Northern Prefecture Rivers and Mountains

Chapter 373 Exclusion

He Wuji rushed back to Jiangzhou, but the city gates along the way were tightly closed, and the city treated him very coldly.

The large banner bearing the character "Liu" fluttering atop the city wall said it all. Quietly, Jiangzhou had changed. Liu Yi entered Yuzhang openly, using the pretext of resisting the northward advance of the demon bandits, and replaced the officials left behind by He Wuji with his own people.

He Wuji was already weak and alone, with the Sima family as his only support. However, after Sima Yuanxian, Sima Zun, and Sima Xiu were eliminated one by one, he had fewer and fewer supporters.

The influence of the He family of Donghai in the Northern Prefecture was not comparable to that of Liu Yi and his brother Liu Fan.

He Wuji has only been based in Jiangzhou for a short time, and his foundation is not yet solid.

Liu Yi also had powerful clans behind him.

In this situation, even the Sima family had to be mindful of the attitudes of the gentry.

He Wuji took it upon himself to join Liu Daogui on the Northern Expedition, which was tantamount to aligning himself with Liu Daogui. At the very least, he was a fence-sitter. In the current situation, fence-sitters are even more hostile to both sides.

Those who disobey and sit on the fence should, of course, be abandoned.

On the contrary, Liu Yi was much more obedient, and he was always at odds with the brothers Liu Yu and Liu Daogui, quietly developing his power in Nanyu.

"General, you led troops to participate in the Northern Expedition and fought bloody battles. Why is the court acting this way?" Chief Secretary Deng Qianzhi said indignantly.

Military advisor Yin Chan said, “Since the southward crossing, how many generals who led the northern expeditions have come to a good end? Since the court has abandoned the general, in my opinion, we should go all out and join the General of Chariots and Cavalry. He has the merit of destroying the Southern Yan and has great ambitions. He is exactly the kind of person who needs people. The general is an old friend of his and has a camaraderie with him. He will surely be given an important position.”

He Wuji pondered for a long time, unable to swallow his anger. "I am still the Governor of Jiangzhou under the imperial court. Does Liu Yi dare to attack me? Besides, I have already declined the General of Chariots and Cavalry's offer. If I were to return now, I would become a laughingstock to the world!"

Liu Daogui had tried to persuade He Wuji to stay several times before, but He Wuji was determined to leave. Now that he had slunk back, He Wuji was even more unwilling to swallow his anger.

Yin Chan and Deng Qianzhi exchanged a glance. "A true man can bend and stretch; why gamble with a matter of loyalty?"

"My northern expedition has benefited the nation and the court, so why should I tolerate it?" He Wuji's voice gradually became resolute.

Deng Qianzhi's expression brightened. "General, are you going to retake Yuzhang?"

The previous governor of Jiangzhou was Huan Xuan. He Wuji's foundation was not deep, and Liu Yi's foundation was not necessarily that deep either.

With three thousand elite troops at his disposal, the chances of success in sneaking back into the city are extremely high. If he can capture Liu Yi, he can turn the tables and gain control of half of Nanyu Province.

The people in Jiankang City will then look at you with new eyes, and conveniently turn the situation around.

At that time, He Wuji will become the third major power after Liu Yu and Liu Daogui.

In these chaotic times of war, strength reigns supreme; everything else is meaningless.

Just like those who claim to be supporting the Jin dynasty, who among them isn't thinking of their own interests?
Deng Qianzhi came from the Deng clan of Yuzhang, and Yin Chan was a relative of Yin Zhongkan. Both were powerful figures in their respective regions, and their chances of successfully counterattacking Yuzhang were not small.

"No, I must head south to confront the demon bandits!" He Wuji seemed to have made up his mind.

Deng Qianzhi was taken aback. "These bandits are all old bandits from the Three Wu regions, survivors of countless battles. The bandits from Shixing are swift and skilled in combat, and now they have brought over 100,000 men. General, you have less than 3,000 under your command. How can you possibly defeat them?"

Shixing is located at a strategic point between the north and south, nestled between the Five Ridges. It is bordered by barbarian tribes and has many bandits. The people are known for their fierce and valiant nature. Whenever there is unrest in Guangzhou, Shixing (now Shaoguan) can often quickly send its entire county south to Panyu to quell the rebellion.

Therefore, the chancellor of Shixing was often a candidate for governor of Guangzhou.

Back then, Lu Xun and Xu Daofu marched south and drove out Wu Yinzhi, the governor of Guangzhou, with only a few thousand men. However, they fought a bloody battle with the Shixing army led by Ruan Tianzhi, the chancellor of Shixing, before finally capturing Shixing and gaining a foothold in Lingnan.

Yin Chan also earnestly advised: "The two traitors, Lu and Xu, have been lying in wait for a long time. Their warships are numerous and they hold a dominant position upstream. We should not underestimate them. It would be better to retreat to Xunyang, sit on the mountain and watch the tigers fight. After Liu Yi and the two are both exhausted, we can then launch a decisive attack to clean up the mess. This is the best strategy."

The reason the rebels chose to go through Jiangzhou was because the Gan River flows from south to north into Poyang Lake, allowing their navy to sail down the Gan River, occupy the upper reaches, and, in addition to Poyang Lake, the upper reaches of the Yangtze River, to take advantage of the situation to reach Stone City.

"The demon bandits are all a rabble and nothing to fear. In the past, in the Battle of Garlic Mountain, the General of Chariots and Cavalry defeated more than 100,000 demon bandits with just over a thousand men. Now, with my three thousand elite troops, what is there to fear?"

Of all the countermeasures, He Wuji chose the third one.

Since Liu Yu could achieve the miracle of defeating 100,000 with only 1,000, He Wuji felt that he could do the same. He followed Liu Daogui on the northern expedition to destroy the Southern Yan, which boosted his confidence.

On the other hand, He Wuji's supplies were running low, and even if he retreated to Xunyang, it would be difficult for him to sustain himself.

So why not take a chance?

Liu Yu and Liu Daogui earned their current positions through battle, and He Wuji also needs to use his military achievements in defeating the rebels to regain the support of the imperial court.

If you win, you'll have everything.

Yin Chan and Deng Qianzhi were speechless once again.

He Wuji argued vehemently, "Liu Yi has already occupied Yuzhang. If we defend the city, what can the demons do to us? If I can defeat the demons, I can save the country. Order the entire army to follow me south to meet Lu Xun and Xu Daofu!"

The wind in June is sometimes strong and sometimes weak, sometimes a southerly wind and sometimes a westerly wind.

He Wuji's entire army went upstream and encountered the demon bandits on the waterway south of Yuzhang.

The enemy's fleet was densely packed, while He Wuji's entire army traveled in small boats. The enemy also set up more than a thousand archers on the hills on the west bank, aiming to shoot at the Gan River and block the river surface.

Undeterred, He Wuji raised his arm and shouted, "My men, follow me and charge forward! Capture and kill Lu Xun, and crush this wicked bandit!"

The booming war drums alerted the garrison on the walls of Yuzhang.

He Wuji also intended to send the message to Liu Yi in the city. At this moment, the south wind had somehow turned into a west wind.

The warships behind them remained motionless, but He Wuji's ship was blown by the wind to the east bank, separating it from the fleet behind them.

Standing at the bow of the ship, He Wuji was stunned. He turned to look at his men, who were all motionless. Not a single ship had followed. They just stood on the deck, quietly watching him leave the fleet.

The Jin army was stunned. There was no demonic bandit. Dozens of fast boats sailed down the river and surrounded He Wuji's warship...

The walls of Yuzhang City.

With over 100,000 demon bandits attacking, Liu Yi could not sit idly in the city and had already led his troops to watch from the city walls.

Seeing He Wuji surrounded on his lone boat, holding the Su Wu staff, fighting to the death and refusing to surrender, I couldn't help but sigh, "What a pity for He Wuji."

"General, what a brilliant move! You eliminated He Wuji without anyone noticing and gained Jiangzhou for nothing!" Zhuge Changmin exclaimed with admiration.

"Don't throw all sorts of mud at me. If I could command He Wuji's troops, why go through all this trouble and let him show his face here? Wouldn't it be better to just control him and absorb his elite forces?"

Liu Yi was extremely distressed.

Now he is a powerful regional official and a renowned scholar who cherishes his reputation. The blame for He Wuji's death falling on him will become a stain on his record.

Zhuge Changmin asked in confusion, "Who else could it be but the general?"

Lu Zongzhi and Zhao Hui, who were standing around, also looked on with suspicion.

Liu Yi raised an eyebrow, unsure how to explain to them that He Wuji's elite troops came from Sima Yuanxian's Langya Prince's Mansion.

But He Wuji died, and the biggest beneficiary was him, not him.

A name vaguely surfaced in Liu Yi's mind: it was the one who had ordered him to guard Yuzhang and stand in front of the demon bandits.

In retrospect, it was a complete disaster.

Even though he knew it was a trap, he couldn't resist the temptation.

Nanyu Province was sandwiched between the forces of Liu Yu and Liu Daogui. To the west was Jingxiang, which had become an impregnable fortress. To the north was Yuxu, which was also Liu Daogui's base. To the east was Jiangzuo, Liu Yu's territory.

The only place left for development is Jiangzhou.

With the capture of Jiangzhou, Liu Yi's power will grow stronger, giving him the strength to challenge Liu Yu and Liu Daogui.

"Enough, enough. The truth will come out in time. Now that the demon bandits have an army of over 100,000 marching north, Yuzhang will be the first to bear the brunt. What do you all think we should do?"

Liu Yi was too lazy to explain; such things were impossible to explain anyway.

"The demonic bandits have come from afar and are exhausted. Why should they be hindered by Wuji? Our army has been trained for more than two years and is ready to fight!" Liu Fan said with murderous intent.

Liu Yi marched south with 17,000 men, and the 20,000 troops from various prefectures and counties gathered in Jiangzhou were more than enough for a battle.

Liu Yu rose to power by suppressing bandits. If Liu Yi can defeat this bandit army, he will gain military merit and also be able to invade Guangzhou and bring Jiaozhou and Guangzhou under his control.

Liu Yu rose to power through military achievements, and after gaining authority, he was clear about rewards and punishments. If he failed to reward those who had rendered meritorious service, he would be undermining his own foundation.

Conversely, if Liu Yi fails to suppress the bandits, it will give Liu Yu a pretext to take action.

Outside the city, the demon bandits beheaded He Wuji and hung his head on the mast, and their three thousand followers scattered in all directions.

The bandits came ashore one after another, lying lazily on the flat ground, listless.

Traveling north from Guangzhou, even by boat, is extremely tiring.

These demon bandits appeared to be thin and ragged, with their weapons and armor all in tatters.

Some able-bodied men from Nankang County and Luling were also driven ashore from the boats, their cries deafening and the scene chaotic.

So many years have passed, and the demon thief seems to be no different from before.

"Could this be a trap to lure the enemy?" Liu Yi was naturally suspicious.

Aside from suffering losses at the hands of Liu Yu, the wicked bandits won every battle against anyone else.

Xu Daofu was cunning and resourceful. After conquering Shixing County, he immediately incorporated the Shixing bandits into his army.

Lu Zongzhi said loudly, "The demon bandits are nothing but a rabble. More than 100,000 men are no match for Liu Yu's 1,000. Now that our fleet has been exhausted from the journey, what is there to fear even if it is a trap? Yuzhang City is small and not our base. If the demon bandits surround us from all sides, we will be trapped in an isolated city. We should send out all our elite troops to fight them!"

Seeing Liu Daogui and Liu Yu's confidants rise through the ranks due to the Northern Expedition, with some even becoming governors of a prefecture and overseeing a region, Liu Yi's generals were filled with envy.

Water flows downhill, and people strive for higher positions. If following Liu Yi won't bring you promotions and titles, why bother following him?
Moreover, Liu Yi also needs to prove his loyalty to Jiankang. If he can't even deal with the demon bandits, how will he compete with Liu Yu and Liu Daogui in the future?
"General, give the order! This humble general is willing to fight to the death!"

The generals all bowed.

Liu Yi's eyes flashed, and he issued an ambiguous military order: "If we can win, then fight with all our might; if we cannot win, there is no need to force it. We must preserve our strength."

(End of this chapter)