Fu Shanhe

Chapter 509 The power of hatred

Yong'an, the residence of the Marquis of Hanshui.

"My lord, everything is ready, and the army is ready to set out at any time."

Lan Linjie said with great interest.

After waiting for so long, the time has finally come to draw our swords.

The Liaodong rebellion tore away the last fig leaf of the Dayu Dynasty, much like Dong Zhuo's chaotic rule at the end of the Han Dynasty.

However, the situation in the Great Yu Dynasty was slightly better, as there was a backup small court in Nanjing with six ministries, and the chaos of warlord separatism had not yet occurred.

Just because it doesn't exist now doesn't mean it won't exist in the future; human ambition is constantly growing.

The allied forces formed by the southern provinces to support the emperor were essentially no different from the eighteen warlords who opposed Dong Zhuo.

If the rebellion cannot be quelled quickly and the authority of the court cannot be restored, the country will soon be in a state of warlordism.

Compared to other forces, the Annam Protectorate was undoubtedly one step ahead.

Through continuous foreign wars, it built a powerful army and navy, gaining an advantage in the power struggles among various factions during the same period.

However, due to Li Mu's deliberate low profile, most of these advantages were hidden.

From the outside perspective, the Annam Protectorate was still under development, while the Han River Marquisate's base was in Guangdong and Guangxi.

Once Li Mu steps down as Governor-General of Guangdong and Guangxi, all the advantages he currently possesses will vanish.

Power is something that is always easy to delegate but difficult to take back.

In the twilight of a dynasty, seizing power from the feudal lords was no longer something that could be accomplished with a single imperial edict.

In order to achieve this goal, the civil service group tried many times to take back Li Mu's position as Governor-General of Guangdong and Guangxi, but each time they failed.

It wasn't that Li Mu was particularly skillful; it was simply that the imperial court was facing too many troubles and couldn't focus on one thing at a time.

Natural disasters occur here, peasant uprisings break out there, and northern barbarians invade every now and then.

In their struggle for interests, the various factions in the court often fought each other to the point of madness.

Many policy plans, just formulated and before they could be implemented, were forced to be shelved due to internal problems.

"Ok!"

"Send someone to inform the Six Ministries in Nanjing to prepare all necessary logistical supplies. I will lead my troops to join them two months from now."

Li Mu calmly gave the order.

If the capital had not fallen, sending troops to defend the emperor would have been a matter of utmost swiftness.

The current situation is special. The capital has already fallen into the hands of the rebels, and the situation has already deteriorated to the extreme, leaving no room for further decline.

In this context, the speed of troop deployment is no longer important.

Allowing more time and letting the Shi family continue their perverse actions will actually be more beneficial for the subsequent suppression of the rebellion.

The economies of the northern provinces were exhausted and simply could not support an army of hundreds of thousands.

The grain transport had long been interrupted, and after the rebellion broke out, Li Mu cut off the maritime grain trade.

The longer it drags on, the greater the pressure on the Shi family will be.

The Liaodong army did not want to go hungry, so they either allowed their troops to plunder the gentry and powerful families in the north, or they marched south.

The former would cut off the Shi family's path to collusion with the feudal landlord group, forcing the gentry group to fully support the loyalist army.

The latter has little political influence, but the dense network of waterways in the south can weaken the cavalry advantage of the Liaodong army.

"My lord, the Shi family is acting against the natural order and forcing His Majesty to abdicate."

Judging from his actions, he is exactly like the traitor Dong Zhuo; Your Majesty is in grave danger.

A country cannot be without a ruler for even a day; we should make plans as soon as possible.

Upon hearing Lan Linjie's words, Li Mu rolled his eyes on the spot.

It is true that the Shi family forced Emperor Fu'an to abdicate, but they also restored Emperor Yongning to the throne.

The reputation of a father succeeding his son is not good, but considering the origin of Emperor Fu'an's throne, it is not impossible to do so.

Even though the Shi family acted perversely and harmed the abdicated Emperor Fu'an, Emperor Yongning was still on the throne. It was far from a situation where the country could not be without a ruler for even a day.

However, Emperor Yongning's reputation has indeed become extremely bad in recent years.

Placing him on the throne would only hasten the collapse of the Great Yu Dynasty.

"Don't talk nonsense!"

"Your Majesty is a virtuous man, blessed by Heaven. How could he be harmed by a group of villains?"

Once this ordeal is over, he will surely be able to reclaim the throne.

Even if something unexpected were to happen, there are many capable and virtuous members of the imperial family, so we need not worry too much.

Li Mu decisively rejected the idea.

The principle of "the nail that sticks out gets hammered down" applies everywhere.

The reason the Shi family became the target of public criticism was not because they seized the capital, nor because they slaughtered loyal ministers and righteous men, nor because they deposed the emperor, but because they jumped out too early!
Even if forced into a corner, they could impersonate rebels to seize the capital, then raise troops to defend the emperor and recapture the city.

After a grand performance, he seized the position of Governor-General of Shandong by virtue of his merit in supporting the emperor.

If power were returned to Emperor Yongning, the situation would be very different.

The idea of ​​using the emperor to command the feudal lords is a thing of the past and is no longer applicable.

Entering the central government too early before the collapse of the Great Yu Dynasty would only put one in a passive position.

Entering the central government is fraught with risks, let alone becoming emperor.

They simply felt the competition wasn't difficult enough, so they deliberately increased the difficulty to give themselves a thrill.

"My Lord, wise!"

"Our mission this time in support of the emperor is to quell the rebels."

It's best not to get involved in other matters if you can avoid it.

Once the war is over, we must withdraw from the capital as quickly as possible to avoid becoming bogged down in it!

Wei Xinzhi offered a tactful reminder.

Playing the role of a loyal minister is a minor matter; the key issue is that the capital is a complete mess, and anyone who takes over will be in trouble.

Unless God grants them a favor, the northern lands are currently a huge burden.

The huge food shortage could drain the Annam Protectorate dry.

The threat from the northern barbarians is also a major problem.

"Mr. Wei is right. I am but a military man and am not good at governing the world."

They're good at sending troops to suppress the rebels, but the important task of sorting out the government affairs should be left to others.

However, simply dealing with the Liaodong rebels is not enough; the threat from the northern barbarians must also be considered.

When the crane and the clam fight, the fisherman profits.

During the northward campaign to defend the emperor, the Tatars must not be allowed to remain idle.

This Marquis intends to send a force by sea to seize an opportunity to harass the rear of the Northern Barbarians.

The mission is not about killing a lot of enemies, but about infiltrating the Tatar Kingdom to cause sabotage.

It is necessary to make flexible use of cavalry and know how to avoid the enemy's strength and attack their weaknesses.

"Generals, who is willing to shoulder this heavy responsibility?"

As he spoke, Li Mu turned his gaze to the group of generals.

The Great Yu Dynasty is on the verge of collapse, and chaos has begun. Even loyal ministers must prepare to seize the world.

Influenced by the previous major battles, the northern barbarians were seen as nothing more than a minor nuisance in the minds of the people.

However, given the lessons of history, Li Mu dared not underestimate this opponent.

After all, in the present situation in the northern frontier, it is difficult for any warlord to gain a foothold, except for the Tatars.

Since the Tatars have the potential to grow powerful, it is necessary to contain them in advance for strategic reasons.

Directly marching out to fight would require too much money, food, and resources, and there's no guarantee of success.

They decided to change their strategy and wage a war of attrition against the Tatars.

The number of victories is not important; as long as the enemy is dragged into the war, it is a strategic victory.

First, send out small groups of troops to harass the enemy. If the effect is good, then gradually reinforce Liaodong with more troops.

With such a long coastline, it was impossible for the Tatars to completely block it off.

With the advantage of a navy, we can certainly expand our operations in multiple areas.

If conditions permit, we could deploy tens of thousands of regular troops to keep the Tatars at bay. "My lord, this humble general is willing to go!"

Shu Zhongyi immediately volunteered.

His experience in officialdom taught him that when it's time to take the initiative, one shouldn't procrastinate.

He came from the Liaodong battlefield and was most familiar with the situation there.

He was also the founder of the cavalry force, making him the most suitable person to undertake this task.

"Alright, this task will be handed over to General Shu."

"The navy will cooperate with your operations. I will not concern myself with the specifics of where to land or from where to launch the attack."

This time I can only give you three thousand cavalry, and the cavalry you take with you cannot suffer too many losses.

If they encounter the main force of the Tatars, they will run away. Once the enemy retreats, they will seize the opportunity to attack back.

Burn, kill, and loot as you please; the point is to make the Tatars uneasy!

Li Mu gave the instructions again.

Guerrilla warfare is never about the size of the army.

When facing an enemy like the Tatars, depleting their resources is more strategically significant than annihilating their army.

With the north in chaos and war, even the Grand Canal was disrupted, so no matter how much the Shanxi merchants smuggled goods, they couldn't produce any more.

If its own production falters, the Tatar Kingdom will only face even greater difficulties.

At that time, they will either participate in the warring states of the Central Plains or intensify their plunder of Goguryeo.

Of course, they could also follow the history of the rise of the Mongol Empire and expand their own strength by conquering westward.

If it is the latter, Li Mu would not mind seeing them off politely.

With one less competitor, the pace of pacifying the chaotic world can be accelerated.

……

After arranging military affairs and returning to the inner quarters, he saw Jing Yaqing in full military uniform, brandishing a long spear in the courtyard.

Seeing the ravaged flowers and plants, Li Mu instantly realized that the situation was dire.

"Madam, what's wrong?"

After so many years of marriage, Jing Yaqing has always maintained the demeanor of a well-bred lady; this is the first time she has ever handled a weapon.

"My lord, my elder brother died tragically in the imperial court, the Jing family was raided by the rebels, and my mother is still imprisoned."

It is said that two uncles of the Li clan also died for their country, and the clan was besieged by rebel forces.

This enmity is irreconcilable; this time, we will raise an army to defend the emperor…

Before Jing Yaqing could finish speaking, Li Mu immediately interrupted her:
"I will make arrangements for the matter of serving the king, and I will certainly not let the traitors get away with it."

If the Shi family dares to kill our people, I will wipe out their entire family.

The child is still young and needs someone to take care of him, so you shouldn't come along.

The power of hatred is immense.

Even the best-tempered person will lose their temper upon hearing of the tragic death of a member of their maternal family.

However, revenge is one thing, but military rules must not be broken.

Bringing your family to serve the emperor would be a laughing stock if word got out.

"My husband, I am relieved to hear you say that."

However, the culprits, besides the Shi family, also included Shanxi merchants and Qingliu Party members who colluded with the rebels.

These people are rebels; you can't let them get away with this!

Jing Yaqing said menacingly.

This once again proves that you should never offend a woman, especially a woman with brains.

He captured all his enemies by simply following the slightest clues.

"Rest assured, Madam, it is my duty to eliminate traitors for the country!"

Li Mu immediately expressed his opinion.

These words were not only spoken to Jing Yaqing, but also a promise to the members of the Li clan.

Even if some of these people are innocent, they can only be considered unlucky.

Political struggles are cruel; in chaotic times, choosing the wrong side not only requires paying with your own life, but also implicates your entire clan.

As long as Boss Li Mu makes his stance clear and takes concrete revenge, his subordinates will naturally find evidence of their "unforgivable crimes."

Before the army that came to the aid of the emperor even set off, rumors of Shi Jingfeng sleeping in the emperor's bed and abusing the concubines were already flying everywhere.

Whether he actually did it or not, if the world thinks he did it, then he did it.

Now it's simply a matter of adding a few more strokes, dragging in both Shanxi merchants and the Qingliu Party members.

Except for a few Qingliu Party members who died for their country and were not rewarded, the rest who submitted to the Shi family would not have a good ending.

There's no way around it; there are only so many positions available in officialdom.

If we don't take down those guys in the central government, how will the people below rise to power?

Officials in the six ministries in Nanjing are waiting to be promoted, while other local officials also want to advance further.

Don't be fooled by the fact that the Great Yu Dynasty was a mess; it was because the political center was in the north. Once the central government moved south, the situation would improve instantly.

In fact, as early as after Emperor Yongning's failure to assume personal rule, insightful people in the court proposed moving the capital.

Undoubtedly, such a proposal was met with strong opposition from officials in the northern provinces.

The nobility also opposed the southward relocation on this issue.

Geopolitics has a significant impact on the government.

If the capital were to be moved to Nanjing, the imperial court would be entering the stronghold of the Qingliu Party.

The Qingliu Group, which has been suppressed by various parties, will be able to make a comeback and take control of the government again in a few years.

If these people were to seize power, not only would the northern provinces suffer, but the nobility would also suffer heavy losses.

Just because we couldn't migrate south back then doesn't mean we can't migrate south now.

In order to collect taxes, the "White Lotus Rebels" uprooted all the major families in Southern Zhili.

Even if some escaped the net, they couldn't cause any major waves.

A power vacuum in the short term gives others the opportunity to fill the void.

It's estimated that it won't be long before northern powerful families head south to find areas where their influence is weak and re-establish their foundations.

For their own benefit, they will definitely try to find a way to bring down Qingliu Group.

With numerous political allies, Li Mu felt that this matter was entirely feasible.

The knives are readily available; the White Lotus rebels can wipe out entire families, and the other flying thieves can do the same.

"Husband, my cousin Yun is a kind and generous man. Why don't we let him handle this matter?"

Jing Yaqing then made the suggestion.

Yun Xiangwen was indeed a kind and generous man. In Southern Zhili, he killed so many people that rivers of blood flowed and the mountains of corpses piled up by powerful families were wide and thick.

"Madam, please put down the gun. I agree to this matter. I will recommend Yun Xiangwen to the court as acting governor of Jiangnan."

Li Mu readily agreed.

As a leading figure among the young nobles who were cracking down on the "pure stream" faction, Yun Xiangwen had long been a thorn in the side of the Jiangnan gentry.

Letting him continue doing the work of cracking down on the "pure stream" is a perfect fit for his profession.

As for his personal reputation, he's already been branded a butcher, so he probably doesn't care about killing a few more.

You can't work for nothing; the more ruthless you are in killing people, the faster you get promoted.

With the emperor in the hands of the rebels, the Nanjing court, hoping to regain its legitimacy, needed the support of Li Mu, a powerful local figure.

In the matter of personnel appointments and removals by the imperial court, certain concessions must be made in exchange for him not entering the central government.

……

The capital city, the Hall of Mental Cultivation.

Emperor Yongning, who had regained his throne, looked at the familiar palace and gave a bitter smile.

The palace is still the same palace, but the people are no longer the same people.

(End of this chapter)