Memoirs of the Heavenly Khan

Chapter 392 The struggle for power is often so simple and unadorned.
Gao Ang led his troops north and drove out the officials of the three counties in Hebei, replacing them with his own people.

Li Shuang rebuked Gao Gao and forced him to relinquish the territory, but then designated the three prefectures as Weizhou.

The nobles and officials in Luoyang quickly realized that Li Shuang was testing their limits.

The four prominent families of Guandong, along with the Li family of Longxi, have been related by marriage for many years, forming a defensive alliance in the imperial court.

These officials were well aware that Li Shuang was trying to disrupt the old order and re-weave a new network.

The nobles were not angry at Li Shuang's probing of their bottom line; on the contrary, they were delighted.

The old Celestial Dragons who had lived through the old era were extremely excited.

Finally, I've met a normal person!
How could they be like that bunch of good-for-nothings from the Erzhu clan, who had no grounds for argument, didn't even try to test the waters, and picked up knives to startle people when they couldn't win an argument!

rough!

shameful!
The group of veteran Celestial Dragons were filled with fighting spirit and decided to continue to shine in their familiar territory.

We will resolutely crack down on any acts of arrogance; we will defend the dignity of the imperial court to the death.

Ohno Sou, let's fight!

Just as a group of high-ranking officials submitted numerous memorials, attempting to create public pressure to criticize and discredit Gao Feng, Yuan Baoju pressed the pause button.

It's time for a sacrificial ceremony!
Yuan Baoju ascended the throne last year and changed the era name, so the sacrificial ceremony in the first month of this year can be described as grand.

The officials in Luoyang reacted somewhat strongly to this.

The Heyin Incident, orchestrated by Erzhu Rong, became a nightmare for many high-ranking officials.

Fortunately, Yuan Baoju did not perform the sacrificial ceremony in Heyin.

As dawn broke, the gates of the neighborhoods where the high-ranking officials resided in the inner city of Luoyang slowly opened. The carriages and oxcarts carrying the officials emerged from the neighborhoods one after another, heading towards the ancestral temple of the Northern Wei Dynasty under the protection of guards.

Compared to the sacrificial ceremony, the officials were most concerned about the three prefectures in Hebei.

They planned to submit another memorial after the sacrificial ceremony, demanding an explanation from the imperial court.

After Emperor Xiaowen of the Northern Wei Dynasty reformed the system, the sacrificial rites had long been formalized.

The officials were intimately familiar with these procedures.

After the Erzhu clan entered Luoyang and took control of the government, they abolished the old system of rites and adopted the northern system instead, and even started casting bronze statues.

The officials scoffed at this, but there was nothing they could do.

Everyone knows that the Erzhu clan's aggressive military campaigns and perverse policies will not end well.

The Kerzhu clan was truly too powerful.

The Erzhu clan had no foundation, but as long as they could maintain military control, they could sustain their military expansion.

Until Li Shuang arrived, the Erzhu clan's rule came to an end.

Everything returned to normal, and the old etiquette was restored.

The sacrificial ceremony went smoothly at first, until Yuan Baoju encountered a problem when it was time to offer sacrifices at the ancestral temple.

A large number of soldiers poured into the ancestral temple and surrounded the nobles.

The officials were greatly alarmed by this, and they couldn't figure out what had happened.

Is Ohno Sō also planning to stage another coup in Kawain?

The group of veteran Tianlong members were filled with doubt and suspicion, wondering if they had been too harsh in their criticism and that Li Shuang was about to overturn the table.

Until Yuan Baoju provided an explanation.

Yuan Baoju fainted from excessive grief over missing the previous emperors.

Upon hearing this news, the group of veteran Celestial Dragons simply did not believe it.

Who is Yuan Baoju? He was a regular at the music and tuning circles back in the day. They've seen him act like a rogue when he's broke. How could he be so heartbroken over this?
With that in mind, the group of nobles quickly began their performance.

"Your Majesty is so pure and filial, truly a blessing to the Great Wei!"

"If our ancestors knew this in the afterlife, they would surely be comforted."

……

The praises were endless, but soon these nobles realized something was amiss.

Why hasn't Yuan Baoju woken up yet?

You can just install it once, how long do you plan to keep it up?

Three hours later!
Yuan Baoju finally woke up. The nobles who had been standing under the sun until they were almost exhausted had aches and pains in their backs, and some of them were even having blurred vision.

During the event, some people were so tired that they wanted to sit down, but they were quickly reprimanded for being disrespectful and had no choice but to stand up again.

Yuan Baoju said:

"Give me sacrificial meat!"

Soon, plates of undercooked pork, still covered in pig skin and hair and smelling strongly of pork, were served.

The smell is unbearable, even just smelling it is unbearable.

Yuan Baoju shouted loudly:

"The courtiers shall enjoy the sacrificial meat!"

At that moment, all the officials understood.

This is a conspiracy!
Damn it!
So you resort to this kind of talk when you can't get away with it!
You're just an old man, aren't you!

Ohno Sou, you really know how to do it!

Despite their thoughts, the nobles still had to eat the undercooked pork.

However, some people vomited after only a few bites.

"How dare you disrespect the sacrificial meat! What are your intentions!"

Those who spat out the sacrificial meat were quickly taken away and sent to prison. The nobles who had been standing for most of the day had no choice but to continue eating, tears streaming down their faces.

……

royal palace.

"Your Majesty, I have won a great victory today!"

Yuan Baoju, who was back in the palace recounting his achievements, was very excited.

“These old guys, who usually act like emperors like Yao, Shun, Yu, and Tang, are all bowing down today.”

Empress Yifu shook her head helplessly after hearing Yuan Baoju's words.

She knew, of course, that this wasn't Yuan Baoju's idea.

Yuan Baoju could never have come up with such a wicked trick.

"Is this how the King of Qin taught you?"

Yuan Baoju's face showed admiration as he said:

"This is nothing. Ohno Sou even taught me a couple of tricks. I plan to use them on these old guys whenever I don't like them in the future."

"..."

Empress Yifu was speechless upon hearing this.

That's a pretty underhanded tactic already.

Most of these officials were elderly. They had to stand for three hours, eat undercooked pigs with hair still on, and then be sent to the imperial prison. It would probably take them a month or two to recover.

"Your Majesty, it is best to uphold benevolence and virtue, and to stop here."

Empress Yifu offered her advice, but Yuan Baoju simply smiled.

"These old geezers always put on airs, acting like Confucius and Mencius are alive. Did they think I wasn't there when they went to the music and tuning institutes?"

Yuan Baoju finally discovered the weakness of these nobles.

They have high magic resistance, but low physical resistance!

The struggle for power is often this simple and unpretentious!

……

Jinyong City.

Li Shuang was standing on the top of the Hundred-Foot Building, looking at the Yongjia Warehouse under construction in the distance.

Hou Jing arrived from outside and stood beside Li Shuang. Li Shuang sighed. "The court's discipline has deteriorated. Even the high-ranking officials are unwilling to enjoy sacrificial meat. They have been indulging in extravagance for so long that they have completely forgotten the hardships faced by the nation."

Hou Jingdao:
“Your Majesty is right. I went to the prison and saw that all the officials there said they knew they were wrong and were willing to repent.”

Li Shuang smiled, turned around, looked at Hou Jing, and said:

"Do they really know they were wrong?"

"These old folks were crying their eyes out, regretting their past actions."

"In that case, let them go back and reflect on their actions behind closed doors!"

"promise!"
-
Xuzhou.

The Xiang and Ji prefectures of Hebei were divided into the three prefectures of Xiang, Wei, and Ji.

The imperial court in Luoyang debated this matter for a long time, but finally came to a conclusion and officially confirmed the establishment of Weizhou.

Compared to Gao Gao, who was at the center of the storm, Yuan Xin, who was in Pengcheng, was quite relaxed.

After receiving the title of Supreme General, Prince Yuan Xin of Guangling had a more legitimate reason to take charge of Pengcheng and began domestic and military development.

Of course, in times of chaos, domestic development inevitably relies on military development.

The old military system of the Northern Wei Dynasty had collapsed, and the corresponding military construction naturally had to be changed.

Now that General Yuan Xin has no large number of Xianbei soldiers under his command, he needs to recruit Han soldiers into the army. Therefore, the system of "Han people farming and Hu people serving as soldiers" must be changed.

Fortunately, the advisors sent by the Tian Ce Mansion under Yuan Xin's command were very familiar with the equal-field system and the military system, and were able to make changes on the spot.

The meritorious officials he brought along could also serve as the backbone of the army, organizing these Han soldiers and quickly building up a large army.

These are things Yuan Xin doesn't need to worry about; the only thing he needs to worry about is the overall political strategy for Xuzhou.

How should we defend against the Southern Liang?
In response, Yuan Xin searched through historical records and found that there were indeed places that could be consulted.

In order to defend Pengcheng, Liu Yu set up three fortifications in Liuxian, Lüxian and Xiapi near Pengcheng.

Constructed entirely of brick, it is magnificent and sturdy, with imposing towers and turrets, unlike anything seen in the north or south!
Liu Yu spent a fortune to cover all three bases with bricks.

In fact, Liu Yu did not waste his money; the Pengcheng Three Fortresses played a significant role in his Northern Expedition.

Yuan Xin faces a different situation than she did back then.

Liu Yu's aim was to launch a northern expedition, as the main enemies were all in the north.

Yuan Xin's biggest and only enemy now is in the south.

However, the underlying principles are the same: both rely on waterways such as the Sishui and Bianshui rivers to establish military systems.

The most important strategic location among them was Xiapi.

Today's Xiapi is not the capital of Xuzhou at the end of the Han Dynasty. Since Cao Cao flooded Xiapi and defeated Lü Bu, the original city of Xiapi has gradually fallen into disrepair, and the center of Xuzhou has moved to Pengcheng.

However, given its geographical location, Xiapi remains a crucial hub connecting the Yi River, Si River, and Huai River.

If Yuan Xin wants to control Pengcheng and Ju, then he has no choice but to pay attention to Xiapi.

Wei Xiaokuan walked in from outside, carrying his helmet, his face ashen.

"General!"

Yuan Xin smiled, already knowing the answer in her heart, but still asked:
"How is it?"

"The Liang people's ships and boats are indeed formidable!"

Wei Xiaokuan clearly did not gain any advantage.

Wei Xiaokuan and others had fought against the Liang army before, but the Liang army was not at its peak at that time.

In the mountainous region between Hanzhong and Guanzhong, north of Nanyang, the Liang army was indeed no match for them.

But things are different here; the Liang army in the Jianghuai region is at its peak.

Utilizing the crisscrossing network of waterways, Liang's navy could quickly maneuver and employ a variety of tactics, while their cavalry was severely suppressed and unable to fully utilize their strength.

Yuan Xin was already aware of this.

Compared to Wei Xiaokuan, who was from Guanzhong and had never seen the Liang navy, Yuan Xin, a prince of the Northern Wei, was much more familiar with the Liang army.

After all, the Northern Wei and Southern Liang had fought each other to the death for decades, engaging in large-scale battles involving hundreds of thousands of people more than once.

"The horses used by the Liang army mostly come from the southwest. They are small but very strong, unsuitable for charging, and mostly used for reconnaissance and transport. The few warhorses used by the elite cavalry in the army are also from trade with Tuyuhun and are very precious. The Liang army's cavalry is not as good as ours, but its navy is very powerful. There are dozens of types of ships of various sizes, such as tower ships, warships, fighting ships, and fire ships, each with its own purpose. We see their navy just as they see our cavalry."

Wei Xiaokuan listened and nodded.

When Wei Xiaokuan first entered Pengcheng, he somewhat underestimated the Liang army. However, after personally going south and clashing with the Liang army, he discovered that their fighting strength was not weak.

The more complex the waterways, the stronger the Liang army's fighting power. In the Jianghuai region, the Liang army's navy was even more troublesome than the nomadic cavalry of the northern grasslands.

The Jianghuai region can be considered the main battlefield for the Liang army.

North of the Huai River, the Central Plains had numerous but not complex waterways, allowing cavalry to play a significant role, while naval forces rarely found their home ground. Therefore, after Emperor Wen of Song's Yuanjia Northern Expedition, the Southern Dynasties became more pragmatic, focusing their efforts on the areas between Pengcheng and Shouyang.

Seeing Wei Xiaokuan like this, Yuan Xin was in a good mood and continued:
"The Liang people are not good at archery and horsemanship, but their army is equipped with crossbows, which, together with their ships, make them impossible for our cavalry to deal with."

Wei Xiaokuan thought for a moment and asked:
How did the Wei army win in the past?

Wei Xiaokuan's statement clearly indicates that he did not consider himself part of the Wei army.

Yuan Xin didn't care. In fact, he was increasingly no longer considering himself the Prince of Guangling of Northern Wei.

"The Liang army's northern expedition failed, so our army will encounter much less resistance when it marches south. Emperor Taiwu was able to drink from the Yangtze River only after the Song army's northern expedition failed and they lost their main force."

After listening, Wei Xiaokuan understood somewhat.

"The Crown Prince Xiao Gang of Liang arrived in Shouyang not long ago to reward the soldiers, which boosted the morale of the entire army. It seems that the Liang army has no intention of launching a proactive attack."

Yuan Xin listened and comforted her:

"If the Liang army does not advance north, we will defend Pengcheng, manage the two prefectures well, and accumulate grain, fodder, and weapons. We must especially manage Xiapi well. If the Liang army advances north, our southward advance will inevitably begin from here."

Wei Xiaokuan listened and nodded.

"My subordinate understands!"

……

Shouyang.

"Thank you for your trouble, General Chen, as you have come south!"

When Xiao Gang met Chen Qing, he was very polite.

Chen Qingzhi was Xiao Yan's chess protégé and also a renowned general in the Liang Kingdom.

From Wei Rui, Cao Jingzong, and Pei Sui in the past, to Wei Zhao who passed away not long ago, and now to Chen Qingzhi, Lan Qin, and Yang Yaren, the Southern Liang Dynasty has never lacked great generals.

It could even be said that the stars of the generals are shining brightly.

However, when the Southern Liang Dynasty waged war, it often used members of the imperial clan as commanders-in-chief, with these generals assisting them in the battles.

The advantage is that it can effectively check the power of generals.

The downside is that the level of the Liang army is directly linked to the level of the leading clan members, and in recent years, the Southern Liang clan members have become increasingly incompetent.

For example, when Xiao Zan took over Pengcheng, Chen Qingzhi was his assistant. However, Xiao Zan defected to the enemy, causing chaos in the Liang army, and Chen Qingzhi led his troops to defend the city alone.

Fortunately, Crown Prince Xiao Gang knew the importance of the Jianghuai defense line and that Chen Qingzhi was Xiao Yan's confidant. He did not overstep his bounds and fully listened to Chen Qingzhi's opinions.

"Your Highness, I am unworthy of such praise."

Xiao Gang took Chen Qingzhi's hand. This famous general was thin and not burly.

"Not long ago, Wei general Wei Xiaokuan marched south but suffered a defeat. It was General Chen's skillful command that saved the day. Does General Chen think the Wei army will launch a large-scale southward offensive?"

Chen Qingzhi shook his head and said:
"I'm afraid not. The current King of Qin is not a man who is fond of grand achievements."

Xiao Gang needed a major victory, but he didn't want to lead his army north; instead, he planned to lure the enemy deep into his territory. He had suffered a great loss at the hands of Hou Jing in Hanzhong and knew the danger.

"This is truly a blessing for the nation!"

Xiao Gang said this, but his true thoughts could not be hidden from Chen Qingzhi.

Chen Qingzhi didn't say much, following behind Xiao Gang, looking at his increasingly withered hands, feeling worried.

Despite its apparent prosperity, the Southern Liang Dynasty was fraught with internal crises.

Your Highness, do you really know how formidable that King of Qin is in the north?
……

(End of this chapter)