Chapter 48: How Could a Tiger Father Have a Dog Son

Take Pingcheng was the old capital of Northern Wei; its outer city walls stretched thirty-two li, a grand scale.

After the capital moved, this city remained Northern Wei's Northern Capital, yet it no longer possessed the aura of those days.

Buildings within the city were demolished where needed and altered where needed; having lost its function as Northern Wei's political center, the city inevitably declined.

The only thing retained was its military role.

Backed by Shanxi and Hebei with economic support, Take Pingcheng garrisoned a standing army to protect the Northern Capital.

At the same time, north and south Great Walls were built around Take Pingcheng, protecting the imperial domain fields and livestock pastures across the regions.

In the city stood the Grand Marshal's Office.

The generals gathered to discuss strategies for meeting the enemy.

"Grand Marshal, I have heard that Bei Lie Buruo has recently established ties with the Rouran and the Liuzhen rebels, gaining their support; this traitor grows ever more arrogant."

Po Po Liuhan Baling and Yujiulu Anagui were willing to support Bei Lie Buruo not because they favored Bei Lie Buruo, but because the city of Woyang, where Bei Lie Buruo was stationed, occupied a critical position on the Northern Great Wall.

With this breach, whether Rouran forces or Liuzhen forces, could smoothly enter Hengzhou.

Po Po Liuhan Baling and Yujiulu Anagui both possessed no small military talent, yet similarly, both were very poor.

Po Po Liuhan Baling's stronghold, Woye Garrison, was surrounded by fertile fields and rich lands, yet its scale was too small to serve as a base for long-term development. After the Liuzhen Army gained Wu Chuan and Huaishuo Garrisons, the situation eased somewhat, yet it still could not solve the problem of sustaining the Liuzhen Army in the long run.

Yujiulu Anagui needed no further mention; he had been installed by the Rouran tribesmen, possessed no own cadre, and only secured his position by relying on Northern Wei's support and striking Northern Wei from behind to raid southward.

The imperial domain fields around Take Pingcheng gradually fell into ruin, yet for the Liuzhen and the Rouran, they were a treasure.

Only by seizing Take Pingcheng could they achieve long-term stability.

With Bei Lie Buruo stirring things up, if Hengzhou thus fell into great chaos, only then could they fish in troubled waters.

Li Chong sat upon the Grand Marshal's nine-headed official chair, calm and composed.

"How arrogant?"

"That traitor has issued a slogan: 'First attack Take Pingcheng, then seize Ma Yi. Only we Chiles, kings of the northern frontier!'"

Li Chong smiled and looked at Li Shuang.

"Governor of Ma Yi, what do you think?"

"This subordinate believes that Bei Lie Buruo's edge is currently sharp, and within Take Pingcheng, military supplies are scarce; we cannot engage him in direct confrontation."

Li Shuang's words immediately drew laughter from the assembled generals present.

"Han people are mostly cowardly; what ability could that Bei Lie Buruo possibly have?"

As he spoke, the Xianbei generals from Luoyang one by one requested to go into battle.

Seeing this, Li Chong found it difficult to forcefully oppose the wishes of the crowd.

Immediately, troops were deployed and formations arranged, and an expedition ordered.

After the generals departed, Li Chong kept only Li Shuang there, beckoned him closer, and asked:

"What evil scheme are you hatching, you rascal?"

"What words are these, Father? What evil scheme could I have? Does my heart not turn toward the court and toward you, old sir?"

Hearing these words, Li Chong's beard bristled.

"What are you pretending at, you rascal? As for this group of wine-skins and rice-bags from Luoyang, what use could they possibly be?"

"Then why do you, old sir, still send them?"

"The Hu soldiers from Luoyang are useless, yet relying on their status as the Imperial Guard, they act arrogantly. Unless they suffer several defeats, will they ever obey?"

Li Chong had campaigned north and south, fighting the Southern Liang army, the Rouran army, and even the barbarians of the Bashu region; he knew better than anyone what kind of army could fight.

Nowadays, in Hengzhou, those who fought well and had not rebelled, aside from the hereditary troops controlled by Hu leaders such as She Di Qian, were only the Han army private units within Ma Yi City.

Coincidentally, they all obeyed Li Shuang.

"Speak, you rascal; what do you want before you will act?"

"Suppressing rebellion for the court is the duty of a subject; how could one make demands? Yet the enemy's strength is great; we should proceed slowly rather than hastily, provoke the enemy into arrogance for several months, and then plan our move."

Arrogant your backside!

Li Chong grew somewhat heated.

"Do you not know the Emperor ordered me to quell the Hengzhou rebellion within one month?"

Li Shuang recited without emotion:

"Indeed, there is such a matter; I was rash! But it is also Father's fault; why did you not say so earlier?"

Li Chong looked at this young man before him, felt his eyebrows twitch, and his inner anger continued to surge outward.

"You rascal, you hold a grudge, do you? Was it not that I once tricked you back then in Ma Yi City?"

Li Shuang spoke slowly:

"Father, do not be impatient; slow has a slow way of fighting, fast has a fast way of fighting, but there are differences."

"How do they differ?"

"The price differs!"

"..."

Hong Langman.

"Second Young Master, I have heard the Imperial Guard from Luoyangcheng suffered a great defeat beneath Woyang City."

Li Shen, embracing two dancing girls—one a golden-haired Hu girl from the Western Regions, the other a tender female servant from Silla—heard Liu Gui's words with great disdain.

"As for that group of food-buckets from Luoyangcheng, what battle could they possibly fight? I knew long ago they would lose."

Liu Gui was stunned.

It was not because of the incompetence of the Luoyang Imperial Guard, but because the Luoyang Imperial Guard had become so incompetent that even the Li Shen before him could see it.

A smile appeared on Liu Gui's face as he poured a cup of wine for Li Shen.

"Second Young Master has since childhood thoroughly studied military texts and understands military strategy; at this time of national peril, why do you not lead an expedition to Woyang?"

Li Shen heard this, and with a touch of drunkenness, spat out bitter vomit.

"I want to as well, but my father won't allow it."

"As the saying goes, a tiger father has no dog son; Grand Marshal, you are underestimating the Second Young Master too much! I dare say, if the Second Young Master goes, capturing the Woyang rebels will be a piece of cake."

Flattered by Liu Gui's praise, the already-drunk Li Shen swelled with pride.

"I thought the same, but alas, I have no troops around me."

Liu Gui smiled.

"The Second Young Master is also the Pingbei General; with this General's seal, can you not summon the troops inside and outside of Ma Yi City?"

Just then, the two top courtesans of the Red Romance on the left and right joined in the clamor.

"Glory to the General!"

Hearing this, Li Shen burst into loud laughter.

"Good, I shall go summon the troops at once."

Liu Gui whispered into Li Shen's ear:

"General, no need to rush; I heard the General was preparing to attack Woyang, and they have already gathered of their own accord?"

Li Shen, now drunk and somewhat muddled, shouted loudly.

"Then let us set out!"

Having spoken, he sat down in a drunken stupor and fell into deep sleep.

When he woke again, Li Shen was already lying inside a carriage.

Inside the carriage, a thick mattress was laid out; lying on it was very comfortable.

In his dazed state, Li Shen shouted:

"Water, I want water!"

But after waiting a long time with no servant bringing water, Li Shen rubbed his sleepy eyes, sat up irritably, took in his surroundings, and, terrified, quickly opened the carriage door.

"Where are we going?"

Beside him, She Di Gan, riding a horse and guarding the carriage, replied:

"We are almost at Woyang."

Li Shen was startled.

"What are we doing at Woyang?"

"Did not the Pingbei General use your General's seal to summon us, saying we were to attack Woyang and capture Bei Lie Buruo?"

Li Shen's heart trembled, and he blurted out:

"What, I am attacking Bei Lie Buruo?"