My older brother is Gao Huan.

Chapter 277 Erzhu Rong's Counterattack
Yuan Ziyou's gaze was intense, and his tone carried the imposing authority of an emperor who was not stern but stern.

Despite having only held the throne for a few months, his growth rate was extremely fast.

He was extremely skilled in political maneuvering and the art of checks and balances. Under high pressure, he hastily ascended to the throne and experienced the Heyin Incident, in which princes, ministers, and officials were slaughtered. His brothers and nephews were killed one by one in front of him, and he was almost forced to write an abdication edict on the second day of his coronation.

After a month of relative peace, Luoyang was besieged by a coalition of 300,000 troops from the Southern Liang Dynasty.

Many emperors may not have experienced as many things in their entire lives as he did in those few short months.

Everyone turned their attention to Gao Yu, waiting for his answer: could he resist such temptation?
This is a step to success!
Gao Yu was previously just a Gentleman Attendant, and his title was the lowest-ranking county magistrate. To be promoted to General of Chariots and Cavalry in one step was already an extraordinary promotion. If a "General of Heavenly Strategy" were to come along, and even more so if he successfully cast a golden statue in front of everyone.

That would truly be 'second only to one person, above ten thousand others,' meaning he was basically on par with Erzhu Rong in terms of official rank.

But if you accept it.

No matter how close Erzhu Rong and Gao Yu's relationship was before, the two will eventually break up.

because……

Gao Yu already possesses the ability and qualifications to compete with Erzhu Rong.

A power struggle between two ministers will emerge in the imperial court. Even if Erzhu Rong wants to force Yuan Ziyou, he will have to take into account Gao Yu's presence.

Gao Yu was not promoted forcibly, but was promoted because he was truly capable and had made outstanding military achievements.

If Erzhu Rong were to actually engage in a full-scale battle with Gao Yu's army, he might not be confident enough to defeat Gao Yu.

Erzhu Rong pursued a "policy of elite troops," which can be seen from the size of the army under his command.

Coincidentally, Gao Yu also adhered to the "elite army policy," and what was most terrifying about Gao Yu was that he himself possessed the bravery of a hegemon, and Erzhu Rong had no fierce generals under his command who could match him.

When both sides have elite troops, the competition comes down to the individual bravery of their generals.

Gao Yu sighed inwardly. Things had come to this point, and he had no way out.

If you don't make progress when you should, how can your subordinates make progress? And how can you lead the Xuanjia Army in the future?

At the same time, Gao Yu was also exhausted.

Caught between Erzhu Rong and Yuan Ziyou, he was in a dilemma and couldn't help but feel resentful. He thought that a ruler must have the magnanimity and breadth of mind to rule the world. If he didn't even have this much magnanimity and breadth of mind, he wouldn't be able to tolerate him now, and he wouldn't be able to tolerate him in the future either.

He no longer wanted to be subservient to others; he wanted to control his own destiny.

Clenching his fist, Gao Yu's eyes became incredibly determined. He didn't want to control the army of the world, but he also didn't want his fate to be controlled by others.

He immediately bowed and said loudly.

"The casting of the golden statue is a decree from the Eternal Heaven. Since it was a dream sent by the Eternal Heaven to the previous emperors, how dare I disobey the mandate of Heaven? I am willing to accept Your Majesty's reward!"

"it is good!"

Yuan Ziyou clenched his fists, overjoyed!

He quickly stepped forward and helped Gao Yu up, saying, "From this day forward, General Gao Yu of Chariots and Cavalry is hereby promoted to General of the Heavenly Strategy!"

Having said that, Yuan Ziyou turned to look at the ministers and officials, and seeing that they were still hesitating, he immediately said in a cold voice, "Do any of you have any objections?"

Yang Chun, Mu Shao, and the others immediately bowed, exclaiming, "Your Majesty is wise!"

Erzhu Shilong and the others were still hesitant, waiting to see Erzhu Rong's attitude.

Erzhu Rong looked at Gao Yu with complicated emotions. Had it really come to this?

"Prime Minister, is there any further objection?"

Yuan Ziyou's words brought Erzhu Rong back to reality. He was no longer expressionless, and everyone could see the complex emotions in his eyes. He said loudly, "The will of Heaven is hard to defy... Your Majesty is wise. I congratulate General Tian Ce. I hope that you will not disappoint Your Majesty's high expectations in the future and will protect the country and the nation of our Great Wei."

"This humble general will certainly live up to Your Majesty's and the Prime Minister's expectations."

"Let's discuss the rest of the matters back in the palace first."

There are indeed still many things to do.

The title of General of Heavenly Strategy was merely a temporary one; what rank was it? Specific responsibilities were not defined.

The group returned to the Taiji Hall.

Yuan Ziyou then said, "In addition to bestowing the title of General of the Heavenly Strategy, General Gao Yu of the Heavenly Strategy is also granted the title of Earl of Zhoucheng County."

Zhoucheng County is located at the foot of Qishan Mountain in Qizhou. This area is the site of the Zhou Dynasty, hence the name Zhoucheng.

Yuan Ziyou naturally had his own deeper meaning.

Normally, given Gao Yu's claim that his ancestors came from the Bohai Gao clan, the proper procedure for bestowing a title upon him would be to grant it to the Bohai clan, or, since Gao Yu came from Huai Shuo, it could also be granted to the Huai Shuo clan.

Erzhu Rong, out of personal motives, granted Gao Yu his title in Cangcheng County, within the territory of Sizhou.

Erzhu Rong was not going to be granted the Nine Bestowments?

He then promptly bestowed Gao Yu's title upon the former site of the Zhou Dynasty.

This is only the surface... the real meaning is much deeper.

"Prince Fengyi had previously submitted a memorial stating that he was old and frail and unable to serve in the army. However, the bandits in Guanzhong, Xiao Baoyin and Wanqi Chounu, had not yet been pacified and were still causing trouble in the region."

"General Tian Ce is exceptionally brave and skilled. He is perfectly suited to go to Yongzhou to replace Prince Fengyi and continue leading the army westward to eliminate the bandits and completely quell the banditry in Guanzhong!"

"I wish to appoint the General of the Heavenly Strategy, with imperial insignia, to oversee the military affairs of Yong, Qi, Bin, and Jing, as well as the Grand Chancellor of Shaanxi Province, with the same rank as the Three Excellencies."

Okay.

Before Yuan Ziyou made that statement, the specific rank of the position of General of Heavenly Strategy was entirely in Yuan Ziyou's hands.

After reciting this string of rapid-fire phrases, the Heavenly Strategy General is undoubtedly a first-rank official!
However, Yuan Ziyou also left himself a back door. He did not grant Gao Yu a title immediately, clearly to prevent a repeat of the situation where Erzhu Rong had "nothing left to bestow titles upon."

What Gao Yu lacks is a solid foundation; what he needs is a territory to develop properly.

Through generations of management by the Erzhu clan, Erzhu Rong had completely controlled the Shanxi region, making it his base of operations. He held a dominant position north of Luoyang and enjoyed all the advantages of the terrain!

He then sent Gao Yu to Guanzhong.

Guanzhong is located west of Luoyang. If Luoyang is in trouble, Guanzhong can come to its aid at any time, thus perfectly counterbalancing Erzhu Rong in Shanxi.

And the reasons they gave were perfectly valid.

Indeed, there were rebellions in Guanzhong led by Xiao Baoyin that had not yet been quelled. Gao Yu made outstanding military achievements and his fame spread throughout the world.

Who doesn't recognize Gao Erlang, the Demon-Faced Man in Black Armor?
As for whether this will lead to future trouble, I'll say it again.

Erzhu Rong's ambition to usurp the throne was almost no longer concealed; resolving the most pressing issue was paramount.

In the most ideal situation.

Erzhu Rong and Gao Yu checked and balanced each other. No matter how they fought, they would eventually have to rely on him as the nominal ruler of the world. At that time, his throne would be more secure, and he would be able to exercise imperial power outside the sphere of influence of the two men. Then he could slowly find a way to take back the power from the two men.

Besides...

If he can support Gao Yu in fighting Erzhu Rong, he might be able to support someone else in fighting Gao Yu in the future.

As long as the power to make empty promises remains in one's own hands, the world will never lack capable and ambitious individuals attempting to achieve instant success.

Will you agree?

Guanzhong.

The place widely recognized as the birthplace of the Chinese dragon.

Both the Qin and Han dynasties originated from Guanzhong and ultimately gained control of the empire.

The Guanzhong region is similar to the Shanxi region, both possessing geographical advantages. They can advance eastward to conquer the world or retreat to establish their own territory based on the natural defenses of mountains and rivers. Moreover, the Guanzhong Plain is a fertile land. Although the land of Guanzhong was overdeveloped during the Qin and Han dynasties, it is still a treasure land.

"Your Majesty! This matter needs further discussion."

Erzhu Rong indeed stepped forward. How could he possibly allow Gao Yu to lead troops to Guanzhong?

However, Gao Yu could not be allowed to remain in Luoyang; he had to be "exiled" and driven from the center of power to the periphery.

"Oh? What brilliant idea does the Prime Minister have?"

"Your Majesty, the bravery of General Tian Ce is such that even if the ancient overlord were to be resurrected, he would be no more than this. However... his fame mainly spread throughout Hebei and Shandong, and also reached the Southern Dynasty with the defeated troops of Southern Liang. News from Guanzhong is scarce, and the bandits there may not know of General Tian Ce's fame!"

"Although we have repelled the Southern Liang army's northern expedition, their defeated soldiers have also fled back. The defeated soldiers of the original Shandong rebels have also fled back, which may cause unforeseen changes."

"In recent years, our Great Wei has suffered from war and natural disasters. The most important thing is to restore production in the fertile land of Hebei and produce grain. What we need is for Shandong, Xuzhou and other places to remain peaceful."

In my opinion...

Erzhu Rong paused for a moment, then said, “Why not send General Tian Ce to Xuzhou, Yanzhou, Qingzhou and other places, so that his reputation can deter the local villains and prevent the island barbarians from going north to cause trouble again!”

The "island barbarians" refers to the Southern Liang dynasty.

Both the North and South had derogatory terms for each other. The Northern Dynasty called the southern side "island barbarians," while the Southern Dynasty called the northern side "barbarian barbarians."

"This……"

Erzhu Rong didn't give Yuan Ziyou a chance to refute at all.

"General Tian Ce is indeed brave and has made great contributions. Your Majesty appreciates talent and can understand that. However... Your Majesty cannot disregard other generals and soldiers. Does Your Majesty think that only General Tian Ce is capable of leading troops in the court of our Great Wei?"

"My memorial is entirely selfless and for the public good! It is most appropriate and beneficial for our Great Wei to send General Tian Ce to Xuzhou and other places with his prestigious reputation! I hope Your Majesty will not let personal matters interfere with public duty!"

Absolutely no selfish motives whatsoever?

Yuan Ziyou sneered.

The Northern Wei's control over Xuzhou had long since diminished.

Only a small area north of Pengcheng remains.

Erzhu Rong clearly wanted to drive Gao Yu to Shandong.

The three prefectures of Xu, Yan, and Qing have no natural defenses and are therefore vulnerable to attack from all sides, with the southern border directly facing the Southern Liang.

More importantly……

Hebei and Shandong are the ancestral lands of the Central Plains, where Han Chinese aristocratic families have deep roots.

Gao Yu, a lowly soldier from Huai Shuo, would be difficult to control even if he were to take up his post.

Moreover, if something happens in Luoyang, Shandong won't be able to come to their aid immediately, cutting off Gao Yu's direct contact with them.

but……

Erzhu Rong's statement was perfectly reasonable and had a strong argument!
Yuan Ziyou had already taken a hard line, and he knew he had to back down.

After thinking for a moment, he nodded.

"It was my oversight. Then I will appoint General Gao Yu as the Imperial Envoy, Commander-in-Chief of the military affairs of Xu, Yan and Qing provinces, Grand General of the Eastern Route, and Grand Master of the Three Departments."

PS: Sorry, only two updates today, I didn't check a lot of information.

(End of this chapter)