Fu Shanhe

Chapter 515 Besieged on Two Fronts
Nanjing City.

"My lord, urgent news has arrived from the Central Plains: the Shaanxi rebels have made rapid advances after leaving Tongguan Pass."

Having successively captured Luoyang and Kaifeng, they are now launching a fierce attack on Nanyang Prefecture and Runing Prefecture, putting both places in dire straits.

Judging from the rebels' attack route, they are most likely heading towards Huguang (Hubei and Hunan provinces).

Minister of War Shi Qingchen said with a solemn expression.

Just as the loyalist army set off to deal with the Liaodong rebels, the Shaanxi rebels suddenly appeared and joined in the fun.

The fall of Shaanxi and Henan was unavoidable; we must not allow any more accidents to happen in Hubei and Hunan.

Once the rebels entered Huguang, the southern provinces were divided in two.

The Yangtze River defense line, on which high hopes were placed, collapsed without a fight.

At that time, the Nanjing court will only be able to mobilize resources from this corner of the southeast.

"As expected!"

"The north is severely lacking in food. Whether it is the rebels in Liaodong or the rebel army in Shaanxi, they need a granary."

They had no other choice but to march south.

there is always a solution to a problem.

Everyone, prepare for battle!

Li Mu's calm response deeply hurt everyone.

Everyone understands the big picture, but the problem is how to put it into practice!
Since the suppression of the White Lotus Rebellion, the imperial court has repeatedly transferred troops from the south to the north.

In particular, Emperor Yongning's failed northern expedition resulted in the loss of a large number of the court's elite troops. The soldiers sent from various provinces either died on the battlefield or were forced to remain in the north to guard the border.

Although the court prepared to rebuild its military after the war, it was unable to do so due to financial constraints.

Not to mention restoring the military structure, the court didn't even pay a third of the pensions for the fallen officers and soldiers.

A series of natural and man-made disasters followed, causing the imperial court to go bankrupt midway through its operations, and the plan to reorganize the army was shelved on paper.

Since the conscription system in various regions has not been restored, the only option is to rely on the garrison troops to maintain appearances.

By observing the armies sent to defend the emperor from various regions, one can get a glimpse of the overall situation and roughly judge the military strength of each province.

"My lord, the three towns of Huguang are all short of recruits. It is probably difficult to stop the rebel army's advance by relying solely on the local garrisons."

Which unit would you like to send to provide support?

Wan Huaijin inquired with concern.

Hubei and Hunan were not only the backbone of the Yangtze River defense line, but also the granary of the nation, and they had to be protected no matter what.

"The Liaodong rebels are coming on strong. Shi Ni has taken His Majesty hostage and is leading a large army south. The pressure on the Xuzhou front is enormous."

You all know what kind of people the loyalist coalition is.

A unit that cannot even abide by military discipline is of no significance on the battlefield except for contributing achievements to the enemy.

Although I command an army of over 200,000, at most only half of them are truly capable of fighting.

To support Hubei and Hunan at present, at least two garrisons of elite troops must be dispatched, which will inevitably further reduce the number of available troops.

Therefore, the original plan for a northern expedition has now been forced to be shelved, and a full-scale defensive strategy has been adopted!

Li Mu answered calmly.

Insufficient troop strength was just an excuse he used.

The loyalist army was filled with a large number of rabble, and the Liaodong rebels were the same.

Needless to say, the Shaanxi rebels who marched south were a complete rabble.

It seemed that two enemies were attacking at the same time, putting the loyalist army in a strategically passive position, but in reality, the situation was quite the opposite.

Northerners are not good at naval warfare, a fact that Cao Cao himself verified, and this is not something that can be changed by personal will.

Two enemy forces without naval forces came to the south to start a war, clearly handing over their strategic advantage to others.

It can be said that for every point the battlefield shifted southward, the chances of victory for the loyalist army increased.

If Li Mu hadn't been so insightful about the overall situation and deliberately waited for the enemy to come for a decisive battle, he would have already led his troops north to take the capital.

"Defense is defense, let's ensure the safety of Hubei and Hunan first."

The matter of suppressing the rebellion can be discussed in detail over a long period of time.

The north is currently short of food; we can use our advantage in terms of money and supplies to wage a war of attrition against the rebels!

Bai Jinwen, the Minister of Rites, stated his position on the spot.

Like all the separatist regimes in the south, the current small southern court has little ambition.

"Northern Expedition" was just a political slogan.

Apart from a few hot-blooded young people, few people in officialdom really take this seriously.

It's not that they lack loyalty; it's just that the Northern Expedition is a purely unprofitable endeavor.

Starving people everywhere are waiting for relief.

Every piece of land conquered adds to the burden on the imperial court.

If they were to recover the entire northern lands, the enormous financial burden would be overwhelming.

In the short term, holding the Huai River defense line is the most economical strategy.

Many people believe that if the conflict is dragged out for three to five years, the rebels will be worn down, and there won't be so many starving people in the north. It wouldn't be too late to launch a northern expedition to recover the lost territories.

With this mindset, various departments became quite passive on the issue of the Northern Expedition.

Although they did not intentionally hinder the northward march of the loyalist army, their coordination was never efficient.

Faced with systemic procrastination, Li Mu chose to pretend he didn't see it.

The biggest problem for the last dynasty of the Great Yu Dynasty, which was "plagued by disease," was that its bureaucratic system was not the issue.

He wasn't a reformist, fantasizing about pulling the Great Yu out of its quagmire; there was no need for him to engage in thankless reforms.

As long as the bureaucratic system can function normally and barely complete its tasks, that's enough; expecting more is just asking for trouble.

"Lord Bai is right, stabilizing the situation is the top priority."

"My lord, please give the order!"

Minister of Justice An Jingzhi echoed this sentiment.

Since the north has already been ravaged, the situation can't get much worse.

These officials, who came from the north, had their relatives and family members move south one after another.

The destruction of many prominent families in Jiangnan created a power vacuum, giving them an opportunity to fill the void.

As outsiders, they are much more cautious in their actions and are currently in the phase of winning over people's hearts. Given the struggle for living space, it's only a matter of time before these northerners who have migrated south clash with the local gentry.

Despite holding an advantage in the imperial court, they were at a significant disadvantage in local areas.

Besides family members, only a small number of clan members were able to migrate south with their relatives.

A large number of distant relatives and a vast number of servants were all abandoned.

It's not that they're heartless, it's just that they make decisions too late.

Before the Shi family rebelled, no one expected that the rule of the Great Yu in the north would collapse.

When the rebels breached the capital, they realized the situation was dire, and evacuation became difficult.

It's acceptable for a minority to leave during the chaos, but large-scale migrations of thousands of clans are simply easy prey for the rebels.

The saying "a person is less valuable when away from home" is not a joke.

If a powerful family from the north loses its roots and moves to the south, it becomes just an ordinary family of officials.

If they want to get a piece of the pie, they will definitely face resistance from vested interest groups.

Li Mu recommended Yun Xiang to serve as the Governor of Jiangnan, and the Northern faction played a significant role in ensuring the appointment was approved.

Although neither side has publicly stated their position, they have long been on the same side in the issue of suppressing the Jiangnan aristocratic families.

Of course, these are not the only people involved in this alliance.

When the capital fell, many members of the imperial family and noble families fled, all wanting a share of the spoils in Jiangnan.

With the situation so complex, the local area is certainly not going to be peaceful.

Compared to the overwhelming rebel army, the most pressing issue for the Nanjing court was how to divide the spoils in Jiangnan.

As the leader of the nobility faction, Li Mu couldn't just sit idly by when a group of relatives and friends came to him.

After all, one can't avoid social interactions and interpersonal relationships, and he never intended to.

Now that the debt of gratitude has been repaid, all that's needed is to be generous with other people's money.

If I have to pay it back in the future, I'll have to cut off my own flesh.

With a major battle about to break out on the front lines, he, as the commander-in-chief, remained in the rear. This was partly due to his trust in his generals, and partly to stay behind and oversee the distribution of spoils.

He was very generous in this regard.

He would help those relatives and friends to make requests, as long as they dared to ask.

If the profits aren't enough to go around, then kill off another batch of gentry from Jiangnan.

As for whether acquiring wealth beyond his means would lead to his suffocation in the chaos of war, that was not his concern.

This irresponsible approach to the game satisfied everyone except for the sole victim, the gentry of Jiangnan.

Of course, Li Mu himself was also very satisfied.

He didn't take a single bite of the huge piece of fat meat that is Jiangnan.

This action may seem foolish, but it also allowed him to detach himself from the conflicts of interest.

The Jiangnan gentry, who suffered heavy losses, seemed to have chosen to submit, but this was only a facade.

These people are constantly thinking about revenge in secret.

Once the war to defend the emperor ends and the sword hanging over their heads is no longer there, a new round of fierce infighting is bound to break out.

"Ok!"

"I will immediately send troops to reinforce Huguang to ensure the Yangtze River defense line is not lost!"

Li Mu's answer brought this brief military meeting to a close.

……

Xuzhou City.

A mob is still a mob, and even with the advantage of the city, it still showed signs of defeat when faced with the fierce attack of the Liaodong army.

Seeing the city on the verge of collapse, Cao Zirui, the commander-in-chief, was not worried but rather pleased.

Standing atop the city gate tower and gazing into the distance, one could see an army bearing a large banner with the character "Li" approaching Xuzhou City.

If you calculate the time, today happens to be the day the reinforcements are supposed to arrive.

"Tell the brothers below that the imperial reinforcements have arrived! Tell them to cheer up!"

Putting down his binoculars, Cao Zirui said excitedly.

After persevering for so long, this time the gamble finally paid off.

With reinforcements arriving on the battlefield, they will go from being the main characters to supporting characters in the subsequent war.

……

Compared to the jubilation on the city wall, the Liaodong army responsible for the siege presented a completely different picture.

Victory was just one step away, but in the end, the enemy's reinforcements arrived and everything fell apart. No one would be willing to accept that.

"Keep attacking! I refuse to believe we can't take this tiny Xuzhou!"

Enraged, Shi Jingming gave the order.

His innate pride wouldn't allow him to admit defeat at this moment.

If the opportunity to capture Xuzhou is missed, all of the Shi family's strategies will be put on the defensive.

"General, the troops responsible for blocking enemy reinforcements have been routed."

If we continue the siege now, we might be attacked from both sides!

Deputy General Liu, who was standing nearby, hurriedly offered some words of advice.

Shi Jingming is a member of the Shi family. Even if he loses the battle, he will at most get a scolding when he gets back.

The responsibility for the defeat will most likely fall on his lieutenant.

With his small frame, taking such a false accusation, even if he survives, his military career will be over prematurely.

Even though everyone knows that he didn't command this battle, his biggest mistake was failing to dissuade the commander.

"Humph!"

"waste!"

"They're all trash!"

"Five thousand cavalrymen went out to fight reinforcements, and they couldn't even delay them for two days. What's the point of Zhou Qihai coming back alive?!"

Shi Jingming immediately unleashed a furious outburst.

(End of this chapter)