Northern Prefecture Rivers and Mountains

Chapter 327 Thank you

"The Jin dynasty has already fallen, why bother serving the emperor again?" Liu Daogui felt a bit uncomfortable whenever the Sima family was mentioned.

"You have been in the north for a long time and are unaware of the situation in Jiangzuo. There are many who harbor the ambitions of the Jin dynasty. If we do not act in the name of the Sima family, how can the people of Jiangzuo support us? Those who achieve great things should proceed gradually. Although you and I have prestige in the army, the governors, magistrates, and officials of Jiangzuo are all from aristocratic families with deep roots. Do you intend to conquer city by city?"

Not only these officials, but even the power of the Sima family has not completely disappeared.

Many people still support them, and even within the Northern Army, there are those who care about the Sima family.

“You are kind and righteous by nature, but you can’t deal with them. Why not see what I, your brother, can do!” Liu Yu was never just a simple military general.

A simple person wouldn't have survived so many storms to this day.

Winning this battle does not mean that we can easily replace Huan Xuan.

On the contrary, Huan Xuan's downfall will allow more ambitious people to emerge into the limelight.

The military officers wrote the proclamation, made more than twenty copies, and sent them to cities such as Hefei, Licheng, Guangling, Jingkou, Wuchang, Jiankang, Jiangling, and Xiangyang.

After the soldiers had rested enough, they marched south.

Liu Yu lay on the carriage as they traveled south together.

Cities along the way surrendered without resistance. As they approached Hefei, the Western Army fled without a trace. The governor of Huainan, Xie Zhong, opened the city gates and surrendered, rewarding his soldiers with cattle and wine.

The Xie family has deep roots in Xuzhou and Yangzhou.

As the founding family of the Northern Army, and having a past grudge against the Huan family, they were gradually marginalized after Huan Xuan usurped the throne.

"The people of Jiangzuo look to the two generals as if they were waiting for the stars and the moon!" Xie Zhong was also one of the prominent figures at the end of the Jin Dynasty. He was once the Chief Clerk of Sima Daozi and was a fairly upright person.

At least they can get their bearings right and treat Liu Daogui with utmost respect.

"Thank you for your courtesy, Lord Xie. I have come here solely to suppress the bandits, restore the nation, and ensure that I do not harm the people in the slightest!"

"I had long heard that the Commander-in-Chief was strict in disciplining his troops and had the air of a king. Seeing him today, I can confirm that the rumors are true."

This statement was clearly a test.

Xie Zhong's decision not to stay in Jiankang or Jingkou and Guangling, but instead to come to the front line in Hefei, clearly indicates that he was waiting for him. Strictly speaking, the Xie family is also part of the Northern Army.

One can question the military capabilities of aristocratic families, but one must never question their political acumen.

Huan Xuan was able to seize power from the Sima family not because of the Huan family's prestige, but because of the fighting strength of the Western Army.

The loss of the Battle of Xiangcheng severely damaged his prestige, leading to a situation where his followers scattered like leaves in the wind.

Liu Daogui knew Xie Zhong's true intentions perfectly well, but he didn't point it out. "Huan Xuan is a traitor who usurped the throne and became emperor, causing chaos in the world. Without Lord Xie to take charge of the overall situation, how can people's hearts be at peace?"

The Xie family is undoubtedly a prestigious name.

Among the prominent families, Xie An and Xie Xuan had the best reputation. Both of them were people who had made contributions to the country and still had influence among the Northern Army and the people of Jiangzuo.

Although Xie Yan had a false reputation, he died on the battlefield, and the matter has been settled.

Everything has two sides. If Xie Yan hadn't been a good-for-nothing, Liu Yu and Liu Daogui wouldn't have had the opportunity to rise to power...

Liu Daogui's words were actually an invitation to Xie Zhong, implying that the Xie family would have a place in the new dynasty.

The Sima family and the gentry jointly governed the country. The Xie family, as a top-tier noble family, was a force to be reckoned with and an important political ally.

Liu Daogui cannot push everyone to the opposite side.

Xie Zhong clearly understood and cupped his hands, saying, "How dare I? Your literary and military talents are unparalleled in Jiangzuo. Who does not know this? The Xie family is willing to assist you and support the nation."

"You flatter me, sir. I will rely on you greatly from now on!" Liu Daogui returned the greeting, knowing it was flattery, yet it made him feel good...

The army set up camp outside the city.

Hefei is adjacent to Guangling and was already within the sphere of influence of the Northern Army. Coupled with Liu Daogui's reputation, the people of the city prepared food and drink to reward the soldiers.

They have the air of a kingly army.

This also shows that Liu Daogui's trip south was very popular. With the support of the Xie family, Liu Daogui's influence grew even stronger.

Xie Zhong's support was not just empty words; the two important towns of Matou and Xuyi in the lower reaches of the Huai River surrendered.

Seven thousand Northern Army soldiers rushed to Hefei to join the campaign against Huan Xuan.

This is not over yet.

Before Liu Daogui's army could reach Liyang, another mutiny broke out in Liyang, releasing Zhuge Changmin and Liu Fan who had been imprisoned, and defeating Huan Chu's Western General Diao Kui.

They opened the city gates to welcome Liu Daogui.

Xie An's younger brother, Xie Wan, once served as General of the Western Central Army, Governor of Yuzhou, Acting General, Supervisor of the Military Affairs of Yu, Ji and Bing Provinces, and Governor of Huainan. The Xie family also had influence in Licheng.

Xie Zhong secretly made his move and easily captured Liyang.

Liu Daogui led his army south and advanced to the Yangtze River without encountering any resistance.

Opposite Liyang is Caishiji, and behind Caishiji are Stone City and Jiankang.

More than a thousand warships of various sizes blocked the Yangtze River.

Liu Daogui led his army eastward to Guabu, where he faced Jiankang across the river. The warships on the river also followed him eastward.

The soldiers lined up along the river, their banners like clouds and their iron armor gleaming in the sun.

"Beat the drums and shout!" Liu Daogui rode a white horse, looking south at the picturesque landscape, full of vigor and high spirits.

Being able to stand here already means we've won half the battle.

Liu Yu shakily stepped off the carriage, and with the help of Liu Zun and Liu Huaijing, he looked at Jiankang City with mixed feelings.

The ancient land, the clash of swords and the thunder of horses, its might swallowing ten thousand miles like a tiger.

The sound of drums resounded across both banks of the Yangtze River. Before anyone could cross, Feiyun had already crossed halfway to the center of the river.

The south bank was also crowded with people, but they were too far away to see the flags clearly, and it was unclear whether it was the North Prefecture or the West Prefecture.

"Make the drums louder, show some spirit!" Liu Yu pushed aside Liu Zun and Liu Huaijing beside him and stood leaning on his sword.

As the drums thundered, Liu Yu laughed loudly: "Agui, if we can enter this city, and rule as the sovereign in the south, we will die without regret!"

"As you wish, brother!"

Surrounded by members of the Liu clan or trusted retainers, he could say anything.

The drums thundered, and the soldiers joined in the shouts.

The sheer scale of the event caused even the clouds in the sky to change color.

But to think that you can overwhelm the other side with sheer force of voice is clearly wishful thinking.

While Liu Daogui led his army to suppress the north bank of the Yangtze River, Xie Zhong was not idle either, and he was trying to win over the powerful clans and aristocratic families in the south bank.

With his help, their momentum immediately increased.

First, Wang Zhenzhi, the prefect of Ancheng, raised an army and joined the campaign against Chu. Then, Kong Jing, the prefect of Wuxing, and Yu Xiaofu, the governor of Kuaiji, both rebelled.

During the Wang Xin Rebellion, Yu Xiaofu led the people of the Three Wu regions to rise up in rebellion and join Wang Xin's forces to attack Sima Daozi. However, the rebellion was quickly suppressed by Liu Laozhi. As a powerful figure in the Three Wu regions, Yu Xiaofu was merely dismissed from his post.

After Huan Xuan usurped the throne, in order to win over the powerful clans of the Three Wu regions, he reinstated Yu Xiaofu, appointing him as General of the Guards and Prefect of Kuaiji.

Bringing the powerful clans of the Wu region to the forefront.

Wang Zhenzhi of Ancheng County, as can be seen from his surname and given name, is a collateral branch of the Langya Wang clan.

The two powerful families, Xie Huan and Yin, have already joined the ranks of those who oppose Huan.

For several days in a row, letters of surrender from Jiangnan arrived like snowflakes. However, these were just things to look at and not to be taken seriously; anyone who took them seriously was a fool.

(End of this chapter)