noveltune Chapter 5454 Succession of Official Positions
Chapter 5454 Succession of Official Positions
Chapter 5454 Succession of Official Positions
Inside the governor's mansion, everyone looked at Abugu, who was wailing and crying loudly with a sorrowful expression, and all of them had inexplicable expressions and tense feelings.
Today, the Dahe clan not only holds sway over the Khitan, but also nominally governs the various Xi tribes. Although they submit to the Tang Dynasty and accept its imperial decree, they are the veritable "local emperors" of the upper reaches of the Liao River. Within the Dahe clan, apart from the recently deceased Li Kuge, Abugu is the most powerful.
Now that Li Kuge has died suddenly, who in the Dahe clan or even the various Khitan tribes can suppress Abugu?
Li Kuge's position as Grand Commander was conferred by the Tang Dynasty and was hereditary and passed down through generations. However, if Abugu launched a rebellion to eliminate Li Kuge's descendants and forcibly take the throne, the Tang Dynasty would not care about the internal strife of the Khitan and would be happy to go with the flow and confer upon Abugu the title of Grand Commander of the Songmo Prefecture.
After all, it didn't matter to the Tang Dynasty who served as the Grand Commander, as long as they obeyed orders.
Even if the Khitan were thrown into chaos as a result, it would be exactly what the central government of the Tang Dynasty wanted to see.
Li Kuge was, after all, the nominal Grand Commander and the leader of the Dahe clan. Although his sons were all dead, he still had two grandsons. No matter how powerful Abugu was, he could not seize the position of Grand Commander. His position was not legitimate and could not be accepted by the people.
However, if Li Kuge were to be assassinated, Abugu could then legitimately launch a coup, eliminate all those who posed a threat to him, and securely ascend to the throne of Grand Commander, becoming the leader of the entire Khitan.
Therefore, Abugu's behavior of coming to mourn made everyone realize that something was wrong and that a turmoil affecting the entire Khitan and even the Songmo Governor's Office was imminent.
……
The clanging of armor came from the main hall where the body lay in state. A group of dozens of elite soldiers, fully armored and clad in helmets, surged out like a tide, escorting two young men dressed in mourning clothes, with stern faces and blazing anger, to Abugu's presence.
The Khitans were not assimilated by the Tang Dynasty and still retained many tribal customs. However, as tribal leaders who received imperial decrees from the Tang Dynasty, many of their customs were also being transformed in accordance with the Tang Dynasty's style, which was both a matter of habit and an inevitable trend.
The leader, a man with a leopard-like head and piercing eyes, and a robust physique beneath his armor, glared at Abugu: "My grandfather has just passed away, his body is barely cold, yet you come here and show no respect for his memorial tablet, spouting nonsense. Abugu, what do you want to do?"
The other man, with a long face and a short mustache, sneered, "Brother, why bother? Isn't it obvious? They think that since Grandfather is dead, they want to slaughter all of us descendants of the Dahe clan and seize the position of governor!"
Abugu roared, "Li Kucaoli, Li Jinzhong, how dare you two disrespect me?"
Li Kucaoli and Li Jinzhong drew their curved swords with a clang, the former's face contorted with rage: "Don't talk about disrespect, what can you do even if I kill you!"
Whoops!
The personal guards who had come with Abugu drew their weapons and stood in front of him, forming a circle and preparing to fight to the death.
Meanwhile, more of the Li family's soldiers poured in from all directions, surrounding Abugu and his group.
Only then did Abugu realize that he had fallen into the trap set by these two wolf cubs, who had used the death of his grandfather Li Kuge to create a snare, just waiting for him to step into it!
However, he was not afraid. Instead, he raised his chin among the guards and looked at the Li brothers with a smug look: "You little brats who haven't even grown up yet, you dare to brandish knives and guns in front of me? When I was killing people with a knife, you were still in your mother's womb!"
Li Jinzhong shouted, "Bullshit! This is our Li family's territory, we'll tear you to pieces!"
Beside him, his brother-in-law, Sun Wanrong, shouted sternly, "What's the point of all this nonsense? Come with me and charge forward to hack this scoundrel to pieces!"
"stop!"
Just as the Li brothers were about to rush forward and kill Abugu, a loud shout suddenly rang out in the courtyard. Immediately, a group of clansmen who had been standing by and watching coldly from the sidelines surrounded them step by step.
Several Khitan tribal leaders stood at the front, one of them angrily shouting, "The Grand Commander's body is not yet cold, and you, as his descendants, are recklessly waging war. You are utterly unfilial!"
Another person said, "We, the various tribes of the Khitan, share the same origin and race, and are of the same bloodline. We cannot sit idly by and watch the Dahe clan stir up internal strife and clip its own wings."
"Anyone who dares to instigate internal strife will be killed by us!"
With each rebuke, most of the Khitan tribal leaders expressed their stance.
Li Jinzhong's expression changed drastically, and he angrily said, "This scoundrel has ulterior motives. He wants to use my grandfather's death to frame us. He wants to stir up internal strife within the Dahe clan. Do you want to aid and abet this evil?"
"There's no need to keep accusing others. Putting aside the facts, is there really no suspicion about the Grand Commander's death?"
"Hey, you're mistaken. The two young generals are the blood and flesh of the Grand Commander. How could they do such a beastly thing? I don't care about anything else, but if you target the two young generals, I will not stand idly by!"
"That's right, we're all family, sharing the blood of the Dahe clan, why the need for shouting and killing?"
The tribal leaders were all talking at once, which sounded noisy, but in fact their positions were clearly defined.
They all supported Abugu, but they also wouldn't allow Abugu to harm the Li brothers.
Ultimately, the Dahe clan was too powerful, suppressing other tribes for years until they could no longer hold their heads high and breathe freely. Now that the once mighty Li Kuge is dead, the Dahe clan must leave behind internal troubles and reduce its power, so that it can no longer oppress everyone as it has in the past...
Li Kucao's eyes were bloodshot: "When our grandfather was alive, you always obeyed his every word and followed his advice without question. Now that his spirit is still far away, you've joined forces with outsiders to bully his descendants. Aren't you afraid that our grandfather will not forgive you if he knows this in the afterlife?"
“Hey, young general, you’re mistaken. What do you mean by colluding with outsiders to bully his descendants? Abu Gu is no outsider. He shares the same blood as you and is your grandfather’s most trusted general.”
Go to hell!
The even more volatile Li Jinzhong was enraged and gritted his teeth: "Today I will kill Abugu, and anyone who dares to stop me will be killed too!"
"General! No!"
Sun Wanrong quickly grabbed the furious Li Jinzhong and whispered, "Don't be reckless, something's not right!"
Li Jinzhong was taken aback: "What's wrong?"
Sun Wanrong glanced around and whispered, "Abugu came with great force, clearly with grand ambitions. However, his prestige is not enough to make these tribal leaders stand on his side, but the current situation seems to suggest that Abugu has the momentum and the support of the people..."
Although Li Jinzhong had a bad temper, he wasn't stupid. He quickly understood Sun Wanrong's meaning and gritted his teeth, saying, "You mean Abugu has already gained the support of the Tang people?"
Sun Wanrong said, "In any case, it's too late to change things today. Let's wait for the Tang people to arrive before making any further plans."
Ultimately, the title of "Grand Commander of Songmo," which nominally commanded the Khitan and Xi tribes, came from the imperial decree of the Tang Dynasty. Without the Tang Dynasty's endorsement, it meant nothing.
Li Jinzhong and Li Kucaoli exchanged a glance, suppressing their anger and fear, exhaled, sheathed their swords, and retreated to the mourning hall without a word.
The remaining guards also withdrew and stood guard around the mourning hall.
Abugu nodded to the leaders of the surrounding tribes, his face grim, and strode into the mourning hall. He lit three incense sticks, repeated the kneeling ceremony three times, "one foot on the ground, one foot on the ground," then stood up and took a deep look at the memorial tablet and coffin. He turned and walked out, standing in the courtyard with his head raised to the sky, without saying a word.
Although the conflict has subsided, tensions remain high in the courtyard.
Soon after, a troop of soldiers entered through the city gate and headed straight for the governor's mansion. Upon arriving at the gate, the soldiers stopped, dismounted, and a Tang general in full armor entered the mansion surrounded by his personal guards.
Upon receiving the news, Abugu, Likucaoli, Li Jinzhong, and the leaders of various Khitan and Xi tribes were already waiting inside the gate. They all stepped forward to greet them with the military salute of the Tang army.
"Greetings, Grand Commander!"
Zhou Daowu, the governor of Yingzhou, looked around, his face ashen.
No need for formalities.
"Here!"
Everyone rose, their expressions respectful.
Although the Songmo Governor was also a governor, he was subordinate to the Dongyi Protectorate, and the Dongyi Grand Protector was concurrently held by the Yingzhou Governor. Therefore, the Yingzhou Governor, Zhou Daowu, was the direct superior of the Songmo Governorate.
Zhou Daowu was tall and imposing, dressed in gleaming armor. He strode into the mourning hall, lit three incense sticks, and then, surrounded by people, sat down in a side hall.
Looking at the brothers Li Kucaoli and Li Jinzhong, he nodded slightly: "Your grandfather was seriously ill and passed away suddenly, but the court will not forget his achievements. In a short time, he will surely be rewarded. You two should accept this loss and carry on your grandfather's legacy to defend the country and make contributions."
"Here!"
The Li brothers stood up together and respectfully agreed.
Li Jinzhong spoke frankly: "Reporting to the Grand Commander, we, his descendants, are deeply grieved by the passing of our grandfather. However, with family matters unfinished, we must prioritize the affairs of the nation. The Songmo Commander-in-Chief is in charge of the military affairs of ten prefectures, a weighty responsibility. The position of Commander-in-Chief cannot be left vacant for even a day. I earnestly request the Grand Commander-in-Chief to petition the court to appoint my elder brother as the new Commander-in-Chief, to guard Songmo and defend the frontier."
The hall was completely silent, and all eyes were fixed on Zhou Daowu's face.
Zhou Daowu's face showed a hint of surprise at the right moment: "The position of Governor of Songmo is a court position, which is naturally decided by the court. How can it be passed down from generation to generation or privately bestowed?"
The Li brothers felt a jolt in their hearts, sensing that something terrible was about to happen.
Li Kucaoli said in a deep voice: "Back then, Emperor Taizong appointed my grandfather as the leader of the Dahe clan and the Khitan, and sent him to the Songmo Prefecture. He also bestowed upon him a surname and title, and promised hereditary official positions. Over the years, the various Khitan tribes have been loyal to the Tang Dynasty under my grandfather's leadership. Whenever there is a war, the young men of each tribe actively participate. They made great contributions during the eastern expedition against Goguryeo."
Emperor Taizong promised that the position of Governor of Songmo would be hereditary and unreplaceable, so how has it become a private appointment?
You are Emperor Taizong's son-in-law, you wouldn't deny Emperor Taizong's words, would you?
Zhou Daowu took a leisurely sip of tea and said with a smile, "Young General, you must have misunderstood. No one denies the achievements of the Khitan, but Emperor Taizong promised that the official positions would be hereditary within the Dahe clan. As long as the position of Governor of Songmo is still passed down within the Dahe clan, it will not be considered a violation of Emperor Taizong's promise."
Upon hearing this, the Li brothers' expressions changed drastically.
Abuguz couldn't help but curl the corners of his mouth.