Memoirs of the Heavenly Khan

Chapter 350 No need for gifts

Yecheng.

The former capital of Cao Wei and an important town of Northern Wei have now become the stronghold of the Huai Shuo faction led by Gao Huan.

Gao Huan led 16,000 garrison soldiers back to Xiangzhou, and only breathed a sigh of relief when he entered the gates of Ye City.

His worst fears did not come true; the Erzhu clan did not immediately mobilize their elite troops to launch a pincer attack on Yecheng from the north and south and retake Xiangzhou.

Back at his residence, upon seeing Lou Zhaojun's familiar face, Gao Huan couldn't help but go up and hug her.

In her early thirties, Lou Zhaojun had shed the naivety of her youth and appeared increasingly mature and radiant.

The changing situation in Taiyuan kept Lou Zhaojun, who was staying in Ye City, in constant fear. It wasn't until Gao Huan returned that Lou Zhaojun finally found her pillar of support.

After a tender moment, Gao Huan and Lou Zhaojun lay on the bed, deep in thought.

"Zhaojun, I intend to break away from the Erzhu clan completely!"

Gao Huan's solemn words drew the attention of Lou Zhaojun, who was combing her hair. She was somewhat puzzled, but he continued:
"I intend to join forces with the Gao brothers of Jizhou!"

Lou Zhaojun was well aware of Gao Huan's character; wherever he went, he would always mention that he was from the Gao clan of Bohai.

"He Liuhun, why are you telling me this?"

"It's possible that Gao Cheng will need to be sent there as a hostage!"

As soon as Gao Huan finished speaking while lying on the bed, Lou Zhaojun, not even bothering to comb her hair, stood up and questioned him:

Is this necessarily the case?

Gao Cheng was Gao Huan's eldest son and the legitimate son. Lou Zhaojun loved him far more than her second son, Gao Yang.

Upon hearing this, Lou Zhaojun was naturally reluctant to part with him.

Gao Huan did not respond to his wife's gaze, but stared at the roof beam, and said:

"If you intend to turn your back on the Erzhu clan, you must be prepared. The Erzhu clan's army is not so easy to deal with. In Hebei, you need to find a suitable ally."

Lou Zhaojun was puzzled and asked:

"You already have the King of Qin's backing, why do you still do this?"

Upon hearing this, Gao Huan sat up and finally looked at Lou Zhaojun.

"What's important in fighting here in Hebei?"

Lou Zhaojun was not knowledgeable in military affairs and could not answer Gao Huan's question. However, since she was not Gao Huan's subordinate, she asked directly:

"What do you want to say?"

"Warhorse!"

Gao Huan, with a deep gaze, seeing that Lou Zhaojun still didn't understand, said:
"Ohno Sō gave me men, but not warhorses. His intentions are hard to fathom!"

As soon as Gao Huan finished speaking, he heard hurried footsteps outside.

"What's the matter?"

"My lord, a message has arrived from the outer court, requesting your immediate attention. It is urgent."

……

Gao Huan put on his clothes and hurriedly went to the outer residence.

In the main hall, generals of the Huai Shuo faction, including Wei Jing, Dou Tai, Duan Rong, Sun Teng, and Han Gui, were gathered.

They surrounded a man named Sima Ziru.

Erzhu Zhao's messenger!
"Zunye, given the situation, I thought I would never see you again!"

Sima Ziru felt a little scared after hearing this.

“That scoundrel Erzhu Zhao defeated an army of 60,000. If I hadn’t been quick to react and hid in the back, I would have been slaughtered by Daye Shuang. Even so, it was through countless hardships that I was able to see you brothers.”

"Since that's the case, now that you've come to Ye City, don't go back."

Upon hearing this, Sima Ziru was thrilled and immediately said:
"He Liuhun, I have come here to tell you and all the brothers some important news!"

"What's the matter?"

"The Erzhu clan has raised a large number of warhorses in Hanoi!"

Upon hearing this, Gao Huan's eyes lit up.

"Why did Erzhu Zhao send you here?"

"The Erzhu clan wants to win you over. Continue to obey their orders!"

Upon learning that the Erzhu clan of Luoyang still wanted to recruit him, Gao Huan smiled, a bright and cheerful smile that prompted Sima Ziru to ask:

"He Liuhun, what is your response to Erzhu Zhao?"

"Tell him that I had no choice but to surrender Ohno Sō back then!"

……

Li Yuchuan.

Amidst the chaos throughout Hebei, Li Yuanzhong, a member of the Zhao County Li clan, remained remarkably calm and made no move.

They neither rebelled against the Erzhu clan like Lu Wenwei and Gao Qian, nor did they stand by the Erzhu clan to suppress the rebellious forces.

The situation in Hebei is complex, with Han and Xianbei people mixed together, and various forces constantly fighting each other. Maintaining neutrality requires a solid foundation.

Li Yuanzhong was not only the patriarch of the Li clan in Li Yuchuan, but also the person in charge of a group of unstable social factors east of the Taihang Mountains.

Although he could not rally tens of thousands of people to rebel against the Erzhu clan in Qingxu, south of the Yellow River, like the Cui clan of Qinghe, Li Yuanzhong was still the one who had the final say in Yinzhou.

"The Erzhu clan is becoming increasingly lawless, seizing farmland, enclosing land for horse breeding, and abducting women. They've even extended their reach into my Li Yuchuan!"

Faced with his son Li Sao's indignation, Li Yuanzhong, holding his wine gourd, said leisurely:
"The Erzhu clan has turned this world into a pasture for the northerners!"

"So we're just going to stand by and watch?"

Now the powerful clans of Hebei have all rebelled, and their forces are formidable. Li Sao has long disliked the Erzhu clan and no longer wants to accept their rule.

"Don't you know what happened to Cui Zuchi?"

Li Yuanzhong's words immediately silenced Li Sao.

Cui Zuchi organized tens of thousands of people, but they were ultimately defeated by Erzhu's cavalry of only a thousand. This event had a significant impact on the Han Chinese aristocratic families.

"The northern cavalry is formidable, and Hebei lacks horses. If a real battle breaks out, we will be the ones who suffer."

In fact, it's not just Hebei that lacks horses; Henan, Qingxu, and even the Southern Liang are the same.

In the Northern Wei Dynasty, warhorse resources were strictly controlled by the army, which was mainly composed of Xianbei people. After Erzhu Rong established his hegemonic government, he transferred control of warhorse resources to the generals under the Erzhu clan.

The Southern Liang navy was formidable, and with the help of the Yangtze and Huai River systems, it was able to contend with the Northern Wei cavalry.

But the Han Chinese aristocratic families of the Northern Wei Dynasty faced a different situation, as they had to confront a very harsh battlefield environment—a vast plain stretching for thousands of miles!
Although the Han Chinese aristocratic families of the Northern Wei Dynasty were numerous and powerful, they lacked warhorses and could not organize cavalry units, thus limiting their tactical options.

The Erzhu clan's cavalry was capable of executing a wide range of tactics. The Han Chinese aristocratic families, when facing the Erzhu cavalry, had no choice but to either fortify their defenses or organize heavy infantry to contend with them.

Not to mention the enormous cost of organizing heavy infantry, if Erzhu's cavalry were to encounter them, they could choose not to fight, but instead outflank them, and their heavy infantry would be unable to catch up.

In fact, this is exactly how Cui Zuchi was defeated.

Cui Zuchi chose a defensive strategy, and Erzhu's cavalry rushed straight to his base. As a result, despite having hundreds of thousands of men, Cui Zuchi was unable to send reinforcements in time, and Erzhu's cavalry successfully carried out a decapitation strike, scattering his troops.

Li Yuanzhong sighed and said, “The horse farms in Youyan are controlled by the northerners, and the Xianbei soldiers in Hebei are not of one mind with us. Now, the resistance against the Erzhu clan in Hebei seems to be huge, but the situation is not clear. Don’t be so impatient, just focus on your studies.”

The situation in Hebei was complex. Several generals of the Erzhu clan controlled the most elite cavalry and had a large number of troops from the Six Garrisons assigned by Erzhu Rong. Their military strength was formidable. The Xianbei troops in various prefectures and counties, who were originally subordinate to Luoyang, were at odds with the Erzhu clan, but also with the Han people. Furthermore, the Han aristocratic families were divided into many factions with conflicting interests.

The situation is extremely complex, involving multiple forces.

The greatest asset held by Han Chinese aristocratic families was the fortified villages, but even with these fortified villages, they could only defend passively.

Li Sao shook his head and said:

"I'm afraid that the tree may wish to remain still, but the wind will not cease. Erzhu Yusheng has extended his reach to our Li Yuchuan, isn't he just trying to force Father to meet with him?"

Li Yuanzhong patted his wine jug and said:
"Tell everyone to stay in Li Yuchuan and not to go out and wander around."

Just then, a report came from outside the courtyard.

"My lord, the King of Qin has sent an envoy!"

Upon hearing this, Li Yuanzhong lost interest and said:

"Another gift has arrived?"

The other party shook their head and said:

"The messenger didn't bring any gifts, but only asked me to pass on a message to our lord."

"What?"

"The King of Qin wishes to uphold righteousness throughout the world!"

Upon hearing this, Li Yuanzhong immediately stood up. Li Sao, standing to the side, could see that his father's demeanor changed instantly, becoming energetic and spirited.

"My son, gather the troops!"

Li Sao couldn't understand why his father's reactions were different before and after, so he followed behind his father and asked.

"What?"

Li Yuanzhong tossed aside his wine gourd, went inside, retrieved his long-abandoned sword, and said:

"rebel!"
-
Youzhou.

Liu Lingzhu's relationship with the Lu family of Fanyang was unusual because during the Heyin Incident, Liu Lingzhu used his status as a high shaman to protect many officials from the Lu family of Fanyang who were from Luoyang.

Liu Lingzhu did this because his long-established stronghold, Yanzhou, was adjacent to Youzhou.

The Lu family of Fanyang was also a prominent family in Guandong, one of the four most famous families.

This favor naturally made Liu Lingzhu's relationship with the Lu family of Fanyang quite friendly.

Sensing the decline of the Erzhu clan, Liu Lingzhu sought out Lu Wenwei, the governor of Fanyang, to plot a rebellion.

The two hit it off.

When Lu Wenwei and Liu Lingzhu conspired to lure Hou Yuan, the governor of Youzhou sent by Erzhu Rong, out of the city, they were able to immediately take control of the situation because the city was called Fanyang.

Fanyang, the name of Lushi in Fanyang!
Seeing that the city gates were tightly guarded, Hou Yuan had no choice but to take the seven hundred cavalrymen given to him by Erzhu Rong and seek refuge with Chilie Yanqing, the governor of Dingzhou.

However, the situation did not improve afterward.

Lu Wenwei had a way to expel the Erzhu clan, but no way to eliminate them.

The Erzhu clan's army was positioned between Ding, Yin, and Ying, blocking their southward advance and splitting the power of the Han Chinese aristocratic families in Hebei in two.

"How is it?"

Unlike many northerners, Lu Wenwei did not believe in Liu Lingzhu's sorcery. His cooperation with Liu Lingzhu was more because Liu Lingzhu had amassed a considerable fortune while performing shamanistic rituals for Erzhu Rong, and also controlled a highly accurate intelligence system.

Lu Wenwei was so anxious because he and Gao Huan were facing the same problem.

We're missing warhorses!

Liu Lingzhu shook his head and said:
"After Ono Sou occupied Jinyang, he strictly controlled the trade of warhorses in the north, and the originally agreed-upon deal fell through."

Lu Wenwei had not expected that Li Shuang, who had only recently occupied Taiyuan, would have such strong control over the northern region.

Now Li Shuang proclaims to the world that he will punish the Erzhu clan.

Lu Wenwei responded, but he also knew that he and Li Shuang were not on the same side. Or rather, the Han Chinese aristocratic families of Guandong were not on the same side as Li Shuang.

The reason is simple: Li Shuang does not acknowledge the blood and tears shed by the Han Chinese aristocratic families of Guandong for the Northern Wei Dynasty!
They are able to respond now because they have a common enemy.

"Li Shuang has been away from the North for so long, why do those Northerners still listen to him?"

"It's not that I'm listening to him, it's that I'm afraid!"

Upon hearing this, Lu Wenwei felt conflicted and paced back and forth in the room.

Liu Lingzhu advised:
"This matter cannot be rushed. Even if this batch of warhorses arrives, it will take more than a month or two to train a force that can rival the Erzhu cavalry."

Lu Wenwei said:

"Without these warhorses, it will be even more difficult for us to contend with the Erzhu clan. Cui Zuchi has been escorted to Luoyang, and I fear that in the end we will also be defeated one by one by the Erzhu clan."

The Han Chinese aristocratic families in Hebei realized that the foundation of the Erzhu clan had been completely destroyed, so they all chose to rebel.

The foundation of the Kerzhu clan is gone, but the knife in their hands remains sharp.

Liu Lingzhu listened and said:
"Do you remember the person I mentioned to you last time? He has returned to Pingcheng now."

Lu Wenwei listened, puzzled, and asked:
Why are you so fond of that Yuwen Tai?

"If I said it was divined, and that Yuwen Tai was no ordinary person, would you believe me?"

Lu Wenwei gave a wry smile and said:
"You said last time that you learned through divination that Gao Huan is no ordinary person either. I heard that he has recently become involved with Erzhu again!"

The atmosphere became somewhat awkward, but Lu Wenwei took the initiative to break the silence and asked:
"Give me a reason that can convince me!"

“Yuwen Tai was dispatched to Heisei by Da Yeshuang. Now he is in dire straits and isolated. Apart from his Wuchuan men, he can’t even trust the Dai people in Heisei. Helping him now is like sending charcoal in snowy weather.”

Lu Wenwei nodded, and then said:

"But what if he can't stop the Rouran? Wouldn't all our efforts be in vain?"

Liu Lingzhu, however, said:

"No, it's not that. Ōno Sosuke has drawn a large number of troops from Heng and Shuo prefectures, but the main force of the Heng prefecture troops remains. Add to that the convicted northern soldiers Ōno Sosuke has given us, and if we plan properly, we are actually capable of resisting the Rouran. Ōno Sosuke has ordered the troops of several prefectures of You and Yan to obey Pingcheng's orders. If we help him now, Ōno Sosuke can't say anything!"

"The Erzhu clan's army is blocking our way, so we can't go south. Going west is also a way out. The key is that Pingcheng is located north of Taiyuan. If the situation is really critical, Da Yeshuang will not let the Rouran people bring the flames of war to Taiyuan."

Seeing that Lu Wenwei was already interested, Liu Lingzhu added:

"The two prefectures of You and Yan are adjacent to Heng Prefecture. If Yuwen Tai is not an ordinary person, he can hold back the Rouran and even restore the old power of the Tuoba clan. Wouldn't the Lu family of Fanyang be more secure in the future?"

Lu Wenwei sighed after hearing this, looked at Liu Lingzhu, and said:
"You should have said that earlier. Stop being so mysterious."

"..."
-
Jinyang.

Inside the Qin King's mansion, Li Shuang and his generals were playing a dice game when a voice announced that someone was requesting an audience!
Li Sao carried a box into the mansion. Seeing the gazes of the generals looking at him, he couldn't help but feel a little flustered.

"Your Majesty, this is a gift my father asked me to bring!"

"What?"

"Erzhu Yusheng's head!"

……

(End of this chapter)