Memoirs of the Heavenly Khan

Chapter 498 We're in this together
Yingzhou.

"Your Majesty, I have been waiting for you!"

Li Shuang's car arrived in Yingzhou.

Hou Jing abandoned Yuwen Tai and Gao Huan at the front lines and arrived here early to wait.

However, the moment Hou Jing saw Li Shuang, he keenly realized that he had changed!
Li Shuang is now accompanied by a man.

Zu Ting!

The other person ran over from beside the carriage, carrying a dismount stool, and was very respectful.

"Your Majesty, be careful!"

Li Shuang stepped down from the carriage and dusted off his sleeves. Although it was already spring, the weather in Yingzhou was still somewhat chilly.

Zu Ting stood by, carefully attending to her.

This scene made Hou Jing feel uneasy. He bit his lip without realizing it, but walked over as if nothing had happened.

"Your Majesty!"

Li Shuang nodded and asked:
"How is the situation in Liaodong?"

"Your Majesty, Yuwen Tai and Gao Huan have repelled several probing attacks by Goguryeo troops in Tongding and Huaiyuan. However, after the imperial edict for the conquest was issued, Liaodong also received the news and began to conscript troops in preparation for war."

Upon hearing this, Li Shuang scoffed:

"I expected this!"

Upon hearing this, Hou Jing was about to offer some flattery.

However, at that moment, a voice that seemed abrupt to him rang out.

It's Zu Ting!
"Your Majesty's foresight is admirable. How can the light of Goguryeo's fireflies rival the brilliance of the sun and moon? However, those Goguryeo people have been building mountain fortresses, storing up grain and managing Liaodong for a long time. Even under natural disasters, such as severe droughts and heavy snows, and when the people are impoverished, I am afraid they will resist to the very end."

Li Shuang nodded and said:

"Xiaozheng's view is truly farsighted!"

With that, Li Shuang walked forward toward the mansion.

Hou Jing stayed behind and didn't immediately follow. He looked at Zu Ting and found him utterly displeasing.

Zu Ting too!

"Why does Lord Liang view me in this way?"

Hou Jing suddenly let out a cold laugh and said:
"I didn't realize Xiaozheng had such a silver tongue!"

Zu Ting smiled slightly upon hearing this.

"Lord Liang, you flatter me. It's all just to share the King's burdens!"

"When I was sharing the king's burdens, you weren't even born yet!"

When Hou Jing said that, Zu Ting did not feel offended; instead, he laughed.

"Lord Liang is getting old!"

These words enraged Hou Jing even more.

Zu Ting, however, had no time to chatter with Hou Jing. He immediately followed Li Shuang into the mansion.

Hou Jing watched from behind, stomping his feet in anger.

"Pooh!"

……

Yingzhou is a strategic location on par with Dunhuang, and was once the stronghold of the Murong clan, Longcheng.

After the Northern Wei destroyed the Murong clan, Yingzhou gradually lost its status as a royal domain, but it still retained its status as an important border town.

Of course, the Northern Wei Dynasty had no choice but to retain it even if it didn't want to.

Without Yingzhou, the passage into Liaodong would be cut off, and the Khitan, Xi and other tribes would no longer be able to be contained.

However, Zhu Hunyuan was a great general, and after he took office as the governor of Yingzhou, the situation in Yingzhou was very stable.

The number of soldiers in Yingzhou was not large, but they were all elite troops, and they were under the command of Kezhu Hunyuan.

Hou Jing and Zu Ting followed them all the way, but when they reached the gate, they were stopped by Li Shuang's armored soldiers.

"His Majesty is receiving the Governor of Yingzhou inside the house and has ordered that no outsiders are allowed to enter!"

Hou Jing panicked upon hearing this.

Am I an outsider?

"His Majesty has given his orders; I hope Lord Liang will forgive him!"

Hou Jing had no choice but to listen.

Zu Ting smiled and was about to go in when he was stopped.

"Can't I go in either?" Faced with Zu Ting, the armored soldier didn't even bother to reply, and simply nodded.

Hou Jing, standing nearby, mocked:

"I thought Xiaozheng was highly trusted by the King, but I didn't expect that he couldn't even get through the door."

Zu Ting was not angry when he heard this. Instead, he smiled and pulled Hou Jing aside.

"Lord Liang, who is this Zhu Hunyuan, and why does His Majesty trust him so much?"

"He..."

Hou Jing realized what was happening and asked:
"Why should I tell you?"

Zu Ting chuckled and said with a smug grin:
"We are all treacherous officials, so we should help and support each other!"

You're the real traitor!

……

Inside the mansion, Li Shuang leaned against a soft leather cushion.

His subordinates were carrying the accompanying books and seals.

Zhu Hunyuan stood in front of Li Shuang, feeling somewhat uneasy.

He was a Xianbei, born in Huai Shuo Town, into a prominent family. When the Six Garrisons Rebellion broke out, unlike Sima Ziru, Sun Teng, and others, he did not head south to Xiurong early on. Instead, he joined the rebellion and was enfeoffed as the Prince of Liang, becoming one of the many self-made kings under Ge Rong.

However, Zhu Hunyuan knew that Ge Rong's power would not last long, so he later joined Erzhu Rong's side.

However, at that time, Ke Zhu Hunyuan was already considered a "junior" in Erzhu Rong's camp.

He first followed Erzhu Tianguang, and later followed Yuwentai.

Li Shuang, by any measure, can be considered a "senior".

Before the chaos in the Six Garrisons, he was a bandit wanted by the imperial court, a legendary figure heard by the people of the Six Garrisons.

After the chaos in the Six Garrisons, he became the champion general of the imperial court, stabilizing the situation in the north. He was also someone the people of the Six Garrisons hated with a passion.

In Xiurong, Li Shuang and Erzhu Rong became sworn brothers. Li Shuang belonged to the "Tian" generation, which was a generation higher than all those who had joined Erzhu Rong.

Later, Li Shuang broke with Erzhu.

Later, Li Shuang exterminated the Erzhu clan and, as Erzhu Rong's successor, took over their fiefdom, people, and wealth.

In theory, these former followers of the Erzhu clan were also within Li Shuang's purview.

No matter where they were, Li Shuang always seemed to be a level above them.

But clearly, he was just a bandit!
……

Zhu Hunyuan's thoughts were racing until Li Shuang's subordinates put away the official documents and records and left.

"But Zhu Hunyuan, I've settled you in this remote Yingzhou. You won't blame me, will you?"

"I dare not!"

Zhu Hunyuan bowed softly, appearing quite apprehensive.

"Back in Jinyang, you followed Erzhu Tianguang. Speaking of which, this kid owes a lot to your help."

Li Shuang spoke of it so casually and naturally, as if it were nothing serious. But to Ke Zhu Hunyuan, it was quite remarkable.

"I dare not!"

"There's no need to be so formal."

But Zhu Hunyuan took out a document from his sleeve, held it out with both hands, and said:

"This is a record of the private affair between Yuwen Tai and Gao Huan, made on the orders of Your Majesty."

Li Shuang smiled, stood up, walked to Kezhu Hunyuan, took the document, but did not read it.

"What you know, I know; what you don't know, I also know."

But Zhu Hunyuan trembled and bowed, saying:
"Yes!"

Li Shuang saw this and still smiled.

“I told you, there’s no need to be so reserved. Stand up.”

"promise!"

Zhu Hunyuan straightened up, but still dared not raise his head to look directly at Li Shuang.

"If you had to choose between Gao Huan and Yuwen Tai, who would you choose?"

Zhu Hunyuan was taken aback. This time, he raised his head and looked at Li Shuang, saying:
"Your Majesty is my only choice!"

Li Shuang smiled and patted Ke Zhuhunyuan on the shoulder.

……

(End of this chapter)