My older brother is Gao Huan.

Chapter 330 The Right Mercenary

"Please wait, Vice Minister of the Imperial Secretariat."

Zhu Rui looked up.

Xi Yi stared at him expressionlessly. After a slight pause, he quickly cupped his hands in greeting and said, "Greetings, Brother Wu Cheng."

Xi Yi glanced around before stepping forward and whispering, "The Prime Minister has replaced a large number of Imperial Guards with elite Qihu troops. Yuanlong, why did you still whisper to His Majesty?"

“Wu Cheng can report directly to the Prime Minister; there is no need to hide it from me.”

"I'm only advising you not to make a mistake because of our past relationship!"

Xi Yi's ancestors also came from Dai, but they came to Luoyang with Emperor Xiaowen when he moved the capital.

It has only been thirty or forty years since Emperor Xiaowen moved the capital.

The relationship between powerful clans in the region didn't break down so quickly.

Moreover, since their ancestors all came from the Dai region, they could easily form a natural political alliance.

"It is the duty of a subject to relieve His Majesty's worries and difficulties."

Zhu Rui showed no fear, and then sighed, "In the past, there have been natural disasters and man-made calamities every year, and the people have already suffered unspeakably. Now that we have finally had two years of peace, how can we sit idly by and watch the conflict break out again, causing the people to live in misery?"

“Wu Cheng, you know in your heart that His Majesty is a wise ruler. If His Majesty were to act perversely like Empress Dowager Hu before him, causing the wrath of both gods and men, then the fate of the Great Wei would be sealed. Prime Minister, you are in accordance with the will of Heaven and the hearts of the people, and you can take his place.”

“But now that His Majesty is governing with benevolence and correcting previous mistakes, it proves that the fate of Great Wei is not yet over. If the Prime Minister wants to forcibly replace him, it will only lead to chaos.”

"I simply don't want to see people displaced and starving to death anymore, nor do I want the Prime Minister to bear the infamy of the ages."

Xi Yi gave him a deep look, but still said coldly, "So... you betrayed the Prime Minister?"

“The Prime Minister has shown me great kindness and support, a kindness as heavy as a mountain. How could I betray the Prime Minister?”

Zhu Rui shook his head to defend himself, but his eyes were quite complicated. Finally, he sighed, "I was just helping His Majesty maintain the current situation."

Xi Yi remained silent for a moment, and did not press the matter further.

Seeing that he was about to leave, Zhu Rui asked again, "Wu Cheng, do you really think it's a good thing that the Prime Minister wants to take his place?"

Xi Yi paused, without giving any reply, and went into the Xibai Hall.

"It is written that Zhu Rui, the Vice Minister of the Imperial Secretariat, secretly conspired with His Majesty today."

The confidant who wrote the letter for him looked up at him upon hearing this, but still obediently wrote it down.

After several complex glances, Xi Yi gritted his teeth and said, "I have investigated the matter. His Majesty intends to bestow a marriage upon his son as a way to win over the Vice Minister of the Imperial Secretariat..."

………………

Inside the Xianyang Hall.

Yuan Ziyou was in a very good mood, and he summoned his trusted confidants, including Gao Qian and Li Yu.

The two rushed over and, seeing Yuan Ziyou smiling so happily, couldn't help but feel curious.

"What makes Your Majesty so happy?"

They know perfectly well what's going on, especially in the last few months.

There shouldn't be anything that should make Yuan Ziyou happy.

If something goes wrong, there must be a demon!

"The Prime Minister will come to Luoyang in September."

"September?"

"So fast?"

Upon hearing the news, the two looked shocked, but then exchanged a glance.

Clearly, there's more to come.

"I have already come up with a solution."

"Oh? Your Majesty, please speak frankly."

"I intend to seek help from the Tiele tribe in Hexi." Gao Qian and the others were incredibly clever; they immediately realized that since ancient times, when one's internal strength is insufficient, one must seek external help.

The various tribes of the grasslands were the best source of support. The ancestors of the Tuoba Xianbei were able to rise to power by accumulating wealth by initially serving as mercenaries for the Han Chinese dynasties. During the War of the Eight Princes in the Jin Dynasty, they hired many grassland tribes as mercenaries to fight for them.

It was only because the internal strife in the Central Plains became too severe that this gave the mercenaries an opportunity, ultimately forcing them to flee south in a very humiliating manner.

Each tribe on the grasslands believes in only one thing.

If you have milk, you are a mother.

They would not hesitate to raise their swords against their own kind.

"I have decided to send you, Qian Yong, to persuade the various tribes of the grasslands in Hexi to rebel under the pretext of inspecting Heng and Shuo prefectures on my behalf."

The Hexi region is not far from Xiurongchuan, the stronghold of the Erzhu clan. If someone were to launch an attack, Erzhu Rong would certainly lead his troops to its rescue.

"Your Majesty... this action is somewhat inappropriate."

Gao Qian frowned and voiced his doubts.

"What's wrong?"

"Even if the various tribes of Hexi unite, they are no match for the Prime Minister. Even if they can delay for a while, they will eventually be defeated. When that happens, the Prime Minister will still head south to Luoyang."

Yuan Ziyou also began to frown and think seriously.

Upon careful consideration, he had to admit that Gao Qian's concerns were not without merit. How could he possibly expect the Tiele people of Hexi to risk everything to fight Erzhu Rong to the death?

As for Erzhu Rong's military capabilities.

Everyone, from the government to the public, believed in and was convinced of his abilities.

They were also formidable warriors who could defeat 200,000 with only 7,000, but they had a monster like Gao Yu, whose record of defeating 300,000 with only 3,000 was too terrifying.

This makes Erzhu Rong's record seem quite 'ordinary'.

In particular, his elite Qihu cavalry were highly skilled in field battles and were not afraid of harassment from steppe cavalry.

If the Tiele people of Hexi were to launch an invasion, it would at most buy him a few more months, or even less; it would be a drop in the ocean.

"Then it is up to you."

"Your Majesty should indeed send a trusted confidant to the Hexi region, but... other proper arrangements should be made."

All their plans were based on the assumption that Erzhu Rong would do something disloyal during his trip south to Luoyang.

But what if Erzhu Rong isn't in such a hurry?

Allowing the Hexi tribes to launch an invasion rashly would only give Erzhu Rong something to criticize.

Yuan Ziyou's situation was thus passive.

Any slightly proactive action he took could easily give Erzhu Rong something to criticize.

They can only passively defend.

They passively waited for Erzhu Rong to make his move.

After all, he was in Luoyang, and couldn't just wander around.

unless……

It's a desperate, all-or-nothing situation, but Yuan Ziyou wouldn't want to come to this if he had no other choice.

All military forces within and around Luoyang were under Erzhu Rong's control.

The fish died and the net was broken?

How could I possibly survive?
Yuan Ziyou preferred to confront Erzhu Rong within the rules of the game. He didn't have the strength to overturn the chessboard, and naturally, he couldn't bear the consequences of doing so.

"Qian Yong's concerns are very valid. I acted too hastily and without sufficient consideration before. So, let's do as you say."

Yuan Ziyou nodded, and then said, "This matter still needs to be handled by you. Spend more time with Gao Huan, the governor of Hengzhou. The two of you are relatives. I have long heard that the elder brother of General Tiance is also a very capable person. Perhaps he can help me restrain the prime minister in Hengzhou."

"Please rest assured, Your Majesty, I will certainly live up to Your Majesty's expectations!"

(End of this chapter)