My older brother is Gao Huan.

Chapter 440 How does the General view His Majesty?

Inside the Taiji Hall in Luoyang.

Yuan Gong, who was enthroned by Erzhu Rong, sat on the throne and received the homage of the officials. Erzhu Rong stood in front of his desk and faced the ministers and officials just like him.

As the head of all officials, it is perfectly reasonable for the prime minister to receive the homage of all officials.

After becoming prime minister, Erzhu Rong completely disregarded the so-called etiquette.

The biggest difference between Yuan Gong and Yuan Ziyou is that...

Yuan Ziyou was always furious when he saw Erzhu Rong overstepping the bounds of propriety, as this was a sign of contempt for the emperor.

Yuan Gong did not react at all.

I am just a mascot, a puppet, that has been pushed out.

The last puppet emperor who tried to cause trouble met his demise.

As a member of the Yuan clan and a direct descendant of Emperor Xianwen, Yuan Gong, like Yuan Ziyou, was not a direct descendant of Emperor Xiaowen in terms of the line of succession to the throne.

The Yuan Xiu whom Gao Huan supported was a true 'red and righteous' figure.

Yuan Gong admired his cousin, the late emperor, from the bottom of his heart. Yuan Ziyou had not disgraced the Yuan clan or brought shame to the ancestors of the Yuan clan.

but……

The death of Yuan Ziyou should serve as a warning.

Since ancient times, founding emperors have all hoped that their dynasties could last for ten thousand generations.

But where can a nation's destiny last for ten thousand generations?

The Qin Dynasty lasted only two generations before its demise. The Han Dynasty lasted for four hundred years before being replaced by the Cao Wei Dynasty. If we exclude Cao Cao, the "loyal minister of the Han Dynasty," the Cao Wei Dynasty was quickly replaced by the Sima family after only three generations.

The Sima family murdered the emperor in the street, blatantly eroding the sanctity of imperial power.

The Sixteen Kingdoms period made everyone understand a crucial truth.

Son of Heaven.

It is done by those with strong soldiers and horses.

The throne and the country were seized by force.

Like previous dynasties, the Great Wei Dynasty had run out of luck. Yuan Ziyou took away the last bit of spirit of the Yuan clan and completely exhausted the Great Wei Dynasty's fortune. From him onwards, the emperors of the Great Wei Dynasty lost all their majesty.

Then why bother with all that trouble?
Wouldn't it be better to just be a puppet and live a peaceful life?

He even hoped that Gao Yu would not lose, and that they could just keep at it and wear each other down.

With the two sides locked in a stalemate, Erzhu Rong had no reason to abdicate and could not seize the throne.

He could live out the rest of his life peacefully without having to bear the infamy of having the Great Wei Dynasty destroyed by his own hand. How wonderful would that be?

Yuan Gong watched coldly from the sidelines, but Erzhu Rong spoke first.

"Your Majesty! I have something to report!"

"Oh?"

Yuan Gong quickly forced a smile, "Prime Minister, please speak frankly."

"Your Majesty, I request that you bestow an additional title upon one person!"

"who?"

"Yuwen Tai, a trusted commander under my command."

Yuan Gong was stunned.

It's no wonder he reacted this way. This so-called trusted captain in the tent wasn't even an official; he was just a confidant and close advisor who could meet with the commander-in-chief, Erzhu Rong, at any time, but he didn't have any real power, only the right to make suggestions.

Yuwen Tai's status was that low.

"This... what official position does the Prime Minister wish to bestow upon this person?"

"Your subject requests that Yuwen Tai be appointed as the Governor of Yongzhou, and granted him the authority to establish his own government and be treated with the same rank as the Three Excellencies..."

This is truly a one-step solution.

The appointment of a prefectural governor as a regional official, who even had the power to establish his own government, meant that he could form his own administrative team.

Yuan Gong was stunned, but his subconscious reaction was very real.

The fact that Erzhu Rong was willing to accompany the emperor through this so-called formality was already a great honor.

"Approved! The Prime Minister recommends worthy individuals for the sake of the country. To gain the Prime Minister's appreciation, this person must possess extraordinary abilities..."

Yuwen Tai was just like Gao Huan back then.

He rose to power even faster than Gao Huan did back then. When Gao Huan first went to Jinzhou to serve as governor, he didn't have the power to establish his own government.

Erzhu Rong summoned Yuwen Tai to his residence and handed him the imperial edict.

Yuwen Tai's heart was pounding wildly; he could finally sit down at the table to eat!

But he knew it.

Erzhu Rong did not completely trust himself.

Erzhu Tianguang was also the governor of Yongzhou... He would watch over him in place of Erzhu Rong, but he did not give him any military power.

But enough is enough.

From a marginal figure to someone with real power, what more could you ask for?

"I will never fail the Prime Minister's kindness in promoting me! I will never fail the Prime Minister's expectations!"

“Black Otter, you are different from those who only know how to fight and kill. I have high expectations for you. Don’t let me down.”

Erzhu Rong held Yuwen Tai's hand, his eyes filled with eagerness.

Then, waving his hand, the king immediately brought out a letter, saying, "When you arrive in Yongzhou and see Tianguang, give him this letter, and he will certainly do his best to help you."

Yuwen Tai solemnly accepted the letter from his hand and then turned to leave.

For Yuwen Tai...

This is his only chance in his life; how high he climbs will all depend on this opportunity.

"Prime Minister...should we have someone keep an eye on him?"

After he left, Wang Xiang reminded him, "We still need to be careful; we can't afford to have another Moheduo."

Erzhu Rong glanced at him, his expression somewhat subtle.

Gao Yu was able to rise to prominence so quickly.

Besides his own exceptional personal abilities, he also owed much to Erzhu Rong's various forms of 'indulgence' in the past.

The most typical.

In the Hebei Incident, everyone's hands were stained with the blood of officials, members of the imperial family, and nobles.

Gao Yu, however, remained uninvolved.

What a favoritism!
"Don't worry... Black Otter can't become the second Mohedu. He doesn't have the ability, and I won't let such a thing happen a second time."

"Black Otter is also a smart man; he knows how he should act."

Wang Xiang nodded.

Erzhu Rong sat down at his desk again, picked up paper and pen, and began to write rapidly. After finishing, he handed the letter to Wang Xiang.

"Go, take this letter, and go to Yuzhou to meet with Chilie Yanqing..."

"Prime Minister, you mean..." "Yes, give up Yuzhou, let Chilie Yanqing lead a large army to plunder, stockpile all the grain and fodder in Aocang, and then the army will retreat to Xingyang to hold the fort."

Aocang was the most important large granary east of Luoyang, where grain transported from Shandong and other places by canal would be stored.

Erzhu Rong's actions were, in fact, a strategic retreat.

Yuzhou had well-developed water conservancy and canal transportation, but it had no natural defenses.

He could use the convenient waterways to attack Xuzhou, and Xuzhou could also use the developed waterways to attack Yuzhou, which was also a place of constant warfare.

If you can't hold on, you might as well plunder the land thoroughly before leaving, leaving Gao Yu with a piece of wasteland.

"Mo Hedu, you can't get fat in one bite. Right now, you've swallowed up such a large territory all at once, and the potential dangers are endless..."

Erzhu Rong seemed to be trying to salvage his reputation after a series of failures.

But there's some truth to it.

He is very clear.

They do not have the strength to fight back in the short term.

Corresponding.

Having taken over so much territory in one go, Gao Yu needs time to digest and absorb it, and it's unlikely he'll be able to launch another offensive in the short term.

The battle between the two sides lasted for more than half a year, and their soldiers were exhausted and needed time to rest.

It would be at the earliest next spring, or even after the autumn harvest, before Gao Yu could possibly lead his troops to invade.

I have about a year to prepare.

"A year...is that enough time? Black Otter, don't disappoint me."

Erzhu Rong murmured.

He then turned and went into the room, standing in front of the map.

The arrangements for the rear area in Guanzhong have been properly made.

at the moment……

This refers to how to arrange the defenses along the line of Bingzhou, Jianzhou, Luoyang, and other places.

Personnel is politics.

After the incident with Hebayun, he was unsure whether a second 'Hebayun' would emerge under his command, and he needed to be more cautious in selecting the army's commander-in-chief.

………………

Xiangzhou, Yecheng.

As Gao Yu expected.

After a brief rest in Julu, he led his army south.

They joined forces with Yang Zhong and Gao Ji's armies, and the three armies marched in a grand procession to Ye City.

The garrison inside Ye City offered no resistance.

To be precise, it was upon receiving news that Gao Yu was personally leading a large army that Erzhu Dulu, who was defending the city, fled to Dunqiu with the looted money and goods under the protection of his personal guards. He then used the Yellow River to transport goods directly to the rear of Jianzhou.

Gao Yu recovered the entire territory of Xiangzhou without bloodshed, completely bringing the whole of Hebei under his sphere of influence.

"General, our army's morale is high. Why not continue to advance and take Jianzhou? Then we can be across the river from Luoyang and send troops to take Luoyang at any time!"

Quan Jun and other young people eager to make a name for themselves volunteered!

"General, give me three thousand elite troops, and I am willing to serve as your vanguard!"

He first stayed with Yang Zhong in Jizhou to hold the line.

Having finally received military orders to lead his troops into battle, Erzhu Rong was already defeated by Gao Yu as soon as he arrived in Handan.

They didn't even get a chance to earn military merit.

Gao Yu shook his head, "There's no rush."

"After repeated battles, the soldiers are exhausted and need rest..."

Although Quan Jun was unwilling, he could only obediently listen to him. In military matters, no one dared to question Gao Yu's decisions, nor could anyone challenge his authority.

"You'll have your chance to make a name for yourself someday. Why are you in such a hurry at such a young age?"

Seeing that he was sullen, Gao Yu kicked him.

After sending these pro-war faction members away.

Gao Yu led Liu Yi and the others to the famous 'Bronze Sparrow Terrace'.

The two Qiao sisters are locked away in the Copper Sparrow Terrace in the depths of spring.

After the Cao Wei dynasty, the Later Zhao, Min Wei, and Former Yan all established their capitals in Ye City. In particular, the Three Terraces were renovated many times, so it can be said that Ye City was the absolute center of Hebei for these centuries.

He made up his mind.

"The news of our great victory must have already reached Qinghe. Go... and have someone invite His Majesty to Yecheng."

In the following days, Gao Yu mainly hosted banquets to entertain the surrounding aristocratic families and powerful figures, primarily to appease them.

It's already late August.

The weather is starting to get cooler.

Gao Yu did not receive Yuan Xiu's imperial carriage, but instead received Cui Xian, Yang Yin and others.

Gao Yu has always lived in the Bronze Sparrow Terrace.

"Jilun, Zunyan!"

"Meet the General!"

Upon learning that his two trusted civil officials were coming, Gao Yu took the initiative to go out and greet them.

The two of them also took the initiative to bow and pay their respects.

"Hey, please get up quickly!"

Gao Yu helped the two up, took their arms, and looked them over carefully. They looked haggard, and he couldn't help but sigh.

"You've worked hard these past few days, procuring provisions and weapons for the front lines."

"General!!"

Both of them had tears in their eyes.

A scholar dies for a confidant.

Gao Yu treated them with the respect due to a national hero, and they should repay him with their lives.

He warmly led the two into the hall, and Gao Yu immediately ordered someone to bring tea.

"You two have come all the way to Ye City to see me, is there something you need?"

Gao Yu did indeed send a message to the Tian Ce Mansion, asking Yang Yin and others to come to Ye City.

But the fact that they broke away from the emperor's carriage and rushed over so quickly must mean something was wrong.

Yang Yin and Cui Xian exchanged a glance and then put down their teacups.

Cui Xian took the initiative to speak, "The two of us have come here today because we do have something to discuss with the general."

"General, what is your opinion of His Majesty?"

(End of this chapter)