Memoirs of the Heavenly Khan

Chapter 314 Which Side Are You On?

Luoyang.

When Erzhu Rong sent Erzhu Shilong, who was stationed in Luoyang, he became somewhat uneasy upon seeing Li Shuang's memorial.

Immediately, he summoned all the trusted followers of the Erzhu clan in Luoyang.

"That bastard Ohno Sawa is trying to put me on the hot seat!"

Li Shuang said that the emperor wanted to assassinate Erzhu Rong and had even sought help from his general Gao Ang, so Erzhu Shilong was naturally the one primarily responsible.

Erzhu Shilong was unaware of this matter, which, at the very least, constituted a dereliction of duty on Erzhu Rong's side.

Going a step further, what if Erzhu Rong doubted Erzhu Shilong's abilities because of this, and thought that he was no longer suitable to be the governor of Luoyang, and replaced him with someone else?

"What do you think we should do?"

Worried about losing his position, Erzhu Shilong looked at the person beside him, wanting to ask for a solution.

However, no one had a solution, and under Erzhu Shilong's repeated urging, someone said:
"Why don't we search Luoyang first? The emperor is plotting to assassinate General Tianzhu, so he must be training assassins. These people won't be in the outer city or the palace; they should be in the inner city. If we find them first, we can have an explanation to General Tianzhu."

Erzhu Shilong nodded, about to speak, but then he became cautious and looked at Husichun, who was sitting in the corner and had not said a word.

"Fa Shou, what do you think?"

Husichun held a high position within the Erzhu clan. He was considered a powerful minister who could speak with authority on both Erzhu Rong's and Erzhu Shilong's sides.

Upon hearing Erzhu Shilong's question, Husichun did not speak immediately, remaining silent for a while, which made Erzhu Shilong increasingly anxious.

"Fashou, just say what you have to say!"

Husi Chun said slowly:

"I was just wondering, the emperor stays in the palace every day, and his spies report who he summons and what he does. How did he manage to get to Gao Feng's side so quietly?"

"What's the big deal? The emperor can just find a trusted confidant to do it, right?"

Upon hearing this reply, Husichun did not refute it, but simply remained standing to the side.

Upon hearing these words, Erzhu Shilong understood what Husi Chun meant.

The Imperial Guards are not a unified force; something must have gone wrong. However, it's difficult to pinpoint exactly where the problem lies.

Just then, a report came from outside the mansion.

Xi Yi is here!

As another trusted confidant left behind by Erzhu Rong in Luoyang, Erzhu Shilong was not in a cooperative relationship with him, but rather a competitive one.

Upon hearing that he had arrived, Erzhu Shilong acted very politely and went out to greet him.

Without any formalities, Xi Yi entered the house and told them about Yuan Ziyou's plot to assassinate Erzhu Rong. Upon learning that Erzhu Shilong was going to search the inner city of Luoyang, he quickly stopped him.

"Rongzong, you're so foolish!"

Erzhu Shilong was displeased with Xi Yi's words, but he did not show it. Instead, he asked with a smile why.

"Li Shuang said the emperor was plotting to assassinate General Tianzhu. If you search it like this, doesn't it actually become that the emperor was plotting to assassinate General Tianzhu?"

Upon hearing Xi Yi's words, Erzhu Shilong's dissatisfaction was instantly replaced by a sense of worry.

He can't put the blame on himself!
"Wu Cheng, what do you think we should do?"

Xi Yi said:
"Let's wait for news from Jinyang. We'll do whatever General Tianzhu says; that's the safest way!"

Erzhu Shilong listened and nodded.

"Do it this way!"

Husichun stood aside, watching Erzhu Shilong and Xi Yi reach a consensus, and a strange feeling arose in her heart.

Hu Sichun's intuition, honed over years of navigating various factions, told him that this Xi Yi was no ordinary person!

……

Jinyang.

Looking at the urgent document jointly signed by Erzhu Shilong, Xi Yi, and others sent from Luoyang, Erzhu Rong felt furious.

"A bunch of useless trash, you even need to ask me how to handle this little thing!"

Murong Shaozong stood to the side, saying nothing.

Erzhu Rong put down the document, looked at him, and asked:

"How's it going in Jinzhou?"

"After Hou Jing arrived in Hedong, he did a lot of things. He not only won over the generals of Huai Shuo Town in Jinzhou, but also instigated a rebellion among the Hu and Yi peoples in Jinzhou. He even sent small groups of cavalry to cause trouble all over Jinzhou. Oh, and several generals were killed in battle!"

Erzhu Rong was agitated and asked:

"Who died in battle?"

"The list of those who died in battle has been sent, and we are waiting for General Tianzhu to distribute their compensation."

After Murong Shaozong finished speaking, Erzhu Rong searched through a large pile of documents on his desk and finally found them.

But after glancing at the list of fallen generals, Erzhu Rong's face immediately darkened.

The reason is simple: the names of people bribed by Erzhu Rong to specifically monitor Gao Huan are among them.

Although casualties are inevitable in battles between two armies, Erzhu Rong still had doubts in his mind.

Was this a coincidence, or did Gao Huan realize that he was being deliberately sent to his death, or even further, that Gao Huan had already reached an agreement with Hou Jing to surrender to Li Shuang, and therefore began to secretly kill him?

Erzhu Rong was unable to make a judgment and felt uneasy.

Murong Shaozong, seeing Erzhu Rong's somewhat unpleasant expression, asked:
"General Tianzhu, is there a problem with the name on it?"

Erzhu Rong shook his head, temporarily suppressing his unease, and said:

"If there are no problems, let's proceed as usual!"

There are precedents for bestowing rewards and compensation, so Erzhu Rong doesn't need to worry about it.

What truly worries him is the scheming and calculations hidden beneath each of these names.

"Under what pretext did Ohno Sō go to Shancheng?"

"Reorganize the troops of Hongnong Prefecture and inspect the newly built county town."

Upon hearing this, Erzhu Rong did not feel worried and said:

"They are building cities, stockpiling troops and provisions, and raising an army to march eastward. We must be on guard!"

For Jinyang, there are two key locations that Erzhu Rong cannot afford to relinquish, and he must send elite troops and generals to guard them.

One is Pingyang, and the other is Luoyang!

These two places, one guarding the flank of Jinyang, and the other being Erzhu Rong's treasure for ruling the world.

Coincidentally, Li Shuang had his eye on them all at that moment.

If it were only the chaos in Pingyang, Erzhu Rong could have kept things under control. But now that trouble has broken out in Luoyang as well, Erzhu Rong can no longer sit still.

If he had to choose one, Luoyang would definitely be more important.

Kerzhu Rong was unsure of Gao Huan's loyalty and feared that Gao Huan would rebel if he went south!

If he were to defect, Li Shuang's army could march directly to the walls of Jinyang.

At that time, it will really be like an old house catching fire!

In the end, Erzhu Rong made the safest decision.

"Murong Shaozong, you shall now replace Erzhu Zhao and lead the troops south to Jinzhou."
-
Jinzhou.

Ever since Li Shuang quietly went to Shaanxi and raised his royal banner, Luoyang has been in an uproar.

Gao Huan didn't care who was in the pot.

He was worried that the water in the pot would spill and scald him.

"What is Hou Jing up to?"

Wei Jing's face was almost contorted with worry as he asked, "..."

"If you say this kid is serious, then all he does are send cavalry to harass villages and try to turn the mountain barbarians against him. If you say he's not serious, what grudge does Lao Ba have against him that he would go to such lengths to kill him?"

Wei Jing looked at the group of Huai Shuo people around him, but none of them had an answer.

"I've never heard of any grudge between Hou Jing and Lao Ba. Could it be that back in Huai Shuo Town, Hou Jing stole one of their chickens and was chased and beaten by Lao Ba, and he still remembers it now?"

"That's unnecessary. Hou Jing isn't the kind of person who holds grudges!" "Even if Hou Jing wanted revenge, he had plenty of ways to embarrass Old Ba Ye. Why would he have to resort to murder?"

……

Everyone was puzzled, but only Gao Huan knew the purpose behind Hou Jing's actions.

Even the other people in the room who had been bribed by Erzhu Rong didn't realize what was happening, thinking it was just an accident.

Hou Jing made his move, which seemed unremarkable, yet it precisely stirred up the current situation in Jinzhou.

Gao Huan didn't know how Hou Jing knew that Erzhu Rong had bribed people around him, and how he was able to pinpoint the specific individuals involved.

What Gao Huan couldn't be sure of was whether Hou Jing's actions would be a blessing or a curse for him!
A notification came from outside.

"He Liuhun, Hou Jing is here again!"

Upon hearing this, Wei Jing angrily said:

"You've given this kid too much face. Who else does he want to kill?!"

Wei Jing's call ignited the anger in everyone's hearts, and they all vowed to teach Hou Jing a lesson.

With that, everyone donned their armor and left the house, leaving only Gao Huan and Sun Teng behind.

The atmosphere was a little awkward.

Sun Teng felt uneasy under Gao Huan's gaze.

There was even a hint of murderous intent in Gao Huan's eyes. He was like a ferocious beast that had fallen into a dangerous situation, determined to pull as many people as possible down with it.

During the stalemate, Sun Teng could no longer bear the pressure and finally spoke:

“He Liuhun, let me tell you the truth. It was indeed General Tianzhu who sent me to monitor you! He also told me that if you made any unusual moves, he would contact Lao Ba Ye and others to strip you of your military power.”

Upon hearing this, Gao Huan's killing intent vanished instantly.

“Long Que, we’re all brothers, and I know you’re not free to do what you’re doing. But there’s one thing I don’t understand.”

"you say!"

How did Hou Jing know that Lao Ba was also working for General Tianzhu?

Upon hearing this, Sun Teng's expression changed drastically, and he could no longer sit still. He suddenly realized that what Hou Jing had done could not only implicate Gao Huan, but he might also be implicated.

At that moment, Sun Teng was furious and cursed:

"Hou Jing, that scoundrel, really learns from those he's raised; he's utterly wicked!"

"It's too late to criticize him. What's important right now is for us to join hands and get through this difficult time together."

Gao Huan comforted him, and Sun Teng, upon hearing this, immediately expressed his opinion.

"What do you think we should do?"

Gao Huan asked:

"Didn't they send you any messages from Jinyang?"

Sun Teng shook his head and said:

"Nothing's happened!"

Gao Huan grasped Sun Teng's hand and said:
“I know your difficulties, but if this matter is not handled properly, we will both be implicated, and we might not even be able to save our lives.”

Sun Teng felt somewhat powerless upon hearing this.

"Are we just supposed to offer our necks and wait to be slaughtered?"

Gao Huan looked at Sun Teng and asked a question.

"If you really have to choose, would you choose the Erzhu clan or our Huai Shuo?"

The sound was very soft; Gao Huan hadn't even used much force. But upon hearing it, Sun Teng felt a violent inner struggle, and even beads of sweat appeared on his forehead.

Gao Huan didn't urge him, his gaze fixed on Sun Teng with a hint of gentleness, waiting for him to make his decision. After a long while, Sun Teng's gaze finally hardened, and he gave his answer.

"Huai Shuo!"

These two short words contain so much meaning.

Gao Huan patted Sun Teng on the shoulder and said:

"With your words, I am relieved!"

Not long after, a young man hurried in. Gao Huan's governor's mansion, while not completely sealed off, was heavily guarded, yet this young man managed to pass through the guards and go straight to Gao Huan.

Because he was Duan Shao, the son of Duan Rong, and also Gao Huan's cousin.

Duan Shao was young and valiant, with excellent martial arts skills and a thorough understanding of military strategy.

All of Gao Huan's trusted generals were under Erzhu Rong's watchful eye. Duan Shao, being young, did not come into Erzhu Rong's view.

Therefore, Gao Huan often sent Duan Shao to do some secret but important things.

For example, monitoring the movements of Erzhu Rong's army to the north.

"My lord, the army stationed in Jiexiu has moved!"

Upon hearing this news, Gao Huan's heart tightened, and he asked:

Who will lead the troops?

"They're using the Murong banner; it must be Murong Shaozong!"

Duan Shao is young, but he is steady and thorough in his work.

Hearing that it was Murong Shaozong leading the troops, not Erzhu Zhao, Gao Huan's anxious heart eased a little.

Although Erzhu Zhao was friendly to him, he would carry out Erzhu Rong's orders without hesitation or mercy.

But Murong Shaozong was different. He was not a reckless man like Erzhu Zhao who acted without restraint.

Gao Huan breathed a sigh of relief, but Sun Teng, standing to the side, felt like he was being roasted over a fire.

The sudden mobilization of troops in Jinyang, without prior notification to Sun Teng, was already a dangerous sign in his eyes.

"He Liuhun, what should we do?"

"hold on!"

Gao Huan knew that he received the information much faster than Jinyang could react. There was an information gap between the two sides.

Gao Huan finally got what he was waiting for.

Murong Shaozong acted prudently. Before launching his campaign, he had already dispatched an envoy to deliver Erzhu Rong's orders to Pingyang.

Gao Huan looked at the General Tianzhu's decree from Jinyang in his hand, feeling extremely uneasy. He was covered in sweat as he held the document in his hand.

In the end, he opened it.

Upon seeing the contents, Gao Huan's anxiety eased, and a smile appeared on his face.

……

Hongnong.

"Gao Huan was transferred by Erzhu Rong to be the governor of Xiangzhou?"

Li Shuang was slightly surprised when she heard the news.

Beside him, Wang Sizheng slowly said:
"This is a message sent by Hou Jing from Hedong. Gao Huan has been transferred to guard Ye City, and the current governor of Jinzhou has been replaced by Murong Shaozong."

Yecheng, as an important town in Hebei, had long been under the control of Erzhu Rong, and everyone in it was his man.

Transferring Gao Huan to Xiangzhou was both a promotion and a way to appease Huai Shuo and his group, as well as a means of surveillance, temporarily removing him from the front lines in Jinzhou and depriving him of the ability to rebel.

Li Shuang smiled.

"It seems Erzhu Rong has his eye on it."

Wang Sizheng asked:

"Your Majesty, what should we do now?"

"Murong Shaozong has gone to Pingyang. It seems there's not much hope left for Hou Jing. Next, we'll have to see how things develop in Luoyang."

Li Shuang said:
"Be prepared, Erzhu Rong is likely heading south!"

……

(End of this chapter)