RR Chapter 309

Thank you to Kat for the ko-fi~ ٩(^ᗜ^ )و ´-

---

“Liu Yuan is dead?” Upon hearing this news, Wang Mi was quite surprised. However, what surprised him even more was the identity of the new emperor. “How come Liu Yi succeeded the throne instead of Liu He?”

“It is said that the crown prince poisoned the emperor, then killed the princes of Qi and Lu, and imprisoned the Prince of Beihai. It was only when Prince Qin rushed back from Shangdang, took over Pingyang, suppressed the rebellious ministers, and finally pushed the Prince of Beihai to the throne.”

Listening to the messenger briefly explaining the situation that day, Wang Mi frowned. “So the Tuoba clan killed Liu He? This is bad…”

Wang Mi and Liu Yao had a past, and if he had apologized and eased the relationship back then, it would have been fine. But now, Liu Yao had become a powerful courtier holding the emperor hostage. As someone from Jin who came to pledge allegiance with significant military power, even if he bowed his head, could he be trusted?

“Is there any decree from Pingyang?” Wang Mi asked again.

“Not yet. It seems the new emperor wants to move the capital to Chang’an, and everyone in Pingyang is busy with this matter,” the messenger said.

According to common sense, after just quelling internal strife, Liu Yao indeed didn’t need the interference of these “outsiders” leading troops. However, Wang Mi still felt uneasy. Even if Liu Yao tolerated it for the greater good, he wouldn’t tolerate it for long. He wasn’t as magnanimous as Liu Yuan. It seemed that staying in Han was no longer an option.

Wang Zhang snorted, “Liu Yao is just a puppet. I don’t believe everyone in the court will listen to him. When we reach Chang’an, who knows what chaos will ensue. Brother, why not leave Han now and establish our own power? With Yu County and Qing County already in our hands, conquering Jing County afterward would make us the overlords, right?”

This was exactly what Wang Mi was thinking. However, there was one thing that couldn’t be ignored. “The Jie person still holds Yan County. It’s not appropriate to leave such a fierce tiger by our side.”

He was referring to Shi Le. A month ago, Wang Mi had joined forces with Shi Le to attack Gou Xi. Now, they had almost cornered Gou Xi. If he withdrew now, not only might he fail to eliminate a formidable enemy, but he could also face a counterattack from Shi Le. In these past few months, he had learned not to underestimate that Jie person. With only ten thousand soldiers and horses, he rapidly expanded to forty or fifty thousand, achieving victory wherever he went. Such a person could be a reliable ally, but as an enemy, he was too dangerous.

Wang Zhang said coldly, “I don’t think that Jie fellow is reliable. Why not seize an opportunity and get rid of him?”

Shi Le had indeed displayed remarkable talents since changing sides, and now he was considered part of Liu Yao’s faction. He no longer showed the submissive appearance he had in the past. Killing him and taking over his territory and forces would be the right thing to do.

“This matter cannot be rushed.” Wang Mi lightly tapped the table. “We must first deal with Gou Xi. When we achieve great success, we can then sandwich Shi Le between us and Cao Yi. Do you think he can escape then?”

Wang Mi was also a decisive figure in matters of life and death, and he quickly formulated a plan. First, stabilize Shi Le, join forces to attack Gou Xi, and once successful, burn the bridge after crossing the river. Since Liu Yao was in a hurry to move the capital, he shouldn’t have the time to deal with Wang Mi. Seizing this opportunity to use Shi Le would be a win-win situation, wouldn’t it?

“What Brother said is absolutely right!” Wang Zhang became excited. If they could kill Shi Le, Yan County would fall into their hands. At that time, the territory controlled by his elder brother wouldn’t be much worse than that of the Xiongnu. If the nomads could establish a state, wouldn’t his elder brother be even more suitable to rule the world?

※

Because they were allied forces, Shi Le’s main camp was not too far from Wang Mi’s camp. He was well aware of the information the other side could gather. Liu Yuan had unexpectedly died, and his death was so tragic. Now, with Liu Yao in power, the situation had completely changed.

Although he could be considered part of Liu Yao’s faction, the sudden demise of the emperor, the turmoil in the court, and even major events like moving the capital indicated that Liu Yao hadn’t recalled him or Wang Mi’s troops. The intention behind this was crystal clear. Now that the Xiongnu were internally weak and the situation was unstable, Liu Yao wouldn’t dare to use these newly attached individuals.

What would Wang Mi think? Their relationship with Liu Yao was already strained, and now there might be even more suspicion. Leaving Han might not be an impossibility. If Wang Mi came to recruit him, how should he respond?

However, the feared scenario that worried Shi Le did not unfold. Not only did Wang Mi not mention anything about self-establishment, but he also actively engaged in attacking Gou Xi. Even the letters he sent had a tone of increased friendliness.

When things deviate from the norm, there must be something amiss. Although Shi Le sent out many more scouts, the fighting showed no signs of leniency. Under the pincer attack, Gou Xi, the once arrogant lord, gradually weakened and retreated into the city.

※

“Is there any movement in Bing County?” Nowadays, this was the question Liu Yao most frequently asked.

With the impending capital relocation, the entire Han was on high alert. The recent chaos had cost them many elite soldiers, and substantial forces were deployed externally. If Bing County mobilized, they would be in trouble.

“Not yet. Bing County is likely mobilizing troops to gather summer provisions,” an advisor below suggested, “Why not let General Shi and General Wang attack Si County, diverting the attention of the Bing County troops?”

“Liang Feng won’t fall for it,” Liu Yao said with a serious expression.

He had indeed considered this approach. Ordering Shi Le or Wang Mi to turn and attack Si County or even Ji County could force the troops in Bing County to divide their attention. However, after careful consideration, Liu Yao did not give the order.

It was too risky. Shi Le and Wang Mi were both recent additions, and if he led them to Si County, he might inadvertently be putting them in harm’s way. Besides, Liang Feng was not a simple character. If he neglected Ji County and Si County and instead sent troops to attack Pingyang, that would spell disaster!

The best solution would be for Bing County to release its grip and let them go. That ambitious Liang person, having served the Jin emperor and now the fall of the Han emperor, wouldn’t Si County fall into his hands? It’s an easily achievable outcome; why bother with such elaborate schemes?

At this point, they could only take a gamble. The imperial carriage needed to move to Chang’an as soon as possible, and as for those deeply entrenched noble figures from the Xiongnu, they couldn’t be overly concerned. Only after passing through Tongguan and entering Guanzhong would they truly escape from troublesome neighbors.

However, the salt pools in Hedong must be defended. We cannot afford to lose this lucrative resource…

※

“The losses in Gaodu are indeed not insignificant.” Liang Feng sighed as he looked at the received battle report.

Although it was a strategic plan established well in advance, seeing the presented battle report was still heartbreaking. The fields near Gaodu were completely ruined, and even the water infrastructure was rendered useless. Fortunately, the workshops had been relocated from the fields; otherwise, the concern would be even greater.

“It’s just one season’s harvest. There is still a considerable amount of grain in the fields and in Gaodu, which should help us get through this difficulty,” Duan Qin said. “Currently, West River State is more important.”

This was the next area they were preparing to address. With the Xiongnu planning to relocate their capital, the troops left behind would likely not be too numerous. West River State had lost its function as a buffer zone and had become the frontline for attacking the Han. After being neglected for over a year, it wouldn’t be easy to reclaim and rebuild the area.

Liang Feng nodded, “Let’s first deal with the locusts. Controlling the locust plague in West River State will help eradicate the pests.”

After several years of control efforts, locusts in the other several counties of Bing County had significantly decreased. However, West River State was different; it had experienced locust plagues, and with no management for years, the situation was out of control. Locusts don’t have a specific migration range; once they become a plague, they fly everywhere. Even Taiyuan State, which had a good harvest in recent years, had to gather forces to deal with the locusts. Only by addressing the pest problem could they reclaim and cultivate the abandoned land. Only when West River State was stabilized could they possibly station troops and store provisions.

Finishing his thoughts, Liang Feng added, “We also need to catch up on water management. Fen River and Qin River are both major rivers, connecting the two provinces of Si and Bing. In the future, when we deploy troops, we’ll undoubtedly have to use the waterways.”

The previous major battles were mostly conducted within the boundaries of Bing County. Apart from the advantage of holding the geographical high ground, it was also convenient to transport food supplies locally. However, things would be different in the future. Whether facing the Xiongnu in battle or attacking You County, large armies would have to set out for long journeys. If they all traveled by land, the transportation losses alone would be a headache. Moreover, Bing County had a sparse population and a structure that was half military and half agricultural—there weren’t enough laborers to spare.

Therefore, river transport became the key to future operations. Fortunately, the enemy was not skilled in naval warfare, presenting an opportunity. If one day, they were to deploy forces southward, the navy might be more crucial than cavalry and infantry.

This was also the recent focus of the Provincial Governor’s Office, and Duan Qin was well aware. He nodded slightly and said, “What about Si County? Do we need to reinforce it? In case Shi Le and Wang Mi lead their forces to attack, General Zu might find it challenging to withstand.”

Luoyang now had grain, but the military strength was still insufficient. With Shi Le and Wang Mi occupying Yan County and Yu County, they were near Si County. Once they turned their heads to attack Si County, it would be quite problematic.

“I’ve discussed this with Meng Sun. The Xiongnu might not necessarily attack. Liu Yao doesn’t dare to order the two of them back for reinforcement, so how could he let them attack Si County? Let’s focus our energy on the summer harvest and planting. There might be even more refugees in the future, and food is the key,” Liang Feng said with a slight smile.

While various undercurrents surged, the provinces of Si and Bing fell into an eerie calm. However, this calm did not last too long. Soon, news came from Yu County.

The Prefect of Ruyin, unable to withstand the chaos of rebelling troops, opened the city gates and surrendered. Without the protection of the city, Gou Xi fled in distress, fell into an ambush, and died. The army was defeated. After the victory, Wang Mi and Shi Le did not stop; they marched towards Shou City!