Memoirs of the Heavenly Khan

Chapter 336 Why should I return what I stole by my own skill?

Woye Town.

As one of the six towns, the location of Woye Town changed several times due to the changes in the internal situation of the Northern Wei Dynasty.

Now, as the main base of the Huli tribe, Huli Jin moved Woye Town back to the old city of Hanshuofang County.

During the years when the Rouran retreated, without external threats, the territory of Shuozhou expanded greatly, not only encompassing the old Yunzhong, Shengle, and Baidao areas, but also expanding northward to Qikou in southern Mongolia and westward to Tushenze.

During this process, the Han army in Shuozhou and the Hu tribes led by Huli Jin and others both experienced significant growth.

After the Rouran people moved south again, they occupied the southern part of the Gobi Desert and threatened the core area of ​​Shuozhou, the Hetao Plain south of the Yin Mountains.

Anagui suffered a defeat and temporarily retreated, but he still entrenched himself in southern Mongolia, ready to move south at any time.

The ancient city of Shuofang County was located south of the Yellow River. A ferry crossing was built next to the city, connecting the two banks, making it a transportation hub.

Hulijin moved his headquarters here for two reasons: to rely on the natural barrier of the Yellow River to defend against the Rouran people, and also because it was close to the Beidachi Saltworks, making it easier to control.

The two major salt fields in the Hetao region, one in the south and one in the north, were controlled by the Shedi tribe and the Hulu tribe, respectively.

Inside the room, Yu Jin and Huli Jin sat facing each other, and opposite them stood a person.

Yuwen Tai!
Yu Jin and Huli Jin read through the letter brought by Yuwen Tai.

Huli Jin was somewhat surprised. After carefully reading the letter, he looked at it again in disbelief. Yu Jin, however, glanced at it quickly and then sat down calmly to the side.

Yuwen Tai didn't rush to speak, waiting for Huli Jin to finish digesting the information.

"What a vicious mind Heba Yue has!"

After saying a few words, Huli Jin looked at Yuwen Tai.

“Black Otter, according to what Heba Yue said in his letter, if it succeeds, you will be the ruler of Shuozhou. Why don’t you agree and why do you have to show it to us?”

Heba Yue did not want a powerful force loyal to Guanzhong to be behind him, ready to stab him in the back at any time. Therefore, he wanted Yuwen Tai to join forces with Erzhu Tianguang to take advantage of the Rouran people's next southward invasion and eliminate the Huli Jin tribe.

However, Yuwentai obviously did not do that, and instead, he betrayed Heba Yue.

“If I do that, I might become the ruler of Shuozhou, but I will also be the ruler of Shuozhou under the rule of the Rouran chieftain Anagui. Shuozhou is in its current state, which is hard-won. Once it is destroyed, the Rouran will have no more scruples and can run rampant in Hengshuo and wreak havoc in Henan. How can I ruin the big picture for the sake of a small gain?”

"Black Otter is righteous!"

Huli Jin's words were sincere. Previously, he didn't know much about Yuwen Tai, only that this cold-faced, black-faced king was a good fighter. Now, after hearing these words, he realized the other party's magnanimity.

Yuwentai disdained being a local tyrant in a region ravaged by the Rouran; what he wanted was growth.

According to Heba Yue's letter, the most severely damaged would definitely be the Hulu tribe, which might suffer annihilation.

The Han soldiers in Yunzhong, Shengle, Baidao and other places in Shuozhou had the cities behind them as a support, so they could withstand a lot of pressure. However, Huli Jin was ultimately the leader of a tribe. A major defeat would cause his people to scatter and his foundation to crumble.

The Huli tribe is at the forefront, situated at a crucial juncture in the power struggle among various factions. In particular, the salt lakes controlled by the Huli tribe, which supply salt to various tribes in Shuozhou, will inevitably become the focus of contention for others.

"I dare not accept such praise!" Yuwentai cupped his hands and said, "Now that Erzhu Tianguang is stationed in Pingcheng, his intentions are to target the Youyan region. I wonder what the Khan's plans are?"

Huli Jin smiled.

"I'm merely guarding this small piece of land for the King of Qin; what other plans do I have?"

Yuwen Tai nodded and said:
“I am aware of the Khan’s intentions. However, when facing the Rouran, holding out is not a good strategy.”

Huli Jin was puzzled and asked:

What does "Black Otter" mean?

"The Khan and I are both northerners, and we should know the nature of those Rouran people. Rather than waiting for them to march south and burn the land of Shuozhou to the ground, we should take the initiative to attack and seize their people, cattle and sheep to strengthen ourselves."

"Heading north?"

"I have received a secret report from my scouts that Anagui's prestige has been greatly damaged after his last defeat, and his tribes are becoming increasingly disaffected. In order to reverse the situation, and having heard that General Tianzhu has died and the Central Plains are in turmoil, Anagui will soon be heading south again. We should make preparations as soon as possible."

Upon hearing this, Huli Jin's expression changed, and he hesitated for a long time before making a decision.

"Since Black Otter is so kind and righteous, I cannot be unrighteous in return."

Upon hearing this, Yuwen Tai frowned slightly and said:

"What does the Khan mean?"

"The King of Qin instructed me that if anything happens in Tongwan City, I should lead the tribes of Hexi southward. I'm afraid my tribe will be unable to extricate itself."

Upon hearing this, Yuwen Tai was greatly alarmed and said:

"What does the King of Qin mean? My brother has always been respectful, why would you send troops against him?"

"I don't know the specifics either."

As he spoke, Huli Jin glanced at Yu Jin. At this moment, he, who had remained silent until now, finally spoke:
“I’m afraid that those people from Shedigan said something to the King. Black Otter also knows that Shedigan and your brother have always had a grudge. Moreover, since Black Otter left Dongxia Prefecture, this place has been under the jurisdiction of Governor Yuwen. Dongxia Prefecture is connected to the various tribes in Hexi. Recently, I heard that the Prince of Qin wants to change the territory, which may cause trouble.”

Upon hearing this, Yuwen Tai said:
"In that case, I should write a letter to my brother to help him resolve this matter and end the war."

After Yuwentai left, Huli Jin stood up, watched Yuwentai's departing figure, and asked:
"General, why do you want me to tell Yuwen Tai about this?"

"The Erzhu clan will soon re-enter Luoyang and seize control of the court. They will inevitably wage war against us. If the Erzhu army confronts our forces, Heba Yue and Yuwen Luosheng will seize the opportunity to launch an attack and lead their troops south. Guanzhong will then be attacked from both sides. Your Majesty must deal with them before that happens, at least to alienate them and prevent them from conspiring together. If you don't inform Yuwen Tai, how will Yuwen Luosheng know that he is in grave danger?"

Hulü Jin listened and asked:

"What if Yuwen Tai can't persuade Yuwen Luosheng?"

Yu Jin had been stationed in the north for many years and held immense power. Although he was dressed as a refined Han scholar-official in front of Huli Jin, the murderous aura he exuded in an instant was no less than that of a seasoned general.

"Then let's kill him first and cut off Heba Yue's arm!"

……

Tongwan City.

Yuwen Tai took this matter very seriously and sent Yuwen Hu with a letter to Tongwan City.

After reading the letter, Yuwen Luosheng frowned and asked his nephew a question.

"Was this written by Black Otter?"

Yuwen Hu nodded and said:
“I personally watched my fourth uncle finish writing it and then delivered it to me. There was no delay on the way.”

Of course, some things are difficult to write in a letter, so they naturally have to be said by the messenger.

"Fourth Uncle also said that Da Ye Shuang had already made preparations, and if anything happened in Xia Prefecture, he would have Huli Jin lead the tribes of Hexi south."

Yuwen Luosheng chuckled softly upon hearing this.

"These are threatening words. Huli Jin has led the various tribes of Hexi south. Can the Han army in Shuozhou alone stop the Rouran?"

Yuwen Hu reminded him:

“Third Uncle, we must not be careless. It is already winter, and the Rouran people and their livestock mate at this time. Even if they raid southward, their forces will not be large, and the Han soldiers in the three cities of Shuozhou can handle them. Huli Jin can also return before next spring to relieve the siege of Shuozhou.”

Yuwen Luosheng nodded, looking at Yuwen Hu, thinking to himself that he had made progress.

"What does the black otter mean?"

"Fourth Uncle said that taking military action is a poor strategy, both for us and for Da Ye Shuang. This battle is not necessary; all we need to do is give Dongxia Prefecture to Da Ye Shuang."

Yuwen Luosheng looked at Yuwen Hu with some disbelief and asked solemnly:
"Black Otter means 'give,' not 'exchange'?"

Yuwen Hu nodded.

"That's what my fourth uncle said."

Yuwen Luosheng's expression was somber. He told Yuwen Hu to go and rest first, and then summoned Yuwen Dao. Although he was pleasantly surprised by Yuwen Hu's progress, there were some things he felt it would be more convenient to discuss with Yuwen Dao.

After all, Yuwen Dao was someone he personally trained and mentored.

"That's an entire state, and you're just letting Da Ye have his way with it like that? What was Fourth Uncle thinking?"

Upon hearing this, Yuwen Dao looked puzzled, while Yuwen Luosheng shook his head.

“I understand what Black Otter means. He wants to unite the people of Shuozhou and march north to make a name for himself. It’s one thing to sell out Heba Yue, but with so many people under my command, how can I just give up this province like that?”

"What does Third Uncle mean?"

"Find that blockhead Yuan Baoju, let's replace him if we can!" "Yes, sir!"

……

"Your Majesty, what is the matter?"

Yuan Baoju's face was full of joy, and the dancers on either side asked him questions.

"That house in Chang'an is secured!"

"Has Your Majesty reached an agreement with Commander Yuwen?"

Yuan Baoju patted his chest and laughed:

"That's right. With me in charge, nothing is a piece of cake. I've already sent the documents to Chang'an, and I'm just waiting for the people from Chang'an to arrive. Once the handover is complete, I'll be the hero. At that time, will the King of Qin have the nerve to be stingy with a house?"

The dancers on either side smiled upon hearing this and poured wine for Yuan Baoju.

"The mighty king!"

Yuan Baoju was enjoying his drink when his men rushed over, their faces filled with panic.

"Your Majesty, it's not good!"

Yuan Baoju was drunk and became angry upon hearing this.

"What do you mean it's bad? Why are you saying such discouraging things!"

"Your Majesty, there are bandits in Hedong..."

"What do I care about the banditry in Hedong!"

"Traitor Liu Lisheng..."

"Let that old scoundrel cause trouble, but can he really conquer Tongwan City?"

Seeing that Yuan Baoju kept interrupting him, his attendant got impatient and resorted to his ultimate move.

"Your Majesty, your house is no longer stable."

Upon hearing this, Yuan Baoju sobered up instantly.

"You said there was banditry in Hedong. What happened to the traitor Liu Lisheng?"

"General Hou Jing went north to pursue the bandit Liu Lisheng. When he reached the border of Dongxia Prefecture, he asked the governor of Dongxia Prefecture to assist him. The governor refused, and Hou Jing captured Guangwu."

Upon hearing this, Yuan Baoju was furious. He stood up and slapped his thigh.

"You brat, you've ruined my plans!"

Just then, a group of armored soldiers rushed in from outside.

"Prince of Nanyang, my commander requests your presence!"
-
Dongxia Prefecture.

Yuwen Dao led dozens of cavalry south, entered Guangwu, and finally met Hou Jing.

"We are acting on the orders of the King of Qin to exchange land and end the war. Why is the General suddenly attacking Guangwu?"

Hou Jing was sitting beside a wheat field, smelling the stench of horse manure, when he heard this, he said:

"It's a long story. That day, I was at the Longmen ferry crossing when I saw a woman crossing the river. You wouldn't believe what she was like—her figure, her appearance..."

Hou Jing spent half an hour describing in detail his first meeting, encounter, and subsequent encounter with that woman. Yuwen Dao was so engrossed in listening that he felt sleepy, but he didn't dare to interrupt.

"What happened to that woman in the end?"

"No chance, she's a married woman, she's already taken."

Upon hearing this, Director Yuwen almost cursed aloud, but barely suppressing his anger, he asked:
"Then what does this woman have to do with the general attacking Guangwu?"

"She was the concubine of the governor of Dongxia Prefecture!"

"..."

Seeing Yuwen Dao's unfriendly expression, Hou Jing spoke righteously:

"Don't misunderstand, I am not attacking the territory under the jurisdiction of the imperial governor for the sake of a woman. The reason I am doing this is because I suspect him of communicating with the Shan Hu and colluding with Liu Lisheng!"

"What evidence do you have?"

"If he wasn't secretly colluding with the mountain barbarians, why did Liu Lisheng choose to come here instead of going elsewhere? And why did he refuse to let me in when I led troops to suppress the bandits?"

That's because you're more terrifying than bandits!
Yuwen Dao thought this to himself, but he still didn't dare to turn against Hou Jing.

"Even if he is in league with the Hu people, it is only his fault. When will the general withdraw his troops?"

"I'm not returning it!"

Director Yuwen pressed further:

"Why?"

"Everyone is here!"

"..."

Director Yuwen questioned:

"This Dongxia Prefecture was granted to Governor Yuwen by the imperial court. How could you do this?"

"That's because you don't understand reason!"

"How to say it?"

"Dongxia Prefecture and Jin Prefecture were originally under the jurisdiction of my king. Later, at the request of Erzhu Rong, my king, out of consideration for brotherhood, lent these two prefectures to the Tianzhu General's Mansion. Now that Erzhu Rong is dead, these two prefectures must naturally be returned!"

Seeing Hou Jing's shameless behavior, Yuwen Dao angrily said:

"This Dongxia Prefecture was exchanged with us at the behest of the King of Qin. By occupying this place, aren't you offending the King of Qin's virtue?"

"This land was conquered by me, and I will not retreat, not even if my king comes!"

Watching Yuwen Dao leave in anger, Hou Jing followed behind, scoffing with disdain.

"People from Wuchuan!"

……

Changan.

After meeting Hou Jing, Yuwen Dao rushed to Chang'an. With the help of Yuwen Yuanji, he finally met Li Shuang and told him about the matter.

Li Shuang was furious after hearing what Director Yuwen said.

"How could this beast do such a thing!"

“Your Majesty, our Yuwen clan has always respected the King of Qin and dared not disobey him. How can Hou Jing, who is so lawless, win the hearts of the people?”

Li Shuang nodded.

"I understand, but Hou Jing has been arrogant since he was young and doesn't respect others. If I hadn't gone there, he probably wouldn't have given up so easily!"

Upon hearing this, Director Yuwen became anxious.

"Your Majesty, you must avenge my Yuwen clan!"

At this moment, Yuwen Yuanji was also speaking from the side.

"Hou Jing is already outrageous, and now he's even more disobedient to the king's orders, daring to act in private. The king must teach him a lesson."

Li Shuang sighed:
"I was unaware of this matter, but Hou Jing is my subordinate, so I am not without responsibility!"

Just as Yuwen Dao was looking on with hope, Li Shuang said something that filled him with despair.

"Alright then, since it's all about exchanging land, let Yuwen Luosheng, Shedi Gan, and all the Khans, big and small, come to Chang'an. I will personally settle this score for you!"

……

(End of this chapter)