Memoirs of the Heavenly Khan

Chapter 313 One should be upright and honest in one's conduct.

Shaanxi City.

Gao Qian stood nervously outside the house. Today, he was finally granted an audience with his younger brother.

The previous meetings all ended unhappily, and Gao Qian knew in his heart that it would be very difficult to get his younger brother to betray Li Shuang.

However, he had no choice but to bite the bullet and go through with it.

After Yuan Ziyou rejected Erzhu Rong's memorial requesting the Nine Bestowments, Erzhu Rong's men, including Erzhu Shilong, took turns "advising" him in Luoyang. Even Yuan Tianmu, the Prince of Shangdang, went to Luoyang to present the facts and reason with him!

Where did you, Yuan Ziyou, get your throne? Without Erzhu Rong, where would you be? Do you not want to be emperor anymore?
Yuan Ziyou's attitude was very tough: "If you're so capable, then replace me!"
Even Erzhu Shilong and Yuan Tianmu could not subdue Yuan Ziyou.

Yuan Ziyou was a puppet, but he was still the emperor. Back then, even when Emperor Cao Mao of Cao Wei only had a few hundred guards and servants left, he could still splatter Sima Zhao's face with blood.

Yuan Ziyou is in a much better situation now than Cao Mao was back then.

He stubbornly resisted, and no one had a good solution. With Cheng Ji's example as a warning, who dared to be the next Cheng Ji?
As long as no one wants to be the next Cheng Ji, then Yuan Ziyou's reckless attitude is invincible.

At least, before Erzhu Rong marched south, no one in Luoyang had a good solution.

Gao Qian understood that Yuan Ziyou was preparing for the final blow.

The Bohai Gao clan would not side with Erzhu Rong, and Gao Qian had no choice but to accept it. Ever since he planned to meet Yuan Ziyou, he had been dragged onto the ship by Yuan Ziyou.

Gao Ang was sitting in the room, and when he saw his elder brother arrive, he seemed very uneasy.

Gao Qian was puzzled. His younger brother had always been arrogant and looked down on everyone. Why was he acting like this now?

"Brother, you've come!"

Gao Ang bowed respectfully, which surprised Gao Qian, who laughed and said:

"When did you become so polite, kid?"

"Brother, you jest!"

Gao Qian was about to sit in the main seat with Gao Ang when Gao Ang turned around and sat in the guest seat instead. Gao Qian was slightly taken aback, but he didn't say anything and sat down next to his younger brother.

"Third brother, there's something I want to tell you!"

"Brother, please speak freely!"

Gao Qian looked at his younger brother, took a deep breath, adjusted his mindset, and after a period of internal struggle, finally spoke up.

"I wish to borrow troops from you!"

"Borrowing troops?"

Gao Ang agreed without much thought.

"Alright, I'll give you two hundred sets of books. Take them back to Su County!"

Gao Qian looked sullen upon hearing this.

"I want to borrow more!"

"More? How much do you want to borrow?"

Seeing his younger brother's puzzled look, Gao Qian mustered his courage and said:

"I want to borrow five thousand soldiers!"

"Five thousand? Where did I get five thousand chapters from?"

Gao Ang initially thought Gao Qian was asking to borrow troops to cause trouble in Bohai, and that giving him two hundred troops wouldn't be a problem, since they were all his brothers. But he never expected Gao Qian to ask for so many troops all at once.

"Don't you have an elite force under your command?"

Gao Qian's answer angered Gao Ang, who said:
"These are not my troops; they were ordered to be led by the King. How can they be handed over privately!"

The retainers are private property; if Gao Qian wanted them, Gao Gao could give them all to him. After all, they all belong to the Gao family.

Gao Qian, naturally aware of his younger brother's predicament, sighed:
"I had no choice!"

"What do you need these five thousand soldiers for?"

Gao Qian looked around and whispered:
"To be honest, His Majesty intends to assassinate Erzhu Rong!"

Gao Qian thought Gao Ang would be shocked to hear this explosive news, but to his surprise, Gao Ang's reaction was indifferent.

"His Majesty wants to recruit you and your troops, and he has promised to make you a king if things go well!"

Gao Ang, whose face was originally indifferent, suddenly changed upon hearing these words and advised:
"Stop talking nonsense!"

Seeing Gao Ang's expression, Gao Qian ignored the deeper meaning in his younger brother's words and quickened his pace, saying:
“I know you’re in a difficult position, but there’s a way! If Erzhu Rong dies, wouldn’t that benefit Da Ye Shuang? Whether it succeeds or not, we have to take the gamble. You’ve served under Da Ye Shuang for so many years, and he only gave you the rank of Grand General after all your merits. You should think more about your options and leave yourself a way out! If Yuan Ziyou succeeds, you’ll become a king, which is much better than being a Grand General under Da Ye Shuang!”

As Gao Qian was speaking, he noticed that his younger brother was fidgeting.

"What’s wrong with you?"

Gao Ang stood up abruptly and said:

"What king or not? My loyalty is as clear as the sun and moon, how could a mere title shake it?"

Gao Qian had expected Gao Ang to drive him away in a fit of anger, but to his surprise, he laughed and said:

"What's the use of your professed loyalty? Ohno Sou isn't even here!"

As soon as he finished speaking, a burst of laughter was heard from the adjacent side room.

"Qian Yong, it's been a long time!"

Li Shuang's voice made Gao Qian stand up abruptly. He glanced at his younger brother, his eyes filled with shock.

Gao Ang, however, acted as if he hadn't seen Gao Qian's gaze and simply avoided it.

"Your Majesty!"

After bowing respectfully, Gao Qian followed beside Li Shuang. Li Shuang looked at Gao Qian with a grin and asked:
"Qian Yong, don't blame me for ruining your brothers' reunion!"

Gao Qian was cursing inwardly, but he could only put on a smiling face.

"Your Majesty is too kind!"

Gao Qian was filled with trepidation, but Li Shuang's next words stirred up a great deal of turmoil within him.

"I heard that Yuan Ziyou is plotting to assassinate Erzhu Rong?"

"..."

Gao Qian didn't know how to answer, so he could only give a perfunctory reply. Li Shuang, however, ignored Gao Qian's response and went straight to the point:

"The emperor himself treats his ministers with such methods!"

Li Shuang's words carried a hint of disdain. Gao Qian, upon hearing them, initially thought Li Shuang was about to launch a scathing attack on Yuan Ziyou, but to his surprise, he changed the subject.

"This shows how much Erzhu Rong deceives the emperor!"

Gao Qian was overjoyed and asked:

"Is the King of Qin willing to support His Majesty?"

"That's not the case. I don't have that kind of close relationship with Yuan Ziyou."

If he didn't support Yuan Ziyou, could he possibly support Erzhu Rong? Gao Qian was quite disdainful of this.

"Erzhu Rong and I were once brothers. Although he is unrighteous, I cannot be unjust!"

Gao Qian listened, puzzled, and asked:

"What does the King of Qin intend to do?"

Li Shuang looked up at the sky at a 45-degree angle and sighed softly:
"As a loyal subject of the Great Wei, how can I stand by and watch the Great Wei court fall into ruin, with the ruler acting like a ruler and the ministers acting like ministers? I intend to mediate between them and advise Erzhu Rong not to accept the Nine Bestowments, and I also advise Your Majesty not to plot to assassinate Erzhu Rong."

"..."

Gao Qian was utterly shocked, but Li Shuang's next words made him kneel down in disbelief.

In a physical sense! "I intend to prepare a written account of today's events and send it to Luoyang and Jinyang tomorrow. A ruler should be upright and honorable, and so should a subject. What do personal gains and losses, honor and disgrace, matter before the fate of the Great Wei?"

Gao Qian had seen many scoundrels and people who were rotten to the core in his life, but he had never seen such a rotten scoundrel.

This isn't about reconciliation; it's about setting off firecrackers and watching the show!

The important thing is, it's still Mars!

"Your Majesty, I was wrong, I was really wrong!"

"Qian Yong, what do you mean by this?"

Li Shuang quickly helped Gao Qian up, only to see that he was about to cry.

"King Qin, even if you don't care about me, please spare me for Ao Cao's sake!"

"Qian Yong, what are you saying? In this Great Wei, the ruler is not acting like a ruler, and the ministers are not acting like ministers. It needs a loyal minister like you to uphold justice!"

Hearing this, Gao Qian asked:

What are your orders, King Qin?

Do you know what the Great Wei Dynasty is lacking right now?

"What is it?"

"Yuan Ziyou and Erzhu Rong, this pair of ruler and minister, are truly outrageous. They scheme against each other all day long, neglecting state affairs. How can a minister stand by and watch the Great Wei dynasty be destroyed in their hands? But how can a loyal minister accomplish anything without troops in his command!"

"Soldiers?"

Li Shuang nodded and said:

“Qian Yong should return to the countryside, gather local militia, win over officials, take control of the government granaries and granaries, and seize the opportunity to occupy the prefectures and counties.”

Gao Qian looked puzzled and said:
"Is this what they call rebellion?"

"What are you saying, Qian Yong!" Li Shuang waved his hand. "For personal gain, that's called rebellion, but we all have the Great Wei Dynasty in our hearts, so that's not called rebellion, that's called a military remonstrance!"

What Li Shuang said was something Gao Qian had actually wanted to do for a long time. The reason he hadn't made a move until now was because he had witnessed the power of Erzhu Rong's cavalry and dared not act rashly.

"To be honest, Your Majesty, Erzhu Rong's army is formidable. How could those hastily assembled local militia possibly be a match for them? I'm afraid that the Erzhu clan's cavalry will arrive as soon as they are assembled, and they won't be able to gain a foothold!"

Hebei is a vast plain, without any mountains or rivers to hinder its movement, making it an ideal place for cavalry to roam.

The troops of the Six Garrisons back then could overwhelm the local Hebei army in combat, and Erzhu Rong's cavalry was even more powerful.

Although the powerful families of Hebei could gather a large number of local militia, how could these militia withstand Erzhu Rong's cavalry? They would probably scatter as soon as they charged.

Over the years, the powerful clans of Hebei have learned their lesson and begun to train local militias, but their weapons and armor are inadequate, and they lack warhorses. Therefore, they dare not act rashly in the face of Erzhu Rong.

"Your family of the Bohai Gao clan alone is not enough, aren't there others too!"

"other people?"

Upon hearing this, Gao Qian became suspicious. Could it be that Li Shuang had reached an agreement with other powerful families in Hebei? That shouldn't be the case!

The powerful families of Hebei look down on Erzhu Rong, and they certainly wouldn't like Li Shuang now!
It's important to understand that Li Shuang established a new system of nobility in Guanzhong, which was completely incompatible with the clan system of the Northern Wei Dynasty.

It's impossible for the Hebei aristocratic families to give up their current status and join Li Shuang's system.

Who would work for Li Shuang for free?

"Qian Yong, rest assured. You can return to Su County first and wait for the right opportunity. Luoyang is currently a quagmire; it's best not to get involved lightly."

Gao Qian was still somewhat skeptical, but he still cupped his hands and said:

"I will obey the King of Qin's orders!"
-
Luoyang, Shuangnü Temple.

In the darkness of night, Hu Xuanhui was meditating in his room when he heard a sound outside the window.

Li Yu couldn't care less about anything else at this moment and went straight to their door.

Hu Xuanhui was not young, but his face was fair and he was well-maintained. When he heard Li Yu's voice, his eyebrows furrowed slightly.

"What is the matter?"

"The King of Qin's royal banner has been raised above Shaanxi City! Li Shuang has arrived in Shaanxi City!"

Hu Xuanhui stopped fiddling with the prayer beads in his hands, stood up slightly, and looked at Li Yu behind him.

"And what about His Majesty?"

"His Majesty is almost going crazy; he's been berating Li Shuang for two hours straight!"

"Why?"

"Li Shuang submitted a memorial, stating frankly that the emperor and his ministers should be in harmony and not suspicious of each other. He also pointed out His Majesty's intention to assassinate Erzhu Rong. Now everyone knows! I have come here to tell you that those assassins trained for His Majesty should be transferred."

Upon hearing this, Hu Xuanhui smiled slightly, then couldn't suppress his laughter and burst into laughter.

"What a loyal minister of Wei!"

“My lady, we must be careful now. After this incident, Erzhu Shilong will likely launch a large-scale search in Luoyang. If this place is discovered, neither of us will escape death.”

Unlike Li Yu, Hu Xuanhui was not worried and said:

"Do you think His Majesty's actions were flawless?"

"This……"

Li Yu remained silent, because what Yuan Ziyou had done was hardly a clever move.

"It wouldn't be an exaggeration to describe our Emperor as a cornered dog that would jump over a wall."

Hu Xuanhui showed no respect for Yuan Ziyou, but Li Yu could not.

Even if it's just the two of them alone right now.

"As a subject, one should avoid using the emperor's words!"

“You are his subject, but I am not.”

Hu Xuanhui said:

"Hasn't our Emperor always wanted to lure Erzhu Rong south, but Erzhu Rong has remained unmoved? Now that Li Shuang has arrived, will Erzhu Rong still be able to sit still?"

Upon hearing this, Li Yu felt a sense of relief, but then a look of worry appeared on his face.

"If that's the case, Erzhu Rong will definitely be on guard, making it much harder to assassinate him!"

Hu Xuanhui shook his head and said:
"you are wrong!"

Li Yu was somewhat confused and asked:

"what for?"

"Do you think it's easier to assassinate someone when they are fully alert or when they are completely unprepared?"

"Naturally, it will be a time when they are completely unprepared!"

Hu Xuanhui did not refute, but simply said:
"This is true for ordinary people, but Erzhu Rong is different."

For the past few years, Hu Xuanhui has been observing Erzhu Rong and gathering intelligence on him.

Perhaps Erzhu Rong never knew that in this temple in Luoyang, whose former glory had faded, there was someone who understood him so well.

"Erzhu Rong is a veteran of countless battles, weathered many storms, and possesses a meticulous mind. Though he may appear rough, he always proceeds with great steadiness. His strategies for capturing Ge Rong, pacifying the Six Garrisons, and repelling Chen Qingzhi were ingenious and beyond the reach of ordinary people. He trains his troops tirelessly, regardless of the weather, without the slightest slackening. How could such a person be assassinated when he is completely off guard?"

"What about that?"

A fleeting smile appeared on Hu Xuanhui's face. This smile came from the heart, a smile born of longing and yearning for a man.

"Back on the banks of the Luo River, didn't Li Shengui already show us how to defeat Erzhu Rong? Only by making Erzhu Rong fully vigilant and believe that he has everything under control, thus revealing his contempt, can we successfully assassinate him!"

……

(End of this chapter)