Chapter 77: There Are Traitors Beside the Grand Commander

Yunzhong.

In the Grand Commander's residence, the banquet was in full swing.

"Grand Commander, this humble general toasts you!"

He Ba Yun and Li Shen Gui drank happily, but Heba Duba could not hold his liquor and left the banquet.

Outside the room, Heba Duba's third son He Ba Yue was waiting.

Unlike his eldest son He Ba Yun's brave but witless nature and his second son He Ba Sheng's refined self-interest, his youngest son He Ba Yue was both wise and brave, able to rally the strength of many, and was the son Heba Duba held in highest regard.

"Father!"

"Take me back inside!"

The two entered the guest room Li Shen Gui had prepared for them. The moment they sat down, Heba Duba spoke:

"That boy Hei Ta really was right—the Grand Commander is nothing but a blockhead!"

"Father, you found that out so quickly?"

"Yue'er, you don't know. These past few days I've discussed military strategy and governance with the Grand Commander—he doesn't understand a thing. All day long he doesn't attend to affairs, he only knows how to amuse himself."

"Then what should we do? Should we find an excuse to leave here? I've heard the Prince of Guangyang has been wanting to recruit us to Tongwan City ever since Wu Chuan was pacified."

Heba Duba waved his hand, and a look of ambition crossed his face.

"If that brat Brother Daye can do it, can't we?"

He Ba Yue furrowed his brow, somewhat surprised by his father's decision.

"But this General of Bandit-Suppression is no ordinary man. I've heard he led his army against the Rouran this time and won a great victory."

Heba Duba, however, was disdainful and said with a soft laugh:

"Back in the day, Wo Hu led over a hundred thousand men, spent a few days on the steppe, and dared to claim he chased them for three thousand li. When the upper beam is crooked, how much trust can you put in his adopted son's words?"

"But the news from the steppe doesn't sound false. Otherwise, after we killed Wei Kegu and raised the banner of Grand Commander Li Shen Gui, why would the surrounding Tiele scatter and flee?"

Heba Duba listened and felt there was reason in it too, yet he remained confident.

"Even if he won, he ruined the court's plan to suppress the rebellion—no need to worry. My Heba clan is renowned throughout the northern lands. Could we really not stand against a mere child like this?"

He Ba Yue nodded and asked:

"Then should we go and touch base with Uncle Yuwen?"

"Very well!" Just as He Ba Yue was about to leave, Heba Duba added behind him, "Tell your Uncle Yuwen that as long as he joins hands with me, there is nothing in the northern lands we cannot settle."

He Ba Yue conveyed his father's thoughts to Yuwen Gong, who in turn summoned several of his own sons to discuss the matter.

Eldest Yuwen Hao, second Yuwen Lian, third Yuwen Luosheng, and fourth Yuwen Tai.

"Our Yuwen clan and the Heba clan are related by marriage and should advance and retreat together, but this after all concerns the Yuwen family. What do you all think?"

Yuwen Tai was only seventeen this year and had never been on a battlefield, so he should not have attended this meeting.

But after Yuwen Tai's reminder last time, Yuwen Gong felt his youngest son had insight and specially summoned him as well.

Yuwen Gong's first three sons were all valiant men. Eldest Yuwen Hao was filial but had no ideas of his own; second Yuwen Lian was cautious in everything, but overly careful; third Yuwen Luosheng was resolute and decisive, able to win people's loyalty.

After Yuwen Gong finished speaking, his gaze went straight to Yuwen Luosheng.

"What do you think?"

"Father, I think Uncle Heba speaks reason!"

"How so?"

"Father, I recently dispatched scouts to investigate various places in Shuozhou and discovered that Da Ye Shuang, under the pretext of the court's policy to exterminate the bandits, has settled tens of thousands of displaced people in Shuozhou, with Shengle being the most concentrated. In today's Shuozhou, there are few Hu and many Han. Whether for the country or for our family, we cannot allow Da Ye Shuang to act so arbitrarily."

Yuwen Gong shook his head and said with a smile:

"You also know that today's Shuozhou is full of Da Ye Shuang's people. We are weak—how can we contend with him?"

"Not so. Those Han refugees have lived in the wilds for years, lacking clothing and food, mostly frail. Our retainers are few, but all elite. Even if the enemy numbers tens of thousands, they are no match for us."

Seeing Yuwen Gong about to be swayed, Yuwen Tai reminded him:

"Third Brother, don't forget that the General of Bandit-Suppression is leading his own retainers and has just defeated the Rouran and is now returning. Those refugees may be frail, but his retainers are not necessarily so."

"That's also what I wanted to say. There are many rumors now saying Da Ye Shuang won a great victory over the Rouran, but we all know—is the Rouran really that easy to defeat?"

Yuwen Gong asked:

"You mean there's falsehood in it?"

Yuwen Luosheng nodded.

"Our Yuwen clan and the Heba clan have long dwelt in the northern lands with outstanding military merit. Which of the surrounding tribes does not submit to us? As long as we can keep the Grand Commander under control, we may well emulate the deeds of Cao Cao of old!"

"But the Grand Commander and Da Ye Shuang are sworn brothers—his relationship with him is closer than ours, isn't it?"

Yuwen Luosheng, however, was quite confident.

"Who in this world does not love power, especially the dignity of Grand Commander? As long as we plan properly, given the present situation, the Grand Commander and Da Ye Shuang will inevitably fall out."

Yuwen Tai watched all this and felt uneasy in his heart. But what his father and elder brothers had decided was not something he, at this point, could prevent.

On the steppe, tents stretched on and on.

Li Shuang led his troops south from Huaishuo and made camp on the spot.

"Annoying—something else again!"

Du Gu Ru was languid and coquettish, her body soft, with half a bellyband showing. Li Shuang rose, and she let out a complaint, wrapping the blanket tightly around herself.

Li Shuang walked out of the great tent and saw, just outside, someone waiting with a secret letter.

"General, this is a secret letter sent by Liu Lingzhu!"

Li Shuang glanced at it and ordered:

"Summon Hou Jing!"

Hou Jing arrived shortly, hitching up his trousers, his clothes in disarray—no one knew which bed he had crawled out of.

"Lord, what do you need me for?"

Li Shuang stood with his hands clasped behind his back, sighing softly.

"There are treacherous ministers around the Grand Commander!"

Hou Jing was stunned and asked:

"What change has occurred in Yunzhong?"

"Someone wants to sideline the Grand Commander!"

"How does my Lord know someone wants to sideline the Grand Commander?"

After Hou Jing finished speaking, he received a cold glare from Li Shuang.

Hou Jing now truly wanted to slap himself; it seemed he had slept too much these past few days and had become somewhat confused.

In all of Shuozhou, who else could understand how to sideline the Grand Commander better than this young master before him?

He had encountered a rival!

"My Lord, give your orders; as soon as you give the command, I will eliminate these treacherous ministers."

"This time it is somewhat tricky; these people are not easy to deal with."

"Then what should be done?"

Li Shuang whispered a few words into Hou Jing's ear, and the other nodded.

"Your subject understands."

Li Shuang gazed at the stars in the night sky and reflected.

It seems I have not cared enough for my sworn brother in daily life, allowing him to be deceived by treacherous ministers.

"Come!"

"Your subordinate is here!"

"Send those few golden-haired ones to the Grand Commander overnight."

"Yes!"

Li Shuang shook his head and sighed:

"A great man is misled by wine and women, leading to this; from today on, I shall abstain from alcohol!"

Having spoken, Li Shuang turned without hesitation and entered the main tent.