My older brother is Gao Huan.

Chapter 280 What, you also want to experience being an emperor?
Gao Yu had just entered Luoyang City.

Yuwen Tai was waiting for him there. When he saw Gao Yu coming, Yuwen Tai knelt down and blocked Gao Yu's way.

"Meet the general."

He still has the familiar image of a big black rat, but after not seeing him for several years, Yuwen Tai has become much more robust. However, the years of travel and long-term life in the military camp have also made his skin darker. If you didn't know better, you would think he was some Kunlun slave, Brother Ni.

"Get up. We are old acquaintances, there's no need for such formalities."

Gao Yu dismounted, but Yuwen Tai did not rise. Instead, he remained kneeling before him. "Please, General, return my brother's body to me so that I may bury him..."

Many people have already noticed this.

In fact, Heba Yue, Li Hu and others were watching from a distance. Unlike Gao Yu, they did not hold high positions of power and could not act as they pleased.

However, judging from their location, they clearly knew that Gao Yu, given his character, would definitely come to collect Yuwen Luosheng's body.

As soon as Gao Yu raised his hand, Peng Le, who was beside him, understood and handed the corpse back to Yuwen Tai.

Yuwentai kowtowed several times, then turned around with the corpse on his back.

Gao Yu remained silent for a moment before speaking, "If you encounter any problems in the future, you can come to me. The Yuwen family did me a favor back then, and it was truly unfortunate that I was unable to protect Young Master Yuwen..."

Even the common people in Luoyang knew about it.

General Tian Ce is a favorite of His Majesty, wielding immense power!

Such words are almost equivalent to enabling an ordinary person to rise to prominence, facing the olive branch extended by Gao Yu.

however.

Yuwen Tai kept in mind Yuwen Luosheng's words of advice.

"His Majesty and Erzhu Rong will inevitably clash head-on. Erzhu Rong has no capable men under his command, and the Erzhu clan members are all incompetent fools. We, the people of Wuchuan, have a reputation for bravery, and Erzhu Rong will surely win us over, give us important positions, and change his previous mind. This is your opportunity, Black Otter!"

Yuwen Tai didn't pause at all, as if he hadn't even considered the question in his mind.

After walking a short distance away, Yuwen Tai said coldly, "Thank you for your kindness, General. Today, you have helped me collect my brother's body and allowed him to be buried with dignity. You are a great benefactor to my Yuwen family. If we are talking about repaying a debt of gratitude, we can never repay your kindness."

After saying that, he continued walking forward.

Gao Yu couldn't help but sigh inwardly.

We're short of talent.

Although he was not particularly knowledgeable about the history of the Northern and Southern Dynasties, Yuwen Tai was someone who could be compared with King Gao, and historically, the overall national strength of the Western Wei was not as good as that of the Eastern Wei, especially in the early period.

The frequent rebellions in Longxi and Guanzhong have led to sparse population and abandoned farmland.

In addition, the combined influence of the Qin and Han dynasties, spanning several hundred years, significantly reduced the carrying capacity of the Guanzhong Plain.

Given such a disastrous start.

Yuwentai withstood the pressure and even managed to unite the internal forces, demonstrating his superior political skills and governance abilities.

If we could recruit him and make him work for us... it would save us a lot of trouble.

However, judging from this, the other party has no intention of working for him. Everyone has their own ambitions, so he won't force it.

Talented people can always be discovered if you put your heart into it.

It's further away.

Erzhu Rong saw and heard their conversation, but he was not familiar with Yuwen Tai.

Yuwen Luosheng was captured alive by Peng Le. To be honest, Yuwen Luosheng's death was at least on the surface closely related to Gao Yu.

If that's the case, perhaps... I've found the one who can break the deadlock?

Upon seeing that Heba Yue, Li Hu, Dugu Xin, and others had all walked to Yuwen Tai's side, a line seemed to appear faintly in Erzhu Rong's mind.

The Yuwen family has been kind to everyone in Wuchuan.

It seems to be a thread that can connect everyone.

If that's the case...

"Shilong".

Erzhu Rong called him to his side and whispered a few words of advice in his ear.

…………

Inside the Xianyang Hall of the Luoyang Imperial Palace.

Yuan Ziyou stood at the entrance of the palace with a smile on his face, and soon saw the handsome figure that he had been dreaming of and longing for day and night.

"General!"

Before Gao Yu could bow down, Yuan Ziyou took the initiative to greet him.

From Yuan Ziyou's perspective.

While it's not to say that Gao Yu's heart has been completely won over, the fact that Gao Yu did not reject Er Zhu Rong but instead decisively accepted the position of General of Tian Ce put him on the opposite side of Er Zhu Rong.

This means that Yuan Ziyou has succeeded.

This created a rift between Gao Yu and Erzhu Rong.

Once suspicion arises, it can never be eliminated.

The Battle of Luoyang, in particular, showcased Gao Yu's bravery to everyone. Moreover, Gao Yu was flawless in character, truly a gentleman.

Yuan Ziyou has also learned about what happened outside the city.

He also felt regret over Yuwen Luosheng's death...

Gao Yu displayed a moral standard that was beyond that of ordinary people, which pleased him even more.

Which emperor wouldn't want his subordinates to be people with extremely high moral standards? Especially when that person is also so capable.

As long as we proceed gradually, slowly win them over, and eventually win their hearts.

Once Gao Yu has established a firm foundation and completely controls Shandong, then... Yuan Ziyou will be one step closer to seizing imperial power.

"His Majesty……"

"Oh, no need for such formalities."

Yuan Ziyou warmly pulled Gao Yu inside, and after they sat down, they were led in by the arm.

He smiled and said, "I called you here today because I have something I want to ask you."

"Does Your Majesty wish to ask when I shall depart for Shandong?"

"No, no, no." Yuan Ziyou waved his hand with a smile, "Does the general think that I am such an inconsiderate person towards my subjects? Winter is coming soon, and it would be fine for the general to set off again in the spring. In the freezing cold, I do not expect that island barbarian Xiao Yan to invade our borders."

"This is also a good opportunity to introduce you to a few people."

"who?"

"Ao Cao's two elder brothers,"

"Ao Cao's father, Gao Yi, the governor of Ji Province, had three sons. The eldest son was named Gao Qian, courtesy name Qianyong, and the second son was named Gao Shen, courtesy name Zhongmi."

Gao Yu nodded.

Yuan Ziyou continued, “Xu, Yan, Qing and other places in Shandong are the ancestral lands of the Central Plains. Han Chinese families have been operating here for hundreds of years, and their relationships are intricate. If you want to control Shandong, you have to rely on the power of these families.”

"Although the Gao family of Bohai is not a prominent family, they can still lend you a hand. When you go there, you should first go to Bohai to acknowledge your ancestors and return to your clan. This will increase the Han Chinese families' sense of recognition of you and reduce the resistance you will face."

Yuan Ziyou took it quite seriously.

They had already planned everything for Gao Yu in advance, fearing that Gao Yu might not be able to successfully control Shandong.

Too……

After all, the homeland of the Han people is different from places like Huai Shuo.

In places that revere bravery, as long as you are strong enough, even if you are a scoundrel, you can gain recognition.

However, when dealing with Han Chinese aristocratic families, a different approach is needed.

This will put political skills to a greater test.

It's understandable that Yuan Ziyou would have such concerns.

Gao Yu paused slightly.

This information gap seems to work for everyone?
It seems like everyone thinks...

The powerful Han Chinese families and clans would certainly hinder Gao Yu at every turn, making it impossible for him to maintain control smoothly.

But here’s the problem.

Gao Yu's relationship with Han Chinese aristocratic families was not bad; in fact, it was quite good.

Ultimately, it all comes down to the Yang family.

Yang Kan was a staunch Han patriot, a fact known to all... He would often say in front of others that he wanted to defect to the Southern Liang.

How could someone like that maintain a good relationship with Gao Yu, who came from Huai Shuo and was imbued with the characteristics of the Xianbei people?
"Your Majesty has troubled me with this matter; I have my own thoughts on it."

Seeing Gao Yu's confidence, Yuan Ziyou said no more, but continued, "Before leaving Luoyang, General, you can also go to the military review ground to help the Yueqi Colonel. If you want to take the batch of soldiers that you trained before, you can also do so."

"Thank you for your kindness, Your Majesty!"

Gao Yu did indeed set his sights on this group of soldiers who had been training for several months.

Firstly, a large number of them were Han Chinese.

Secondly.

Although they had never been on the battlefield, they experienced immense pressure firsthand during the Battle of Luoyang. Their mental fortitude far surpasses that of most ordinary soldiers, and with a little training, they could certainly become valiant warriors.

"However, I have come here for a few other people."

"Who?"

"The remaining prisoners of war from the Battle of Luoyang."

"Which ones?"

"Yang Zhong, Lan Qin, Yu Xin..."

Yang Zhong, Gao Yu knew.

He was a valiant general, and his son Yang Jian was the famous Emperor Wen of Sui.

When I first met him, I felt that he was exceptionally brave and strong. It took me quite a bit of effort to subdue him. Later, he was captured alive by Gao Aocao.

He only found out later that the white-robed general was actually Yang Zhong.

He wasn't familiar with Lan Qin, nor did he know what his relationship was with Lan Jing, the chef who killed his nephew in history. Maybe they were family?

He was also quite brave and courageous on the battlefield.

The person who was sent by Xiao Yan to lead the Northern Expedition must have been quite capable.

Yu Xin was the one he knew best.

The author of the famous "Lament for the South".

Many people in later generations felt that "Lament for the South" was a better parallel prose than "Preface to the Pavilion of Prince Teng".

However, since ancient times.

Wen has no first, Wu has no second.

Gao Yu wasn't someone who particularly appreciated literature; he only became familiar with the somewhat unfamiliar name after seeing online discussions about it.

Such an incredibly talented writer.

Of course we need to recruit them.

He planned to deal with the powerful families in the future using a "boiling frog" approach.

We must hold the imperial examinations and popularize basic education.

Even if such a scholar lacks the ability to handle political affairs, surely he can still compile teaching materials for himself?
"To be chosen by Gao Lang, one must be an extremely capable person."

Yuan Ziyou did not refuse. "I will issue the decree now. However, General, please do not rush. I will order him to be transferred to Yongning Temple and placed under the strict supervision of the Vice Minister of the Court of Justice. He will be taken away secretly when you depart for Shandong."

"The general also knows the prime minister..."

"Your Majesty is indeed far-sighted."

Gao Yu praised him loudly, almost saying that he wanted to learn more from him.

The words were on the tip of his tongue, but he swallowed them back.

Learn from the emperor?
how?

I've even thought about becoming an emperor someday.

P.S.: Sorry I'm late.
(End of this chapter)