Memoirs of the Heavenly Khan

Chapter 444: They all rely on their looks to make a living.
What kind of prince will Xiangning?

This might have been a valid statement a few hundred years ago, but is it appropriate to say it today?

Gao Huan and Yuwen Tai certainly knew the answer in their hearts.

During the Northern Dynasties, there were the Cui clan of Qinghe, the Lu clan of Fanyang, the Wang clan of Taiyuan, and the Zheng clan of Xingyang. During the Southern Dynasties, there were the Wang clan of Langya, the Xie clan of Chenjun, the Yuan clan of Chenjun, and the Xiao clan of Lanling.

Below these powerful families and clans were numerous other aristocratic clans and counties.

If you tell these people, "Are kings and nobles born with a special destiny?", would they believe you?

Gao Huan and Yuwen Tai both knew the answer.

After Li Shuang uttered those drunken words, he seemed to pass out and stopped talking, leaving the two of them feeling uneasy.

After that, Li Shuang acted as if nothing had happened, reorganized his army at Huatai, gathered 5,000 cavalry, and led two men and a group of northern generals southward.

They marched to demonstrate military might, pacify the people, suppress bandits, and recruit and settle displaced people in prefectures and counties.

Gao Huan and Yuwen Tai did not actually understand.

Now, the Southern Liang Dynasty has launched a massive campaign with an army of 100,000 to attack Bashu, and has also dispatched an army from Xiangyang to attack Hanzhong. The two armies are in high spirits and intend to restore the balance of power in the world.

This army of 100,000 was not a bunch of hereditary soldiers, but rather brave warriors recruited with real money by the Jiankang court. They were directly under the command of the central imperial guards and were extremely powerful.

Moreover, the army had gathered all the capable generals of Southern Liang.

Li Shuang's base in Guanzhong was in a weak state. Instead of consolidating his base and resisting the attack from Southern Liang, he was wandering around Henan.
What he's doing now could be accomplished by sending a general.

Confused, Gao Huan and Yuwen Tai couldn't say anything directly. So they followed Li Shuang south from Huatai, passing through Daliang City, and down the Langdang Canal towards the Huai River.

……

Jiankang.

"Your Majesty, the Northern Barbarian Da Yeshuang is leading 5,000 cavalry south and is about to reach the Huai River."

Zhu Yi reported this news to Xiao Yan, who frowned.

At this time, it would have been reasonable for Li Shuang to be in Luoyang, Chang'an, or even Chengdu. The only thing he shouldn't have been in was on the Huai River, with only five thousand cavalry.

What is he going to do?
"Does this brat intend to sue for peace?"

Xiao Yan murmured something, and Zhu Yi, upon hearing this, quickly said:

"Your Majesty, that is correct."

Xiao Yan looked at his favored minister, who then said:

"Guanzhong is suffering from a severe drought, and its population has been halved. Da Yeshuang is unable to support Bashu and Hanzhong. The defeat at Lijiang has further weakened it. Now is the best time to seek peace."

Zhu Yi's confidence in saying this stemmed from the performance of Southern Liang on the battlefield at that moment.

Xiao Ji's army of 100,000 has already advanced on Jiangzhou and is launching a siege.

Their performance along the way can only be described as mediocre. After all, if they want to attack Jiangzhou City, they can only do it step by step and cannot take shortcuts.

However, the other team, Lanqin Army, performed exceptionally well.

Since raising troops in Xiangyang, they have marched north along the Han River and have already captured five commanderies: Shiping, Shangyong, Nanshangluo, Xunyang, and Weixing. Before long, their forces will reach Nanzheng.

"Your Majesty, Da Yeshuang's relocation of the people from Guanzhong to Shu has angered the Qiang, Di, and Liao tribes of Hanzhong and Bashu. General Lanqin's campaign against Nanzheng is in line with the will of the people, and even the Qiang and Di officials of Wei have sided with our army. Once General Lanqin takes Nanzheng, Wang Sizheng's defense of Jiangzhou will be useless."

As Zhu Yi spoke, he added:
"Seeing this situation, and being powerless to provide assistance, it is possible that Ohno Sou might be considering seeking peace!"

Xiao Yan nodded upon hearing this and said:
"How are things on the Tuyuhun side?"

Xiao Yan's ideal scenario was for the Liang army to attack Bashu, allowing the Tuyuhun to seize the opportunity to advance and disrupt Longyou and western Sichuan.

Only in this way can enough pressure be put on Li Shuang.

"Your Majesty, the envoys we sent have not yet returned. Last year, Kualü was bullied by Daye Shuang and ceded several prefectures. If they can assist our army this time, Bashu can be secured!"

Xiao Yan said:
"Send an envoy to investigate and see what Ohno Sō means?"

"I respect your order!"

……

"Your Majesty, I have been waiting for you!" On the banks of the Huai River, at the army camp.

Hou Jing rushed into the tent, hugged Li Shuang's leg, and started crying.

"I thought I would never see Your Majesty again in this lifetime."

"stand up!"

Li Shuang kicked Hou Jing, who jumped up and immediately stopped yelling.

"Wan Jing, it is thanks to your prior arrangements of troops that the situation in the Huaibei prefectures would be very different now."

"This is all thanks to Your Majesty's kindness; I have only done what I was supposed to do."

Li Shuang smiled and took a few steps forward, while Hou Jing followed closely behind like a follower.

"After the defeat at Lijiang, one of the Jia brothers was killed and the other captured. How did you escape?"

Hou Jing cleared his throat and said in a serious voice:
"That Chen Qingzhi may seem old and frail, but his methods are no less ruthless than before. At that time, the Liang army had laid a trap, leaving us surrounded and ambushed. I was repeatedly pursued, but I always remained loyal to Your Majesty and remembered Your Majesty's teachings, which allowed me to escape danger time and time again. In the most dangerous moment, I almost died on the spot, destined to be eaten by fish, but how could I die before seeing Your Majesty one last time?"

Li Shuang listened, nodded slightly, and asked:

"So how did you manage to evade the pursuers?"

"I chanted 'May Your Majesty live ten thousand years,' and countless powers surged within me. I grabbed a log, jumped into the Huai River, and swam directly to the other side, thus escaping the pursuit."

As Hou Jing spoke, he bowed again.

"If it weren't for Your Majesty's instruction to us in the art of swimming, I fear I would never have been able to see Your Majesty again. We are deeply grateful for Your Majesty's kindness."

Li Shuang smiled and said:

"But I heard that it was Nianxian who let you go, which is how you escaped the Liang army's pursuit and returned to Guangling City?"

Hou Jing's expression changed, and he stood there dumbfounded, muttering:

"That's impossible. Even if Nianxian surrendered to the King, would all of Hebasheng's many troops also surrender to the King?"

Li Shuang, however, said:
"Why not? Otherwise, would Hebasheng have been able to bring so many troops to Liang back then?"

After listening, Hou Jing was about to flatter Li Shuang when he suddenly remembered something and cursed:

“These barbarians from Wuchuan are all on our side, yet they still cheated me out of so much gold.”

Li Shuang smiled and said:

"Nobody asked you for it, but you gave it all to yourself."

After listening, Hou Jing suddenly realized something and said:
"Your Majesty, Nianxian has now been promoted and entered Shouyang City. Should we—"

Before Hou Jing could finish speaking, Li Shuang interrupted him.

"Now is not the right time."

"When will be the right time?"

"The envoy sent by Liang to negotiate peace should be arriving soon. Go and talk to him."

Hou Jing felt somewhat embarrassed, simply because he was self-aware.

"Your Majesty, how can I gain the trust of the Liang envoy in this manner?"

Li Shuang smiled and asked:

"You've done your fair share of wicked things in Yuzhou these past few years, haven't you?"

Hou Jing remained silent, somewhat embarrassed, and looked at Li Shuang, who then said:

"Isn't there someone prettier than you?"

Hou Jing understood immediately after hearing this.

……

(End of this chapter)