My older brother is Gao Huan.

Chapter 502 The Survival Rules of the Harem

Everyone dispersed. Gao Yu, as the largest shareholder of the 'Gao Group' with more than 51% of the shares, although his shareholding was not high enough to allow him to ignore the board of directors and treat the entire group as his own personal fiefdom, was still able to disregard it.

However, given Gao Yu's extremely high 'prestige,' it wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that he ruled the entire country.

Gao Yu made the decision to launch a military campaign. No matter how heated the debate was, everything had to be carried out according to Gao Yu's plan.

He stood in front of the map with his hands behind his back.

His gaze swept back and forth between Hengzhou and Sizhou.

"Although we almost turned against each other and turned against each other on the battlefield, ... this ordeal of yours, brother, has been of great benefit to me."

It seems that Gao Yu and Erzhu Rong have divided the Great Wei equally, each with half of the country in their respective battles!

but……

Gao Yu, however, controls fertile lands like Henan, Hebei, and Shandong, as well as Yan and You, giving him direct access to the grasslands and a continuous supply of warhorses to recruit brave warriors to serve him.

He could easily shout, "Your advantage will rip me off!" (in Fenghua accent)
He owes his current advantageous position to Gao Huan's marriage to the Rouran princess, which allowed him to borrow troops from the grasslands, lure Erzhu Zhao into taking Mayi, and then seize the crucial Sizhou in one fell swoop!
Taking Sizhou would be tantamount to dividing Shanxi in two.

Even if Gao Yu maintained his current territory, without Sizhou and Hengzhou, the land of Shanxi would be entirely in Erzhu Rong's hands. In that case, it would be useless for Gao Yu to possess such a fertile land as Hebei, and he would not be able to focus on production at all.

Shanxi, as the "roof of the world" that controls the entire country, would allow Erzhu Rong to send his elite cavalry eastward to wreak havoc in Gao Yu's territory if he could completely control the land.

It was precisely because Gao Huan captured Hengzhou and Sizhou that Gao Yu then took the opportunity to capture Xiangzhou, thus blocking all the eastward access routes of Shanxi.

Most of the territory under Erzhu Rong's control was already 'rotten land', and now that he has lost his geographical advantage, he is finding it difficult to move forward.

Just like Cao Wei attacking Shu Han, or Qin attacking Zhao.

The fertile lands are all in my hands, and my inner strength is more solid than yours!
Gao Yu is resilient to defeat. Backed by multiple grain production bases, even after a devastating defeat, he can quickly rebuild a fighting force by relying on the grain he has on hand.

Both sides dispatched troops to confront each other, and Gao Yu also had enough food and supplies to supply his army in the standoff with Erzhu Rong.

What about Erzhu Rong?

Without sufficient provisions, even a large number of valiant soldiers cannot sustain a campaign.

People need to eat eventually. In the era of cold weapons, even the bravest person could not fight on an empty stomach.

Because in the era of cold weapons, you needed to have enough strength to wear heavy armor and swing your weapon to slash at your opponent.

In the age of firearms, even if you are exhausted and lying on the ground, as long as you have a little strength to pull the trigger with your finger, you can cause effective damage.

This is also why forced marches in the era of cold weapons were prone to collapse. Soldiers could run that far, but once they arrived at their destination, did they still have the strength to fight the enemy?
"With such a huge advantage in hand, no matter what decision I make, Tianbao will probably have a headache."

"No, I need to be wary of Tianbao's desperate gamble."

The side with the advantage has many choices, but the side with the disadvantage has no choices. After all, the disadvantage is too great. Even if the decision is correct, it may be 'wrong'. Only by gambling everything and fighting to the death can they turn the tide!

Just like the Battle of Guandu, a crucial moment in Cao Cao's conquest of the Central Plains, Cao Cao personally led his troops to fight to the death at Wuchao.

Ultimately, Heaven rewarded Cao Cao, a ruthless man who dared to risk everything at the crucial moment.

Conquering the world is a life-or-death game for cowards. Those who show weakness at crucial moments will have their luck taken away by the heavens. Those who lack courage are not worthy of becoming the ruler of the world!
When will Tianbao fight me to the death?

Gao Yu studied the map for a long time before finally pointing his finger toward Luoyang.

In Sizhou Xiurongchuan, the ancestral home of the Erzhu clan fell, and outside Julu City, Gao Yu dealt another heavy blow.

The foundation of Erzhu Rong's prestige has been shaken.

Luoyang.

He supported Yuan Gong as emperor here, and Luoyang was known as the "center of the world," a place where "virtuous people" have resided since ancient times.

If we lose Luoyang...

Erzhu Rong's prestige will be completely destroyed, and it's hard to say whether he can maintain the status quo.

Therefore, Erzhu Rong would definitely defend Luoyang to the death.

This is why he withdrew all his troops east of Xingyang back to Xingyang and Hulao Pass, completely relinquishing half of Sili and Yu Provinces as part of a strategic retreat.

With Hulao Pass and Xingyang blocking the way, Gao Yu could not possibly advance into Luoyang from the east.

He had Guanzhong in the west under his control, and he didn't need to worry too much about Nanliang in the south for the time being.

That leaves only the north. The last protective barrier north of the Yellow River seems to be an insurmountable natural barrier.

But in reality, the true gateway to the Yellow River was the lands of Yan and You. Once Yan and You were lost, the vast plains of Hebei, with no natural defenses, would be unable to stop the enemy from advancing south.

As for the Yellow River?

The Little Ice Age isn't completely over yet.

It's not impossible for the river to freeze over in winter.

"Tianbao, in the end, it all depends on whether Heaven helps you or me."

Gao Yu then covered the Jianzhou territory on the map with his palm.

Taking Jianzhou would completely sever the connection between Luoyang and Bingzhou, allowing the battlefront to be pushed north of the Yellow River, while waiting for an opportunity to cross the river.

………………

Inside the Golden Phoenix Terrace.

"Sister, are you resting?"

Upon hearing his sister's voice, Li Zuyi, who was lying on the bed, quickly turned over and went to open the door.

"Zu'e, what brings you here?"

Li Zu'e's expression was somewhat gloomy. She went into the house, and Li Zuyi closed the door behind her. The cold wind kept blowing in, making it quite chilly.

"Sister, why has the Prime Minister been so cold to us these days... It's so boring."

Li Zuyi covered her mouth with his hand and shook his head, saying, "You mustn't speak carelessly."

"The Prime Minister's two wives have just arrived in Ye City from Qingzhou. They have been separated for long periods of time, so the Prime Minister should naturally spend more time with them now. Besides... the Prime Minister is extremely busy with state affairs, and the heavy responsibility of the Great Wei Dynasty rests on his shoulders. The fact that he has been able to favor us two before is already a great blessing for us sisters. We must not be greedy."

In order to appease the Shandong aristocratic families.

Gao Yu had a luxurious carriage built to bring over his two wives, Yang Changchu and Erzhu Yuechan.

They were escorted by government soldiers throughout the journey.

The main reason for bringing the two over was that Erzhu Yuechan and Yang Changchu were physically strong. They were skilled in martial arts and horseback riding, unlike the others who were weak.

And having already given birth, Erzhu Yuechan didn't know what was going on, but her second child was also a daughter, while Yang Changchu gave birth to a son for Gao Yu again.

Both of them were physically able to withstand the arduous journey.

I just arrived in Ye City a few days ago.

Li Zuyi and Li Zue even made a special trip to pay them a visit.

After saying that, Li Zuyi pulled Li Zue to sit on the edge of the bed and whispered, "Zue, you must understand that a man of such talent as the Prime Minister has his sights set on the world and will not have much time for romance. Moreover, the Prime Minister has so many women around him, so you must not be greedy or compete for his favor."

Have you forgotten the lessons your mother taught us before we left?

"For us women, the question is whether to fight or not, and whether not to fight or not. If we frequently cause trouble for the Prime Minister, we will only annoy him."

Li Zu'e nodded as if she understood, but her mind was not as meticulous as Li Zuyi's; she was rather dull.

"But what if the Prime Minister has so many women around him and forgets about the two of us?"

Li Zuyi's expression couldn't help but show some melancholy. "That is our fate."

"Everyone says we are both beautiful, but the Prime Minister never touches us."

"........."

Li Zuyi couldn't understand it either.

From the time they could remember, the two of them had heard countless words of praise.

Gao Yu's gaze at the two of them didn't lie.

But why were so many unlocked?

Why not unlock the most crucial step?
Gao Yu couldn't explain it to them either; he couldn't very well say they were too young, could he?
"In short... do not complain, and do not anger the two ladies. If the Prime Minister really misses us, he will send someone to summon us to his bedchamber."

(End of this chapter)