Northern Prefecture Rivers and Mountains

Chapter 245 Merit

Having avenged his great grudge, Liu Daogui returned to Rencheng with the prisoners.

In fact, there are still many cities in the north that are undefended, especially south of Dayeze. Murong Chui has only risen to power in the last few years, and his focus has been on the area north of the Yellow River.

Apart from strategic locations like Huatai and Puyang, areas south of the Yellow River have been largely unmanaged.

However, Liu Daogui had no energy to govern these places. He only had so few troops, not even enough to fill the gaps in Lu County and Lanling, and he had also just taken over Rencheng and Gaoping, two counties with five counties.

For a long time to come, it can only be used as a settlement for cultivation.

There's no other way; these days, apart from Jiangdong, everywhere else in the world is short of people.

Even Jiangdong suffered a severe blow and a dwindling population after the chaos caused by the bandits.

Upon returning to Rencheng, Liu Daogui first paid respects to Liu Heibi and his brothers who had died in battle in Pingyang. Then he promoted Mao Dezhu to Cavalry Commander and stationed him in Xiaqiu, Liu Guangzhi to Sima and stationed him in Lucheng, Liu Zhong to Naval Protector and stationed him in Gaoping, and Wang Yuande to Chief Secretary and stationed him in Rencheng.

Liu Zun replaced Wang Yuande as the Tiger Guard Commander.

Meng Guangzhi was promoted to colonel and put in charge of the scout camp.

Xu Changming, Gou Zhong, and others were also promoted one level.

The position of commander under the command should still be reserved for Wang Zhongde. He has learned from his mistakes and is a talented general. We cannot condemn him outright.

Those who personally killed more than twenty enemies in several major battles were promoted to Tiger Warrior.

The number of Tiger Warriors instantly increased to 521, of which 33 were promoted from slaves and able-bodied men. Many of these slaves were originally prisoners of the Zhai Wei and Yan armies, and had spent their lives fighting.

It was difficult to rise in the Wei and Yan armies, but Liu Daogui was fair in rewarding and punishing, and everyone had a path to promotion.

Now they control the upper and middle reaches of the Si River, nearly nine cities, but their military strength is stretched thin.

Liu Daogui issued another conscription order, not only for Lanling and Lu County, but also for Gao Xun and Liu Zhong to recruit warriors in Pengcheng and Xiapi.

This battle essentially crushed all of the Yan army's forces along the Sishui line, making them famous far and wide. Pengcheng was filled with a large number of refugees, and Liu Daogui's ancestral home was also in this area, so there was no fear of a lack of visitors.

Although the Jin dynasty was in a terrible state, it had its advantages. It basically loosened military control, allowing anyone with money, provisions, and prestige to recruit troops on their own.

Liu Daogui is currently in Huai and Si, and the imperial court is eager for someone to stand in front and act as a shield for Huainan.

Liu Daogui had Dai Qizhi write a memorial requesting commendation.

After learning that Liu Daogui would not kill him, this fellow lived a life of ease, enjoying the position of Prefect of Lanling and even marrying three concubines. He couldn't have lived a more comfortable life.

However, Liu Daogui was dumbfounded when he saw the memorial requesting credit.

"He defeated 200,000 enemy troops, beheaded 70,000 including Mu Yuteng, Ping You, and Wang Yan, expanded the territory by a thousand miles, terrified the enemy, their two legs trembled, and they collapsed at the mere sight of him. He wiped away the shame of Fangtou and was on par with the victory at Feishui... Prefect Liu is truly the Wei Qing and Huo Qubing of our time..."

"Two hundred thousand? And you killed seventy thousand? Aren't you afraid of your tongue flying off the ground?" Liu Daogui had never seen anything so outrageous.

Dai Qizhi stroked his beard, his face full of smugness. "Prefect, you may not know this, but this is the prevailing attitude in the court. Do you know why the court didn't reward us after we decisively defeated Murong Long and Murong Zhou in the Battle of Pingyang last time?"

"Why?" Liu Daogui really didn't know.

"It's because no one is asking for credit that the court doesn't care. This time, after defeating 200,000 enemy troops, the court should at least award him the title of general, the Northern General of the Central Army."

During the Wei and Jin Dynasties, the four generals of the East, West, South, and North were all important positions. Their power could rival that of a regional governor. They were either governors or held imperial insignia, with silver seals and blue ribbons. Their rank was equivalent to that of a fourth-rank military officer.

"Alright, stop bragging." The more Liu Daogui listened, the more outrageous it became.

When they were rivals, Dai Qizhi was mature and prudent. Now that the tables have turned, he is gradually revealing his true nature, and he is a master of flattery.

However, such people also have their strengths, as they are very familiar with the ways in which the imperial court operates.

"I can guarantee that this time I will at least be a general in name, or even be able to establish my own government!" Dai Qizhi patted his chest.

"Then I'll take your kind words as a sign." Liu Daogui didn't take it too seriously.

Regardless of whether there was an imperial edict or not, he had become the most powerful force in the Huai and Si regions.

To save face for the court, he could issue a decree requesting merit. If not, he could simply appoint himself General of the North, which wouldn't be a big deal, since the court is already too busy to care about its own affairs.

After inspecting the defenses on the north and west banks of the Si River, Liu Daogui returned to Pingyang City.

They happened to run into Liu Huaizhen, who was coming from Guangling.

"Could something have happened to the south?" Liu Daogui sensed something was wrong as soon as he saw his stern face.

Liu Huaizhen said calmly, "Indeed, something big has happened. Your brother, at Suanshan, with only a thousand men, defeated Sun En's 100,000 demon bandits and saved Jingkou!"

More than a thousand people defeated 100,000 demon bandits.

Liu Daogui and Liu Zun both stared wide-eyed in disbelief.

It should be noted that the bandits had previously suffered losses at the hands of Liu Daogui and Liu Yu, and had repeatedly inflicted heavy damage on the Northern Army, sweeping across the three Wu regions and eight counties. They were not a rabble.

On the contrary, Sun En was prudent in his actions, never lingered in battle, and never made any strategic mistakes.

One thousand men defeated one hundred thousand demon bandits head-on...

Liu Daogui's achievement of defeating 70,000 to 80,000 Yan troops with 10,000 men is somewhat insignificant...

Such a glorious victory is rarely seen throughout history. Despite this joyous occasion, Liu Huaizhen remained expressionless, like a stone...

"No, Liu Laozhi commands 20,000 elite troops from the Northern Army. Is he just going to stand by and watch the rebels attack Jingkou?" Liu Daogui quickly realized.

There are many strange things about this battle.

The imperial court didn't care, and Liu Laozhi didn't care either. No one knows what he was thinking. Ever since he became the Northern Commander, he has made all sorts of inexplicable moves, neither planning for the future nor preparing a way out for himself.

Liu Huaizhen said, "Commander Liu... is too self-serving. In this battle of Suanshan, from the generals of the Northern Army to the soldiers, everyone complained about him and praised your brother."

As the Commander-in-Chief of the Northern Army and a member of the Liu clan of Pengcheng, it was truly inexcusable for Liu Laozhi to stand idly by while the rebels attacked Jingkou.
It's no wonder that others are alienated from him.

What he abandoned was gradually transferred to Liu Yu.

The Northern Army was originally an alliance. Whoever had the highest prestige and the greatest military achievements was the leader. Liu Laozhi became the chief general of the Northern Army because he fought many bloody battles in the past.

But this time, by remaining inactive, he squandered most of the prestige he had previously built up.

“Commander Liu is a formidable general of our time, yet he insists on scheming against the court. Isn’t that putting the cart before the horse?” Liu Daogui sighed.

Liu Laozhi was the bravest in the army and famous throughout the world. If he had focused on killing the enemy and the Northern Expedition, his achievements would have been immense.

But people can be so confused sometimes.

Liu Huaizhen was unwilling to discuss this topic any further. "You defeated 100,000 Yan troops in the north, which brought great honor to the people of Jingkou and Guangling. Now you and your brother are considered to be a force to be reckoned with in Jiangzuo. Your status in the Northern Army is almost on par with that of Governor Liu. Many veterans of the Northern Army have secretly pledged their allegiance to me and have come to me for help."

The actions of the Northern Army soldiers were perfectly normal.

Following Liu Daogui, the whole family had no worries about food and drink; following Liu Yu, they were invincible.

Anyone with a normal sense knows how to choose.

The main problem is that Liu Laozhi's actions this time have greatly alienated the people.

Liu Daogui smiled wryly, "Where would there be 100,000 Yan troops... This is too... a complete fabrication."

In this battle, most of the Yan army's troops were second-rate; the real elites had been transferred to the north. All the spoils combined amounted to only around 15,000 men.

However, such rumors were not necessarily a bad thing, as they indirectly enhanced Liu Daogui's prestige.

"Now we're just waiting for the imperial decree of reward." Liu Huaizhen, though young, was remarkably mature...

Jiankang.

The memorials requesting merit from the eastern and northern provinces were simultaneously sent to the western section of the Langya Prince's Palace.

This greatly relieved Sima Yuanxian, who was not yet fifteen but appeared as mature as someone in their fifties.

His life of debauchery and extravagance had left him pale and listless.

It can be said that the entire Jin dynasty is now in his hands. Emperor Sima Dezong is unable to speak, cannot distinguish between hot and cold, and cannot take care of himself. He is a true puppet on a string.

Meanwhile, Sima Daozi, the Prince of Langya, had been drinking and making merry all day long since his political enemies Wang Gong and Yin Zhongkan fell one by one, leaving all important internal and external affairs to Sima Yuanxian.

"Gentlemen, let's discuss how to bestow rewards this time," Sima Yuanxian said, reclining on a low table, exuding an air of old age.

Once a person has tasted the power, they become addicted and unable to stop.

Now that the rebels have been defeated and Jiankang has been stabilized, he wants to take another step forward.

Zhang Fashun shook the whisk and slowly said, "Liu Laozhi is narrow-minded and cannot recognize and use people well. Liu Yu and Liu Daogui have made such great contributions. They can be supported and promoted to divide the Northern Army."

Liu Laozhi had ulterior motives, but fortunately Liu Yu rose to prominence and defeated 100,000 bandits. Otherwise, after taking Jingkou, these people would have directly besieged Jiankang.

This achievement cannot be erased in any way.

The value embodied by Liu Yu far surpasses that of Liu Laozhi and Gao Ya.

"It's not a matter of supporting him, just giving him a few bones will suffice. That Liu Daogui is ambitious and unruly, and he might very well become the next Liu Laozhi." Wang Yu, the governor of Xuzhou and a confidant of Sima Yuanxian, specially came from Guangling.

Wang Mi said, "The two of them have made such great contributions. If they are not rewarded, it will only dampen the morale of the army. Now is the time when we need people. The only one who can resist the Western Army is the Northern Army. These two generals and the heir are a gift from heaven to protect the Jin dynasty. They should not be taken lightly."

Whether Liu Daogui will become Liu Laozhi is a matter for the future; for now, the Sima family has no choice but to rely on the two brothers.

The bandits sailed up the Yangtze River, and Liu Laozhi remained unmoved, which crossed everyone's bottom line.

The safety of the Jin dynasty could no longer be entrusted to him.

Sima Yuanxian knew this better than anyone else, and stared intently at Wang Yu, "I only have one question: when the demon bandits attacked, did you two brothers stop them?"

"This..." Wang Yu was speechless. He was certainly an expert at drinking, eating, and playing with women, but leading troops into battle and fighting against hundreds of thousands of demon bandits was something that lowly soldiers did...

"Issue the order to appoint Liu Yu as General Jianwu, Prefect of Xiapi, and Commander-in-Chief of the military affairs of Guangling, Jinling, and Wu Commandery; and to appoint Liu Daogui as General Jianwei and Prefect of Pengcheng! Does anyone have any objections?"

Sima Yuanxian looked at Wang Yu.

Wang Yu frowned, hesitating to speak. With Sima Yuanxian's arrangement, the only naval force in Guangling had also been taken away by Liu Yu.

But to deal with the demon bandits, it's impossible without a navy.

(End of this chapter)