Memoirs of the Heavenly Khan

Chapter 520 They'll start fighting on their own.

In the sixth year of the Datong era (540), Li Shuang left Yu Jin to guard Luoyang and returned to Chang'an with his subordinates.

This time, Gao Huan, Yuwen Tai, and their families also accompanied them.

In addition, Li Shuang summoned Yang Kan, Li Bi, Gao Ang, and even Li Shenggui back.

It can be said that Chang'an today is home to most of the top military officers under the Tian Ce Mansion.

In the Qin King's mansion, banquets were held every day during the first month of the lunar calendar, summoning all military officers of general rank and above from the city to attend.

The palace was filled with noise.

Here, Gao Huan and Yuwen Tai could even clink glasses and drink together, as if their past grievances never existed.

After all, they were all from Guandong, and compared with the military heroes of Guanzhong, they were all "juniors".

Li Shenggui would grab anyone he could and have a few drinks with them, trying to build a friendly relationship.

As for Hou Jing, he did not stay with his old comrades like Gao Huan, but instead reminisced about their past friendship with Yang Kan and Gao Ang.

Away from the hustle and bustle, the back courtyard is quite quiet.

In the courtyard, under the cherry blossom tree, the aroma of tea fills the air as hot water is poured into the bowl.

Li Shuang poured a cup of tea for the old man in front of him, handed it to him, and said:

"It's been so many years, sir, you've aged so much!"

Han Ling took the teacup and felt gratified after hearing Li Shuang's words.

"I am old, but Your Majesty is in the prime of your life. Lian Po is old, but his ambition remains. Your Majesty need not worry."

Li Shuang smiled and took a small sip of tea. Over the years, Han Ling had guarded Chengdu and made great contributions.

"To be frank, sir, this time I intend to keep the various generals stationed in Chang'an and reform the military system of each garrison, separating the soldiers from the generals. What do you think, sir?"

Han Ling listened and offered his advice.

"The number of soldiers in the empire is now as high as 270,000 to 280,000. They are soldiers who live among farmers. It is not right to keep soldiers and generals together for too long. When things are urgent, generals should be sent out, and when things are over, generals should be sent back. Only in this way can things last."

Seeing Li Shuang nod, Han Ling continued:

"Now that the four barbarian tribes have submitted, the only ones to worry about are Goguryeo in the east, Rouran in the west, and Tuyuhun in the snowy region. Gao Baoyan has no talent as a general, and Kualü of Tuyuhun is cunning but not brave. Only Anagui is a great threat."

Han Ling was Yu Jiulu Anagui's old rival and took him very seriously.

"If they defeat the Hephthalites, annex the Western Regions, and then move eastward to gradually encroach on Liangzhou and swallow up the northern lands, we must be wary."

Li Shuang drank all the tea in her cup, showing no signs of worry like Han Ling.

"Although Anagui is a great threat, if he were to annex the Western Regions, the country would inevitably fall into chaos. If he were to remain in the Western Regions as the chief Khan, the Rouran kingdom could still be preserved. Otherwise, things will inevitably change in the long run."

Han Ling didn't know where Li Shuang's confidence came from, nor did he want to know. He simply asked:

"Now that Liaodong has been returned to China, the fate of the world lies either in the South or in the West. Which place does my lord intend to take first?"

Li Shuang gave Han Ling a positive answer.

"First take the southern kingdoms, then take the western regions."

Hearing this, Han Ling felt reassured, stroked his beard, and said:

"Xiao Daocheng's implementation of the system of appointing officials as clerks weakened the imperial clan, and their foundation was seized by Xiao Yan. Seeing the mistakes of the previous dynasty, Xiao Yan abolished the system of appointing officials as clerks and appointed members of the imperial clan to supervise the army. However, this has now led to the fact that the various Xiao families are now competing for power and it is difficult for them to unite. If we do not seize this opportunity now, when will we ever get another chance?"

Han Ling's words carried a hint of satisfaction.

"In my opinion, the defenses of Xiangyang and the perilous Yangtze River are not easily overcome. Your Excellency's entry into Jiankang and the achievement of great merit were brilliant strategies, but they should not be repeated. The conquest of the Southern Kingdom should be carried out slowly and not hastily."

Upon hearing this, Li Shuang leisurely said:

"I thought you would advise me to immediately raise an army of 300,000 men by land and sea and march south to destroy the Liang Kingdom."

Han Ling shook his head and said with a wry smile:
"Your Majesty, rest assured, no one wants to see the Lanling Xiao Clan's hegemony destroyed more than I do, but I will not let personal grudges interfere with state affairs."

As he spoke, Han Ling analyzed: "If we rush to seize it now, it will put the Xiao clan in danger of being destroyed. If they unite their forces, it will only cause more trouble. What is even more worrying is that if a hegemon emerges, he will surely become a great threat."

Upon hearing this, Li Shuang revealed a playful smile.

"A hegemon?"

Han Ling was unaware of Li Shuang's unfathomable thoughts, and simply said:
"Since the Yongjia Rebellion, the world has been in turmoil for a long time. The South has no shortage of heroes who can rival the North. If someone can understand the advantages and disadvantages and unite the three regions of Jingzhou, Xiangyang, Jiangdong, and Lingnan, then he will be able to establish an empire and rival Your Majesty."

Li Shuang's expression turned serious, but unlike Han Ling, he wasn't pondering the meaning behind those words; he was only shocked.

Han Ling waited until Li Shuang picked up her teacup again and offered her suggestion.

"I believe that we should prioritize diplomacy and strategy, with military force as a secondary measure. If we allow the various Xiao families to fight their own battles, Your Majesty can take advantage of the situation, first capturing Xiangyang, then Jiangling, and sailing down the river to Jiankang. In that case, the destruction of Liang will be assured!"

"Just as you said, sir."
-
Jiankang.

After Emperor Liang went north, Xiao Gang moved from the Eastern Palace into Xianyang Palace.

His actions did not come without opposition. However, Xiao Gang rejected them all in the name of the Crown Prince overseeing the state.

Xiao Gang did this not merely out of lust for power and vanity, but also out of practical considerations.

Only by controlling Taicheng can one control Jiankang.

Although Jiankang is no longer the city it once was, with a population of one million and a port full of foreign tribes, it is still the largest city in the Southern Dynasties.

Whether it's Xiangyang or Jiangling, among the many important towns on the upper reaches of the Yangtze River, none can compare to Jiankang.

Xiao Gang benefited the most after Emperor Liang went north.

They not only controlled Jiangdong, but also received half of the Imperial Guards, giving them the strongest strength.

The more you gain, the greater the pressure you bear.

Li Shuang took 300,000 people with him, including a large number of high-ranking officials. However, the treatment of the aristocratic families in Li Shuang's territory was incomparable to that in Jiankang.

Xiao Gang needs to feed them well in order to secure his position.

What worries Xiao Gang even more is that the power of Prince Xiangdong, Xiao Yi, is growing stronger and stronger, and he has even infiltrated Lingnan.

This is something Xiao Gang cannot stand idly by.

"Revitalize the nation!"

"Chen is here!"

Chen Baxian was one of the 50,000 imperial guards who returned to Jiankang.

Because of his bravery in the previous battles and his service to Xiao Gang in Jianghuai, Chen Baxian was quickly promoted to the rank of Imperial Guard General by Xiao Gang, who was short of manpower, as soon as he returned to Jiankang.

"Li Ben, the bandit leader of Jiaozhou, has rebelled against the imperial court. Xiao Ying is unable to control him, and I am worried that if this continues, it will become a major problem. I would like you to go to Jiaozhou to quell the rebellion. What do you think?"

"Your Highness, whatever your command, I will obey even at the cost of my life!"

Xiao Gang nodded in satisfaction as he looked at Chen Baxian's appearance.

……

After leaving Taicheng, Chen Baxian glanced at the cloudless sky and felt a sense of relief.

Chen Baxian smiled broadly as he looked at the approaching youth.

"Zihua, come with me to Lingnan."

“Lingnan is remote, and people avoid it like the plague. Why is Uncle so pleased?”

"The officials in Jiankang are pedantic, cowardly, and jealous of the virtuous and capable; this is no place for heroes to display their talents!"

……

(End of this chapter)