Northern Prefecture Rivers and Mountains

Chapter 356

Do you two know your crime?

Under the watchful eyes of the crowd, Liu Huaijing and Mao Xiuzhi were tied to wooden stakes with their hands behind their backs, with a whip-wielding strongman standing on each side.

"Your subordinate is innocent! The Western Army is a defeated force of my Northern Army. Why should they be the vanguard? Your subordinate is not convinced!" Liu Huaijing said stubbornly.

Compared to Liu Huaisu and Liu Huaishen, he was more stubborn; once he made up his mind, nothing could change it.

Mao Xiuzhi kept his head down and didn't argue a word.

Actually, he was also at fault. Liu Huaijing fell into an ambush, but he ignored it and continued to advance, where he was defeated one by one by Yao Wenzong.

Otherwise, with the combined forces of the two armies, the Qin army would not have been able to succeed so easily.

Liu Daogui was furious. "That was the old West Prefecture, not the current West Prefecture. You are all comrades-in-arms. How can you fight for credit like this and treat the lives of your soldiers like a joke? You still have the nerve to argue? Fight!"

Bang, bang...

The whip lashed his body, immediately tearing his skin and flesh, but Liu Huaijing gritted his teeth and remained silent.

After twenty lashes, his whole body was covered in blood, but he stubbornly refused to faint.

The soldiers from the Northern and Western Prefectures around him were full of admiration. An ordinary person could not withstand three lashes and would faint after five. If the blows were heavier, ten lashes could take a person's life or cripple them.

Do you know your crime?

The man was beaten, Liu Daogui vented his anger, and he also gave the soldiers an explanation.

Liu Huaijing was Liu Daogui's cousin, and the two families had always been very close. Even he was punished by military law, and everyone else respected him.

"I refuse to accept this!" Liu Huaijing roared hysterically.

"Hit me again!" Liu Daogui's face darkened.

The strongman continued to lash out with his whip, one lash after another, sending blood and flesh flying everywhere.

After five lashes, Liu Huaijing's eyes rolled back and he fainted, but the whipping continued.

"Stop fighting! It's all my fault. I shouldn't have fought like this. I'm willing to accept military punishment." Mao Xiuzhi said, his face full of shame.

Although the whip didn't strike his body, it lashed his heart.

"General, please forgive us. We know we were wrong and will never dare to do it again."

The soldiers from the surrounding Northern and Western armies all bowed in respect.

"Liu Huaijing and Mao Xiuzhi disregarded the lives of their soldiers, engaged in infighting, and were dismissed from their positions as military advisors, demoted to the rank of Marquis of Qu, and had their meritorious land confiscated. Do you two have any objections?"

It's impossible for Liu Daogui to actually execute the two men.

The conflict between the Northern and Western Prefectures will not be resolved because of today's events. However, this is a warning to others: anyone who dares to openly fight amongst themselves in the future will have to consider the consequences of military law.

"I am completely convinced." Mao Xiuzhi's face showed even more shame.

Knowing shame is akin to courage. A person who knows shame is naturally honest and straightforward. Liu Daogui was too lazy to beat him and ordered his guards to separate the two.

Liu Huaijing was carried away by the crowd to seek treatment from a military doctor.

After Liu Daogui finished his official business, he went to visit him in the evening. The man was strong and healthy, comparable to Liu Zun. After applying the wound medicine, he was fine.

Those executioners were all bodyguards; they held back their strength, looking intimidating but not actually intending to kill.

Upon seeing Liu Daogui enter, Liu Huaijing quickly closed his eyes and pretended to be asleep, even snoring.

Liu Daogui said earnestly, "You can't be so pathetic. Aren't the Northern and Western Prefectures all descendants of refugees who migrated south from the north? As a member of the Liu family of Pengcheng, you not only fail to prioritize the overall situation, but you also lead the infighting. Compared to your two elder brothers, you are far inferior."

Liu Huaijing's eyelids twitched, but he still didn't open his eyes.

"We are going to launch a northern expedition in the future. If you are still so useless, you might as well return to Jingkou!"

"Brother, you mustn't—" Liu Huaijing struggled to his feet, aggravating his wounds and wincing in pain. "I know I was wrong."

Although he is stubborn, he is not a bad person and doesn't take things to heart.

"If you know your mistakes and can correct them, there is no greater good."

Liu Daogui didn't say much, but after checking his injuries, he found that there was nothing seriously wrong.

At this moment, Meng Ganzhi arrived and reported, "General, good news! Liu Jingxuan and Sima Xiuzhi led their troops in a bloody battle, captured Hongnong, captured Yao Qin's Left General Yao Wenzong alive, and beheaded more than 30 traitors including Tao Zhongshan and Dong Mai. Afterwards, the two of them followed the Xiaohan Road and captured the cities of Shanxian, Mianchi, and Xin'an, capturing more than 30,000 Qiang, Di, and Xiongnu peoples, more than 50,000 head of livestock, and 600 warhorses."

"So fierce?" Liu Daogui's feelings were somewhat complicated. Liu Jingxuan was a three-year-old child when it came to political intrigue, but he had also inherited some of Liu Laozhi's bravery.

There was also Sima Xiuzhi, who was previously unknown in the Northern Army, but after going to the north, he began to show his talent.

The Sima family is such a large family, yet they still have some promising talents.

Meng Gan said, "Both of them have loyal followers who have followed them for many years. They also recruited a group of former Beifu troops in Pengcheng. This time, they went north and raised the banner of Beifu. The Qin army collapsed at the sight of the banner."

The two men were fierce, but Yao Qin was outwardly strong but inwardly weak, as his elite troops had already been wiped out in the Battle of Chaibi.

Don't be fooled by the fact that the Northern Kingdom has hundreds of thousands of troops; in reality, its elite forces number only tens of thousands, or even less than ten thousand.

Although Liu Daogui reorganized the Western Army, including the Northern Army, he only had about 20,000 to 30,000 elite troops at his disposal.

Although Yao Xing occupied Guanzhong, his sphere of influence was not as large as Liu Daogui's. The annihilation of his 40,000 elite troops was enough to destroy a country.

Yao Xing's ability to hold on until now is already a testament to his skill.

It was a great victory, and Liu Daogui was overjoyed.

Taking Hongnong County so quickly, and capturing so many able-bodied men and livestock, is quite an unexpected bonus.

After this battle, Yao Qin retreated entirely to Guanzhong, forming a complex and intertwined relationship with the State of Wei...

Wuyi Lane in Jiankang, the Prince's Mansion.

In front of Wang Mi were fifty packets of wine, and a white silk ribbon hung from the roof beam above his head.

"Why must Father do this? Hasn't the General of Chariots and Cavalry already let bygones be bygones?" The three sons, Wang Guan, Wang Qiu, and Wang Xiu, all cried out.

The youngest son, Wang Xiufang, was only eight years old.

Wang Mi poured himself a full cup of wine and took a sip. "Let bygones be bygones? You're thinking too simply. Do you know why you let Huangfu Fu's son out that day?"

The eldest son, Wang Guan, said, "This shows that the General of Chariots and Cavalry has not forgotten old friendships."

Wang Mi sighed, "From now on, you should resign from your official post and stay at home to read and write, to continue the bloodline of the Langya Wang clan, and never get involved in the affairs of the court again."

The second son, Wang Qiu, was only eleven years old. He cupped his hands and said, "With Huangfu Fu dead, Huangfu Xiao was able to receive a pardon and be given an important position..."

“Not bad, not bad. You will surely bring prosperity to the Wang family in the future. Zhonghe and Huanyin plotted a rebellion in my house. I did not inform the General of Chariots and Cavalry, which is already a taboo. The reason why the General of Chariots and Cavalry did not take action was because he was afraid of being accused of being ungrateful. That is why he hinted that I should commit suicide.”

Wang Mi took three Wushi San pills in a row.

In fact, he was not entirely innocent. He harbored a sliver of hope that Wang Chen, in alliance with Huan Yin and Luo Bing, would launch a pincer attack from both inside and outside, which seemed to have a very high chance of success.

And once he succeeds, power will fall into his hands.

Little did they know that every move in Jiankang City was already under Liu Yu's watchful eye.

Liu Yu's implementation of the land reform policy was essentially aimed at cutting off the lives of aristocratic families. How could he not be wary of powerful clans like the Wang family of Langya?
If he hadn't hidden in Waguansi Temple but had gone to find Liu Yu instead, the outcome would have been different. But everyone has greed, especially when it comes to power.

If Wang Mi hadn't coveted power, he wouldn't have snatched the imperial seal from Sima Dezong and handed it over to Huan Xuan.

It was precisely because of this incident that it became an indelible stain and sin on his record.

Even if Liu Yu really let him go, the Sima family would not. When the Northern Army attacked Jiankang, some people wanted to settle scores with the Langya Wang clan, but Liu Yu stopped them.

Everyone must pay the price for their sins and wrong paths.

"Only if I go can the General of Chariots and Cavalry be at ease, and the Langya Wang Clan will be able to escape this calamity." Wang Mi picked up the wine pot and poured the wine directly into his mouth.

Wang Mi sacrificed his own life to protect the Langya Wang clan and secure wealth and honor for his descendants; it was a worthwhile trade.

“My son, go and beg the General of Chariots and Cavalry. At worst, my Wang family will be exiled to Lingnan!” Although Wang Guan was foolish, he was extremely filial.

Wang Mi's eyes were full of tenderness. "Foolish child, the Langya Wang clan cannot be ruined in my hands. The three of you must remember that you must never be enemies with the General of Chariots and Cavalry and the General of the Flying Cavalry in the future, nor should you resent them because of your father's death. I made a mistake myself, and I cannot blame anyone else."

"Father!"

The three sons cried their hearts out, and the servants in the mansion also wept.

Wang Mi stood up, stepped onto the table, stretched his neck into the white silk, and said leisurely, "The General of Chariots and Cavalry is a man who cherishes old friendships. He gave the Langya Wang family a dignified life. How could I, as their father, not know what is good for him? He even risked his own life to help you all advance in your careers. What more could I ask for?"

With a crash, the table was kicked over, and Wang Mi's body swayed precariously in mid-air...

(End of this chapter)