Fu Shanhe

Chapter 423 Political Disaster
"Send someone to try to persuade them to surrender."

Looking at the battlefield before him, Nadam said in a heavy tone.

The fighting power displayed by the Yu army before him far exceeded his expectations.

As the battle has progressed, the grassland coalition has suffered more than 120,000 casualties. Even after deducting the losses of cannon fodder troops, the coalition's casualties still exceed 50,000.

The 10,000 households he led only participated in the final battle, and even then, they suffered 2,000 casualties.

With the battle at this stage, he was too embarrassed to call it a victory.

Despite wishing he could wipe out every single enemy soldier in front of him.

However, due to political needs, he suppressed his anger and chose to persuade them to surrender.

If all the Yu soldiers were this capable, they would be lucky not to be wiped out by the Great Yu, let alone raid the south.

Having witnessed the enemy's strength, the allied forces had to consider how to demoralize the Yu army.

Marquis Wuyang was not only a relative of the emperor, but also a prominent figure in the Great Yu army.

If we can induce this person to surrender, the political gains will be far greater than annihilating 100,000 Yu soldiers.

……

"My lord, the enemy has sent a message saying they want to..."

"Ignore it!"

Before the captain of the personal guards could finish speaking, Marquis Wuyang waved his hand to interrupt him.

In the Great Yu Dynasty, his status was already second only to the emperor, above all others.

No matter how generous the Northern barbarians were, they could not possibly offer better treatment.

Surrender was never on his agenda.

"My lords, the defeat in this battle is due to two reasons: first, the court's chaotic orders; and second, my own misjudgment."

At this point in the battle, continuing to hold out is no longer possible.

We may die in battle, but the seed of the army must not be extinguished. Tonight, let's break out of the encirclement.

Those who survived, go back and tell the world, we have not disgraced the Great Yu!

After a moment's hesitation, Marquis Wuyang looked at everyone and said.

The encirclement has now narrowed, and whether they can break through is anyone's guess.

The enemy surrounded them but did not attack; that was because the previous battles had intimidated the enemy forces.

No one wants to suffer further losses on the eve of enjoying the fruits of victory.

The remaining officers and soldiers of Yu's army were almost all wounded, and they were able to hold on until now entirely because of the generals leading the fight.

All three of his generals were killed in battle, and only one of his lieutenant generals and deputy generals survived.

Apart from the commander-in-chief, Marquis of Wuyang, the Yu army's top leadership was essentially wiped out.

"My lord, please change your clothes. We will definitely escort you out of the encirclement!"

Seeing that the Marquis of Wuyang was showing signs of wanting to die, the personal guard captain hurriedly spoke up to persuade him.

The personal guards were tied to their commander-in-chief; if the commander-in-chief died in battle, the personal guards would not have to return.

Moreover, the Marquis of Wuyang's status is special; if he were to die on the battlefield, the impact would be even greater.

"No need!"

"You can break out on your own later."

If you are fortunate enough to return alive, please deliver this letter to the Marquis of Hanshui on my behalf; he will take care of the aftermath for you.

Knowing what they were worried about, Marquis Wuyang immediately dispelled everyone's doubts.

As he spoke, his body suddenly went limp and white foam began to come out of the corners of his mouth, clearly a sign that he had been poisoned to a severe degree.

"My lord, you..."

The captain of the personal guards rushed forward to support Marquis Wuyang, tears streaming down his face as he spoke.

"I'm taking my leave now. Take care, everyone!"

After giving his last words, Marquis Wuyang slowly closed his eyes.

He's tired and just wants to rest.

His recent years have been the most glorious time of his life, but also the most exhausting.

From being forced into a difficult position to achieving great success, he endured immense pressure along the way.

Compared to the previous major battles, this was the first time he truly commanded a large army in combat.

These short twenty-odd days have been more difficult than the past twenty years.

Fortunately, I delivered an excellent performance in what was also my first and last battle in life.

Although the battle ended in total annihilation, it successfully broke the enemy's front teeth.

Despite being outnumbered, they achieved their current results, and no one can say they failed.

"My lord, may you rest in peace!"

All the soldiers knelt down to bid farewell to the Marquis of Wuyang.

Human hearts are made of flesh and blood; the fact that everyone was able to persevere to the end shows that the head coach treated them very well.

Other soldiers in the Yu army were often hungry and cold, but these soldiers had never lacked money, food, or pay since they enlisted.

Comrades who died on the battlefield also received appropriate compensation.

One of the guards wanted to commit suicide to follow the Marquis of Wuyang, but was stopped by his comrades.

If I'm going to die, I'll die on the battlefield.

The Marquis of Wuyang chose to commit suicide because of his special status; he could not fall into the hands of the enemy.

These lowly soldiers don't have that kind of influence, so the Northern barbarians wouldn't go to the trouble of capturing them alive.

"Breakout!"

After a long while, the only adjutant in the army, suppressing his grief, gave the order.

"Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh..."

As soon as the soldiers of Yu's army launched their charge, they were met with a hail of arrows.

At this moment, however, everyone was prepared to die, and no one backed down.

With the mindset that taking down even one enemy soldier would be a gain, they launched a final attack on the enemy.

"kill!"

The shouts of battle once again echoed through the sky, making the moonlit night even more desolate.

……

"Wanhu, the enemy remnants have been completely annihilated by us, but we have not found the enemy commander."

Chief Ogus stepped forward to report.

This battle resulted in heavy losses for the grassland allied forces.

The Gerar tribe, as the main force of the allied forces, also suffered heavy losses and can only cling to the Tatars now.

"understood!"

Nadam said with a frustrated look on his face.

In the past, every victory in wars brought them substantial profits.

This time was different. Besides annihilating tens of thousands of Yu soldiers, the spoils of war were just a pile of broken copper and iron, and some grain and fodder that had not yet been burned.

Compared to the losses suffered by the coalition forces, this gain was not even enough to cover the medical expenses of the wounded.

"Commander, all the departments have suffered heavy losses. Do you think it would be possible to allow everyone to withdraw and rest for a while?"

"I'm telling you this with a forced smile," Ogus said.

The Guifang coalition has suffered heavy losses this time. Of the twelve armies that started the war, only 90,000 remain, including more than 20,000 wounded.

Due to the scarcity of medical resources, only middle and high-ranking soldiers could receive treatment, while ordinary soldiers could only rely on their lives to endure the pain.

The cries of agony in the camp never ceased, severely impacting the morale of the troops.

With such a huge sacrifice made but no gain whatsoever, the various departments have long been filled with complaints.

If we send them to the front lines again, the army will surely collapse.

"We won't need you for the big battles to come."

"Shandong is allocated to you; take as much as you can. This time, the royal court won't take a cut."

Nadam said, feigning magnanimity.

He has perfectly accomplished the task of weakening the Ghost faction.

The Ghost Fang tribes, led by the Geral tribe, suffered a heavy blow and were no longer able to pose a threat to them.

If you give someone a beating, you should also give them a sweet treat.

Otherwise, if pushed too far, these people might side with the Great Yu, which would be another huge problem.

...In the palace.

"Your Majesty, something is wrong!"

"News from the Embroidered Uniform Guard reports that the army sent to defend the emperor suffered a crushing defeat at Changping, with all officers of the rank of lieutenant general and above killed in action, including the commander-in-chief, Marquis of Wuyang, and the supervising officer..."

Before Zheng Yingyi could finish speaking, Emperor Yongning was completely dumbfounded.

With reinforcements on the horizon, they could head north to relieve the siege in five days.

The worst-case scenario, however, has already occurred.

Because of the court's erroneous command, his uncle died on the front line. How could he explain this to the Empress Dowager in the palace?
The annihilation of the three towns' army and the deaths of hundreds of noble sons will surely cause uproar in the capital.

The Battle of Changping was not a military defeat, but a complete political loss.

If he cannot handle the situation properly, even nobles and relatives of the emperor will become alienated from him.

The balance of power in the court has been broken, and a new round of struggle between civil and military officials has begun.

Deep down, he hated the troublemaking civil officials.

If it weren't for these guys forcing him to abdicate, he wouldn't have been in such a hurry to send the Marquis of Wuyang north; without the northward journey, there would have been no major defeat.

Without this crushing defeat, the situation would still be under control.

The northern barbarians have once again besieged the city, which would have only caused us to lose face. Now, with this defeat, we have lost both face and substance.

"Your Majesty, we have not lost this battle."

The enemy's casualties were far greater than ours.

After this battle, the northern barbarians who participated in the war will inevitably need to rest and regroup.

The pressure on the imperial court will inevitably be greatly reduced in the upcoming great battle, which will be advantageous to…

Before Zheng Yingyi could finish speaking, Emperor Yongning's expression changed.

War is not just a military issue, but also a political one.

Imperial power needs support.

Although the court officials appear to be pillars of imperial power, there are still distinctions of kinship and distance among them.

The civil service was the pillar of imperial power, but this pillar was somewhat distant and had already spiraled out of control.

While the nobility were also a pillar of imperial power, the relationship between Emperor Yongning and the nobility group was not as close as it appeared to outsiders.

The Marquis of Wuyang played a crucial role in enabling the two sides to maintain cooperation.

Now that the bond connecting the two sides has been severed, it will not be something that can be repaired overnight.

"I have summoned all civil and military officials of the third rank and above in the capital for a meeting. I will announce this terrible news in public."

Furthermore, no one is allowed to mention this matter to the Empress Dowager!

Emperor Yongning said with a solemn expression.

Reason told him that the matter of holding those responsible accountable must be addressed immediately.

We must give them an explanation before the nobles cause trouble.

If this matter is not handled properly, the very foundation of the empire's rule will be shaken.

……

On the deck, Jing Guoliang gazed into the distance, a look of sorrow involuntarily creeping onto his brow.

"Lord Duke, we will arrive in Tongzhou in two days."

"The Marquis of Wuyang is a renowned general of our dynasty, and his troops are among the most elite in the land. Holding out for a few more days shouldn't be a problem."

Master Zhang began to offer his advice.

Since the news of the siege of the Marquis of Wuyang's troops arrived, the Duke himself has not felt any relief.

As a result, even their close associates are having a hard time.

"It's difficult!"

"With the troops of three towns, we fought against hundreds of thousands of northern barbarians, and there were no strong cities to defend."

Even if I were in the position of Marquis of Wuyang, I wouldn't be confident I could withstand the enemy's advance.

Jing Guoliang shook his head and said.

The two had worked together during the recapture of Southern Zhili, and he was very clear about the true military capabilities of the Marquis of Wuyang.

They were certainly much better than ordinary civil officials, but still quite a distance from being famous generals.

It's a miracle that Marquis Wuyang has been able to hold on until now, given this unfavorable situation.

The news that reinforcements were about to arrive was no secret.

Once the Northern barbarians receive this news, they will certainly intensify their offensive.

Holding out until reinforcements arrive is extremely difficult.

Once the Marquis of Wuyang's forces are defeated, the situation will deteriorate beyond repair.

"Your Excellency, it is precisely at times like these that you need to take care of your health!"

"If the situation unfortunately gets out of control, you'll have to step in and clean up the mess."

The situation in the Great Yu Kingdom is once again on the brink of collapse; a single misstep could send it plunging into an abyss.

Zhang Jiping said with a solemn expression.

The continuous natural and man-made disasters have made all the wise people in the world realize that the country and its people are in danger.

The imperial court's series of questionable actions have chilled the hearts of countless people.

Every time the situation improves, something unexpected happens, causing it to deteriorate again.

Such repeated upheavals will eventually lead to ruin, no matter how substantial one's wealth is.

"It's difficult!"

"Mu'er is farsighted. He knows the situation in the court is complicated and jumped out early to avoid the disputes, out of sight, out of mind."

Those of us caught up in the situation find it difficult to clearly see the overall picture.

The imperial court's order for the Marquis of Wuyang to lead his troops north was not merely a military blunder, but more a result of political strife.

The Great Wall defenses were easily breached, riddled with corrupt officials, and it's likely that all the major factions in the court were implicated.

The civil officials worried that after the Marquis of Wuyang entered the capital, he would join forces with His Majesty to uncover this secret, putting them in a politically passive position.

For political gain, he instigated His Majesty to issue an edict ordering the Marquis of Wuyang to lead his troops north.

Your Majesty's performance in this matter is equally worrying.

The inability to withstand the pressure from civil officials was secondary; the key issue was that he had other options.

If he really wanted to refuse, he could have simply ordered the Marquis of Wuyang to garrison Tongzhou.

As long as the Marquis of Wuyang's troops do not enter the capital, the civil officials will accept it; the specific location of their encampment is not important.

However, the result was that the Marquis of Wuyang led his troops north, and he even issued several imperial edicts to urge him on.

Whether they intend to keep the enemy outside Shuntian Prefecture, or to take the opportunity to weaken the power of my noble faction, who can say for sure?

Jing Guoliang's remark startled Zhang Jiping, turning his face ashen.

He could not tolerate such treasonous words as criticizing the emperor.

If even a single word were to leak out, the Duke of Cheng might not necessarily be in trouble, but his advisor would certainly be doomed.

"Your Excellency, please watch your words!"

Zhang Jiping hurriedly tried to dissuade him.

He couldn't let his own Duke continue speaking, for even his advisor dared not listen.

There are some things you can think about, but you should never say them out loud.

It's understandable that the noble faction was dissatisfied with the emperor.

After all, the mess that the Great Yu Dynasty had made was cleaned up by the nobles, and then the emperor got entangled with the civil officials.

It appears that the civil officials were forcing the emperor to abdicate, and that the emperor was compelled to make a choice, but politics is never as simple as it seems.

Emperor Yongning was never someone to be trifled with. If he hadn't deliberately sent out signals, would the civil officials have dared to be so presumptuous?
Forcing someone to abdicate is a taboo subject that everyone should think twice before doing.

If you really offend the emperor too much, it's not difficult to overturn the table.

As long as the emperor is willing to stand firm and has the support of the nobility, even if the civil officials cause trouble, at most there will be another strike by all the officials.

Similar operations had occurred more than once during the reign of the previous emperor.

The scene was quite chaotic, but it was eventually suppressed by the eunuchs.

If you don't know how to play something new, you can always learn by following along.

The scholar's rebellion failed in three years.

While the civil service group wielded considerable influence, it was not powerful enough to depose and install emperors.

……

(End of this chapter)