Fu Shanhe

Chapter 537: It’s over, just brush off your clothes and go away

"You're using that rabble as an example? Aren't you ashamed?"

Li Bo scolded him impatiently.

Being on opposing sides, entering someone else's territory is bound to be anything but smooth sailing.

A seasoned general should be mentally prepared before leading his troops into the territory of the peasant army.

If we are careful, even if we are disturbed along the way, it won't take much effort to deal with a bunch of rabble.

Unlike now, not only have we failed to catch the perpetrators, but the trail has also gone cold.

"Admiral, calm down!"

As the saying goes, "You can run away from the monk, but you can't run away from the temple."

No matter how cunning the rebels are, they will eventually return to their lair. We only need to deploy defenses in key locations to catch them!

General Liu, who was standing to the side, offered some words of advice.

The merit of capturing the rebels is too great, and the opportunity to rise to the top is just around the corner. Commander Li Bo wants it, and so do these people.

The number of rebel leaders listed by the imperial court was quite large. If everyone present received one, there would still be some left over.

Their location was closest to the bandits, and the reward promised by the Marquis of Hanshui clearly indicated a willingness to help them.

Unfortunately, they failed to seize the opportunity when success was within their grasp.

"Humph!"

"We just received news that the border troops recaptured the capital two days ago and are preparing to advance towards Liaodong."

If nothing unexpected happens, the rebels will be wiped out before Shi Ni returns to his lair!
The debate in the court over the selection of a new emperor has now come to an end, with the ministers recommending the second son of the Prince of Changsha to ascend the throne.

You should all know what to do next!

Li Bo explained with a helpless expression.

They wanted to claim credit, and the border troops were no exception.

The presence of the Beijing garrison was very low during this campaign to quell the rebellion.

Aside from intercepting the remnants of the rebel army, they did not perform any other notable feats. Instead, the border troops took the opportunity to recapture the capital.

Apart from the loyalist army personally led by the Marquis of Hanshui, the border troops performed the most brilliantly.

If they can capture Shi Ni and his entourage, they might be able to sit at the same table as the border troops when discussing their achievements in the future.

Don't even think about it now. When it comes time to reward those who have made contributions, they will most likely only receive a verbal commendation.

To be granted a title and appointed prime minister is pure fantasy.

If the civil officials cause trouble, they might be caught and reprimanded by the censors after returning to the capital.

"Admiral, order the troops to advance!"

"The rebels certainly didn't go far; so many people couldn't just disappear into thin air."

Even if we have to turn Shanxi upside down, we will still drag the traitor Shi out!

When it came to their own positions in the military, the generals could no longer sit still and stood up to express their stance.

Regardless of whether we can expose Shi Ni, we must adopt a proactive approach.

……

The Tatar royal court.

"The Liaodong army suffered a major defeat in its southward march, Shi Jingfeng's fate is unknown, and the border army captured the capital of the Yu Dynasty."

"The remaining forces of Liaodong Garrison want to defect to us?"

Looking at the intelligence in his hand, Hugjil asked a soul-searching question.

One moment they were powerful lords with hundreds of thousands of troops, the next they vanished into thin air. The Shi family's ability to squander their wealth is unparalleled in the entire history of humankind.

The events unfolded too suddenly. Judging from the timeline, the Liaodong army collapsed almost instantly on the battlefield, leaving him, the opportunist, no chance to intervene.

Under normal circumstances, the Liaodong army, with its hundreds of thousands of troops, should have been able to hold out against the Marquis of Hanshui for several years, or at the very least, for several months.

"Yes, Great Chanyu!"

"The news came from within the Shi family. They have also sent an envoy, who is expected to arrive at the royal court in three days."

If all goes well, we can gain control of a series of strategic passes leading into the interior of China without firing a shot.

Erd replied affirmatively.

Other reports may be exaggerated, but it is an undeniable fact that the remnants of the Liaodong army entrenched along the Shanhaiguan line wanted to join them.

Having secured these passes, the Tatar Kingdom would have no trouble advancing southwards.

The only regret is that the northern provinces of the Yu Dynasty were devastated, with many areas uninhabited for dozens of miles around. To obtain enough spoils, they had to continue south.

"The Great Yu Dynasty is really tough; it hasn't collapsed despite all this turmoil."

Instruct your subordinates to upgrade the reception standards and ensure that the Liaodong Army feels our sincerity.

"The intelligence agencies must quickly establish a network in the south. This Chanyu (Xiongnu ruler) needs to know the Southern Dynasty's every move as soon as possible!"

Hugjil immediately gave the order.

With the decline of the Dayu Dynasty, "contending for the Central Plains," which was originally just a political slogan, gradually became the core national policy of the Tatar Kingdom.

In order to realize his dream of conquering the Central Plains, he forcibly suppressed the calls for taking advantage of the chaos within the kingdom and allowed the Liaodong army to march south and disrupt the Great Yu.

The initial phase of the plan progressed very smoothly. The Liaodong army did not disappoint him and captured the capital of the Yu Dynasty in one fell swoop, thus igniting the civil war in the Great Yu.

Everything was going smoothly, and it seemed like we were about to reap the benefits, but unexpectedly, the situation took a sharp turn for the worse in the blink of an eye.

The once-mighty Liaodong army was quickly defeated by the loyalist army after marching south.

The Great Yu Empire, which was on the verge of falling apart, was pulled back from the brink by the victory of the loyalist army.

He didn't mention Li Mu a word, but his apprehension had only grown stronger.

Having been locked in a standoff with the Liaodong army for many years, he knew the strength of the Liaodong army better than anyone.

With the addition of various Yu armies they had recruited along the way, the Shi family amassed an army of hundreds of thousands, which collapsed at the first sign of trouble on the battlefield.

The fighting prowess displayed by the loyalist army was so formidable that it was hard not to be wary of them.

It is conceivable that after this battle, many restless forces within the Great Yu territory will temporarily cease their activities to avoid incurring the wrath of the Marquis of Hanshui.

"Rest assured, Great Chanyu, we will do our utmost in this matter!"

Interior Minister Sarina immediately assured her.

The Tatar Kingdom had long dreamed of eliminating the Liaodong army without bloodshed.

The problems within Dayu territory are difficult to solve, but they must first take over this small piece of land in Liaodong.

By occupying Shanhaiguan, they gained the initiative in their southward strategy.

Unfortunately, the Yu Dynasty people learned their lesson and kept harassing them from the sea, causing panic within the Tatar Kingdom.

Otherwise, they could go south whenever they wanted.

……

Nanjing City.

After the new emperor was chosen, all government offices became busy.

Given the current difficulties facing the nation, the ceremony and procedures will be simplified, but the necessary formalities must still be followed.

"The Marquis of Hanshui replied that the war at the front is urgent, and he will not attend His Majesty's enthronement ceremony."

Wan Huaijin said with a frown.

The absence of the most powerful faction in the court from such a momentous event as the enthronement of a new emperor undoubtedly cast a shadow over the grand ceremony.

The urgent situation at the front was a pretext that everyone knew was just that.

The Liaodong army was almost completely wiped out, and the remaining soldiers who escaped were no match for them.

The capital city in the north has also been recaptured by the border troops, so there will be no major battle in the short term.

Whether Li Mu is on the front lines or not, it doesn't affect the overall situation.

"Lord of Hanshui, could it be that you are dissatisfied with the choice of the new ruler?"

He Zheng asked with a solemn expression.

The country depends on its long-term ruler.

Choosing a puppet emperor was certainly intended to balance the interests of all parties, but it was more driven by their own selfish motives.

With the emperor being young, the cabinet was able to exercise imperial power on his behalf. As cabinet ministers, they would be the most powerful people in the Great Yu Dynasty for the next ten years or so, able to do whatever they wanted.

This approach serves their personal interests, but it is not a good thing for the overall situation.

After more than a decade of powerful ministers in power, no one knows how far the situation will develop.

Even if the emperor comes of age by then, it won't be an easy thing for him to rule in his own right.

"Brother He, you're overthinking it."

If the Marquis of Hanshui was dissatisfied with the new ruler, he should have raised it earlier; there was no need to wait until now.

To put it bluntly, if he had a candidate to support, the new emperor would have been decided long before the Northern Expedition even began.

In my opinion, the Marquis of Hanshui deliberately did not attend the enthronement ceremony to avoid suspicion.

Shi Qingchen explained with a smile.

Because of the nature of his work, as the part-time Minister of War, he had the deepest understanding of the Marquis of Hanshui's strength.

With tens of thousands of elite troops, they were able to defeat hundreds of thousands of rebels in Liaodong. This strength was already unparalleled in the world.

Given Li Mu's influence in the army, no one could stop him from doing whatever he wanted.

In this context, "avoiding suspicion" becomes the only reasonable explanation.

With the emperor being young, the arrival of the minister in charge of the national army in the capital could easily lead to negative associations.

Without Li Mu's intervention, these civil officials would check and balance each other, and none of them could control the government.

Given the current situation, this is undoubtedly the best option.

"The Marquis of Hanshui may not come, but he must be credited for supporting the emperor's ascension."

"Once His Majesty ascends the throne, let him be recognized as the one who made the greatest contribution to the restoration of the nation!"

Bai Jinwen, who was standing to the side, spoke up.

Politics is the most pragmatic thing.

When you reach a certain level of strength, you won't need to personally fight for it; you'll get everything you deserve.

After defeating the Liaodong army, there were calls in the court to bestow additional titles upon Li Mu.

It wasn't that the officials were impartial and selfless; it was purely because the situation required it.

Unless the Marquis of Hanshui, the most powerful military leader, is appeased, the situation in the Great Yu Dynasty will not be stable.

"Ok!"

"The Marquis of Hanshui has worked hard and made great contributions; these are all due to his merits."

However, he rejected the last imperial decree that was made to grant him additional titles, and this time it will most likely be no exception.

In addition to promoting their titles, they should also prepare alternative plans.

If the Marquis of Hanshui declines the offer of a title, then his parents and ancestors shall be posthumously honored.

Wan Huaijin thought for a moment and then said.

Compared to directly bestowing honors upon the person in question, posthumously honoring deceased ancestors is the most cost-effective solution.

No matter how much glory a dead man receives, it will not affect the stability of imperial power.

Li Mu now is definitely someone whose achievements are so great that they threaten the emperor's position.

Not to mention the young emperor who has not yet ascended the throne, even an adult emperor would find it difficult to handle.

Any official who reaches the point where there are no more titles or rewards to bestow is a hot potato in the emperor's eyes.

……

Xuzhou City.

"Arrange ships to send the prisoners of war to Southeast Asia to reclaim wasteland."

Order all departments to pack their belongings and prepare to return to Annam!

Li Mu's order startled everyone.

The war to quell the rebellion was over, and it was time to receive the imperial rewards, but instead they had to head back home.

"My lord, a new emperor has just been chosen in Nanjing, and the enthronement ceremony has not yet been completed."

"It's not quite right for us to just leave without saying goodbye!"

Li Sanqi offered a tactful reminder.

Not attending the coronation ceremony could be attributed to avoiding suspicion. However, leaving without saying goodbye and leading the troops is a completely different matter.

To those with ulterior motives, this appeared to be the Marquis of Hanshui's dissatisfaction with the new ruler.

With this political signal, the already unstable situation in the country will become even more difficult to stabilize.

As a result, the local governors and viceroys, who were already dissatisfied with the southern court, will gradually become bolder.

"Who told you that I was going to leave without saying goodbye?"

"Master, draft an official document."

Tell the imperial court that something has happened in the southern border region.

The Kingdom of Burma, in collusion with the Western barbarians, has invaded the Annam Protectorate. I, the Marquis, must lead my troops back to quell the rebellion.

I'll leave the affairs of the Central Plains to them.

"And while you're at it, draft a resignation letter and send it over. I, the Marquis, no longer want this position of Grand Secretary!"

Li Mu said irritably.

In his position, every move he makes will be thoroughly analyzed.

We definitely can't do anything that directly embarrasses the new emperor.

He didn't want to cause trouble by going over to support a puppet emperor.

The mess in the Great Yu Dynasty was too big. If he went to Nanjing now, the officials would definitely coax him to clean it up.

If you're a little ruthless, you might even incite the little emperor to cling to your leg and cry, making it impossible for him to refuse.

Taking on this mess is like jumping into a giant pit, from which you may never be able to climb out for countless years to come.

The most crucial point is that even after the work is done, you usually don't get any credit.

To salvage the situation of the Great Yu Dynasty, a fundamental and profound reform is needed.

A vast vested interest group has long since penetrated every corner of the empire.

Internal reforms are more difficult than tearing down and rebuilding.

In most empires throughout history, during the middle and later stages of a dynasty, there are always patriots who attempt to save it.

All of the Elite Group's self-rescue efforts ended in failure.

Even Emperor Guangwu, who rebuilt the Han Dynasty, was essentially demolishing and rebuilding it.

In previous years, the Great Yu Dynasty also launched reforms to save itself from extinction, but the leaders were the noble class.

It salvaged the situation to some extent, but the reforms by the nobility were not thorough and did not touch the core interest groups of the empire.

The combined effects of continuous natural disasters brought the empire to the brink of destruction.

So many predecessors have fallen, Li Mu doesn't think he can be an exception.

If we really carry out deep reforms, all our current allies and allies will eventually become enemies.

The better his reputation was then, the worse it would become after he initiated reforms.

Rather than risk a failed reform and the collapse of political ideals, it's better to avoid this pitfall altogether.

"Your Excellency is wise!"

Lan Linjie said excitedly.

The day had finally come. Although Li Mu did not show any intention to rebel, ignoring the mess left by the Great Yu was a good start.

Without a strong political leader to suppress it, the internal contradictions accumulated in the Great Yu Dynasty would soon devour this ancient empire.

When the land collapses and the struggle for power begins, Li Mu, with his hundreds of thousands of troops, will undoubtedly have the greatest advantage.

They don't even need to wait until everyone is exhausted from fighting; as long as the Great Yu Empire collapses, they can take advantage of the situation and sweep across the world.

It will take at least one or two years, or at most three to five years, to regain our lost lands and rebuild our world.

(End of this chapter)