Fu Shanhe

Chapter 397 The Expanding War

"Husband, are we moving to Annan?"

Jing Yaqing asked with concern.

The trace of worry between her brows revealed her inner fear.

For people who have lived in the capital since childhood, Annan is too remote.

"Being not.

The battle for Annan is still going on and things are not peaceful there now.

Wait for a year or so, and then move there after we have wiped out the Annan rebels.

Don't worry, Annan is not as scary as the outside world says.

If it is not suitable for survival, the traitor King Annan will not be able to feed an army of 300,000.

The place that my husband chose can’t be too bad.”

Li Mu immediately comforted him.

If you want to avoid court disputes, you must stay away from them.

Looking around Dayu, Annan is already the best place.

The land is fertile and it is close to the sea. If it is incorporated into the Dayu system, its development potential will not be worse than that of Guangdong and Guangxi.

“Whether the place is wealthy or not, I’m not worried about it.

Our family and the Duke of Qian’s Mansion are old friends, so we know them a little bit.

The wealth they possess is much greater than that of the princes and dukes in the capital.

It was just that the court made a decision so quickly, which was really unexpected.

It seems that His Majesty's fear of you, my lord, is more serious than expected."

Jing Yaqing said with a serious expression.

In front of the imperial city, at the feet of the emperor, the nobles had to restrain themselves a little.

Compared with before, it is easier for local nobles to expand their family businesses.

Although the Duke of Qian's Mansion has become much more low-key after Yunnan was established as a province, it still holds considerable power.

Even the princes who were enthroned in the past had to retreat in front of the Duke's Mansion.

He did not appear in the rebellion suppression war because the previous Duke of Qian passed away on the eve of the White Lotus Rebellion, and the current Duke of Qian is only thirteen years old.

With such an example, the Hanshui Marquisate can follow suit.

As long as they don't cause trouble for the imperial court, the emperor and his officials have no time to pay attention to these border areas.

The one who is really worrying is the emperor.

Under normal circumstances, even if the enthronement ceremony was to be carried out, it should have to wait until the Annan war was over and face-to-face communication took place after returning to the capital.

The imperial edict was issued so hastily, which clearly showed that he did not want him to return to the capital.

There is no doubt that this political statement is aimed not only at Li Mu personally, but also at the group of nobles behind him.

This is equivalent to telling everyone that the power of the nobles is too great and the emperor is unable to sleep or eat well.

"Madam, you are worrying too much. His Majesty is easily influenced by others, and it is easy for him to make decisions if someone is instigating him.

This incident was probably just a coincidence, maybe he didn't think that much about it."

Li Mu said with a smile.

Although he was not in the capital, what happened in the capital could not be hidden from his eyes.

The series of outrageous actions taken by Emperor Yongning after he ascended the throne did not seem to be based on long-term considerations.

Especially when it comes to dealing with officials, he shows a clear distinction between love and hate.

When you value someone, you trust him unconditionally.

The opinions of others were simply not listened to.

When I hate someone, I don't hide my feelings and I want to cut that person into pieces immediately.

If they really wanted to target the nobles, they would not just take these actions, and they would not send trusted eunuchs to appease them.

"My husband, do you mean the conspiracy of the civil servants?"

Jing Yaqing rubbed her forehead and asked.

The situation in the court was too complicated, and she was overwhelmed.

"It's not a conspiracy, it's just going with the flow and not alerting Your Majesty.

Although there are many good-for-nothings in the court, the ministers in the cabinet still have some abilities.

They know best what the situation is in Dayu.

It seems that the world is about to be at peace, but in fact, beneath the calm, there are already countless undercurrents.

If they stir up civil and military disputes at this time, even if they do not consider the overall situation, they must consider the consequences of failure. "

Li Mu shook his head and said.

The traditional Wei Suo system collapsed, and the recruitment system that replaced it was formed with military generals and their servants as the core.

Under this background, the generals' control over the army was undoubtedly greatly enhanced.

It can be said that the current conscription system is the cradle of warlords.

In name, all local armies obeyed the command of the imperial court.

In fact, it was because the local military commanders obeyed the court's command that the soldiers under them obeyed the court's command.

In essence, the current official army is the private army of generals disguised as the imperial army.

Only under the extreme checks and balances of power could the imperial court maintain control over the army.

The Liaodong faction is the best example. Because of a rift between the military high-level officials and the imperial court, the troops became out of control.

The situation is similar for the armed forces of the nobility.

Although it was nominally the imperial court's army, in reality the command of the front-line troops fell into the hands of a group of meritorious generals.

The four great tycoons of the nobility are merely the leaders pushed forward by this interest group, and they rely entirely on their prestige to restrain their subordinates.

Taking action to suppress the noble group is equivalent to standing in opposition to these hundreds of thousands of troops.

Once the political game gets out of control and this bomb explodes, the Dayu Dynasty will be reduced to ashes.

If Emperor Yongning had been smarter and seen these drawbacks, he would have done his utmost to suppress the conflicts between the civil and military officials.

Strengthen the efforts to win over the noble generals and play internal checks and balances to maintain a fragile balance.

Even if a noble is appointed to guard the border, he must wait until his merits are judged and rewards are given.

Under normal circumstances, a grand political show would be held to give enough face.

Issuing an edict in such haste like the one now, without giving any explanation for the previous contributions, will be seen by outsiders as the emperor mistreating his meritorious officials.

Li Mu was not the only one who suffered injustice. All the generals under him did not receive any rewards from the court.

Maybe it will be made up in the future, or maybe it will be forgotten directly, but in any case, it is all very hurtful.

After the episode, Li Mu immediately ordered to intensify the offensive against Annan.

Once the edict of enthronement has been issued to the whole country, there is no reason to take it back.

Now that the dust has settled, many things that could not be done in the past can now be quietly carried out.

Compared with the governor-general, the protector-general's autonomy was further expanded.

There is no need to report local government affairs to the court all the time.

……

"kill!"

With the command from the commander-in-chief, the war in Annan region broke out again.

Stimulated by their military achievements, the soldiers burst out with unparalleled passion and soon suppressed the King of Annan's sphere of influence to a corner of the northwest.

"General, it's time to make a decision!"

Hearing his old friend's urging, Huang Xingwen frowned.

The speed at which the situation deteriorated was beyond the expectations of all Annanites.

The Yu people seemed to have changed their nature and were determined to destroy them.

In order to end the war, the King of Annan was willing to cede territory and pay compensation, but he still refused to give up.

"Hey!"

"The country is in such a difficult situation. How can I betray Your Majesty at this time?"

Huang Xingwen shook his head and said.

He was also tempted by Yu Jun's persuasion to surrender.

But these guys were too arrogant and didn't leave him any room for negotiation.

Reason told him that even if he surrendered now, he would still not be able to gain the enemy's trust.

Not to mention keeping my current position, it might be difficult to even stay in the military.

"General, as long as the green mountains remain, there will be no shortage of firewood.

The present Annan Kingdom only has this small area in the northwest.

In order to raise money and food, the people have long been overwhelmed and rebellion has become the norm.

Take Xuanguang area as an example. Less than half a year after the army withdrew, the local household registration was reduced by half.

How can such perverse behavior last long?

The general should not only consider himself, but also the men under his command.

Since the outbreak of the war, a generation of Annan people has been wiped out, and now it is difficult to even gather qualified soldiers.

If we continue to resist, the Yu army will surely start a massacre, which will not be a blessing for the world."

Ye Taihong continued to persuade. Most of the northwestern provinces are poor mountainous areas with extremely limited local products.

The population in the area actually controlled by the King of Annan is less than one million, of which more than 300,000 are foreign population.

In addition to feeding an army of hundreds of thousands, the people also had to feed the families of officials and nobles. The heavy burden made the people miserable.

It was a state of militarism that had reached its peak. Anyone with a little common sense knew that Annan could not continue in this state.

"Mr. Ye, it's not that I, Huang, don't know what's good for me, it's really that my Huang family has been blessed by the country for generations.

This is truly a critical moment for our survival, and we should face the national crisis together with Your Majesty."

Although his words were touching, the expression between his eyebrows still revealed Huang Xingwen's inner hesitation.

If he really wanted to live and die together with the Kingdom of Annan, he would not have fought here and would have ordered the envoy to be executed to show his loyalty.

"General, you are truly a loyal and righteous man.

But the object of loyalty was wrong.

Since the Qin and Han Dynasties, Annan has been a part of the Central Plains dynasty until the chaotic times at the end of the Tang Dynasty, when it broke away and established its own territory.

Now the world is once again unified, which is the general trend.

Following the traitor Hu in his stubborn resistance will do no good to the country, except bring disaster to the people.

When it comes to the justice of the world and personal justice, please put the overall situation first."

Ye Taihong said earnestly.

In fact, a few months ago, he was also a loyal man of Annan.

The sudden change in position was simply because Yu's army fought too fiercely.

Before they could react, they became citizens of Dayu.

He wanted to die for his country, but was persuaded by those around him.

In order to calm his inner anxiety, he quickly found spiritual support in history books.

Annan became a part of the Central Plains dynasty, and his actions were to maintain the unity of the dynasty, which was a righteous cause in the world.

The so-called betrayal naturally no longer exists.

No matter whether others believe it or not, he himself believes it firmly.

Relying on this theory, he was quickly appreciated by the generals of the Yu army and became a member of the Dayu system.

During this period, he used his eloquent speech to persuade countless Annan officers and soldiers to surrender to Dayu.

Xuanhua could not be conquered after a long siege, and Ye Taihong had an old relationship with the defending commander, so he volunteered to serve as an envoy to persuade the general to surrender.

"That's it!"

“I will bear all the blame.

For the sake of all people in the world.

I am willing to lead the defenders in the city and make a contribution to the unification of the world!"

After hesitating for a while, Huang Xingwen said in a heavy tone.

Originally he wanted to bargain and gain more benefits.

Unfortunately, the Yu army didn't buy it. If they wanted wealth and glory, they could join the vassal army and go to the battlefield to get it.

It is impossible to reach a high position all of a sudden.

The Annan Protectorate does not keep idle people. Before proving their own worth, surrendered ministers like them are nothing.

He did not get better treatment, but was instead convinced by Ye Taihong's theory of grand unification.

After giving my behavior a sacred cloak, the psychological barrier to surrender suddenly disappeared.

"The general's abandonment of evil and joining the light is truly a blessing to the world.

When the world is reunified and rewards are given according to merit, the general will certainly have a share.

......"

All kinds of nice words kept coming out of Ye Taihong's mouth, directly praising Huang Xingwen as a contemporary saint.

Everyone knows that these are fake, but they work.

Similar scenes are constantly happening in the northwest region.

The base that originally belonged to the King of Annan is being gradually eroded.

Faced with life and death, more and more Annan officers and soldiers agreed with the "grand unification theory".

The most direct consequence was that the territory controlled by the King of Annan shrank rapidly amid the wave of persuasion to surrender.

Dien Bien Phu, the temporary capital of Annam.

Looking at the information in his hand, Hu Xinbo's face was full of worry.

The endless stream of traitors and various denunciations made him exhausted.

The betrayal of his subordinates dealt him a greater blow than any defeat on the battlefield.

"My dear ministers, am I really a cruel king?"

Hu Xinbo's question shocked everyone.

A lot has happened in recent days and the king is under a lot of pressure.

Doing something out of the ordinary seems reasonable.

"Your Majesty, you are a wise ruler. How can you be associated with cruelty?"

Chen Jingfu immediately retorted.

It is definitely nonsense to praise Hu Xinbo as a wise ruler.

If the ruler was truly wise, he would not have brought Annan to the brink of death.

But to say that he was a tyrant would be an exaggeration.

After he succeeded to the throne, he did a big thing - he started a war with Dayu.

But in this war, he is just a chess piece on the chessboard.

Even if he did not take the initiative to march north, the war would still break out.

The real mistake was not what he did, but his poor performance on the battlefield.

In troubled times, food is the original sin.

"Ha ha……"

"In this world, there is no wise ruler who can destroy a country.

Now that things have come to this, there is no need for you, my dear ministers, to hide anything.

If you have anything on your mind, just say it. I can handle it!"

Hu Xinbo's smile made everyone shudder, and no one responded for a while.

But many times, not answering is itself a statement.

"I understand what you mean, my dear ministers.

It seems that everyone is blaming me for all the mess in the country.

But who remembers that before the Northern Expedition to Dayu last year, the whole country was clamoring for war? "

Hu Xinbo sneered.

The war was supported by the whole country, but because of the defeat, the blame fell directly on his head.

After surrendering to Yu's army, any minister with a little bit of weight would issue a "Manifesto to Punish the Rebel Hu".

If all the content was slanderous towards him, I guess he would not be moved, after all, the words of a traitor cannot be trusted.

Unfortunately, all of these manifestos were written in a factual style and did not smear or slander him.

Lies can't hurt him, the truth is the weapon that kills him.

"Your Majesty, now is not the time to dwell on this.

I just received news from the Yu army that the Emperor of Dayu established a Protectorate in Annan and appointed the Marquis of Hanshui to guard Annan for generations.

It is almost certain that the Dayu court is not prepared to negotiate with us.

The door to peace talks is closed, and the only option is a fight to the death.

Considering the gap in strength between the enemy and us, directly confronting the enemy is not a good option.

I suggest that we find a way to drag the Laowo Xuanwei Office and the Kingdom of Burma into the war and expand the scope of the war."

Chen Chuyang stepped forward and said.

He simply chose to ignore the King of Annan's pretentiousness.

The enemy is almost at our doorstep. If we don’t find a way to deal with it, our country will be destroyed.

At this critical moment, if you continue to worry about the allocation of responsibilities, you will only be courting your own destruction.

"Oh!"

"It seems that I am really a pessimist. The words I used to scare those chieftains in Xuanweisi have become a reality so quickly.

Since we can't stop Yu's army, let's continue to move.

Our neighbors are afraid of offending Dayu and are unwilling to send troops to help us, so let's fight the war within their territory.

Pass the order down, I want to attack the Xuanwei Division in Laowo."

Hu Xinbo issued a declaration of war in a domineering manner.

This time, no one came out to dissuade them.

If you can't defeat the Yu army, you can only bully the weaker ones.

The resources of several northwestern provinces have been drained by them. If we don’t find ways to increase revenue, everyone will starve.

As for the consequences of doing so, that is something you need to consider after you survive.

(End of this chapter)