Memoirs of the Heavenly Khan

Chapter 402 Never keep your thoughts to yourself

The Southern Liang navy set out from Jiangling, sailed upstream, occupied Fuling County, and its forces were poised to advance on Jiangzhou.

Wang Sengbian, as a general under Xiao Yi, the Prince of Xiangdong, was the commander of the front-line battlefield.

Compared to the description of the Liang army's invincibility in the victory report sent from Jiangling to Jiankang, he himself had a clearer understanding of the Liang army's combat strength and the battlefield situation.

The reason Liang Jun was able to make such rapid progress was less due to his own strength and more due to the weakness of the enemy.

Li Shenggui's control over Bashu was not strong; he could only control Shu County, the cities along the Jinniu Road, and Jiangzhou.

This is also why, not long after the Liang army set off from Badong County, the entire Fuling County joined the Liang Kingdom.

Since there was no need to resist, the people of Fuling County had never submitted to Chengdu.

After Wang Sengbian occupied Fuling County, he sent spies to Jiangzhou to investigate, but the information they brought back surprised him greatly.

In less than half a year, Wang Sizheng, the commander of Jiangzhou, had made defensive preparations and used the ships left by the Liang army in Bashu to train a navy, which then blockaded the river surface of Jiangzhou.

When Wang Sengbian first heard this news, he was somewhat incredulous. He then went to investigate personally and found that the military intelligence reported by the scouts was correct.

On the waters between the two cities of Jiangzhou, boats and ships were constantly coming and going, and even large warships were passing by.

After investigating the enemy's arrangements, Wang Sengbian returned to his own camp with a displeased expression.

Seeing his elder brother in such a state, Wang Sengzhi, Wang Sengbian's younger brother, couldn't help but ask:
"Brother, why is this?"

Wang Sengbian sighed and said:
"I see that the army of Jiangzhou is quite imposing, which shows that many heroes of Bashu have already joined them."

The Northern Dynasties lacked the environment to develop a large navy, and naturally, they were unable to cultivate enough talent. This was also why the people of the Northern Dynasties were not good at naval warfare; they lacked the necessary battlefield environment.

Wang Sizheng was able to train a decent navy in a short period of time, which was not enough with the naval talents he brought from the north; he must have absorbed talents from the Sichuan and Chongqing region.

Wang Sengzhi listened, but he didn't fully understand his brother's words and was somewhat dismissive.

"What abilities do Li Shengui and Wang Sizheng possess that, in such a short time, they could win over the hearts of the heroes of Sichuan and Chongqing?"

Wang Sengbian sighed at this, saying:
"The land of Bashu has been in chaos for a long time, with endless strife. If we can follow the path of benevolence, heroes will naturally flock to us!"

Wang Sengzhi murmured:

"Practicing the Way of the King?"

Wang Sengbian did not offer much explanation, but simply said:

"The envoy of the King of Xiangdong has arrived. We must be prepared to welcome the King of Xiangdong and his army!"

"promise!"

This war was not only about Southern Liang recovering lost territory, but also about the internal disputes within the Southern Liang royal family.

Prince Xiao Yi of Xiangdong wanted to personally lead a large army to supervise the battle from the front lines.

Wang Sengbian didn't have many thoughts on this; he just wanted to do his job well.

"This battle will likely be difficult!"

……

Jiangzhou.

Since Wang Sizheng was stationed in the southern part of Jiangzhou, he had improved the city's defenses with the support of Chengdu. He originally only intended to make adjustments with limited resources, but he did not expect that the resources provided by Chengdu would far exceed his expectations.

Li Shenggui not only provided grain and money, but also people.

These men were heroes from Brazil, skilled in naval warfare, and could join the navy and fight upon arrival.

With their addition, Jiangzhou's naval strength increased significantly.

The defenses of the two cities in Jiangzhou will also become more comprehensive.

Standing on the city wall of Nanfu City, looking down at the warships on the river, Wang Sizheng's confidence grew stronger.

"General, this battle is bound to drag on for a long time. Should we return to Nanfu City and I send someone else to garrison the North City?"

Wang Sizheng's voice echoed in Wang Bi's ears, but instead of bringing comfort to the old general, it aroused his dissatisfaction.

"Does the General think I'm too old?"

Wang Sizheng looked at Wang Bi and said:
"No! I just want to know if the old general has the will and the strength to defend Beifu City."

Wang Sizheng's words contained no mockery or contempt, but rather a question.

Like Wang Sengbian, Wang Sizheng clearly understood the strengths and weaknesses of both sides.

Wang Sizheng's side was at a disadvantage because they had only been in Sichuan for a short time and did not have a deep grasp on the region. They could only control a limited area and the people's hearts were not yet with them. Their advantage was that the Southern Liang Dynasty's control over the Sichuan region was not very strong to begin with, and many counties in the Sichuan region were already vacant. They did not need to spend extra resources and manpower on this, and it would be enough for them to hold a few key towns.

Wang Sengbian's side was at a disadvantage because conquering Shu required going against the current, which was quite difficult. However, their advantage lay in the fact that many officials and generals left behind by the Southern Liang Dynasty had not yet completely turned their hearts to Chang'an.

With Jiangzhou fallen, the road to Chengdu will face almost no resistance, allowing the Liang army to advance directly to the capital. If the Liang army employs sound strategy, those former Southern Liang officials who surrendered to Li Shengui will certainly not fight to the death for him. Li Shengui's few thousand former troops alone will be insufficient to defend Chengdu.

Both sides knew that the battle of Jiangzhou would determine the fate of Bashu. But both sides also knew that this war would likely last a long time.

After hearing this, Wang Bi said with a sigh:

"General, rest assured, this old general will definitely defend Beifu City."

"I am relieved to hear the old general say that."

Jiangzhou's southern city is situated on the Yuzhong Peninsula, making a direct assault by the Liang army extremely difficult. Therefore, the appropriate strategy is to first capture the northern city on the north bank of the river, using it as a base for advance.

If they can suppress the garrison in Nanfu City, the Liang army's strategic objective may be achieved ahead of schedule, allowing them to march straight to Chengdu and reclaim Shu County.

If that's not possible, they can station troops in the north city and slowly wear down Wang Sizheng's army in the south city.

Wang Pi said leisurely:
"I wonder how things are in Chengdu. It's not easy for us on the front lines, and it must be tough for the Prince of Chenliu too!"

……

Chengdu.

Li Shenggui hiccuped and walked into the room. Under the lamplight, he saw that Han Ling, who was writing furiously, no longer had any black hair on his head, and his face looked much more haggard.

"Sir, as you said, I have already drunk with the leaders of the barbarians in Badi, and they are having a good time!"

Han Ling listened, his pen still in hand, and nodded, saying:

"The northern barbarians of Ba have 200,000 households. Now that a great battle is imminent, it would be good if they did not cause chaos. Otherwise, we should immediately lead our army to kill them and separate them from their people."

Since the Liao people were introduced to Sichuan and Chongqing during the Cheng-Han period, they have spread from being concentrated in one place to being widely distributed today.

The Liao people are divided into different tribes according to their regions, and two of them are currently having a greater impact on the war situation.

One branch was the Nanping Liao from near Jiangzhou, and the other was the Bei Liao from Bazhou.

The Northern Wei Dynasty established Bazhou to settle these 200,000 Liao people. However, due to its remote location and geographical barriers, the Northern Wei's control over Bazhou was weak. The Northern Wei allowed each of these 200,000 Liao people to recommend their own chieftain to govern their respective tribes. In addition, a Bazhou governor was appointed to govern these 200,000 Liao people. However, this Bazhou governor was also selected from among these chieftains.

Over the years, the Liao people have also become more divided. Originally living in the mountains, many of them have begun to descend from the mountains, live among the Han people, and start paying taxes and serving in the military.

This is what is called a "cooked barbarian".

After all, the living standards in the city and in the mountains are not on the same level.

Among these 200,000 households, many of the Liao people have left the mountains and become accustomed Liao people.

Han Ling was quite familiar with this group of Liao people when he was in Hanzhong. They didn't have a single king who could command all the Liao people; the nominal governor of Bazhou didn't have the authority to issue orders to all the tribes. Han Ling's bottom line with them was simply to prevent them from causing trouble.

Li Shengui didn't care about this, and simply said:
"The Liao people lack armor, and with their limited military equipment, they are no match for us. Moreover, the Liao chieftain is unwilling to cause trouble."

"That would be best!"

After Han Ling finished speaking, he seemed to have thought of something, put down his pen, and looked at Li Shengui.

"Prince of Chenliu, do you think Heba Yun has been acting strangely lately?"

Upon hearing Han Ling's question, Li Shengui's expression changed. After pondering for a moment, he replied:

"Now that you mention it, I do remember. There's something wrong with Aju Ni."

After listening, Han Ling continued to handle military and political affairs, saying:
"The Prince of Chenliu should still seek out Heba Yun. At this critical juncture, we must not lose the hearts of the people!"

"Okay, I'll go right away!"

Han Ling was taken aback, then looked at Li Shengui again and asked:
"this late?"

"I'm afraid I'll forget tomorrow!"

"..."

……

With a snap, the door opened.

Heba Yun, who was inside the house, was startled and instinctively wanted to draw his sword, but when he saw that it was Li Shengui, he lowered his guard.

"Your Majesty!"

Li Shenggui was drunk and his steps were unsteady.

However, he didn't stand on ceremony and sat directly on Hebayun's bed, staring at Hebayun.

"Ajuni, are you hiding something from me?"

Heba Yun's expression changed, and when he looked at Li Shengui again, he saw him smile.

"Have you been having an affair with some woman?"

Heba Yun was taken aback, then cupped his hands and said:
"Your Majesty is too kind!"

"If you have a woman now, why are you so lazy? You haven't even been going to the military camp much lately."

Heba Yun listened and simply said:
"This humble general is feeling weary. I will certainly go to the barracks tomorrow to rectify military discipline."

Li Shengui smiled and said:
"In this army, your word is law. Whether it's Elder Dongfang or the Huyan clan, they are far inferior. You and I are brothers, so we can speak frankly without any concealment. Even if you were to leave me, I would not blame you!"

Heba Yun listened, feeling a mix of emotions, and said:

"Now that Your Majesty has conquered Ba and Shu, your prestige is greatly enhanced. Have you considered establishing hegemony by controlling Ba and Shu?"

Li Shenggui was a little confused at this moment, and instinctively said;

"Why?"

"Your Majesty has been granted the title of Pillar of State for your meritorious service, placing you above all other generals. Yet, you are not one of the King of Qin's former generals, which inevitably makes you unacceptable to others. Moreover, having achieved such great merit, even if you were a former general, it would still arouse the King of Qin's suspicion. Can the King of Qin tolerate Your Majesty for a while and overcome this difficulty together? Can he tolerate Your Majesty forever?"

Looking at Li Shengui's appearance, Hebayun said again:

"Why doesn't Your Majesty seize Ba and Shu to establish hegemony? You can advance and form a tripartite balance of power, or retreat and defend strategic locations!"

Li Shengui said leisurely:

"I think you should find a woman. What are you thinking about all day? How can my sworn brother be suspicious of me?"

After saying that, Li Shenggui lay down on the bed in a daze.

Heba Yun looked at Li Shenggui, shook his head, and covered him with the blanket. But his gaze grew even more determined.
-
Changan.

After Heba Yue was defeated, he was escorted to Chang'an.

As the object of surveillance, Heba Yue's house was in a poor location, hot and humid in summer and cold in winter.

Although he was still the Baron of Longcheng County, it was very difficult for him to live in Chang'an with this title, and he couldn't even afford to support a few servants.

However, during festivals and holidays, Hebazhen from the Prince of Qin's residence would also provide some financial assistance.

Heba Yue was demoted, but his two brothers remained in high positions.

Especially at this time, both Heba Yun and Heba Sheng were on the front lines fighting against the Liang army.

As a result, Hebazhen sent gifts more frequently than usual.

"Please convey my gratitude to Madam!"

Heba Yue was dressed in plain clothes and appeared very respectful in front of Heba Zhen's servants.

The servants bowed respectfully, delivered the gifts, and then drove away in their carriage.

They didn't expect Heba Yue to give them any benefits, because they knew that Heba Yue didn't have much to offer either.

Heba Yue's house was very small, and you could see the whole thing at a glance. There was only one main house, and one of the side rooms had been converted into servants' quarters and the other into a storage room. There was also a stable next to it.

There wasn't even any vegetation in the yard; it was just a yellowish-brown patch.

In Chang'an, Heba Yue usually stayed at home. When necessary, he would wear his only silk garment, take a carriage, and go to the occasions that Li Shuang wanted him to attend, in order to maintain a respectable appearance.

His former wives and concubines had long since left him, and his children had been sent to Luoyang and entrusted to Hebasheng.

Heba Yue lived alone with only two servants. He was well aware that one of these servants was a spy for the Prince of Qin's mansion, tasked with monitoring his daily movements.

"The King of Qin will soon summon a group of Khans and Governors of the Northern Lands. I will also be attending the banquet. You should all drive your carriages to the West Market to make some purchases."

"promise!"

As the sound of the carriage receded into the distance, Heba Yue's expression changed.

He hurried into the house, closed the door, rummaged through the pile of gifts, and found a note that read—

Three days later, the King of Qin met with Huli Jin at Shanglin Garden, went hunting, and spent the night at Shanglin Temple, accompanied by his two wives, Yuwen and Heba!
Heba Yue read it and swallowed the paper.

Since the defeat at Lingzhou, most of Heba Yue's troops have been killed, and today he has few followers left.

But Heba Yue's hatred grew stronger every day.

Heba Yue had been waiting for the opportunity to take revenge. Now, his time had come.

Currently, Li Shuang is stationed in Guanzhong, with his generals guarding their respective territories. Once he dies, can his young sons maintain control of the situation? Moreover, Yuan Mingyue and Dugu Ru are at odds, and they will likely fight endlessly over the identity of the heir.

With regional generals establishing their own territories and refusing to obey orders from Chang'an, the Luoyang court would also change its attitude towards Guanzhong.

Given the important position the Heba clan holds in the current war against the Liang army, they will surely rise to even greater heights once the political landscape changes again.

Heba Yue clenched his hands and said:

"Da Ye Shuang, I will make you follow in Er Zhu Rong's footsteps!"

……

(End of this chapter)