About Cao Cao's reincarnation as the emperor's uncle

Chapter 10: Xu Rong's Drunken Discussion on the Imperial Guards

Liu Fang leaned against the desk, his fingertips lightly twisting to stop his meaningless sympathy.

If the grand plan can be accomplished, Huangfu's achievements will be recorded in history.

If it fails, it's nothing to worry about, it's like flying ashes...

As the flames reached the corner of the paper, the ink characters curled up like snakes and instantly turned into green smoke, falling into the bronze charcoal basin.

After burning the secret letter containing the information about "Huangfu Gui's death", he stretched and paced back and forth, thinking about his next plan.

Two other secret letters were placed side by side on the other side of the desk.

The information about "great defeat of Xianbei" and "Liu Kang wants to be enthroned" was in a secret letter.

"Julu Zhangjiao" is a separate letter.

Liu Fang tapped the bamboo slips with his knuckles, thinking about what happened when he met Liu Kang when he first entered the palace last night.

The two events of "Liu Kang's desire to be enfeoffed" and "Julu Zhangjiao" must be related.

Especially Liu Hong’s words, “The kings have provided a lot of assistance over the years.”

Kings? Years? Help? A lot?
Each of these four words made Liu Fang suspicious.

Therefore, the shadows of the Hejian kings were definitely involved in Zhang Jiao's case, and it might not even be just the Hejian kings.

However, it is not appropriate to delve into this matter now. We need to first arrange the matters that follow from the information of "great defeat of the Xianbei".

But it had been so long that he could only roughly remember many things, or had even forgotten them long ago...

Liu Fang stroked the letter and pondered, then suddenly raised his eyes and called softly:

"Ziyuan."

The sound was like a sword being unsheathed:

"Here."

But the wooden door opened silently and Xu Feng walked in quickly.

Although he didn't have the sword at his waist, he already exuded a cold and chilling aura. He approached and bowed deeply to the ground.

"Is everyone here?"

"My Lord, I have been waiting in the side room for a long time."

Xu Feng saluted with his fists clasped, his voice as heavy as iron.

"Let them in."

Liu Fang waved his sleeves and stood up, his eyes sweeping over the bamboo slips on the desk.

There was a slight fluctuation in Xu Feng's eyes:

"Sir, my brother smells of alcohol..."

Liu Fang raised the corners of his lips slightly:

"No problem, just come in together."

The wooden door creaked open, and four figures walked in one after another.

The one in front with bright triangular eyes is Jian Shuo.

Afterwards, Xu Shao stroked his long beard gently, his white clothes fluttering.

Feng Yan bent his body with his brows slightly lowered.

The last figure stepped into the light, revealing a lean body wrapped in a dark grey suit.

A shallow scar on the right cheek runs diagonally from the cheekbone to the lower jaw, the brow bone is as sharp as a knife, and when the eyes are opened and closed, there is a sense of wind and sand from the northern border.

The man stood against the wind, bowed, and the smell of alcohol hit his face.

Liu Fang chuckled when he saw this:

"How much did Zi Liao drink?"

This man's name was Xu Rong, with the courtesy name Ziliao. He was Xu Fengzhi's elder brother.

He grew up in a border area and joined the army at an early age. He served in the army in Xuantu County. He was skilled in archery and horse riding and had extraordinary physical strength.

Compared with his younger brother Xu Feng, he is tough on the outside but gentle on the inside, and has a delicate mind, unlike Xu Feng who is dull.

In the memory of "Liu Fang":
Not long after Xu Feng became his confidant, he transferred Xu Rong from the border army to the Yulin Guard on the grounds that he was "proficient in archery and horsemanship", making him one of his secret agents in the imperial army.

Because of the relationship between Xu Rong and Xu Feng, he gradually gained Liu Fang's trust and became one of his confidants.

But at that time Xu Rong could not help much, so he failed to enter the core circle around him.

Liu Fang came back from the palace last night and was checking his memory for useful things. He suddenly saw the name "Xu Rong". He didn't dare to recognize him at first, so he asked Xu Feng repeatedly.

Because he had such a deep impression of Xu Rong in his previous life, it was a major turning point in his life and he almost died here.

So, I can’t say that I can remember everything about Xu Rong’s life.

But he remembered a lot, and Xu Rong's experience of being transferred from the Xuantu Border Army to the Yulin Guard was also very clear.

But I didn’t expect that Xu Rong was actually Xu Feng’s brother.

But in his previous life, Xu Feng clearly died as a member of Liu Fang's gang, so why was his brother Xu Rong not implicated?
How could Liu Hong have such a broad mind?

If it was Xu Rong who betrayed, it would be like after Wang Yun killed Dong Zhuo, Xu Rong surrendered to the court.

But now he doesn't think Xu Rong would have any intention of betrayal.

Xu Feng is Xu Rong's only remaining relative. Their brotherhood started from humble beginnings, and they cherish each other purely and without any impurities.

Moreover, Xu Feng was loyal to Liu Fang, so if Xu Feng was safe, Xu Rong would have no reason to betray him.

Both brothers Xu Rong and Xu Feng were proficient in military strategy, but Xu Rong was even better, especially in leading, training and deploying troops.

The core of Dong Zhuo's army was composed of warriors from Liang Province. Xu Rong, who was born in Youzhou, was able to join the core and serve as the General of the Central Army together with Lu Bu, relying on his military talent.

Xu Rong's army was strictly disciplined, in stark contrast to the looting habits of the Liangzhou army.

Moreover, he was the only one who defeated him and Sun Jian head-on.

In the first year of Chuping, sixteen years ago, the Guandong coalition forces stationed their troops in Suanzao and no one dared to enter.

At that time, he led his army westward alone, and when he reached the Bian River in Xingyang, he was ambushed by Xu Rong.

Xu Rong took advantage of the terrain to set an ambush and defeated the enemy, with more than half of his soldiers killed or wounded.

He was also shot by Xu Rong with an arrow, and was saved by Cao Hong who sacrificed his horse, allowing him to escape.

He escaped death in that battle, and completely dispelled the idea of ​​the princes moving westward.

When Sun Jian attacked Luoyang, Xu Rong led a cavalry assault, defeated his army, and captured and cooked alive the prefect of Yingchuan.

Sun Jian led only a few dozen cavalrymen to break out, and his general Zu Mao used a red turban to lure the enemy, thus saving his lord from danger.

Sun Jian's reputation as the "Fierce Tiger of Jiangdong" was damaged by this battle.

He once thought that although Xu Rong's bravery might not be as good as Lu Bu's, it was not much different.

He was shot by an arrow in the midst of thousands of troops, and led his cavalry to charge into the battle line and defeat Sun Jian, which shows his ability.

Unfortunately, in the third year of Chuping, the generals of the same army turned against him in the middle of the battle, leaving Xu Rong isolated and helpless, and he died in battle.

Liu Fang had no grudge against Xu Rong, but only lamented that fate had played tricks on him.

The person who almost took his life in the previous life has become his trusted subordinate in this life.

Moreover, because he knew Xu Rong's abilities very well, he admired him very much.

Just thinking about the things of the past life and looking at this person again, I couldn't help but smile.

……

"My lord, after the Imperial Guards' martial arts performance, I had a small gathering with old friends from the same county and had a few extra drinks."

Xu Rong clasped his fists in response. Although his words were rough, his eyes were bright.

The system of the Han Dynasty's imperial guards.

The four major pillars are the five schools of Tunqi, Yueqi, Infantry, Changshui, and Shesheng Northern Army, as well as the Lieutenant General of Huben, the Lieutenant General of Yulin, and the Chief of the Imperial Guards.

This system has three disadvantages: power is dispersed, duties are overlapped, and financial resources are scarce.

Liu Fang glanced at Xu Rong and sighed:
"This so-called Imperial Guard is really getting worse day by day."

It was Feng Chen who came out again, hunched over, to smooth things over.

"It's not Zi Liao's fault. Looking at the imperial guards in various camps, most of them are like this."

"The horses under the command of the Tunqi Captain have legs that are not as thick as human legs, and the Yueqi Captain's cavalry are almost out of rideable horses."

Jian Shuo's triangular eyes rolled, and he added a postscript:

"The Xiongnu cavalry under Captain Changshui are also like this. They have begun to indulge in alcohol in the camp."

"The remaining two schools are in even worse shape. Most of the bows and crossbows in the Archery School are old, and the arrowheads are mostly rusted."

"The five schools of the Northern Army now have only about 5,000 men in total, and they are all good-for-nothings."

Xu Shao also stroked his beard and smiled:
"People's comments were accurate, saying that the Tiger Guards numbered less than a thousand men, all of them sons of noble families, unskilled in archery and horsemanship but adept at extravagance."

"A few days ago, I accompanied the emperor on a suburban sacrifice and was impeached because of the disorder in the procession."

"The Praefectus Urbi was even more ingenious. He was in charge of the imperial guards outside the palace, dealing with unusual fire and water issues. Yet, he caused a fire in the city's armory, destroying over ten thousand weapons."

Xu Rong nodded to thank the three people who helped him out and continued:
"Among the Yulin Guards, only the hundred or so of us are still practicing martial arts drills daily according to the old system."

"As for the two cavalrymen on the left and right of the Imperial Guards... let's not talk about these two thousand men and horses."

After hearing what everyone said, Liu Fang couldn't help but smile bitterly.

This matter cannot be blamed on the leaders of the imperial guards of each camp and their soldiers.

To trace the root of the problem, we have to start with the plan of Liu Hong and Liu Fang back then.

First, during the reigns of previous emperors, the imperial guards were often involved in coups and were always implicated in the turmoil in the court.

So after the two of them discussed it, they decided to weaken this force.

However, the emperor left the generals alone, allowing them to enrich themselves by withholding military pay, and their pockets were bulging. In this way, the generals and soldiers became alienated and naturally could not stir up any waves that threatened the imperial power.

Secondly, let’s talk about the current situation. Although there are constant minor disturbances both internally and externally.

But whether it was the Hu people outside the Great Wall or the Taiping Dao in the Central Plains, they were still under their control.

The Central Plains was divided into pieces by the aristocratic families and the Liu clan, and each of them was acting independently. There was no possibility of any major development in the short term.

Without the worry of being surrounded by powerful neighbors, Luoyang's military preparedness naturally relaxed.

Every day, willow shadows sway outside the palace walls, and the sound of horse hooves is rare as the knights under the Praefectus Urbi patrol the streets. How can there be any atmosphere of strict vigilance?

The third is the struggle for power between eunuchs and aristocratic families.

Of course, the eunuchs were able to fight for military power at the instruction of Liu Hong.

Zhang Rang and Zhao Zhong were the masterminds of this matter. They acted decisively. Within half a year, the five school Simas were replaced three times, and the left and right supervisors of the Yulin were replaced every month or so.

Among the imperial guards today, not only are the generals and soldiers united, but even few soldiers recognize their chief generals.

On the surface, the structure of "the five schools of the Northern Army are in charge of garrison, the Tiger Guards and Feathered Guards guard the palace, and the Chief of the Imperial Guards patrols outside the palace" remains unchanged.

But in reality, this system has long been riddled with holes.

The military pay was cut like cutting flesh, the generals were replaced frequently like demolishing beams, and the imperial guards became playthings in the power struggle and filling stones for the financial hole.

It's like a dilapidated building supported by rotten wood, with beams and pillars hollowed out by insects. It looks upright, but in fact it will collapse with the slightest push.

However, they did not let go completely, as they had already planted many hidden stakes in Luoyang City.

Xu Rong in the Yulin Guard seems to be unknown, but in fact he leads more than a hundred Yulin guards to train day and night. If he gives an order, they can be transformed into sharp blades.

Deep in the training grounds of the Huben Camp, there is another scene hidden.

Specially selected young men practiced hard every day in the twilight. Their armor was three times heavier than that of others, and their spears were equipped with specially made bronze weights.

These young men, whose names are not even recorded in the military register, are the seeds of those who will take charge of the imperial guards in the future.

In addition, there are the redundant followers of the Zhonghuangmen under Xu Feng.

This group of elite eunuchs were stationed deep in the Ye Ting all year round.

Their support was extravagant, and the monthly expenditure alone was equivalent to half a year's salary for five schools of the Northern Army.

Liu Fang tapped the table with his fingertips and muttered to himself:
"When the time is right, this Imperial Guard will have to be renovated sooner or later..."

The words stopped abruptly.

Because Liu Fang thought of a major event in his previous life.

These were the Eight Commandants of Xiyuan established more than ten years later.

After the establishment of Xiyuan Army, Liu Hong proclaimed himself the Supreme General and Jian Shuo was appointed as the Captain of the Supreme Army to command all the armies.

The army was very powerful for a while, and the plan to control the military power was completed. Even the general He Jin had to obey orders under the new military power.

Interestingly, after Liu Hong successfully hung this sharp blade over the heads of the aristocratic families, he suddenly died the following year.

If the brothers followed their original plan, the candidate for the senior lieutenant of the Xiyuan Army should be Xu Feng.

but……

Forget it, there is no need to talk about those things that have not happened yet.

……

Liu Fang waved his sleeve to interrupt everyone's unfinished words and turned to Feng Yan, who was standing with his head bowed:
"Let's put aside the matter of the Imperial Guards for now and discuss the battle report on Beidi County's victory over the Xianbei."

Feng Chen hunched his back and took a half step forward, then bowed his eyes and said:

"My Lord, the battle report says that the Xianbei cavalry broke into Beidi County and burned and killed people..."

"Xia Yu, the governor of Beidi, led his troops in a counterattack. Not only did he drive the Hu cavalry out of the border, but he also pursued them north and captured a lot of prizes."

Liu Fang was thinking about the three words "Xianbei", "Beidi Taishou" and "Xia Yu".

His gaze through the window seemed to fall on the grassland thousands of miles away.

"How is the Xianbei doing?"

Feng Yan straightened his hunched back slightly, but the furrow between his brows deepened.

"The current leader of the Xianbei is Tan Shihuai. This Hu chieftain is definitely no ordinary person..."

"About ten years ago, he established his royal court in Danhan Mountain. He was extremely skilled at winning over the hearts of the people. He brought the remnants of the Xiongnu and the defeated Wuhuan under his wing, and the various Xianbei tribes gradually submitted to him."

"He used this to establish a tribal alliance, personally led the Hu cavalry in the north to suppress the Dingling, defeated the Fuyu in the east, advanced westward to the Wusun, occupied all the former Xiongnu territory, and even crossed the sea to harass the Wa Kingdom."

He lowered his voice, and suddenly a dark wind flashed through his sleeves:

"Ever since the reign of Emperor Huan, he has refused to accept a fiefdom or a marriage alliance. In recent years, he has frequently plundered the nine border counties, causing unrest even in the vassal states of Liaodong."

"The most troublesome thing is that they have recruited quite a few Han Chinese strategists, and there's a faint sign of founding a nation..."

As Feng Xian continued to tell the story, Liu Fang gradually remembered some details.

In his previous life, when he led his troops to the frontier, Tan Shihuai had passed away many years ago, the Xianbei had fallen apart, and the tribal alliance had also disbanded.

But he always felt that he had overlooked something very important.

"By the way, Huangfu Jie seems to have some connections with him..."

At the right time, Feng Yan added:
"Your Majesty is delighted with this great victory. I heard that he has chosen Xia Yu to be the Protector of the Wuhuan, and seems to be planning a major northern expedition."

Liu Fang looked up suddenly, and the bamboo slips on the table were rustling as they were swept by his sleeves.

Yes, after Huangfu Jie died, the Xianbei leader sent people to express condolences.

The dusty memories burst forth like a flood.

In his previous life, when Huangfu Song drank strong liquor, his eyes were filled with grief and anger because of this matter.

After this so-called great defeat of the Xianbei, the imperial court began to look down on the Xianbei.

The officials in the court were overwhelmed by the victory, and memorials seeking quick success and instant benefits poured into the imperial case like snowflakes.

Not only did they instigate Liu Hong to launch a northern expedition, but Liu Hong was also eager to achieve unprecedented achievements.

After about two years of planning, the three armies set out in full force.

Xia Yu, the commander of the Wuhuan Guard, attacked from the north and defeated Tian Yan, the Xianbei General of the Household, who led his troops from Yunzhong. Zang Min, the General of the Household, and the Chanyu of the Southern Xiongnu advanced from Yanmen.

They divided their troops and marched out of the border, with flags covering the sun, intending to advance over 2,000 miles.

But what they didn't know was that Tan Shihuai had already laid a tight net on the grassland.

The "big men" of the three Xianbei tribes, East, Central and West, each led their tribes and lay in ambush for a long time.

As soon as the Han army entered the frontier, they were surrounded.

The Hu cavalry rushed like a tide, and the army of Xia Yu and others was torn into pieces in an instant, and even the imperial seals and baggage were scattered in the wilderness.

In the end, each of them fled in a panic with only dozens of remaining riders.

As many as seven or eight out of the tens of thousands of Han troops were killed in battle, and those who fled back to the border were like evil spirits.

After this battle, the imperial court finally woke up from its dream and continued to send people to infiltrate the Xianbei hinterland to investigate.

Two years later, the truth finally came out.

Subsequently, young and strong generals such as Huangfu Song were urgently transferred to the border to take over the important task of guarding the territory.

And Huangfu Song took over the post of Governor of Beidi...

Note:

① About Jian Shuo, Feng Yan, Xu Rong, and Xu Feng

There is no record of their "characters" in historical materials.

So it is based on the plot and the Chinese character selection habits.

Jian Shuo, whose courtesy name was Zilie.

Feng Yan, whose courtesy name is Yuanhuo.

Xu Rong, whose courtesy name is Ziliao.

Xu Feng, whose courtesy name was Ziyuan.

About the reasons behind these few “words”.

There will be a more important plot to explain.

②On the relationship between Xu Rong and Xu Feng

There is no record in historical facts.

It is a reasonable evolution based on historical materials.

The specific relevant historical materials are not repeated here.

③Xu Rong

"Records of the Three Kingdoms" states: "(Cao Cao) Taizu raised an army to fight against Dong Zhuo. When he reached Xingyang, he was defeated by Zhuo's general Xu Rong."

"Book of the Later Han": "Rong met Jian (Sun Jian) ​​in Liang, fought with him and defeated Jian, captured Li Min alive, and executed him."

"Book of the Later Han": "When Wang Yun heard about this, he sent Hu Zhen and Xu Rong, two of Zhuo's former generals, to attack him at Xinfeng. Rong was killed in the battle, and Zhen surrendered with his troops."

④ Summer training

Book of the Later Han:
"In December, the Xianbei invaded the northern lands. The prefect Xia Yu pursued and defeated them."

Book of the Later Han:
"We dispatched... Xia Yu... Tian Yan... Zang Min... each with ten thousand cavalrymen, to march over two thousand miles beyond the border along three routes. Tan Shihuai ordered the three commanders to lead their troops in a counter-attack. Yu and his men were badly defeated, losing their military supplies and baggage. Each of them fled back with dozens of cavalrymen, with seventeen or eighteen dead."

⑤ Huangfu Song took over as governor of Beidi
Book of the Later Han:
"…Moved to be the governor of Beidi."

⑥ Imperial Guards

Book of the Later Han:
"The five schools of the Northern Army are responsible for guarding the capital, each with a Sima and Gongcao. The Lieutenant General of the Huben Guards is in charge of the Huben Guards, and the Lieutenant General of the Yulin Guards is in charge of the Yulin Guards. Both are subordinate to the Guanglu Xun. The Chief of the Imperial Guards is in charge of the outer palace security and special fire and water matters. He marches around the palace three times a month and is in charge of weapons."


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(End of this chapter)