Memoirs of the Heavenly Khan

Chapter 395 Please Give Me an Explanation

Chang'an City.

All the generals in the Tian Ce Mansion were sent to various states to serve as high-ranking officials guarding their respective regions.

Yang Kan was stationed in Liangzhou, Li Bi was stationed in Lingwu, Yu Jin was in Taiyuan, Gao Ang held military power in the three prefectures of Wei, Ji and Yan, and even Hou Jing was left in Luoyang.

In addition, there are three special generals.

Gao Huan was in Yecheng, Yuwentai was in Fanyang, and Yuan Xin was in Pengcheng.

These three individuals either possessed their own retinues and troops, or were merely figureheads, and the situations in the prefectures and counties they controlled were quite complex.

However, it is an indisputable fact that the old order of the Northern Wei Dynasty has been replaced by the current Tiancefu system.

Compared to these generals, military commanders such as Hou Mochen Chong, Peng Le, and Xue Guyan were kept by Li Shuang's side for easy use.

Among these people, there are those who want to go further.

For example, Wang Sizheng!

He was among the first batch of military officers to be awarded medals, and he is also the only one who has not been promoted to the rank of Grand General.

Wen has no first, Wu has no second.

People like Yang Kan, Li Bi, and Gao Ang were thinking of taking a further step and being promoted to the rank of Pillar of State.

Hou Mochen Chong, Wei Xiaokuan, and others also wanted to be promoted to the rank of General.

Wang Sizheng was different. Among the many powerful and skilled officials in Guanzhong, he was not known for his martial prowess, but rather for his expertise in infrastructure construction.

Over the years, Wang Sizheng has built many cities.

For example, Baibi City, and many county towns in Hongnong and Luozhou.

Wang Sizheng's rise to the rank of Grand General was largely due to his military achievements.

However, infrastructure development always has its limits, and resources also have their finite resources.

After inspecting the infrastructure inside and outside Guanzhong, Wang Sizheng found that there were basically no more places to accumulate military merits.

In places like Taiyuan, the necessary tasks had already been completed during the reigns of Erzhu Rong and Yuan Tianmu, so Wang Sizheng didn't need to expend much effort. Wang Sizheng did suggest to Li Shuang that a branch city be built next to Jinyang City, east of the Fen River, connecting the two branch cities on either side of the Fen River to form a three-city network. This would make Jinyang City's defenses impregnable. However, Li Shuang rejected this suggestion because it was too costly.

In Hebei, Henan, and other places, there's absolutely no need for him to worry about anything.

As for the northern regions, once the three cities of Shuozhou were completed, there was no need for further infrastructure development. After all, Shuozhou and other areas had a small population and abundant land, so there was no need to build more cities.

Wang Sizheng realized that if he wanted to accumulate military merits and rise to the rank of general through infrastructure construction, he would probably have to wait until the Great Wall was built!

Of course, this matter is far from being resolved.

After the Rouran ruler Anagui fled again, the Rouran split into eastern and western parts, and the border defense pressure in the north was greatly reduced, entering a period of stability.

There was no need for military defense, so there was no need to build the Great Wall.

After Wang Sizheng followed Li Shuang in eliminating the Erzhu clan, he was transferred back to Guanzhong.

The Tian Ce Mansion was also located in Chang'an City, with a large drill ground in addition to the corresponding government offices.

As noon approached, Houmo Chenchong, along with a group of young meritorious officials, was discussing martial arts on the training ground.

Hou Mochen Chong, shirtless, wielded his long-handled broadsword, displaying his martial arts skills amidst the admiring gazes of the young generals.

Not so lively!

The government office was deserted, with only Wang Sizheng present.

However, he had no intention of joining in the fun. Wang Sizheng knew that in terms of martial prowess, Hou Mochen Chong ranked among the top generals.

If he were to join in the fun, he would only be humiliating himself.

Fortunately, Wang Sizheng was not a competitive person, and he was quite comfortable handling government affairs in the Tian Ce Mansion every day.

"Have you heard? Li Shengui has sent a document, ordering him to march south and attack Jiange. His Majesty has already given his permission."

An old general walked over, saw Wang Sizheng drinking tea, and said with a smile.

The old man was Wang Bi, whose honorary title was General of Chariots and Cavalry. His honorary title was not high; he had just entered the rank of general, but Wang Sizheng treated him with great respect.

"Why is the old general so interested in Li Shengui?"

Wang Sizheng already knew about this matter, but he wasn't very interested in it.

The reason is simple: Li Shenggui has too few bargaining chips.

Li Shengui was the Prince of Chenliu, and he held great power in Hanzhong, but the resources in Hanzhong were not abundant.

The Liang-Han region may seem vast, but it is mostly mountainous. Even if Li Shengui manages to capture Jiange and push his troops to the Jiange front, the actual war gains will not be much greater.

"If Li Shengui captures Jiange, the land of Bashu will be indefensible. In that case, it will be the perfect time to make a name for ourselves!"

Although Wang Bi was already old, it was impossible for him not to be tempted by the progress of his younger generation.

Unfortunately, Wang Bi missed the campaign against the Erzhu clan, and there were no major battles in various places at the moment, so he turned his attention to the south.

Compared to Wang Bi, Wang Sizheng understood Li Shuang's thoughts better.

"His Majesty does not wish to mobilize a large army and is focused on stockpiling supplies. I'm afraid the old general will be disappointed."

Wang Sizheng saw things very clearly.

The biggest difficulty in entering Sichuan and Chongqing was not the perilous passes like Jiange, but the logistical transportation.

Moving 20,000 troops south from Guanzhong to Sichuan requires a tremendous amount of provisions. The consumption of these troops themselves is secondary; the losses during the journey are the greatest.

If the grain reserves in Chang'an's three major granaries were reduced by 20% to 30%, it would only be the threshold for entering Sichuan.

In addition, the labor force currently engaged in water conservancy construction will need to be redeployed as civilian laborers to transport grain and fodder. This will inevitably greatly delay the progress of these projects.

Wang Sizheng said leisurely:
"If Your Majesty does not wish to waste money and provisions to reinforce Hanzhong, then with only Li Shengui's few thousand troops, I fear it will be difficult to achieve anything."

What does Your Majesty mean?

Wang Sizheng made the judgment.

Although everyone judged that Li Shuang was going to attack Southern Liang, they were not prepared for a full-scale war with Southern Liang at this time.

For the Southern Liang, without Hanzhong, Jiange was their only lifeline to defend Bashu, making it extremely important. But for them, Jiange was not the only way to defend Hanzhong; there were several other formidable passes along the way that could be held.

"With the Sword Pavilion in hand, Your Majesty has leverage to negotiate with Lord Liang."

Wang Bi was slightly disappointed upon hearing this.

Just then, the latest military report arrived from outside.

"General, an urgent report from Nanzheng!"

Wang Sizheng smiled and leisurely sipped his tea.

"Where has Li Shengui fought to?"

Chengdu!

Wang Sizheng spat out a mouthful of tea, staring wide-eyed at the messenger in front of him, his voice hoarse.

"Where do you think Li Shenggui has fought to?"

Wang Sizheng wondered if he had misheard, but the person in front of him was absolutely certain.

"The army of the Prince of Chenliu has arrived in Chengdu!"

At that moment, Wang Sizheng looked at Wang Bi beside him and found that the old general's eyes were like those of a wolf.
-
Chengdu.

Li Shengui's several thousand troops marched south without encountering much resistance.

After the news of the change of hands at Jiange spread throughout Sichuan, wherever the banner of the Northern Wei's number one general went, the people of Sichuan would surrender without a second thought.

Several important towns, including Zitong, Mianzhu, and Luoxian, surrendered without a fight.

People's minds are in turmoil!

When Li Shenggui arrived in Chengdu, tens of thousands of people from Sichuan had already gathered behind him.

Seeing this, the Southern Liang general who had originally intended to hold Chengdu no longer planned to resist and simply opened the city gates to surrender.

After all, the city's garrison commander knew that the main force had gone to fight the Liao people, and reinforcements wouldn't arrive in the short term. If Li Shenggui really intended to attack the city, they couldn't defend it. Therefore, Li Shenggui led his army into Chengdu.

The most surprised by this was not the group of Southern Liang officials in Chengdu, nor the group of military generals who followed Li Shengui, but Han Ling, who had planned all of this.

He never imagined that military discipline in the Sichuan and Chongqing region had deteriorated to such an extent.

Han Ling had assumed that this southward journey would involve at least two or three major battles, and he was prepared for them.

But the truth is that they entered Chengdu and occupied the Chengdu Plain, the most fertile part of Sichuan, without fighting a single battle.

Li Shengui stood on the execution ground, surrounded by a large crowd of people from Chengdu.

His soldiers bound a group of Southern Liang royals who had committed crimes but had been pardoned and escorted them to the execution ground.

Han Ling and Heba Yun followed behind Li Shengui. Heba Yun advised:

"Your Majesty, execute all these members of the royal family. There is no room for compromise between us and the Liang Kingdom."

Li Shengui gave a soft snort and rebuked:

"Over the years, besides the King, who have I ever compromised with!"

Li Shenggui took a few steps forward and addressed the crowd of people in Chengdu:

"I, Li Shengui, am here on the orders of the King of Qin to conquer Chengdu, for only one purpose: fairness!"

After Li Shenggui finished speaking, the executioners on the execution ground raised their broadswords.

A head rolled off, and blood splattered all over the ground.

The surrounding crowd erupted in cheers.

As the cheers subsided, Li Shengui continued:

"From this day forward, in this land of Bashu, regardless of status, anyone who dares to commit evil and oppress living beings will suffer the consequences!"

"The King of Chenliu is wise!"

Han Ling looked at Li Shengui with a hint of admiration in his eyes.

By doing this, Li Shengui was demonstrating to the world that there was absolutely no possibility of compromise between him and the Southern Liang Dynasty, and that his heart was only with Chang'an.

After calming the people and temporarily stabilizing the situation in Chengdu, Li Shenggui took Han Ling back to his residence.

At this moment, Li Shenggui was no longer as excited as he had been during the day; instead, he was somewhat worried.

"Sir, I've seen all the valuables in the treasury. Can we hold Chengdu?"

Han Ling glanced at Li Shengui and asked:
What if I say I can't hold it?

Li Shengui slapped his thigh and said:
"Then let's pack up, divide up the valuables in the treasury, and get ready to run!"

After listening, Han Ling smiled and said:

"There's no need for that. Chengdu can still be defended!"

Li Shengui's killing of members of the Southern Liang imperial family had already cut off his access to the Southern Liang. If he were to be defeated and captured, he would likely face certain death.

He was prepared to flee, but after hearing Han Ling's words, he asked again:
“I have heard that the main force of Liang’s army is fighting against the Liao people. If they hear that Chengdu has been captured, and they return to the capital, can our few thousand soldiers hold out?”

Their report reached Chang'an, and even if Li Shuang immediately ordered reinforcements, the reinforcements could not possibly arrive faster than the Liang army.

The reinforcements from Guanzhong would have to cross mountains and valleys to reach Chengdu, but Liang's army could rely on waterways such as the Jialing River to quickly advance to the outskirts of Chengdu.

Li Shenggui was clearly aware of this.

Han Ling comforted him, saying:
"Don't worry, Prince Chenliu. The army of Bashu is now disobeying Jiankang's orders and has privately marched south to attack the Liao people. How can they be expected to stand wholeheartedly on Jiankang's side?"

The Liao people were originally a barbarian tribe living in the Yunnan-Guizhou region.

For more than two hundred years, the situation in Bashu was chaotic, the Shu people fled, and many counties in Shu were abandoned. The Liao people took the opportunity to move north and occupy various tribes in Shu.

For the officials of the Southern Liang Dynasty in the Bashu region, the campaign against the Liao people was an important way to subsidize their public and private expenses.

There's no other reason than that Jiankang (a traditional Chinese medicine clinic) provides too little.

"What do you mean, sir?"

Han Ling sighed softly and said:
"In the art of war, winning hearts and minds is the best strategy, while conquering cities is the worst!"

……

Jiankang.

Taicheng.

Prince Xiao Ji of Wuling was the eighth son of Emperor Xiao Yan. He was only twenty-six or twenty-seven years old. He was diligent in his studies from a young age and did not like extravagance.

Emperor Xiao Yan greatly admired this son and originally intended to give him a few more years of experience before entrusting him with important responsibilities. However, the development of the situation forced Xiao Yan to recall him to Jiankang ahead of schedule.

Xiao Ji stood in front of Xiao Yan, watching his father, the founding emperor of the Great Liang, wiping the bronze chime and occasionally taking the objects from Xiao Yan's hands.

After Xiao Yan finished his work, Xiao Ji finally spoke:
"Did Father summon me back to Jiankang because of the affairs of Bashu?"

Xiao Yan looked at his son and revealed a rare hint of tenderness.

"I intend to send you to Chengdu to oversee the administration of Sichuan and Chongqing. Are you willing?"

"To share the burdens of my ruler and father, I will not hesitate!"

Xiao Yan was very satisfied with Xiao Ji's statement and said:

"I am old and no longer able to handle many things, so I rely heavily on the imperial clan for local affairs. However, those members of the imperial clan take advantage of my leniency and commit many illegal acts, which are repeatedly prohibited but not stopped. When you go to Sichuan this time, remember that there are things in Sichuan that can be dealt with urgently and things that can be dealt with slowly. You need to be able to distinguish between them clearly."

"My son understands!"

After listening, Xiao Yan tested him and said:
"What do you think!"

"The problems in Sichuan and Chongqing are numerous and cannot be eradicated overnight. When I go to Sichuan and Chongqing, I will encourage agriculture and sericulture, promote salt and iron production, facilitate trade routes, and appease the barbarian tribes so that the people of Sichuan and Chongqing can recuperate and thrive."

Xiao Yan nodded, then asked:

"And what about those who are in a hurry?"

"The laws of Shu are not being enforced, military discipline is lax, and many members of the imperial family and officials are committing illegal acts. We must uphold the law and discipline to win the hearts of the people and the loyalty of the soldiers!"

Hearing Xiao Ji's words, Xiao Yan was relieved. However, after putting down the bronze chime in his hand, he added another sentence.

"If they are not truly wicked, then we should forgive them if possible."

Xiao Ji listened, not taking it seriously, but still said:

"promise!"

Xiao Yan placed the bronze chime in front of him and gently tapped it once; the sound was melodious. This sound also signified that Xiao Yan's meeting with Xiao Ji was about to end.

Even as he spoke to his beloved son, Xiao Yan still offered these words of advice:
"My son, the affairs of this world are difficult to manage; you must remember this."

Just then, Zhu Yi walked in.

This favored minister of Emperor Liang had lost his former composure and now walked with a shaky gait.

Seeing his expression, Xiao Yan was puzzled, but his face remained calm and composed.

"What's the matter?"

"Your Majesty, an urgent report has arrived from Sichuan: twenty days ago, Li Shengui captured Chengdu."

Zhu Yi was on tenterhooks, but he still finished speaking.

A single chime resounded, shaking the entire palace.

The bronze chime was struck again, but the sound was not as melodious as before.

At this moment, the old monk from Jiangdong once again displayed the imperial majesty that he had not shown in public for many years.

Everyone was terrified!

……

(End of this chapter)