Fu Shanhe

Chapter 420 Interests are heart-warming

"If we join forces, how will the profits be divided?"

After a moment of silence, Duke Meng Lixuan of Qian asked again.

There is no such thing as a free lunch. Winning by relying on the strength of allies also comes at a price.

Compared to the Marquis of Hanshui's mansion, the Duke's mansion, apart from its profound heritage, actually had no advantages.

After all, Li Mu was not a complete commoner; his ancestors were also founding dukes and marquises.

The Duke's mansion has the same network of connections as the other party.

In terms of political influence in the imperial court, the Marquis of Hanshui's mansion was even stronger than that of the Duke of Guo's mansion.

"In these kinds of situations, it's usually a matter of who gets what they want first, and whoever gets it first gets to keep it."

The Marquis of Hanshui has a much bigger appetite than we do.

We simply wanted to eliminate the threat posed by the Kingdom of Myanmar, while he wanted to seize control of the Three Proclamations and Six Condolences.

Given the military strength of the Annam Protectorate, achieving this goal is not impossible.

If ten years isn't enough, then twenty; if twenty years isn't enough, then thirty. Marquis Hanshui is very young; he has plenty of time to achieve his goal.

Meng Xiuyuan thought for a moment and then said.

As a neighbor, he put in a lot of effort to understand the strength of the Annam Protectorate.

The conclusion was that the current Annam Protectorate was essentially a large military camp.

The management system of "one thousand households per county, one hundred households per town, and one shi per village" is clearly a loose version of a military camp.

Although it did not involve universal conscription, it honed the management skills of officers and soldiers.

When needed, they can immediately mobilize an army ten times larger, centered around these people.

After a few months of training, they can initially form combat capability.

The tax exemption policy implemented earlier won over the hearts and minds of the military and the people, making everyone willing to risk their lives.

"Second brother is right. Although the Annam Protectorate has not been established for long, the foundation of the Marquis of Hanshui is already solid."

The current rush to expand outwards is actually out of necessity.

In Southern Zhili, disaster victims are being continuously transported to the Protectorate General.

According to the immigration policy issued by the Marquis of Hanshui, all people who immigrated from Dayu were entitled to five mu of tax-free ration land.

If it is wasteland, the amount of land granted will be doubled.

The Protectorate General's office also provides a year's worth of food rations per person, as well as essential farming tools and seeds.

The cultivated land in Annam had long been allocated, and the immigrants were basically engaged in land reclamation.

Even if 100,000 immigrants flood in every month, one million acres of land will still be allocated.

If we don't expand outwards, it won't be long before the immigrants have nowhere to go.

The scholar in purple said with an envious look.

What appears to be the policies of the Marquis of Hanshui's government are actually all losing money.

However, family development cannot only focus on the present; it must also look to the future.

Population and land are the greatest wealth; even if they cannot generate profits now, they will bring huge returns in the future.

The Marquis of Hanshui concurrently served as the Governor-General of Guangdong and Guangxi, and when he lost money, he would first pay the imperial court's money.

Apart from maintaining local expenses, all of the fiscal revenue of Guangdong and Guangxi was spent on the construction of the Protectorate General.

At this rate of development, it won't be long before Annam's population and economy surpass Yunnan's.

"Third Uncle, do you mean that even if we don't participate, the Marquis of Hanshui will still expand outwards?"

Duke Meng Lixuan of Qian asked with a frown.

If the Marquis of Hanshui's mansion can break away from them and act independently, it means that the Duke of Qian's mansion is not that valuable in this cooperation.

Sending an invitation is more of a courtesy.

After all, everyone is in the same circle, and the Duke's Mansion had previously extended goodwill to the Marquis of Hanshui's Mansion.

In terms of relationships, we are distant relatives.

"In fact, the Annam Protectorate has been expanding outwards."

However, their expansion had been along the coast all the way south, and their sphere of influence had already penetrated into Zhenla.

All of Annam's efforts over the past decades have benefited the Marquis of Hanshui.

The reason they chose to expand inland was because they had recently discovered a large plain in the central and southern regions.

It is said that the land is very fertile, with an area no smaller than the plains of Jiangnan, which is why this large-scale military operation was undertaken.

Meng Xiuren's explanation instantly put everyone at ease.

For Chinese people, nothing is more alluring than land.

The reason why the Central Plains dynasties did not expand southward in the past was because the Indochina Peninsula had a harsh climate and was a wild and undeveloped land, not worth the cost of development.

But if a fertile land comparable to that of Jiangnan were to appear, that would be a completely different story.

"It won't be easy for us to get a share of the pie in the central and southern parts of the plains peninsula."

Meng Lixuan said with a regretful expression.

The regions bordering them are all mountainous and plateau areas.

Their ancestors had also led troops into Myanmar, but were forced to withdraw due to geographical conditions and harsh climate.

We didn't see any plains or anything like that.

The intelligence gathered revealed that there were plains further south, but the locals were not very efficient in developing and utilizing them, failing to realize the value of the fertile land.

"My lord, how much land we take is not important to us. What is most important now is to regain military power."

The plains in central and southern China look beautiful, but developing them probably won't be that easy.

If the geographical conditions were truly superior, powerful nations would have emerged in the Indochina Peninsula.

Even if the Marquis of Hanshui's plan succeeds, that will be a hundred years from now.

Even if they grow bigger, it won't affect our interests.

If there are any concerns, one could consider a marriage alliance with them to further strengthen the alliance.

Meng Xiuyuan said with a smile.

If you can't beat them, join them; this is a common tactic in political struggles.

Compared to other forms of alliance, political marriage is undoubtedly the lowest-cost option.

"Second brother, a marriage alliance is certainly a good choice, but the Marquis of Hanshui's mansion has a small population."

The current Marquis of Hanshui is the only son of his kind. Apart from his eldest son, the rest of his lineage is still in the womb of the Marquis's wife.

If the Duke were to marry soon and have a daughter, it would be a perfect match.

But this timeframe is too long; who knows how many changes might occur in the meantime?

The fifth brother, Meng Xiuyi, shook his head and said.

Many wanted to form a marriage alliance with the Marquis of Hanshui, but unfortunately, they had no opportunity to do so.

Even a noble family like the Duke's mansion would never send its legitimate daughter to be a concubine.

Women born out of wedlock or from collateral branches are of too low status; even if they were sent there, it would be useless and might offend the Duke of Cheng's mansion.

"The Marquis of Hanshui has few people, but the Marquis of Zhenyuan has quite a few!"

The Duke was of marriageable age, and coincidentally, the Marquis of Zhenyuan's household still had a young lady who was unmarried and of suitable age.

The Zhenyuan Marquis's Mansion played a significant role in the rise of the Marquis of Hanshui.

To put it bluntly, none of the three sons of the Marquis of Zhenyuan received as much political resources.

The marriage alliance between the Marquis of Hanshui and the Duke of Chengguo was facilitated by the matchmaker, the wife of the Marquis of Zhenyuan, indicating a close relationship between the two families.

Now that my cousin has married into the family, the Marquis of Hanshui will definitely have to take care of her.

"A little more interaction is tantamount to a political marriage, binding two powerful families together."

After Meng Xiuyuan finished speaking, everyone turned their attention to the old lady behind him.

During the Great Yu Dynasty, marriage was always arranged by parents and matchmakers.

The previous Duke passed away early, so the responsibility fell to the Duchess.

"I will do my best to arrange this matter."

The north is not peaceful right now, so we can only send someone to sound out the Marquis's intentions first.

"If they are interested, I will bring Xuan'er to the capital to facilitate this matter after the Northern barbarians withdraw their troops."

The Duchess said calmly.

Marriages between wealthy families are commonplace.

Both families are top-tier wealthy clans in Dayu, and there are many things to consider if they want a political marriage.

For the Duke of Qian's family to regain its power, a marriage alliance with a powerful noble family is undoubtedly the best option. However, what is in their interest may not be in the interest of others.

Whether the other party will accept it or not is anyone's guess.

……

Changping, Yu Jun's main camp.

The two sides have been fighting fiercely for five days since the start of the war.

The repeated setbacks and heavy casualties forced the Guifang cavalry to slow their advance and instead opt for a long-term siege.

Having withstood the enemy's attack, the defending troops were also suffering.

In just a few days, they lost three thousand soldiers.

Worse still, many officers and soldiers were not used to the northern climate and developed frostbite on their hands, feet and ears.

During this period, Marquis Wuyang tried several times to take advantage of the cover of night to withdraw from the battlefield, but was forced to give up each time.

Of the 50,000 troops sent to defend the emperor, apart from the elite soldiers from the three towns, the rest were civilian laborers.

The difficulty of making an orderly withdrawal from the battlefield under the enemy's nose is simply too great.

If not handled carefully, the retreat could turn into a major rout.

From the very beginning, the army was prepared for a protracted war, and carried a considerable amount of strategic supplies. It was not yet time to break out of the encirclement.

“My lord, it’s not a good idea to keep taking hits like this.”

The enemy's numbers are increasing.

"I am worried," said Su Haoyu, the military supervisor.

Of all the military supervisors in the Great Yu Dynasty, he was probably the one with the least prestige.

Other military supervisors would order the commander-in-chief to do things, but he would beg the commander-in-chief to do things.

Back when they were in the Prince's Palace, when the then Prince of Fu, Emperor Yongning, fell ill after being caught in the rain, the eunuchs who served him were whipped by the Marquis of Wuyang.

Even after so many years, he still feels lingering fear.

"I, the commander, have my own plans for military affairs. What are you, a mere eunuch, so flustered about?"

The Duke of Cheng's reinforcements should arrive in as little as twenty days.

The troops under the command of Marquis Zhenyuan will arrive in about a month and a half.

The army has ample supplies; we can certainly hold our ground.

Marquis Wuyang said, feigning composure.

He spoke casually, but deep down he was just as panicked.

The reason the enemy failed to breach the camp was not because the northern barbarians were weak, but because they could not afford the losses.

In previous battles, the enemy suffered at least three times the casualties of the defenders.

The Northern Barbarians were not a monolithic group; each of the Guifang tribes had its own agenda, and none were willing to make sacrifices.

To the Guifang people, they are tough nuts to crack, offering no real benefits.

Even if we win, we'll only gain some weapons and provisions, which is less than the gains from capturing a county town.

They went south to make money, not to fight Yu's army to the death.

Most of the casualties on both sides were caused by the first day of fighting; the subsequent battles seemed more like a formality.

However, this situation cannot continue indefinitely.

Staying here indefinitely will affect the wealth of the various factions of the Ghost Fang, and the Ghost Fang leadership will definitely try to find a solution.

The next major war will inevitably be even more devastating.

The more dangerous the situation, the more the head coach must remain calm.

Even when acting, you have to capture the essence of the role.

Su Haoyu, this unlucky military supervisor, was just a dungeon that was delivered to him.

Marquis Wuyang was just waiting for this guy to get angry, so that under the pretext of disrupting the morale of the army, he would stage a scene of whipping the supervising officer to intimidate the entire army.

Unfortunately, despite his good plan, he underestimated his own deterrent power.

Even if he was wronged, Su Haoyu didn't have the guts to argue with him.

Since the military supervisor was so cowardly, they naturally couldn't use the other party to establish their authority, otherwise it would be slapping the emperor in the face.

With his plan failing, Marquis Wuyang simply gave up on his scheming.

In the previous battles, the loyalist army did not suffer any losses, and their morale remained relatively stable.

At times like these, it's a test of patience between the two sides, seeing who makes the first mistake.

……

Tatar camp.

"Those Guifang people are really a bunch of useless trash!"
They had a full 120,000 troops, yet they couldn't capture the Yu army in the three towns.

"If we continue with this tactic, how will we fight when the Yu Dynasty's reinforcements arrive?"

"I said indignantly."

His underlings weren't performing well, which made him, as the boss, lose face.

The Yu army was not without fighting power; it collapsed at the first sign of trouble. The main problem was that the morale of the troops had collapsed.

If the loyalist army achieves a great victory, other Yu armies will also be affected.

Among the officers and soldiers of the Yu Army, there must be a few who are bold.

They might not be able to fight major battles, but spurred by the prospect of military merit, some of them were willing to launch small-scale attacks.

This was very unfriendly to the troops who went out to plunder.

If you are not careful, you will fall into the enemy's ambush.

"Great Chanyu, the Guifang people don't not want to fight, but they dare not fight."

Competition on the grasslands is fierce, and once a tribe suffers heavy losses, it can be annexed.

After the Guifang people suffered heavy losses in Shandong during their last invasion of the south, war raged on the grasslands ever since.

"If we hadn't intervened with troops, they'd probably still be embroiled in internal strife."

Erd analyzed calmly.

The internal strife among the Guifang tribes is partly a legacy of history, and partly due to their instigation and sowing of discord behind the scenes.

The so-called mediation was nothing more than striking down the large tribes and supporting the small and medium-sized tribes that were hostile to them in order to maintain the balance on the grassland.

"Even if they dare not fight, they have to fight anyway."

If they can't even defeat the Yu army in the three towns, what right do they have to share the spoils of war?

Tell the Guifang people that they are ordered to take down the Wuyang Marquis's troops within ten days, or the spoils of this southward campaign will have nothing to do with them.

Send a commander of ten thousand men to oversee the battle; any tribe that fails to contribute will be executed without exception!

"Hugjil said menacingly."

The purpose of this battle was originally to weaken the Guifang people's strength, so how can they just stop fighting like that?

If we don't expend our strength in the battle against Yu's army, are we going to save it for fighting for supremacy on the grasslands?
For the Tatars, the best option was for the Guifang and Yuren to perish together.

From a holistic perspective, the greatest strategic significance of this southward raid was to make the two sides fight each other and deplete their strength.

"If the Great Chanyu forces his troops relentlessly, it will easily provoke a rebellious mentality."

We recently incorporated a lot of surrendered soldiers from the Yu army. There are too many of them, which is a problem. We might as well send some of them over to make use of them.

"And let's also appease the various tribes of the Ghost Fang, letting them know that it's not us weakening them, but their own incompetence!"

Sarina's words were undoubtedly a blow to his morale.

If they weren't forced to go to the battlefield, the Guifang people would be out of their minds to fight the main force of the Yu army to the death.

Doing this now is like rubbing salt into a wound.

However, for the sake of maintaining control, such daily suppression is still very necessary.

On the grasslands, the strong are respected; whoever is stronger is considered more right.

The fact that the Guifang people fought the battle themselves, and that they suffered heavy losses despite having superior forces, is itself a sign of incompetence.

Yu's army could not defeat the Tatars, and they could not defeat Yu's army.

Long-term indoctrination of this ideology helps to weaken the Guifang people's resistance to the Tatars, so even if they have ideas, they dare not express them.

"Ok!"

"Then send 30,000 Yu soldiers over to help them complete this battle."

Hugjil thought for a moment and then said.

(End of this chapter)