Northern Prefecture Rivers and Mountains

Chapter 259 Alliance

Yao Xing and Tuoba Gui are still allies, and the Qin army also participated in the Battle of Canhebei.

Liu Daogui guessed that his purpose was the same as his own—to get a share of the meat.

Seventy percent of the population in northern China is concentrated in Hebei Province.

Such a large piece of meat could not possibly be allowed to be eaten by Tuoba Gui alone.

"General, Murong De has abandoned Ye City and led his troops south to Huatai!" Meng Ganzhi rushed in to report.

Liu Daogui originally intended to develop the state for a few more years, but he never expected the Yan state to collapse so quickly.

In fact, even after the disastrous defeat at Canhebei, the Yan state still possessed considerable strength. In addition to its nominal population of several million, the various royal families and nobles also had a significant number of retainers and servants.

However, since Tuoba Gui marched eastward, apart from the unsuccessful attack on Ye City, he has encountered almost no decent resistance, and one by one, they rushed up to their deaths.

Liu Daogui convened a military meeting with everyone.

"Judging from the state of Yan, I'm afraid it won't last. Murong Chui was a hero for a lifetime, but his descendants are as stupid as pigs and dogs." Liu Huaizhen couldn't help but sigh.

Liu Daogui said, "When Murong Chui was alive, the Yan Kingdom was already in dire straits. Knowing that Murong Bao was mediocre and incompetent, he still made him crown prince out of consideration for past relationships. The Yan Kingdom is in its current state because of Murong Chui."

If the Yan state had simply appointed Murong Long, Murong Nong, or even the cunning Murong Lin, it wouldn't have suffered such a fate.

While Murong Chui was undoubtedly an invincible commander and a renowned general on the battlefield, he was somewhat indecisive as a ruler.

After Murong Chui died, the spirit of the Yan state also dissipated.

Gao Xun said, "Murong De has descended to the south and is bound to covet Yu and Yan provinces. He should not be underestimated."

"How many troops does Murong De have now?" Liu Daogui asked Meng Ganzhi.

"He commanded over 40,000 households and 27,000 chariots, in addition to Murong Lin's 20,000 Dingling followers, and 5,000 infantry and cavalry garrisoning Huatai. Furthermore, the Wei army under Helai Lu surrendered to Murong De."

"So many?" Liu Daogui frowned.

Forty thousand households, that is, a force of one hundred thousand men, plus Murong Lin and the Yan army that remained south of the Yellow River.

Murong De had at least fifty to sixty thousand troops at his disposal...

Of the various Yan armies, only Murong De managed to defeat the Wei forces of Tuoba Yi and Tuoba Zhang, and defend Ye City, demonstrating his formidable strength.

Murong De had followed Murong Chui in his campaigns during the Former Yan period and was a veteran general.

“Murong De is a stray dog, he has Ye City but dares not defend it. It’s the perfect time to get rid of him and take Yanzhou!” Liu Zun was still thinking about Yanzhou.

Liu Huaizhen said, "Don't forget that Murong De is an imperial envoy, the military commander of the six provinces of Ji, Yan, Qing, Xu, Jing and Yu, the special general, and the general of chariots and cavalry. The troops on both sides of the Yellow River are under his command. When the north was in great chaos, he crossed the Huatai River to the south, avoiding the advance of Tuoba Gui's army, and was able to catch his breath and gather his troops and followers."

Murong De's southward journey was driven by considerable personal motives.

If he stays in Ye City, he will become a key target of the Wei army, allowing Murong Bao and Murong Nong in Ji City and Long City to catch their breath.

After he went south, the Wei army would certainly not pursue him anymore, but would instead deal with Jicheng and Longcheng.

The internal strife within Yan was as fierce as the War of the Eight Princes in the Jin Dynasty.

If Murong De were to gain a foothold in Huatai, he would pose a great threat to Huaisi.

Liu Daogui originally wanted to take advantage of the collapse of the Yan state to get a piece of the spoils, but he didn't expect the Yan state to collapse so quickly. Murong De was also cunning and determined not to be the first to act, so he went south to seek independence...

With him in Huatai, the large-scale southward migration of northern refugees to the Huai and Si rivers would not be possible.

"It seems this battle is inevitable," Liu Daogui said, looking at everyone.

Blocking someone's path to wealth is like killing their parents. Two tigers cannot share one mountain. Murong De is heading south to Yanzhou, and the two sides will inevitably clash sooner or later.

Gao Xun said, "Murong De has marched south, but his foothold is not yet secure and the people's hearts are not yet settled. If we can defeat him quickly, we can recover the area south of the Yellow River."

Liu Huaizhen said, "The ones who will be most affected are Xin Gongjing, the governor of Henan, and Lü Qiuxian, the governor of Nanyang. We might as well unite with them, as well as Bi Lühun, the governor of Youzhou, and attack Murong De from the east, west, and south!"

"Brilliant plan!" Liu Daogui clapped his hands in approval.

Compared to their own side, Murong De's army was strong and well-equipped, and he had raised more troops.

However, if he could unite with forces like Xin Gongjing, Lüqiu Xian, and Pi Lü Hun, Murong De would definitely be no match for them.

Liu Daogui was drooling with envy at the sight of the hundreds of thousands of men under his command.

Gao Xun said, "Xin Gongjing, Lüqiu Xian, and Bi Lühun are all prefects and governors of the court. They can submit a memorial to the court requesting the authority of a commander-in-chief to unify their commands and defeat the enemy."

If the name is not correct, the words will not be proper. If four forces join forces, it will indeed be difficult to accomplish anything without a unified command.

A decree from the imperial court makes all the difference.

Liu Daogui and Sima Yuanxian had a good relationship and exchanged letters privately three times.

If this person hadn't been born into the Sima family, he would have been a very good crony.

If Murong De's large army were to establish a foothold south of the Yellow River, it would pose a significant threat to Jiangzuo.

Just like Zhai Wei a few years ago, he stood between the north and south, causing Xie Xuan's northern expedition to fail.

Dai Qizhi stood up and objected, saying, "Absolutely not! If this matter is reported to the court, not only will we not be able to obtain the power of the commander-in-chief, but they might also send someone to restrain the various armies, and nothing will be accomplished!"

There are precedents for this. Back then, when Zu Ti launched his northern expedition and recovered Yuzhou, the situation was very favorable. Sima Rui then appointed Dai Yuan as General Who Conquers the West, Commander-in-Chief of the military affairs of the six provinces of Si, Yan, Yu, Bing, Yong, and Ji, and Governor of Sizhou, directly trying to reap the benefits...

Getting the imperial court to accomplish something is extremely difficult, but they are very good at getting them to sabotage and hinder it.

The rebellion of the rebels was essentially instigated by Sima Yuanxian, and then gradually nurtured by the aristocratic families...

“You’re right. There’s no need to report this to the court. We can handle it ourselves. We should immediately send envoys to Xin Gongjing, Lüqiu Xian, and Bi Lühun to discuss the matter of sending troops.”

Liu Daogui knew in his heart that Sima Yuanxian did not truly value him, but rather used him to deal with Liu Laozhi, thereby weakening the Liu clan of Pengcheng and the Northern Army. Gao Xun was sent as an envoy to Guanggu, Liu Huaizhen as an envoy to Luoyang, and Dai Qizhi as an envoy to Wancheng.

The troops of Jianwei Military Prefecture assembled at Huling City.

The three prefectures of Yan, Yu, and Xu are connected by a network of waterways. The He River connects the Si River and the Ji River, which in turn connects to the Ying River and the Bian River. Liu Daogui's navy could reach Kaifeng directly.

Huatai is located more than 100 li northwest of Kaifeng.

While waiting for news from all sides, Liu Daogui made arrangements for this year's spring plowing.

No matter how hard we fight, spring planting must not be neglected, for food is a reflection of people's hearts and morality.

Taishan County is mountainous with little arable land. Only the area around Fenggao is a plain, with the main focus being Jiyin. The fields have not been abandoned for long, the irrigation canals are still there, and the soil fertility is not bad.

After the more than 20,000 slave households were relocated last year, Wang Yuande tidied up the fields and is now preparing to make a big splash this year.

The message from Guanggu was quickly sent back: Piluhun was willing to send three thousand armored soldiers.

Xin Gongjing of Luoyang was short of troops due to the watchful eyes of Yao Chong and Yang Fosong in Hedong, but he was willing to provide 7,000 shi of grain and fodder and planned to send a feint to contain the western part of Huatai.

The most proactive was Luqiu Xian, the prefect of Nanyang. He was a confidant of Sima Daozi and his son, and had been guarding Nanyang for many years. Nanyang was located in front of Luoyang and behind it, serving as a strategic foothold and rear base for the imperial court in Yuzhou.

Now that the Yan state has collapsed, he also wants to make military achievements and climb the ranks.

He then joined forces with General Deng Qifang of Ningshuo, gathered an army of 20,000, and prepared to fight.

The secret letter that arrived was full of confidence: "The enemy troops are killing each other, their morale has collapsed, and they live in constant fear. Murong De is getting old and frail. My elite troops have been preparing for many years and are ready to recover the Central Plains, revitalize the people of Jiangzuo, and restore the nation..."

This person is making a lot of noise, and it's obvious that he's looking down on Murong De.

The Yan army's morale collapsed, and they lived in constant fear. That was against the Wei army under Tuoba Gui; against the Jin army, it was still uncertain.

Moreover, he was not a general of the Northern Army, and his troops were all temporarily recruited refugees who had never had any battle achievements before.

Liu Daogui quickly wrote back, advising him to stay calm and wait for him and the Qingzhou army to arrive so they could support each other.

No sooner had the letter been sent than Liu Daogui gathered his men and prepared to advance westward by land and water.

The two military commands, Rencheng and Gaoping, sent out their own supplies, including warhorses and donkeys. The military equipment was provided by the military commands. The white and red banners each had a fierce tiger embroidered on them, making them look very imposing.

Eight thousand men stood together, their military bearing impeccable.

Including the 6,000 infantry, cavalry, and navy he had, he had a total of 14,000.

Xin Gongjing and Piluhun kept their promise and each sent out a force, making a big show of force and feigning an attack on Huatai from the east and west respectively.

Luqiu Xian and Deng Qifang's army entered Chenliu.

Lu Qiu Xian was right when he said that Murong De's troops are now in a state of panic. As long as they win the first battle, they will gain a psychological advantage, and the Yan army will likely collapse on its own.

This battle will also determine the fate of the land south of the Yellow River.

Liu Daogui wasn't very ambitious; he could give up territory, but he couldn't let go of the population.

The cargo ships sailed westward along the river, while cavalry galloped along both banks. The Central Plains were vast and boundless, with the fresh scent of earth stirring one's blood.

A sense of ambition to conquer the Central Plains arose in Liu Daogui's heart.

Murong De commands over 100,000 troops, and the population is still growing. If Liu Daogui can defeat him, he will rise to great heights.

As if the heavens were helping them, just as they entered Dingtao along the Ji River, a scout came to report: "There is internal strife in Huatai. Fu Guang has occupied Qihuobao and started a rebellion, proclaiming himself King of Qin and defeating Murong Zhong!"

Fu Guang was a descendant of Fu Jian and the younger brother of Fu Deng, the last Heavenly King of Di Qin. After Fu Deng suffered a crushing defeat at Ma Mao Mountain, Fu Guang, who was left to guard Yongcheng, led three thousand troops eastward to join Murong De, where he was appointed as the Champion General.

This battle exposed Murong De's weakness.

"Heaven is truly helping me!" Liu Daogui exclaimed with delight.

Tuoba Gui got something for nothing in the north; now it's his turn.

It can only be said that the Murong family's fate has run its course.

"If I had known this would happen, I shouldn't have hesitated. I should have led the army north last year and taken Yanzhou!" Liu Zun grumbled.

Liu Daogui glanced at him sideways, "Last year we were still fighting against Murong Tong, and Zhongshan of Yan hadn't fallen yet. Murong De had tens of thousands of troops under his command. When we sent troops to Huatai, weren't we helping Tuoba Gui?"

The situation changed unexpectedly; the Yan state was not as badly off as it was this year, not last year.

The key issue is that last winter, the Eighth Route Army was being converted into a military system, leaving them unable to send troops.

“That’s true…” Liu Zun scratched the back of his head.

Just then, another scout team arrived, reporting to the general, "Luqiu Xian and Deng Qifang have led 20,000 troops straight to Huatai without waiting for our army!"

"What?" Liu Daogui was furious.

Seeing the internal strife in Murong De, the two couldn't resist and pounced on him to take advantage.

However, their actions not only resulted in them being isolated and deep in enemy territory, but also disrupted Liu Daogui's plans.

Their own forces were already inferior to Murong De's, and their rash attack dispersed their forces, which also made Murong De prepared.

The Yan army was mostly composed of cavalry, while Luqiu Xian and Deng Qifang were mostly infantry.

"These two pigs and dogs!" Liu Zun cursed.

But cursing won't help; what's done is done.

"Order the entire army to double their speed!" Liu Daogui thought to himself with resentment. He hoped they could hold their ground and wait for him to arrive...

(End of this chapter)