Fu Shanhe

Chapter 501 Battle for the City Gate

Annan Guild Hall.

"President, something terrible has happened!"

"A rebellion has broken out in Liaodong! The rebel army is marching towards the capital!"

Upon hearing this news, Li Hesong's brows furrowed instantly.

Lately, bad news has been coming one after another.

First, Dagu Port fell, and the money and grain that had just arrived at the port were looted by the rebels.

Besides the imperial court, the Hanshui Marquis's mansion suffered the greatest loss.

Not only did the supplies stockpiled at the port fall into the hands of the rebels, but the immigration operation in Shuntian Prefecture was also forced to stop.

The number of casualties has not yet been tallied.

Having suffered such a great loss, he immediately sent someone to report it to Li Mu.

Before the news even reached Annam, Liaodong Town rebelled again.

Compared to those second-rate rebels, the dangers of regional military governors' rebellions were significantly greater.

"understood!"

"Trouble is about to break out in the capital. We need to gather our people together in preparation for any eventuality."

After a moment of contemplation, Li Hesong calmly gave the order.

Everything has two sides.

Judging solely from the surface-level wealth, the Marquis of Hanshui's mansion undoubtedly suffered a huge loss.

However, once you take a holistic view, danger also contains opportunities.

The rebellion in Liaodong Town at this time undoubtedly dealt the final blow to the Dayu Dynasty.

Regardless of whether this rebellion can be suppressed, setting this precedent will inevitably greatly diminish the authority of the central court, and the Great Yu Empire may collapse as a result.

Once the Great Yu Dynasty collapses, the political shackles binding their lord will be easily removed.

Looking across the entire world, there are only a handful of forces qualified to participate in the struggle for supremacy during this chaotic era.

Among them, the Marquis of Hanshui and the Northern Barbarians belong to the first tier, one side possessing the strongest cavalry of the era, and the other side possessing the strongest infantry and navy of the contemporary era.

Furthermore, they all possess a solid rear base, and their overall strength far surpasses that of other competitors.

The Liaodong garrison, which had just rebelled, belonged to the second tier.

Despite its seemingly strong military, it lacked a stable rear base and strong political support.

The peasant uprisings that spread in all directions and the powerful families hidden in the shadows in various places belong to the third echelon of the struggle for supremacy in the chaotic world.

It has great potential, but it hasn't fully matured yet.

Even the guy who occupied Guanzhong and called himself the King of Chuang had an unstable foundation.

The exhausted Guanzhong Plain simply could not provide him with enough money and food to feed his million-strong army.

Either launch an attack as soon as possible, or you'll destroy yourself.

After secretly calculating for a while, Li Hesong, who felt that his lord had the best chance of winning, immediately gave up the idea of ​​helping the court defend the city.

If conditions allow, he wouldn't mind giving it another push.

Holding the emperor hostage to command the feudal lords is not something anyone can do.

Given the reputation of Liaodong Garrison among the people, even if he were to take control of the capital, he would only become like Dong Zhuo.

Even if Shi Jingfeng could remain restrained and wholeheartedly assist the emperor, everyone would still see him as Dong Zhuo.

The civil officials would not submit to him, the nobles would be even less likely to accept his authority, and the imperial family would certainly rise up against him.

With just a slight push, countless people in the world could claim to be kings or emperors.

As the chaotic struggle for supremacy began, no force in the southern provinces could rival their lord.

It is estimated that it will only take two or three years to sweep across the southern land.

As for the northern lands, at worst, they can be temporarily left to be fought over by various rebel armies and northern barbarians.

Even if it were unified, the exhausted northern lands would not be able to provide a regime with enough money and food.

Although the probability of a southern regime unifying the country was low, there are always exceptions.

With the military prowess of our lord, a mere northern expedition is nothing to worry about.

They didn't even need to take direct action; their advantage in money and supplies was enough to wear down the northern regime.

After thinking it all through, Li Hesong felt he should take action and contribute to his lord's ambitions.

……

At midnight, the Zhenyuan Marquis's mansion was brightly lit.

The high-ranking members of the Li clan gathered to discuss countermeasures, including many military generals.

In normal times, organizing such a gathering would inevitably lead to impeachment by the censors.

If one is not careful, they could be accused of plotting a rebellion.

There's no need to worry now; even the Marquis's political enemies won't pin such a charge on them at this time.

For no other reason than that the Li family truly possessed the power to rebel.

The Marquis of Zhenyuan withdrew from the center of power simply because his heir was young, not because the Jing family had suffered a significant loss of vitality.

Moreover, besides the branch in the capital, there is also the powerful Marquis of Hanshui in the southern border region, thousands of miles away.

"The main reason for inviting everyone here tonight is to discuss how to deal with the current complex situation."

My son is too young to make decisions, and I am just an old woman who doesn't know much either.

"This concerns the safety of the entire Li family; I entrust it to you all!"

After speaking, the Marquis, holding her son, gave a slight bow to the crowd.

Without the slightest hesitation, everyone hurriedly stood up to return the greeting.

Under the patriarchal clan system, the clan head, like the title of noble, follows the principle of primogeniture.

Even though he was only a few years old, he was still the patriarch of the Li clan.

"Madam, you flatter me. Assisting the clan chief is simply my duty."

The most senior clan elder was the first to state his position.

Even if the clan leader is young, he is still the clan leader of the Li clan, and should not be neglected just because he is young.

Once the rules are broken, the clan's cohesion disappears.

"Third Uncle, the main reason for inviting everyone here today is to discuss the rebellion in Liaodong Town."

The rebel army was advancing fiercely, and the Beijing garrison still had four regiments outside, making the situation very unfavorable for the imperial court.

In particular, the Liaodong garrison had close ties with Shanxi merchants, and these people corrupted officials in the imperial court. If things were not handled properly during the defense of the city, there could be serious trouble.

For the safety of the entire Li family, we must make preparations in advance.

Li Sen said with a solemn expression.

Among the troops transferred from Beijing were regiments and battalions under the Li family.

They wouldn't be so panicked if this unit hadn't been outside.

"Young Master Mori is right, the current situation is very bad."

The infighting among the officials in the court prevented them from fully committing to the defense of the capital.

The rebel army was almost at the city gates, yet some people shamelessly urged the imperial court to send troops to suppress the rebels, completely disregarding the safety of the capital.

It's possible that some officials in the court, seeing the strength of the rebels, have already secretly made contact with the Liaodong garrison, waiting to sell the court for a good price.

Our noble family has received imperial favor for generations, so we certainly cannot associate with them.

In the unfortunate event that the capital falls, we must arrange a safe retreat for the survival of our family.

Li Hesong smoothly took over the conversation.

As a distant branch of the Li clan, he would normally not be allowed to attend such meetings.

He is here because he represents Li Mu.

As the most powerful branch of the clan, it certainly cannot be treated as an ordinary collateral branch.

No one can ignore Li Mu's opinion.

“He Song, the capital city is well-fortified and cannot be easily breached by the rebels.”

If the enemy wants to break in, the only way is to block the capital's external communication channels, prolong the war, and slowly wear them down.

"As long as the loyalist army arrives quickly enough, suppressing the rebels will be a piece of cake!"

The purple-robed elder's answer left Li Hesong speechless.

Even at a time like this, you still dare to pin your hopes on the loyalist army. "Sixth Uncle, by the time the loyalist army gathers, they won't even be able to collect our corpses in time."

The border troops have been without food for many days, and now the border generals are all worried about military pay and supplies.

Even if the imperial court issued an imperial edict and the border generals were willing to send troops to rescue the capital, they were willing but unable to do so.

There's no hope for reinforcements from the north, and even less hope for reinforcements from the south.

The Northern Frontier Army, heading south, was unable to move because it needed to suppress the Jiangnan region and dredge the Grand Canal.

The most capable troops from the remaining southern provinces were transferred to the north during the last battle against the northern barbarians and have not returned to this day.

Unless an imperial edict is issued to the Marquis, ordering him to raise an army in Annam to defend the king.

Given the practical problems, even if the imperial court issued an edict, it would still be several months before the Marquis's reinforcements arrived.

The food supply in the capital won't last that long. Even if the rebels don't attack the city, order will collapse.

Li Hesong explained calmly.

Noble families shared the fate of the nation, enjoying the benefits of prosperous times, but also paying the price in times of chaos.

The Zhenyuan Marquis's mansion is considered good; the previous Zhenyuan Marquis died on his way to war, which is considered a respectable achievement for the Great Yu Dynasty.

The current Marquis of Zhenyuan is young and has not yet formally inherited the title, so he is not required to assume corresponding responsibilities for the time being.

If a child were to run away during a time of empire crisis, no one would blame him.

If it were at a different time, no matter how dangerous the situation, one would have to stand with the imperial court and fight to the death for the sake of family reputation.

"You mean after the city falls, we'll find a chance to escape the capital?"

Sixth Uncle asked in a deep voice.

Running away beforehand is out of the question; the Li family can't afford to lose face like that.

The political reputation that the family has built up over hundreds of years cannot be squandered in their generation.

"That's right!"

Li Hesong answered frankly.

From a self-interested perspective, he hoped that the Li family could take their army south and join the Marquis of Hanshui.

By pooling the strength of the entire clan and participating together in the struggle for supremacy during a chaotic era, the chances of victory would undoubtedly increase significantly.

However, the reality did not allow it, and the pride of noble families did not allow them to escape.

Even if they have to relocate, they must first fight the rebels to prove that the Li family has been loyal to the court.

"Third Brother, if the capital really falls, I think we can arrange for some young men to break out in the chaos to preserve the bloodline of each branch of the family."

If those rebels from Liaodong enter the city, we old folks will handle them."

Sixth Uncle said to the white-haired old man.

The key to the long-term survival of prominent families lies in their ability to assess the situation and mitigate risks at critical moments.

They desire the reputation of loyalty and righteousness, but the clan's legacy must not be broken.

"Ok!"

"It is acceptable to arrange for some elite children to break through, but they must not have entered officialdom."

Once you become an official of the imperial court and receive its salary, you must be prepared to live and die with the Great Yu Dynasty.

Once the city falls, come with us old folks to guard the palace and protect His Majesty's safety.

"If we die at the hands of traitors, it will be a fitting end to our reputation for loyalty and righteousness."

The white-haired old man spoke calmly.

This decision was extremely cruel, but the Li family had enjoyed wealth and prosperity with the Great Yu for hundreds of years, so it was impossible for them not to express their opinion.

Once chaos ensues, this reputation for loyalty and righteousness becomes of paramount importance.

In an era when the state was ruled by hereditary clans, clan interests often took precedence over individual lives.

Having lived to a ripe old age, he had seen all sorts of ups and downs.

The current situation is indeed a bit complicated, but it's still within acceptable limits.

He was certain that as long as they didn't die in the chaos of battle, the Liaodong rebels wouldn't dare to attack them.

The most dangerous place is also the safest place.

Since the Liaodong garrison was operating under the banner of Emperor Yongning, it meant that the other side still harbored some fear and dared not openly rebel.

With these concerns in mind, the rebels, who dared to act recklessly anywhere, had to restrain themselves when entering the palace.

The soldiers didn't know what the emperor looked like, and if they accidentally stabbed Emperor Yongning to death, their political cause would be ruined.

Without a sense of righteousness to cover his tracks, he doesn't even deserve to be called Dong Zhuo.

From Liaodong Town's perspective, in order to stabilize the situation as soon as possible, they would definitely have to bring out Emperor Yongning in the early stages.

Most of the civil and military officials in the capital participated in the movement to depose the emperor. Since they supported the restoration of Emperor Yongning, they would definitely be subjected to political purges.

Anyway, Emperor Yongning was easy to fool, and they could legitimately use the emperor's name to eliminate dissidents.

However, during the campaign by officials to depose the emperor, the Li family was busy observing mourning at home and did not participate at all.

Even if a political purge is launched, they will not be implicated.

Moreover, the Li family has political value; keeping them under control would make Li Mu hesitant to act rashly.

The more valuable something is, the less likely it is to die, and the more opportunities it has to cause trouble.

Having lived a whole life, and now in his twilight years, he has finally managed to seize an opportunity to make his mark on history, so Li Heng is determined to give it his all.

Success means being a hero who turns the tide, failure means being a loyal and righteous person who martyrs for their country.

Regardless of the outcome, it will be highly regarded in future history books.

"Third Uncle, why go to such lengths!"

Li Hesong anxiously advised.

If all the clansmen who remained in the capital were to die, then that would be the end of it, and there would be nothing more to say.

What I fear most is that they will fall into the hands of the rebels and become hostages threatening my own lord.

Although its practical function is limited, and no warlord in chaotic times would be bound by hostages, such an operation is still incredibly disgusting.

Influenced by the Confucian principle of protecting one's relatives, not being recognized by one's own family is not a good reputation.

"Bastard!"

"My Li family has been loyal and virtuous for generations. Now that the country is in peril, how can I back down!"

Li Heng immediately cursed angrily.

Everything has been arranged for their future. With Li Mu backing them up, the Li family can never fall into decline.

Without the burden of clan ties, the opportunity to make a name for oneself in history is within reach, and one cannot give it up under any circumstances.

As for the clansmen who remained in the capital, he simply ignored them.

When a large family grows to a certain size, it will accumulate various problems, many of which cannot be resolved due to kinship ties.

This is a perfect opportunity to undergo a radical overhaul.

Without these troublemakers dragging their feet, the departing elite scions can create an even more glorious Li family.

"Third Brother is right. Our Li family has been favored by the Emperor for generations, and we certainly cannot desert our posts in the face of battle!"

Li Xi, the sixth uncle standing to the side, smiled and echoed.

Brothers who have been together for decades can tell what the other is thinking with just a glance.

They were all in their seventies or eighties; even if they fled the capital, they might not be able to reach Annam alive.

Rather than dying a miserable death on the road, it's better to make a grand and spectacular effort.

……

At 3:45 AM, the soldiers on night patrol, exhausted from a night's work, were yawning in twos and threes.

In the blink of an eye, several dark figures flashed by, and daggers slashed across their necks.

After killing the person, the man in black did not hesitate at all. He dragged the body into the courtyard and quickly changed into the uniform of a patrol soldier.

After tidying up his uniform, he picked up his weapon and, disguised as a patrolling soldier, slowly approached the city gate.

"Which part are you from? Why have we never met you before..."

Before the soldiers guarding the city could finish speaking, a spear had already pierced his chest.

Knowing their identities had been exposed, the group of imposters did not hesitate for a moment and launched an attack on the enemy in front of them.

"Enemy attack!"

Sensing something was wrong, the sentries on the city wall quickly issued a warning.

(End of this chapter)