Chapter 213: The War Restarts
At the end of April in the first year of Zhengguang, Xiurongchuan.
On the day of the Xuanguang coup, the old Qihu man who was left in Luoyang by Erzhu Rong received news from an informant in the Menxia Province that Prince Jiangyang had killed Prince Qinghe in the coup, imprisoned the Queen Mother, and seized the highest power in the Wei Dynasty.
When Erzhu Rong received the news, he immediately called his military officer Liu Gui.
After hearing all the information, Liu Gui said to Erzhu Rong:
"Congratulations General!"
Erzhu Rong's position was the first chieftain of Xiurong and General Pingbei.
When Erzhu Rong was in Xiurong, he asked his subordinates to call him general. When governing Xiurong, he also preferred to use military orders rather than political orders.
Liu Gui, who had handled countless accounts, knew very well how many treasures Erzhu Rong had bribed Yuan Yi with over the years.
And it all pays off in the end.
Erzhu Rong said to Liu Gui:
"Liu Canjun, take two hundred good horses with you and go to Luoyang to hand them over to King Jiangyang!"
Our lord is indeed generous!
In May of the first year of Zhengguang, Longxi County.
Under Su Cho's planning, the first batch of war horses has been sent to Zhechongfu in Longxi County, where riding training is underway.
[Daxia Dragon Bird Preparation] brought a horse. After Su Ze checked the horse, he said with satisfaction: "It's well raised!"
The person in charge of this Zhechoufu [Horse Farm] is a blue follower [Careful Horse Shepherd] that Su Ze got. After hearing Su Ze's praise, this simple man rubbed his hands excitedly.
After rewarding his followers, Su Ze said to Su Liang:
"Ling Chuo picked all Tuyuhun horses this time. Although this kind of horse is not good at carrying heavy loads, it is good at walking on mountainous plateaus and has strong endurance. It is most suitable for fighting in Hanzhong."
Su Liang is good at civil affairs and strategies, but he is not very clear about specific military matters. This is a common problem among strategists.
In contrast, Su Cho's ability to pay attention to these military details, such as the Tuyuhun horses from the Hexi Horse Farm that were specialized in mountain warfare, showed his talent in logistics.
However, the two brothers have different focuses. Compared with Su Cho, who is better at logistics and internal affairs, Su Liang is more like a strategist during the Three Kingdoms period.
After visiting Zhechong Mansion, Su Ze rode out of the camp on horseback and walked side by side with Su Chao. The two of them deliberately kept a certain distance from the guards behind them. Su Ze then said:
"Invesco, something happened in Luoyang."
When Su Liang heard about the incident in Luoyang, his heart skipped a beat.
During this expedition, his wife stayed in Luoyang, and naturally he couldn't help but miss her.
Su Ze said: "I have already written to Princess Chenliu last time, asking Her Highness to pacify Jingshun's family. Your wife will be fine."
After hearing Su Ze's assurance, Su Liang immediately felt much more at ease. This is the good thing about Su Ze as a lord. He can always bring a sense of security to his subordinates and make them follow him wholeheartedly.
Su Liang also had no idea how Su Ze, a boy from a poor family, could develop such a style of behavior.
And how did he recruit so many talents?
Su Liang could only attribute this to Su Ze's personal charm.
Something happened in Luoyang?
Su Liang immediately asked, "General, is it the political struggle between King Jiangyang and King Qinghe?"
Su Ze nodded. Actually, the Xuanguang Hall coup took place in April, but Su Ze knew about the coup that very month. This was a bit too shocking. He couldn't tell Su Liang that he also had a great monk like Fotucheng around him.
So when the troops were about to be dispatched, Su Ze revealed the news to Su Liang.
Su Liang asked, "Did Prince Qinghe lose?"
Su Ze glanced at Su Liang and asked curiously, "Why did Jingshun guess that King Qinghe would lose?"
Su Liang said: "In the court, Prince Qinghe is actually the one who takes the initiative."
"Prince Qinghe is a close relative of the royal family and is also a regent. He has a close relationship with the queen mother and is supported by the scholars of Hedong."
"The reason why King Jiangyang seems to be aggressive is because he is at a disadvantage, so he has to take a risky move."
"It's like one side defending a city. All they have to do is defend the city carefully. But the other side attacking the city has to think about more things. They have to come up with some risky moves to achieve a surprise victory."
"In addition, Prince Jiangyang's ally in the inner court, Grand Chamberlain Liu Teng, is already old and sick. Once he loses his influence over the inner court, it will only be a matter of time before Prince Jiangyang fails."
"Prince Qinghe only needs to wait for Liu Teng to die of old age, then he can slowly alienate the Queen Mother and Prince Jiangyang, send him to a post outside Luoyang, and then find a reason to do whatever he wants."
"So the drastic changes in Luoyang must be the result of King Jiangyang's dying counterattack."
Su Ze was delighted and said, "Jingshun is really my Zifang! He can know what is happening thousands of miles away!"
"Jingshun, you are right. King Jiangyang and Liu Teng launched a coup, killed King Qinghe, imprisoned Queen Mother Hu in the North Palace, and replaced King Qinghe as the regent of Menxia Province."
Hearing this earth-shattering news, Su Liang did not look too surprised.
Perhaps Su Liang had already guessed this result just now.
Moreover, Su Liang quickly entered into the working state and began to think from Su Ze's perspective.
"The general has a connection with King Jiangyang. Now that King Jiangyang is in charge of government, it is beneficial to us."
"But King Jiangyang is so greedy, I'm afraid."
Su Liang glanced at Su Ze. Emotionally, Su Liang liked King Qinghe a little more.
And in Su Liang's opinion, Su Ze should be more compatible with King Qinghe.
As an official, Su Ze was not greedy for money and did not like drinking. His biggest hobby was fighting, as well as some harmless hobbies.
Food, sex and human nature are all part of human nature. Nowadays, no one who has achieved great things does not have some habits. Su Ze can be considered a moral role model.
Moreover, Su Ze was not only proficient in military affairs, but also had great literary attainments. The Su brothers were also very curious about where Su Ze's literary accomplishments came from.
However, Su Ze refused the solicitation of King Qinghe and instead joined the faction of King Jiangyang.
Su Liang was afraid that Su Ze had moral baggage and was unwilling to bribe King Jiangyang, so he hesitated and tried to organize his words to convince Su Ze.
Unexpectedly, Su Ze said, "Giving gifts? This is a simple matter. I plan to send Su Suan back to Luoyang and let him set up a backyard in Luoyang to be responsible for communication with the court."
"Leave it in the backyard?"
"Yes, just like the 'state residence' and 'county residence' of the Han Dynasty, they were specially sent to stay in Luoyang to communicate about government affairs and make friends with important officials."
After hearing this, Su Liang understood.
The so-called "state residence" and "county residence" were institutions that the princes and county governors of the Han Dynasty kept in Chang'an for fear of being falsely accused and slandered by their colleagues when they were posted outside.
That is the "Beijing Office" of the Han Dynasty.
Since ancient times, generals leading troops outside the territory and provincial governors in charge of hunting and herding have always feared the most that once they were away from the center of power, they would be falsely accused and slandered by their political enemies in front of the emperor.
This system reached its peak during the Tang Dynasty when warlords ruled the country. Military governors set up the Liuhouyuan and Jinzouyuan in Chang'an to gather intelligence from the court and bribe important officials in power.
Su Liang said sincerely, "The general is indeed thoughtful." Su Ze smiled and said, "This is not a brilliant idea, but since King Jiangyang is in power, we should visit his palace more frequently."
Su Liang added: "General, I advise you to get a wife as soon as possible."
Su Liang brought up the old matter again, and Su Ze fell silent.
Su Ze is already 24 years old this year. Many noble men in the Northern Wei Dynasty already had sons before they were crowned. Although Su Ze is now clear that there is no problem with his fertility, he has no wife and no legitimate son, and thus has lost many opportunities for marriage.
A while ago, there were rumors that Madam An was pregnant, and she had been sent back to Jincheng by Su Ze.
Although this is a happy event, it is also a hidden worry.
Therefore, Su Liang often advised Su Ze to marry his first wife as soon as possible.
The sons and daughters born in this way can be engaged. This kind of political marriage and the complex in-law relationships are the key to the long-term prosperity of the noble families.
For Su Ze, the problem is that his family is too small.
Currently, he has only one younger sister, Su Yuyao, who is about to reach marriage age. However, as a time traveler, Su Ze is not planning to let his sister marry someone else for the time being.
Su Liang continued, "Although the Longxi Li family is not as prominent as it was during the reign of Emperor Xiaowen, they still have two relatives serving as high-ranking officials at the level of provincial governors. The daughter of the Li family..."
Su Ze interrupted him and said, "Jingshun, let's talk about it after the war."
The girl from the Li family was the legitimate daughter of the Longxi Li family. Su Ze had heard of her talent when he was in Didao. It was said that the girl from the Li family had made a bold statement when she was young that she would not marry anyone but a hero.
Now the daughter of the Li family has reached the age of marriage and is said to be extremely beautiful. However, due to the war in Longxi, she was unable to go to Luoyang to find a suitable husband.
Su Ze was not enthusiastic about this matter, and neither was the Li family of Longxi.
Although Su Ze now occupies Longxi County, there are still many people in the Longxi Li family who look down on Su Ze's family background, and many people believe that the war will be over soon. By then, even if Su Ze returns to Luoyang after making meritorious service, he can at most be promoted to General Pingxi. He is still a military man of low family background and is not worthy of being married to a daughter by a noble family like the Longxi Li family.
Those who are active are Kansai scholars like Su Liang.
Su Ze was very clear about their thoughts, and it was still a power issue within the factions within Su Ze's small group.
There are now three factions under Su Ze's command.
The Imperial Army Faction, the Heliang Faction, and the Longxi Faction.
The Imperial Guards faction included Hou Jing and Murong Shaozong, a group of officers who followed Su Ze back to Luoyang after the Northern Expedition and were given military posts in the Imperial Guards. This was Su Ze's base and also the most powerful and influential faction.
The Heliang faction, which included local powerful forces in Hezhou and Liangzhou, the Gao family of Hezhou, the Jia family of Liangzhou, and many Han families and Hu generals in Hezhou and Liangzhou, also actively invested. Among them was Li Cunzhen, the captain of the Ganliang West Army, the Qiang people who surrendered, and the merchants of the Nine Surnames of Zhaowu brought by Niangzi An.
The status of the Heliang Sect gradually became delicate after Madam An became pregnant.
The last one is the Longxi School.
In fact, when we say Longxi School, it should be Guanxi School.
This included the Zhechoufu of Longxi County, the Longxi Li family and local tyrants, as well as Guanxi scholars such as the Su brothers.
This group's position is rather awkward; they joined the group the latest and have made the least contribution, but they occupy an important position.
Therefore, when a scholar from Guanxi like Su Liang wanted Su Ze to marry the daughter of the Longxi Li family, the Guanxi faction would have a mistress to whom it would be loyal.
If a legitimate son is born in the future, the Guanxi faction will have a future.
Of course, these factions within Su Ze were far from the point where the Kanto and Kansai scholars under Xiao Baoyin were fighting each other to the death. On the whole, it was still a relationship of healthy competition.
Su Ze thought of Princess Chenliu in Luoyang. Her military exploits this time should be enough for her to be promoted to the rank of imperial consort, right?
At worst, I can just bribe King Jiangyang with a large sum of money!
Su Ze thought of Princess Shouyang who was far away on the grassland, and felt guilty for no reason.
At this time, a messenger caught up with Su Ze's team and reported to Su Ze urgently:
"General! The Qinzhou bandit general Mo Zhe Dadi has led his army to Liangzhou Wuxing and joined forces with the bandit general Lü Bodu, preparing to attack Mianyang County!"
The enemy troops finally gathered together!
Su Ze also saw the light in Su Liang's eyes. The fighter plane he had been waiting for finally appeared!
"Who is the commander of the Liangzhou garrison?"
The messenger immediately said:
"Liangzhou Governor Fu Shuyan dragged his sick body to personally take charge of Mianyang County. Governor Fu appointed Yang Kan, a doctor of the Western Expedition Office, as a general and led the Liangzhou troops to station at Dingjun Mountain."
Su Liang was a little surprised to hear that Yang Kan was entrusted with an important task by Fu Shuyan.
But Su Ze was not surprised at all, because gold will always shine.
It seems that this old general Fu Shuyan really has a keen eye for talent.
Yang Kan is also a man of both civil and military talents. In the historical timeline before Su Ze traveled through time, he was first a general under Xiao Baoyin and made great contributions.
Later, Xiao Baoyin attempted to split Guanzhong and rebelled but failed, so Yang Kan led his people to surrender to Southern Liang.
Later, when the great general Hou Jing attacked Jiankang, Emperor Wu of Liang's sons, ministers, and generals were all at a loss as to what to do. Only Yang Kan commanded the soldiers to guard Taicheng and defeated Hou Jing's attacks time and time again.
If Yang Kan had not died of illness later, it would be unknown when Hou Jing would have been able to capture Taicheng.
Now there is only one last problem left. Mozhe Dike has built a new city across the river from Xiangwu County, blocking Su Ze's way out of Longxi County.
In fact, it was built hastily, and the so-called new city was just a larger fortress.
There are 3,000 troops stationed in the new city of Mozhe Dike, plus the fort that serves as a guard and support for the new city, a total of 5,000 troops are stationed here, led by his son Mozhe Niansheng.
This new city also gave Mozhe Dike the confidence to attack Liangzhou.
According to his and Hou Gang's calculations, even if Su Ze used all his elite troops, he would not be able to leave Longxi County.
If Su Ze really suffered heavy losses in the attack on Xincheng, then Mozhe Dike could still lead the army back north and attack Longxi County again to complete the strategic goal of occupying the entire Longxi area.
Su Ze looked at the system. Although the training progress of the thirty Zhechoufu had not been completed, the specific organization had been established and the basic flag discipline training had also been completed. Such soldiers could now be sent to the battlefield to see blood.
Su Ze said to Su Liang:
"Military Advisor Su."
"My subordinate is here!"
"Issue an order to all Zhechongfu to gather outside Xiangwu City within 15 days. Those who fail to meet the deadline will be executed!"
"Got the general's order!"
Alas, this coup in history was just a joke. Feiniao has tried his best to add drama to the plot. When writing this part, Feiniao also felt that it was too unreasonable, and many things were not explained in history books.
We can only say that the Northern Wei royal family was too simple and honest.
I’m begging for votes with a smug look on my face, because the plot of the battle in Longxi is about to begin.
(End of this chapter)