My older brother is Gao Huan.

Chapter 251 Emperor Taizong Urges the Fight!

Gao Yu dared not delay and instructed Mulan and the others to continue training the soldiers in the parade ground.

They rode at breakneck speed all the way, even within the city of Luoyang.

The two quickly arrived at the palace and hurried towards the Taiji Hall.

Gao Yu was thinking about this along the way.

What urgent military intelligence could cause such a rush?
Surely it couldn't be that Xingyang and Hulao Pass were lost?
It was impossible no matter how you looked at it. The last news the court received was about the fall of Daliang City. Gao Yu's reason for speeding up the training and having his child soldiers start practicing battlefield combat techniques ahead of schedule was also due to the pressure of the situation.

According to Gao Yu's prediction, no matter how fierce the Southern Liang army was, no matter how incompetent the Xingyang garrison was.

With the stronghold of Xingyang and the strategic pass of Hulao Pass, Luoyang can at least hold out for a few more months.

If the enemy forces slow down after winter, it will probably be next spring when the ice and snow melt before Luoyang faces a strong enemy.

By then, the child soldiers under his command will also be able to form a certain combat capability.

Erzhu Rong was also able to free up his hands to send reinforcements.

Think about it.

Gao Yu guessed that the vanguard of the rebel army had most likely arrived outside Xingyang City, and Yuan Ziyou had summoned him here to ask about the city's defense strategy.

When the two hurriedly arrived outside the Taiji Hall, they saw that all the officials and ministers were already inside.

Da Xi Wu did not follow him inside. Gao Yu entered the Taiji Hall alone and quickly bowed, saying, "This humble general greets Your Majesty!"

"Right Guard General, please rise quickly."

Yuan Ziyou's tone was calm, but Gao Yu could see the panic in his eyes.

What happened?

After taking a deep breath, Yuan Ziyou said, "I have hastily summoned you all here because there is important military information to discuss."

Some ministers may have already heard the news. Yang Chun, Mu Shao, and others all looked solemn, while many others were completely bewildered. However, they all knew that Yuan Ziyou's hasty summons of everyone must be for something important.

"I will not hide it from you any longer. I have just received news that Xingyang has fallen."

Wow.

As soon as Yuan Ziyou spoke, the entire court was shocked and in an uproar!
Gao Yu was also momentarily stunned.

Xingyang...

Lost?
How long has it been since the report of the fall of Daliang City was submitted?

Although Gao Yu had never been to Xingyang in person, he could easily understand it just by thinking about it. Even after leading his army for several years, Xiang Yu, the Hegemon-King of Chu, was unable to conquer it.

Does this mean they're just surrendering?

Not that much.

The Hongnong Yang clan had a good relationship with Yuan Ziyou, and Yang Yu, the garrison commander of Xingyang, was personally sent by Yuan Ziyou. It was impossible for Yang Yu to surrender.

So, it means that some of the city's garrison soldiers betrayed them and helped the Southern Liang army open the city gates?
Yuan Ziyou did not speak to stop the commotion, but waited patiently until everyone in the hall quieted down before he continued to speak.

"After General Fei Mu learned that the Southern Liang army was marching north, he personally led his troops back to Xingyang to reinforce it. However, he was ambushed by the Southern Liang army north of Xingyang. General Fei Mu had already sent his personal guards with his seal into the city to tell the garrison that they would enter the city at night. As a result, the rebels put on our army's armor and flags and stormed into the city without bloodshed."

Gao Yu couldn't hold back.

The cunning of bad people often pales in comparison to the flash of inspiration of fools.

Fei Mu's loyalty is commendable; he was willing to risk disobeying military orders to return and rescue Luoyang.

Can……

In reality, it would have been better if he hadn't come back at all. Without his 'help,' the Southern Liang army wouldn't have been able to easily capture Xingyang, this fortified city.

No wonder Yuan Ziyou was so panicked.

With the loss of Xingyang, only Hulao Pass remained as the last barrier.

not good.

Gao Yu suddenly realized a very serious problem: the general guarding Hulao Pass was Erzhu Shilong.

If Erzhu Tianguang and Erzhu Zhao were the garrison commanders, Hulao Pass could hold out for a while, but it's hard to say about Erzhu Shilong.

"His Majesty!"

Gao Yu didn't care about anything else and hurriedly reminded, "We should quickly dispatch soldiers to Hulao Pass to help the Grand Councilor guard it, and send others to Jinyang, Guanzhong, and Shandong to ask for reinforcements!"

Changsun Zhi truly lived up to his reputation as a renowned general. Xiao Baoyin's rebel army was completely suppressed by Changsun Zhi and could not make any waves at all. Guanzhong still had the resources to send troops to help.

Yuan Ziyou glanced at him, then said slowly in a calm yet sorrowful tone, "The Chamberlain has already sent word that he believes the rebels are too powerful to be stopped and has led his troops back to Gaodu to hold the city."

"what?"

Gao Yu was incredulous. Had he overestimated Erzhu Shilong?

They thought he would at least hold out for a while, and give up after suffering some losses.

So, this guy really is inhuman when it comes to being inhuman?
Hulao Pass!

Is Luoyang just going to surrender its last remaining eastern barrier so easily?
The officials and ministers were all astonished and shocked. Immediately, some of them couldn't help but speak up and advise, "Your Majesty! If Xingyang and Hulao Pass fall, there will be no defensible terrain east of Luoyang. Your Majesty is of noble birth and your body is of great value. You should not risk your life."

"Let's hurry north before the enemy forces arrive and go to Jinyang to find the Prime Minister!"

"Indeed, Your Majesty, Shanxi possesses natural defenses, and the Prime Minister's elite army is also stationed there, making it virtually impregnable!"

"Your Majesty, you must not hesitate!"

"Your Majesty, let's temporarily go on a northern hunt!"

"His Majesty……"

The last person to lead a large army to Luoyang was Erzhu Rong, and the incident occurred in April. They had no intention of going to the Yellow River to reminisce with Empress Dowager Hu and their former colleagues.

It comes down to it.

For these high-ranking officials, Erzhu Rong's decision to move the capital to Jinyang did not have a significant impact.

Even with dynastic changes, it didn't affect their high positions. There weren't enough members of the Erzhu clan to occupy so many positions, so Erzhu Rong, to appease the powerful families, would share power rather than monopolize it.

People like Yang Chun and Mu Shao had a very good relationship with Yuan Ziyou, and could even be called the "Imperial Party".

At this point, they all chose to remain silent rather than stand up and oppose; silence itself is an attitude.

A sense of sadness welled up in Yuan Ziyou's heart.

These high-ranking officials and nobles could live very comfortably in Jinyang.

But what about him?
After he arrived in Jinyang, in Erzhu Rong's stronghold, any further turmoil he caused was meaningless, and it was only a matter of time before he was deposed.

Is it...

Is the fate of the Great Wei dynasty truly in our own hands?
Should I really be like Emperor Xian of Han, cowardly handing over the country and the throne?
Do not! !

Yuan Ziyou felt as if someone in his heart was roaring in despair!

He would rather die than live a life of dishonor, and he would rather be the ruler of a fallen kingdom!
Yuan Ziyou clenched his fist, about to speak.

A loud voice rang out from inside the Taiji Hall.

"Your Majesty! I request permission to fight!"

The once noisy Taiji Hall fell into a deathly silence. The loud cry of "Go!" was deafening and thought-provoking.

Everyone followed the sound.

However, they discovered that the person who volunteered for the battle was Gao Yu.

This is quite astonishing.

Gao Yu was not Erzhu Zhao's son-in-law?

It should be the people who support moving the capital.

Erzhu Dulu and Erzhu Yanbo, who remained in the court, were also completely bewildered, with Erzhu Dulu immediately refuting them.

"There are no soldiers left in Luoyang to fight, and the enemy army claims to number 300,000. How can we defend against them?"

"Indeed, the Right Guard General is probably too arrogant."

“We all know that the Right Guard General is brave, but... the enemy is powerful and we are outnumbered. It would be unwise to fight them head-on.”

"Those who still advocate war in such a perilous situation are despicable!"

"The Right Guard General is renowned for his bravery. Even if Luoyang falls, the Southern Liang army will still be interested in recruiting him. But what about us? Does the Right Guard General intend to use our lives and His Majesty's lives to enhance his reputation for bravery?"

Rebuttals and sarcastic remarks arose from all sides.

They all thought Gao Yu had gone mad!
With an army of 300,000 men about to reach the gates of Luoyang, Gao Yu is still stubbornly requesting to fight?
Everyone's expression changed!

Yes.

Who doesn't know that Gao Yu is known for his bravery and martial prowess?

The 300,000-strong army was not only composed of the Southern Liang army, but also included members of other allied forces, all of whom had the idea of ​​recruiting Gao Yu.

Even if the city falls, it will not affect Gao Yu in any way.

In chaotic times, a fierce general like Gao Yu, who is unparalleled in the world, is far more valuable than officials and ministers like them.

The more valiant the defenders of Luoyang were, the more obvious it became that the enemy intended to recruit them.

Yuan Ziyou seemed to see a glimmer of hope, and he desperately clung to Gao Yu as his lifeline.

"General of the Right Guard, do you have any strategies to defend against the enemy? Please tell us."

Gao Yu then cupped his hands in response, saying, "Your Majesty, in my opinion, we can meet the enemy in battle this time."

"Our army has won seven victories, while the enemy has suffered seven defeats!"

"Please speak plainly, General of the Right Guard!"

Yuan Ziyou perked up and readily gave the stage to Gao Yu!

Gao Yu didn't hesitate either. He stepped forward and walked to the position where only Erzhu Rong could stand before. He came to the seat below Yuan Ziyou's seat, turned around and looked at the dukes and ministers in the Taiji Hall!

Yet no one dared to accuse him of overstepping his bounds!

Gao Yu's eyes were bright, and he strode confidently, as if he had already made a decision. He exuded confidence!
After pausing for a moment, he spoke loudly!

"Your Majesty is the Son of Heaven of the Great Wei, the one to whom Heaven has ordained. You have also performed benevolent deeds, and the people all praise you as a benevolent ruler. The rebel army has been running rampant and has lost the hearts of the people. This is a victory!"

"In Luoyang, Your Majesty is the supreme ruler, and all civil and military officials are under Your Majesty's leadership. The people are of one mind. Although the rebel army is numerous, they are independent, each establishing their own territory, not under each other's command, and each harboring their own ambitions. This is the second victory!"

"The enemy army advanced and accepted surrenders along the way, without encountering any truly strong forces. The soldiers in Luoyang are all elite and valiant men. This is a triple victory!"

"When the enemy is powerful, their soldiers will inevitably become complacent and arrogant. An arrogant army is bound to be defeated. This is the fourth advantage!"

"The enemy has penetrated deep into enemy territory alone, and their momentum is difficult to sustain. They are also facing difficulties in transporting supplies. However, Luoyang is a well-fortified city with ample supplies of food and weapons. This is the fifth advantage!"

"The enemy commander is lax in his command and lacks discipline. Although his soldiers are numerous, they are difficult to command. Your Majesty should enforce strict laws and rewards. Even though your soldiers are few, they will fight to the death. This is the sixth victory!"

"The enemy has many soldiers, but no brave generals. In Luoyang, from myself down, Gao Ang, Peng Le, Mu Lan, Da Xi Wu and others are all brave and fierce generals. This is the seventh victory!"

Gao Yu spoke with conviction and reason.

For a moment, the officials and ministers in the Taiji Hall were unable to refute the argument.

Because what Gao Yu said were indeed some objective facts. Although some of his reasons sounded far-fetched, at first glance, they were not unreasonable.

Yuan Ziyou's gaze gradually hardened!
They cheered loudly!

"As expected of the Right Guard General!"

"With these seven wins and seven losses, our army will surely win a great victory, and the enemy will surely suffer a great defeat!"

"I will never abandon Luoyang and head north; I am determined to live and die with Luoyang!!"

(End of this chapter)