erzhu Rong found these people troublesome and difficult to manage, so he could only have Heba Yue and others take them away from Jinyang and place them in the local areas to fend for themselves.

The soldiers from the six garrisons below the city, seeing that Hou Mochenyue had not opened the city gates for a long time, began to curse.

"Houmo Chenyue, what do you mean? Why aren't you opening the city gates? Do you want us to freeze to death in this snow?!"

"Your son-in-law is a good-for-nothing. He lost the city, and we all ended up spending several days in jail because of him. Do you, as his father-in-law, still want to protect him?"

"Houmo Chenyue, you are so disloyal! What kind of person were you back in Hexi? Now that you're the governor, do you not recognize your past?"

……

The words spoken by the soldiers of the six towns below the city became increasingly offensive. Hou Mochen Yue resisted the urge to order his men to fire arrows, but soon after, news arrived that there was unrest in the military camps of the six towns within the city.

The reason why the troops of the Six Garrisons were difficult to deal with was not only because they were good at fighting, but also because they were united.

Since the uprising of the Six Garrisons, these 200,000 people have traveled from the northern border to Hebei, and are now scattered in various places. Having experienced so many ups and downs, they have long since developed a strong sense of cohesion.

This cohesive force is formed after experiencing life and death, transcending ordinary regional or kinship ties.

The reason why the troops of the six garrisons in the city had to move was not only for the sake of their brothers outside the city, but also for their own protection.

It's very simple. Today, Hou Mochen Yue dared not open the city gates because the troops from the Six Garrisons outside the city had returned from Shuiluo City. Tomorrow, he will dare to do the same to them.

Seeing that chaos was about to break out in the city, Hou Mochenyue had no choice but to issue an order.

"Open the city gates and let them in!"

After Hou Mochenyue finished speaking, he was still a little uneasy and added a sentence.

"Keep a close watch on them!"

Hou Mochenyue's order was issued, but there was no way to carry it out.

After the troops from the six garrisons outside the city entered the city, they quickly mixed up with the troops from the six garrisons inside the city, and Hou Mochen Yue's manpower was simply unable to keep an eye on them.

Those who tried to enforce supervision were also beaten up by the soldiers of the Sixth Garrison.

Soon, Hou Mochenyue's wounded subordinate returned to report. Hou Mochenyue looked displeased, but there was nothing he could do.

After all, Yuan Hongjing was primarily responsible for the loss of Shuiluo City, and he is currently in a coma. Wan Qipu was secondarily responsible, but he has already sided with Li Shuang, so Hou Mochenyue has no way to hold him accountable.

The soldiers from the six garrisons outside the city were actually right; they were in the right!

Hou Mochen Yue wanted to apply military law to punish these returning soldiers from the Six Garrisons, but the other soldiers from the Six Garrisons would only think he was causing trouble.

Doulu Guang, standing nearby, advised:
"General, we must prioritize the overall situation!"

Hou Mochenyue's face turned ashen, but after hearing Doulu Guang's words, he could only suppress his anger.

He was appointed governor of Qin Prefecture on the orders of Erzhu Rong, and he only brought six hundred followers with him. These six hundred followers were his core strength and could be completely trusted.

Over the years, his power has gradually grown and expanded, resulting in the formation of multiple factions.

Now that Li Shuang has led his troops up Longxi, Houmo Chenyue has failed to stop him on the Longxi road, thus losing the initiative. The various factions under his command are not a monolithic entity, and seeing this, they have begun to waver.

Li Bi's attitude was very clear; he even told Hou Mochen Yue directly that now was the best time to surrender.

The only one who remained firmly by Houmo Chenyue's side was Hu Bu, a meritorious official from Guanzhong who had a blood feud with Li Shuang.

However, these people alone are not enough.

Hou Mochen Yue can only gain dominance by securing the support of these six garrison troops.

"Let's go see them!"

Just as Hou Mochen Yue was about to leave, Doulu Guang stopped her.

What are you doing?

Hou Mochenyue spoke in a muffled, gruff voice, like a silent bull.

Doulu Guang hurriedly said:

"General, with your complexion, it might not be appropriate for you to meet with those soldiers from the Six Garrisons!"

Hou Mochenyue's face looked as if someone owed him money, like a debt collector, extremely ugly.

Hou Mochen Yue was still angry, and after hearing what Doulu Guang said, he couldn't calm down for a while.

After all, he wasn't a master like Gao Huan or Hou Jing.

After a long pause, Hou Mochenyue managed a weak smile and asked Doulu Guang:
"how?"

Doulu Guang stammered and hesitated, not daring to say that his boss's smile looked even worse.

A single announcement changed Hou Mochenyue's state of mind.

"My lord, Li Bi has taken wine and drinks to reward the soldiers of the Six Garrisons!"

Upon hearing this, Hou Mochenyue, who had been as silent as a bull, changed his expression, his face showing anxiety as if his heart was on fire.

"Quickly, to the military camp in the west of the city."

There was no need to teach him; a smile immediately appeared on his face.

Upon arriving at the camp of the Six Garrisons, Hou Mochenyue discovered that they were preparing to hold a banquet.

Li Bi sat among them, looking quite pleased with himself.

Although the soldiers of the Six Garrisons showed no respect to Hou Mochen Yue's subordinates and attacked without warning, they were still very respectful to Hou Mochen Yue himself.

At least, that's how it appears on the surface.

Hou Mochen Yue was welcomed into the military camp and sat down next to Li Bi. He could sense that although the soldiers of the Six Garrisons were outwardly respectful to him, they had already developed a rift with him.

It wasn't just because Hou Mochen Yue had kept the Six Garrison Soldiers who had returned from Shuiluo City outside the city for a long time, but also because these Six Garrison Soldiers had exchanged information with the Six Garrison Soldiers in the city after their return.

Hou Mochenyue's words immediately displeased the soldiers of the Six Garrisons around him.

"My brothers must be suffering over there with Ohno Sou!"

As soon as Hou Mochenyue finished speaking, someone retorted:

“What suffering could we possibly endure? Doesn’t the governor know us well? There’s no road nowhere. Even though Da Ye Shuang is so ruthless, he still treats us with utmost respect. Hou Jing even came out personally to treat us to fine wine and food for several days.”

These words were clearly a slap in the face to Hou Mochenyue.

Hou Mochen Yue was furious inside, but he could only force a smile – Li Bi was sitting right next to him!

Li Bi remained silent, simply watching quietly.

Hou Mochen Yue smiled apologetically:
"I apologize for keeping you all waiting outside the city. I would like to offer you all a toast as an apology."

Hou Mochenyue's obviously softened words elicited only cursory responses from the crowd.

"Brothers, what's the situation in Shuiluo City?"

Hou Mochen Yue still doesn't understand how Shuiluo City was lost. When he asks this question now, he hasn't let down his guard against the soldiers of the Six Garrisons and is testing them.

“Ōno Sosuke has already occupied the city, and his ten thousand cavalry have arrived. The governor must have seen the scale of the city. The soldiers in the city have either surrendered or died. We were released because Ōno Sosuke wanted us to deliver a message to the governor.” “What message?”

“Governor, Hou Jing told us that Da Ye Shuang’s intention is for you to hand over those people from Guanzhong to him, and he will withdraw his troops and make peace.”

The people of the Six Garrisons believed that Sinicization had caused their former glory to fall into obscurity, and therefore deeply resented the people of Luoyang.

Compared to the people of Luoyang, the people of the Six Towns despised those middlemen who were attached to the Luoyang aristocratic system even more.

Therefore, these soldiers from the Six Garrisons were not angry at Li Shuang's actions; on the contrary, they were secretly gloating.

Hou Mochenyue's expression changed upon hearing this.

Do you think Ohno Sawa's statement is credible?

Hou Mochen Yue would never do something like cutting off his own arm, but the soldiers of the Six Garrisons around him were clearly not on his side.

"The decision of war or peace is not up to us; it is decided by the governor."

Seeing that the atmosphere was a bit awkward, Li Bi spoke up:

"Our brothers have returned! This is a joyous occasion! Let's drink!"

Li Bi only said this one sentence from beginning to end, but after hearing it, the soldiers of the six garrisons all raised their cups, and the atmosphere became lively.

The campfire illuminated a slightly silent face. Hou Mochenyue could clearly sense that he was the only one who felt out of place in this lively atmosphere.

Amidst the laughter and merriment, Hou Mochenyue sensed a crisis!
……

After the banquet, Hou Mochen Yue, his face flushed from drinking, took Li Bi and found a temple outside the military camp to confront him.

"Jinghe, what is your purpose in coming to this military camp?"

Hou Mochenyue's anger was palpable; the pent-up rage and dissatisfaction from before erupted at this moment.

Li Bidao:
"What does the governor mean? The brothers from the six garrisons have returned, and I went to offer my condolences. Is there anything wrong with that?"

"Stop playing dumb. Tell me the truth, did you give Da Ye the news about my contact with Heba Yue?"

Hou Mochenyue had kept these words in his heart for a long time, and today, fueled by alcohol, he finally said them.

In that sense, the two sides have already fallen out.

Li Bi was disappointed, and with a cold laugh, said:
Why do you think it's me?

"Who else could it be but you!"

Li Bi replied:

"I've already stated my opinion: it's better to submit than to be an enemy of the King of Qin. If it were truly me, would I need to be so open and honest with you?"

These words echoed through the palace, and Hou Mochenyue was speechless for a moment.

Li Bi further stated:
"The fact that you're questioning me now shows that you have no idea who betrayed you. The generals and soldiers in Shuiluo City were all personally selected and dispatched by you, and two or three tenths of them had been in contact with Chang'an for a long time. How could there be fewer in Lueyang City?"

Hou Mochen Yue felt irritated upon hearing this, waved his hand, and, fueled by alcohol, roared.

"Stop beating around the bush, I'm just asking you, are you willing to join forces with me to deal with Ohno Sō?"

"Even if I help you, do you think you can defeat the King of Qin?"

"I command over ten thousand elite troops from Qin Prefecture, and we defeated the hundred thousand-strong army of Tuyuhun in a single battle. Which of the surrounding Qiang and Hu tribes doesn't respect us? Now, Da Yeshuang has arrived with several thousand soldiers and some miscellaneous troops from the Jimi Prefecture. With my elite troops and the advantage of terrain, how can I possibly lose?"

"In addition to military equipment and supplies, the most important thing in war is the morale of the people."

When Li Bi spoke about people's hearts, he emphasized it very highly.

"After those people returned from Shuiluo City, the attitude of the Six Garrisons changed; they didn't want to fight anymore. We can't win, why can't you understand that!"

"I do not understand?"

Hou Mochen was furious and let out a cold laugh.

"If you help me, do you think the people of Qinzhou won't be on my side? It's precisely because you've been thinking about making a name for yourself that the people of Qinzhou are like this!"

Upon hearing this, Li Bi became even more furious, and his temper flared up.

"Help you? Then tell me, what do you want to do! You hold onto Qinzhou, occupying its troops, money, and provisions, and then what? Are you going to descend the Longshan Mountains, conquer Guanzhong, and rival the Erzhu clan? What good will holding onto Qinzhou do you? What else do you want me to help you with!"

Just as the two were arguing heatedly, Doulu Guang arrived. Seeing the scene in the palace, he didn't have time to pay attention to the details and hurriedly said:

"The soldiers from the Six Garrisons are fighting with those who fled from Guanzhong!"

Hou Mochen Yue sobered up instantly, feeling a little flustered, and asked:
"what happened?"

“Shedi Gan and Cao Ni led their cavalry to capture all our outposts outside the city. The Guanzhong troops suffered heavy losses, but the places where the Six Garrisons were stationed remained unscathed. After both sides returned, they said the other was a menace, and they started arguing and fighting.”

Hou Mochen Yue didn't have time to argue with Li Bi any longer, and hurriedly gave the order:

"Quickly separate them!"

Doulu Guang felt frustrated upon hearing this. "If I could separate myself from you, would I need to come looking for you?"

Hou Mochen Yue also realized what was happening and said:

"I will personally lead the troops there!"
-
Shuiluo City.

The night was dim, with only a few scattered lights remaining.

The city of Shuiluo, shrouded in wind and snow, resembled a giant beast lurking in the darkness.

Hou Jing hurried into the house, a hint of joy in his eyes. He was still covered in snow, clearly having just returned from outside the city.

Inside the room, Li Shuang was writing something, which Hou Jing didn't even look at. He simply cupped his hands and said:
"Your Majesty, it's done!"

Li Shuang paused, looked up at Hou Jing, and asked:

"How is it?"

"Chaos broke out in Lueyang City. The fighting lasted for most of the night before Houmo Chenyue managed to separate the two sides."

Li Shuang smiled and said:
“It’s not messy enough!”

"Your Majesty understands. Let our men add a few more fires, making it difficult to distinguish friend from foe in Lueyang City."

"That would be too deliberate!"

"What does Your Majesty mean?"

Li Shuang didn't speak, but simply quickened his pace. Hou Jing waited patiently beside him, not in a hurry, until Li Shuang finished writing, picked up the paper, blew on the still-wet ink, and then asked:

"Your Majesty, is there any other action to be taken?"

Li Shuang nodded.

"Take this letter of surrender and have the army scribes make a thousand copies and send them to Lueyang City. Within three days, I want everyone in Lueyang City to see it and know about it."

Hou Jing accepted the letter of surrender and bowed, saying:
"I'll do it now!"

After Hou Jing left, Li Shuang went outside. A cool breeze blew in, instantly dispelling the stuffiness that had accumulated from being indoors for so long.

He looked up at the sky. Before dawn, the night was at its deepest, like thick ink that could not be dissolved.

Li Shuang couldn't help but sigh:
"This snow should stop!"

……

(End of this chapter)