Northern Prefecture Rivers and Mountains

Chapter 336 Hero

The fleet sailed upstream, taking a day and a night to enter Houhu from the Yangtze River, and then directly into Jiankang City from Hugou. Along the way, they passed through Wuyi Lane and Changgan Temple, and finally arrived at Zhuque Port.

In the second year of Xiankang (336 AD), the Zhuque Bridge was newly built, facing the Zhuque Gate and Zhuque Avenue, connecting the north and south cities.

In the third year of the Taiyuan era (378), Xie placed a double-towered pavilion and two bronze sparrows on the bridge, naming it the Zhuque Pavilion.

This is the most prosperous area in Jiankang.

As far as the eye can see, there are pavilions and terraces, one after another, with streets converging, vermilion gates at the corners, stone beams and flying bridges leading out to control the river channels.

The autumn breeze is gentle, carrying a hint of the moisture of the Jiangnan region.

No wonder those aristocratic families, after settling here, never thought of launching a northern expedition again. The land of gentle pleasures is a hero's grave. No matter how ambitious a hero is, once he enters this place, his ambition will be worn away bit by bit...

This was Liu Daogui's first trip to Beijing, and the scale of the trip was far larger than expected.

In fact, it was not a single city, but a large urban cluster consisting of Dongfu City, Danyang County City, Langya County City, and Stone City, connected by various waterways.

If Huan Xuan hadn't left and had persisted in street fighting, Liu Yu's two thousand-plus troops would have been fighting for every single street and alley for at least a year and a half to finally take it down.

"Welcome, General Fu Jun!" The civil and military officials on the shore bowed and clasped their hands.

Liu Yu was dressed in a red military uniform, wearing a pheasant-shaped crown and a long sword with a jade hilt at his waist. Behind him were five armored swordsmen, all of whom were burly and strong.

Standing beside him were Wang Mi, He Wuji, Tan Pingzhi, Liu Yi, and other generals from the Northern Army.

The elite troops from the Northern Army disembarked one after another.

Their uniform silver armor and red silk robes were dazzling and made the soldiers look majestic and imposing.

Liu Daogui walked off the ship with his head held high and bowed to Wang Mi and another person beside Liu Yu, saying, "Greetings, General and Minister of the Imperial Secretariat!"

Wang Mi smiled and returned the greeting, but Sima Zun beside him had a complicated expression. "People say that the General Leading Army and the General Pacifying Army are like tigers and dragons, and seeing them today, I know that this is no exaggeration. The fate of the Jin Dynasty depends on the two of you!"

"This humble general dares not shirk his duty!" Liu Daogui put on a show of politeness.

Liu Yu said without any hesitation, "General, there is no need to worry. From now on, the affairs of the world will be in the hands of my brother and me. General, you only need to sit in your high seat."

Sima Zun's expression changed, but he dared not show any dissatisfaction.

"Agui, come here!" Liu Yu got into a carriage with a blue canopy and extended his hand to Liu Daogui.

His body swayed slightly, and his face turned pale. The injuries he had sustained were so severe that they couldn't have healed so quickly; they would have remained dormant within his body.

Liu Daogui gripped his hand tightly and stepped onto the carriage.

Sima Zun and Wang Mi then boarded another carriage.

The sword-wielding guards and tiger-riding guards led the way, one on the left and one on the right, with civil and military officials following behind.

Rows of palaces gradually rose before their eyes, and the streets of Zhuque Avenue were lined with soldiers of the Northern Army, who looked at Liu Yu and Liu Daogui with eyes full of admiration.

Liu Daogui, however, had no interest in appreciating the palace scenery. Only after riding in the same carriage did he catch a faint scent of herbs: "How is your health, brother?"

"On such a joyous day, why speak of such depressing things? With my uncle's medicine suppressing my old injuries, I can still live for a few more years. It's just that the occasional pain is worse than death." Liu Yu said nonchalantly, as if he were talking about a trivial matter.

Liu Daogui frowned. "Aren't there imperial physicians in Jiankang City? Isn't there any way?"

"They're all quacks, not even as good as my uncle. Besides, these people have all sorts of connections with aristocratic families. How could I possibly seek their help?"

During the Han, Wei, and Jin dynasties, assassins were as numerous as hairs on a cow; Cao Cao was even assassinated by a royal physician.
Liu Yu is now in the eye of the storm, and his every move is being watched by outsiders.

Liu Yu laughed, "No need to worry. We need to speed things up a bit. I'll give you a year to pacify Jingzhou and Xiangyang, how about that?"

"Is it really that serious?" Liu Daogui's heart sank.

His concern wasn't whether he could pacify Jingzhou and Xiangyang, but rather that his body could only sustain him for a year.

If anything were to happen to him, the newly established power structure would undergo drastic changes, and more importantly, it would be a significant blow to the morale of the Northern Army.

From the Battle of Suanshan to the Battle of Gouzhang, the Battle of Xiangcheng, and the Battle of Fuzhoushan, he always defeated the many with the few and the strong with the weak, making him a war god in the hearts of his soldiers.

Since they are gods, they cannot fall.

Liu Yu waved his hand and said, "What are you thinking? We brothers have not yet pacified the Central Plains, wiped out the various states, and ruled the world. How can we leave this world? You will have to work hard this year. I will recuperate in Jiankang while you destroy Huan Chu. A year later, we will first pacify Guangzhou, then destroy Southern Yan, then invade Guanzhong, and finally head north to destroy Tuoba Gui!"

Although the voice was soft, it exuded an air of dominance.

It was as if they didn't take Lu Xun, Murong De, Yao Xing, Tuoba Gui and others seriously at all.

Under heaven, only he possesses such domineering charisma that looks down upon the world.

Jiangzuo is not lacking in the strength to launch a northern expedition, but it lacks this kind of domineering spirit and heroic spirit!

"Within a year, I will surely sweep away Jingzhou and Xiangyang!" Liu Daogui was also infected by his domineering spirit, and his heart was filled with passion.

Liu Yu was gratified. "A man should be like this! You are indeed worthy of being my brother, Liu Yu! Military strategy should be complemented by literary talent. Although Wang Mi and Wei Yongzhi are famous, they lack ability. Huai Su cannot oversee the overall situation. I want to sweep away the shortcomings of Sima Daozi and his son and Huan Xuan, restore the morale of the Jiangzuo army, and accumulate strength for the Northern Army. Do you have any capable people to recommend?"

If the deep-seated problems and abuses left over from the previous dynasty cannot be resolved, the fates of Liu Yu and Liu Daogui will not be much better than those of Huan Xuan and Sima Yuanxian.

"Brother, you are truly a hero of your generation!" Liu Daogui exclaimed with admiration.

He was a compulsive gambler in the first half of his life, had not read many decent books, and had never been taught by anyone, but whether it was fighting a war or governing a country, he was always able to accurately find the key points.

These people are practically born heroes. "Alright, alright, I've been hearing nothing but flattery these past few days, you don't need to say it anymore. Whether it's true or not, you can't keep it to yourself." Even as he said this, a smile still appeared on his face.

"I do have someone on my side, Liu Muzhi, from the Liu family of Pei County, who has settled in Jingkou. His talent is no less than that of Xiao He!"

Liu Muzhi was wasted his talents in the Huai and Si regions.

In recent years, Yanzhou has gotten on the right track and has employed many scholars from humble backgrounds.

Jiangzuo is precisely lacking in a capable administrator like him.

Of course, Liu Daogui also had his own ulterior motives. Liu Muzhi was ultimately one of his own, and his recommendation to the court was tantamount to paving a path for him in advance...

Liu Yu exclaimed with delight, "Such a person exists? It seems I was ignorant. I will quickly summon him to my staff. With such a person assisting me, great things can be expected!"

The carriage came to a slow stop before it even entered the palace.

Prisoners knelt on the ground beneath the Vermilion Bird Gate.

There were nearly a thousand people, including the elderly, women, and children, trembling under the axes and knives. Among them, a few stood tall and glared angrily at Liu Yu and Liu Daogui on the carriage.

"Who are these people?" Liu Daogui asked, puzzled.

Liu Yu's smile gradually turned into murderous intent. "The entire Wang family of Taiyuan, including Wang Yu and Wang Kai, and the Diao family of Jingkou, including Diao Kui, Diao Chang, and Diao Hong, unfortunately managed to escape with a few of their descendants, so we were unable to eradicate them completely."

"They deserve to die!" Liu Daogui felt no sympathy whatsoever for these people.

It was one thing for the Wang family of Taiyuan to wholeheartedly follow Huan Xuan, but they also repeatedly insulted Liu Yu, just like Wang Gong had humiliated Liu Laozhi in the past, and made things difficult for commoners and low-class families in every way.

The Diao family was even more sinful, taking over the mountains and rivers of Jingkou and Guangling, forcing countless people to lose their families and be separated from their spouses.

Their current predicament is a form of retribution.

The struggle for power is even more brutal than battlefield combat. The Wang family of Taiyuan has declined rapidly in recent years. Wang Gong was killed, and the Wang family's power has greatly diminished. Wang Guobao and Wang Xu were made scapegoats and killed by Sima Daozi. Now it's the turn of Wang Yu and Wang Kai's family...

"I am from the Wang family of Taiyuan, a distinguished clan. How dare you kill me!" one of them struggled and shouted.

But he was immediately pressed down by the armored soldiers.

"I'm killing the elite of your aristocratic families!" Liu Yu waved his hand, and the swords and axes fell, blood mist filled the air, and more than a thousand heads fell, a horrifying sight.

The Jinyang-Taiyuan lineage declined in Jiangdong from then on.

The civil and military officials following behind all looked terrified.

Everyone was as silent as a cicada.

Wang Mi's relaxed and indifferent demeanor was gone, replaced by a much more respectful expression, while Sima Zun's face turned ashen.

Liu Daogui felt a strange sense of pleasure.

These high-ranking aristocratic families, just like ordinary people, only had one head.

The biggest difference between Liu Daogui and Liu Yu and the Sima and Huan clans was that Liu Daogui and Liu Yu came from humble backgrounds and their power came from the Northern Army, from swords and spears, and from the battlefield. They did not rely so much on the support of the gentry.

The destruction of the Wang clan of Taiyuan today is also intended to deter other aristocratic families.

A new era has dawned, and the old rules have changed...

During the subsequent council in the Taiji Hall, Sima Zun sat at the head of the table, Liu Yu, dressed in red, sat on the left, and Liu Daogui, dressed in black and wearing a pheasant-feathered hat, sat on the right, facing south, listening to the reports from civil and military officials.

Throughout the entire court assembly, whatever Liu Yu said went. No one, including Sima Zun, Wang Mi, Liu Yi, He Wuji, or others, dared to contradict him; they were all unprecedentedly submissive.

"Now I hereby order General Liu Daogui to take command of all the armies of the Northern Army and to suppress the remnants of Huan Chu."

As the meeting was about to adjourn, Liu Yu finally spoke of the most important matter.

Without giving anyone a chance to speak, Tan Pingzhi brought out the military tally and the staff.

Liu Daogui held the military tally in his left hand and the staff in his right, glanced at everyone in the hall, and then looked at Liu Yi. "Does anyone have any objections?"

The destruction of the Wang clan of Taiyuan had an unparalleled psychological impact on the people.

At this point, no one dared to step forward.

All the generals stood solemnly at attention and replied, "We obey!"

"Since you have accepted the order, you must fight together against the common enemy. I have already said that if anyone disobeys or refuses to go forward, don't blame the military law for being merciless!" Liu Daogui's face was ashen.

When a gentleman changes like a leopard, his writing becomes elegant and refined; when a great man changes like a tiger, his writing becomes brilliant and radiant.

Now that he has become the General Who Pacifies the Army and is in charge of military power, he must show the authority of a superior and keep the situation under control.

Otherwise, we would be letting down our elder brother Liu Yu's good intentions.

Conquering Jingzhou and destroying Huan Chu within a year was no easy task. Jingzhou was Huan Xuan's stronghold, and the people's hearts were with the Huan family. Only in this way could great things be accomplished.

Liu Daogui could only forge ahead.

"We will dedicate ourselves to the cause and annihilate the Chu traitors!"

Tan Pingzhi took the lead in shouting, and the others, whether they wanted to or not, had no choice but to follow suit.

(End of this chapter)