Chapter 1328 When disaster strikes, we all fly away
Chapter 1328 When disaster strikes, we all fly away
After the court meeting ended, Dali Li Hong returned home, only to find his younger brother Li Pu waiting for him.
The wife came forward and whispered something, then sighed and left.
Li Hong returned to the study in silence, and Li Pu followed him in silence.
"Are you leaving?" Li Hong asked bluntly.
"Yes." There is nothing to hide between brothers, just say it directly.
"Go home or surrender?" Li Hong asked again.
In the past, Li Zhen, the father of Li Hong and Li Pu, was a lieutenant of Dongyi. He and Wang Jun of Youzhou agreed to assist the Jin Dynasty together. However, Wang Jun believed in the prophecy that "the one who will replace the Han Dynasty will be in a high position" and wanted to become emperor.
Wang Dan, the deputy governor of Youzhou, went to Xiangping and reported the incident. Li Zhen hated it and sent his son Li Cheng to attack him. However, Pang Ben, the governor of Liaodong, had a grudge against Li Zhen and took the opportunity to kill him. He then sent people to chase him to Beiping County and killed Li Cheng.
Wang Dan then fled to Murong Wei, who took him in. The brothers Li Hong and Li Pu also fled to him one after another and saved their lives.
The brothers' hometown is in Bohai County. What Li Hong wants to know is whether to go home and live in seclusion or to join the Liang people.
"I heard that most of the Bohai clan members have moved south to Piling." Li Pu said, "To be honest, I received a personal letter from Huangsha Yushi of Liang State and King Fan of Lu a while ago, promising me the position of Magistrate of Xi (County), which is a county under Bohai. I..."
Li Hong looked at his brother helplessly.
In fact, they both knew that the county magistrate was not given the position for nothing. He wanted you to reveal the inside story of Murong Xianbei, and he might even make it a typical example.
"I have also received Shao Fan's letter." Li Hong said.
"Then brother, you--" Li Pu asked tentatively.
"You go now." Li Hong said, "The Li family has received great kindness from Lord Murong, we cannot just leave him. If that happens, how will the world view our Bohai Li family? I will return this life to the Murong family. You go now. While the gates of Jicheng are still open, go to the country house first, and then find a way to leave."
"Brother..." Li Pu's eyes turned red and he burst into tears.
My brother also knew that the situation was very dangerous, but he couldn't leave.
Murong Wei had protected the two brothers, which saved their lives. In Murong Huang's generation, he even gave them to Dali, one of the six ministers. If they surrendered without a fight, wouldn't it be a wolf's heart? Do they still have shame? So the elder brother couldn't leave.
But he also knew that the State of Yan might not be able to survive this time, so he did not object to his brother's family leaving, at least to preserve some blood for their lineage.
"There is no time to lose. I will not keep you here." Li Hong sighed, "The four gates of Jicheng will probably be closed in the next few days. It is better to leave early."
Li Pu finally stayed to have lunch. After bidding farewell to his brother's family in tears, he used the excuse of going out of the city to summon the farmhands and soldiers. The whole family took a carriage and went out from the north gate.
When Li Pu saw that the school in the north of the city was still teaching normally, he couldn't help but sigh.
This was one of the many official schools set up by Murong Wei to teach the children of tribal nobles. In order to set an example, he often attended the classes and claimed to have learned a lot. As a result, nobles from various tribes sent their sons and nephews to learn the Central Plains culture.
Duke Murong was a great man, but he was born at the wrong time. After being defeated repeatedly by the Jin army, his ideas changed. He realized the strength of the Central Plains dynasty, and thus served as a minister of the Jin Dynasty for most of his life.
By the time the world was in chaos, he was almost forty years old. He was a little hesitant at that time, and finally decided to be a loyal minister of the Jin State, gathering and resettling the people of the Central Plains. Even attacking Cui Bi, the governor of Pingzhou, was restrained and he would not take action unless he had an extremely legitimate reason.
He actually lived a relatively long life, dying at the age of 65, but he was truly out of luck. He was only slightly better than Liu Yuan, who was also out of luck.
After crossing a bridge, Lip saw many farmers weeding in the fields.
These were all farmers from Liaodong who had moved from Xiangping and other places in the past two years to work for Murong Huang. But they didn't know what to do if the war broke out. Most of them would not have the opportunity to enter the city...
As he walked and looked around, Li Pu's mood became increasingly depressed. After all, anyone would feel sad when seeing that the foundation they had worked hard for thirty years was on the verge of collapse.
When the Central Plains was in turmoil, they fled to the border. Now that the Central Plains is no longer in turmoil, it is their turn to be in turmoil. I really don't know what to say.
******
On the fifth day of May, the governor of Daifang (Qiao County) and the chief farmer of the Prince of Yan's palace, Wang Dan, were detained as soon as they arrived in Liucheng.
He was calm and not at all surprised.
When he saw the commander of the Dongyi army leading the Changli governor to surrender, he even sighed and said, "I didn't expect you to surrender too. Do you still remember the old time when you went to the funeral?"
I feel ashamed when I see the face of someone who has been blocked.
After Li Zhen died, the Jin court appointed his father Feng Shi as the commander of the Dongyi Army.
Shi lured Pang Ben to his death, which led to rebellions everywhere in the country. He was in danger of losing his life at any moment, so he soon became seriously ill. Before his death, he entrusted his grandson Feng Yi to Murong Wei.
Murong Wei responded enthusiastically and appointed Feng Yi as the minor governor.
At that time, the brothers Feng Chou and Feng Xun (Feng Yi's father) rushed to Liaodong to attend the funeral. After the funeral, they stayed in Changli temporarily because the road was blocked.
Murong Wei admired them very much and treated them with courtesy and respect, and repeatedly invited them. Feng Chou then became the chief secretary and Feng Xun became a military officer to serve him.
Is Murong Wei really sorry for the Feng family? No, on the contrary, he has done them a great favor, but is this how you repay them?
After a moment's silence, Feng Chou bowed to Wang Dan and said, "My Lord, when the great building is about to collapse, everyone is in panic. It is enough for our Feng family to have our second brother (Feng Xun) who is loyal to the Murong family. Our third brother died early and has no offspring. As the eldest brother, I naturally have to make no plans." Wang Dan was speechless.
His family was a local aristocratic family in Changli, but they were not as clear-headed as those wealthy families from other places, who had even thought out the reasons for the family's survival or destruction - well, maybe this was true.
But he still couldn't help asking, "Have you really thought it through? If the Liang people retreat, your family will be in trouble."
Feng Chu sighed and said, "The way of heaven is far-reaching, who can tell for sure? I can only say what I can do. No matter what the result is, I will bear it with all my strength."
"Then what are you going to do with me?" Wang Dan asked.
"Please rest here for now, my Lord." Feng Chou said, "If you have time, you can write a letter to ask the descendants of the Wang family of Changli to return to the great country."
Wang Dan was silent for a long time before asking, "Is Liucheng in your hands?"
"It's not just Liucheng. As far as I know, the five counties of Yingqiu, Jiyang, Chengzhou, Tangguo and Lelang have all surrendered." Feng Chou said.
After that, he gave a brief explanation.
The four counties of Yingqiu, Jiyang, Chengzhou and Tangguo were all overseas counties. They either sent envoys directly to negotiate surrender or killed officials and rebelled, and all of them have now returned to Liang.
The situation in Lelang County, located at the junction of Liucheng and Jicheng, was similar. There were many rebellions in the territory and the prefect fled. Only the Korean County Magistrate Sun Yong successfully suppressed the rebellion and arrested and executed Wang Qing, a member of the Lelang Wang family and a prominent family in the county who conspired to oppose Liang. He also pardoned hundreds of people who conspired with him, and the people were at peace.
After hearing this, Wang Dan shook his head and sighed, "Sun Yong won't live long."
Fengchu holds almost the same view.
Sun Yong was a native of Changli, and was ordered to manage the Lelang people who had moved inland. He seemed to have a certain prestige, but the Lelang people themselves did not have much centripetal force towards Murong Yan. To put it bluntly, they only supported the central government, and whoever was in the central government supported whoever was in the central government. Now that the Shao family unified the Central Plains, they supported the Shao family, because these border nobles relied heavily on the name given by the court to suppress the local areas, integrate local manpower and material resources, and fight against possible foreign enemies such as Goguryeo.
If the people of Liang told these relocated Lelang people that they would immediately help them conquer Lelang County so that they could return to their hometowns, these people would rebel overnight and capture Sun Yong as a sacrifice.
"In one night, more than 20 cities (fortresses) in five counties surrendered. How do you want the Murong clan to view our Zhongxia scholars?" Wang Dan sighed, "The ungrateful are ungrateful, and the ungrateful are repaying kindness with enmity. If the Liang army is defeated and retreats, will there be any scholars who can be reused in the future?"
"It is useless to say more now." Feng said, "I can send someone to deliver the letter that the prince brought to the King of Yan."
Wang Dan was stunned when he heard the word "King of Yan" at first, but he quickly realized that this was referring to Shao Yu, the King of Yan of Liang Dynasty. He immediately smiled bitterly and said, "I am tired, please do as you please."
"What is the internal situation of Jicheng? Does the prince have any advice for us?" Feng Chou asked again.
Wang Dan closed his eyes and pretended to be asleep, saying nothing.
Feng Chou understood, bowed and left.
******
"It's over! It's over! They surrendered, all of them surrendered!" After the news that more than 20 cities in Liucheng surrendered one after another spread, it caused a shock in Changli.
Some tribes were still hesitant, but when they heard the news, they immediately ran away, so that the Xianbei cavalry who had just marched west from Jicheng were in a situation of difficulty in supply.
Originally, there was a tribe grazing in Place A. They were planning to get some food and then cross the mountains to harass the Liang people from behind. But, the people disappeared!
You ran back to Place B. There used to be a fort here, but now the gate was closed. Considering our past friendship, they gave you some food as a reward. You got anxious and started cursing. They said, "I have difficulties too." So-and-so has surrendered, so you shouldn't bother either. Either surrender or run away.
Changli was in a state of panic everywhere.
At this point, anyone with a discerning eye could see that the remaining nobles or chiefs who had not clearly expressed their surrender also adopted a wait-and-see attitude.
They were waiting for the Liang army and the Murong clan to decide the outcome, and they would help whoever won.
After all, “a million-strong army” is no joke.
When the Duan tribe of the Xianbei attacked, they obeyed orders and marched without hesitation.
When Goguryeo attacked, we fought them too!
But a million Liang troops? Don't be ridiculous!
One person's spit can flood the stream next to my ranch.
The sound of horse hooves was so deafening that it almost overturned the tent.
Millions of people shot arrows at the same time, and the ground turned into a vast expanse of white, with all the snow-white arrow feathers swaying in the wind.
You want me to fight this? I'm small, you guys fight first, and we'll see who wins.
This is the situation, it is quite clear, victory or defeat depends solely on the attack and defense of Jicheng.
On the tenth day of the fifth month, Li Zhong arrived at the old city of Pinggang, where the army had already exceeded 50,000. On the subsequent mountain road, flags were like clouds, spears were like forests, drums were beating for hundreds of miles, and birds and beasts in the forest were running around, a scene of the end of the world.
On the 11th, King Shao Yu of Yan led more than a thousand cavalrymen to arrive at Chaoxian County. The rebellion that had just been suppressed by Sun Yong broke out again. Hundreds of people rushed into the county government, tied up Sun Yong and presented him as a sacrifice. The remaining people who were unwilling to surrender fled in a panic and ran back to Jicheng along the mountain trails.
The pace of war was gradually approaching the capital of Murong Yan State.
(End of this chapter)