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

Chapter 274 The Human Heart's Fleeting Moments, Holding the Whole Situation (Seeking Monthly Tickets)

Xixia, Xingqing Mansion.

The Prime Minister's desk was soon piled high with reports about rumors circulating in the marketplace and unusual activities by Song merchants.

"It's psychological warfare again!"

Looking at the memorials, Mo Cang E Pang frowned deeply, his expression turning extremely grim.

Now that things have come to this point, how could he not realize the problem?
Who else but the Gu family, known for their psychological manipulation, could employ such insidious and precise methods?

In response, he has taken various measures, including strictly prohibiting the spread of rumors and even punishing several minor officials who gossiped.

But as the saying goes, no matter how much he does, no matter how vehemently he emphasizes in court that he is irreconcilably opposed to the Gu family and has no connection with them, it will all be in vain.

He was not of the Gu family. Within the Western Xia, he relied on political maneuvering and family marriage alliances, rather than the almost mythical prestige of the Gu family.

The trust that the common people and nobles placed in him was conditional and its foundation was far from solid!

Not to mention the people of the Liao Kingdom, who would be happy to see cracks appear within the Western Xia.

He could not control the thoughts of other nobles or even members of the royal family in Xingqing Prefecture.

This is especially true for families who originally had close trade ties with Song merchants and seemed to have benefited from the concessions made by Song merchants, but in reality, their interests were harmed due to the possibility of subsequent trade disruptions.

Once the seeds of suspicion are sown, they will quietly grow in the fertile ground of power.

A few days later, during a military meeting, this suspicion turned into real pressure.

A royal general who had always been at odds with the Meizang family spoke sarcastically during a discussion about reinforcing Huanqing: "Prime Minister, the soldiers on the front lines are fighting with their lives on the line, and General Renta is fighting a bloody battle."

"However, there are many rumors circulating in the rear, and it is inevitable that they will shake the morale of the troops."

"If this is not clarified, the soldiers will not be able to fight with peace of mind. If the Liao Kingdom misunderstands because of this, wouldn't that be even worse?"

These words, seemingly expressing concern, were actually veiled attacks, linking potential setbacks at the front to "rumors" from the rear, and subtly placing Mozang Epang in a position where he might be misunderstood.

Mo Zang E Pang was seething with anger, but he had to forcefully suppress it.

He knew that any overreaction at this moment would be seen as a guilty conscience.

After a moment of silence, he could only say in a deep voice, "Whether the Liao Kingdom has misunderstood depends on whether our army can win at the front!"

"As long as Rendo Baozhong can take Qingjian City, all the rumors will fall apart on their own!"

"Pass down the order to urge all units to intensify their offensive and take Qingjian before the Liao people make a breakthrough!"

He had no choice but to do it.

Retreating now would not only undo all previous efforts and confirm the accusations of his guilty conscience, but would also give his political enemies a legitimate reason to attack him.

He could only pin his hopes on a decisive victory to silence everyone's criticism and vindicate himself.

However, when this order, which carried the implication of a desperate gamble, reached the hands of Rendo Yasutada at the front line, it caused even this veteran general to frown.

What he felt was not encouragement, but rather the invisible pressure and distrust from behind.

Is the Prime Minister somewhat flustered by the rumors?
This order, which disregarded casualties and sought only a swift victory, suited the tastes of the younger generation, but it gave the commander-in-chief, who knew the Song army's resilience, a sense of foreboding.

But military orders are absolute, and Ren Duobaozhong could only suppress his doubts and throw more Iron Falcons and Foot Battalions into the fierce attack on Qingjian City and its surrounding fortresses.

In an instant, the Western Xia army's offensive became even more ferocious.

But, still the same sentence.

All of this was ultimately in vain.

How could the military strength of the Western Xia be comparable to that of the Song Dynasty?
Moreover, the system that the Gu family is currently implementing makes the most of all their experienced soldiers!

Even though the Western Xia had already launched a full-scale offensive.

However, it was impossible for them to break through the Song army's defenses immediately.

Although the problem of canal transport has not been completely resolved, under the military stockpiling system, the pressure on food supplies at the front is not as great as imagined.

All of this suddenly became a sensitive issue for those with ulterior motives.

Human hearts are fickle, and wise men are often overthinking.

"The Western Xia are putting on an act to lull us into a false sense of security and make us believe that they have truly not joined forces with the Song Dynasty!"

Countless people had this thought immediately.

Liao Kingdom, Zhongjing.

When the report of the Western Xia's fierce attack being thwarted and the Song army's stubborn resistance was received, there was a great deal of discussion in the imperial court.

Yelü Renxian, the Deputy Chief of the Northern Court, immediately stepped forward and said in a passionate tone, "Your Majesty! The Western rebels have failed to capture Qingjian, clearly indicating that they have not exerted their full strength!"

"They must be colluding with the Song people, and are deliberately putting on a show to lull our army into a false sense of security!"

"Your Majesty, I request that you issue an edict to severely question Xingqing Prefecture and order Marshal Xiao Hui to immediately adjust the deployment to prevent any unforeseen circumstances!"

Another minister was even more radical: "Your Majesty, the Western Xia are fickle and treacherous! Rather than waiting for them to break the alliance, we should strike first, at least tear up the treaty and withdraw our troops, so as not to be pulled out of the fire for them!"

On the dragon throne, Yelü Zongzhen's face was ashen, his fingers tapping lightly on the armrest.

He was also filled with suspicion about the Western Xia.

But as the king of a country.

He had to remain absolutely rational; the current situation was already very bad, and he absolutely could not act impulsively.

In particular, the person playing chess this time was from the Gu family!
He recalled the methods used by the Gu family throughout history, especially their skill in winning hearts and minds and their ability to strike with devastating force.

"Such rumors, with such opportune timing and relentless pressure, are very much like the work of the Gu family." Yelü Zongzhen took a deep breath and forcibly suppressed the urge to immediately turn against Western Xia.

He could not completely rule out the possibility that this was a divisive tactic employed by the Song people.

After all, they are from a different race.

However, countless people have suffered losses due to the Gu family in this regard.

"Enough!" he thought, and interrupted the courtiers' argument in a deep voice. "Rumors are just rumors. Without any evidence, how can we rashly resort to arms, break the alliance, and let the Song people reap the benefits?"

He swept his gaze across the crowd. "Issue an edict to Xiao Hui: the offensive at the front must not be relaxed, but we must be doubly vigilant against the Western Xia and be on high alert for any unusual movements of their troops. Without my explicit decree, we must not initiate a conflict with the Western Xia."

Yelü Zongzhen chose to be cautious, believing it to be the safest strategy.

Regardless of the situation.

The Liao Kingdom was able to respond.

But in the end, it was all in vain; that's just how people are.

As long as these endless rumors continue, the seeds of doubt will spread indefinitely.

Gu Rui, however, would absolutely not let these rumors stop.

From then on, the already fragile bond of trust between Xia and Liao, though not completely severed, had been worn down to its last few strands.

The border scouts from both sides are moving back and forth more frequently, their eyes filled with vigilance.

Although communication was not completely cut off, the words were filled with cold skepticism and alienation.

A heavy, volatile hostility permeated the two countries.

While the front lines are still coordinating their operations against the Song, behind the scenes, each side is preparing for a possible showdown.

Just as this taut string was about to reach its limit, Gu Rui's long-planned final blow finally came crashing down!

Xijing Road.

Since following Gu Jin in attacking the Liao Kingdom, this crucial territory has been under the control of the Western Xia for many years.

For decades, the two countries have fought many wars over this issue. The Liao people were determined to recover the lost territory, while the Western Xia refused to give up an inch of land. Blood stained the wasteland, and bones sank into the sand. The enmity has long permeated every inch of this land.

At this moment, it was located within an important pasture on the outskirts of Xijing Road.

A cavalry force of about three hundred men lay in ambush like ghosts on the edge of an important pasture.

They were all dressed in the standard leather armor of the Liao Dynasty's palace army, with scimitars and maces commonly used by the Liao people hanging from their saddles. Even the horseshoes of their warhorses had been modified, so that they landed with a dull thud, just like the Liao army's elite troops during night raids.

At the front of the column, a young general whose face resembled Gu Rui's but was sharper and more flamboyant was gently stroking his mount's mane, his cold eyes fixed on the faint lights on the distant grassland.

He is Gu Rui's younger brother, Gu Hong.

"Check everyone thoroughly. Don't leave behind anything you shouldn't have, not even a single piece of Song Dynasty paper." Gu Hong's voice was not loud, but carried a calmness that was beyond his years. He spoke in standard Hebei Mandarin, which was completely out of place with his Liao army uniform.

His gaze swept over the silent warriors behind him. “Once this matter is settled, the Censorate will not forget your contributions.” “Whether it is the brothers from Hebei, or…” He paused, looking at some of the knights with deeper facial features but equally determined eyes, “or the Liao friends who are loyal to the Gu family and willing to risk their lives for the greater good.”

Upon hearing this, everyone present nodded in agreement.

—This is an absolutely elite group!

Among them were not only spies trained by the Song Dynasty over the years, but also many members of the Gu family from local tribes.

Gu Hong spent a considerable amount of effort to secretly gather these people.

He recalled everything that had happened before he left the Song Dynasty.

Gu Hong's feelings were somewhat complicated.

I felt a mix of nervousness and a strange urge to complain.

Even he had to admit that his older brother was incredibly cunning.

Not long after the Western Xia and Liao Kingdoms attacked the Song Dynasty, Gu Rui had already arranged for him to go to the Liao Kingdom to secretly select troops.

At first, he didn't understand what Gu Rui was trying to do.

But as time went by and the situation developed, he finally understood Gu Rui's thoughts.

He could only summarize it with one word.

--Negative!

By now, he had a pretty good idea of ​​what Gu Rui was thinking.

To put it bluntly, things have come to this point.

Once he has successfully taken this step, there is no need to pay attention to so much else. No matter what those people in the court think, as long as this trend is established, that is enough.

And this is the final step in creating this momentum!
Time passes slowly.

Just as dawn was breaking, the guards on the Xixia watchtower in the grassland were at their most tired and relaxed during the night.

Gu Hong suddenly raised his hand and then swung it forward forcefully!
"Get to work! Remember the slogan!"

Three hundred Liao cavalrymen burst forth like a flood breaking through a dam, their hooves thundering, yet carrying the characteristic carefree howls of Liao cavalry, as they charged straight towards the grassland camp!

The alarm gong sounded shrilly, and Yeli Yuqi, the Western Xia general who was left to guard the grassland, rushed out of his tent and was shocked by the scene before him.

The camp had been breached, flames were everywhere, and cavalrymen in familiar Liao army attire galloped across the battlefield, cutting down anyone they saw and burning any tents they encountered!

"Liao dogs! How dare you invade our borders!" Yeli Yuqi swung his knife to deflect a stray arrow and roared angrily in the Tangut language.

His answer was a wolf-tooth arrow that accurately pierced the plume of his helmet, and a roar that resounded throughout the arena, spoken in a heavily Khitan-accented Tangut language: "Tangut thief!"

"Having occupied the former territory of our Great Liao for decades, today, King Yelü has specially ordered us to recover the old debts and reclaim the old land!"

"Reclaim our lost territory!!" Scattered responses rang out from all around, all deliberately imitating the Khitan accent.

Yeli Yuqi was deeply shaken. Looking at the Liao army's armor gleaming in the firelight and hearing the unmistakable slogan, a surge of anger at being betrayed rushed to his head.

"It really was you! Kill! Kill all these treacherous Liao dogs!"

The attack came quickly and went quickly.

By the time the Western Xia reinforcements arrived from nearby, the grassland was in ruins, with heavy casualties among people and livestock.

The Liao army, along with a small number of captured horses, had already disappeared into the gradually brightening morning light, leaving behind only a mess and the arrogant boast of recovering lost territory, which spread like a plague among the Western Xia garrison.

The trend is achieved!

—The news spread rapidly throughout the world.

As the news spread, the situation became completely chaotic.

Xixia, Xingqing Mansion.

The situation in the entire court was extremely serious.

Looking at the enraged young emperor on the dragon throne, even though they knew the emperor didn't have much power yet, the ministers couldn't help but feel a little fear, and their expressions were all very ugly.

"How dare you, you Liao dogs!"

Li Liangzuo's face flushed with rage. He abruptly stood up from his throne and roared, "This is the rumor you spoke of that needed to be treated with caution? We're already facing death!"

Although he did not name names.

But almost everyone understood what he meant.

This is aimed at Mei Zang E Pang!
This is the biggest problem facing Western Xia at present. As the young emperor grows older, the issue of power will naturally be brought to the forefront.

Even at this moment, many people were still thinking that the emperor was deliberately targeting the prime minister!

The entire hall was silent.

Mo Zang E Pang's expression was extremely complicated. After hesitating for a long time, he slowly stepped forward, cupped his hands towards Li Liangzuo, and said, "Your Majesty, please calm your anger!"

"This matter is too suspicious!"

"Even if the Liao Kingdom harbors ulterior motives, why did they choose this moment, when our army is locked in fierce combat with the Song army, to carry out this act, which is tantamount to a declaration of war?"

"Isn't this like cutting off one's own arm, allowing the Song people to reap the benefits?"

"I fear this is still the Gu family's treacherous scheme!"

"Their intention is to provoke Your Majesty, so that our Great Xia will completely break with the Liao Kingdom, and they can extricate themselves from this situation, Your Majesty!"

However, under the current circumstances, how can everyone possibly listen to what is being said?
This is the grand strategy that Gu Rui has been building!
Almost instantly, a military general retorted sharply, "Prime Minister!"

"The facts are undeniable. General Yeli saw and heard them with his own eyes. Are they all false?"

"Those words about recovering lost territory are clearly the long-cherished wish of the Liao dogs!"

"They took advantage of the fact that my army was tied up on the eastern front by the Song army, leaving the Xijing Road undefended!"

"If we do not retaliate now, what face will our Great Xia have left?"

"How could the other tribes of Xijing Road be willing to die for me again?"

"Yes, Your Majesty! Even if the Gu family is cunning, do you think they can conjure up hundreds of sets of Liao army armor and use real Khitan accents to put on a show?" another person echoed loudly.

Looking at the surging emotions in the court, Mo Zang E Pang felt a chill in his heart.

He knew that any rational analysis he made at this moment would seem so pale and powerless in the face of the overwhelming public opinion against the attack on his homeland and the military's ignited anger, and might even be interpreted as cowardice or ulterior motives.

And looking at everyone present.

After a long silence, Li Liangzuo finally waved his hand sharply: "Enough!"

"Prime Minister, I understand your concerns."

"But the Liao people have already put their swords to our necks. If we do not fight back, won't the world laugh at our Great Xia for being weak and easily bullied?"

"I have made up my mind!"

He turned to the Minister of War and said sternly, "Immediately dispatch a portion of the Capture and Rescue Army to reinforce Xijing Road and keep a close eye on the Liao people's every move!"

"Frontline. The offensive against Song is temporarily suspended!"

"I command Ren Duo to secure the existing positions. Without my order, no large-scale offensive is permitted!"

Although this order did not immediately launch a full-scale war against the Liao Dynasty, the shift in strategic focus and the cessation of the offensive against the Song Dynasty clearly demonstrated the attitude of the Western Xia.

And that's not all!

"In addition, send someone to the Great Song Dynasty."

A light, casual remark was uttered.

Finally, Li Liangzuo's gaze fell upon Mozang Epang, the young man's face brimming with youthful vigor.

This is the core of the plan.

What the truth behind all this is, for Li Liangzuo, is actually not a big deal.

He doesn't care about that.

For Li Liangzuo, all he knew was that this was the best opportunity to target Mezang Epang.

He is going to reclaim the power that belongs to the emperor!
(P.S.: I'm begging for monthly votes! Please support me, brothers! I'd be extremely grateful!!!)

(End of this chapter)