My older brother is Gao Huan.

Chapter 202 is likely to be a scene of carnage.

Erzhu Rong went south this time.

Instead of keeping a low profile, they spread the news widely: the late emperor had died suddenly because of the treacherous officials in the court. The Erzhu clan had received imperial favor for generations and vowed to eliminate the treacherous officials, avenge the late emperor, and restore order to the Great Wei dynasty.

He did not attack the fact that the current young emperor, Yuan Zhao, had not ascended to the throne legitimately.

First establishing the infant girl, then Yuan Zhao—Empress Dowager Hu's bizarre actions certainly treated the throne, such a vital instrument of state, as a joke. However, Yuan Zhao, whom she later chose, was without any problems in terms of his background. At least after confirming that Yuan Xu had not given birth to an heir, Yuan Zhao's succession was legally sound.

In her edict of accession, Empress Dowager Hu clearly stated that she was descended from Emperor Gaozu, meaning she was a direct descendant of Emperor Xiaowen.

of course……

Unlike his son Emperor Xuanwu, Emperor Xiaowen did not have a lack of offspring; there were quite a few people who had Emperor Xiaowen's bloodline.

Everyone knows perfectly well why they specifically chose a three-year-old child to be the emperor.

Gao Yu had not yet met Erzhu Rong, but he had already received news. From the message sent by Erzhu Rong, it seemed that some clues could be gleaned.

"Tianbao seems... to be planning a massacre."

Gao Yu glanced north, then looked south towards the direction of Luoyang, and murmured to himself.

"Moheduo, what do you mean by that?"

Mulan was always by his side. As a talented general carefully cultivated by Gao Yu, Mulan, Peng Le, and others would be taken along wherever Gao Yu went.

Right now, it's only because Gao Yu doesn't have any extra troops. If Gao Yu had even a little more soldiers under his command, the two of them would be separated and led separately.

Mulan and Peng Le are more than capable of leading an army on their own.

Gao Yu answered their questions without reservation.

"There are two important reasons for Tianbao's southward campaign. One is that the sudden death of the late emperor was due to a hidden story, that there were treacherous officials in the court, and that the Erzhu family, who have received imperial favor for generations, should eliminate these treacherous officials and restore order to the Great Wei dynasty."

"Another important point is that Empress Dowager Hu first lied and claimed that the baby girl was a boy and installed him as emperor, and then turned around and installed someone else. She treated the imperial power as a joke. Tianbao can attack the fact that there are secrets in the succession. Although Yuan Zhao is descended from Emperor Gaozu, in terms of succession, there are far more suitable people than Yuan Zhao."

There are many living descendants of Emperor Xiaowen, so why would there be a need to find an heir from among his great-grandchildren?

For example, Yuan Dan, the eldest son of Yuan Yi, the Prince of Qinghe, an old acquaintance, is still alive and well. Although Yuan Yi was killed by Yuan Yi during the Xuanguang Coup, Empress Dowager Hu still protected Yuan Dan out of consideration for their past relationship.

Like Yuan Dan, Gao Yu's old acquaintance, the branch of Prince Yuan Huai of Guangping, whose eldest son Yuan Hui and third son Yuan Xiu are still alive.

Yes, the second son was Yuan Ti, who inherited his title of Prince of Guangping.

The 'pale green youth' who had left an impression on Gao Yu had become a vegetable due to the incident between the central army and General Zhang Yi, and it was unknown whether he was dead or alive.

When I think of Yuan Ti, I think of a large cart.

Suddenly, I miss the night I stood up and pedaled the cart.

Mulan and Peng Le were eagerly waiting for him to continue his analysis, but seeing that he hadn't spoken for a long time, Peng Le immediately asked, "And then?"

Gao Yu then pulled himself together and began to analyze the situation.

"If the dissatisfaction is only with the change of the throne, then the southward journey of Emperor Tianbao was nothing more than supporting a new person who is closer to Emperor Xiaowen by blood to ascend the throne."

"To eliminate treacherous officials and avenge the late emperor, that would mean killing people. And how many to kill, whether they are loyal or treacherous, will not be decided by the court once the army arrives outside Luoyang. Whether an official is loyal or treacherous depends entirely on the Emperor's decision."

The final interpretation rests with Erzhu Rong.

The scariest thing is...

Most of the people in the court were promoted by Empress Dowager Hu, while Yuan Xu promoted very few people himself. Yuan Xu and Empress Dowager Hu were fighting each other to this extent, and they were all from Empress Dowager Hu's faction.

Erzhu Rong can then be judged as a treacherous minister.

Even a prince like Yuan Yong, the Prince of Gaoyang, might not be able to escape unscathed.

Anyone who was once Yuan Xu's political enemy could be labeled a traitor.

Peng Le suddenly realized something and blurted out, "If the Grand Commander wants to control the court, wouldn't he have to kill all the officials in Luoyang?"

"The officials and nobles have been deeply entrenched in Luoyang for many years, and their power is already deeply rooted. Moreover, their relationships with each other are intricate and intertwined. Killing a few is hardly enough."

Mulan's face paled in horror, and she quickly stopped him, "You scoundrel, how can your mind be filled with nothing but killing? You dare to even think of killing all the officials in the court? If you do that, you'll offend everyone!"

Peng Le chuckled dismissively, “Luoyang has always looked down on us. The Erzhu clan calls themselves Qihu, but they are actually Jiehu. How could Luoyang possibly respect them? So what if we offend them? We’ve already offended them. The dead can’t take revenge, nor can they open their mouths to curse.”

"........."

Gao Yu did not respond. He gave Peng Le a deep look and instructed him, "When the Grand Commander personally leads the army here, Zixing must not say such things again."

Peng Le grinned, "If the general tells me not to speak, then I won't speak. I will only listen to the general's words."

………………

Inside Luoyang City.

The news of Erzhu Rong leading his troops south could not be kept secret at all.

Given the limited transportation conditions in ancient times, there were only a few roads available for large armies to travel on.

It's not like it's impossible to spot its tracks on a vast grassland.

When Empress Dowager Hu learned of the news, she was extremely flustered.

When Erzhu Rong left Luoyang, it was in a very undignified manner, which can be said to be due to the death of Yuan Yi, and he fled in a very disheveled state.

It was only because Erzhu Rong reacted quickly that he was able to leave Luoyang alive; otherwise, it would have been uncertain whether he could have left alive.

Not to mention that Erzhu Rong had already secretly formed a political alliance with Yuan Xu and even sent his daughter to the palace to marry Yuan Xu.

This kind of person came to Luoyang.

Others may not necessarily suffer, but Empress Dowager Hu will definitely suffer!

After all, on the surface, the Erzhu clan had maintained good relations with the nobles and princes of Luoyang since the generation of Erzhu Rong's grandfather, Erzhu Daiqin, so there was still some superficial friendship between them.

Empress Dowager Hu immediately issued an edict summoning the officials to the palace for discussion. Inside the Taiji Hall.

Empress Dowager Hu held the three-year-old Emperor Yuan Zhao in her arms. Although she was terrified inside, she remained extremely calm on the surface.

Having survived numerous coups, he possesses a certain level of mental fortitude and can generally maintain composure and not show his emotions.

She said in a deep voice.

"Erzhu Rong disobeyed the Emperor's edict and forcibly led his troops south. How is he any different from the rebels in Hebei and Shandong? I have summoned you all here today to see if you have any strategies to repel the enemy. If we allow a Jie barbarian like Erzhu to lead his troops to the outskirts of Luoyang, it will surely cause widespread suffering. If his wolfish ambitions grow further and he does what Dong Zhuo did during the Han Dynasty, how will you all face the consequences?"

Empress Dowager Hu was well aware of this.

His act of establishing two emperors in two days made him extremely dissatisfied with the court officials and members of the Yuan clan.

But she had no way out. Right now, she had to make Erzhu Rong a common enemy of everyone in order to gain their help.

She even brought up Dong Zhuo's past to scare these people.

Can……

The entire court of officials and princes remained unmoved.

They all adopted an attitude of "it's none of my business" and remained silent.

Empress Dowager Hu was furious, and her eyes turned cold.

Her thoughtful and kind son, Zheng Yan, stepped forward and offered to help her out.

"Your Majesty and Empress Dowager need not worry."

"The Erzhu clan is nothing more than a group of uncivilized Jie barbarians. Their tribe is small in number, so how much trouble can they cause? The journey from Xiurongchuan to Luoyang is long. By the time their fast horses reach the Sizhou region, they will be exhausted and worn out."

"There are still several thousand brave and capable soldiers in Luoyang, and troops can be transferred from nearby counties, which is enough to defend against the enemy."

"Moreover, the Yellow River's natural barrier is under the control of the imperial court. Right now, it is the Yellow River's spring flood season. With this natural barrier protecting them, Erzhu Rong has no way to do anything."

"Moreover, even if Erzhu Rong could lead his troops across the Yellow River, Luoyang's defenses are strong, and the city has plenty of food and weapons. If we simply hold our ground, Erzhu Rong would arrive in haste, but his supplies would be insufficient. Moreover, the Jie people are no different from the grassland people and are not good at attacking cities. In the end, he would only be able to return empty-handed."

Zheng Yan's words were reasonable and well-founded.

Moreover, every word he said resonated with Empress Dowager Hu.

What Empress Dowager Hu needs right now is not a specific strategy to repel the enemy.

She just wanted someone to comfort her when disaster struck.

Hear these words.

Empress Dowager Hu's expression softened.

"Zheng Qing's words resonate deeply with me. He truly deserves to be called a pillar of the nation. Aren't you all ashamed? You all receive salaries from the court, yet at this critical moment you cannot offer a single useful plan to relieve the emperor's worries. What use are you?"

Faced with ridicule.

The nobles were disdainful, but remained silent.

They treated every word Empress Dowager Hu uttered as uttered nonsense.

It was Empress Dowager Hu who gave Erzhu Rong the reason to lead his troops south; it was you who personally handed Erzhu Rong the knife.

Then you'll have to sort things out yourself.

If it can be resolved, then everyone can maintain a superficial harmony and respect for Empress Dowager Hu, sharing the imperial power of the Great Wei Dynasty with her, just like in the story of the Jin Dynasty.

Historically, if those who hold power have not obtained it legitimately, they can only gain their approval by sharing power with noble families.

What if it can't be resolved?

It's uncertain whether Empress Dowager Hu will even be alive.

Anyway.

It wasn't them who died.

Even if Erzhu Rong installs another new emperor, it will not affect their continued high positions.

Even Erzhu Rong tried to win them over.

Within the officialdom, these seasoned veterans have plenty of ways to deal with Erzhu Rong, this brainless Jie barbarian who only knows how to kill.

After the court assembly ended.

Zheng Yan and Xu He met with Empress Dowager Hu at Xianyang Palace.

Zheng Yan was not as arrogant as he had been in the Taiji Hall. He advised, "Empress Dowager, Erzhu Rong's southward march is nothing more than an attempt to seize a higher position. Your Majesty might as well send someone to convey goodwill, offer him a high position, and persuade him to withdraw his troops. This would be the best course of action."

"Furthermore, we need to send people to take control of Beizhongcheng, Heqiao, and Xiaopingjin to prevent Erzhu Rong from crossing the Yellow River and heading straight for Luoyang."

The River Bridge, as its name suggests, is a bridge built over the Yellow River for crossing the river. North Central City, on the other hand, is a city built north of the River Bridge specifically for defense. As long as North Central City is not lost, the River Bridge will never be lost.

As for Xiaopingjin, it is one of the "Eight Passes" of Luoyang.

It is an important ferry crossing on the Yellow River.

If the army cannot cross the river bridge.

Under normal circumstances, the only way to cross the river is by boat.

Unless there is extreme weather, the Yellow River freezes over, and the ice is extremely solid enough to allow large armies and their supplies to cross.

Empress Dowager Hu nodded.

“Then let Grand General Li Shenggui lead troops to Heqiao to set up camp, Zheng Jimin and Zheng Xianhu lead troops to garrison Beizhongcheng, and General Fei Mu of the Martial Guard garrison Xiaopingjin.”

They were all people recently promoted by Empress Dowager Hu, who had shown her kindness and support.

(End of this chapter)