Chapter 66: The Change in Western Liang

  At night, oxen assist.

  Niu Fu paced back and forth under the hall with a look of extreme displeasure on his face.

  Li Ru and Li Jue also sat on both sides, all frowning and silent.

  Rumors on the streets say that Niu Jin and Hu Mao were killed by Luo Zheng.

  Rumors don't know who spread them out, but the effect is obvious, and Niu Fu can't sit still.

  Li Ru and others wanted to get rid of Luo Zheng, but they were waiting for evidence before making a move.

  But when this rumor came out, it had a different flavor.

  The streets and alleys were filled with people discussing how Niu Fu was afraid of Luo Zheng and did not dare avenge his younger brother.

  This rumor is not to be underestimated. If Niu Fu and Luo Zheng didn't have any conflicts, it would be fine. But Niu Fu had been wanting to kill Luo Zheng all along, and now that he's heard this rumor, it's like adding oil to the fire, making it burn even more fiercely.

  "It won't work, General will kill Luo Zheng's child."

  The cow hesitated for a moment, then suddenly stopped in its tracks, as if it had made up its mind.

  "General, you mustn't be impulsive! If you act like this, won't you be falling right into the enemy's trap?"

  Niu Fu angrily said: "If we don't kill Luo Zheng's child, won't it make all the civil and military officials laugh at us?"

  Li Jue also said, "We secretly gathered evidence, but unexpectedly couldn't find any evidence of Luo Zhen's guilt in killing General Niu Jin. Dragging it out like this won't work either. In my opinion, why not just follow General Niu Fu's suggestion and send troops to capture and kill Luo Zhen?"

  Niu Fu grunted and said, "Not bad. Even if Master blames us afterwards, I can take the blame together with you. It's just a small matter of killing Luo Zheng's child, at most Master will scold us a couple of times, he won't behead me."

  Li Jue nodded repeatedly, deeply expressing his agreement.

  "General, think thrice. Although Luo Zheng is just a child and not worth mentioning, even if you were to kill him, the emperor would at most scold you a few times and wouldn't truly punish you. However, the current situation in the imperial court is extremely delicate, and the Anding army and my old Western Liang troops have deepening grievances against each other, fearing that they are just waiting for an opportunity to stir up trouble. If my old Western Liang troops were to riot, there would be some people in the imperial court who would take advantage of the situation to fan the flames, and it's likely that a great chaos would ensue. As we are all old subordinates of the emperor, we cannot ignore the bigger picture."

  "Hey! You're suffocating me!"

  Niu Fang had just returned to the case and sat down, when he heard the words, his fist heavily slammed on the table, gritting his teeth: "Who is it that is secretly stirring up trouble, if I find out, I will skin him alive."

  Li Jue also scolded: "This troublemaker is indeed detestable."

  Li Ru said: "Lü Bu's child was new to Luoyang and didn't have any enemies in Luoyang except for us. I heard that he forcibly married Wang Yun's daughter Diao Chan, but I don't know why. Wang Yun should be holding a grudge against him. Apart from this, when Lü Bu married Diao Chan, he didn't invite Lü Bu and other provincial leaders, so they would also remember the hatred in their hearts. This person who is stirring up trouble is probably either Wang Yun or Lü Bu. Of course, it's also possible that some hidden and suspicious officials in the court are secretly stirring up trouble."

  Niu Fu angrily said: "Lü Bu is just a three-talented household slave, how dare he?"

  Li Ru was about to speak when suddenly some of Niu Fu's personal soldiers rushed in and whispered something in his ear.

  Niu Fu raised his eyebrows and said: "Have Han Sui and Ma Teng stopped fighting and made peace?"

  The attendants nodded one after another and said: "That's right, I received the news and came to report it at the first time."

  Niu Fu did not understand: "Aren't Ma Teng and Han Sui like fire and water, how can they suddenly stop fighting and make peace?"

  "This, I don't know."

  The personal soldier scratched his head and hastily retreated.

  Li Ru also furrowed his brow and asked: "Is it true that Ma Teng and Han Sui have ceased hostilities?"

  Niu Fu Dao said: "It should be true, the news came from the master himself."

  Li Ru said, "Ma Teng and Han Sui have stopped fighting and are negotiating a truce. The situation in Liangzhou is changing. If these two join forces, it will be even more difficult for the lord to control Liangzhou without bloodshed. I must hurry into the palace to see the lord."

  "It's all the same."

  Niu Fu and Li Jue also stood up one after another.

  Something big has happened, and we must discuss countermeasures.

  Sure, here is the translation:

  As expected, before he had even left the mansion, Dong Zhuo had already sent someone to summon him.

  It was late at night, but the side hall of Deyang Hall was still brightly lit.

  Dong Zhuo gathered his trusted ministers and generals to discuss important matters. Just then, news came from Xiliang that the two warlords of Liangzhou, Ma Teng and Han Sui, had laid down their arms and joined forces, which was not good news for the current imperial court.

  Since the Yellow Turban Rebellion in the first year of Zhongping, Liangzhou has been plagued by constant war.

  The Qiang people, led by Beigong Boyu and Li Wenhoul, rebelled and invaded the Three Auxiliaries of Chang'an.

  Afterwards, Han Sui killed Bei Gong Boyu and Li Wenhou, who had been leading their own troops. Soon after, the Governor of Liangzhou, Geng Bing, was killed, and Ma Teng from Fufeng joined forces with Han Sui to rebel against the government. They repeatedly led their armies into Chang'an, and the war fires continued for several years.

  Dong Zhuo originated from Longxi, but in fact, he had little control over Liangzhou.

  Ma Teng led an army of 50,000 soldiers and occupied the three counties of Wudu, Hanyang, and Longxi.

  Han Sui had a following of 30,000 and controlled the southern parts of Jincheng and Wuwei commanderies.

  Apart from more remote places like Zhangye, Jiuquan and Dunhuang, Liang Province was actually divided between Ma Teng and Han Sui.

  Dong Zhuo marched his troops into Luoyang, and after taking control of the imperial court, in order to win over the warlords of Liang Province, he concentrated his forces against the lords of Guandong, appointing Ma Teng as General Who Conquers the West and Han Sui as General Who Guards the West, then secretly manipulated them into raising troops against each other.

  When Xiliang is in chaos, Chang'an and Sanfu will naturally be as stable as Mount Tai.

  Ma Teng and Han Sui laid down their arms and made peace, Dong Zhuo could no longer sit still.

  Many civil and military officials of Western Liang presented their views and made plans.

  In fact, it's just picking from the middle and letting Liangzhou continue to be in chaos.

  The problem is, how to choose, but can't come up with a specific feasible approach.

  Ma Teng and Han Sui had been fighting for many years, once they laid down their arms and joined forces, it meant that they had already reached an agreement in some way. Wanting to stir up trouble again was not easy, after all, whoever could become a warlord ruling over one side of the territory was no fool.

  As for the military generals, most of them suggested stationing a large number of troops in Chen Cang to prevent Ma Teng and Han Sui from invading the three auxiliary regions.

  Even Lü Bu was actively asking for it, wanting to lead 30,000 troops to sweep away Ma Teng and Han Sui, thoroughly pacifying Liangzhou.

  Dong Zhuo listened for a while, his eyebrows furrowed tighter and tighter.

  Completely pacifying Liangzhou sounds simple, but it's not that easy in practice.

  The land of Xiliang is bitter and cold, and the people have been extremely brave since the pre-Qin period. The Qiang people living in Liangzhou are even more tolerant of death. Ma Teng and Han Sui's large army was mainly composed of Qiang people, with a total strength of 80,000 troops, their combat power is not inferior to Dong Zhuo's Xiliang army, how can they be easily destroyed?

  During the Zhongping era, when the Liangzhou rebels invaded the Three Auxiliaries, Dong Zhuo followed General-in-Chief Zhang Wen to attack the Western Liang rebels and suffered a defeat.

  Not to mention 30,000 troops, even if Dong Zhuo personally led an army of 100,000, he would not dare say that they could definitely wipe out the Liangzhou rebels.

  Besides, the Guandong coalition army has just been defeated, and Luoyang is in a state of devastation awaiting restoration. The army has been fighting for a long time and is exhausted, urgently needing rest and reorganization. It's fundamentally impossible to provide enough grain and fodder for this expedition, let alone having any remaining strength to punish Liangzhou.

  Lü Bu naturally knew about these circumstances, but was tied down by Dong Zhuo and couldn't do anything.

  One was eager to make a name for himself, and the other wanted to take this opportunity to get rid of Dong Zhuo, so he hastily volunteered.

  It turned out that Dong Zhuo had not spoken yet, and he was opposed by the civil and military officials of the imperial court and the Western Liang generals. Niu Fu, Dong Yue and other powerful Western Liang generals even ridiculed him with cold words, making Lü Bu so angry that his liver fire was raging, almost turning against them on the spot.

  Luo Zheng sat at the bottom, quietly watching the commotion in the great hall like a vegetable market, without saying a word.

  Sima Wang Yan said: "Chancellor, the only plan now is to send a capable and eloquent official as an envoy to Xiliang. Firstly, to promote Ma Teng and Han Sui's ranks, secondly, to promise them heavy rewards and appease them, so they can control Xiliang and avoid another war disaster in Chang'an and the three auxiliary regions."

  Dong Zhuo looked at Li Ru and asked: "What does Wen You think?"

  Li Ru was about to nod when suddenly a flash of inspiration struck him, and he said: "Your Excellency, the population of Liangzhou is originally the smallest among the thirteen states of the Great Han. In recent years, there have been constant wars. Therefore, I think that Ma Teng and Han Sui's proposal for a truce is mainly due to a lack of food and grass, and it is unlikely that they will attack the three auxiliary regions of Chang'an."

  Dong Zhuo nodded and said: "What Wen You said is absolutely right, absolutely right!"

  Many ministers and Western Liang generals also nodded in agreement. Li Ru's analysis was indeed incisive.

  Li Ru said, "Since Ma Teng and Han Sui are powerless to attack the Three Auxiliaries, Your Excellency need not worry. However, the problem of Liangzhou must be solved after all. Why doesn't Your Excellency take this opportunity to rebuild the Protectorate of the Western Qiang, appoint a capable general who is good at fighting, and put him in charge of the military affairs of the Western Qiang and Hu? This can contain Ma Teng and Han Sui, and thus gain several years of breathing space."

  Dong Zhuo's eyes lit up upon hearing this, "Wen You's words are very much in line with my intentions, what do you all think?"

  All the ministers of the court and the generals of Xiliang nodded in agreement when they saw him, what else could they have to say, naturally they all followed suit.

  Dong Zhuo asked again, "But who can undertake this heavy responsibility?"

  Li Ru hastily gave Niu Fu a meaningful glance, but Niu Fu looked puzzled and didn't understand the implication.