Memoirs of the Heavenly Khan

Chapter 539 Unyielding and Unbreakable
Luoyang.

Since the incident at Ganquan Palace, Yuan Xin returned to Luoyang from Pengcheng to manage his own garden.

Under the sunlight, the orchard is lush with trees.

Yuan Xin sat by the ridge of the field, wearing a straw hat and simple clothes, looking just like an old farmer.

Led by his attendant, Yuan Zan found Yuan Xin.

Upon meeting Yuan Xin, Yuan Zan felt uneasy seeing her like this.

"Prince of Guangling, why have you come to this?"

Yuan Zan knew that Yuan Xin had been implicated since the Ganquan Palace incident. He resigned from his post in Pengcheng and returned to Luoyang. Even after Li Shuang reformed the military system and summoned the generals and high-ranking officials from various states to Chang'an, Yuan Xin did not go.

Yuan Zan knew that Yuan Xin had fallen on hard times, but he never expected him to be in this state.

Yuan Xin is a king, after all!
Yuan Xin, however, didn't care at all. She clapped her hands and said:

"sit!"

The brownish-yellow mound offered no other cover. Yuan Zan, dressed in brocade robes, hesitated, but Yuan Xin spoke up:
"What, afraid of getting your robes dirty?"

Upon hearing this, Yuan Zan plopped down on his seat.

Yuan Xin handed over a bamboo tube containing some cool, refreshing liquor.

"It's homemade, have a taste!"

Seeing Yuan Xin's attitude, Yuan Zan couldn't refuse, so he tried it and found it to be quite delicious.

Yuan Xin sighed:
"Our Xianbei people originated from the land between the White Mountains and the Black Waters. Taking advantage of the decline of the Xiongnu, we gained control of the grasslands. Later, the Han dynasty lost its power, and the Wei and Jin dynasties succeeded each other. The Sima clan seized the world, causing endless chaos. Various Hu tribes moved south, thus establishing the name of our Yuan clan."

As she spoke, Yuan Xin took the bamboo tube from Yuan Zan, took a sip, and her emotions were complicated.

"Thinking back to those days, my Xianbei ancestors probably never had the chance to taste such fine wine."

Yuan Zan's feelings were somewhat complicated upon hearing this, but he did not forget the purpose of his visit.

"King of Guangling, the situation in Luoyang has changed, but the reputation of my Yuan clan may not necessarily decline!"

Upon hearing this, Yuan Xin looked at Yuan Zan and smiled, seemingly amused by the other's naiveté.

“You have lived in Luoyang since childhood and have never left, so you are unaware of the changes in the world.”

"A change in the world?"

"The Xianbei army is now annihilated!"

A simple sentence made Yuan Zan's expression turn very ugly.

Yuan Zan was unaware, but Yuan Xin, who was a general and had personally led troops in Pengcheng, knew perfectly well.

Back then, Erzhu gathered 180,000 Xianbei soldiers in Luoyang and fought a great battle against Li Shuang's Guanzhong army. After the defeat, the power of the Xianbei declined.

The remaining forces either disappeared beneath the Yongji Canal, perished on the banks of the Lijiang River, or remained stationed in the frigid Northeast.

"how so?"

"Silly boy!"

Seeing Yuan Zan's expression, Yuan Xin advised:
"The current situation in Luoyang is not like that of the Han Emperor to Dong Zhuo and Cao Cao, nor like that of Cao Mao to the Sima clan!"

Despite Yuan Xin's earnest words, Yuan Zan still felt somewhat indignant.

Because both Li Shuang and the aristocratic nobles who are now fighting alongside him are using the Yuan family as a pretext.

The same applies to Yuan Zan.

"I know you can't stand Gao Cheng, but you still have to put up with it."

Gao Cheng also arrived in Luoyang and succeeded Yuan Zan in his position, taking control of the military power in the palace.

In fact, Gao Cheng and Yuan Zan did not have much interaction, nor could they be said to have any grudges.

Yuan Zan felt uncomfortable whenever Gao Cheng stood there.

Because Yuan Zan's father, the former Prince Guangping Yuan Ti, had a wife named Zheng Dache.

Yuan Xin said leisurely:

"The turmoil in Luoyang seems to have originated from my Yuan clan, but it has nothing to do with my Yuan clan. Do not be misled!"

Upon hearing this, Yuan Zan stood up, cupped his hands, and said:
"I understand!"

……

Inside the palace, after hearing Yuan Zan's words, Yuan Baoju became hesitant again.

Ever since the day the assembled officials met Li Shuang in Jinyong City, the situation in Luoyang has changed. What was originally a matter of following the will of Heaven has now become a matter of negotiation.

The assembled officials and nobles stood closely around Yuan Baoju, making him feel flattered and overwhelmed.

Yuan Baoju's mind started to wander, wondering if he could try to compete for it.
Nowadays, there are very few members of the Yuan clan in Luoyang who hold military power.

Yuan Xin is a role model.

He was unwilling to get involved in the conflict, and Yuan Baoju suddenly lost his backbone.

"What do you think I should do?"

"Your Majesty, I believe the Prince of Guangling is right."

Yuan Zan was not a fool, nor did he have any serious grudge against Li Shuang. Although he was Yuan Hong's great-grandson, the throne was not his for the taking.

Upon hearing this, Yuan Baoju saw that Yuan Zan had also become like this, and his face turned somewhat ashen.

"You may leave now, I will think about it some more."
-
Lu Mansion.

"Lord Lu, the situation is not right!"

Lu Wenwei could clearly sense the panic in Cui Ling's voice.

Lu Wenwei naturally knew why Cui Ling was flustered.
Yuan Baoju's attitude changed.

Previously, Yuan Baoju was very pleased that a group of nobles wanted to unite closely around him.

But now, Yuanbaoju has become ambiguous.

This throne belongs to the Yuan family. If Yuan Baoju doesn't care, what can these high-ranking officials who use the Yuan family as a pretext do?

"so what?"

Lu Wenwei was very disdainful, and at this moment, his sharp edge was fully revealed.

"He sits on that throne; is this something he can simply choose not to fight for if he doesn't want to?"

"Lord Lu, don't forget that there is another emperor in Luoyang."

Cui Ling's words immediately silenced Lu Wenwei's anger.

In fact, both the legal systems of the Northern Wei and Southern Liang dynasties could be inherited. Moreover, if we were to be precise, the legal system of the Southern Liang dynasty was more appropriate.

"No matter what, we must unite as one. Otherwise, we will surely be defeated one by one."

"I see!"

Cui Ling bowed and took his leave. Lu Wenwei watched his retreating figure and suddenly called out.

"You mustn't go to see the King of Qin in private!"

Cui Ling waved his sleeve and said with righteous indignation:
Am I that kind of person?

……

"Xiaozheng, you must save your brother!"

Cui Ling tugged at Zu Ting's sleeve, her face pleading.

"Master Cui, what are you doing? Nobody is trying to do anything to you."

Zu Ting pulled away Cui Ling, who was crying and sniffling, but Cui Ling held on tightly to him, his eyes filled with unwavering determination and stubbornness.

Zu Ting, somewhat impatient, looked at Cui Ling and suddenly laughed.

"If Your Majesty were not from the Li family of Longxi, you would not be the emperor. When you were cheering from the sidelines, no one forced you!"

"..."

Cui Ling was stunned for a moment, and then cried even louder.

"I was young and impetuous, and I said some foolish things. Please don't take it seriously, Your Majesty!"

Looking at Cui Ling's old face, Zu Ting couldn't reconcile it with the word "young."

"To tell you the truth, His Majesty is going to revise the Records of Clans. At this time, Lord Cui must not be too arrogant."

Cui Lingyi grasped Zu Ting's hand and said:

"Please rest assured, Your Majesty, my loyalty to the new dynasty is unwavering and unyielding!"

……

(End of this chapter)