Memoirs of the Heavenly Khan

Chapter 332 Let’s discuss our own issues
Changan.

Lu Rou followed Yuan Baoju westward to Guanzhong and arrived at Chang'an.

Previously, Lu Rou had only heard about this newly built city through rumors, but after coming here in person, he was deeply impressed by it.

Chang'an also adopted the neighborhood system, dividing the city into small squares. The most famous of these were the Twelve Wards of Chang'an, where Li Shuang's retainers lived.

The elite cavalry of Chang'an and the armored cavalry of Jinyang were renowned throughout the land. Most of these elite cavalrymen of Chang'an and the generals of Guanzhong resided in the twelve wards.

Outside the market area, the streets are straight and wide.

Over the years, with the opening of the east and west water canals outside the city, a large number of people and goods gathered in Chang'an. The Xingtai government then began to plan thirty-two neighborhoods and one market neighborhood to accommodate the growing population.

The city of Chang'an was bustling with activity; over 100,000 people had gathered there.

With a population of over 100,000, it is neither comparable to the former Luoyang city nor to the present Luoyang city.

Although Luoyang was in decline and its population had decreased sharply, it was still the capital of the Northern Wei Dynasty and a hub for the Central Plains' grain transport. After the Heyin Incident, Yuan Ziyou became emperor and stabilized the situation. The people who had fled gradually returned, numbering in the hundreds of thousands.

Unlike the gloomy atmosphere of Luoyang, Chang'an was full of vitality.

Lu Rou had just returned from the largest market in Chang'an, the West Market, when she heard Yuan Baoju shouting from inside the house:

"Too late! Too late!"

Lu Rou thought that Yuan Baoju, being the elder brother of Princess Pingyuan Yuan Mingyue, should have some influence in Chang'an, but to her surprise, Yuan Baoju had no influence at all.

Yuan Baoju was, after all, an envoy of the emperor, sent on a mission. He had been in Chang'an for several days, but had not even seen Li Shuang. He had even been staying at an inn.

Lu Rou pushed open the door and entered the room, where she saw Yuan Baoju staring at a city construction map of Chang'an, complaining about the beautiful woman beside him.

"I've told you to put in some effort, and now look what's happened! You've been in Chang'an for so long, and you haven't even tried to put in any effort by Mingyue's side!"

Princess Yifu was about to say something when she saw Lu Rou enter. Not wanting to argue, she bowed and withdrew.

Even so, Yuan Baoju continued to complain.

"You spendthrift woman!"

Lu Rou approached and asked with a smile:

"What brings you here, Prince of Nanyang?"

Yuan Baoju sighed:

"I wish to buy a house in Chang'an, but so far I have only been able to purchase one in Fenglefang."

Lu Rou thought that Fenglefang seemed to be a newly built neighborhood on the edge of the West Market, with a water channel flowing through it. When he returned, he saw the neighborhood director directing people to install the plaque at the entrance of the neighborhood.

Lu Rou was somewhat puzzled as to why Yuan Baoju was acting this way, as the neighborhood was quite nice. Yuan Baoju explained:
"Among the neighborhoods of Chang'an, the twelve neighborhoods are the most prominent, situated on high, spacious, cool, and livable grounds. Among them, Yongxing, Chongren, Tongye, and Chongyi are the most expansive, filled with grand mansions, and inhabited by renowned ministers and generals close to the King of Qin. Fengle is a good neighborhood, but it's not Yongxing or Chongren. You know, that spendthrift woman, after all these years by Mingyue's side, hasn't put in any effort, and in the end, she only managed to buy a house in Fengle."

Lu Rou discovered that Yuan Baoju was indifferent to other matters, but very knowledgeable about housing and real estate.

“Prince of Nanyang, what is important now is not what is important in the future.”

Yuan Baoju looked at Lu Rou and asked:
What do you mean?

"As we have traveled here, we have seen that the fields in the various prefectures and counties of Guanzhong are vast and the irrigation systems are abundant, a far cry from the past. The grain and fodder in the three major granaries of Guanzhong, which used to be mostly sourced from Luoyang, are now self-sufficient. The wealth and goods from Guanzhong and Longxi, as well as from the Western Regions, the Northern Lands, and Liang and Han, have all gathered in Chang'an. In just a few years, the city's population has reached 30,000 households and hundreds of thousands of people. The future Chang'an will only become larger and better than it is today!"

Yuan Baoju nodded and said:
"I did receive news that the city might be expanded. Do you mean I should go and buy land outside the city first to gain an advantage, and then make a fortune once the expansion is actually completed?"

Lu Rou rolled her eyes inwardly upon hearing this.

"That's secondary. The important thing is that we, as envoys of the Emperor, are in a rather awkward position in Chang'an."

Yuan Baoju said:

"I know that, but what can the King of Qin do if he refuses to see me?"

Lu Rou sighed inwardly, "You still don't know?" and asked.

"What did the Prince of Nanyang say to the King of Qin's men?"

Yuan Baoju shrugged and said:
"What else can I say? I'll just tell the King of Qin's men what His Majesty told me! Now Erzhu Zhao is leading a large army south to avenge Erzhu Rong, and he specifically asked His Majesty for an explanation. Fortunately, the pontoon bridge over the river has been burned, so Erzhu Zhao can't cross it for the time being. His Majesty asked us to request the King of Qin to send troops to help."

"Whom does Your Majesty wish the King of Qin to send?"

"Great General Gao Feng!"

Lu Rou chuckled inwardly and said:
"When the Prince of Nanyang goes next time, do not mention a single word about asking for reinforcements!"

"Then what should I say?"

"Then it was said that General Tianzhu had died and the country was in trouble. The emperor sent the Prince of Nanyang to discuss with the Prince of Qin how to deal with the matter after General Tianzhu's death."

After Lu Rou finished speaking, Yuan Baoju glanced at her, somewhat suspicious.

Will this work?

"Give it a try, Prince of Nanyang. You're just sitting here anyway."

……

Yuan Baoju did not expect that after he repeated what Lu Rou had said, Li Shuang would want to see him soon afterward.

Yuan Baoju led Lu Rou into the Xingtai Mansion, where they saw Li Shuang dressed in plain clothes, standing in the center of the room with his hands behind his back.

Lu Rou had seen Li Shuang before, but this was the first time she had seen him so closely, and she couldn't help but sigh inwardly:

The appearance of dragon and phoenix, the appearance of sun and sky!
"King Qin!"

After bowing, the two stood aside.

Li Shuang glanced at Yuan Baoju, then fixed her gaze on Lu Rou.

"Tell me, how does Your Majesty intend to discuss the affairs following the death of General Tianzhu?"

Yuan Baoju said:

"His Majesty is worried that a single river cannot stop the Erzhu clan's army, and wishes to ask the Prince of Qin to share the burden of the court..."

As soon as Yuan Baoju opened his mouth, Li Shuang became very impatient and didn't want to listen anymore.

Yuan Baoju also noticed Li Shuang's impatience and dared not continue his long speech. He quickly finished speaking and stood aside, looking at Li Shuang's face with great unease.

Just as Li Shuang was about to issue the order to leave, Lu Rou stepped forward. As the deputy envoy, he spoke:

"The world is in turmoil, loyalty and treachery are indistinguishable, and Erzhu Zhao is fierce and unruly. If his troops advance into Luoyang, threaten the emperor, and tyrannize the officials, how can the world be at peace?"

Li Shuang looked at Lu Rou, waved his hand, and said:

"Keep talking!"

Yuan Baoju was surprised to see Lu Rou speaking eloquently.

"With the death of General Tianzhu, the Central Plains are in turmoil. Many of the Erzhu clan members are wicked and unruly, and they are difficult to obey the court's orders. I fear they may harbor the heart of jackals. If the incident at Heyin were to happen again, I fear it would not be a blessing for the nation. The times are perilous, and under the whole world, only the Prince of Qin can bring peace to the court."

Li Shuang looked at Lu Rou and asked:

"I heard you come from the Lu family of Fanyang, and that you lost both your parents at a young age and were raised by your aunt?"

Lu Rou cupped her hands and said:
"Exactly!"

"Your background is similar to mine. How about we invite you to stay at my residence for a few drinks today?"

"Thank you, King Qin!"

Li Shuang left with Lu Rou, leaving Yuan Baoju alone in the house.

"Well... me? My background is also very tragic, and my childhood was very unhappy!"

Before Yuan Baoju could finish speaking, he was left alone in the room; Li Shuang and Lu Rou had already left.

That night, on the bed, Yuan Baoju tossed and turned, unable to sleep. His restlessness made Princess Yifu very uncomfortable, and she asked:
"Why aren't you quiet this late at night!"

Yuan Baoju said:

"I don't understand!"

"I never see you studying literature or practicing martial arts; you only frequent dance halls and indulge in women. Why are you suddenly so diligent today?"

Princess Yifu thought Yuan Baoju couldn't understand which dancer in the dance hall hadn't chosen him as her guest, and said this in an annoyed tone. But she didn't expect that Yuan Baoju was actually thinking about something important this time.

“Today I took Lu Rou to see Da Ye Shuang. I said a lot of things, almost begging him, but Da Ye Shuang was not interested and almost turned us away. But Lu Rou said a few words to him, and Da Ye Shuang not only did not treat him like he treated me, but also invited him to stay for dinner. Why do you think that is?”

Princess Yifu rose to light the lamp, and seeing Yuan Baoju sitting on the bed with a deep, almost delirious expression, she asked:
What did you say to the King of Qin?

"I told you that His Majesty is in a very bad situation right now, and Erzhu Zhao could attack at any time. I wanted to ask him for help!"

"What did Lu Rou say?"

"He said almost exactly what I said, that he was afraid Erzhu Zhao and his men would invade Luoyang and cause another incident like the one at Heyin. He also said that apart from Daye Shuang, no one could stabilize the court. Tell me, he's Yuan Yu's son-in-law, isn't this shameless flattery?"

Princess Yifu shook her head after hearing this and said:
"Why do you think the King of Qin dislikes you?"

Yuan Baoju scratched his head and said:
"I just couldn't figure it out, that's why I sat up all night."

"I ask you, after Erzhu Rong died, His Majesty sought help from various prefectures and counties, and in the end, they all turned to the Prince of Qin. Why was no one willing to be a loyal minister?"

Yuan Baoju shook his head, but then heard Princess Yifu say:
"The situation is different now than it was ten years ago. Most of the people in the various prefectures of the Great Wei are people placed there by Erzhu Rong in the name of the court. Even if they come to the capital to defend the emperor and defeat Erzhu Zhao, what rewards will His Majesty bestow? When his imperial edict reaches the various prefectures and counties, will anyone be willing to listen to it?"

Yuan Baoju was still somewhat confused after hearing this, and asked:

"Why is Lu Rou so popular with Da Ye Shuang?"

Queen Yifu's long, black hair fell down, and a trace of sorrow and helplessness appeared on her fair face as she sighed:
"If His Majesty does not perish, where will the heroes and tyrants of the world find a reason to openly and legitimately eliminate the officials appointed by the Erzhu clan, seize prefectures and counties, and dominate the region? The people's hearts will be filled with chaos!"

Upon hearing this, Yuan Baoju gasped, goosebumps rising all over his body.

"Where are the good people left in this world?!"

With that, Yuan Baoju lay back down on the bed, his expression fierce, and said:
“I don’t care, I must get that house in Chongyi Lane. If all else fails, I’ll go and make a scene at Mingyue’s place. We’re siblings from the same mother, she can’t just ignore me.”

Princess Yifu couldn't help but laugh when she saw Yuan Baoju's fierce expression, and covered him with a blanket.

Yuan Baoju was timid by nature, which might be a good thing in this chaotic world.
-
Luoyang.

Yuan Ziyou waited anxiously in the imperial palace in Luoyang.

Today, north of the Yellow River, only the North Central City remains to protect Luoyang.

Although Yuan Ziyou had taken precautions and diverted all the ferries from the crossing to ensure that Erzhu Zhao would have difficulty transporting troops when he marched south.

But he didn't know how long this would hold off Erzhu Zhao.
Many of the high-ranking officials in Luoyang were also completely unaware of this. Or, even if they did know, they could only offer words of comfort at this moment.

"Your Majesty, rest assured, the two cities of Beizhong were built by Emperor Xiaowen to defend against the threat of the northerners. Back then, when the rebel Yuan Hao occupied Luoyang, Liang general Chen Qingzhi defended Beizhong City, and even Erzhu Rong's army of over 100,000 men could not take it down. Erzhu Zhao is far superior to Erzhu Rong, so he will certainly not be able to break through."

Some people said so, and Yuan Ziyou believed it too.

Of course, there's nothing you can do if you don't believe it.

Yuan Ziyou sat on the throne and murmured:
"My imperial edict has been issued for some time now. Has anyone in any prefecture or county risen up to defend the emperor?"

Inside the palace, the assembled officials exchanged glances, while the elderly Prince Yuan Yu of Linhuai stood silently to the side.

Until Yuan Ziyou looked at Yuan Yu and asked:

"Is there any movement in Guanzhong?"

Yuan Yu sighed inwardly, stepped forward, and cupped his hands in greeting:
"Your Majesty, the Prince of Qin held a funeral for the late Duke of Gaoping, Xiao Zan. His delegation arrived in Chang'an but has not yet returned with any news."

Yuan Ziyou would have been better off not listening, for listening to it made him furious.

"Is Xiao Zan more important than me?"

Just then, a report came from outside the palace.

"Your Majesty, the Prince of Nanyang says that a letter from the Prince of Qin has been sent from Guanzhong."

Yuan Ziyou was delighted after hearing this and asked:

Where is the letter?

"It wasn't sent to Luoyang, but directly to Erzhu Zhao on the other side of the river."

Yuan Ziyou frowned and asked:

What does the letter mean?

"The Prince of Nanyang said it was a letter written by the Prince of Qin, advising Erzhu Zhao to withdraw his troops and not to make things difficult for the court! Your Majesty, rest assured, the Prince of Nanyang personally read the letter; this is a copy."

Yuan Ziyou took the letter and glanced at it. He found it to be written in a fairly standard manner and didn't think much of it. He then asked:

"What about the King of Qin's troops?"

Yuan Ziyou was on good terms with Gao Qian of the Bohai Gao clan. Because of Xi Yi's exposure, Yuan Ziyou, under pressure from Erzhu Rong, once issued an arrest warrant for Gao Qian. However, after he regained control of Luoyang, he quickly lifted the arrest warrant and even promoted Gao Qian to a higher official position.

On Li Shuang's side, the only person Yuan Ziyou could trust was Gao Ang, Gao Qian's younger brother, who was also from the Bohai Gao clan.

However, Gao Long's troops remained stationary in Shaanxi City.

"No movement."

Just as Yuan Ziyou was in a state of extreme anxiety, three days later, he received news that made him feel like the sky was about to fall.

North Central City has fallen!

"What exactly happened? Wasn't it said that Erzhu Zhao was unable to capture Beizhong City in a short time and had to withdraw his troops?"

"That's how it started!"

Yuan Ziyou was somewhat puzzled, but then he heard the messenger say:

"Erzhu Zhao was unable to take Beizhong City for the time being and prepared to rest, but at this time he received a letter."

"how?"

"After reading the letter, Erzhu Zhao, who was on the front lines, brandished his sword and cursed angrily. Then he personally led his troops to attack the city walls and capture the city."

Yuan Ziyou asked:
"What letter is it?"

"A letter from Guanzhong!"

"Wasn't the letter admonishing Erzhu Zhao?"

"The gift that Guanzhong sent to Erzhu Zhao also included a wedding invitation!"

"Wedding invitation?"

"The King of Qin wants to take Xiao Erzhu as his concubine!"

Yuan Ziyou's body trembled, and after realizing what was happening, he cursed:

"Ohno Sou, you son of a bitch!"

……

(End of this chapter)