Map of the Kingdom's Warfare.

Summary

Before Yang Guang's departure, he assigned his sons Yang Dong and Yang You to guard Luo Yang and Chang An, respectively. Yang You, though intelligent, relied on General Yin Shishi and Gu Yi for guidance. With Wei Xuan too frail to lead, real power rested with Yin and Gu, both loyal to Yang You but politically motivated. Yang You received reports of a plague in Qu Tutong's army and suspected collusion with Li Yuan. Despite the risks, he decided to keep Qu Tutong from retreating to Guanzhong and planned to replace him if necessary. Meanwhile, Qu Tutong faced a dire situation as the plague spread among his troops. He received a decree from Yang You commanding his return to Chang An, which he found unacceptable. Sang Xian, his deputy, delivered a secret order stating that refusal would lead to his capture and death. Qu Tutong felt betrayed and abandoned by the empire he served. As he struggled with the order, an old acquaintance, Gao Jian, visited him. Gao, a respected figure from the Northern Qi royal family, had come to assess the situation and visit family. Qu Tutong shared his troubles regarding the epidemic, revealing the dire state of his troops.

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