After Transmigration: Building a Kingdom in Turbulent Times-Chapter 866 - 852: Huyan You

After smoothly establishing a connection with Huyan You, Ming Yu instructed Wu Erlang to find a way to bring the people and items left outside the city into the city. They rented a courtyard in the city to temporarily settle.

Indeed, this time they managed to enter the city smoothly after tipping the soldiers guarding the city gates, much less costly than the items previously taken by the Huyan Mansion’s retainers.

Ming Yu began using the items they brought to extensively contact the retainers of Huyan You’s mansion, leveraging this to influence Huyan You, who in turn could influence Liu He.

At the time, Liu Yuan had Liu He escape with the court officials and harem. When he stayed at the Imperial Palace in Pingyang City, he summoned the ministers urgently to entrust them with his successor.

Although Liu He was not young by then, Liu Yuan felt managing the state would be challenging for him. In terms of intelligence and ability, he was far inferior to Liu Cong; in terms of benevolence and receptiveness to advice, he was not as good as Liu Yi either.

If Liu Yuan were ten years younger or healthy enough to feel he could live for another ten years, he would have considered changing the Crown Prince.

But there was no time for that now. The Huyan Family’s power was substantial, and the five tribes were not entirely under his control. Changing the Crown Prince at this point would only lead to chaos among the Xiongnu.

So he had to make do with the current situation.

Worried, Liu Yuan summoned Liu Huanle and Liu Yang.

Due to the emergency when the city gate was blasted open, he hastily ordered, appointing Liu Huanle as the Grand Minister and Prince Changle Liu Yang as the Grand Tutor. He entrusted the Crown Prince to them openly in front of the court officials, appointing them as Ministers of Care, alongside King Jiangdu Liu Yannian and King of Chu Liu Cong, who were campaigning outside.

All four Ministers of Care were from the Xiongnu who had adopted the Liu surname, with Liu Cong being his own son. This arrangement left the five tribes somewhat dissatisfied and made Liu He quite upset.

The five Xiongnu tribes had always been independent and often fought each other. It was only after Liu Yuan took power that he gradually subdued the tribes, was elected the Grand Khan, and then led the tribes to conquer lands and establish himself as king.

Therefore, the tribes had significant autonomy, and their dissatisfaction with Liu Yuan’s arrangements directly impacted the tribe members and soldiers below. Recently, there has been a noticeable lack of enthusiasm for battle among them.

Liu He had the greatest objections. As Crown Prince, he was already anxious about Liu Cong and Liu Yi usurping his position. He thought that becoming emperor would put his mind at ease, but unexpectedly, the emperor not only promoted Liu Yi but also appointed the one he feared most, Liu Cong, as a Minister of Care.

Thus, Liu He was very displeased.

Huyan You was also displeased.

Why were all the Ministers of Care surnamed Liu?

Clearly, he was quite capable as well, not to mention being the Crown Prince’s maternal uncle. Even Liu Yuan’s mother came from the Huyan lineage, with two generations of maternal influence. One could say that half of what is now the Han Kingdom belongs to Huyan blood.

He thought he should at least secure a position as a Minister of Care, but Liu Yuan did not grant him that.

Seeing that Liu Huanle and Liu Yang took charge after arriving in Zhongyang County, suppressing him everywhere and constantly persuading Liu He to send troops to find the missing Liu Yi, he went to Liu He to sow discord, "The late emperor did not consider the gravity of the matter. Liu Cong and Liu Yannian lead 200,000 elite troops outside, and the palace’s imperial guard is entrusted to Liu Huanle and Liu Yang. Your Majesty is now essentially living under others’ roofs, named as the lord but truly just a guest. Such disaster is unpredictable in the future; I hope Your Majesty will plan early."

These words struck a chord with Liu He, thus he increasingly trusted Huyan You and became dissatisfied with the national policies set by Liu Huanle and Liu Yang.

Originally, Liu Huanle and Liu Yang thought staying in West River Country was too dangerous. If Zhao Hanzhang dispatched troops, they could attack here easily; there were no natural defenses nor geographical advantages. As soon as Liu He ascended the throne, he occupied large tracts of land in suburban Zhongyang County and drove the commoners to build palaces for him, losing even popular support.

Although Liu Huanle and Liu Yang enjoyed indulgence and often seized land and people for personal gain, they understood the priority of weighing the important against the trivial. At this time, they should not deepen conflicts with common citizens but prioritize appeasing ministers and the people.

Then promptly reunite with Liu Cong.

Huyan You loved to do the opposite of them, so he advised Liu He not to listen to them, and indeed Liu He did not.

Compared to Liu Huanle and Liu Yang, wasn’t Huyan You, his own uncle, more trustworthy?

Then Ming Yu arrived at Zhongyang County.

Upon entering the city, he quickly learned about the current internal situation of the Xiongnu Khanate. Although Huyan You was now somewhat considered his "ally," he decided to side with Liu Huanle and Liu Yang this time,

because how else could they confront each other if they didn’t go to join up with Liu Cong?

So after coming into contact with important retainers of Huyan You, he used them to suggest to Huyan You, "The Great General already commands great prestige in the army, and with this campaign against Jin, the nation’s elite is in his hands. He has now conquered Yun City and captured Emperor Jin and the Jin State Court, his prestige among the Xiongnu might reach its peak."

The retainer said, "If we make no moves at this time, it could become a calamity when the Great General returns."

Before Liu Yuan’s death, he appointed Liu Cong as Great General, the fourth Minister of Care.

Huyan You’s heart tightened with fear, but he also suspiciously scrutinized the retainer, "Such insight is beyond your reach; who said this?"

The retainer blushed and could only point to Ming Yu.

Huyan You immediately asked to see Ming Yu.

The last time, Huyan You only caught a brief glimpse and mainly focused on Wu Erlang, hardly noticing the Ming Yu who followed Wu Erlang.

This time, upon seeing him again, Huyan You scrutinized Ming Yu up and down, asking, "How does a merchant possess such insight?"

Ming Yu immediately bowed and said, "General naturally thought of this as well, but being occupied with myriad responsibilities, self-confident, you didn’t consider such minor misfortune worth mentioning. Yet if the Great General harbors disloyalty, minor misfortune may become great catastrophe. I could not resist speaking a few more words while under your protection. I beg your forgiveness, General."

Huyan You, feeling complimented, felt better and waved his hand, "I certainly thought of it; however, the Grand Minister and the Grand Tutor have close ties with the Great General. I’m afraid their reunion would be more disadvantageous to His Majesty."

When did Liu Huanle and Liu Cong become so close?

Why do you think Liu Huanle and Liu Yang are searching for Liu Yi?

Is it just because Liu Yi is a Prince?

Of course not.

As the most favored son of Liu Yuan before his death, Liu Yi held high prestige within the Xiongnu; even Liu Huanle and Liu Yang were fond of him.

Therefore, their current push for Liu He to send troops to find Liu Yi is to check Liu Cong and protect Liu He.

If only Liu He could bring Liu Yi back, given Liu Yi’s character, he would sincerely acknowledge this elder brother’s imperial position, then with Liu Yi, join Liu Cong. At least half of the Xiongnu tribes would lean towards Liu Yi, joining him to protect Liu He.

Liu Cong would not dare to act rashly.

Even an outsider like Ming Yu could see this, yet Huyan You and Liu He, the uncle and nephew, remained clueless, believing that Liu Huanle and Liu Yang were hastily searching for Liu Yi to support the other side.