Dragon Raja: History Simulator

Page 81

“I don’t know,” Liu Xiu replied, stopping Deng Chen from saying anything more, and continued, “But we have no choice. Since you’ve chosen this path, there’s no turning back.”

Liu Xiu was right. Since Liu Yan had chosen to rebel, when the army that was suppressing the rebellion passed by, they wouldn't care whether these two relatives of Liu Yan had made the same choice; they would simply kill them all.

Deng Chen's family had a family fortune of two thousand shi (a unit of grain), but in times of war, this family background had lost its value.

Having figured this out, Deng Chen seemed somewhat indignant. "Are we really destined to be dragged into this rebellion by Bo Sheng and have to procure supplies for him?"

Liu Xiu looked at Deng Chen and said softly, "Brother-in-law, Xinye has not yet been crossed by the Red Eyebrows and Green Forest. Whether it is to escape the war or to raise grain for our elder brother, it is a way out."

After his initial discouragement, Deng Chen couldn't help but cheer up. After all, the new king's regime had plunged the country into chaos in just over a decade, and anyone with a discerning eye knew that it was time for another dynastic change.

It's just like how Emperor Gaozu pacified the world with his three-foot sword two hundred years ago.

However, what frightens powerful figures like Deng Chen is that they don't know who the next emperor will be.

The First Emperor unified the six kingdoms, but the nobles of the six kingdoms did not disappear. For example, the Xiang clan and the Tian clan, the original nobles of the six kingdoms, still maintained great influence in their fiefdoms.

However, the Dazexiang Uprising, which led to the subsequent three-year uprising and four-year Chu-Han Contention, caused almost the entire old aristocracy to disappear from the stage of history, and the consequences were evident.

Powerful figures like Deng Chen rose to prominence in just over a century, and compared to the nobles of the six kingdoms who had existed for centuries, they were at a greater disadvantage and had less influence.

It's no wonder he's afraid of the turmoil to come.

After his initial fear subsided, he remembered a book called "The Red Talisman," which contained the following line: "Liu Xiu raises troops to capture the wicked, barbarians gather like clouds to fight dragons in the wilderness, and fire will reign supreme at the time of the fourth and seventh."

This book is widely circulated throughout the world today, and its influence is comparable to that of "Dangtu Gao, the one who replaced the Han Dynasty" two hundred years later.

However, compared to the obscurity two hundred years later, this book, "The Red Talisman," is much more straightforward. Its meaning is singular: Liu Xiu should become the emperor.

In fact, there are countless prophecies like this, but only the book "Red Talisman" is the most famous.

The reason is simple: Liu Xin, the current emperor's advisor, believed the prophecy in the book and changed his name to Liu Xiu.

For this reason, Wang Mang, the emperor of the Xin Dynasty, also decisively killed this old friend.

With both Emperor Wang Mang and the Imperial Preceptor Liu Xin praising this book so highly, it was no wonder that powerful figures and scholars throughout the land were skeptical.

When Deng Chen thought of this, his gaze toward Liu Xiu changed. The story of Emperor Gaozu's uprising after slaying the white snake was widely known, and now the prophecy that "Liu Xiu will become the emperor" was also known to the world. So, what did that mean?

Deng Chen couldn't help but feel excited.

Perhaps this is destiny!

He looked at Liu Xiu and tentatively asked, "Sanlang, do you think we should go to Xinye first?"

Liu Xiu smiled and said, "What do you think, brother-in-law?"

"I don't know," Deng Chen frankly admitted his opinion. "I am only capable of governing a prefecture, which is already the limit. How could I be qualified to participate in such important matters concerning the whole country?"

“Compared to Xinye, perhaps we should go to Wancheng first,” Liu Xiu said.

"Why?" Deng Chen asked.

“Xinye is south of Wancheng. If we can gather food and troops there, how can we possibly cross Wancheng to reunite with our elder brother?”

Moreover, compared to Xinye, Wancheng is much more prosperous, making it easier to raise troops and supplies there.

Deng Chen burst into laughter, "Sanlang is indeed brave and resourceful."

Deng Chen's smile was quite straightforward, for a simple reason: he couldn't contain his joy.

The Deng family was a prominent clan in Xinye, so it would undoubtedly be easier for them to travel there. However, compared to Xinye, the ominous place where Liu Bei retreated in defeat, Wancheng was the real key location.

By abandoning the easy path and embracing the difficult one, Deng Chen recognized the talent of his brother-in-law and his acceptance of the prophecy grew stronger.

The coachman hurried across the road. He knew what the two people inside the carriage were planning, but he remained unmoved. What did it matter to him, a coachman, if the emperor and his master wanted to fight for the throne?

His choice had already been made public.

Upon arriving in Wancheng, Deng Chen pointed to the towering city walls ahead and remarked with a touch of emotion, "Of all of Nanyang, perhaps only Wancheng deserves to be called a great city."

Liu Xiu nodded silently. The most important difference between a large city and other small cities is that it gathers a large number of powerful local figures. These powerful local figures also need a place to discuss matters. In this era where counties are the foundation of a country, the emergence of a large city often means the gathering of people's hearts and also means that the powerful local figures are more likely to unite.

Only by uniting can they truly distinguish between rebellious bandits and separatist, stationary bandits.

This is the fundamental difference between Li Zicheng and Zhu Yuanzhang.

During their two months in Wancheng, Deng Chen and Liu Xiu traveled between Xinye and Wancheng, stationing troops, armor, money, and provisions in Wancheng, and transporting half of it to Caiyang to supply Liu Yan's troops.

During his two months in Wancheng, Liu Xiu's biggest gain was getting to know the powerful local Li family of Wancheng.

The Li family has been in business for generations, and some members have also served as officials.

Li Shou, a member of the Li family in this generation, served as an official in Chang'an and happened to be under the supervision of Liu Xin, who later changed his name to Liu Xiu, studying astronomy, calendars, and prophecies.

In this world with dragons, these things are also known as alchemy.

The more Li Shouyue studied these things, the more he felt his own insignificance and the power of that ancient civilization.

And most importantly, he believed in fate.

He found a sentence in those prophecies: "The Liu family will be restored, with the Li family as its assistant."

These astronomical alchemists from the pre-Han era had not yet learned the obscure and difficult-to-understand language of their successors, and often described prophecies in a very straightforward manner.

Even more incredibly, this straightforward prediction actually came true.

Li Shou's son, Li Tong, was one of Liu Xiu's Twenty-Eight Generals of Yuntai.

In front of the Li family mansion, Li Tong bowed deeply to Liu Xiu and Deng Chen who had come to visit, saying, "Thank you for coming, Uncle Wen and Weiqing. Please come in."

After saying that, Li Tong led the two men into the main hall.

It was already October, the weather had long since turned to autumn, the air was crisp and clear, and it was also harvest season.

Li Tong looked at the two men with great politeness, especially Liu Xiu, whom he had chosen as his "enlightened ruler."

He looked at Liu Xiu and personally poured a bowl of soup for each of them.

When pouring soup for Liu Xiu, Li Tong was extremely respectful. He didn't even take the bowl from the servant, but instead washed the bowl and poured the soup for him himself.

Li Tong knew perfectly well just how capable Liu Xiu truly was.

His younger cousin, who had only met him a few times, was deeply impressed by him. This man was knowledgeable about everything, from astronomy to geography, and seemed to have the world situation in his heart.

"I wonder what brings you here today, my lord? Is it still about grain?"

Li Tong asked politely.

“It’s not grain,” Liu Xiu shook his head and looked at his brother-in-law Deng Chen. “Brother-in-law, could you please bring out my elder brother’s letter?”

Deng Chen took out a bamboo board from his pocket, on which several large characters were carved with swords: "Everything is ready, the army will rise in October."

Although paper already existed at this time, compared to fragile paper, this motherboard was still more suitable for transmitting information over long distances.

Deng Chen gripped the bamboo board tightly, feeling both fear and excitement. He knew that once he took this step, there would be no turning back.

Holding the bamboo clapper, Li Tong was equally excited. "Is my lord ready?"

Liu Xiu looked into Li Tong's eyes, stepped forward, and tightly grasped his right hand, saying, "Ciyuan, my elder brother has already gathered troops, and I have stockpiled grain in Wancheng, but this is not enough. My elder brother's forces are too few, and most of them are the chivalrous men he has gathered. These people can gather strength but cannot form a real force. Therefore, I invite Ciyuan to join us."

Li Tong gripped the bamboo board tightly with one hand, while Liu Xiu held his other hand firmly in both of his. He felt Liu Xiu's trust in him; such an important matter could be discussed with him, and even in his own residence. What more could he ask for than such trust?

He immediately exclaimed with emotion, "To have earned your trust, what more could I ask for?"

Li Tong immediately said, "I have already sold off all my family property to raise funds for food and weapons for you, my lord. I will also go and persuade my clansmen to serve you."

Liu Xiu knew that although Li Tong claimed to be persuading, he was actually trying to drag Liu Xiu into the mess.

If even the main branch, led by Li Tong, has joined the rebellion, how could the other branches possibly escape?

impossible.

However, Liu Xiu himself was quite satisfied with this. He used to not believe in destiny, but seeing Li Tong, the famous Twenty-Eight Generals of Yuntai, who had submitted to him after only a few months of getting to know each other, Liu Xiu couldn't help but believe in destiny.

The only thing that worried him was that this world was not an ordinary historical world. If it were an ordinary historical world, would he have anything to worry about with his hand?

But this happens to be the history of the dragon race.

Norton, the King of Bronze and Fire, is known as Li Xiong in this era. If nothing unexpected happens, Gongsun Shu, whom Li Xiong assists, will officially seize control of the Sichuan region next year.

What would the other four monarchs be considered in this era?

This inevitably caused Liu Xiu some concern.

Just as he was in a daze, Li Tong made another note: "My lord, my father is still an official in Chang'an. Please allow me to postpone the public announcement and buy time for my father to leave Chang'an."

If it were anyone else, seeing Li Tong's actions, they couldn't help but wonder if this kid was planning to betray them. After all, the Li family was a merchant family with little military strength. If things really turned sour, Liu Xiu might even be able to fight his way out with his brother-in-law Deng Tong.

After all, they came in, but their servants were all outside.

However, Liu Xiu, with his foresight, could not possibly doubt this person who was so loyal to him. So he personally helped him up, his tone laced with no reproach.

"Dimension, what are you saying? Your father is also my father. Since you have chosen to join me in raising an army, how could I possibly refuse?"

Li Tong was deeply grateful, saying, "Thank you for your understanding, Your Excellency."

At that time, bandits like the Red Eyebrows and outlaws often didn't care about such things. It was common for them to force people to rebel and drag them to Liangshan. It was quite righteous for Liu Xiu to be willing to risk exposure to let Li Tong bring his father back.

After all, who knows if you're trying to inform your father or to notify the court to arrest us?

This is how the Yellow Turban Rebellion was reported to the imperial court before it even began.

After Liu Xiu helped Li Tong up, he said in a deep voice, "This time, I still need to borrow your fast horse to get to Xinye."

"Xinye?" Li Tong was a little confused. He didn't know why they had to go to Xinye at this time. Shouldn't they go north as soon as possible to meet up with Liu Xiu's elder brother, Liu Yan?

After all, at this time, only Liu Yan had gathered the most troops, and only he had made friends with that group of brave and fierce wandering knights early on, which allowed him to quickly assemble a fighting force.

This was not only to deal with the impending siege by the imperial court, but also to deal with the invasion of two Green Forest Army groups from the south.

Only when you have troops at your command can you feel at ease!

Political power grows out of the barrel of a gun; this is a truth that is inevitable in any era.

Deng Chen laughed at this moment, "Ciyuan, you don't need to overthink it. This time, Sanlang is doing this for both official business and a personal matter."

"Oh," Li Tong said curiously, looking at Liu Xiu who was silent at the moment, "I wonder what private matter it is?"

“Ciyuan, have you ever heard of the Yin family in Xinye?” Deng Chen asked.

“I’ve heard of it,” Li Tong nodded. “The Yin family of Xinye is rumored to be a descendant of Guan Zhong. They are the only powerful family in Xinye and have almost taken over the entire territory.”

Deng Chen pointed at Liu Xiu and said with a smile, "Sanlang's purpose this time is to arrange a marriage with the Yin family's daughter."

He held up three fingers. "The Yin family can bring us three thousand soldiers. This is the foundation of our rise, and also the foundation of Sanlang!"