Control your ancestors and create an immortal family starting from the Eastern Han Dynasty

Chapter 130: Heroes Compete for Supremacy, Emperor Yang Dies (Seeking Monthly Tickets)

Chaos has completely erupted!
In some ways, Yang Guang's decision to flee to Jiangdu was a brilliant move.

Although he himself may never have thought about these things.

However, his escape to Jiangdu indirectly brought the chaos of the entire world to its climax.

And who wouldn't want that position?

The imperial court is completely finished!

Now that the position that could rule the world is vacant, and Yang Guang has become an emperor in name only, why can't they replace him?

March into Daxing, march into Luoyang, and rule the world!

A person's ambition gradually increases as their status changes.

These rebel kings may have initially just wanted to survive.

But once you actually get to that point, things are completely different.

The road to becoming emperor has been opened.

The heroes should rise up and pursue.

It must be said that Yang Guang's various measures greatly benefited Li Yuan.

As the core of the Guanzhong gentry.

After those aristocratic families abandoned Yang Guang, Li Yuan directly became a beneficiary.

Especially the superstitious prophecy that "Heaven's mandate is in Li's hands."

After Yang Guang's series of maneuvers, this rumor surprisingly became the most persuasive element.

This was undoubtedly helpful to Li Yuan, but he still had many problems to face.

For example, the Turks!

Li Yuan had to deal with the Turks.

Otherwise, as soon as his troops move, his rear will face a fatal threat.

Li Yuan had this in mind all along.

Therefore, since the uprising began, he has never mobilized his troops.

But things are different now.

As the saying goes, opportunity knocks but once.

For him, the current situation presents the best opportunity to advance into Guanzhong!

If he could capture Chang'an, he could use Guanzhong as a base to gradually eliminate the surrounding separatist forces and lay a solid foundation for conquering the world.

This was an opportunity that Li Yuan had to seize.

He did not want to become a second Yang Xuangan, but he failed to heed Li Mi's strategy of a swift attack on the pass, which led to his defeat and death.

In response, Li Shimin put forward an idea.

—Form an alliance with the Turks to eliminate potential threats in the rear, and then launch a swift attack on Chang'an.

This strategy can be described as incredibly bold.

Li Shimin's decisiveness was fully demonstrated at this moment.

He has an accurate judgment of any fighter jet.

As for the alliance with the Turks.

According to Li Shimin, a true man should adapt to the changing times. In the past, Han Xin endured the humiliation of crawling between someone's legs, and even Gu Chen once considered leaving Luoyang.

What good will it do them to form an alliance with the Turks in exchange for stability in their rear?
This move quickly garnered support from everyone.

They marched towards Guanzhong.

This was a major event for Li Yuan and all those under his command!
The whole world is in turmoil.

The four directions of the feudal lords vied for supremacy.

The blood-stained road has officially begun with Yang Guang's departure.

This battle is destined to be earth-shattering!

Li Yuan was not some mediocre talent; he relied entirely on his son.

He also had unique insights into the state of the world.

All he lacked was the courage to forge ahead.

But once Li Yuan made his decision, he would not hesitate any longer.

What is there to hesitate about?
Once he chose to embark on this path, there was no turning back.

The twelfth year of the Daye era;
Liu Wenjing persuaded the Turkic Khan to form an alliance with Li Yuan.

Li Yuan officially launched his westward campaign, appointing his brothers Li Jiancheng and Li Shimin as commanders. He established the overall strategy of "entering Guanzhong and commanding the world," and decided to take Chang'an directly!
The entire Central Plains was engulfed in chaos.

The Wagang Army was also unwilling to give up this opportunity, and its leader, Li Mi, intended to capture Luoyang.

They successively captured the Luoyang granary.

The key is--

Li Mi did not choose to embezzle the grain; eager to gain a foothold, he opened the granary and allowed the people to take the grain.

When the news spread, countless people flocked to the scene.

The road stretches endlessly, carrying hundreds of thousands of people.

This directly propelled Li Mi's prestige to its peak, and the strength of the Wagang Army also expanded rapidly.

One after another, Sui Dynasty officials opened the city gates and surrendered.

Their military might was aimed directly at Luoyang.

At the same time, Dou Jiande also successively conquered many places in Hebei and united with a number of anti-Sui forces.

Yu Leshoucheng took that step.

He declared himself king and established the Xia dynasty.

Your fame has spread throughout the land!

The impact of Yang Guang's escape from Jiangdu on the entire country was unimaginable, once this one-way street to becoming an emperor was opened.

The anti-Sui forces across the land will then be consolidated by true heroes.

In contrast——

Li Yuan's speed was much slower, but he still managed to break through Huoyi.

Keep moving forward.

The brothers Li Shimin and Li Jiancheng played a crucial role in this battle.

That's right, it's those two brothers.

Everyone knows that the "Hidden Crown Prince" ultimately fell short of the Heavenly Strategy General and died at the hands of Xuanwu.

However, Li Jiancheng's abilities should not be underestimated.

At this time, when it was the rainy season in Guanzhong, Li Jiancheng, like Li Shimin, strengthened Li Yuan's determination to continue the conquest.

Gu Yi had been paying attention to this matter.

Perhaps it was also due to the influence of the Gu family.

Li Jiancheng's abilities actually surpassed those of the original historical figures.

He shared weal and woe with his soldiers and did his best to revitalize the army's morale, which enabled him to work with Li Shimin to completely open the passage to Guanzhong.

Xue San was also among the traveling group.

He even managed to get a government position.

After all, he was an elite trained by the Gu family. Although he had not shown any martial arts skills or knowledge, he was fundamentally different from those refugees who looked extremely weak.

This led to Xue San's rapid promotion.

Although he couldn't suppress his desire for revenge, he also kept in mind the task Gu Yu had given him and kept observing Li Shi.

This move by Li Jiancheng.

Although it won him the hearts of many people.

However, Xue San still preferred Li Shimin more.

It wasn't because of Gu Yu's evaluation.

Gu Yu had never told him any of this; Xue San's approval of Li Shimin was entirely due to Li Shimin's decisiveness.

And then there's Li Shimin's undisguised ambition.

He wants to become the second Gu Chen!
It was this ambition that naturally attracted Xue San, who regarded the Gu family as his faith.

Moreover, Li Shimin's contribution to this crucial battle cannot be ignored.

Whether it was his fearless advance on the battlefield, his scheme to lure out Song Laosheng, or his tearful plea to Li Yuan not to retreat in the rain.

These actions made it hard for Xue San not to care more about Li Shimin.

The gears of fate had already begun to turn without our knowledge.

The Sui Dynasty came to a complete end.

Although Yang Guang still left his relatives to guard key areas, under the overwhelming tide of events, everything was irreversible.

In June of the thirteenth year of the Daye era, Li Yuan's army continued its westward advance, successfully capturing Linfen, Jiangjun, and other places, and reaching the east bank of the Yellow River.

—The dividing line of fate begins here.

As Li Yuan's eldest son, Li Jiancheng had to bear the pressure from the rear and was summoned by Li Yuan to lead the vanguard to guard Tongguan Pass.

Li Shimin's second son continued to lead his troops across the Yellow River and into Guanzhong.

The two brothers' paths diverged from that point on.

However, no one was able to detect anything.

Including themselves.

Before their departure, the two brothers even met privately.

"Second Brother, with me in charge of the rear, supplies and weapons will be plentiful." Li Jiancheng grasped Li Shimin's wrist, the warmth of his palm conveying an unquestionable promise. "Just go for it and don't worry about anything else."

Li Shimin slowly rose, bowed deeply to Li Jiancheng, his straight back like a drawn sword, and said in a firm and powerful voice, "Brother, please rest assured, I will certainly not fail your trust."

After saying that, he turned to leave.

But at that moment, Li Jiancheng suddenly strode forward and pressed his broad palm heavily on his shoulder.

Li Shimin stopped and turned around. Their eyes met, and a rare ripple appeared in Li Jiancheng's eyes. He admonished, "Swords have no eyes. As the commander-in-chief, you must not put yourself in danger again."

His voice trembled slightly, and his fingertips tightened unconsciously. "Do you know that I have never been able to put my mind at ease, even though I am worried about you every day?"

Li Shimin's Adam's apple bobbed as he recalled the scenes of fighting alongside his elder brother during this period.

A lump welled up in his throat, but he forced it back, transforming it into a hearty smile on his lips:
"Brother, you should know my aspirations."

His gaze was intense as he looked at the darkening clouds on the horizon. "If we cannot share life and death with our soldiers, how can we talk about conquering the world? How can we talk about pursuing the Marquis Zhaolie?"

Li Jiancheng looked at his younger brother's resolute profile, and finally sighed as he let go of his hand.

Li Jiancheng was well aware of Li Shimin's ambitions.

Knowing it was impossible to persuade Li Shimin, they said no more, only emphasizing "take care" a couple more times before the two brothers parted ways.

The wheels of history turn ever forward.

Compared to the original historical records, Li Shimin of today is indeed much stronger.

Although on the surface he still followed the original historical pattern, he always kept a close eye on military discipline and ensured that the people in various places were not harmed in the slightest.

But beyond that.

He, on the other hand, is better at making use of his strengths.

"The Mandate of Heaven is with Li."

This prophecy had been blessed by Yang Guang, so how could Li Shimin let such an opportunity pass?
He secretly ordered people to keep spreading this rumor.

At the same time, they were also recruiting troops from all directions.

Strict military discipline, coupled with the ever-spreading prophecies, undoubtedly greatly enhanced Li Yuan's prestige.

Li Shimin's personal charisma was on full display at this time.

Attack the granary and distribute the grain to the people.

Regardless of their status, anyone who surrenders will be given absolute trust as long as they have the ability.

This kind of magnanimity and character has spread far and wide.

—The entire Guanzhong Plain was conquered from all directions!

Even Li Yuan's daughter, Pingyang, raised an army and captured several small cities.

From anti-Sui rebels and Sui officials to local tyrants and commoners, everyone was chanting the name of the "Li family"!
In a short period of time.

Li Shimin then directly expanded his army to over 100,000.

Although the recruited men are not truly elite, so what?
How many elite troops could the feudal lords of the world possibly have?

Moreover, Li Shimin was well aware that the Li family's prestige had reached an astonishing level, and this move would greatly affect the morale of the local troops!
This was also one of his goals!

Li Shimin possessed an invincible spirit; he was very clear about his goals and would dedicate himself entirely to achieving them.

This is what truly made Li Shimin extraordinary.

Under these circumstances.

at last.

As Li Yuanji led his elite troops across the Yellow River again to reunite with Li Shimin, the army headed straight for Chang'an.

Almost every city along the way surrendered without resistance.

The garrison in Chang'an was in a state of panic and had no chance of stopping Li Yuan.

November;
Li Yuan finally captured Chang'an and firmly established himself in the entire Guanzhong region.

Jiangdu.

Yang Guang seemed to have foreseen all of this.

He has long lost the vigor and spirit of his youth. This escape to the river seems to have made him completely lose all his ambition.

He spent his days with disheveled hair, immersing himself once again in women.

However, he developed an extra habit.

Almost every day, he would look at his face in the bronze mirror and mutter to himself, "What a fine head, who can take it?"

Who can take it?

He didn't know either.

The situation in the world had completely slipped out of his control; he was no longer the emperor who could control everything.

However, for Yang Guang at this moment...

He no longer cared about so much; he wanted to numb himself through a life of debauchery, so that he wouldn't be overwhelmed by the confusion in his heart.

He couldn't understand why the people of the world were turning against him!
Yang Guang returned to his former state.

Not long after arriving in Jiangdu, he once again ordered a beauty pageant to be held for him throughout the entire city.

He completely cut off all news about the Central Plains and spent his days in a drunken stupor.

What's there to pay attention to?

Regardless of what happens in the Central Plains, Jiangdu is his best protection.

At least--

He was ultimately safe until the rebel kings in the Central Plains had completely decided their victories.

But many things already have their prices implicitly marked.

Yang Guang's biggest mistake was that he never treated his ordinary soldiers and the people of the world as human beings.

He neglected the morale of his soldiers.

Furthermore, the soldiers' homesickness was overlooked.

Given the current chaos in the Central Plains, who wouldn't miss their family?

Furthermore, Yang Guang never concealed his unwillingness to return to the Central Plains.

Under these circumstances.

A dramatic change occurred suddenly.

A mutiny originating from within the Sui court ultimately ended Yang Guang's life.

Gu Yi had never paid attention to Yang Guang.

His main focus remained on the Gu family and Li Shimin.

After confirming that the Gu family would not cause any problems, he turned his attention to Li Shimin.

To his surprise—

Li Shimin actually discovered Xue San's identity.

No, it can't be said that he realized Xue San's identity.

It was Li Yuan.

Li Yuan had a very rare ability: he could remember the appearance of anyone after just one glance.

He had met Xue San back when Gu Zhe was still alive.

The reason why they could trust Li Shimin so much was not only because of the excuse that Li Shimin had come up with, but also because of Xue San.

This was completely unexpected by Gu Yi.

And the most important thing is——

Upon learning of this, Li Shimin made an unprecedented decision!
He actually wanted to rush to the Gu family!
In these chaotic and uncertain times, let's go to the Gu family!
------

"In the fourteenth year, on the day of Bingchen in the third month."

Yuwen Huaji, the Right Guard General, and others plotted a rebellion and assassinated the emperor at the Wensheng Temple. He was fifty years old at the time.

Empress Xiao ordered the palace maids to remove the bed mats and use them as a coffin to bury him.

After the coffin was laid to rest, General Chen Ling of the Right Imperial Guard escorted the coffin to the Chengxiang Hall and buried it beneath the Wu Gong Terrace.

—From the Annals of Emperor Yang of Sui (Book of Sui)

(End of this chapter)