Memoirs of the Heavenly Khan

Chapter 378 Willing to be a lowly soldier under the King's command
Luoyang City!
The Nine Dragons Palace, once the residence of the Northern Wei emperors, is now the residence of Yuan Baoju.

Yuan Baoju was not yet the emperor, but everyone knew he was.

For a time, officials and nobles in Luoyang rushed to give gifts and curry favor with the future emperor.

Yuan Baoju was very happy.

After his father, Prince Yuan Yu of Lintao, failed in his rebellion, his entire family was imprisoned as descendants of a disgraced official. Although they were later pardoned, regained their freedom, and were even included in the imperial clan, they still bore the original sin of rebellion.

But things are different now; Yuan Baoju has accomplished what even his father could not.

Everyone was happy, except for one person.

Yuan Baoju's wife, Lady Yifu!

Instead of feeling any joy at becoming empress, she constantly complained.

Why did you agree to the King of Qin's request?

Yuan Baoju, who was preparing to become emperor, already had many women around him, but Lady Yifu was still his principal wife.

Yi Fu was beautiful and slender, but she had everything she needed. If it weren't for the fact that she always wore a face that Yuan Baoju disliked, she would be the most beautiful woman in Yuan Baoju's harem.

"Didn't I tell you? When Ono Sou put the imperial seal in my hand, my head was buzzing. After he told me, I agreed!"

Ordinary women would be overjoyed to learn that their husbands were going to become emperors and that they would become empresses, but Yifu was different.

She was exceptionally intelligent and foresaw the fate of the Northern Wei emperors since Emperor Xiaoming Yuan Xu!
None of them had a good ending!

"Do you know that once you sit on this throne, you can never step down?"

Yuan Baoju didn't care and said:
"So what? I didn't want to come down anyway!"

Yi Fu was speechless. Looking at Yuan Baoju, who was already blinded by the throne, he sighed.

"Why can't you just be a well-off man and live a simple life?"

Yuan Baoju, upon hearing this, also became somewhat angry and retorted:

"Enough! Stop talking nonsense! It's all just womanly talk! The kindness and righteousness of the Yuan family are known throughout the world. Although there was the disaster caused by Erzhu, there were also many loyal ministers and generals who protected the country. The Yuan family has done nothing wrong, so why can't we ascend the throne!"

When Emperor Xiaowen of the Northern Wei Dynasty moved the capital to Luoyang and implemented Sinicization reforms, his benevolence and authority were evident.

In fact, if Zhongli had won the Battle of Zhongli back then, the later Rebellion of the Six Garrisons might not have happened.

Compared to the brutality of the Erzhu clan, the emperors of the Yuan clan do indeed appear to be more innocent.

Yifu looked at the furious Yuan Baoju, said nothing, and retreated silently.

Yuan Baoju, seeing this, became even more dissatisfied and started shouting from behind.

"Why are you still the same as before? I am no longer the Yuan Baoju I once was. I am not the emperor yet. If you continue like this after I become emperor, it will be a grave crime!"

Mr. Yifu ignored him and left.

"Who are you to act like you've suffered some great injustice by making you empress?" Yuan Baoju muttered angrily. "If you don't want to be empress, there are plenty of people who do!"

……

It has been a long time since the area outside Changhe Gate has been so lively.

Today, the new emperor of the Northern Wei Dynasty will hold his enthronement ceremony in the Taiji Hall.

Wearing a robe with twelve imperial symbols and a crown with twelve tassels, and holding the emperor's seal, Yuan Baoju walked to the emperor's throne under the watchful eyes of the assembled officials.

Beside him was his empress, Lady Yifu!
However, compared to the extremely excited Yuan Baoju, the beautiful face of Queen Yifu, dressed in a dark blue robe with pheasant and phoenix patterns, adorned with twelve flowers and two sideburns, was blank. Her eyes would occasionally glance at the young man in the nine-chapter royal robe in front of the palace, full of worry.

The current imperial court in Luoyang is basically divided into three major forces.

The northern military generals, members of the Yuan clan, and noble families brought up by Erzhu Rong.

What does it mean to be a prestigious family, a clan of unparalleled renown?

Inside the Taiji Hall, the officials dressed in vermilion and purple robes, mostly from aristocratic families, are a concrete example of this.

The Lu family of Fanyang, the Wang family of Taiyuan, the Cui family of Qinghe, the Zheng family of Xingyang, and the Li family of Longxi!
These five companies make up the majority of the total.

And this is only the tip of the iceberg of the power of these powerful families in the world, not to mention how many of their disciples and former officials are in the various prefectures and counties of Hebei and Henan!
When Yuan Baoju ascended the throne, they showed him great respect, and everyone who could enter the Taiji Hall came to support him. In addition, people from prominent families such as the Li family of Zhao County, the Cui family of Boling, and the Gao family of Bohai also came.

Ultimately, they were closer to the Yuan family than to Li Shuang.

Yuan Baoju's enthronement ceremony was a grand affair, attended not only by noble families and officials, but also by generals from the Northern faction.

Needless to say, Hebasheng, Husichun, Jia Xianzheng and others came, and even Yuwentai, who was far away in Fanyang, came.

Yuwen Tai and Gao Huan now represent the two strongest forces within the Six Garrisons system outside of Luoyang. However, their positions in the court are not particularly prominent at this moment.

However, no matter how lively the supporting actors on the throne are, or how much scheming and plotting the people below are, there is ultimately only one protagonist in this play.

After Yuan Baoju completed the enthronement ceremony, and all the officials knelt and bowed, fulfilling the rites between ruler and subject, Yuan Baoju issued his first imperial edict.

"I, having received the mandate of Heaven and inherited the great foundation laid by past sages, rule over the entire realm and bring peace to the people. I remember that the glory of our military achievements truly relies on courageous and resolute ministers; the stability of our state depends on the assistance of pillars of the state. Therefore, I hereby appoint you, Prince Qin Shuang, holding the titles of Imperial Envoy, Grand General, Governor of Yongzhou, Grand Commander of Liangzhou, Grand General of Liang and Han, Grand Chancellor of Longyou Circuit, Grand Chancellor of Guannei Circuit, Grand Chancellor of Hedong Circuit, and Grand General. Your spirit is as vast as the mountains and rivers, and your talents encompass both civil and military affairs. In the past, you led a formidable army to crush powerful bandits, and with the might of an eagle, pacified the borders. In the Battle of Hulao Pass, you quelled rebellion and wiped out the barbarian invaders; in the defense of Hebei, you strategized and commanded, causing the rabble to flee; in the Battle of Mangshan, you shattered armor and broke through enemy lines, striking fear into the heart of Erzhu. Your merits are recorded in history, and your fame resounds far and wide. Your loyalty shines as bright as the sun and moon, and your sincerity moves the gods. You are truly my pillar of strength and the bulwark of the nation."

Having possessed extraordinary strategic acumen and achieved unparalleled merit, he deserves extraordinary honors to demonstrate his exceptional glory. He is hereby appointed General of the Heavenly Strategy, a rank above princes and dukes. He is granted the city of Jinyong, and the Heavenly Strategy Office is established within it, with the authority to appoint his own officials and subordinates, and to command the military forces of the entire realm. He is appointed Governor of Sizhou and Minister of the Imperial Secretariat, and his fief is increased to 200,000 households. All other official positions remain unchanged!

After the imperial edict was read, everyone looked at the young man at the very front of the court assembly.

He stepped forward, approached the crowd, and bowed respectfully.

"Your Majesty, I thank you for your great kindness!"

At that moment, everyone understood that this King of Qin was more powerful and more dangerous than the Heavenly Pillar General of yesteryear.
-
Jinyong City.

Gao Huan and Hou Jing were on their way to Jinyong City.

"He Liuhun, do you know what I'm thinking?"

Hou Jing, mounted on his horse, looked at Gao Huan beside him with a smile.

"You little rascal, you wouldn't be eyeing the money and provisions left behind by the Erzhu family, would you!"

Gao Huan's guess made Hou Jing glance at him and chuckle.

"I was just thinking about it. Erzhu Shilong and his gang really know how to make money!"

The mountains of money and grain piled up in Luoyang made Hou Jing's mouth water.

Gao Huan, standing nearby, advised:
"I still advise you not to have any wicked thoughts. Luoyang is not like other places. There are many people watching you! Once you are caught, even the King of Qin may not be able to protect you."

In Luoyang today, the Yuan clan is weak, and the only one who can be considered powerful is Prince Yuan Yue of Runan.

As for the powerful noble families, they agreed to support Yuan Baoju because after the chaos caused by the Erzhu clan, half of the Northern Wei territory was devastated, and the Liang army was constantly encroaching on the Northern Wei's land. At this time, a stable order would be beneficial to everyone.

However, they were clearly hostile towards the Northern faction and the Guanzhong Military Clique.

The Guanlong faction is centered around Li Shuang!
The Guanzhong Military Merit Clique has its own unique promotion mechanism, with twelve ranks from the lowest-ranking Wuqiwei to the highest-ranking Shangzhuguo.

Although the positions of Grand Pillar of State and Pillar of State are still vacant at this moment, all the meritorious military officials have already come to respect a common name.

Gao Huan looked at Jinyong City, which was not far ahead.

This strategically important military town of Sanliancheng now has another name!
Tian Ce Mansion!
The imperial edict states that the General of Heavenly Strategy is in charge of all the imperial guards in the land!

In this way, future military officers and meritorious officials will not be confined to the Guanzhong Plain, but will head towards the Central Plains.

The powerful families of Guandong would not stand by and watch Li Shuang expand his influence like this.

As Gao Huan was thinking, Hou Jing nudged him and said, "Look, those Wuchuan people have arrived too!"

Gao Huan looked around and saw that Yuwen Tai, Heba Sheng, and even Heba Yue had arrived.

However, Yuwentai and the Heba brothers were clearly not on the same side, and even harbored suspicion and hostility towards each other.

Hebasheng and Hebayue walked together. Since the loss of Lingzhou, Hebayue had been imprisoned in Chang'an. The former King of Xia was no longer the spirited man he once was; he was thin and frail, as if he had been seriously ill, and even needed Hebasheng's support to walk properly.

Gao Huan, Hou Jing, and other veteran Huai Shuo people have always been at odds with the people of Wu Chuan.

However, since they met at this time, they still greeted each other.

After all, there are differences between people from Wuchuan.

Especially Hebasheng, an old man from the Tiele Wuchuan region, was disliked by Gao Huan, Hou Jing and others.

In comparison, Yuwen Tai was much more pleasing to their eye.

"Black Otter, I heard that you quelled the rebellion in Youzhou very successfully, expanding the territory by hundreds of miles, and your fame has spread far and wide among the Rouran and Khitan!"

"How can they compare to He Liuhun, who captured Hulao Pass in one fell swoop and recovered several counties in Henan?"

As Gao Huan chatted with Yuwen Tai, the Heba brothers, who were walking behind, also came over. Gao Huan was about to greet them when Heba Sheng snorted coldly and led Heba Yue through them, heading towards Jinyong City.

"What's wrong with these Tiele bastards? Why are they so temperamental?"

Hou Jing muttered behind him, but Yuwen Tai laughed.

"What else could it be? He couldn't compete with Hu Sichun for credit, so he lost the position of Prime Minister and only became Grand Commandant. He's upset about that!"

Yuwen Tai showed no respect for this senior. The reason was simple: the death of Yuwen Luosheng was the subject of much speculation, but it was inextricably linked to the Heba clan.

Gao Huan and Hou Jing exchanged glances, somewhat puzzled. Yuwen Tai explained:

"You've just arrived and don't know yet, but before His Majesty ascended the throne, Hebasheng and Husichun were fighting for the position of Prime Minister and almost broke off all relations."

Hou Jing sneered:
"What are those two Tiele people arguing about?"

Gao Huan and Yuwen Tai exchanged a glance, both tacitly understanding Hou Jing's blunt truth.

Even if you become the prime minister, so what? With this Golden Yong City here, can you really call the shots or what?
The three entered the city.

Besides being a military fortress, Jinyong City also contained a detached palace and gardens.

Li Shuang hosted a banquet, which was attended not only by the military elites from Guanzhong, but also by generals from the northern faction.

Such as Hebasheng, Husichun, Jia Xianzheng and others.

After everyone was seated, they waited for Li Shuang to arrive.

As expected, Li Shuang sat on the throne amidst everyone's gaze.

"Your Majesty!"

Everyone bowed, and Li Shuang waved.

"Today's feast is a time to forget about these formalities and drink to your heart's content."

The banquet began, and everyone enjoyed the dance music. As usual, Li Shuang only drank a few cups before stopping.

As soon as the dance ended, Hebasheng stood up, cupped his hands, and said:
"On this grand occasion, I am willing to perform the spear dance for Your Majesty!"

Li Shuang raised his hand and said:

"Give me a spear!"

Hebasheng's entire demeanor changed when he held the short spear.

With his short spear in hand, Hebasheng wielded it with ferocious skill. But gradually, everyone noticed something was amiss.

Hebasheng kept intentionally or unintentionally heading towards Husichun, and almost stabbed her several times.

Hu Sichun was also annoyed, stood up, and said:

"Your subordinate is willing to perform a sword dance for Your Majesty, in order to make peace with Lord Heba!"

Li Shuang, still smiling, said:

"Give me a sword!"

Hu Sichun, sword in hand, began to fight Hebasheng.

At first, the two were somewhat restrained, but in the end, their moves became increasingly dangerous, and they even resorted to killing techniques!
No one knew that Hu Sichun was so skilled in martial arts and was also an expert in swordsmanship.

However, Hu Sichun was no match for He Basheng in the end. He Basheng tripped her and she was about to be stabbed by He Basheng's short spear.

"Second brother!"

Heba Yue's shout startled Heba Sheng, who stopped at the last moment and did not stab him.

Hebasheng laughed loudly and helped Husichun up.

"Fa Shou, you must be frightened!"

"Po Hu's martial arts skills are truly superb!"

The two men smiled, but there was a sinister glint in their eyes.

Li Shuang clapped his hands and cheered, and the others in the hall also cheered, bringing an end to the somber atmosphere.

The banquet continued, but Li Shuang waved.

"He Liuhun, Black Otter!"

"My subordinate is here!"

"I am not a good drinker. You two help me to the back hall."

"promise!"

The two men helped Li Shuang to the back hall, where Li Shuang was sitting on the bed, looking at them.

"You have served in the region and have rendered meritorious service. What position or title do you wish to hold? Tell me!"

Yuwentai spoke first:

"I would rather be a cavalry captain under Your Majesty's command than a general!"

With this honor, you're one of us! Without this honor, what good is it even if you become prime minister?

Yuwen Tai understood this, and so did Gao Huan.

"If that's the case, I'm willing to serve Your Majesty like a dog or a horse!"

Li Shuang smiled, looked at the two people in front of the bed, and said:

"Therefore, in recognition of your merits, I hereby appoint you as Supreme Generals!"

"Your Majesty, I thank you!"

……

(End of this chapter)