Fu Shanhe

Chapter 465 The Momentum Has Been Established
As the major colonial empires hesitated, the Sumatran War gradually came to an end.

Several indigenous regimes on the island were destroyed one after another, and the remaining indigenous tribes were reduced to a scattered mess.

Although the war has not ended, it has become impossible to mount an effective resistance.

"Tell the commanders at the front that as long as the Dutch don't move, don't move against them for the time being."

After reading the battle reports from the front lines, Li Mu smiled and issued the orders.

No matter what, business still needs to be done.

Rashly starting a war with the colonial empire would lead to a long-term standoff between East and West, hindering trade and commerce, which is not in the interest of the Marquis's family.

The Strait of Malacca is of great strategic importance and should indeed be controlled.

However, there's no need to rush into such matters.

The Protectorate acted ahead of time, seizing most of Sumatra and the Malay Peninsula, thus cutting off the Dutch's path to expansion.

The city of Batavia (Jakarta), despite seemingly controlling the shipping route through the Strait of Malacca, actually only earns a little money from supplying water and coal.

The inherent disadvantages of being a small country limited the Dutch people's potential.

Their ultimate goal was to monopolize the spice trade.

In fact, Li Mu was also envious of the huge profits from the spice trade and wanted to snatch them from the Dutch.

However, strategic planning has priorities and urgency; one should not blindly rush forward just because one sees potential benefits.

First, conquer Sumatra. Once the Western countries have adapted, then seize the opportunity to find the next target.

The Annam Protectorate now has no shortage of land or resources; what it lacks are people to develop these lands and resources.

At the very beginning of the Sumatra War, the Mining Department and the Agriculture Department were on the verge of fighting over prisoners of war.

Compared to the long-developed Central Plains region, Southeast Asia is far richer in resources.

All the minerals needed by the Protectorate General can be found.

Not long ago, the Mining Department discovered large copper mines in Siam and large gold mines in Borneo.

Large quantities of iron and coal have also been discovered in northern and central Cochinchina.

The above are all large mines; the distribution of medium and small mines is even more extensive.

In an era lacking machinery, mining required entirely manual labor, leading to a massive labor shortage.

Mines need people, and agriculture is no exception.

Clearing land in the rainforest is no easy task.

Poisonous insects and ferocious beasts roamed the land, resulting in an unusually high mortality rate.

The local indigenous people adapted to the climate, and their survival rate was relatively higher.

Immigrants have not yet adapted to the local climate, and many fall ill during the rainy season, putting a heavy burden on the fragile healthcare system.

Finally, Li Mu intervened and forcibly assigned the task of capturing prisoners of war to the military, thus resolving the dispute.

This solution only addresses the symptoms, not the root cause.

No matter how hard the military tries, it can't keep up with the growing labor shortage.

The larger the territory expands, the more the Protectorate will lack labor.

Li Mu had no better option than to immigrate from China.

As for encouraging childbirth, that's not true.

In the agricultural era, labor was the most valuable asset, and people had as many children as they could.

Exempting people from land taxes and miscellaneous taxes reduced the burden on ordinary people and was itself the best policy to encourage childbirth.

With the steam engine developed, the spark of the Industrial Revolution had been ignited; the next step was to promote and apply it.

With limited economic development in the private sector, the commercial application of steam engines could only be promoted by the government.

Li Mu had limited knowledge of this, only knowing that after the invention of the steam engine, it was applied to industries such as textiles, transportation, mining, and metallurgy.

He could only leave the specifics of how it developed and what scientific principles and technologies were used to his subordinates to figure out on their own.

Perhaps a breakthrough will be achieved tomorrow, or perhaps the technology will be stuck for ten or twenty years.

Compared to its applications in other fields, Li Mu places greater emphasis on its value in transportation.

As it continued to expand outwards, the Annam Protectorate also encountered a common problem among feudal dynasties—its territory was too large, making communication difficult.

With current industrial capabilities, trying to build a radio station is undoubtedly a pipe dream.

The technology, materials, and industrial base are all substandard.

In comparison, it's more reliable to build a railway as soon as possible.

"My lord, according to the intelligence we have gathered, the Dutch are harboring members of several vassal royal families."

Some of them, under the cover of merchant ships, prepared to go to the capital to appeal to the emperor.

In recent years, the number of vassal states we have destroyed has exceeded double digits.

In the past, with someone in the court suppressing things, the matter never even reached the imperial court.

The situation has changed now, and once the news spreads in Beijing, it may be detrimental to your reputation.

Wang Jingchuan offered a tactful reminder.

He had experience in officialdom and knew that there was a group of people in the court who couldn't stand seeing others do well.

The Annam Protectorate developed so rapidly that it was impossible to keep it completely secret, and it had long since caught the eye of those with ulterior motives.

With the powerful aristocratic faction ahead, these guys could only suppress their ambitions.

The power structure in the court is now undergoing a major reshuffle. Although the civil officials do not have complete control over the court, they still have more influence than the noble families in terms of discourse power.

At this time, the two marquises in charge of the nobility in the capital had no connection with Li Mu.

At most, they would offer symbolic support in court for the sake of unity within the nobility faction.

The censors and officials of the Great Yu Dynasty were known for their stubbornness.

When the emperor is in power, people criticize the emperor; when a powerful minister holds power, people criticize the powerful minister. There is no one in the world they dare not criticize.

Powerful officials like Li Mu, who clung to the power of the Governor-General of Guangdong and Guangxi, were the ones the censors loved to criticize the most.

If a bunch of vassal states were to file complaints, I reckon these censors and officials would get excited.

In the past, when they couldn't find any fault with Li Mu, they could only use phrases like "it is said that..." or "it is possible that..."

Reporting information upon hearing rumors can be used to complete tasks, but its effectiveness is very limited.

The memorial was submitted, and then nothing more was heard from it.

Unless the emperor is looking to frame someone, no one would take these vague impeachments seriously.

If a delegation from a vassal state collectively files a complaint, then the situation is different.

They brought evidence with them when they came to Beijing.

A single party filing a complaint won't have much impact; they can easily find an excuse to get away with it.

The worst consequence would be a reprimand, and the emperor would hold a grudge.

This is unprecedented – a group filing a lawsuit together.

In all the years since the establishment of the Great Yu Dynasty, no minister has ever enjoyed such treatment.

"Ha ha……"

"Lord Wang, you're overthinking it."

In the past, the civil officials in the court would have loved to ruin the Marquis's reputation.

The situation has changed now; those civil officials in the court care about the Marquis's reputation just as much as we do!

Lan Linjie, who was standing to the side, laughed loudly.

In the past, ruining Li Mu's reputation would help to weaken the nobility.

If Li Mu's reputation were ruined at this time, it would actually loosen the shackles on him.

Once a reputation is ruined, the moral constraints disappear, and many things that were forbidden become permissible.

The gentry were the first to be unable to tolerate the move of overturning the table and leading troops north.

The current power of the nobility group is weak, partly due to heavy losses in previous wars and partly due to the lack of authority of the leader.

The Marquis of Weiyuan and the Marquis of Zhendong, who lacked military achievements, were able to rise to power mainly by accumulating seniority.

Among the nobles, few were more senior than them.

Those who rise to power based on seniority are clearly unable to control their arrogant and unruly subordinates.

Nominally the head of a powerful and influential group, he actually has very limited control over his subordinates and cannot make decisions on a whim.

If Li Mu were to take over, there would be a large number of his old subordinates in the army.

Apart from the old guys in the capital who might be dissatisfied, no one else from the noble faction would object.

Once you have a better grasp of the team, you have the capital to exercise authority.

Becoming a powerful minister in the capital was not the outcome that civil officials feared most.

The worst fear is that Li Mu, being young and unable to withstand the stimulation, will directly raise the banner of rebellion and fight his way from the south to the north.

Whether they can conquer the country is unknown, but once the flames of war ignite, the gentry of the southern provinces will certainly suffer terribly.

For their own benefit, they also had to use their prestige to elevate Li Mu.

Everyone was prepared for the rebellion of treacherous officials.

If a loyal minister rebels, one's own troops will be the first to run into trouble.

Many loyal ministers in history were not only loyal themselves, but also loyal because the underlying nature of their teams dictated that they had to be loyal.

Undoubtedly, Li Mu's noble birth dictated that he must be loyal to the imperial court. At the very least, on the surface, he had to be loyal to the Great Yu.

In essence, the army that Li Mu built was also a force built on loyalty and righteousness, and the commander-in-chief had to set an example in this regard.

Once this principle is abandoned, not only will he be despised by the world, but those below him will also lose their loyalty.

No normal person would do something that shakes the foundation.

“Mr. Lan, those censors and officials don’t seem like they can consider the big picture.”

Wang Jingchuan said expressionlessly.

The bureaucratic system of Dayu has some integrity, but it is not very strong.

Among them, the censors and officials who dared to speak out were an extremely special group, and their greatest pursuit was fame.

Many people are willing to risk their lives to make a name for themselves in history.

For them, the overall situation in the court was far less important than their own reputation.

Both the emperor and the cabinet were extremely annoyed by this group.

When making important plans, everyone would first transfer the troublesome censors out of the capital.

However, stubbornness is contagious, and troublemakers can never be completely eradicated.

Besides the censors and officials who voiced their opinions, those who were dissatisfied with the situation in the court or felt that their talents were not being recognized would occasionally join in the commotion.

When stubbornness strikes, they like to stick to their own ideas.

"Lord Wang, don't you think this is a problem that the cabinet ministers should be troubled by?"

After Lan Linjie finished speaking, everyone smiled.

Affected by the failure of the Emperor Emeritus's personal expedition, the Annam Protectorate was passively transformed into the strongest military group in the Great Yu Dynasty.

The strongest military group combined with the strongest commander has shattered all previous checks and balances.

Compared to the monstrous Protectorate, the Liaodong Garrison, which caused the imperial court so much headache, could only be considered a junior.

He doesn't need to do anything to inspire fear.

"enough!"

"The country is in dire straits, what's so funny!"

"When the court is in distress, we, as subjects, should do our utmost to assist Your Majesty in restoring the country and the nation."

In my actions, I have lived up to the expectations of His Majesty and the court, and I have done justice to the common people.

How could a group of rebellious vassal states possibly slander them?

Mr. Lan, immediately draft an official document to the court to report our suppression of the rebels and the recapture of the Old Port Pacification Commissioner's Office.

We welcome the imperial envoy dispatched by the court to conduct an on-site inspection of the old port.

Li Mu reprimanded him sternly.

Since you've been given the role of a loyal subject, you must play your part well.

The Protectorate General represented the side of justice, so the unfortunate vassal states that were destroyed were naturally traitors and rebels.

Whether the officials in the capital believe it or not is irrelevant; the important thing is to put a big label on them first.

No matter who asks, it's all for the sake of recovering lost territory for the imperial court.

Upon closer examination, it was simply a matter of taking advantage of the situation to acquire more land.

If the yamen runners collect a few extra bushels of grain, what's wrong with the dignified Annam Protectorate taking away a little more land?
Anyone who has objections or disagrees can go to the site to see for themselves.

The loss of cities and territories was such a disgraceful event that the imperial court could not possibly record it in detail.

In order to cover up their own responsibility, the officials who advocated abandoning Old Port wished they could erase all evidence of the existence of the Old Port Pacification Commissioner's Office.

More than two hundred years later, the exact location of the old port and the size of its jurisdiction have long become a mystery.

If they have enough power, they could also find a legal basis to include the Indian Ocean in the jurisdiction of the Old Port Xuanfu Division.

There was nothing they could do; so many countries had paid tribute to the Great Yu!

Under the tributary system, the suzerain state had jurisdiction over the vassal states.

As the Protector-General of Annam, Li Mu theoretically had the power to oversee the southern vassal states on behalf of the emperor.

When the Annam Protectorate was established, no one expected that this scene would unfold today.

From the perspective of the imperial court, it would be quite an achievement if they could assimilate Jiaozhi.

The specific division of power is very vague.

Since there are no clear standards, Li Mu naturally tries to interpret the power as much as possible.

Sending troops to punish disobedient subjects, deposing and installing kings of vassal states, and abolishing vassal states were all forcibly defined by Li Mu as within his authority.

If the imperial court has any objections, then let's slowly argue about it.

The authorization was given by the emperor, and the cabinet affixed its official seal; the process was completely legal and compliant.

Even if the emperor becomes the retired emperor, it does not affect the effectiveness of his original decrees.

If you want it revoked, then let the retired emperor issue an edict.

There is no doubt that this is politically unacceptable.

If a deposed emperor were to re-engage in government decision-making, the political signals he sends could be deadly.

If some political opportunist were to seize the opportunity to collude with the retired emperor and launch a coup in the capital, everyone would be left with nothing but regret.

"Student, yes sir!"

……

Capital.

After a series of political struggles, the five cabinet ministers finally stabilized the situation in the court.

"Distinguished ministers, good news!"

"The northern barbarians have withdrawn!"

As soon as Minister of War Luo Wenbo finished speaking, everyone stood up and eagerly read the battle report.

The northern barbarians were wreaking havoc across the northern lands, and the cabinet was under tremendous political pressure.

Fortunately, the Northern barbarians also had their concerns and did not linger in Dayu, otherwise they would not know how to end the situation.

"it is good!"

"it is good!"

"That menace is finally gone!"

"Next, we must do everything in our power to strengthen the Great Wall defenses and absolutely not give the northern barbarians another chance to invade southward!"

Bai Jilin said excitedly.

As a cabinet minister from the north, he felt deeply distressed seeing his hometown suffer from the ravages of the northern barbarians.

Especially when relatives and friends from his hometown come to visit, they can't help but mention what happened in his hometown, which makes him feel even more ashamed.

If he lacked ability, that would be one thing, but unfortunately, he was one of the leaders of the Great Yu Dynasty.

If they had been more rational back then and stopped Emperor Yongning from personally leading the expedition, they might have been able to keep the northern barbarians out of the Great Wall.

Even if they couldn't stop them, the government troops were capable of launching a counterattack, instead of being passively attacked the whole way.

"Elder Bai, calm down first."

The reconstruction of the Great Wall defense line requires careful planning.

Grand Secretary Jiang Shuhan took over the conversation.

Many things are easier said than done.

Everyone knows that the imperial court needs to rebuild the Great Wall defense line, but the question is how to rebuild it.

The repeated breaches of the Great Wall defense line by the Northern barbarians proved that previous operations were flawed.

To make the defense effective, the problem must be identified and then resolved.

One of the problems that must be addressed is money and supplies.

The Grand Canal is still being dredged, and money and grain from the south cannot be transported in.

In the short term, the Great Yu Dynasty did not have the capability to rebuild the Great Wall defense line.

"The Grand Secretary is right. Rebuilding the Great Wall defense line does require long-term planning."

At the very least, we must investigate why the defenses keep having loopholes!

Marquis Weiyuan chimed in agreement.

With the situation having developed to this point, guarding the Great Wall defense line has become a highly dangerous task.

From the initial border military families to the current leadership of the nobility, too many generals have been lost.

Generals with even a slight connection to the government were unwilling to fill this hole.

It just so happens that the nobility group was united by personal connections, and almost all of its generals were "connections".

It's not appropriate to put anyone in this kind of hard work.

Promoting generals to higher positions may seem to solve the problem, but it's all for naught if the Great Wall cannot be defended.

Not every defeat can find a suitable scapegoat.

……

(End of this chapter)