Memoirs of the Heavenly Khan

Chapter 323 Haven't you lied to me enough?
A commotion arose on Tongtuo Street.

The Changhe Gate swung open, and Erzhu Rong led the armored cavalry of Jinyang through the palace gate!
In front of the Taiji Hall, more than a thousand fully armored cavalrymen stood in formation, waiting.

Surrounded by riders, Erzhu Rong, seeing this scene, dared not approach for a moment.

Erzhu Rong gave Yuan Tianmu a wink, and the latter signaled to ride away first, entering the palace.

Three quarters of an hour later, Yuan Tianmu turned back and nodded.

In front of the Taiji Hall, a group of valiant cavalrymen from Chang'an made way for each other, taking Tongtuo Street as the central axis and positioning themselves on the left.

The armored cavalry from Jinyang brought by Erzhu Rong were positioned on the right. He himself entered the hall with a hundred armored soldiers.

Inside the main hall, a banquet had already been prepared, but it was filled with a chilling atmosphere.

Whether it was Yuan Ziyou sitting high on the throne or the eunuchs and palace maids in the palace, they were all like parts of a machine, constantly running without the slightest deviation.

Or rather, they dared not make even the slightest deviation.

Only one person was sitting beside the throne, drinking and eating as usual.

When Erzhu Rong saw Li Shuang, he had no intention of observing the proper etiquette between ruler and subject. He didn't even glance at Yuan Ziyou and his group of confidants, and went straight to Li Shuang.

Before he had taken ten steps, he was stopped by the armored soldiers in front of Li Shuang.

Before Erzhu Rong arrived, he told himself to stay calm and not to fall out with Li Shuang so quickly.

Seeing that Li Shuang was still eating and didn't even look up at him, Erzhu Rong couldn't help but erupt in anger.

"Ono Sou, where is my son Bodhi?"

Upon hearing this, Li Shuang took a sip of wine, rinsed his mouth, then spat it out and replied:
"Erzhu Rong, are you going to turn against me?"

With that sound, the atmosphere in the palace turned icy cold.

Sitting on the throne, Yuan Ziyou, Li Yu, Yang Kan, and others watched this scene, fearing that if the two of them started fighting, innocent bystanders would be affected.

"General Tianzhu..."

Yuan Ziyou had just opened his mouth when Erzhu Rong shouted at him.

"Shut up!"

Yuan Ziyou's face turned red, and he dared not say another word.

In the once most authoritative hall of the Northern Wei Dynasty, the emperor's majesty has been completely lost, and he is now like a puppet, daring not to utter a single objection to Erzhu Rong's rudeness and contempt.

Erzhu Rong stared at Li Shuang and questioned:

"Ohno Sō, tell me, when did you plant your spy next to my son?!"

Li Shuang slowly wiped his mouth and said:
"It was already like that back in Jinyang. If it's not easy to plant spies around you, isn't it easy to arrange them around your son?"

Seeing Li Shuang's nonchalant attitude, Erzhu Rong was extremely angry, pacing back and forth, almost jumping up and down.

"You treacherous bastard! How could you be so cunning? My son was only a few years old then, are you even human?!"

Upon hearing this, Li Shuang sneered, stood up, and said:

"How would you know I'm plotting against you if you didn't plot against me! Haven't you planted enough spies around me?"

Erzhu Rong was stumped by this question.

When the facade of etiquette is torn away, what is revealed inside is the most naked secrecy and power struggle.

"We swore an oath of truce, but the truce has not yet been signed, and you've already allowed Erzhu Yangdu to cross the river with 20,000 troops. What do you mean by that? Are you trying to cut off my retreat?"

Faced with Li Shuang's questioning, Erzhu Rong stopped pretending.

"So what if I lied to you? You've lied to me countless times over the years!"

Yuan Tianmu stood silently to the side, while Erzhu Rong berated him.

"You told me you couldn't speak Xianbei, but you speak Xianbei better than I do!"

"That's just my humble nature!"

"You used Li Shengui's name to establish your own territory in Shuozhou and embezzled so much of my money!"

"That's because I don't seek fame or fortune, and I care about my soldiers!"

"Good good!"

Erzhu Rong said "good" several times, revealing his deepest hidden pain.

"We're sworn brothers, yet you tricked my daughter into bed behind my back and have been taking advantage of me for so long. What do you have to say for yourself?!"

Erzhu Rong's sorrowful words echoed throughout the hall, causing not only him but also Yuan Ziyou, who sat on the throne, to feel a pang in his heart.

The radiant woman he had seen in Jinyang should have been his queen. Thinking of this, Yuan Ziyou looked at Li Shuang with resentment in his eyes.

"I was passive!"

Li Shuang's words immediately broke Erzhu Rong's defenses.

He said fiercely:

"Let me tell you the truth, not only have I sent Erzhu Yangdu to block your retreat, but I've also sent Erzhu Dulu and Erzhu Yusheng with a large army into Luoyang. In just a few days, you're doomed!"

Upon hearing Erzhu Rong's threatening words, Li Shuang laughed, a loud laugh.

"What can those few rotten fish and shrimps from your Erzhu clan do even if they come!"

……

Tianzhu General's Mansion.

There was no news from the palace, and Erzhu Shilong was getting impatient, pacing back and forth in the room.

"Rongzong, shut up! You're giving me a headache!"

Upon hearing this, Erzhu Shilong's obese body trembled, and he clapped his hands.

"General Tianzhu has entered the palace without making a sound. How can you all stay here?"

"Do we need to worry about General Tianzhu's military operations? We've already deployed spies in Jinyong City. If there's any movement, we'll immediately support the palace."

Even so, Erzhu Shilong was still uneasy.

"We don't need to worry about General Tianzhu's military strategy. Even if a battle really breaks out at Taiji Palace, Da Yeshuang might not be able to gain the upper hand. But I'm still worried!"

"Rongzong, what are you worried about?"

"Ohno Sawa is so bad!"

Erzhu Shilong sighed and said:

"Over the years, hasn't Da Ye Shuang taken advantage of us enough? If he and General Tianzhu were to face each other head-on, the outcome would be evenly matched. Right now, in Luoyang, we have the advantage, so we have nothing to fear. What I'm afraid of is him using underhanded tactics to attack General Tianzhu's weak points!"

What is General Tianzhu's weakness?

Hearing someone ask this, Erzhu Shilong put his hands behind his back, shook his head, and sighed:

"Ohno Sō's thoughts are unpredictable. If I could guess them, would I be here worrying?"

As he spoke, Erzhu Shilong looked around and realized that one person was missing.

"Where did Husichun go?"

"Him, he followed..."

Before he could finish speaking, an urgent report came from outside.

The soldier who delivered the message ran all the way, his mouth dry and he was out of breath.

"Kim Yong City..."

"But has Jinyong City sent troops?"

The soldier nodded.

"Did they go to the palace?"

The soldier shook his head.

"It seems my guess was right; Ohno Sō did indeed resort to underhanded tactics."

Erzhu Shilong had someone bring him a bowl of water. After the soldier finished drinking and caught his breath, he spoke:

"The cavalry from Jinyong City are heading this way!"

The generals in the room could no longer sit still and stood up, looking somewhat incredulous.

“We have four thousand armored cavalry from Jinyang here, plus the armored soldiers from the Prince of Shangdang and the soldiers from Luoyang, nearly ten thousand in total. How dare they!”

The noise around him made Erzhu Shilong plop down, his head buzzing.

Damn it, Ohno Sawa is taking advantage of me!
As Hou Mochen Chong led three thousand Chang'an cavalry to attack the Tianzhu General's Mansion, the undercurrents hidden beneath the surface of Luoyang City finally erupted.

The Taiji Hall, located at the eye of the storm, was unusually calm.

Wang Xiang ran in from outside the palace and whispered a few words in Erzhu Rong's ear.

Erzhu Rong listened, but his expression remained unchanged. He waved his hand, signaling the Prime Minister to leave.

"Da Ye Shuang, you finally made your move!" When Er Zhu Rong learned that his Tianzhu General's Mansion had been attacked, he was not angry at all, but instead smiled.

"Haven't you been waiting for me to make a move?"

Li Shuang's words made Erzhu Rong laugh even louder.

At this moment, Erzhu Rong finally remembered that the emperor of the Great Wei was still in this palace.

But then Erzhu Rong bowed to Yuan Ziyou.

"Your Majesty, you must bear witness: who disregarded the alliance and launched the first attack, plunging the capital of the mighty Wei into chaos today?"

After Erzhu Rong finished speaking, without waiting for Yuan Ziyou to speak, he took a few steps back and stood with the hundred armored soldiers he had brought into the palace.

"Ohno Sō, what else do you have to say!"

Li Shuang chuckled and said:
"When we made the truce agreement, it meant that neither of us would use force against the other. Erzhu Shilong and his ilk were not included in the oath!"

Erzhu Rong waved his hand impatiently and said:

"Stop rambling! If you surrender today, all will be well; otherwise, you'll be beheaded!"

Li Shuang smiled.

"Then do it! What are you waiting for?"

Seeing Li Shuang's appearance, Erzhu Rong narrowed his eyes and did not order a firefight!
He's still waiting for another piece of news!
……

Outside Jinyong City.

Husi Chun, accompanied by several hundred soldiers dressed in black and carrying grappling hooks and short blades, remained hidden outside.

Even after Houmo Chenchong led his cavalry out of the city, he still did not make a move immediately.

When fires broke out on General Tianzhu's side and the fighting truly began, Husi Chun finally gave the order to attack.

Husi Chun and his soldiers were agile and, in the darkness, used grappling hooks to climb the walls of Jinyong City.

Houmochen Chong led the main force out of the city, and Husi Chun and his troops took control of the city walls with almost no effort.

After capturing the city walls, Husi Chun did not make a big fuss, nor did he open the city gates to let the people below in; he still made them climb up.

They were afraid of making even the slightest noise!
Husichun was shrewd and resourceful, but he dared not betray Erzhurong like Xi Yi did.

Husichun dared not neglect the tasks assigned to him by Erzhu Rong.

He was ordered by Erzhu Rong to successfully bring Erzhu Puti and the young members of the Erzhu clan back.

If he succeeds, Husi Chun will naturally be promoted and ennobled; if he fails, his fate will likely be grim.

Is it inside?

Outside a side hall, Husi Chun's men controlled the surrounding servants.

"The servants said that all the captured people are inside!"

"how?"

"Don't worry, my lord, everything is fine!"

Upon hearing this, Hu Sichun was overjoyed and asked the person beside him:
How do I look?

"My lord possesses extraordinary bearing..."

Before he could finish speaking, Husichun interrupted him.

"I didn't use your flattery, so get me some mud and ash!"

"Mud and ash?"

"Stop talking nonsense and get to work!"

Husi Chun smeared some of the mud and ash her men had prepared on her face, making her already messy hair even more disheveled.

Everything was ready. With tears in her eyes, Husichun rushed inside.

"Your Highness, Husichun is late, I'm sorry you had to suffer!"

Husichun rushed in and saw more than thirty people bound inside the palace, trying to find Erzhu Puti from among them.

But he found that no matter how hard he looked, he couldn't find it.

Because it's not inside at all.

Large beads of sweat streamed down Husichun's forehead. He pulled out the person who had struggled the most fiercely, untied the gag, and asked:

"Who are you?"

"I am a spy planted by General Tianzhu next to the King of Qin, and I am ordered to monitor the King of Qin."

"Where's the prince?"

"The Crown Prince didn't come to Jinyong City at all. I wanted to send a secret letter to General Tianzhu, but I was captured by the King of Qin's men."

Husichun breathed a sigh of relief upon hearing this.

If Erzhu Puti is not here, then the mission has failed, and Erzhu Rong will not be able to hold him accountable.

"Who are the rest of them?"

"There are all kinds of people here, from vegetable deliverymen to tofu sellers!"

"..."

……

Tai Chi Hall.

When Wang Xiang entered the palace for the second time, Erzhu Rong could no longer suppress his anger after hearing this.

"Ohno Sawa, where have you hidden my son?!"

Li Shuang smiled upon hearing this.

"you guess!"

Erzhu Rong controlled Luoyang, while Li Shuang only occupied Jinyong City. He originally thought that after Li Shuang captured Erzhu Puti, he wouldn't send them outside the city, because that would be too risky.

Erzhu had many spies in Luoyang, so it was impossible to hide the transfer and resettlement of more than thirty people from him without leaving a trace.

Unexpectedly, Li Shuang was cunning and never actually captured Erzhu Puti and brought him into the city. The act of transporting him into the city was just a feint.

Given the size of Luoyang, how long would it take Erzhu Rong to find it?

"Ohno Sou, you're a bandit!"

Erzhu Rong cursed, no longer willing to tolerate it.

"Even if I arrest you, I'll still know where my son is!"

The shootout has begun!

Outside the Taiji Hall, over a thousand cavalrymen from both sides engaged in fierce combat. Inside the hall, both sides also fought under the protection of their respective armored soldiers.

But the first time, Erzhu Rong surprised everyone.

The last time Erzhu Rong fought a life-or-death battle after becoming the General of the Heavenly Pillar was several years ago when he captured Ge Rong.

In the past few years, he has hardly ever fought with anyone in Jinyang, and no one has dared to actually fight with him.

I'm getting old, and my martial arts skills have become rusty!

But Li Shuang on the other side was different; he was young and strong.

Inside the palace, Li Shuang, sword in hand, moved with clean and swift movements, easily felling several charging Qihu warriors, severing their throats with a single blow. Then, he took the spear and led his men toward him.

It seems that he hasn't wasted any of his time these past few years.

Seeing him covered in blood, Erzhu Rong's heart skipped a beat, and he took a step back.

At this moment, Yuan Tianmu stood behind Erzhu Rong, blocking his retreat.

Erzhu Rong turned around and looked at Yuan Tianmu, who was even older than himself, only to see him shake his head.

Can't retreat!

Just cancel it!

Yuan Ziyou, seated on his throne, ignored the bloody battle below, his eyes fixed on Erzhu Rong.

Seeing this, one can already discern the outcome of the battle.

At that moment, Prince Yuan Yu of Linhuai took advantage of the chaos and led his troops into the palace, intending to take Yuan Ziyou away.

"Your Majesty, are you well?"

Yuan Ziyou did not hesitate for a moment and issued the order.

"Prince of Linhuai, quickly assist General Tianzhu in quelling the rebellion!"

……

(End of this chapter)