Memoirs of the Heavenly Khan

Chapter 407 I Know You Are Urgent

Chang'an City.

Qin Wangfu.

When news of Heba Yun's rebellion arrived, Li Shuang was not overly pleased.

For him now, a general like Hebayun is not someone who can be easily replaced.

Among Li Shengui's generals, it would be difficult to find someone like Heba Yun, who had enough prestige to intimidate the surrendered generals and barbarians of the Southern Liang in Bashu, and who could also command Li Shengui's troops without causing any mishaps.

Neither Dongfang Lao nor Huyan Zu were as good as Heba Yun.

Even though the rebellion was quickly quelled and the situation in Bashu was not affected, the death of Heba Yun was still a great loss.

Li Shuang couldn't find anyone who could perfectly replace Heba Yun for the time being.

Even if others had Heba Yun's abilities, they couldn't cooperate as well as he could with Li Shengui and Han Ling.

After all, this was a tacit understanding formed over many years of fighting and dying on the battlefield.

"Your Majesty, this is a document sent by my father."

Following the assassination at Shanglin Temple, Li Shuang established five commanderies to oversee the 20,000 cavalrymen who had been separated from Huli Jin's forces.

Hurik Kim was quite cooperative in this regard.

Li Shuang glanced at the document, put it down, and then looked at Hulü Guang in front of him. Now he was nineteen years old, and had inherited his father's tall and imposing stature, looking quite distinguished.

“Ah Guang, now that your father is in the north, he is already the Great Khan. Have you ever thought about going north to inherit the Khanate?”

Hulü Jin has more than one son, Hulü Guang. Even though Hulü Jin once loved and admired this son the most, for so many years, Hulü Guang has been by Li Shuang's side and rarely spends time with Hulü Jin, so it is inevitable that the father and son have become estranged.

Moreover, compared to the other Tiele people in the Huli tribe, Huli Guang was more like a Han Chinese.

As the eldest son of the Huli tribe and the nominal heir, Huli Guang has been far from his tribe for many years and his lifestyle is very different from that of the tribespeople. It is far more difficult for him to control the Huli tribe than for Huli Jin's other son, Huli Xian.

If he wanted to control the Huli tribe, then these scattered tribes were the best opportunity for Huli Guang.

Hulü Guang gave an affirmative answer to Li Shuang's question.

"I never imagined that!"

Li Shuang smiled and said:

"Isn't it impressive to be the Great Khan of the North, commanding ten thousand cavalry?"

"It is better to be a lowly soldier under the king than a great khan."

Hulü Guang was both expressing his stance and speaking his mind.

Like his father Hulü Jin, Hulü Guang viewed things from the perspective of Guanzhong, that is, from Li Shuang's point of view.

Huli Jin followed Li Shuang voluntarily because of their long-standing friendship. Without Li Shuang, Huli Jin might not have been as obedient to Chang'an as she is now.

Unlike his father, Hulü Guang had a deeper vision and knew that Sinicization was the best way out.

Seeing Hulü Guang's reaction, Li Shuang nodded and said:
"Since you are unwilling to go north, then I will send you to Chengdu to assist Li Shengui and Han Ling in controlling the situation in Bashu."

Upon hearing this, Hulü Guang was overjoyed. Without even asking Li Shuang what position or post he would receive, he cupped his hands and said:

"Your Majesty, I thank you greatly!"

As Li Shuang's close attendant, Hulü Guang joined him later than Houmo Chenchong, and therefore became even closer to Li Shuang.

He was well aware of the importance of Bashu in the destruction of Liang.

At this time, Li Shuang sent him there, which shows his high expectations for him.

Li Shuang nodded and gave some instructions.

After listening, Hulü Guang looked somewhat worried. However, he wasn't worried about Bashu; instead, he was concerned about the situation on another front.

"Your Majesty, Heba Yun has been executed for treason. I am worried that Heba Sheng in Henan may feel uneasy."

Li Shuang clicked his tongue, having anticipated this, and said:
"With Heba Yun dead, I'm afraid Heba Sheng is no longer useful."

Li Shuang wasn't too worried about this. It was Hulü Guang who was puzzled and asked:
"Does Your Majesty mean he will rebel?"

Li Shuang shook his head and said:

"Even if he doesn't rebel, he probably won't be able to stay put."

"Why?"

"Hebasheng isn't surrounded by colleagues, he's surrounded by wolves and tigers!"
-
Luoyang.

Hu Sichun was in a bad mood. Ever since He Basheng led his troops on a southern expedition, and with each victory report coming back, Hu Sichun had become like this.

In the depths of winter, the climate in Luoyang was rather cold. Yet, the Prime Minister's residence was heated by newly arrived charcoal fires.

Hu Sichun lay on the rocking chair, not wanting to go out on this cold winter day.

Yuan Baoju ascended the throne last year, and by this winter, the restoration work in Luoyang City was almost complete, with most of the official projects finished under the supervision of Hu Sichun.

Once the framework was in place, it was beyond Hu Sichun's ability to make Luoyang prosperous, or even transform it into the vibrant capital of the Northern Wei Dynasty before the Six Garrisons Rebellion.

The Northern Wei of today is not what it used to be. It has suffered the wounds of war, and the fact that the Luoyang court is practically non-existent has allowed the control of resources in the capital, six circuits, and more than a hundred prefectures of the Great Wei to fall into the hands of Chang'an.

Even in Sizhou, where Luoyang is located, the imperial court has no say. After all, the governor of Sizhou is named Li Shuang.

Hu Sichun had a lot of free time in the winter, and her mind became lazy. On the one hand, she had fewer things to manage, and on the other hand, she was also annoyed.

It is common knowledge that he and Hebasheng are at odds.

Hu Sichun did not want to go south to conquer Southern Liang, but seeing Hebasheng's achievements made him even more distressed.

But even Hu Sichun couldn't change any of this; the war was beyond his control. Nor could he resort to underhanded tactics to delay the battle at the front.

After all, Hu Sichun was also a member of the Northerners, and he could not openly betray the interests of all the Northerners.

Fortunately, out of sight, out of mind, Hu Sichun locked herself in her residence and ignored what was happening outside.

He didn't want to pay attention, but people still came to his door.

The person who came was Jia Xianzheng, and his brother Jia Xiandu was also on the list of those going to the expedition.

At this time, the official system in Luoyang was quite chaotic, with many meritorious northern generals occupying positions that sounded prestigious but had no real power.

Jia Xianzheng and his elder brother Jia Xiandu were two of them.

In return for betraying Erzhu Zhongyuan, Jia Xianzheng also received the position of Sikong after Li Shuang entered Luoyang, serving as his deputy to Prime Minister Husichun in building Luoyang.

Hu Sichun always harbored suspicion towards Jia Xianzheng, but outwardly she treated him with the utmost courtesy.

Upon learning of Jia Xianzheng's arrival, Hu Sichun changed her clothes and respectfully went to greet him, only to be met with Jia Xianzheng's laughter.

"Fa Shou, we are brothers, why must we be like this?"

Hu Sichun welcomed Jia Xianzheng into the mansion. In the winter, he led him to the warm pavilion in the back garden, where they sat around the stove and brewed tea.

Hu Sichun's Prime Minister's residence was rebuilt on the site of the former offices of the three dukes of the Northern Wei Dynasty, south of the inner city palace of Luoyang.

Of course, as the chief engineer of the restoration of Luoyang, Hu Sichun would not skimp on himself when building his own house.

When Jia Xianzheng first came, he was amazed by what he saw and wondered how much Hu Sichun had amassed.

However, Jia Xianzheng came this time to discuss serious matters.

"Try it, this is tea from Hanzhong this year."

Unlike previous teas, Hu Sichun's tea contained no other ingredients; it was purely for drinking. Jia Xianzheng took a sip and, finding it somewhat unpalatable, asked:

"Why did Fa Shou decide to drink this?"

"This method of drinking is becoming popular in Chang'an."

Hu Sichun was very concerned about the movements in Chang'an. He became even more acutely aware of the implications.

In the past, tea leaves were either used to make soups or as an ingredient, but nowadays, the methods of making tea have changed.

After drying and fermentation, tea leaves can be enjoyed plain and are also easier to store.

what does this mean?
In addition to farming, Han people could also cultivate land in their own yards to grow fruits, melons and vegetables as supplementary food. Even if they could not eat fresh fruits and vegetables all year round, they could pickle or shred them to make sauerkraut, pickled vegetables and salted vegetables that were easy to store and eat in winter.

However, the nomadic tribes in the north are different. They mainly live a nomadic life, and the only things they can find are wild vegetables and fruits, especially in winter when even wild vegetables are hard to find.

Hu Sichun, who once lived in the North, knew that the people of the northern tribes suffered from diseases and had short lifespans because their food was oily and lacked fruits and vegetables.

But with these easy-to-store teas, the situation is different.

Tea can "remove greasiness and aid digestion," which is quite important for the northern nomadic peoples whose staple foods are beef, mutton, and cheese.

Even if ordinary herdsmen in the northern nomadic tribes couldn't afford it, their chiefs would flock to it.

With these tea leaves, the Khans of the North need not worry about winter.

Previously, Li Shuang controlled a limited number of tea-producing areas, mostly concentrated in a few counties in Hanzhong, resulting in low production. However, with the fall of Sichuan and Chongqing, the number of tea-producing areas increased, and tea production also increased significantly.

At that time, Li Shuang could not only use tea to deepen his relationship with the tribes in the north and increase his financial revenue, but also use tea as a logistical reserve for the army to provide logistical support.

After all, not only do the tribes in the north lack fruits and vegetables, but large armies also lack fresh fruits and vegetables when marching long distances, which affects their combat effectiveness.

Jia Xianzheng was clearly not as thoughtful as Hu Sichun. Upon hearing that he was from Chang'an, he smiled and said:

"Did Ohno Sawa rip you off a lot of money?"

Hu Sichun listened, smiled slightly, and said:
“It’s alright, I’ll deliver it. It’s better than Ohno Sō coming to ask for it himself.”

After a brief exchange of banter, Jia Xianzheng's expression turned serious, and he asked:
"Fa Shou, have you heard? Heba Yue is dead."

Hu Sichun nodded slightly after hearing this.

Jia Xianzheng further inquired:
"Does Fa Shou believe that Heba Yue would die to save Ohno Sawa?"

"I believe you if you say Heba Yue was the mastermind behind this rebellion, but I don't believe you if you say he fought to the death to save Da Ye Shuang!"

Hu Sichun's frank words resonated with Jia Xianzheng, who immediately became somewhat excited.

Do you think Heba Yun and Heba Sheng would believe it?

Hu Sichun knew that what Jia Xianzheng wanted to ask was not whether the two believed him or not, but what they would do if they didn't believe him.
These two brothers are playing important roles in the two battles on the front lines.

If they harbor resentment and do something rash, the situation on the front lines could change drastically.

"It's hard to say!"

Hu Sichun didn't know much about Heba Yun!

Hu Sichun knew Hebasheng quite well; he was the type to act only after seeing a tangible benefit. Although Hebayue was dead, he was, after all, officially recognized as a "loyal and righteous man," so Hebasheng wouldn't cause any trouble for him.

Just then, footsteps sounded outside the warm pavilion.

Hu Sichun's attendant came up and hesitated when he saw that Hu Sichun was entertaining guests.

After Hu Sichun waved, he still came up and handed her a sealed bamboo tube.

Hu Sichun disassembled the bamboo tube, took out the intelligence from inside, and laughed in front of Jia Xianzheng.

"It seems that whether Heba Yun believes it or not is no longer important."

"Why?"

Hu Sichun made no attempt to hide his intelligence from Sichuan and handed it over to Jia Xianzheng. After reading it, Jia Xianzheng broke out in a cold sweat.

"Ohno Sawamura, that's quite a clever tactic!"

Who was Heba Yun? He was a general who had followed Li Shengui for many years. He had considerable control over Li Shengui's army. Such a man of outstanding merit and high prestige was killed in the blink of an eye!
Jia Xianzheng felt a sense of shared sorrow, but Hu Sichun felt differently.

Hu Sichun's laziness vanished completely; all that remained was the excitement of seeing her prey.

He looked at Jia Xianzheng and said:
"Heba Yue is gone, but Heba Sheng can still stay put. But Heba Yun is gone too, and he died in rebellion. Can Heba Sheng still stay put?"

"Of course—"

Jia Xianzheng realized what was happening and a smile appeared on his face.

"...I can't stay here either!"

If Hebasheng were to also die, it would be of great benefit to both Husichun and Jia Xianzheng.

However, Jia Xianzheng still had some concerns.

"Fa Shou, what if Hebasheng disregards everything and leads his army to counterattack Luoyang?"

If Hebasheng does this, the current garrison in Luoyang will not be able to stop him!

Hu Sichun clearly knew about this, but she wasn't worried. She said:

"Was Hou Jing's stay in Xuanhu City just for nothing?"

Hu Sichun downed the tea in one gulp, revealing a surge of energy.

“My people from the Prime Minister’s residence are too conspicuous. You should secretly send someone to monitor Hebasheng’s Grand Commandant’s residence and prevent his nephews from escaping. Also, write a letter to Xiandu to warn him. Even if we can’t keep Hebasheng here, we can’t let him escape with his 30,000 troops.”

"Don't worry, he can't run away!"

……

Xuanhu City.

"Why has the General summoned me here?"

Wang Wei rushed over to see Hou Jing, who was holding a warning letter sent from Chang'an. Hou Jing said:

"Hebasheng is probably plotting a rebellion!"

Wang Wei was taken aback and asked:

"Does the General have evidence?"

Hou Jing honestly replied:

"no!"

"..."

Wang Wei was speechless. Hebasheng wasn't some nobody like Kalami; you can't just call him a traitor and expect him to commit treason!

Hou Jing handed the letter to Wang Wei, who was delighted upon seeing it.

"Congratulations, General! Command of these tens of thousands of troops is now yours!"

Hou Jing liked Wang Wei very much. Although Wang Wei had followed him for the shortest time, he was the one Hou Jing trusted the most, and the reason was Wang Wei's "intelligence"!
"General, when shall we make our move?"

"No need to rush. We just need to hold Xuanhu City. Those northerners will be more anxious than we are!"

……

(End of this chapter)