Fu Shanhe

Chapter 498 Bloodbath on the Grasslands

The capital city, Wenyuan Pavilion.

“Bad news came from Guanzhong: the rebels captured Xi’an Prefecture, and the entire Qin Prince’s family was slaughtered.”

Several officials, including Shaanxi Governor Pang Shuhuai and Provincial Treasurer Luo Muchen, surrendered to the rebels.

Such heinous acts are truly heinous crimes!

"Grand Secretary Jiang Shuhan said with a solemn expression."

The fall of Xi'an Prefecture and the massacre of the Qin Prince's family were momentous events, but they paled in comparison to the mass defection of officials.

Even when the White Lotus Rebellion swept across southern China, such a heinous political incident never occurred.

Even if some high-ranking officials surrendered, it was after they had been captured that they were lured into surrender by the rebels.

The reason is clear to everyone: it was one of the political consequences of the government troops' massacres in Jiangnan.

Pang Shuhuai and Luo Muchen were both from Southern Zhili, and their clans were wiped out during the anti-tax movement.

Logically speaking, they should have been transferred immediately after the incident, but unfortunately, the various factions in the court could not reach a consensus for a long time.

A heated debate ensued over whether or not to adhere to the normal procedures for the appointment and removal of officials.

Before any agreement could be reached, disaster struck.

"The Grand Secretary is right; such a precedent must not be set."

The imperial court must take swift and decisive action to severely punish these traitors in order to deter the people from committing crimes!

"Ministry of War, do you have a plan to quell the rebellion?"

Vice Grand Secretary Bai Jilin immediately stated his position.

Everything else is negotiable, but treason is not.

If troops are not dispatched to suppress the rebellion immediately, the three-hundred-year-old foundation of the Great Yu Dynasty will be lost.

As beneficiaries of the existing system, they naturally cannot tolerate such a thing happening.

"Second Minister, this time the rebels have returned with much greater strength than before."

Relying solely on the border troops in the northwest region would likely be insufficient to suppress the rebellion.

The Ministry of War plans to draw troops from the three towns along the Xuanfu and Datong line to jointly suppress the enemy with the three towns of Yansui, Ningxia, and Guyuan.

To better command the rebellion, the Ministry of War suggested re-establishing the Governor-General of the Three Border Regions to oversee the overall suppression of the rebellion.

Minister of War Luo Wenbo replied somewhat flusteredly.

The incident happened so suddenly that he only received the news last night, and the Ministry of War had no time to make military deployments.

But since the Second Assistant Minister has already asked, if he can't come up with a solution, it would make him seem incompetent.

After weighing the pros and cons, he decisively produced a pacification plan that seemed reasonable but lacked operability.

In any case, military mobilization is no longer solely decided by the Ministry of War.

The advice they gave was really just advice.

As for specific troop movements, the Governor-General's Office still needs to come up with a plan.

"The issue of troop deployment is easy to resolve; the key is how to solve the problem of funding and supplies."

As soon as Marquis Weiyuan finished speaking, the atmosphere in Wenyuan Pavilion became heavy.

If the soldiers and horses are not moving, the grain and grass will go first.

In theory, the Great Yu Dynasty now has both money and grain, and a mere rebel army is no problem at all.

Unfortunately, the money and grain were all in the south, and they couldn't be transported back in the short term.

"Don't look at me like that. Everyone knows what's going on with the Ministry of Revenue."

The treasury was empty, and even the clerks who guarded the warehouses were given long holidays.

The Ministry of Revenue had nothing to offer until the tax revenue from the south arrived in the capital.

Minister of Revenue Lü Lingfeng explained with a helpless expression.

In terms of political stance, the Ministry of Revenue should have fully supported the suppression of the rebellion.

Unfortunately, the national treasury was empty, and even a skilled cook cannot cook without rice.

Deep down, he was devastated.

Qingliu Group has also had a run of bad luck in recent years.

All sorts of messy things started coming at us one after another.

The current focus is on suppressing the rebellion, and people have not noticed that Pang Shuhuai and Luo Muchen are members of the Qingliu Party.

Once they came to their senses, their clean-cut backgrounds became a weapon for their political enemies to attack them.

Even if the two had reasons for their rebellion, rebellion is still rebellion, and the nature of the event will not change just because there are reasons.

While other uncertainties remain, their students, former associates, relatives, and friends will certainly be implicated.

In particular, officials whose entire clans were wiped out during the anti-tax movement were all regarded as unstable elements by the imperial court.

All those involved will also be implicated.

At least half of the officials from Southern Zhili will fall from grace as a result, and even more members of the Qingliu Party will be implicated.

Once this political turmoil ends, the Qingliu Party's political power in the court will be reduced by at least 30%.

If handled improperly, it's not impossible for them to suffer a complete collapse.

If I had known those two were capable of such a big thing, I shouldn't have helped them in the first place.

If it weren't for the Qingliu Party members arguing that the court should strictly adhere to the law in the appointment and removal of officials, Pang Shuhuai and Luo Muchen would have been dismissed long ago.

Without these two incompetent officials, the situation in Shaanxi wouldn't have deteriorated so quickly, and it wouldn't have triggered the subsequent political storm.

"Minister Lü, we are well aware that the Ministry of Revenue is short of funds."

Knowing full well that the imperial court was facing a serious financial deficit, why didn't you come up with a solution sooner?
Even when the cabinet was trying to raise funds, you, the Minister of Revenue, were leading the way in hindering progress!

Luo Wenbo questioned him sternly.

A dead Taoist friend is not a poor Taoist.

The responsibility for the imperial court's inability to send troops to suppress the rebellion in Guanzhong in a timely manner must be borne by someone.

If the Ministry of War doesn't want to take the blame, then the Ministry of Revenue has to.

Unfortunately, Lü Lingfeng, the Minister of Revenue, was incompetent and had repeatedly harmed the interests of the court for the sake of the Qingliu Party.

Once the old grievances are brought up, he can't deny them even if he wants to.

"Stop making false accusations!"

"I am solely dedicated to the public good, and all my actions are for the greater good!"

Lu Lingfeng immediately retorted.

The sweat on his forehead betrayed his inner fear.

The dissatisfaction among the officials in the court with him had been brewing for quite some time.

The reason he was able to stay in the position of Minister of Revenue was not because he was particularly capable, but simply because no one else wanted to do it.

The finances of the Great Yu Dynasty were essentially bankrupt, and no matter who took over as Minister of Revenue, it would not change the fact that the court was short of money.

Even though he knew that being the Minister of Revenue was no easy task, Lü Lingfeng still had to cling to the position.

Only by staying in his position can he maintain his current wealth and status.

Once he steps down, all the messes he made in the past will be exposed.

He'll be blamed for everything, both things he should and shouldn't, and he won't even have a chance to explain.

At best, they would be dismissed from their posts and exiled; at worst, their entire family would be executed.

Neither outcome was what he wanted.

Even if you feel incredibly guilty, you still have to put on a brave face.

"Ha ha……"

A cold laugh became the best response.

The way everyone present looked at Lü Lingfeng changed.

I've seen shameless people, but I've never seen anyone this shameless.

Anyone present who said "selfless dedication" carries more weight than Lü Lingfeng.

"Gentlemen, now is not the time to hold people accountable."

According to reports from local government offices, a rebel army is approaching Shuntian Prefecture.

Judging from their momentum, it seems they want to cut off our supply lines.

There are capable men among the rebels; they immediately spotted the court's weakness, and we must not overlook it!

Seeing that his teammates were not performing well, Fei Xinyuan, the Minister of Justice, quickly changed the subject.

Whether the rebels found the court's weakness is unknown, but these high-ranking officials were very clear about the court's shortcomings.

The north was exhausted, and the empire's finances collapsed.

Currently, maritime transport routes have become the last straw.

Once the rebels cut off the supply lines, everyone present will become a subject of national subjugation.

"Urgent report from Dagu Port!"

"Urgent report from Dagu Port!"

"Rebels...rebels are attacking the port, the garrison urgently needs reinforcements..."

Perhaps it was a case of the crow possessing him, bringing bad news but not good ones. No sooner had Fei Xinyuan finished speaking than the devastating news, delivered by urgent messenger, reached the imperial city.

"boom!"

The usually composed Jiang Shuhan accidentally dropped his teacup to the ground, splashing tea everywhere.

In the past, such an event would inevitably be met with ridicule.

However, everyone's attention was focused on the urgent report at this moment, and they had no time to care about this trivial matter.

"The port cannot be lost. The two marquises must devise a strategy as soon as possible to ensure the smooth flow of grain!"

After calming down, Jiang Shuhan bypassed the deliberation process and made a decision on the spot.

On the battlefield, speed is of the essence. Once the port falls into the hands of the rebels, even if the government troops are able to recapture it, it will affect the subsequent transport of grain.

After all, destruction is always easier than construction.

If they were willing to use gunpowder and bomb the docks and roads, with the current production capacity, it would take several months to recover.

Although there is more than one port in the north, this is the closest port to the capital.

Changing the landing location means lengthening the transportation lines.

……

The Governor-General's Office of Xuanda.

"Any news yet about General Su or General Xie?"

Cai Fuguang asked anxiously.

The imperial court was in arrears with money and grain, and even as the governor-general of Xuanda, he couldn't conjure up any grain; he could only let the border troops find their own way.

Left with no other choice, the border troops had to go out to find food.

The first few times went smoothly, but those were just small-scale efforts, and the results were far from meeting the needs.

In an attempt to solve the food crisis, the border troops decided to pull off a big heist, but they never returned.

Five days have passed since the agreed time, and I still haven't received any news.

"Your Excellency, the situation on the grasslands is complex, so it's perfectly normal for us to be back a little late."

Master Zhang gave a tactful reply.

We are all adults, and we are well aware of the immense risks involved in venturing deep into the grasslands to raid.

The fact that no news has come back for so long must mean that the army has encountered trouble.

Getting lost on the grasslands or encountering enemy troops are neither good news.

"Send more scouts to locate the main army as soon as possible."

Cai Fuguang decisively gave the order.

Panic is pointless; the only thing we can do now is find the main force as soon as possible.

Deep down, he kept trying to comfort himself.

With the fighting strength of the Yu army, the ordinary Guifang tribe would not be able to keep them at bay.

At worst, we can fight a major battle on the grasslands.

Even without the involvement of the Tatars, the Great Yu Dynasty was not intimidated by the fragmented Guifang tribe.

……

on the grassland.

"Clean up the battlefield and get out of here as soon as possible!"

Su Zhiyong, who had defeated the Guifang cavalry, showed no joy of victory on his face.

Raiding on the grasslands presents many challenges.

Besides finding the Ghost Fang tribe, the main problem is that it's difficult to capture all the enemies during operations.

No matter how carefully you plan, there's always a chance some will slip through the net.

Once their tracks are exposed, danger is imminent.

Su Zhiyong's luck was clearly not very good.

The Chatter tribe, which had been identified beforehand, recently moved to a different nomadic location.

Although it was only a little over a hundred miles away, it still affected Yu Jun's operations.

The robbery was successfully completed, but their whereabouts were exposed as a result.

Within just seven days, they were subjected to thirteen waves of sneak attacks.

Carrying a large amount of spoils, the army's movement speed was not fast to begin with.

In addition, the attack by the Guifang cavalry forced the army to advance at a snail's pace.

Staying on the grassland for even one more day increases the risk of another day.

From a purely military perspective, what he should do now is order the troops to abandon the spoils of war and flee.

But the harsh reality simply doesn't allow them to do that.

Without these spoils, we'll go hungry when we get back.

After this upheaval, the local tribes are now on guard.

If they try to plunder again later, the risk will only be greater.

As Yu Jun was cleaning up the battlefield, the earth suddenly trembled, and figures appeared faintly in the distant sky.

On the vast grasslands, the probability of encountering fellow Yu soldiers is virtually zero. Therefore, whoever remains is an enemy of the Great Yu.

"Stop cleaning up the battlefield! All troops, prepare for battle immediately!"

Without the slightest hesitation, Su Zhiyong immediately issued the order.

The sound of horses' hooves grew closer, and the enemy's figures gradually came into his view.

He put down his binoculars, knowing that a fierce battle was inevitable.

……

“Erdun Wanhu, it’s just a small, isolated army from the Yu Dynasty. You don’t need to be so nervous.”

Seeing the nervous Tatar chieftain, Chief Targu couldn't help but tease him.

The Qiqihada tribe was the first Guifang royal court tribe to join the Tatars. Through a series of political marriages, the two sides have completed their political alliance.

Once they became one of our own, the treatment they received was naturally unmatched by any other Ghost Fang tribe.

As a tribal chief, Targu was entitled to joke with the Tatar high command.

"Chief Targu, the fighting power of the Yu army should not be underestimated."

Especially now, we must be extremely careful of a cornered enemy fighting desperately; a single misstep could cost us dearly.

Erdun said with a serious expression.

Luck is a good thing, but Erdunwanhu's luck was clearly not very good.

First, he suffered a defeat at the hands of Yu's army in Shandong, with almost his entire army wiped out.

Then, in the previous round of battles, they picked on the toughest nut to crack.

Although they won the final victory, they paid a heavy price.

The series of tragedies made him instinctively be on high alert when facing Yu Jun.

They feared that any oversight might give the enemy an opportunity to exploit.

This collaboration with the Guifang people to jointly annihilate the Yu Dynasty's border troops was seen as a military achievement by others, but only he saw it as a hot potato.

The herds of cattle, sheep, and horses all belong to the Guifang people, who are allies.

Even if he won the battle, he would be too embarrassed to claim the spoils of war for political reasons.

It's a completely unprofitable endeavor, far less profitable than attacking the Yu Dynasty's homeland.

"Ha ha……"

“Erdun Wanhu, you are being far too cautious.”

This time we've mobilized 40,000 troops. Taking down an under-strength Yujun Town will be a piece of cake.

You just stand aside and watch; it's the Ghost Warrior's turn to perform next!

Targu laughed heartily.

Taking on the offensive mission proactively is certainly not a sign of stubbornness.

There has never been harmony among the various factions within the Gui Fang.

During this campaign to suppress Yu's army, he took advantage of the Tatars' power and gathered a coalition of tribes that were at odds with the Qiqihada tribe.

Leading the charge is naturally the hard work of these tribes.

If they win, he takes a large share of the credit; if they lose, the enemy bears all the losses.

"it is good!"

Erdun readily agreed.

He had no interest in the internal conflicts within the Gui Fang faction.

He was willing to accept anyone as cannon fodder to weaken Yu's army.

"Pass down the order: let the Aoluguya, Hulunbuir, and Weiteralin tribes act as the vanguard and launch an attack on the enemy!"

……

(End of this chapter)