Guiyi Fei Tang

Chapter 487 Entering Lulong (A long chapter of 10,000 words)
"His illness came at the worst possible time..."

On the 22nd day of the first lunar month, Liu Jilong, holding an urgent report, stood in front of the flower bed, his brows furrowed, his mind filled with a myriad of thoughts.

"The Duke of Yan should be eighty-eight years old this year. In addition, I heard last year that he had contracted a disease and his condition was serious and could be serious in a day or two. Your Highness should have expected this long ago."

A soft voice came from behind him. Liu Jilong turned to look and saw that Li Meiling had put her hair up. Although she was still beautiful, she had gained a bit more charm in the past few days.

"Although I expected it, I did not expect him to fall at the crucial moment."

Liu Jilong looked down at the urgent report, then said with a sigh of relief, "Fortunately, Weibo has retreated, and the troops in the three towns of the Central Plains can be redeployed."

"You plan to deal with Zhu Quanzhong first, and then head north to resolve the internal strife in Lulong?"

Li Meiling leaned against him as if boneless, and feeling the softness of her arm, Liu Jilong's thoughts were slightly disordered, and he secretly thought that his self-control was not good enough.

Despite this, he did not push Li Meiling away, but shook his head and said, "You should not interfere in the affairs of the outer court."

"However, I must apologize to you here, as I fear I will soon be leading my troops north."

Liu Jilong did not explain his specific thoughts, but his words revealed quite a lot.

Li Meiling didn't press the matter, but simply hugged Liu Jilong tighter: "Your Highness, please go ahead and come back soon."

"Hmm." Seeing this, Liu Jilong gently pushed away her hands that were holding him, and then walked out without looking back.

Li Meiling stood there watching him walk further and further away until his figure disappeared from sight.

"Your Highness, the King of Han is about to go on a campaign right after your wedding. This is going to be tough for you."

The female official stepped forward to defend Li Meiling, but Li Meiling looked admiringly in the direction where Liu Jilong had disappeared, and said without turning her head, "That's what a real man does."

She turned and walked into the hall, and the lady-in-waiting hurriedly followed.

Meanwhile, Liu Jilong returned to the Prince of Han's residence and summoned Gao Jinda, Li Shangyin, and other officials, then informed them of Zhang Yunshen's death.

Upon hearing this, everyone gasped in shock.

“Lulong is different from Chengde and Weibo. Zhang Yunshen is dead. If we can support his son and then recover Lulong, that would be the best outcome.”

"However, Your Highness, Lulong is located on the border and has a large number of cavalry. Moreover, since Zhang Zhongwu, Lulong Town has always been powerful. If our army wants to intervene, I'm afraid we will not have enough troops."

"Even if troops are dispatched to intervene, our army has just captured Hedong, Yiwu, Yichang and other towns, and Zhu Quanzhong has not yet been subdued. He is trying to interfere in Lulong, and money and food are also a huge problem."

Liu Zhan offered his advice, saying that although he was not good at personally leading troops into battle, he was deeply loved by the people of the three towns in the Central Plains and was also outstanding in the allocation of grain and fodder.

What he said were indeed the problems that Liu Jilong needed to face, and Gao Jinda also proactively stated in response:
"In Luoyang, there are currently 420,000 shi of grain transported from Guanzhong, 340,000 shi of grain transferred to Jinyang, and another 200,000 shi of grain in the official granaries."

"Although Jinyang has 540,000 shi of grain, 30% of it is lost along the way when it is transported to Daibei, and 40% is lost when it is transported to Yiwu."

"If we want to transport grain from Luoyang to Yichang, we can reduce the loss along the way by about 30% by taking the canal, but we need troops to ensure that the grain ships pass through Weibo safely."

"In other words, our army must penetrate deep into Weibo territory, which is tantamount to launching an offensive..."

As Gao Jinda finished speaking, Liu Zhan continued, "Two batches of grain have been transported to the front lines, with a maximum of 600,000 shi (a unit of dry measure)."

As February approaches, the section of the canal in Hebei has naturally thawed, becoming a transport route for the Han army to advance north and plunder the three towns.

"Six hundred thousand shi sounds like a lot, but if our army wants to intervene in Lulong, it will inevitably provoke resistance from Chengde, Weibo, and even Zhaoyi."

"To deal with the more than 100,000 troops of the four towns, we need more than 100,000 troops, and the number of laborers required for 100,000 troops is probably no less than 200,000."

Liu Zhan continued speaking, and everyone in the hall nodded in agreement, knowing that what he said was correct.

Sending troops to the three towns of Hebei with the canal as the center does not require too many laborers. Two laborers can ensure the transportation of armor and provisions for a soldier within a range of 200 li.

Although Hebei suffered significant population loss due to the An Lushan Rebellion, it has recovered considerably in recent years, with a population of several million. It would not be difficult to recruit 200,000 laborers locally.

With an army of 100,000 and laborers of 200,000, plus tens of thousands or even hundreds of thousands of mules and horses, the monthly consumption would be at least 200,000 to 300,000 shi (a unit of dry measure).

Six hundred thousand shi (a unit of dry measure) would only take two or three months to consume.

The annihilation of the three towns in Hebei and Zhaoyi within two or three months was an impossible feat for both the former officials of the Tang court and the officials in Guanzhong.

Liu Jilong watched as the faces of the officials in the hall gradually turned ugly, and Pi Rixiu even spoke up:

"In less than half a year, our army has successively pacified five towns: Hedong, Daibei, Yiwu, Yichang, and Tianping. Yanhai is also in imminent danger, making a total of six towns."

"The pacification of the six towns in half a year was already quite rushed. Now, to intervene in Lulong, isn't this too hasty?"

Lu Guimeng, who had always supported Liu Jilong, also seemed somewhat hesitant on this matter: "Why not take advantage of the internal strife in Lulong to first deal with Zhu Quanzhong and the four towns of Xusi, Huainan, and Zhaoyi, and then concentrate our troops to deal with the three towns of Hebei?"

Wei Zhuang nodded slightly: "We should first win over the Huainan and Ganhua armies, which are loyal to our army, and then deal with Zhaoyi with swift and decisive measures."

"Gao Pian is eyeing us covetously from the south. If our army concentrates its forces to deal with the three towns of Hebei, he might take the opportunity to attack Huainan."

Everyone was pessimistic about taking direct action against the four towns in Hebei. Liu Jilong felt uneasy and looked at Li Shangyin and Gao Jinda.

Seeing the hesitation on their faces, Liu Jilong felt a pang of unease.

He could accept that Liu Zhan, Lu Guimeng, and others didn't understand him, but Gao Jinda and Li Shangyin, whom he had known for over a decade or two, also hesitated on this matter, which made him feel uncomfortable.

Liu Jilong suddenly stood up, immediately attracting everyone's attention. Seeing his solemn expression and sharp gaze, everyone shut their mouths.

"If the imperial court attacks Huainan and Xusi, and then gets entangled with Gao Pian, what will happen if the four towns of Hebei then rebel?"

"Kang Chengxun is in charge of Huainan and has some ability. Even if Gao Pian leads his army to attack, he won't be able to take Huainan for several months."

"Let Gao Pian attack Huainan first, and then our army can negotiate Huainan's surrender. Wouldn't that be better than sending troops first?"

"If the imperial court attacks the four garrisons in Hebei, Zeng Yuanyu and Kang Chengxun will certainly not make a move. But if the imperial court attacks Zeng Yuanyu and Kang Chengxun, not to mention Lu Kuang of Zhaoyi and Wang Jingchong of Chengde, what will happen to Zhang Gongsu of Lulong and Han Junxiong of Weibo who have already taken action against the imperial court?"

"The matter of the Northern Expedition to the Four Garrisons is not open to debate!"

Liu Jilong's gaze swept over the crowd, and they all felt his gaze was sharp and turned their eyes away to avoid it.

"The imperial edict ordered that 50,000 laborers be recruited from Luoyang to transport grain across the Yellow River and northward to Huaizhou and Huojia County for storage. It also ordered Huaizhou and Zezhou to recruit a total of 50,000 laborers to purchase 20,000 shi of soybeans."

"An imperial edict was issued to Cui Shu, ordering him to mobilize 10,000 infantrymen from Heyang and Hezhong to gather at Huojia, and to recruit 150,000 laborers to transport grain to Daibei and Yiwu."

"An imperial edict ordered Zhao Ying to lead 5,000 cavalry and 5,000 infantry and cavalry from the eastern capital northward to Huojia."

"An imperial edict was issued to Cao Mao, ordering him to take command of 40,000 troops in Daibei and to lead 30,000 cavalry and infantry eastward to Guizhou."

"An imperial edict ordered Zheng Chu and Zhang Chang to divide their forces into 10,000 troops to enter Chang'an, and 10,000 infantrymen from Chang'an to advance eastward to Luoyang to stay there."

"An imperial edict was issued ordering Husi Guang to lead elite cavalry and infantry north to Cangzhou and Dezhou to stay there."

"An imperial edict was issued ordering Wang Shi and Chen Jingchong to continue the siege of Zibo and Qingzhou."

"An imperial edict ordered An Pohu to lead 10,000 Tianping infantry south to take command of Li Yangchun's troops before attacking Zhu Quanzhong."

"The imperial edict ordered Geng Ming that if Gao Pian fled north of the Yangtze River to attack the Huai River, he should be immediately labeled a traitor and troops should be sent to contain his forces."

Nine imperial edicts were issued in succession, mobilizing nearly 160,000 troops and 250,000 laborers.

If we also include the laborers recruited by each town itself, the number of laborers is probably no less than 400,000.

Such a grand gesture has never been seen in any town since Li Cui fled east.

However, such a move naturally put considerable pressure on the imperial court.

The number of people under the current rule of the imperial court is no more than 18 to 19 million, but the number of soldiers and civilians mobilized now exceeds 500,000. This is without conscripting people from Guanzhong, only people from Guandong.

It can be said that, after Liu Jilong's recruitment, the number of men recruited in Hedong and Hebei today is so high that even one in three men would be enough.

"Your subject obeys the order..."

Upon seeing Liu Jilong's edict, the officials had no choice but to accept it reluctantly, though they still didn't quite approve of Liu Jilong's actions.

Seeing their reaction, Liu Jilong held his breath, got up, and headed to the inner courtyard without looking back.

Upon seeing this, the officials looked at each other in bewilderment, then shook their heads and sighed as they left the main hall.

When Liu Jilong returned to the inner courtyard, Feng Hui was sitting in the inner hall, leading people to wipe Liu Jilong's armor.

Although Feng Hui is thirty-two years old, he still looks beautiful at that age.

Seeing him enter, she nodded and smiled, "Did the events in the north awaken Your Highness from your boudoir?"

"Uh..." Liu Jilong was a little embarrassed, and said only, "Only by having children with her can we stabilize the old officials."

"My lady knows my feelings, so why tease me like this?"

Feng Hui didn't respond, but instead bent down to wipe his armor. Liu Jilong sat beside him and said, "Hu Tou should be a freshman in college now. By the time he graduates, the world will be more or less at peace."

"Does the young master still remember a child named Tiger Head?" For some reason, Feng Hui kept making jokes all day.

Liu Jilong was in a daze for a moment, then realized that she was probably jealous.

After all, it was understandable that Feng Hui would be jealous since he had stayed at the princess's residence for several days without returning home.

Upon learning that she was jealous, Liu Jilong could only think to himself that things were not peaceful outside, nor were they peaceful inside. He sighed inwardly and at the same time comforted Feng Hui, saying, "The only lady in the inner quarters is Xiao Qi Niangzi."

Feng Hui hadn't heard anyone call her "Little Seventh Lady" in a long time, and his expression couldn't help but change slightly.

Seeing this, Liu Jilong reached out and smoothed her loose hair, saying with a smile, "Xijun's appearance hasn't changed in over ten years."

Feng Hui didn't want to pay attention to Liu Jilong, because Liu Jilong's coaxing skills were really not very good. However, when he looked up and saw Liu Jilong's serious expression, and saw that his face was still as handsome and vigorous as when he was twenty-seven or twenty-eight, with a beautiful voice and appearance, he softened his heart a little before he even opened his mouth.

"Your Highness should write a letter to Tiger Head before setting off on the expedition."

"Does Your Highness know how long it has been since Tiger Head last wrote to you?"

Feng Hui's voice softened slightly. Upon hearing this, Liu Jilong thought carefully and realized that he hadn't corresponded with his eldest son for more than half a year.

"This matter is my fault..."

Thinking of his eldest son, who was far away in Linzhou, Liu Jilong couldn't help but feel guilty.

Although the military and political affairs have been busy for the past six months, they haven't been so busy that they haven't had time to write a letter.

My son is at the age where he should be proud and strong-willed. Seeing that I haven't written to him for more than half a year, he probably doesn't want to write to me because of his pride.

Thinking this, Liu Jilong looked at Zhang San Niangzi, who was not far away: "Sister Zhang, bring me paper and pen."

Seeing this, Zhang San Niangzi hurriedly led people to fetch paper and pens, and they returned shortly afterward.

Liu Jilong sat next to Feng Hui, but he was not shy at all. Instead, he picked up his pen and began to write.

Feng Hui watched him write for a long time and couldn't help but cover his mouth and laugh, "Tiger Head is already old, but you write like this, as if you treat him as a child."

"No matter how old they are, in someone's eyes they are still like when they were just learning to speak."

Liu Jilong quickly finished writing the letter and then sent someone to deliver it to Linzhou.

After sending the letter, Liu Jilong comforted Feng Hui and spent the next few days shuttling between the Princess's residence and the Prince of Han's residence.

While he was running back and forth, the eastern capital region suddenly became bustling with activity as the imperial court posted notices recruiting laborers.

"The imperial court is going to conscript laborers again!"

"Let me see! Let me see what kind of recruitment they are!"

"I'll come and take a look too!"

"Is it the same river engineering and road engineering this time?"

In the countryside more than ten miles from Luoyang, after the village head and the patrolmen posted the imperial notice, the villagers flocked to the village entrance in droves.

They asked questions, but since they couldn't read, they could only wait for the village head and the inspector to explain.

"Let me in! Let me in!"

Hundreds of people gathered in a circle, but even children as tall as a person's waist struggled to squeeze through, eventually crawling between the legs of the people in front to reach the signboard.

Five local militiamen were maintaining order in front of the notice board, preventing people from crowding the village head and inspectors.

Zhang Xiangzheng, who is rarely seen on ordinary days, stood in front of the notice board and, after gesturing for quiet, spoke:

"The four towns in Hebei are in rebellion, and the imperial court is now conscripting laborers at a rate of twenty coins per day."

"what?!"

"I won't be a laborer on the march..."

"I'm not going either, people will die there."

"That's right, that's right..."

The villagers, who had been very enthusiastic, fell silent upon hearing that they were going to the battlefield.

Upon seeing this, the village head frowned and said, "Have you forgotten the hard times we used to live?"

"This time, the King of Han will personally lead the troops. Moreover, you only need to transport the grain from Luoyang to Huaizhou, which will take at most half a month. The journey will mainly be by boat."

"If your cowardice leads to a shortage of troops, and the Hebei army marches south, your peaceful days will come to an end!"

The village head's words did not cause much of a stir. For the villagers, the events in the north were far removed from their lives, and they were more concerned with what was happening in front of them.

"Spring plowing is just around the corner. If we go, our families will be too busy to manage, and it will delay the spring plowing."

"Absolutely! I'm not going!"

"Me too..."

After just a few years of peace, these former refugees had already forgotten the pain brought by the war.

At this moment, it was the child who had struggled to squeeze to the front of the notice board who couldn't help but look left and right, and finally shouted: "I think you are all rats!"

"Huh?" Everyone looked at him in surprise upon hearing the childish voice.

He was a small man, but he had a very imposing presence. He put his hands on his hips and said, "I remember you all always said you wanted to repay the King of Han. Now that the King of Han needs you, none of you dare to go. You are all cowards!"

"How dare this inexperienced kid give us pointers?"

A villager of short stature tried to teach him a lesson, but was stopped by the patrolman with a long gun.

Seeing this, the village head couldn't help but shake his head and say, "So many men, yet not as good as a child!"

"The grain transport will take only half a month round trip; how can that delay your spring planting?"

"Moreover, earning several hundred coins in half a month is enough to buy seven bushels of grain."

The words of the village head and the children made many people feel embarrassed, and they could only cautiously ask, "Is it enough to just transport the grain to Huaizhou?"

"Of course!" the village head replied without hesitation, then addressed the crowd.
"Since the King of Han marched east, when has the government ever deceived you in handling any official business?"

The village head's words did indeed spark a conversation among the surrounding villagers.

Since the Han king marched eastward, the promised policies such as equal land distribution, seed distribution, tax exemption, tax reduction, reform of the two taxes system, and abolition of corvée labor have all been implemented.

As a result, most of the people who fled into the mountains also came down. The population of Henan Prefecture, which had been more than 100,000 since the Huang Chao Rebellion, increased to more than 200,000 in just over two years.

Most of the people in Shangyou Township were people who had fled from the mountains and were resettled here.

Originally, the land in Shangyou Township belonged to those high-ranking officials and nobles, but later it was all divided among them by the King of Han, with each person, regardless of age, receiving six mu of land.

The exorbitant taxes and levies of the past have all disappeared, and the corvée labor that most hindered their lives has also been abolished.

When these tangible benefits actually came to them, they couldn't believe it at all, and even now, many people still feel like they're dreaming.

Although the common people are easily misled, they are also the most capable of sensing who is in power and who benefits them.

At least neither the Tang court in the past nor Huang Chao later could do what the King of Han did, so they should naturally help him.

"Damn it, count me in!"

"Me too! Count me in too!"

"Me too..."

Before long, the villagers who were still hesitant began to sign up enthusiastically, and the township head registered them one by one, while patting his chest to guarantee that the grain would only be transported to Huojia County.

With his assurance, more than two hundred people from Shangyou Township quickly signed up. It should be noted that Shangyou Township only had a total population of just over four hundred, so this was almost half of them.

After registering the child, Zhang Xiangzheng noticed that the child was still there and couldn't help but squat down and laugh, "Little one, aren't you going home for dinner?"

"I want to be a laborer too!" The child said, head held high, looking like a little adult.

Upon hearing this, Zhang Xiangzheng, the patrolman, the militiamen, and others burst into laughter. Seeing this, the child gritted his teeth and said, "You look down on me!"

"Haha, not at all." Seeing that he was angry, Zhang Xiangzheng quickly comforted him, saying, "The imperial court has decreed that only those sixteen years of age and above can serve as laborers. How old are you, little boy?"

"I'm six years old!" The child was a little discouraged. Seeing this, Zhang Xiangzheng rubbed his already messy hair.

"Then wait another ten years. After ten years, you will be able to work as a laborer."

"Hmph!" the child scoffed. "Ten years from now, I don't want to be a laborer, I want to be a soldier!"

"You have to be eighteen to be a soldier, hahaha." The inspector joked with a laugh. The child looked at Zhang Xiangzheng with a questioning look, but Zhang Xiangzheng nodded.

“You are still young. If you really want to join the army, you will have to wait twelve years.”

"Okay! I'll come back to find you when I'm eighteen!" The child was discouraged, but he still held on with a spirit.

Seeing his demeanor, Zhang Xiangzheng couldn't help but feel a bit more favorably disposed towards him: "What's your name?" "My family calls me Dalang, and my name is Wang Hong!"

"Very well! I'll remember you. If you ever have any questions in the future, just come to the village office to find me!"

Zhang Xiangzheng smiled and said this to Wang Hong, who then replied, "I will go!"

Before Zhang Xiangzheng could answer, he saw him take off running into the village. Zhang Xiangzheng watched his retreating figure with a smile and couldn't help but ask, "Whose child is this?"

"The Wang family, who had moved down the mountain less than half a year ago, are known for their lively personalities and always clamor to go to the battlefield."

"He's got ambition," Zhang Xiangzheng chuckled, then dispersed with the others and headed towards the township office.

At the same time, there were many similar situations in Shangyou Township. Although many people were unwilling to go to the battlefield, they became enthusiastic when they learned that the King of Han was leading the troops.

In just three days, the 50,000 laborers in the Dongji region had been recruited and were heading towards Luoyang.

Moreover, the number of laborers recruited from places like Huai Prefecture and Ze Prefecture was quickly reached.

Such a large-scale conscription of laborers could not be kept secret from Weibo Town, which is adjacent to Heyang.

"I told you not to respond back then, but you wouldn't listen. Now you've made a mess of things, how am I supposed to clean up this mess?!"

Inside the Weizhou government office, Han Junxiong, the military governor of Weibo, was roaring.

Han Junxiong was furious and annoyed to learn that Le Yanzhen had led his troops back to Weibo without achieving any merit. Now, he also learned that the court had begun to conscript laborers on a large scale. Even if he didn't know better, he could figure out the court's intentions.

The war in Weibo is over; now it's the imperial court's turn.

"The Yellow River has begun to thaw, so even if they wanted to attack, it wouldn't be easy."

"That's right, the Yellow River is difficult to cross, how are they managing to cross it now?"

When the guards in the yamen saw Han Junxiong constantly throwing a tantrum, they also lost their temper.

Even though they know it's their fault, they still act as if they're not at fault.

Seeing their reaction, Han Junxiong was so angry that his vision blurred, and he only managed to stay upright by holding onto the chair.

"If you can think of this, is there no one in the imperial court who can?"

"They are now recruiting laborers in Heyang, clearly intending to attack us from Heyang."

"Although we don't know how many troops the court will mobilize, it will be no less than 10,000."

"Your nearly 30,000 men couldn't even handle the 20,000 men from the south. Now, if the imperial court mobilizes tens of thousands of troops to attack, what will you do then?"

Han Junxiong wanted to present the facts and reason with them, but his idea was destined to be useless.

"At worst, we can hold out in the city. Anyway, there's plenty of food in the city, so we're not afraid of the imperial court attacking!"

"Absolutely! With this severe drought and heavy snow, spring planting can't be done this year. When the court withdraws, we'll just go south and plunder. We won't have to worry about not having enough food!"

"Brother Han, don't exaggerate. Back in the Yuanhe era, even with a strong and well-equipped army, the imperial court couldn't subdue my three towns. What do you have to fight against my three towns now?"

"Oh right, and Zhaoyi to the west."

"That's right, and Zhaoyi too!"

The generals were complacent, thinking that the strength of the four garrisons was enough to deal with the imperial court. However, they did not realize that the four garrisons were not closely related. If Weibo was attacked by the imperial court, it was still a question whether the other three garrisons would send troops.

Han Junxiong had obviously guessed this long ago, so he shouted, "The three towns have had a lot of friction with Zhaoyi and Chengde over the years, why should they help you?!"

With just one sentence, the smug generals' expressions changed, and Han Junxiong simply sat down and said, "Speak, continue!"

The officers looked at each other, at a loss for words.

Seeing that they had nothing to say, Han Junxiong could only look at Yue Yanzhen, who had not yet made any contribution: "Prefect Yue, you speak!"

"I..." Le Yanzhen was embarrassed; he didn't know what to say.

If his soldiers had done their part a few days ago, he wouldn't have ended up heading north without achieving anything.

These soldiers had been idle for decades, and had long forgotten the skills of their fathers.

Apart from their thick armor, they were otherwise inferior to ordinary state soldiers.

"Hmph! Since none of you can speak, then it's my turn to speak!"

Han Junxiong snorted coldly, then said, "Send envoys to Zhaoyi and Chengde, and then to contact Zhang Gongsu in Lulong."

"That old guy Zhang Yunshen definitely won't support us. Now we can only rely on Zhang Gongsu and his group."

"Each government office should contribute its share of the money and provisions for the gifts; let's not be stingy."

"If you can't bear to part with your money, then when the government troops are at the city gates, you can just wait to die with your money!"

Han Junxiong got up and walked outside, leaving his officers looking at each other in bewilderment.

However, he was also worried, fearing that these guards might dislike him and take action against him.

Fortunately, no one attacked him until he left the government office, which made him breathe a sigh of relief.

After he left, Youya looked at the crowd and asked, "How was it?"

"What can we do?!" Le Yanzhen also lost his temper. If it weren't for these generals and their soldiers making a fuss, there wouldn't be so much trouble now.

He got up and walked outside, and the others followed suit and left the yamen.

The envoy from Weibo quickly arrived at the three towns, while the three towns were all observing the situation.

The difference is that Lu Kuang of Zhaoyi and Wang Jingchong of Chengde are observing the court's next move, while the governors of various prefectures in Lulong Town are all watching the safety of Zhang Yunshen of Youzhou.

Zhang Yunshen protected the region and its people for twenty-three years, bringing benefits to the common people, soldiers, and generals. Naturally, no one wanted him to die.

However, Zhang Yunshen was already eighty-eight years old, his life force exhausted, barely clinging to life.

"News from the south..."

In the bedroom filled with the smell of medicine, Zhang Yunshen, who looked like skin and bones, stared blankly at the canopy above his head, lying motionless on the bed, his voice too weak to utter a complete sentence.

Seeing his state, the sixty-year-old servant kneeling beside him secretly wiped away his moist eyes: "There is no news yet, but Eighth Prince has already arrived in Luoyang, so he will surely be alright."

Upon hearing this, Zhang Yunshen opened his mouth, but no sound came out.

He was clinging to life by sheer willpower; he needed Liu Jilong's promise before he dared to breathe his last.

With this belief, he has managed to hold on until now, but he can feel his life slipping away, and what his eyes can see is gradually becoming blurry and dark.

He held on from the fifteenth of the first lunar month to the thirtieth, a full fifteen days. Just when he thought he couldn't hold on any longer, his almost lost hearing suddenly became sharp again.

The sound of hurried footsteps approached from afar, and a middle-aged servant carrying a letter ran quickly, scrambling to his bedside.

"A letter has arrived from Luoyang... It's a letter from the Prince of Han!"

Upon seeing this, the old servant quickly snatched the letter, tore it open, and then glanced at him sideways.

The middle-aged servant quickly withdrew and dismissed the servants around the bedroom.

Only after he had finished doing all this did the old servant pick up the book and write: "I have recently heard of your illness and am deeply worried. Your service in guarding Youzhou and Jizhou, protecting the northern frontier, is a great achievement for the country, and is known to all in the court and among the people."

"Now that I have heard that you are seriously ill, I fear there may be unforeseen circumstances. I have ordered Cao Mao, the Governor of Guannei Circuit and Military Governor of Shuofang Army, to lead 30,000 elite cavalry and infantry eastward to Guizhou to bolster our strength."

“Your family members should be treated with care and consideration to reward your merits, so that you will not have any regrets.”

After the old servant finished reading, Zhang Yunshen's eyes seemed to sharpen, and with a sudden burst of strength, he forced out, "Good! Good! Good..."

After three consecutive sounds, Zhang Yunshen's eyes suddenly went limp, and the old servant, seeing this, also seemed to have his life force drained away, and he became dejected.

Half an hour later, when the middle-aged servant entered the hall, he stared wide-eyed at Zhang Yunshen, who had been dead for some time, on the bed. Then he looked at the old servant and said, "Father, we..."

Hearing the voice, the old servant barely mustered his spirits: "According to what the Duke said before his death, summon all the doctors and physicians in the city, and delay for as many days as possible."

“Yes…” The middle-aged servant seemed a little absent-minded. The old servant looked at him, his cloudy eyes seeming to see right through him.

"The Duke said before his death that Liu Muzhi's unification of the world is an inevitable trend. If you and I keep to our proper place, we can preserve our wealth and status. If we have other intentions, then we can expect to die and our clan to be exterminated."

"The King of Han has already dispatched 30,000 elite cavalry and infantry to Guizhou. Guizhou has 20% of the troops from Lulong. Even if those people intend to make a move, they are no match for the imperial court."

After the old servant finished speaking, he said nothing more, but stared blankly at Zhang Yunshen's corpse, refusing to leave for a long time.

Seeing this, the middle-aged servant could only suppress his own thoughts and, in accordance with Zhang Yunshen's last will and testament, continue to search for doctors and craftsmen in the city to create the illusion that Zhang Yunshen was still alive.

Meanwhile, Cao Mao, who had been stationed in Yunzhong for three days, also received an imperial edict sent by fast horse from Luoyang.

He dared not delay and immediately led an army of 30,000, carrying only half a month's worth of military rations, to Guizhou.

After Cao Mao led his army into Guizhou, Zhang Jianhui, who was stationed in Huairong City, the capital of Guizhou, received the news overnight.

Not only that, news from Ji County also reached him.

Zhang Jianhui, who was originally full of vigor, lost his composure immediately after learning of Zhang Yunshen's death.

"Screw rustle..."

When the footsteps reached the Guizhou government office, Zhang Jian would suddenly look up like a startled bird.

Li Maoxun strode into the hall, bowed to him, and said, "I've heard that the imperial court has sent troops into Guizhou. May I ask, Your Excellency, has something happened in Ji County...?"

Zhang Jian felt a sudden tightness in his chest, and Li Maoxun noticed his expression, but he remained calm and composed.

"My father is seriously ill and is worried that I am not capable of controlling Lulong, so he requests the court to send troops to help him."

"Furthermore, the King of Han has sent word that Lulong is located on the frontier and is different from the Central Plains, so there will be no interference."

What Zhang Jianhui said was all taught to him by Zhang Yunshen in the letter.

Zhang Yunshen knew very well that the interests of the hundreds of military families in Lulong were all tied to Lulong. If he were to invite trouble, Zhang Jian would certainly not survive.

However, if they change their story and first appease the governors of the various prefectures while waiting for the imperial court to send troops to protect Zhang Jianhui, then the matter will no longer be something Zhang Jianhui needs to resolve.

"This humble general understands and will certainly follow the commander's lead!"

Li Maoxun's sudden declaration of loyalty left Zhang Jianhui bewildered, but he still stepped forward to help Li Maoxun up, saying, "Uncle, there's no need for this."

The form of address immediately shortened the distance between the two sides, and Li Maoxun was satisfied when he saw this: "In that case, this humble general will go and prepare the military camps needed by the imperial army."

"Okay!" Zhang Jianhui wished Li Maoxun would leave immediately, give him some peace and quiet, and let him think about how to deal with the current situation.

Seeing his reaction, Li Maoxun immediately left the yamen.

Watching him leave, Zhang Jianhui immediately deflated like a wilted eggplant and slumped into a chair.

Without Zhang Yunshen, all his past glory is gone, and even his life is now in danger.

With this in mind, Zhang Jianhui could only place his hopes on the imperial court, urging Cao Mao to arrive in Huairong City as soon as possible.

As he was thinking this, Li Maoxun, who had left the yamen, returned to his own residence and met his eldest son, Li Keju.

Li Keju is currently serving as a cavalry general in the army, a position that is already quite high for someone who is not yet thirty years old.

With two years of dedicated training, one can rise to the rank of Military Commander.

"Father, what's wrong?"

Li Keju was practicing with his spear when he saw Li Maoxun enter the hall with a solemn expression. He immediately put his spear on the weapon rack and followed him with a puzzled look.

Li Maoxun ignored those around him, then looked seriously at Li Keju: "I'm afraid the Duke of Yan is no longer here..."

"What?" Li Keju thought he had misheard. After all, in his opinion, Zhang Yunshen was indeed a good military governor, at least he could make everyone benefit.

If Zhang Yunshen were to die, the twenty-three-year period of peace in Lulong Town would inevitably be disrupted.

After a moment of panic, a glint of shrewdness flashed in Li Keju's eyes: "Father, then we..."

"I plan to join Zhang Jianhui in surrendering to the imperial court."

Li Maoxun interrupted him and said something that surprised him.

"To surrender to the imperial court?!" Li Keju's expression turned ugly, and he couldn't help but say:
“Zhang Jianhui is incompetent and naturally needs to rely on the court, but Father, you have several thousand elite cavalry under your command, and Zhang Gong has always been arrogant.”

"Wait until Zhang Gongsu has angered both heaven and man, then you can step forward to support the banner of Lulong. Wouldn't that be wonderful?"

"If we surrender to the imperial court, given Liu Jilong's attitude towards the generals of the various towns, I'm afraid he won't give you and my son high-ranking positions and generous salaries."

In response to Li Keju's words, Li Maoxun shook his head and said, "You and I are different."

"Most others are of little use, but if you and I follow Zhang Jianhui and surrender, not to mention the thousands of cavalry under our command, Zhang Jianhui is an incompetent man. If the court wants to understand the situation in Jibei, it will definitely need you and me."

“If we surrender directly, it will naturally be of no value. But if we surrender with Zhang Jianhui, and considering that the Duke of Yan has offered money and grain to the court several times during his lifetime, Liu Jilong will have to give him some face, even if he doesn’t care about the monks.”

"Moreover, Zhang Yunshen has such a long-term vision. I believe that since he chose Liu Jilong, he must have valued something else, rather than Liu Jilong only being able to protect his family."

"Liu Jilong swept through twelve towns in just two years of eastward expansion. Now only eleven towns remain in the land. How many more years can these eleven towns hold out?"

"Liu Jilong will surely unify the world just like Emperor Taizong did in the past. That's what the Duke of Yan is betting on!"

Li Maoxun thought highly of Liu Jilong, but Li Keju still maintained the attitude of a Hebei military man.

"These three towns have been connected for a century; how could he possibly uproot them so easily?"

"If the three towns hold firm, and with Gao Pian in the south, I don't believe Liu Jilong can conquer the world."

If Liu Jilong had obtained the eight documents from the Huichang era, Li Keju certainly wouldn't have dared to say that. However, the eight documents Liu Jilong obtained were those issued after the chaos caused by Wang Shouwen, Pang Xun, Wang Xianzhi, Huang Chao, and others.

With only the broken eight routes to deal with the three towns, and having to divide his forces to deal with Gao Pian in Jiangnan, Li Keju did not believe that Liu Jilong could resolve Hebei in a short time.

Compared to his youth, Li Maoxun appeared much more mature.

"Lulong is powerful, but it cannot be compared to the three towns."

Li Maoxun looked at Li Keju and questioned, "If Chengde and Weibo were as powerful as they were in the past, would they be unable to even deal with Li Keyong of Daibei?"

"This..." Li Keju was at a loss for words, after all, the results of Chengde and Weibo in recent years were really unsightly.

Leaving aside the fact that Weibo's attack on Henan failed and they subsequently withdrew, just the fact that Wang Jingchong led Weibo troops south and was defeated by Huang Chao's night attack shows that Weibo is no longer the Weibo of yesteryear.

Even so, Li Keju was still unwilling to give up. He wanted to try to say something, but Li Maoxun shook his head and said, "You haven't seen the current government troops."

"Once the government troops enter Guizhou in two days, you will understand why I am so certain that Liu Jilong will conquer the world."

"Alright, I'm tired, you may leave now."

Li Maoxun waved for Li Keju to step down. Although Li Keju was unwilling, he still bowed and withdrew.

After he left, Li Maoxun also sent people to readjust the deployment of troops in Guizhou.

He withdrew the troops guarding the western border from the imperial court and concentrated his forces in Guichuan in the north.

He believed that Zhang Gongsu of Pingzhou had long ago planted spies in various prefectures.

If he directly sends troops to Jizhou, Zhang Gongsu will surely sense something is wrong, and may even raise an army to march on Youzhou.

However, if he sends troops to Guichuan, it would create the illusion of being on guard against the Xi people.

Even if Zhang Gongsu launches a surprise attack on Youzhou, he can quickly send troops to guard Jimen Pass (Juyong Pass) and block Zhang Gongsu's advance.

However, in his view, this was actually unnecessary, because the government troops were marching much faster than they had imagined.

On the second day of the second lunar month, as the fiery red dragon came from west to east, Zhang Jianhui and Li Maoxun, who were standing on the west city tower of Huairong, both breathed a sigh of relief.

Thirty thousand elite cavalry and infantrymen quickly arrived at the city walls. They had already donned their armor in advance, just in case.

Under Cao Mao's command, the 30,000 men were deployed with perfect ease and quickly formed ranks outside the city.

Five thousand elite cavalrymen protected the two flanks of the army, twenty thousand infantrymen served as the front and rear armies, and the central army consisted of ten thousand cavalry and infantrymen.

Thirty thousand people stood in a dense, unmoving mass, like terracotta warriors, without making a single move.

However, the sight of their gleaming weapons and the occasional hoofbeats of their horses told the people of Guizhou that they were real soldiers, not terracotta warriors.

"Beep--"

"Roar! Roar! Roar!"

As the wooden whistle sounded, 30,000 men raised their spears and lances and stomped heavily on the ground, raising clouds of dust.

The relatively uniform movements and battle cries made even the three thousand Youzhou cavalrymen responsible for providing support outside the city tense up.

The guards on the city gate tower, who had initially displayed a disdainful attitude, now all wore solemn expressions.

The only two people who showed joy were Zhang Jianhui and Li Maoxun.

"So, do you still doubt whether Liu Jilong can win the world?"

Li Maoxun looked at Li Keju, whose forehead was covered in cold sweat. Li Keju's expression changed, and he opened his mouth but did not know what to say to refute. In the end, he could only leave in a hurry with a red face.

As he left, Cao Mao, outside the city, watched the performance of the Youzhou cavalry outside Huai Rong City, and then looked up at Zhang Jianhui and the others who had done nothing.

Instead of sending anyone to discuss it, he decisively raised the command flag in his hand and swung it down sharply: "Enter the city!"

"Beep--"

(End of this chapter)