Ancestors, please don't crawl out again.

Chapter 125 Blood debt must be paid with blood

Amidst the whistling of cannonballs, none of the three hundred Xiongnu warriors survived.

Everything was broken.

then……

The Xiongnu army collapsed.

Although Liu Yi led an army of 30,000, the core of the army was actually these 300 warriors. They had long been accustomed to using these warriors, who had been sacrificed with blood, to charge into enemy lines and then pursue and kill the remaining soldiers. They had even forgotten how to fight other battles.

Just as a few thousand Xiongnu would be scared away by a few hundred Tuoba Xianbei when there was no blood sacrifice for warriors.

Seeing the corpses of those sacrificial warriors tormented by cannon fire, they too chose to flee without hesitation. However, many actually surrendered, as Liu Cong's forces included a significant number of Han Chinese, who had once been prominent figures in Luoyang's intellectual circles. These Han Chinese wisely chose to defect and join the pursuit of the Xiongnu. Along with their pursuit, the imperial carriage of Emperor Gaozu of Han entered Luoyang…

The ruins of Luoyang.

I will meet you in the midst of thorns.

Suo Si's words from back then eventually came true, and Luoyang ultimately became a land of thorns.

Of course, even in this land of thorns, it was still the capital of the Han Dynasty.

Emperor Gaozu of the Taizu Dynasty returned the capital to Luoyang.

As for the ruins, that's alright; Emperor Taizu Gaozu was most experienced with such ruins.

But in less than three days, he faced a new enemy.

Moreover, he is a person who has left a lasting legacy in history.

Xingze.

Or rather, it was once the wasteland of Xingze.

“Zu Ti”.

Emperor Gaozu of the Han Dynasty, sitting high on his elephant-drawn carriage, held a bunch of grapes in his hand, tilted his head back to put them in his mouth, but looked ahead with disdain.

Between the two armies in front of him, two old men were arguing painfully and conflictedly.

One was his Grand Secretary, Liu Kun, a descendant of several generations; the other was Zu Ti, the Governor of Yuzhou in the Great Jin Dynasty and Deputy Commander-in-Chief of the Northern Expeditionary Army. These two old fellows had a true bond, rising at the crack of dawn to practice martial arts! They used to sleep in the same bed, but were separated for more than a decade due to the chaos of war, and now they met again, each serving a different master…

That's quite dramatic!
However, Zu Ti actually lived in Yongqiu or Qi County all along.

He had been there for a long time. He wanted to launch a northern expedition to recover Luoyang, but the Prince of Langya and Sima Rui, the military commander of Yangzhou and other military affairs, had little interest in sending troops north to defend the emperor. He even staged a ruse to save face, announcing that he would personally lead a large army north to defend the emperor, and then stopped because of insufficient supplies. He also executed one of his trusted confidants for poor performance, thus showing that it was not that he was unwilling to defend the emperor, but that these bastards could not raise enough military supplies for him to defend the emperor!

A talented actor.

The Sima family are all masters of acting.

Cao Shuang should have a deep understanding of this.

Therefore, Zu Ti stayed in Yongqiu, where he gathered refugees and prepared to recapture Luoyang.

But after Yang Feng destroyed Shi Le, Sima Rui immediately became anxious.

Not only did he fully support Zu Ti's Northern Expedition, but to ensure he fought to the death, he also sent his son Sima Pou to serve as the commander-in-chief, effectively acting as Zu Ti's military supervisor.

Moreover, it wasn't just Zu Ti; Wang Dun was also heading north at this time, albeit by land, which made his journey much slower. Their original plan was to arrive while Yang Feng and Liu Yi were locked in battle in Luoyang, so they could then assassinate Yang Feng and simultaneously eliminate Liu Yi when both were weakened—achieving a double victory. However, they hadn't anticipated that Yang Feng would defeat Liu Yi in a single battle. Even Zu Ti, the fastest among them, couldn't arrive before Yang Feng's victory and was instead blocked there by Yang Feng.

Zu Ti was a waterway builder. He stationed his troops in Yongqiu because it had a waterway that allowed him to travel south to the Yangtze and Huai Rivers and north to the Yellow River. This waterway, from the ancient Honggou Canal to the later Shimen Canal, Langdang Canal, and Bian River, was constantly being silted up, dredged, and even having its intake replaced because it drew water from the Yellow River. As for the current system, which draws water from Shimen Canal, connects to Langdang Canal, then to Suiyang Canal, enters the Si River, and finally flows into the Huai River, this was all thanks to Prime Minister Cao Cao's dredging. He extended the waterway system from the Huai River all the way to the distant Ji County. Combined with the Yangtze and Huai River waterway system centered on Hefei, Cao Wei effectively established a waterway network connecting the north and south.

This predates Emperor Yang of Sui by a considerable margin.

The latter mainly shifted transportation between the Yangtze and Huai Rivers to the Hangou Canal, increasing water transport volume.

As for the section in front of Yang Feng, it should belong to Shimen Canal, since Shimen is not far to the north.

After being blocked by Yang Feng, Zu Ti had no choice but to go ashore and form ranks to prepare for a decisive battle. However, Liu Kun really did not want his good brother to die at Yang Feng's hands, so he volunteered to persuade him to surrender. Zu Ti also wanted to reminisce with him, and the two of them put on a show of their bromance in front of the two armies.

Behind the two men were thousands of troops lined up in their respective formations.

They were all watching them with boredom.

"I can't take it anymore. If they keep going like this, I'm getting goosebumps!"

Yang Feng said, unable to contain himself any longer.

He then stood up and walked proudly down from his elephant carriage.

Then walk straight ahead.

Ran Liang, who had already been promoted to a personal guard, immediately led his guards to follow.

Yang Feng raised his hand to stop him, then continued forward alone. The Jin army opposite him immediately fell into chaos. Then, a young man with the air of a scholar was carried out of the formation. He was dressed in white, holding a feather fan, and even had a handsome young servant with him, presumably for use that night. He and the Jin generals beside him all watched Yang Feng silently as he walked toward Zu Ti and Liu Kun. However, the two of them were so engrossed in their argument that they did not notice that Emperor Gaozu of Han had already walked up to them.

"Why aren't we finished talking yet? If it's okay, it's okay; if it's not okay, it's not okay. How troublesome is killing someone?"

Yang Feng shouted.

Liu Kun turned his head in alarm.

Then he knelt down without hesitation.

“Emperor Taizu Gao, Zu Shizhi was just confused for a moment. I beg you to allow me to persuade him again.”

He said, somewhat flustered.

He had no idea what Yang Feng's intervention meant to Zu Ti.

Zu Ti retreated with a solemn expression, his hand already on the hilt of his sword, but Liu Kun reacted even faster, rising without hesitation and embracing him tightly...

"Shizhi, kneel down now! His Majesty is a god descended from heaven, and no ordinary person can resist him."

Liu Kun shouted anxiously.

Zu Ti stared at him blankly, clearly not understanding why Liu Kun was so frightened. Even if they were serving different masters, there was no need to be so scared.

Yang Feng glanced at them disdainfully and vanished in the next moment. Zu Ti searched in astonishment, but a scream came from behind him. He instinctively turned around and saw the figure wearing a twelve-tasseled crown standing beside the white-robed youth. The latter panicked and hurriedly drew his sword, but his obviously untrained body took him a while to even draw it, and his sword was being held by a servant. Before his hand could even grasp the hilt, Yang Feng's hand was already gripping his neck, and they both disappeared in the next moment. Then, in a flash, he reappeared, still choking the white-robed youth.

"This belongs to the Sima family, right?"

Yang Feng asked.

"Release Duke Xuancheng immediately."

Zu Ti said anxiously.

Then he had to draw his sword.

But Liu Kun held his hand tightly, refusing to let him draw his sword.

Once the sword was drawn, there was no turning back. Yang Feng gripped Sima Pou's neck, raising him high in the air. The latter's face turned purple as he desperately kicked his legs and tried to pry Yang Feng's hands off, but to no avail. Just then, a dozen guards rushed anxiously out from in front of the Jin army formation. Yang Feng drew his Crimson Cloud Sword and casually swung it, the surging sword light sweeping across the front of the formation, instantly slicing the guards in half at the waist.

The Jin army generals who were about to advance stopped without hesitation.

Clearly, their loyalty to the Sima family was limited to this.

Yang Feng glanced at Zu Ti.

The latter's eyes were filled with despair.

He knew very well what it meant for Sima Pou to die in front of him.

"I have said that all descendants of Sima Yi should be exterminated. No one from such a sinful family, regardless of gender, should be spared."

Yang Feng said.

He suddenly disappeared the next moment.

He then appeared in the sky above the battlefield and released his grip as countless soldiers on both sides looked up at him.

Sima Pou screamed in terror as he plummeted from nearly a hundred meters into the sky and crashed heavily to the ground.

The battlefield was silent; everyone looked up at the sky in awe.

"I am the Emperor of the Great Han, and you are all subjects of the Great Han. The Cao and Sima families usurped the throne one after another, their crimes unforgivable. What does this have to do with you? Why do you serve the Sima family? Today, you must choose your own fate. I have descended to the mortal realm by the decree of the Jade Emperor to quell the chaos, exterminate the traitors, and restore peace and prosperity to you. But do you not know whose responsibility this chaos is? The Sima family, for their own selfish gain, incited the barbarians to wreak havoc on the world, and were powerless to restrain them, causing the barbarians to roam freely, leaving bones exposed in the wilderness, and turning the Central Plains into a ghost town. You are all refugees; whose homes have not been destroyed and whose loved ones have perished? The culprit is the Sima family. Do you still serve your enemy?"

Follow me, and I will lead you to slaughter all the barbarians, avenge your loved ones, and then kill all of Sima Yi to comfort their spirits in heaven.

Blood debts must be repaid in blood.

Yang Feng shouted.

In front of the Jin army formation, a general who looked somewhat similar to Zu Ti but was much younger knelt down without hesitation.

"Your sinful subject Zu Yue pays homage to Emperor Taizu Gao. I am willing to follow Emperor Taizu Gao to kill all the barbarians and exterminate the Sima clan to appease the world!"

he shouted.

He knelt down, and naturally, the Zu family retainers followed suit. Similarly, the soldiers Zu Ti had recruited from the refugees over the years immediately knelt down as well. Soon, the vast majority of Jin army generals and soldiers were kneeling before Emperor Taizu Gao in the sky. Only a few, seeing this, dared not say a word and quickly turned and ran away amidst the kowtows. Fortunately, Yang Feng didn't care about them; they would spread the word for him when they returned.

Zu Ti's troops were composed entirely of refugees, much like the later Northern Army.

These people have absolutely no loyalty to the Sima family.

They simply need supplies from the south to survive.

Zu Yueke later rebelled.

Of course, the Sima family also used them as tools, putting them on the front lines. Even when the Huai River defense line was established, they deliberately left them outside the line, planning to have them hold the line until the enemy moved south. This was the main reason why Zu Yue later rebelled and threw himself at Shi Le. They were completely sold out by the Sima family.

Yang Feng landed amidst a chorus of kowtows, while Liu Kun breathed a sigh of relief and released his grip on Zu Ti's hand.

"Shizhi, why don't you quickly pay your respects to the Emperor?"

He said.

Zu Ti glanced at Yang Feng, then at his kneeling brother and subordinates, who were also looking at him with urging eyes.

He finally let out a long sigh.

Then he took off his sword, presented it with both hands, and knelt down in front of Yang Feng.

"Your Majesty, I, the guilty subject Zu Ti, beg for punishment."

He said.

"Take your men and deal with Cao Yi. Surrender and you will be pardoned; refuse to surrender and you will be executed."

Yang Feng said.

After saying that, he went straight back to the elephant carriage.

Cao Yi has not yet surrendered, but he is already colluding with Sima Rui, probably because Shao Xu surrendered and was given an important position. Cao Yi and Shao Xu are mortal enemies, so this guy can be dealt with by Zu Ti. His strength is actually not that great; he's just a case of "when the tiger is away, the monkey is king." As for Yang Feng, he still needs to deal with Liu Cong. Although Liu Yi was defeated, Liu Cong's original plan was to personally march north from Pingyang to attack Jinyang, and that should be about to begin.

Ji Dan is currently the one left to guard Jinyang, but his territory is not weak.

Because he had been trying to entice the Tuoba tribe.

Tuoba Pugen's underage son had also recently died, so the Tuoba tribe had lost three leaders in one year, plus one who usurped the throne and was killed, leaving the entire tribe in chaos. Moreover, they weren't actually a single tribe; the Tuoba tribe was merely the head, but in reality, there were eight tribes, and even more surnames. Under these circumstances, the other tribes were naturally searching for a way out. Yang Feng didn't restrict their recruitment, as he already had many Xianbei under his command; he only required them to adopt Han surnames, wear Han clothing, and speak Han language—which was their fate anyway.

Therefore, Ji Dan is openly enticing these Xianbei people.

Previous reports indicated that nearly 10,000 Xianbei tribes had migrated south to join the Han Dynasty.

Moreover, they all readily changed their surnames to Han surnames.

For example, Qiu Dun changed his surname to Qiu.

“Your Majesty, Wang Dun’s troops arrived in Nanyang five days ago and are estimated to be approaching Xuchang by now. According to our agreement, we should meet here in ten days. Then I will go north to Fangtou to cut off Your Majesty’s supply lines. He will station his troops in Luodong to wait for Your Majesty and the Xiongnu to be exhausted when they are both defeated.”

Zu Ti said.

"Wang Dun, is he trying to cut in line?"

Yang Feng sneered.

Since Wang Dun wants to cut in line, let's deal with him first.

Anyway, there are Xianbei people in Jidan, and these Xianbei people who come to join us will eventually have to show their loyalty, or rather, pay some blood tax.

"Let's go to Xuchang!"

Yang Feng shouted.

Immediately afterward, he swung his jade axe, and a spatial rift was instantly torn open.

Then his chariot went straight ahead.

The Han troops lined up behind them followed suit.

Zu Ti and his men stared in awe at this seemingly miraculous troop deployment.

It's truly a miracle!

They came by boat from Yongqiu, and it would take them many days to get here. Although there was a waterway, it was not an easy one to travel. So when Huan Wen launched his northern expedition, he chose to take another route into the Yellow River. But they were already the fastest. Now, Emperor Taizu Gaozu didn't need to march at all. He could just leap across the Yellow River in one step. This way of deploying troops was already invincible.

"Shizhi, your life is hanging by a thread today!"

Liu Kun patted Zu Ti on the shoulder and said with a look of lingering fear.

(End of this chapter)