Eastern Jin Dynasty: My powerful father

Chapter 142 King Liang dies of illness

Jingzhou, Jiangling.

Huan Wen was not surprised when he learned that Yin Hao's Northern Expedition failed and more than 30,000 soldiers were lost. After knowing that Yin Hao relied heavily on Yao Xiang, he had already predicted that the army would be in danger of overthrowing.

Yin Hao's situation was different from Chu Pei's. Chu Pei's Northern Expedition with 30,000 troops only lost 3,000 men because he only sent 3,000 men to respond to the more than 500 households who revolted in Lu County.

After three thousand soldiers were wiped out by Li Nong's 20,000 cavalry, Chu Su was frightened and led the rest of the soldiers back to Huainan.

And Yin Hao was the main force. During the march, he was ambushed by his own forwards. He was lucky to be able to escape with more than 30,000 people.

Of course, what distressed Huan Wen the most was not only the casualties of the soldiers, but also the supplies of the Northern Expedition that had been seized by Yao Xiang and accumulated for many years.

When Huan Wen was deep in thought, Xi Chao opened the door and walked in:

"My lord, the memorial to impeach Yin Hao has been written. Please have your lord read it."

Huan Wen took the bullet and was not eager to take a closer look. Instead, he recalled the past with Yin Hao when he was a child. He said with emotion:

"When I was young, Yin Hao and I rode bamboo horses together. Whenever I abandoned them and left, Yin Hao would step forward to pick them up. He was always behind me, so he could not compare with me.

"But because of personal affairs, the imperial court dragged me to Jiangling because of his personal relationship, and because he was responsible for the Northern Expedition, I was not allowed to be free. That's why I suffered today's disaster."

As he spoke, Huan Wen spread out his music and recited the contents silently in his mind. After reading, he closed the music and asked:

"Are the words too strong?"

The bullet was ghostwritten by Xi Chao, who insisted:

"The words are not strong enough to let the world know the lord's indignation."

Huan Wen nodded and did not insist on Xi Chao changing it. He handed the bullet back to Xi Chao and said:

"Immediately send someone to the capital. In addition, recruit 50,000 cavalry for me. Now Yao Xiang is drinking horses in the Yangtze River and threatening the capital. I, Huan Wen, am a loyal minister of the Jin Dynasty. How can I turn a blind eye and send troops to serve the king."

On the issue of using troops, Huan Wen and his son Huan Xi both had the same attitude. In the original time and space, Huan Wen only led 40,000 soldiers in his northern expedition to the former Qin Dynasty, and he only led an army of 50,000 troops in his attack on the former Yan Dynasty.

Xi Chao happily agreed. Taking advantage of the failure of Yin Hao's Northern Expedition, he finally had the opportunity to break through the cage. Not only Huan Wen, but even Xi Chao could not conceal his excitement.

Bingzhou, Jinyang.

The news of the Longnan rebellion and Huan Xi's expedition was finally heard by Fu Jian in early November.

Jinyang is far away from Longnan, so it is difficult for Fu Jian to know whether the news is true or false.

After all, since Shang Yang's reform, when the ruling order was stable, people no longer had the right to move freely. Huan Xi had very strict management of household registration in the Guanzhong area. This was also a last resort in troubled times.

You can never allow the enemy to operate unimpeded in your own territory.

Not to mention ordinary people, even scholars who study abroad must report to the government in advance.

The only people who could travel to all directions were merchants, but merchants had to be clean and registered with the government.

Therefore, it was impossible for Fu Jian's detailed operations to detect the intelligence of Longnan across Guanzhong. They could only secretly cross the river and travel between Guanzhong and Hedong.

However, this did not prevent Fu Jian from noticing that there might be something fishy going on. However, Jinyang and Wuwei were more than 2,500 miles apart, and Huan Xi's forces were blocking the way. For a while, Fu Jian didn't know the situation in Liangzhou. It's already so critical.

After all, who would have thought that Zhang Chonghua, then 27 years old, would be so sick that he couldn't afford it.

Fu Jian was not in a hurry to send out troops. After all, setting off for a large army was no child's play. From the first day of recruiting soldiers, food, clothing, housing and transportation were all expenses.

Although he was not clear about what happened in Longnan, Fu Jian understood Huan Xi's desire for Liangzhou, and he ordered his confidants:

"We should send envoys to Daiguo and Chile to borrow roads, pass through Monan, and go thousands of miles away to inquire about the situation in Liangzhou."

At the same time, Zhang Chonghua, who was in Wuwei, had reached the point where he was running out of fuel.

In the ward, Queen Mother Ma, Princess Pei, the eldest son Zhang Yaoling, the youngest son Zhang Xuanliang, Changning Marquis Zhang Zuo, favorite ministers Zhao Chang, Wei Ji and others were all in front of the bed, waiting for Zhang Chonghua to leave his last words.

Zhang Chonghua called his son, Zhang Yaoling, to him. Just as he was about to speak, he heard someone outside the door reciting "The Wall Has Teeth" loudly:

"The wall has thorns, so it cannot be blocked. The words that are said in the middle cannot be Dao. The words that can be Dao are ugly.

"The wall has thorns, so it cannot be used to support it. The words in the middle cannot be detailed. The words that can be detailed are long.

"The wall has thorns and cannot be restrained. What is said in the wall cannot be read. What can be read is an insult."

According to legend, after the death of Duke Xuang of Wei, his concubine's eldest son, Gongzi Wan, had an affair with Xuan Jiang, the wife of Duke Xuang of Wei. The Chinese people did not dare to speak out, so they wrote this poem to ridicule the scandal between the two.

Zhang Chonghua had been the lord of Liangzhou for so many years, but there were still people who were willing to remind him and even died generously for this.

In the past, it was just that there was no chance to get close to the ward.

Zhang Chonghua's expression changed drastically when he heard the sounds outside the ward.

Of course he knows the meaning of "The Wall Has Patches".

Zhang Chonghua looked at his wife Pei, who was indeed in a trance. It was the cold winter, but she was sweating like rain.

But what Zhang Chonghua didn't expect was that his eyes inadvertently glanced at his mother, Ma. Even she looked uneasy, with the word "guilty" almost written on her face.

Zhang Zuo rushed out of the door, only to hear a scream, and the sound outside the door suddenly stopped.

When Zhang Zuo returned to the ward, Zhang Chonghua pointed at him:

"you"

He also pointed to his wife and mother:

"you."

Even though his heart was filled with anger and he wanted to yell at the adulterer and adulterer, Zhang Chonghua couldn't say it in front of his son.

He was even ashamed to mention this kind of thing, but he didn't understand why his mother and wife could do such things.

He put down his hand, suppressed the indignation in his heart, and said: "After my death, Xie Ai will be appointed as the general of the bodyguard, overseeing all military affairs at home and abroad, and assisting the government."

As soon as these words came out, everyone in the room was shocked. Only Zhang Chonghua's two sons were still sobbing in front of the bed.

Queen Mother Ma no longer looked as restless as before. She said angrily:

"Is it possible that my son is dizzy due to illness? Marquis Changning is a virtuous member of the clan. If the state affairs are not entrusted to him, how can we entrust them to the hands of outsiders?"

Princess Pei, favorite ministers Zhao Chang, Wei Ji and others also spoke in agreement.

Zhang Chonghua sneered:

"The clan is virtuous?"

He didn't say anything more, he just called his second son Zhang Xuanliang to the bedside and warned:

"Xie Ai's talent is no less than that of Huan Xi, Wang Meng and others. If you can trust him personally, you will be able to protect the foundation of Liangzhou.

"From now on, you brothers will serve Xie Ai as your father. Xie Ai will be loyal to his chastity and loyalty. You must not trust him."

When Cao Cao asked Xu Shu how talented he was, Cheng Yu said he was ten times as good as Yu. Compared with Cheng Yu's praise of Xu Shu, Zhang Chonghua's praise of Xie Ai was considered conservative.

Zhang Yaoling and Zhang Xuanliang nodded in agreement with tears in their eyes, but the faces of Zhang Zuo and others were dark and ugly.

On the same day, Zhang Chonghua supported his illness and met with many ministers, asking them to do their best to protect the young master together with Xie Ai.

After explaining the funeral affairs, Zhang Chonghua died of illness in Wuwei that night.

Before his death, he was covered with shame and anger, and slept with endless humiliation.

In the ward, there was a lot of crying, but apart from Zhang Yaoling, Zhang Xuanliang, Zhang Yuer and other children, how many people were really sad for Zhang Chonghua.

The next day, Zhang Yaoling, who was still grieving for the death of his father, was brought to the main hall of the Liang Palace by his aunt Pei and his grandmother Ma. He succeeded him as the Lord of Liangzhou and accepted the worship of the ministers.

Ma family dictated Zhang Chonghua’s last words to everyone:

"The Marquis of Changning, Zhang Zuo, is courageous and resolute, and his virtues are renowned all over the world.

"The King of Liang left an order to appoint Changning Marquis Zhijie, commander-in-chief of the Chinese and foreign armies, and general Fujun to assist in state affairs."

The ministers heard the sound and bowed.

Zhang Yaoling looked at his grandmother in surprise. He clearly remembered that before his father died, he wanted to use Xie Ai to assist the government and supervise all the Chinese and foreign kings.

It made their brothers regard Xie Ai as their father, but how could he suddenly become the Marquis of Changning in his grandmother's mouth.

Zhang Yaoling turned to look at his biological mother Pei and said doubtfully:

"Mother."

As soon as he opened his mouth, Pei said in a low voice:

"Don't say anything, or else my mother and grandmother will harm you!"

After all, Zhang Yaoling was only ten years old. After being scolded by his aunt, he had no choice but to keep his mouth shut.

He could see clearly that many of the people in the palace who congratulated his uncle Zhang Zuo were the ones his father had entrusted with his funeral arrangements in person.

After the ceremony, when they returned to the harem, Zhang Zuo hugged the Queen Mother Ma and the Queen Mother Pei on the left and right.

The mother-in-law and daughter-in-law were not at all sad about the death of their son or husband. Instead, they worked hard to please Zhang Zuo between the beds.

Zhang Chonghua's mourning hall was still being decorated in Prince Liang's palace, but Ma's bedroom was filled with the laughter of the three of them.

Zhang Zuo certainly intended to take Zhang Chonghua's daughter Zhang Yu'er as his own and let her serve with her grandmother and aunt.

But at this time Xie Ai was still in Jincheng County and had thousands of soldiers in his hands. Zhang Zuo was quite wary of him and did not dare to be too presumptuous.

After being defeated, Zhang Zuo hugged the two girls and said:

"Now that Xie Ai is out, I can't feel at ease. Once he leads his troops back to Wuwei, I'm afraid our happy days will come to an end."

The Dowager Princess Ma hummed:

"Just think of a way to get rid of him."

Mrs. Pei also put her arms around Zhang Zuo's neck and said delicately:

"I don't want to be separated from Marquis Changning."

Zhang Zuo nodded and said:

"Yao Ling is still young now, but if he waits a few years older, he will discover our affair sooner or later."

Ma didn't even care about his son Zhang Chonghua, so how could he care about his grandson? Naturally, he was devoted to his lover:

"It is better to wait until Xie Ai is killed, depose Yao Ling, and make Changning Marquis the lord of Liangzhou."

Zhang Yaoling was not Pei's biological son, so she naturally didn't care and asked:

"If the Marquis of Changning is the lord of Liangzhou, how should he treat the two of us?"

Zhang Zuo smiled and said:

"Of course I will divorce the Xin family and make you two princesses together."

Xin is Zhang Zuo's wife, and the couple has a deep relationship.

Saying such words today is clearly deceiving the two of them, but Ma and Pei have already fallen deeply in love and cannot extricate themselves.

They both believed every word he said.

　Next chapter by 6 p.m.

　　

　

(End of this chapter)