Chapter 5: A General Who Doesn't Want to Go to Luoyang Is Not a Good General

Plunder?

Plunder whom?

How should we plunder?

Li Shuang had originally thought that, as a Hu Ren, this should be a beastly instinct woven into his blood.

Does this even need to be learned?

But facts proved that environment determines everything.

Er Zhu Rong, this Qihu Ren, had long lost the fine traditions of his ancestors: following water and grass, braving venomous snakes and fierce beasts, and gambling with the grasslands, ice, and wind.

In short, he had been sinicized!

After Er Zhu Rong sobered up, he dragged him and Hearing Yuan Tianmu to the study, brought out a map, gazed at the vast land drooling, yet did not know how to take the first bite.

Finally, Er Zhu Rong looked at Li Shuang.

"Tianba, what do you think?"

"For the General's strategy, we should first annex Southern Xiurong. Securing Southern Xiurong allows us to greatly increase military supplies and grain, strengthening ourselves."

After hearing this, Er Zhu Rong's train of thought instantly opened up, yet he still felt some worry.

"If the court blames us, what then?"

"The Liuzhen Rebellion is in full swing, and the Liang army is also moving north; Luoyang has the will but lacks the strength. As long as the General can stabilize the situation, Luoyang will inevitably have to rely on the General in the future, serving as a shield for the court!"

Hearing Yuan Tianmu, standing aside, listened to the discussion between Er Zhu Rong and Li Shuang; it was actually bordering on treason.

However, as a member of the Beiwei Sect, he felt no disgust upon hearing it; instead, he found it reasonable.

Whether it was Er Zhu Rong, Li Shuang, the Liuzhen currently in rebellion, or the small and large refugee bandits of Shanxi, tracing these sources of chaos upward leads to one answer.

The Beiwei court moved its capital!

Luoyang is more suitable than Take Pingcheng to serve as a nation's capital; no one can argue against this.

Back then, Tuoba Gui moved the capital to Take Pingcheng and established the Dai Ren military group.

The Liuzhen defending the Rouran in the north, and the Er Zhu clan providing warhorses for Take Pingcheng, were all military support for this group.

But after the court moved the capital, everything changed.

If Take Pingcheng, the Beiwei capital, had declined, let alone other places?

The Liuzhen soldiers, once glorious beyond compare, had now become bandit troops spurned by everyone.

The Er Zhu clan could rely on past relationships to travel between Southern Xiurong and Luoyang, maintaining a respectable appearance on the surface, but inside they were also living a difficult life.

The key point is that both the Liuzhen and the Er Zhu clan hold swords!

The Liuzhen have already rebelled; the Er Zhu clan is slightly more clear-headed than the Liuzhen.

Hearing Yuan Tianmu saw clearly, so he chose to throw his lot in with the Er Zhu clan.

As Li Shuang and Er Zhu Rong discussed with increasing fervor, Hearing Yuan Tianmu interjected at the right moment.

"Before moving south, we must first resolve one person: Qifu Moyu!"

Qifu Moyu was also a leader of the Hu Ren who had submitted within Southern Xiurong, but as a newly relocated tribe, he differed essentially from the century-old Southern Xiurong of the Er Zhu clan.

The court placed him in Northern Xiurong, intending for him and Er Zhu Rong to check and balance each other.

"Once we move south, Qifu Moyu will likely take the opportunity to swallow the Er Zhu clan's territory and people."

Er Zhu Rong's killing intent surged.

"Then let us resolve him first!"

Hearing Yuan Tianmu shook his head.

"Attacking and killing Qifu Moyu without cause would not be acceptable to Li Chong and Yuan Shen."

The two found themselves in a dilemma; finally, both looked at Li Shuang.

Li Shuang was stunned.

Such a simple matter; does it even need thinking?

"He rebels, and then we suppress him; isn't that perfectly justified?"

Er Zhu Rong and Hearing Yuan Tianmu were, after all, part of the official army sequence, not lawless like Li Shuang.

Framing someone for rebellion; once such a thing is exposed, it is a great crime punishable by confiscation of property and extermination of the clan.

"Are the two brothers perhaps afraid?"

Li Shuang chuckled; Er Zhu Rong and Hearing Yuan Tianmu both felt pushed to a cliff's edge.

If they did this, they would be dragged into the water by Li Shuang, forever bound to the same boat.

Seeing the two hesitate, Li Shuang looked at Er Zhu Rong and said:

"Destroy Qifu Moyu, seize Southern Xiurong. First tackle the near, then the far; avoid the sharp edge of the Liuzhen, blind the eyes of the official army, accumulate strength, wait for the opportunity to seize Jinyang, and then unify the provinces of Heng, Shuo, Si, Bing, Fen, and Guang. One day, when the General moves south to Luoyang and issues orders to the world, it will be no problem."

Er Zhu Rong was deeply moved by Li Shuang's words, no longer hesitated, and immediately clasped his hands saying:

"Tianba's words align perfectly with the hearts of myself and Tianmu; I have a bold idea..."

"Brother, you're finally back!"

Zhu Yinge stood at the crossroads, welcoming Zhu Zhao, who returned with a hundred Qihu Ren knights.

"Yinge, why do you look so unhappy?"

Zhu Zhao had always doted on his younger sister Zhu Yinge since childhood, and Zhu Yinge also liked her brave brother Zhu Zhao very much.

"How can I be happy? You said you would give that little rascal Li Shuang a lesson, but where did you go?"

Zhu Zhao dared not say that he had been too frightened by Li Shuang's hundreds of armored knights to move, so he spoke vaguely.

"Some changes occurred; where is he?"

"He has already arrived. Father and Uncle Tianmu drank with him last night; they have not left the manor until now, nor allowed anyone to approach; no one knows what they are doing."

"Yinge, rest assured; since he has arrived, we will have plenty of ways to deal with him later."

With Er Zhu Zhao's permission granted, Er Zhu Ying'e's anger subsided somewhat.

Even so, the small pearls of grievance swelling in her heart continued to well up.

Seeing this, Er Zhu Zhao comforted her.

"I know you cannot go to Luoyang, but there is no need for this; there will be opportunities in the future."

Er Zhu Ying'e spoke:

"It is not because I cannot go to Luoyang that I am displeased; I never wanted to be a concubine to that little emperor anyway."

"Then why are you so aggrieved?"

"Brother, you don't know. That little brat scared me and locked me in a small dark room... I have never seen such a detestable person in my life!"

Just then, news arrived from Er Zhu Rong's personal guards.

"The Lord requests you to come to the residence; he has news to announce."

Er Zhu Rong's orders were of the highest rank in the three hundred li of Southern Xiurong.

Even Er Zhu Zhao dared not neglect them.

The crowd arrived at the residence, only to see that many Er Zhu clan members and family retainers had already gathered in the main hall; even Er Zhu Rong's wife, Princess Beixiang, and the women of the rear quarters were present on the side.

Er Zhu Zhao led Er Zhu Ying'e to the front, only to see three people standing in the center of the hall.

Er Zhu Rong stood in the center, Hearing Yuan Tianmu stood to Er Zhu Rong's left, and on the other side was Li Shuang.

Once everyone had arrived, Er Zhu Rong first looked at Er Zhu Shilong—his cousin.

"Have the people of Taiping Stockade been properly arranged?"

Er Zhu Shilong bore a resemblance to Er Zhu Rong, though he was somewhat more rugged.

"They have been properly arranged, and their families have also been moved here."

Er Zhu Rong nodded, the heavy stone in his heart lifted. From now on, Li Shuang and he would truly be people on the same boat.

Immediately, before the Er Zhu clan members and retainers, he announced:

"I have summoned everyone to tell you one thing: I, Er Zhu Rong, along with my eldest brother Hearing Yuan Tianmu and third brother Li Shuang, are of like mind; we shall slay a white horse to swear an oath and become sworn brothers. From now on, you shall serve them two exactly as you serve me."

Among the crowd, Er Zhu Ying'e wore an expression of disbelief.

What? That little brat has become my uncle?