Strange Tales from the Northern Qi Dynasty

Chapter 404 Flying Dragon in the Sky
"uncle."

Yang Jian bowed deeply to Wei Xiaokuan and knelt in front of him.

Many years ago, the two met in Yubi City, and they also encountered Liu Taozi at that time.

Yang Jian at that time was still immature, free and easy, strong and unruly. Wei Xiaokuan at that time was gentle, confident and full of fighting spirit.

When they met again this time, both of them had undergone earth-shaking changes.

Yang Jian no longer had the sharpness he once had. He used to be like a sharp sword, but now it is sheathed, simple, old-fashioned and steady.

Wei Xiaokuan no longer looked as majestic as he once was. He had his head hung, his eyes were dull, and he looked very old.

Seeing Yang Jian kneeling in front of him, Wei Xiaokuan's eyes showed even more sadness.

He didn't know how much this young man had gone through to transform from the Yang Jian he knew to the Yang Jian today.

He sighed.

"Get up."

Yang Jian slowly stood up and carefully sat aside. He looked at Wei Xiaokuan and said, "Uncle, I am sorry for the trouble."

"Staying in Xiazhou, you have to be on guard against Gao Changgong on one hand, and the Yuwen family on the other. Alas, it's really hard for you."

Wei Xiaokuan's eyes suddenly widened, his whole body tensed up instantly, and he couldn't help but look outside the door, "Shut up!!"

Yang Jian was still calm, "Don't worry, uncle, I have my personal soldiers around, and Yuwen Xian can't get in."

"Even so, you still have to be careful! Don't talk nonsense!!"

"Uncle, if I still pretend and can't tell the truth in front of you, who else can I tell?"

"you!!"

"Uncle, you pretended to be sick this time and gave up Xiazhou on your own initiative. Yuwen Xian can easily say so, but Yuwen Yong will definitely see it. If he thinks you are deliberately neglecting and dissatisfied, it will cause a big disaster."

"I have made arrangements. In two days, one of my military doctors will come with some medicine. You can take it. It will not cause any serious harm to you, but it will make you sick for a few days. Then we can ask other doctors to check your condition and let Yuwen Xian be a witness. Then Yuwen Yong will believe it."

Wei Xiaokuan was stunned!!!

He looked at Yang Jian in front of him in disbelief. For a moment he was unable to connect the shrewd guy in front of him with the young man in his memory.

Yang Jian continued, "I know what my uncle is thinking. It's not that I want to act like a villain. I just have no choice."

"After my father passed away, my situation became increasingly dangerous. All of my father's former friends were killed or injured, but I only have many enemies left."

"The emperor is still worried about us and keeps testing and suppressing us."

"I have to avenge my father and take care of my whole family."

"Uncle, please do as I say. Father doesn't have many friends left, and I don't want to lose the last one."

Wei Xiaokuan's expression kept changing, and the sadness in his eyes became more and more intense.

"Why is it so unfair to us?!"

Wei Xiaokuan gritted his teeth, a raging rage burning in his heart, "I am loyal to the Great Zhou, and over the years, I have never done anything that would harm the country!!"

"I know Yuwen Hu is afraid of me, and I'm not angry, but why do I have to suffer this even though there is a wise ruler?!"

"A fellow like Quan Jingxuan, who did such a thing, just went home to retire, and his title remained unchanged. But what about me? Relying on a few ruined states, with the food and grass stipulated by the temple, he had to stop the enemy's continuous fierce attacks, facing internal and external troubles, but he didn't listen to my advice, and finally failed to capture it, but he still wants to punish me?!!"

Wei Xiaokuan vented all the grievances in his heart.

Yang Jian listened very carefully and did not interrupt.

After Wei Xiaokuan said this, he finally felt much better and his expression gradually calmed down.

Yang Jian then said, "Uncle, don't worry."

He narrowed his eyes, "There's always a way."

Changan.

As the enemy gradually left, the panic-stricken city of Chang'an finally returned to normal.

The people in the city received the latest news. They heard that Duke Sui led his troops to attack and successfully defeated the powerful enemy and drove the enemy away. The Zhou Kingdom won a great victory.

The people finally breathed a sigh of relief and prepared to resume their livelihoods.

This relaxed atmosphere only exists outside the walls of the imperial palace. The atmosphere inside the walls is still extremely quiet.

Inside the Hanren Hall.

The soldiers stood in the distance, listening to the crying coming from inside, and did not dare to look back.

Queen Mother Chinu cried heart-wrenchingly.

The mothers all seemed to prefer their younger sons.

The Empress Dowager was no exception. Empress Dowager Chi Nu was Yuwen Tai's concubine. She only gave birth to two sons for Yuwen Tai, Yuwen Yong and Yuwen Zhi.

Compared to the eldest son who was precocious and sensible, Yuwen Zhi was not considered a good child since childhood. He often made his parents angry and always got into trouble. But perhaps because of this, the empress dowager loved the younger son more.

When she learned the news of her youngest son's death, the Queen Mother cried so sadly that she didn't stop for a long time.

Yuwen Yong had no choice but to kneel aside, lowering his head and begging for his mother's forgiveness.

Fortunately, Yuwen Zhi’s death had no direct relationship with Yuwen Yong, otherwise the situation would have been even more difficult to control.

The Queen Mother believed that Yuwen Zhi's death was the result of a murder, and she kept asking Yuwen Yong about the murderer. She even suspected that Yuwen Xian had sent someone to do it.

Yuwen Yong had a unified stance on this issue.

It was the Han army that killed people.

After comforting his mother a few more words, Yuwen Yong dragged his tired body and walked weakly towards the main hall.

Back in the main hall, there was another lot of things to do.

Yao Xiong's sudden intrusion caused chaos around Chang'an. The frequent letters from officials almost flooded the palace. Officials from far away also wrote letters to inquire about the situation and express their loyalty.

Fortunately, Yuwen Yong found a group of people to help him.

Gao Jiong was sitting not far away at this moment, concentrating his head on helping the emperor deal with these memorials.

Yuwen Yong picked up the document in his hand, his expression becoming increasingly ugly.

"Zhao Xuan!"

"come and see."

Gao Jiong looked up curiously and Yuwen Yong handed him the letter.

Gao Jiong was looking down when Yuwen Yong made his own evaluation.

"Another petition from Yang Su."

"Yang Su came up with a great plan. This plan led to the demise of Qi and the loss of most of Zhou's territory. It was brilliant! He is truly a rare talent. Han Xin, Zhang Liang, Zhuge Liang and Wang Meng are all far inferior to him!"

Hearing Yuwen Yong's gnashing comments, Gao Jiong said hastily, "Your Majesty, this cannot all be blamed on Yang Su."

"All strategies were ruined by the Dragon Gate. Before this, who would have thought that the enemy could break in through the Dragon Gate?"

"Even the Duke of Shu, the Duke of Zheng and others have never thought about it, let alone Yang Su?"

Yuwen Yong calmed down a little and asked, "What do you think of his current petition?"

Gao Jiong hesitated for a moment.

Yang Su's memorial expressed Dugu Yongye's determination to surrender. He hoped that the court would summon troops, go to Luozhou, recapture many cities in Luoyang County, and then fight against Liu Taozi, preventing Liu Taozi from occupying Luozhou.

If he had written a letter like this a few months ago, Gao Jiong would have agreed without hesitation and asked the emperor to send troops to seize Luozhou.

Luozhou is the gateway to the Central Plains and the foundation for fighting for the world.

But now, Gao Jiong was a little hesitant to agree so quickly.

It's good to go, but I'm afraid I won't be able to come back!!

"Your Majesty, we are fighting on many fronts. Even if we use all our resources to gather an army, how can we be sure that we can repel Liu Taozi?"

"By then, not only will we fail to repel Liu Taozi, but our offensive in the north will also be weakened. Xiazhou has already been lost. If we can't even get Yanzhou back, then Chang'an can no longer serve as the capital. This matter is of great importance!"

"I hope Your Majesty can reconsider this."

Gao Jiong's words clearly expressed his opposition to Yang Su's idea.

Yuwen Yong thought so too.

Since he came to power, he has sent troops several times, and each time ended badly.

Now they are asking me to send troops?
What? Do you think Liu Taozi has too few military achievements?
Yuwen Yong was not a hesitant person. He acted decisively. He immediately said, "I no longer have any troops to support Dugu Yongye. Send someone to inform Yang Su."

"If he can convince Dugu Yongye to flee to Zhou, I will ensure that Dugu Yongye continues to be rich and powerful. The people, soldiers, money and food in Luozhou can all be moved to me!"

"But if Dugu Yongye is unwilling to leave and insists on defending Luozhou to the death, then I can do nothing about it. Let Yang Su escape on his own."

Gao Jiong thought about it and had no choice but to agree.

Compared to Luozhou, what he is most worried about now is the situation in the north.

"Your Majesty, the Duke of Qi has written again, saying that the Duke of Yun is seriously ill, and the military doctors under his command are helpless. He is unable to serve as the commander-in-chief. He can only leave it to fate."

A hint of astonishment flashed across Yuwen Yong's eyes.

"Oh?"

"Really sick?"

Yuwen Yong was silent for a moment, and then ordered: "Let the Duke of Yun withdraw. The Great Zhou still needs him. We can't kill a general just because of a temporary war. Send a few more famous doctors to cure him!"

"only."

"Also, tell Ah Xian not to put himself in danger. The rest of my brothers are very young, and he is the only brother I can use. If something happens to him, I won't be able to govern the country alone. Tell him to take good care of himself."

"only"

Luozhou, Heyin.

There are more than 4,000 people stationed at the valley entrance checkpoint. The commander, wearing heavy armor and riding a war horse, is running back and forth among the soldiers.

The general was tall and strong, with a fat head and big ears, and he looked a bit like Gao Yanzong. He constantly encouraged the soldiers, telling them not to be afraid and to fight bravely.

After a lot of nonsense, the enemy in the distance finally appeared.

The leader held up the flags high. There were seven big flags in total, with words like "Han" and "Liu" written on them. The rest of the small flags were placed on both sides, and various drum and music sounds were audible.

The general's face turned pale in an instant.

He pointed at the flag in the distance and looked at the staff around him.

"That flag is the emperor's flag?"

“It’s the Heavenly King’s Flag.”

"Liu Taozi?"

"Yes, it's Liu Taozi."

The general was horrified, his hands holding the spear were shaking, he looked around, his pupils dilated, and his breathing became more and more rapid.

It was Liu Taozi who came and killed him personally!!

"withdraw!!!"

The general suddenly shouted loudly, turned around and ran away with his trusted men.

In a moment, there was chaos in the checkpoint. The soldiers shouted in fear and fled in all directions under the leadership of the officers.

Without anyone to lead them, they didn't know where to go.

Some took the opportunity to steal military rations, some took the opportunity to steal horses, and some took knives to find the officers who had bullied them.

When the Han cavalry charged over, there was chaos here. Seeing the enemy arriving, the soldiers here knelt down and surrendered.

Liu Taozi rode on Heifeng and slowly walked into the enemy camp surrounded by many soldiers.

Zu Ting was also riding a warhorse, following behind Liu Taozi, looking at the scene in front of him and laughing.

"Your Majesty's name alone is enough to equal a hundred thousand troops!"

"The enemy will flee without a fight just by seeing your flag from afar. Only the great rulers who founded the country in the past can match your reputation."

Liu Taozi didn't feel proud at all.

He just looked to the south, "How far is Jinyong City from here?"

"If we continue on our way, we will arrive at noon tomorrow."

"Then keep on your way."

"only!!"

At this moment, there was chaos in Jinyong City.

Dugu Yongye's mansion became more lively than ever before, and military intelligence continued to come into Dugu Yongye's mansion one after another.

Unfortunately, none of this military information is good news.

At this moment, Dugu Yongye was holding the letter in his hand, his face pale with fear.

"Another one ran away! Another one ran away!"

"These people are completely afraid to fight Liu Taozi!"

"How to do how to do?!"

Dugu Yongye had thought that Liu Taozi's advance would be fast, but he did not expect it to be so fast. Half of his army in Luozhou ran away when they heard that Liu Taozi was coming, and half ran away again after they saw Liu Taozi.

Surrender at the sight of an enemy and flee without a fight.

Liu Taozi is actually on the march. If he keeps walking like this, I’m afraid he will appear outside the city tomorrow!
This is more terrifying than when the Pseudo-Zhou army of 200,000 surrounded him.

After all, he had reinforcements and the morale of the people in the city was still high.

He looked at Yang Su anxiously.

"Reinforcements? Where are the reinforcements?"

Yang Su's face was extremely gloomy.

The letter he sent to Chang'an did not receive a reply, and there has been no news since then.

He thought that perhaps the situation in the north was more serious than he had expected.

But even if the Great Zhou is willing to send troops to recapture Luozhou now, it is too late.

Liu Taozi’s army will be able to reach the outside of the city tomorrow.

Yang Su was silent for a long time, and then whispered: "Retreat, my lord, we can run to Zhou State."

Dugu Yongye took a deep breath and slowly sat down.

There was a flash of resentment in his eyes.

I still remember that many years ago, he was stationed in Heluo and repeatedly repelled the attacks of the Zhou people, becoming famous all over the world.
Yang Su said again: "My Lord, if you don't leave now, it will be too late."

"Although the city is strong, the army inside has no morale and the people are terrified. Liu Taozi's army is coming, and Wang Lin is beside them."

"it is good."

"Run."

Dugu Yongye made a decision.

Dugu Yongye summoned many of his confidants. This time, he did not encourage them. He told them the truth about the current dangerous situation, and then he gave them a choice.

If anyone was willing to follow him to the State of Zhou, he would guarantee that they would get official positions.

If someone wants to escape, you can give him some money to help him escape.

Everyone listened to Dugu Yongye's words with a confused look on their faces.

The situation was critical and they had no time to hesitate.

Dugu Yongye asked them to make a choice and then act quickly.

On that day, he took more than 2,000 of his trusted confidants, some food and their families, and began to flee towards the Zhou territory.

Yang Su persuaded him several times to abandon his close associates with families and let them escape so as not to affect the marching time of the rest of the people.

But Dugu Yongye disagreed.

He believed that these people had been following him all along, and were now willing to follow him with their families, so there was absolutely no reason for him to give up on them.

They did not dare to go directly north, so they took a detour and prepared to go south first, and then enter the territory of Zhou State from Henan County.

Dugu Yongye didn't dare to stop and continued on his journey at night.

After walking like this for a day and a night, the road gradually became wider, and the villages on both sides disappeared. It seemed that the flags of the Zhou people could be seen faintly in the distance.

"Boom, boom, boom, boom"

The familiar sound of war drums suddenly sounded from behind.

The people who were marching at full speed almost collapsed.

The families cried and tried to flee, and the knights, who had been traveling all day, did not have much energy left to fight the enemy.

Dugu Yongye was riding a war horse with no extra expression on his face.

Yang Su looked flustered.

The shaking of the ground became more and more obvious, which meant that the enemy was getting closer and closer.

He can't run away.

Dugu Yongye looked at his youngest confidant, who was the son of one of Dugu Yongye's veteran confidants.

"Take your family and continue running towards the Zhou people."

"Don't ever look back."

The young man was very obedient. He immediately led a group of people, took their families with him, and fled in the direction of the Zhou people again.

He just watched those people go away, then turned around and looked at the people who stayed behind.

"Everyone, when I first went on an expedition and served as the commander, I built a city here to resist the enemy."

"Now, I am willing to lead you to fight the enemy here again."

Everyone looked at him, with a mixture of emotions in their eyes.

"Yang Su!"

Dugu Yongye shouted.

But there was no response.

He looked around in confusion, "Where's Yang Su?"

A confidant at the side said, "He seemed to have hidden among the family members and left with them. My lord, do you want me to capture him?"

Dugu Yongye raised his head and laughed.

"The Zhou people are just rats!"

"On weekdays, he acts like a decent person and brags all the time, but when it comes to the critical moment, he is afraid of death. Hahaha, don't pay attention to him!"

"With their current state, they still want to defeat the general?"

"I think that sooner or later this world will fall into the hands of the general."

Dugu Yongye raised his spear and looked around.

"Everyone, fight with me, the general. If we die at the hands of such a man, we will live up to our reputation as a brave man!!"

"kill!!!"

(End of this chapter)