Memoirs of the Heavenly Khan

Chapter 426 Your name
Li Shuang waited in Yingzhou for a long time before finally receiving a reply from Li Ayao.

Their tribe did not accept Li Shuang's friendly proposal.

Of course, they didn't refuse.

Li Ayao's father, the current lord of Buyeo Castle in Goguryeo, has a lot of opinions about Li Shuang, but that doesn't stop him from taking advantage of both the Northern Dynasty and Goguryeo.

The sixty-four cities and over a thousand villages of Buyeo were incorporated into the Goguryeo territory during the reign of King Jangsu.

Goguryeo's ancestor, Go Jumong, came from Buyeo. To deal with the Buyeo people, the Goguryeo royal family chose to form an alliance through marriage and allowed the Buyeo people to govern themselves in the region, in order to consolidate the relationship between the two.

This situation has lasted for more than forty years, and the relationship between the two sides has become very close.

Based on Li Shuang's few words, the city lord of Fuyu City will not be swayed.

The situation in Pyongyang, the capital of Goguryeo, has not yet changed to the point where it would cause him to waver.

However, he was still very interested in winning over the Khitans and trading with the Northern Dynasty, as well as the Buyeo people.

Li Shuang was temporarily satisfied.

Yingzhou was originally the location of Longcheng, the capital city built by the Murong clan. For a long time, it was a hub connecting the Northeast, the grasslands and the Central Plains, with a constant flow of merchants and travelers, and even Sogdians lived there.

After the Northern Wei dynasty conquered the Murong clan, Longcheng was renamed Helong Town and became the seat of Yingzhou.

With the outbreak of the Six Garrisons Rebellion, Yingzhou inevitably began to decline. In addition, the Xi and Khitan people took the opportunity to move south, which led to the continuous shrinking of Yingzhou's territory.

As a strategic stronghold on the front line, Yingzhou was not only a logistical base for the campaign against Goguryeo, but also a key piece in controlling the Khitan and Xi tribes, making its position extremely important.

However, Yingzhou is not like Youzhou or Xiangzhou; it cannot support more than 10,000 soldiers from the six garrisons.

The soldiers here are fierce and brave, but now the entire prefecture has less than a thousand soldiers, and basically every family is a military household.

"He Liuhun, Hei Ta, who do you think is suitable to be the governor of Yingzhou?"

Amidst the heavy snow, Gao Huan and Yuwen Tai caught up with Li Shuang and climbed the mountain. Upon hearing Li Shuang's words, both remained silent.

Li Shuang traveled from Luoyang to Yingzhou over the past year, without bringing along any of his close confidants or old friends, such as Gao Ang. However, he took the two of them with him wherever he went.

Li Shuang's question clearly indicates that he wants one of their subordinates to come and guard Yingzhou.

She Digan was originally the best candidate.

However, with Liu Lingzhu captured and his followers executed, and the fact that Shedi Gan was too deeply involved with the Shedi tribe, it was clearly inappropriate.

In addition, after the rebellion in Youzhou was quelled, a large number of rebels were exiled to Anzhou and Yingzhou, and the position of governor of Yingzhou was not easy.

Both Gao Huan and Yuwen Tai had a name in their hearts.

Who was this Governor of Yingzhou? Gao Huan wanted to say it was Yuwen Tai, and Yuwen Tai also wanted to say it was Gao Huan.

However, neither of them said it aloud, because they knew it was impossible.

"I believe that Zhu Hunyuan is capable of undertaking this task."

Gao Huan was the first to speak up and announced the name he recommended.

Upon hearing this, Yuwentai frowned.

Zhu Hunyuan was his subordinate, but unlike other generals from Wuchuan, Zhu Hunyuan was from Huai Shuo Town and came from a noble family. His ancestors had been the town generals of Huai Shuo Town.

When the Six Garrisons rose up, Ke Zhu Hunyuan joined one of the Six Garrisons and was made a king by Ge Rong. However, he had a family background in learning and, seeing Ge Rong's militia-like tactics, he knew it was not a long-term solution. So he went to Er Zhu Rong's side and was placed under Er Zhu Tian Guang's command.

After Erzhu Tianguang was defeated, Ke Zhu Hunyuan and the rest of his generation surrendered to Yuwentai and later followed Yuwentai to Fanyang.

Yuwentai still valued this general who came from a family of military merit and was brave and skilled in battle.

However, since he was from Huai Shuo, Yuwen Tai did not allow him to participate in the core of the shogunate.

Li Shuang smiled slightly upon hearing this.

Gao Huan really knows how to recommend people.

However, Zhu Hunyuan was a general under Yuwentai, so he couldn't openly stop him.

However, Zhu Hunyuan was from Huai Shuo and had a relationship with Gao Huan. Given this recommendation, how could Gao Huan possibly give him face after Zhu Hunyuan became the governor of Yingzhou?

"Black Otter, what do you think?"

Yuwentai hesitated for a long time, but ultimately did not stop him. If he did stop him here, and Gao Huan then relayed the news to Kezhuhunyuan, this powerful general under his command would surely become disloyal to him. Yuwentai glanced at Gao Huan and muttered to himself, "Damn Huai Shuo people."

"I also think it's acceptable!"

"Then let it be!"

Just then, the sound of horses' hooves came from behind.

Li Shuang turned around and saw Hou Mochen Chong walk over, take the document from the messenger, and then return to hand it to Li Shuang.

"Your Majesty, a document has arrived from Fanyang."

Li Shuang took it, opened it, and took a look.

Nearly two million shi of grain and more than two hundred thousand bolts of cloth from Hebei and Henan, along with a batch of military equipment and a large quantity of medicinal herbs manufactured in Xiangguo, have been transported to Luoyang.

In this way, the four large granaries in Chang'an and Luoyang, plus the Taicang granary in the inner city of Luoyang, have stored more than ten million shi of grain.

Li Shuang said:

"Now that this matter is settled, it's time to return to Guanzhong."

……

Jiankang.

After a year of rest, the Southern Liang Dynasty once again put the campaign against Shu on the agenda.

"Your Majesty, the Northern Barbarians' Da Yeshuang has exhausted the people's resources to build the Yongji Canal. Last year, he set out from Luoyang to various prefectures in Hebei, plundering the people's wealth along the way, causing widespread resentment. This is a heaven-sent opportunity to attack Shu."

In the imperial court, Xiao Yan's favorite minister spoke first, and the other ministers followed suit.

Xiao Yan's gaze swept past the assembled officials and landed on Hebasheng, whereupon he asked:
"Po Hu, what do you think?"

Hebasheng began by saying:

"I believe what you all say is quite right!"

"If I appoint Po Hu as general, would Po Hu be willing?"

Hebasheng was startled upon hearing this. The people in the court, including a group of military generals from Southern Liang, looked at Hebasheng with hostile gazes.

After Hebasheng surrendered to Liang, he was treated with great courtesy by Emperor Xiao Yan and given high-ranking official positions and generous salaries. However, he was, after all, a surrendered general, and many people were watching the campaign against Shu.

With Hebasheng's shrewdness, how could he not understand?

Upon hearing Xiao Yan's question, Hebasheng hesitated for the first time and did not answer immediately.

Upon seeing this, Xiao Yan smiled and asked:

"Broken Hu is unwilling?"

Hebasheng immediately became alert and replied:

"Whatever Your Majesty commands, I will obey without hesitation!"

Xiao Yan did not actually have a clear idea of ​​who should lead the campaign against Shu.

The reason is simple: the competition for the commander-in-chief position within Southern Liang was too fierce.

The Southern Liang dynasty appointed members of the imperial clan to command the army. Everyone knew that taking on this role would mean controlling a large army and a wealth of resources, and all of Xiao Yan's sons wanted to vie for it.

Just then, a commotion suddenly broke out outside the hall.

The ministers in the hall were astonished, and Xiao Yan even questioned them:
"What is the matter?"

The eunuch beside him went out, then stumbled back, looking terrified.

"Your Majesty, there is an unusual phenomenon in the heavens!"

Xiao Yan led his ministers outside, and they saw that the sun in the originally clear sky outside Xianyang Palace had suddenly lost its light, as if shrouded in a layer of haze, turning gray.

……

(End of this chapter)