Covering the sky: Starting with the holy body, the immortal Taoist comes to attack

Chapter 178 Internal and external troubles, attacked from both sides?
"Report! The Quanrong tribe has invaded the border!"

"The King of Nanrong led 30,000 cavalry into Heshang and Yunshang counties and killed the Western Border Army Commander."

imperial capital.

The military intelligence coming from the western border shocked the government and the public.

"According to reports from our spies within the Quanrong territory, the Quanrong invasion this time may be influenced by powerful clans such as the Xie and Li families in the south."

The leader of the National Guard, who originally came from a martial arts background, also presented relevant reports and evidence.

It turns out that two months ago, several caravans from the south bypassed the central plains of the north and took a long route into the western grasslands.

Among the caravan were envoys sent by powerful southern clans, who, through lavish gifts and humble words, managed to meet the King of the Quanrong tribe.

The scene of the envoys entering the Nanrong King's tent was discovered by the Guardian's spies on the grassland.

As for how lobbyists used various inducements or explained the advantages and disadvantages, it is difficult to know.

Presumably, their argument is nothing more than that the current King Zhou is a man of great talent and strategy, and is a common enemy of the southern aristocratic families and the Quanrong tribe. If they do not join forces to eliminate him as soon as possible, the consequences will be unpredictable!
And so on.

And there were also vague rumors circulating afterward.

That is, the southern powerful clans offered a condition: if the cooperation was successful, they could share the northern part of the Great Zhou Dynasty with the Quanrong tribe.

It was under these conditions that the Southern Rong King of the Quanrong tribe chose to send troops to harass them, though perhaps he originally intended to plunder them.

It must be said that among the powerful families in the south, there are indeed some people with top-notch wisdom and strategy.

Their instigation of the Quanrong tribe to launch a military raid at this time was extremely opportune, coinciding perfectly with the crucial moment when the new policies were being implemented and everything was in need of rebuilding in Guxuan!

But that's not all.

At the same time, 30,000 Quanrong cavalry invaded from the western border.

Southern powerful clans, under the banner of "purging the emperor's inner circle," dispatched an army of over 30,000 infantry and cavalry to launch an attack on the north.

All of a sudden.

The Great Zhou Dynasty was quietly falling into its most dangerous situation!
Internally, there was the North-South civil war, and the country was fraught with crises. Moreover, many of the new policies, such as overthrowing the aristocratic families and distributing land, and the selection of talents through the imperial examination, were at a critical stage of implementation.

The enemy's army was invading from the outside, causing chaos and unrest.

This situation seems even more perilous than the one when the previous Chanyu of the Quanrong tribe launched a large-scale invasion and the Jie tribe, at the invitation of the Sima clan, burned and plundered many places!

……

Faced with this unfavorable situation of internal and external troubles, the entire court was filled with an atmosphere of worry and unease.

"This must be part of the scheme of Chen Shilong, the 'Sick Tiger' from back then!"

Inside the council hall in the capital, more than one courtier expressed such indignation.

The so-called "sick tiger" Chen Shilong came from the powerful Chen family and was a trusted strategist of the Sima clan. He was known for his exceptional wisdom and insidious schemes.

After the Sima clan was destroyed, this man was quite remarkable; he disappeared amidst the chaos.

The situation at the time was incredibly complex, with far too many factors to consider.

Therefore, Gu Xuan and the Imperial Guard system could not attend to this person for the time being.

Several months later, news came that Chen Shilong, the "sick tiger," had apparently fled to the south.

This man was extremely cautious. The National Guard launched two operations to try to bring him back to the north for trial or to assassinate him, but both ended in failure.

"Let's leave him alone for now and discuss how to deal with the current situation."

Gu Xuan sat on the throne, silencing the indignant courtiers and turning everyone's attention back to him.

At the same time, Luo Zheng, the Imperial Censor in the Palace, stepped forward and took the initiative to speak.

"Your Majesty, in my humble opinion, we must first deal with internal troubles and external threats before we can calmly deal with external threats."

"Now that the Quanrong Chanyu has been newly established, his own situation is not yet stable."

"I can say with certainty that although the Quanrong invasion was aggressive and seemed to have entered the border in a large way, it was actually just a border conflict of a harassing nature."

"The situation within the Southern rebels is far from stable. The hasty deployment of over 30,000 troops was more of a test than a long-term strategic plan."

Luo Zheng was the most outstanding elite among the poor and humble, and also one of the first core members of the "Datong Society". He was one of Gu Xuan's most trusted confidants.

His intelligence and the information he possessed determined the quality of his speech at that moment, which could be described as hitting the nail on the head!
He was fully aware of the joint attack by the Quanrong and the Southern Clan, seeing through their bluster and cowardice.

but.

That being said, this situation is also very dangerous, and a slight misstep could lead to an even more unfavorable situation.

This is also related to Luo Zheng's subsequent concerns.

He continued, slightly apprehensively, "Therefore, the key issue now is whether the two major legions of the Western Border Army, Ma Qi and Yu Chi Rui, can hold their ground!"

At this point, even someone as upright and resolute as Luo Zheng hesitated, carefully choosing his words.

In fact, not only him, but many courtiers in the hall were also somewhat nervous when they heard this last sentence.

This topic is clearly somewhat sensitive in the current situation.

The reason why Ma Qi and Yu Chi Rui, the two main generals of the Western Border Army, were able to sit in this position must be because they both came from powerful and influential families.

And that's not all.

A considerable number of mid-level officers under them were in the same situation.

If, when the situation was still relatively stable, the western border troops could be steadily suppressed by Gu Xuan and the central court...

Now that this balance has been broken, it remains a question mark whether they can still remain loyal!

This is also what Luo Zheng and many other court officials are truly most worried about!
Because if, at this juncture, Ma Qi and Yu Chi Rui choose to join forces with the southern powerful clans, or even allow the Quanrong army to attack the heart of the Central Plains, it will inevitably deal a heavy blow to the central court.

At that time, with attacks from three sides, the world could very well descend into chaos!
however.

In this slightly uneasy atmosphere, a clear voice spoke, calming the unease of the assembled officials.

"It's alright, the Western Army won't be thrown into chaos!"

Its sound is majestic, not necessarily loud, but it resonates in every corner of the hall and contains a sense of stability that can calm people's hearts.

Everyone looked up and saw that the speaker was none other than Gu Xuan, who sat on the throne, and was none other than His Majesty the King of Zhou.

Furthermore, since Gu Xuan destroyed the Sima clan, he had not spoken much in the court.

But every time he speaks, it's as if it's a done deal.

Just as words become law, everything said and every promise made will eventually be fulfilled, even if there are some difficulties or setbacks.

At this moment, his face was calm and confident, his eyes were bright, and he looked exactly the same as before.

Upon seeing this, the unease among the courtiers immediately dissipated.

Although some courtiers were still curious about what methods His Majesty the King of Zhou had to continue to suppress the two major border military groups?

But in the end, they still chose to believe in him, just as in the past two years, they have believed in and followed King Xuan of Zhou to accomplish one great thing after another.

……

"I think the key is the implementation of the new policy."

"Specifically, the two major tasks at present are the selection of talents through the imperial examination and the overthrow of the aristocratic families and the redistribution of land. We must continue to implement them steadily and surely."

"As long as we stabilize our internal situation, external enemies will ultimately be nothing more than a minor ailment."

Another confidant of Gu Xuan, who is now the Vice Minister of War, also stepped forward and began to speak in detail.

This man, also a hero from humble beginnings, though not yet thirty, was exceptionally composed and mature in his actions and speech. He meticulously analyzed the current situation in the council hall, as if peeling back layers of an onion.

The imperial examination system was of paramount importance, as it was crucial for breaking the monopoly of powerful clans and opening up avenues for advancement for more talented individuals.

Overthrowing the aristocratic families and distributing land was a direct and violent way to break the land annexation system, and it also increased national tax revenue.

In fact.

Whether it was Luo Zheng, the Imperial Censor, or the Vice Minister of War.

What they said was all discussed and planned in a small internal meeting with Gu Xuan beforehand.

In other words, major issues are discussed at small meetings, while minor issues are addressed at large meetings.

Such clear, logical, and well-founded arguments gradually convinced many court officials in the main hall.

finally.

This grand assembly passed several resolutions addressing the current situation.

Firstly, His Majesty King Xuan of Zhou sat in the center, overseeing all internal and external affairs.

Secondly, a "Datong Society" Examination Committee was formed, headed by Luo Zheng, to organize and implement the selection of candidates for the imperial examination and ensure its smooth progress.

Third, officials of the "Great Harmony Society" in various regions continued to push forward the "overthrow of the aristocratic families and the redistribution of land" movement.

Fourth, the Vice Minister of War led 5,000 elite imperial guards to Zhonghe County, which is located at the border of the north and south, to mobilize local troops to defend against the southern rebels.

Fifth, orders were issued to the two main corps of the western border army to strictly guard against the invasion of the Quanrong tribe.

These five resolutions were promptly promulgated throughout the country in the form of official gazettes after the court assembly to reassure the public.

of course.

The final resolution did not escape the doubts of some courtiers.

That is, in the current situation of a comprehensive crackdown on powerful clans and aristocratic families, how to ensure that the two major border army legions in the western border do not rebel.

It's important to know that Ma Qi, Yu Chi Rui, and many of their mid-level officers were born into powerful and influential families.

How could the central court possibly "order" them to obediently engage the Quanrong army?
However, despite their doubts, the courtiers had witnessed the calm and confident demeanor of the current King Zhou, and they knew that this must involve military secrets.

Therefore, they did not pursue the matter further.

Only a very small number of core members of the "Datong Society" knew Gu Xuan's true plan.

In fact.

Gu Xuan was not blindly confident about the two major border military groups that controlled the western border.

Prior to this, before the new policy was implemented.

Gu Xuan, with the power to destroy the Sima clan and pacify the Jie tribe, as well as his divine might that resembled that of Emperor Gaozu reborn, intimidated all those who were tempted to act!
After that.

He forcefully used martial arts training to replace several mid-level officers from aristocratic families in the border army with Imperial Guard captains from humble backgrounds who were members of the "Datong Society".

As for the mid-level officers of the border troops who were rotated out, they were either placed in certain sinecure positions in the Imperial Guard or the martial arts academy.

This is a method of slowly boiling a frog.

Even veteran generals like Ma Qi and Yuchi Rui, though dissatisfied, dared not openly oppose it unless they rebelled on the spot.

Who exactly was Gu Xuan?

With the rightful authority of the Zhou king, unparalleled military strength, and illustrious military achievements, and with the court in a state of balance, no border general dared to openly rebel.

Gu Xuan's real trump card was that he granted these mid-level officers the right to submit secret memorials, allowing them to do so in a legitimate and regular manner to His Majesty the King of Zhou.

This undoubtedly eliminated the possibility for March and Yuchi Rui to win over the newly appointed mid-level officers of the "Datong Society".

This also, to some extent, strengthened Gu Xuan's control over the two border army corps.

While it doesn't mean that the two main generals, Ma Qi and Yu Chi Rui, were sidelined, it made it almost impossible for them to join forces with their confidants to rebel.

This is a long process.

Even someone as capable as Gu Xuan took nearly a year to gradually see results.

Moreover, for Gu Xuan, this work was almost as important as the overthrow of the Sima clan and the establishment of the Datong Society.

Fortunately, his efforts were not in vain.

Especially given the current dire situation of being attacked from both sides by the powerful southern clans and the Quanrong tribe, his plan was timely.

……

Within half a month.

With the promulgation of numerous resolutions by the central government, various affairs were also being carried out in a intensive and continuous manner.

First of all.

For the first time, the imperial examination system eliminated the previous purely literary examinations and instead incorporated current affairs theories, the Great Harmony Society's program, and even a small portion of mathematics and physics.

This inevitably sparked discontent in some areas.

However, the imperial court still pushed forward and persisted in this direction.

Furthermore, in order to prevent cheating as much as possible, at the suggestion of Gu Xuan, and with the collective wisdom of many court officials, an examination system including anonymous grading and transcription was established.

Of course, someone may come up with a solution in the future, but it is still quite effective at the moment.

Second.

In the twelve provinces and two hundred prefectures of the north, a vigorous mobilization was launched, with officials of the "Great Harmony Society" at its core and a number of elite imperial guards dispatched as a show of force.

Countless low-ranking soldiers, impoverished tenant farmers, and starving refugees were allocated their own land.

Furthermore, taking into account the actual conditions of this land and the suggestions of many court officials, a considerable amount of land was designated as official land, to be allocated to meritorious soldiers as additional military rewards after the war.

again.

The Vice Minister of War led his troops to the border between the North and the South to defend against the southern rebels, and the journey was uneventful.

The allied army of the southern aristocratic clans, though seemingly formidable, was actually primarily aimed at supporting the incursions of the Quanrong tribe on the border, and was not truly prepared for a long-term northern expedition.

finally.

The most dangerous part was the journey from Gu Xuan to Gu Xuan.

He appeared to be "sitting in the center, overseeing all affairs," but in reality, he secretly led 20,000 elite imperial guards to the western frontier.

To the outside world, the official statement claimed that the commander of the 20,000 imperial guards was Jiang Bushi, a veteran general who had been transferred back to the capital from the northern border.

Now, let's talk about the two main generals in the western region.

Yuchi Rui was ultimately loyal to the king, and his aristocratic family had not committed any major crimes, so he was merely relocated to Maoling in the capital region.

But March was different.

He was born into the powerful Ma family, a clan with many members who committed evil deeds, and the southern powerful families had already sent envoys to persuade him to rebel.

However, in recent times, the mid-level officers under his command are no longer what they used to be; they are no longer the solid unit they once were.

If he were to launch a sudden attack, victory would not be assured, and it could even bring true annihilation to the Ma family.

Therefore, he is clearly in a wait-and-see mode.

Gu Xuan ultimately did not give him the opportunity to succeed in his rebellion.

(End of this chapter)