Memoirs of the Heavenly Khan

Chapter 414 You are all loyal subjects
Fanyang.

Yuwen Hu was walking outside when he heard laughter coming from inside.

"Uncle, what's wrong?"

Yuwen Hu entered the room and saw Yuwen Tai with a smile on his face.

Yuwen Tai was younger than Gao Huan, not yet thirty, but he looked much older. Yuwen Tai usually had a cold expression, and Yuwen Hu had rarely seen him so cheerful.

"This is Gao Huan's strategy for conquering Liaodong. Take a look at this ingenious plan."

For his meritorious service in the campaign against the Khitan, Yuwen Tai was enfeoffed as the Duke of Yan.

He distributed the people, livestock, and wealth he acquired to his soldiers, greatly boosting the morale of the troops in his six garrisons.

Unlike Gao Huan, Yuwen Tai did not use his identity as a member of the Bohai Gao clan in an attempt to integrate into the Hebei aristocratic families.

But as an outsider, he had already gained his footing.

Yuwen Hu took it from Yuwen Tai and began to read it, but unlike Yuwen Tai, he did not show any joy. After reading it, he felt a sense of awe.

"Gao Huan's intentions are profound; he is truly a man of great talent!"

Yuwen Hu had never known before that Gao Huan, who came from Huai Shuo, was so knowledgeable about the situation in Goguryeo that he could offer such a strategy.

The Xianbei originated from the Donghu and were originally mainly engaged in fishing and hunting. After the decline of the Xiongnu, they entered the grasslands and became nomadic.

Goguryeo was originally founded by Go Jumong, a Buyeo man. It rose to prominence at the end of the Han Dynasty. Unlike the Xianbei, which moved westward and then southward, Goguryeo never ventured westward into the Liaodong region. Instead, it turned its attacks towards Korea and Liaodong, and attempted to conquer the fishing and hunting tribes in the northeast.

The area west of the Greater Khingan Mountains (Daxianbei Mountain) is a nomadic region, while the area to the east is a fishing and hunting region.

All six towns are located north of the Great Xianbei Mountain.

Yuwen Hu only learned about the specific situation of the Khitan and Xi tribes when he followed Yuwen Tai to the north to fight. However, Gao Huan, who was far away in Ye City, was very clear about the situation in the northeast, which amazed him.

Yuwentai listened without refuting, and asked:

Do you think this plan is feasible?

Yuwen Hu nodded and said:
"I think it's feasible."

Yuwen Tai shook his head and smiled:

"If this plan were feasible, it wouldn't be on my desk now."

Yuwen Tai, seeing Yuwen Hu's shocked and somewhat confused expression, explained:
"Da Ye Shuang appointed Gao Huan as the ambassador for the Liaodong campaign in order to seize territory in Hebei, not to conquer Liaodong!"

Yuwen Tai's face was dark and cold, but his eyes were bright. He said:

"Without an army of 100,000 men, accumulated over several years, how could we possibly conquer Liaodong given the current situation in Hebei?"

Yuwen Hu's expression softened, and he seemed to understand. He said:
"If Gao Huan goes too far, will Hebei descend into chaos?"

Yuwentai didn't care at all; he even wanted to laugh.

“Gao Huan usually identifies himself as the Gao family of Bohai and has accumulated some good relationships. I’m afraid he’s going to fail. If Hebei falls into chaos, it might not be bad for us.”

Yuwen Hu nodded, then suddenly looked at Yuwen Tai and asked:
"But would the King of Qin want to see Hebei descend into chaos?"

The moment Yuwen Hu finished asking the question, Yuwen Tai's smile vanished. He suddenly realized something: what would Li Shuang do?

"Black Otter, this document was just delivered from the temporary residence of the Prince of Qin in Weizhou."

Yuwen Tai's secretary, who was also his strategist, Cui Xian, from the Cui clan of Boling, rushed in, his face covered in sweat, clearly having run a long way.

"What is the matter?"

Yuwentai took the document from Cui Xian, opened it, glanced at it, slammed it on the table, and angrily said:
"Gao Huan, you Huai Shuo man!"

Seeing Yuwen Tai's anger, Yuwen Hu couldn't help but ask:
"Uncle, what's wrong?"

Cui Xian explained from the side:
"Upon Gao Huan's recommendation, Ōno Sō appointed Kōtar as the deputy envoy for the Liaodong campaign!"

"..."

Yuwen Hu was stunned, but Cui Xian advised:
"The situation in Hebei right now is murky and uncertain. It's not the best course of action for you to step forward at this time. You need to think twice!"

Yuwen Tai's supporters were the Cui clan of Boling and the Lu clan of Fanyang.

Unlike Gao Huan, Yuwen Tai had room to expand outwards. Fighting north was tough, but it still yielded gains.

If he were to turn his attention to the local powerful clans, Yuwen Tai, who had just gained a foothold, might not fare well.

Yuwentai naturally knew that Cui Xian was right, but he was still somewhat worried.

“I’m afraid Ohno Sō won’t let us off so easily. He didn’t say anything in this document, only gave me a title. I’ll have to meet him to find out the details.”

Upon hearing this, Cui Xian gave Yuwen Tai an idea.

"There is a plan that can keep Black Otter firmly in place, so that no matter what Ohno Sou wants, he can deal with it calmly."

"What is the plan?"

Cui Xian paused, glanced at Yuwen Tai's expression, and said:
"Make peace with Gao Huan, turn a major issue into a minor one, and a minor issue into nothing!"

After Cui Xian finished speaking, Yuwen Tai's dark face turned terrifyingly cold.

He remained silent for a long time before finally managing to speak.

"Let me try!"

……

"He Liuhun, you mustn't fall for Da Yeshuang's treacherous scheme!"

In front of Gao Huan, Gao Qian earnestly advised him.

The relationships between the aristocratic families in Hebei were delicate. Although they had their disagreements, they were all in agreement on their attitude towards Li Shuang, an outsider.

We don't want this outsider!
The most desired outcome for the aristocratic families in Hebei is for the province to remain stable and for things to stay unchanged.

The news coming from the imperial court in Luoyang made the aristocratic families in Hebei very uneasy.

Li Shuang added another 100,000 households!

Everyone could tell from his visit that Li Shuang intended to bring all 100,000 households under his administration and consolidate existing achievements.

If it only went this far, the aristocratic families of Hebei could still accept it.

But with these 100,000 households, will there be another 100,000 households in the future?

The King of Qin already had 200,000 households in his fiefdom in the Central Plains. If it were to increase by another 300,000 or 400,000 households, how could the aristocratic families in Hebei possibly cope?

Gao Huan knew Gao Qian's worries, but he pretended not to understand.

"Why do you say that, Qian Yong?"

Gao Qian was a little agitated and said directly:
"With He Liuhun's intelligence, surely he can see through Da Yeshuang's scheme? He clearly wants to stir up trouble in Hebei and take advantage of the situation. You must not become his tool!"

Gao Huan listened, but didn't care at all.

Ultimately, although Gao Huan used his identity as a member of the Bohai Gao clan to forge close ties with the aristocratic families of Hebei, the foundation upon which he was able to establish himself in Hebei was still his own Huai Shuo troops and the more than 10,000 soldiers of the Six Garrisons.

They were stationed in Yecheng, with no room for expansion, and now, seeing the people of Wuchuan being promoted and ennobled, they were restless.

If Gao Huan, as the leader, does nothing, his position will not be secure.

If we want to appease them, we can't promote them or give them titles; we can only improve their treatment.

The problem is, where will the money come from?
Gao Huan looked at Gao Qian, his elder brother from the same clan, with a smile on his face.

"Qian Yong, what makes you say such a thing? How could the King of Qin have such intentions?" "He Liuhun, what are you pretending to be stupid for? You've presented this so-called strategy for conquering Liaodong, what exactly do you intend to do with it?"

Gao Huan sneered, emanating an inexplicable chill.

"Qian Yong, what do you mean!"

Gao Qian, who was burning with rage, felt a chill run down his spine.

Just as he was about to break ties with Gao Huan, Gao Qian suddenly realized the background of the man who always kept a smile on his face.

Since entering Hebei, Gao Huan has appeared to be doing nothing wrong and getting along well with the powerful families. However, this facade cannot conceal the fact that he comes from one of the Six Garrisons.

When the troops of the Six Garrisons were causing chaos in Hebei, he was one of the most important leaders around Du Luozhou and Ge Rong!

In the art of scissor-cutting, there are few people in this era who can surpass Gao Huan.

If he really breaks ties with Gao Huan, he will completely side with Li Shuang, which will be of no benefit to him.

Thinking of this, Gao Qian smiled and said:

"He Liuhun, tell me, what do you want?"

"Why can't I understand what Qian Yong is saying?"

Gao Qian waved his sleeve and said:
"To be honest, whether it's 100,000 households or 200,000 households, it's not unacceptable. But I'm afraid that Ohno Sō's desires are insatiable. If we add another few hundred thousand households in the future, things will definitely get chaotic."

"Qian Yong is overthinking it. If we add another 100,000 households, the King of Qin will at least have to choose one of Tuyuhun or Goguryeo to destroy!"

Gao Qian listened and said:

"In that case, we will increase your profits from trade with Goguryeo by 10%, making it 73%. In addition, we will give you three large estates, which will yield more than 100,000 shi of grain annually, enough to support your more than 10,000 soldiers in the Six Garrisons. What do you say?"

Gao Qian did not come alone, but represented powerful clans such as the Bohai Gao clan and the Qinghe Cui clan. This was the bargaining chip they could offer Gao Huan.

A smile finally appeared on Gao Huan's face, and he said:

"Qian Yong, what are you saying? We are all from the Gao clan of Bohai, and it is only natural that we should help each other. But now that Yuwen Tai has also gotten involved, what should we do?"

Gao Qian gave an answer that was both unexpected and reasonable, but one that Gao Huan had never considered.

"Join forces with him!"
-
Yuwentai was originally going to wait for Li Shuang in Youzhou, but once the appointment document was issued, he took the initiative to come south to find Li Shuang.

However, to Yuwentai's surprise, Li Shuang sent Gao Huan to greet him.

When the two met, they embraced each other as if they were old friends who hadn't seen each other for many years.

Then, she spoke of her longing and reminisced about the past.

"Black Otter, thinking back to those days, the people of our two towns stood guard in the north, resisting the Rouran. What a heroic spirit we had!"

“He Liuhun is right. When I was fighting against the Khitan, in the cold of the night, I kept thinking about how the people of our two towns joined forces to resist Po Liuhan Baling and Yujiulü Anagui. It was the loyalty and righteousness passed down from generation to generation that sustained me and enabled me to return in triumph.”

In their excitement, the two embraced again.

After the hug, the two mounted their horses and headed towards Li Shuang's location.

"Black Otter, you know me. When the King of Qin was about to conquer Liaodong, he appointed me as the Liaodong Expeditionary Ambassador and asked me to recommend a deputy. At that moment, only one name came to my mind: Black Otter, you. You won't blame me, will you?"

"How could this be? I am honored that He Liuhun remembered me. I just don't know exactly what to do?"

As Gao Huan rode his horse closer and closer to Li Shuang's flagship, a growing sense of urgency filled him.

He needed to reach an agreement with Yuwentai before meeting Li Shuang. Only then could he deal with Li Shuang.

"The King of Qin intends to solicit donations from the powerful families in Hebei, so that they may contribute to the court. However, in my opinion, Hebei has just emerged from the war, and the conquest of Liaodong should not be rushed. It should be done slowly."

Gao Huan had barely hinted at it when Yuwentai immediately chimed in.

“He Liuhun, you’re right, this matter can’t be rushed.”

Upon hearing Yuwentai's words, Gao Huan immediately felt more confident.

"Think of that Goguryeo envoy, who disrespected the emperor and disgraced the state in the Taiji Palace. If we were there, we might have executed him on the spot to repay the country's favor. We all know the King of Qin's loyalty to the emperor, so how could we not be angry! But acting too hastily may be inappropriate."

Yuwentai understood Gao Huan's meaning after hearing his words.

"Liaodong is Chinese territory, and it has been ravaged by Goguryeo for over a century. It cannot be rushed."

Gao Huan was delighted to hear this.

"The King of Qin's loyalty and righteousness are known throughout the world. I fear that the King of Qin may act too hastily in order to avenge the humiliation of the previous ruler, which would be counterproductive."

“We have known the King of Qin since we were humble beginnings, and now we are his subjects. If the King of Qin is acting too hastily, we should also offer our advice.”

Gao Huan looked at Yuwen Tai and praised him:

"Black Otter is truly loyal and righteous!"

Yuwen Tai replied:
"He Liuhun is also a loyal minister!"

……

Gao Huan and Yuwen Tai reached an agreement and arrived at Li Shuang's fleet. They boarded the flagship, only to find Li Shuang standing at the bow, gazing at the farmland on both banks and the white clouds under the sky, softly reciting:

"Having cultivated a form resembling a crane, I sit beneath a thousand pine trees, carrying two volumes of scriptures. I come to inquire about the Way, but there is nothing more to say; clouds drift in the blue sky, water flows in the bottle."

Yuwentai and Gao Huan walked up behind Li Shuang and bowed after hearing Li Shuang finish reciting the poem.

"Your Majesty, I have come to pay my respects!"

Li Shuang slowly turned around, looked at the two of them, and smiled.

"The people of Wuchuan and Huaishuo are like clouds and water, but they are all loyal subjects of our Great Wei."

"Your Majesty is wise!"

"No need for that, please sit down!"

The ship was quite stable. A round table was placed on the deck at the bow. Li Shuang invited the two to sit down and poured them each a cup of tea.

"I hereby appoint you as the chief and deputy envoys for the Liaodong expedition to relieve your worries. What do you think is the key?"

Gao Huan and Yuwen Tai exchanged a glance and said:
"Your Majesty, please enlighten me!"

Li Shuang listened and slowly said:

"Don't be too hasty!"

Yuwentai and Gao Huan were both taken aback, neither of them knowing what Li Shuang meant.

Don't rush things. Why did you call us here?
"The Goguryeo envoy insulted the emperor and father at the Taiji Palace; he was truly inhuman! All the officials and ministers were indignant and wanted to attack Liaodong to recover our Chinese territory. However, Liaodong is remote and Goguryeo has been ravaging the country for a long time. If we want to save the millions of people in Liaodong, it cannot be done in a short time."

"Your Majesty is wise!"

Li Shuang listened and nodded.

"It's good that you all understand!"

After saying that, Li Shuang stood up, and Gao Huan and Yuwen Tai also stood up and followed beside him.

The two followed Li Shuang for a few steps, but then he turned around and said:
"Therefore, He Liuhun led his troops to Fanyang to inspect the various prefectures of Youyan and Anping."

Gao Huan's heart skipped a beat upon hearing this, but before he could react, Li Shuang looked at Yuwen Tai and said:
"I would like to trouble Black Otter to make a trip to Ye City to inspect the various prefectures of Xiangji and Cangying."

After listening, the two looked at each other. The tender warmth in each other's eyes was gone, replaced by a stench of blood.

……

(End of this chapter)