My older brother is Gao Huan.

Chapter 290 Recognizing the Ancestor and Returning to the Clan
Inside the Ba Mansion in Jinyang.

Although Erzhu Rong was not in Luoyang, he knew everything that was happening in the court.

"Prime Minister, General Tian Ce and his entourage have already departed from Boling."

Wang Xiang came in to deliver a message.

After Gao Yu crossed Hebei, Erzhu Rong had people keep an eye on him the whole way, so that they could say they had a real-time grasp of Gao Yu's whereabouts.

A glimmer of hope flashed in Erzhu Rong's eyes, a hint of expectation flickering within him, yet his face remained ashen. After a long silence, he finally pressed on, "Where are you headed?"

Wang Lian hurriedly replied, "After leaving Boling, General Tian Ce led his men south. This time, they should be heading to Jizhou to find the governor of Jizhou to acknowledge their ancestors, and then continue south..."

Wang Xiang was Erzhu Rong's confidant, and he would make his own judgments when answering.

Gao Yu's route is actually quite easy to understand.

He came from Huai Shuo and wanted to go to Shandong, a land full of Han Chinese aristocratic families, to quickly gain their recognition.

Naturally, it's essential to maintain good relations with Han Chinese aristocratic families.

"Furthermore, we have received news that Cui Xiaofen has arranged for her daughter to serve General Tian Ce, and has also arranged for her son, Cui You, to accompany General Tian Ce to Shandong."

Upon hearing this, Erzhu Rong felt a surge of annoyance, and his face grew increasingly gloomy.

When he learned that Gao Yu had traveled all the way north, he still had expectations in his heart, hoping that Gao Yu would take the initiative to come to Jinyang to meet him and resolve the misunderstanding between them.

But right now, it seems he misunderstood and was overthinking things.

Not only that, he also miscalculated in sending Gao Yu to Shandong.

If I had known, I would have been better off sending Gao Yu to Guanzhong.

For the past hundred years, Guanzhong has been in constant turmoil, with a mix of Han and non-Han peoples, and fortified villages dotting the mountains where warlords ruled. Even Gao Yu might not have been able to control it easily.

But who would have thought that Gao Yu had such a good relationship with the powerful families in Hebei?

Especially the Cui family...

The Cui clans of Qinghe and Boling are practically making it clear that they intend to support Gao Yu.

Erzhu Rong knew about the courtesy name Cui Guang gave Gao Yu back then, but Gao Yu had never acknowledged it over the years and had almost no contact with the Cui family, except for saving a few members of the Cui family during the Heyin Incident.

result? ?
Frustrated, Erzhu Rong could only hope that the Han Chinese families in Shandong had nothing to do with Gao Yu.

Shandong is not the same as Hebei.

Hebei had been outside the control of Han Chinese regimes for a long time, but the general acceptance of the Great Wei in Shandong was not high, especially the Yang family, who had always had the idea of ​​leading their people to surrender to the south.

Such a ruthless and iron-fisted Han emperor would surely make things difficult for Gao Yu at every turn, right?

As long as Gao Yu cannot successfully control Shandong, then there is nothing to worry about.

They cannot compare to the Erzhu clan, which has been operating for generations and has already established itself in Bing and Si prefectures.

Also!

Why should the efforts of several generations of the Erzhu clan be defeated by a lowly soldier whose ancestors were convicted and exiled to the frontier?

"Is there anything else?"

"The people of Jianzhou are filled with resentment. Erzhu Shilong appoints his relatives and friends, indulges his subordinates, and bullies men and women. Erzhu Dulu, Erzhu Yanbo..."

All bad news.

It's nothing more than these Erzhu clan members who now hold important positions using the Erzhu clan's immense power to do things that harm the people.

As a result, the common people would turn pale at the mere mention of "Erzhu".

"Damn it!"

Enraged, Erzhu Rong overturned the table, cursing, "These idiots! Didn't I repeatedly tell them not to do this?!"

He was furious!

Times change!
Can't these idiots see the situation clearly?
If Erzhu Shilong and his ilk had done such things before the Battle of Luoyang, he would have turned a blind eye.

But right now.

The emperor established his authority and had Gao Yu as an external ally.

Although the Erzhu clan still held absolute power, the emperor's alliance with Gao Yu gave them the confidence to confront him without question.

At this time, it is even more important to appease the people and win over powerful families.

An emperor who has lost the support of the scholars, even if he is still on the throne, is still not worthy of being called the emperor.

However, members of the Erzhu clan were spreading rumors and damaging the family's reputation. Erzhu Rong was completely helpless and felt utterly exhausted...

He can only feel at ease if these important positions are given to his own family members, so that his own people don't take them. Why should he give them to the people of the Six Towns who he has been suppressing all along?

Erzhu Rong sighed.

It seems that promoting a group of military men from the six towns, especially those from Wuchuan, must be put on the agenda soon.

"What about the news from inside the palace?"

"The Emperor shows no abnormalities; he visits the Empress in the inner palace every two days..."

"Has Ying'e not made the slightest move?"

"No."

"........."

Erzhu Rong remained silent for a long time, still sighing repeatedly.

Is it really that Heaven is not on his side?

Previously, the Northern Wei Dynasty adhered to the system of "the mother dies when the son becomes noble," so the concubines in the harem were unwilling to get pregnant, resulting in the emperor having very few offspring.

However, this system has long been abolished.

Yuan Ziyou visits the inner palace quite frequently, so why is Erzhu Ying'e's belly showing no signs of pregnancy?
If Erzhu Ying'e is pregnant.

As long as she successfully gives birth to a baby boy.

Erzhu Rong could then immediately set off for Luoyang to find an opportunity to kill Yuan Ziyou and then enthrone his son.

Although it may attract criticism, it can be considered 'legitimate'.

Then, in the name of the regent, he would relinquish some power to the powerful families and gain their support.

If a few years later, it would be perfectly reasonable to carry out the "abdication" (or "transfer") then.

But why can't I get pregnant no matter what?

"Send word to Luoyang to have a physician examine the Empress to determine whether the problem lies with His Majesty or with the Empress's health."

"Yes!"

"Is there anything else?"

"Your Majesty... News has come from Shangdang that the people of the six towns settled there have gathered to cause trouble... But Prime Minister, rest assured, it has been quelled."

"I see, you go down."

Erzhu Rong waved his hand wearily.

Everything is going wrong.

The reason he was stationed in Jinyang was to guard against unrest from the people of the six towns.

This is a group of social unsettlers who have been fighting and scheming in Hebei for years. If anyone with ulterior motives comes to join them, Erzhu Rong's stronghold and the place where the Erzhu clan rose to power will be immediately disrupted.

"It's a pity... If even one member of my clan were as skilled as Moheduo and He Liuhun, would I be in such a difficult position?"

"Talented! It seems I'll have to try and win over some powerful families."

Erzhu Rong had been waiting for someone from a powerful family to contact him.

But if things continue as they are, and Erzhu Shilong and his gang continue to cause trouble, even less likely anyone will come looking for him.

And the other side.

March 22nd.

Gao Yu was exhausted from the long journey.

We finally arrived at Bohai County.

This was also his final destination.

He wants to find the Gao family of Bohai to acknowledge his ancestry.

This is also a way to convey an important message to the prominent families in Hebei and Shandong.

He, Gao Yu, considers himself a Han Chinese, not a Xianbei barbarian!

(End of this chapter)