[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-memoirs-of-the-heavenly-khagan":3,"chapter-memoirs-of-the-heavenly-khagan-memoirs-of-the-heavenly-khagan-chapter-16":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","Memoirs of the Heavenly Khagan",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},2311734,4516,"Chapter 16","memoirs-of-the-heavenly-khagan-chapter-16",16,"\u003Cp>Pingcheng.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Has Wan Ziqizhen died?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yu Jin, facing Li Yuanshen’s confusion, merely nodded calmly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Not only that, after Er Zhu Rong quelled the Wan Ziqizhen rebellion, he took up residence in Xiurong City and handed over the lands east of the Sanhui River to his elder brother Yuan Tianmu, and vast territories north of the Hutuo River to his third brother Li Shuang.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Deposing and installing emperors at will, disregarding the law.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After hearing this news, Li Yuanshen’s anger vanished, replaced by deep wariness.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Previously, Li Yuanshen had regarded Er Zhu Rong with a degree of condescension.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This condescension was not born of disdain for his ability, but of bloodline superiority.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The old Xianbei had always treated the Qihu this way.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After all, the Er Zhu clan had once merely raised horses for the Tuoba.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Come with me for a walk!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Winter had not yet arrived, but Pingcheng was already bitterly cold.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Inside the warm pavilion, charcoal fires burned all day.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Outside, the wind cut like knives; beyond sight lay only boundless emptiness—vast, yet deathly silent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On this land, Pingcheng had once been the sacred heart of every Hu’s faith.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Here stood military merit, wealth, and glory!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But now, it was no longer the same.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even the great walls of the northern frontier, built to defend against the Rouran, could not grant even a shred of safety to the former citizens of the Xianbei capital.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Liuzhen Rebellion raged fiercely; imperial troops retreated step by step.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Among the northern garrisons, Huaixi and Wuchuan, the only two not in rebellion, teetered under the assault of Wei Kegu, a general under Po Liu Han Baling.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yuan Yu led his army to garrison Yuncheng, yet stalled, refusing to advance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Whether he feared battle or sought to exhaust the enemy, the war had become a mess.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Do you think my Yuan clan will follow the same path as the ancient Ji Zhou?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Yuanshen’s words startled Yu Jin.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yu Jin looked at Li Yuanshen, assuming he was under too much pressure and speaking recklessly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet as he gazed at that frost-chilled, stern face, Yu Jin sighed inwardly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The Er Zhu clan will not be the Ying Qin!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Why?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The Er Zhu clan’s roots are shallow—how could they compare to the Ying Qin, who cultivated Guanzhong for five hundred years?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What about others?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His thoughts restless, Li Yuanshen’s voice carried deep anxiety and wariness.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The Qinghe Cui clan, the Fanyang Lu clan, the Zhaojun Li clan, the Xingyang Zheng clan!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xiurong City.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After quelling the Wan Ziqizhen rebellion, Er Zhu Rong moved his entire clan and core Qihu warriors into this city.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cleansed of blood and smoke, the restored city revealed its stature as the largest city in Si Province—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Towering walls, blue bricks and black tiles, bearing the weight of time and history; streets crisscrossed, cobblestone paths winding, shops lining both sides, bustling markets humming with prosperity; gate towers soaring, eaves curling upward, beams carved and painted, majestic in grandeur; outside, clear waters flowed, the moat like a jade belt encircling the city, reflecting the towers’ elegant silhouettes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Standing behind the balcony railing, admiring the scene, Er Zhu Rong was in high spirits—until a clamor reached his ears.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Nearby, his Qihu warriors were openly fighting local Hu Ren.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Leading them was his nephew, Er Zhu Zhao.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Er Zhu Rong’s expression darkened.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Tell Er Zhu Zhao to come to me at once!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Er Zhu Rong turned and entered the pavilion. His order was swiftly carried out; soon after, Er Zhu Zhao slunk up the stairs.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hurt at all?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Er Zhu Rong did not ask why the fight had started—he knew Er Zhu Zhao’s mind.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Since childhood, nothing Er Zhu Zhao thought had ever escaped him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Er Zhu Zhao took the tea offered by Er Zhu Rong, drank it gloomily, like a duck nearly boiled alive, stifled and miserable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Er Zhu Rong, in the end, still harbored some affection for this nephew.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Say what you want to say.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Uncle, I truly don’t understand—our Er Zhu clan’s own men bore the brunt of defeating Wan Ziqizhen. Why, when dividing land, give so much to outsiders? Yuan Tianmu I can accept, but how long has Li Shuang even been here?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Er Zhu Rong did not answer Er Zhu Zhao, but asked a question instead.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“How many of our own troops do we have?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Seven thousand!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“How many soldiers do Yuan Xu and Po Liu Han Baling each command?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Each has over a hundred thousand!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Er Zhu Rong nodded—his nephew’s military acumen was still sound.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“If you know that, why ask again?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Er Zhu Rong had many complaints about this nephew, but he was still family, so he patiently guided him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“As an Er Zhu clan member, your heart and breadth must exceed ordinary men’s—only then can you accomplish great things!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Er Zhu Zhao murmured assent, yet inwardly remained reluctant.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Lord, look what I found in the cellar!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hou Jing rushed over, carrying a barrel of wine.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The crimson wine released a rich, fragrant aroma into the room.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“These bastards really knew how to hide good stuff!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Shuang now resided in an estate north of the Hutuo River.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The estate was dilapidated, but its structure remained intact; with minor repairs, it was still habitable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Shuang took a sip and asked:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“How much more of this wine is left?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The cellar is full—over three hundred barrels.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Send two barrels each to Yang Kan and Gao Ang.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Accompanying Li Shuang were countless Han refugees; these days, they gathered in camps outside the estate, temporarily managed by Yang Kan and Gao Ang.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hou Jing’s face darkened at this.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Lord, I think you’re being too generous to those two freeloaders!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What do you mean?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hou Jing slithered closer, whispering:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Lord, I’ve dug up the truth about Gao Ang—he didn’t leave because he’s loyal, but because he’s wanted.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Wanted?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hou Jing’s face twisted into a lewd grin.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“They say his brother Gao Qian lusted after a young lady of the Boling Cui clan. When the Cui refused, Gao Ang kidnapped her, hoping to force his brother to consummate the match!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Shuang’s interest sparked.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Did they succeed?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“How would I know? All I know is he’s now being hunted by the Boling Cui clan—that’s why he’s hiding here!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Shuang wore the expression of someone who’d just watched a Japanese romance film with all the sex scenes cut.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Fine, take the wine to them.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Lord, you’re missing my point—he’s a morally corrupt man!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Shuang found this strange.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had never imagined hearing the word “morality” come from Hou Jing’s mouth.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What did “morality” have to do with him?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hou Jing, we must broaden our hearts—outside, tens of thousands of refugees are starving, people from our village up north are coming, and every old brother hiding in the mountains of Jin heard I’ve risen and wants to join me. Do you think you alone can manage all this?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hou Jing shook his head, then his face lit with sudden understanding.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Lord, I understand!”\u003C\u002Fp>",1171,"2026-06-20T12:30:56.711Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","bfcc50634a14ae750550a921c690b251cc9f39205fe39aa825161e8fab882da8","memoirs-of-the-heavenly-khagan-chapter-17","memoirs-of-the-heavenly-khagan-chapter-15",211,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fmemoirs-of-the-heavenly-khagan-cover.jpg"]