Northern Prefecture Rivers and Mountains

Chapter 267 Betrayal

Shanyin.

Liu Laozhi was already preparing to lead his troops back to Jingkou. The rebel forces were weak, so there was no need for him to stay there.

As the internal strife between the Western Prefecture and the imperial court intensified, the Northern Prefecture became increasingly important.

"Has the court made any moves recently?" Liu Laozhi mounted his warhorse, his thigh muscles rubbing against the ground uncomfortably.

In the past two years, he has been called the governor of the three Wu regions and eight counties, but in reality, he has been retiring.
Liu Yu chased after Sun En, cutting down his way from Jinling to Wu Commandery, Kuaiji, and Linhai. Wherever Sun En was, Liu Yu pursued him relentlessly, leaving Liu Laozhi with no chance.

"I heard that the imperial court has recruited two thousand brave refugees from Jiangbei to join the Imperial Guard." He Wuji spurred his horse forward.

Liu Laozhi scoffed, "Hmph, even if Sima Yuanxian has an army of 100,000, he's still a useless bum."

These words clearly express dissatisfaction with Sima Yuanxian.

He deserves credit for his efforts in the campaign against the rebels, even if he didn't achieve great merit. If it weren't for him leading 20,000 elite troops to hold the rear, Liu Yu would have been devoured alive by the rebels long ago.

However, the court only rewarded Liu Yu handsomely, but did not bestow any reward upon him, which made him feel extremely humiliated.

He had been longing for the position of governor of Yangzhou, but he still hadn't gotten it.

Without the appointment as governor of Yangzhou, Liu Laozhi would not have been able to rise to prominence.

He Wuji said, “Even if the Prince of Langya is incompetent, Gao Su, Zhuge Kan, Liu Gui and others are not mediocre. In my opinion, the Western Army and the court will inevitably have a war. The Commander should take the initiative to volunteer to attack Huan Xuan. Firstly, it can unite the generals of the Northern Army, and secondly, it can ease the relationship with the court.”

In fact, maintaining the current situation of fighting without breaking apart is most advantageous for Liu Laozhi.

Because the court was wary of the Huan family, it dared not kick Liu Laozhi away; on the contrary, it had to rely on him.

If Liu Laozhi were to take the initiative to express his support for the court at this time, the court would certainly strengthen his military power, whether it wanted to or not.

Liu Laozhi's prestige had already been damaged by his previous inaction in allowing the rebels to attack Jingkou.

Whether or not to fight Huan Xuan is another matter, but our stance must be clear.

Especially in this turbulent time, there is no room for those who sit on the fence.

As the Commander-in-Chief of the Northern Army, Liu Laozhi's every move was under the watchful eyes of both sides.

"Does the imperial court have nothing and expect me to risk my life for it for nothing?" Liu Laozhi sneered.

"This is not about serving the court, but about establishing prestige and winning people's hearts. Last time, the governor sat idly by while the rebels attacked Jingkou, and the generals of the Northern Army had many complaints. Fortunately, Ji Nu defeated the rebels at Suanshan, which saved the reputation of the Liu family of Pengcheng."

"Humph!"

The more Liu Laozhi talked about this, the angrier he became.

He originally planned to let the rebels rush to the gates of Jiankang, then he would be the mantis stalking the cicada, unaware of the oriole behind. By then, he would have gained military merit and fame, and the position of governor of Yangzhou would be easily within his grasp.

Unexpectedly, Liu Yu suddenly appeared out of nowhere, defeating 100,000 demon bandits with only a thousand men, stealing his thunder and ruining his plans.

He Wuji looked embarrassed. "Now the imperial court and the governor are one. They share the same fate, and they share the same fate."

Huan Xuan came from the Western Prefecture. If he succeeds, the Northern Prefecture will have nothing to do with him and will definitely eliminate all the generals of the Northern Prefecture.

No matter how badly the imperial court treated Liu Laozhi, it could still ensure that Liu Laozhi remained the Governor of the Northern Army.

"We'll see," Liu Laozhi said noncommittally.

"Reporting to the Commander-in-Chief, Huan Qian, the Prefect of Wu, has brought money and provisions, saying he has come to reward the soldiers." A military officer said with a delighted expression.

The Huan family is very generous; they often reward the Northern Army.

Huan Qian, in particular, would frequently travel to Shanyin to curry favor with Liu Laozhi.

"Let him come over." Liu Laozhi's expression softened considerably.

He Wuji hesitated, but before he could speak, Liu Laozhi interrupted him, "The Western Prefecture is powerful, no less so than Huan Wen was back then. Sima Yuanxian is narrow-minded and looks down on us poor folks, yet he expects us to risk our lives for him. How can that be? It doesn't matter who sits in Jiankang. Why should we rush to get involved?"

"Given the current situation, we have no choice but to get involved. When the nest is overturned, no egg remains unbroken. With Huan Xuan in power, how can he tolerate us?"

"Isn't he just out of power? With me here, Jiangzuo will have no worries!"

When it comes to military campaigns, Liu Laozhi has absolute confidence, and the 20,000 elite troops of the Northern Army under his command are the source of his confidence.

Huan Xuan, on the other hand, was not yet thirty years old, still wet behind the ears, and had not experienced any bloody battles...

Xingyang.

Liu Daogui stationed his 20,000 troops at Huangma Pass.

Huangma Pass is actually Hulao Pass, located in Hulao Pass Village, Sishui Town, west of Chenggao City.

This place is bordered by Mount Song to the south and the Yellow River to the north. The interlacing mountains form a natural barrier, making it an impregnable pass.

Liu Daogui conquered Huatai, and the counties and prefectures of the Central Plains submitted to his command.

Huangma Pass was originally under the jurisdiction of Xin Gongjing. With Liu Daogui's arrival, the morale of the Luoyang garrison was greatly boosted.

Even the Qin army remained inactive.

Yao Xing's 100,000-strong army besieged Luoyang for nearly two months, but after a prolonged siege, they failed to capture it, and their morale was greatly diminished.

Yiyang to the west and Yique to the south were lost, but Jinyong to the north and Yanshi and other cities to the east remained.

Jin Yong means "a fortress of bronze and iron." This city, also known as Luoyang Fortress, was a military city built by Emperor Cao Rui of Wei in the northwest of Luoyang. It was backed by Mangshan Mountain to the north and Dacheng to the south. The Gu River flowed around the city. The city walls were thick and solid, and the terrain was dangerous. It served as a barrier for the northwest of Luoyang.

The defending general Xiahou Zongzhi repeatedly repelled the Qin army, forming a strategic defensive position with Luoyang.

"Send orders: cavalry to enter Luoyang and harass the Qin army; infantry to raise banners on nearby hilltops and spread the word that the Northern Army reinforcements have arrived!"

Liu Daogui did not sit idle. After setting up the supply lines, he began to intimidate the Qin army.

Luoyang is surrounded by mountains on all sides, making it easy to enter but difficult to leave. With reinforcements arriving, the situation is extremely unfavorable for them.

Overjoyed, Liu Zun exclaimed, "Hey, if you ask me, we should press on and storm Luoyang!"

"This time, let's try diplomacy first, then force. Send a letter to Yao Xing and ask him how he compares to Fu Jian. Be careful that the Di-Qin dynasty doesn't rise from the ashes!"

The situation was in their favor; Yao Xing's prolonged siege had failed, and the Qin army's morale had been waned.

At this point, they were actually no longer able to fight.

Guanzhong had been ravaged by war for a long time. Although Fu Deng was destroyed, the Di-Qin royal family was still there. Most of them fled to the state of Qiuchi and were eyeing Guanzhong covetously.

Yao Xing was a good man in every way, but he also learned Fu Jian's bad habit of taking in many exiled forces.

According to Liu Daogui's observation, Yao Xing could not stay in Luoyang for long.

Liu Zun asked, "Will Yao Xing really withdraw his troops?" "It would be best if he didn't!" Liu Daogui was now more than happy to see that.

Having failed to capture Luoyang after two months, and now with reinforcements arriving, it's even less likely.

The letter was sent out, and Mao Dezhu and Wang Zhongde's cavalry set off.

The territory of Yao Qin actually only included Guanzhong and Longdong, and there were no horse-breeding areas. The Qin army was mainly composed of infantry, with cavalry as a supplement.

They were almost no match for the well-equipped and highly motivated Northern Army cavalry.

Mao Dezhu and Wang Zhongde moved with impunity, successively defeating two Qin armies south of Luoyang.

However, Yao Xing did not withdraw his troops after receiving the letter.

Liu Daogui wasn't in a hurry. He knew he couldn't maintain this situation for long, as long as Luoyang didn't fall.

Our own supplies were sent from various counties in Yuzhou, while the Qin army's supplies had to be sent from Guanzhong, a thousand miles away. The consumption of our 100,000 troops was several times that of our own.

After entering Huangma Pass, several more groups of refugees came to seek refuge.

Luozhong is mountainous, and where there are mountains, there are refugees and bandits.

Liu Daogui was willing to share grain with them, and word spread quickly, making him famous.

Within ten days, another four or five thousand people came to seek refuge with their families.

The more people there are, the greater the impact.

The garrison troops from more than ten counties, including Changshe, Yangcheng, Guancheng, and Huaicheng, also rushed over.

Liu Daogui's forces swelled to 50,000. Although they were a motley crew, lacking even proper weapons and resembling refugees, their sheer numbers and power were enough to intimidate Yao Xing.

His troops weren't particularly elite, and after nearly three months of fighting, he still hadn't captured Luoyang.

"Report! Governor Mao launched a surprise attack on Jin Yong, routed Yao Hui's troops, killed six hundred men, and lifted the siege of Jin Yong!"

"Report! The Qin army has lifted the siege of Luoyang to the east!"

"The spies have reported that Tu Fei, Dan Tie, and others from the Wudu Di tribe killed Yao Hui, the governor of Longdong, abducted more than 3,000 households, and seized Fangshan in rebellion!"

Everything seemed to be developing as Liu Daogui had predicted.

It would be strange if the northern nomadic states of Wei, Yan, and Qin did not rebel.

Yao Xing is now facing numerous vulnerabilities: he cannot capture Luoyang, his soldiers are exhausted, and his rear is becoming unstable.

"Why hasn't the Qin army retreated yet?" Liu Huaizhen asked, puzzled.

"If he won't back down, then let's take it a step further and settle things once and for all under the walls of Luoyang."

With more troops at their disposal, their own food supplies began to run into problems.

Taking advantage of the high morale, Liu Daogui simply led his army over to challenge them.

Just as he was about to give the order, a scout rushed in to report, "General, Yao Xing is advancing eastward and heading straight for our army!"

"What?" Liu Zun was stunned.

Liu Huaizhen also looked puzzled. "Could it be that he wants to fight us to the death?"

Yao Xing's move was too illogical. A wise man does not stand under a dangerous wall. If the battle goes badly, he will face the predicament of being attacked from both sides.

Yao Xing emerged victorious in the Guanzhong civil war, proving he was not a man of mere courage and strategy.

"If he dares to come, why shouldn't we fight? Order the entire army to be on high alert. Send messengers to Luoyang and Jin Yong, instructing them to hold their positions and not to make any rash moves. Wait for our orders before launching a joint counterattack."

If Liu Daogui simply holds firm and doesn't venture out, Yao Xing will undoubtedly be defeated!
"We obey!" The generals clasped their hands in greeting, their faces full of excitement. They had won many battles along the way and were in high spirits.

"If we can capture or kill Yao Xing, it will be an immense achievement!" Liu Zun laughed heartily.

Liu Daogui glanced at him sideways, wishing things were that simple.

However, for now we can only take it one step at a time.

One day, two days, three days passed, and Yao Xing's army marched at an unusually slow pace, staying close to the south of the Luo River.

When they arrived at Yanshi, they suddenly headed south to Yique.

This move made Liu Daogui even more puzzled. South of Yique were Xiangcheng County and Nanyang, which were Huan Xuan's territories.

However, news soon arrived that Wei Hua, Xiahou Gui, Pang Tiao, and other leaders of the refugees from Nanyong Prefecture had led more than 20,000 people from Xiangyang to rebel against Jin and join Qin, marching towards Xiangcheng County.

Yao Xing led an army of 50,000 out of Yique and headed south to provide support.

Luqiu Xian and Deng Qifang suffered a major defeat, wiping out the defensive forces of Yuzhou, leaving the area north of the Han River with virtually no troops.

The surrender of Wei Hua, Xiahou Gui, Pang Tiao, and others not only destroyed these two commanderies, but also put Xiangyang in grave danger.

The Wei family was a prominent clan in Jingzhao, while the Pang family was a powerful clan in Longxi, both having close ties with the Yao Qin dynasty.

Yao Chang was able to establish a state in Guanzhong because he had the support of the powerful clans and gentry in Guanzhong.

Xiangyang is more valuable than Luoyang.

If it falls into Yao Xing's hands, it would be tantamount to Yao Qin stepping on Jiangdong's neck...

"Yao Xing is indeed cunning." Liu Daogui hadn't expected that Yao Xing's target wasn't him at all.

Huan Xuan is currently engaged in a battle with Sima Yuanxian, and his forces are concentrated in the lower reaches of the Yangtze River. A major battle is imminent, and he cannot attend to Xiangyang for the time being.

Liu Zun asked, "Should we give chase or not?"

Liu Huaizhen said, "How can we pursue them? Yique is in someone else's hands; we can't get past it at all."

Liu Daogui thought about it and realized that it didn't really matter who won or lost in the south, but if Yao Xing took Nanyang and Xiangyang, the situation would be much worse.

The foundation of the Northern Prefecture was in Jingkou, but its gateway was actually in Pengcheng.

The foundation of the Western Prefecture was in Jiangling, but its gateway was in Xiangyang.

The area surrounding Xiangyang was a major base for refugees from the north, with a very large population. Huan Wen started his career in Xiangyang.

"The elite troops of the military government will follow me south through Yingchuan County, following behind Yao Xing. We cannot let them take Nanyang and Xiangyang so easily," Liu Daogui said, calming himself down.

These days, betrayal is all too common.

Yao Xing marched south, and the siege of Luoyang was lifted.

(End of this chapter)