Zongwu: Aspiring to be the mastermind behind the scenes

Chapter 405 Last year's heavy snow, the Jin Kingdom wanted to start a war.

"Ai, your idea is absolutely brilliant!"

Zhou Ming exclaimed in admiration, "However, to achieve this, we still need to find the location of the Temple of War first!"

“Yes,” Xiao Ai nodded, “I will increase the rewards for missions related to Jingyan Palace and urge the people at Loulan Base to speed up their work.”

"Hahaha……"

Zhou Ming laughed loudly: "Xiao Ai, you're about to become a capitalist too."

"Huh?" Ai asked, puzzled.

This seems to be the first time I've heard Zhou Ming use this term.

But for some reason, there was a vague sense of familiarity.

"The idea of ​​using the Temple of War to cause trouble is good, but it's a bit monotonous if it's just that. Since the Temple of War was built by the Yellow Emperor, it wouldn't hurt to have his old acquaintances make an appearance."

Anyway, the organization had always claimed to be a descendant of Chi You. Now that the legacy of the Yellow Emperor has reappeared, it's only natural that they would take action.

Ai nodded repeatedly in agreement.

"However, all of this depends on dismantling the Jingyan Palace and finding... the Temple of the God of War!"

Golden State.

"Your Majesty, last winter's prolonged snowfall, while not constituting a snow disaster, still froze many livestock to death. This year, we fear there will be a significant shortage of grain."

The ministers below reported on the finances.

Upon hearing this, the Golden Emperor remained unconcerned: "It's alright. Isn't there the annual tribute from the Song Kingdom? Adding that to the annual tribute should be enough, right?"

"This……"

"Ok?"

With his eyebrows furrowed, the emperor's imposing presence was on full display.

The minister hesitated for a moment, then stammered, "Your Majesty, that annual tribute was in the warehouse... due to improper storage, a small amount was lost..."

Jin Huang immediately sat up straight: "What? Improper storage!"

"Yes……"

A surge of anger rose within Jin Huang: "Just how much is this 'little bit' you're talking about!"

"Yes... thirty percent..."

"What! Such a huge annual tribute, which I haven't even glanced at yet, and already thirty percent is gone! Thirty percent!!!"

"Is it due to improper storage in the warehouse? Do you really think I'm a fool?!"

Even a fool could tell what kind of shady dealings were involved.

It's nothing more than the powerful and wealthy of the Jin Kingdom manipulating things from top to bottom.

Jin Huang was actually mentally prepared for this kind of thing.

But he never expected that the group of people would be so greedy.

He had only just entered the warehouse, and before he had even glanced at it, 30% was already gone.

If it falls into his hands and is distributed among others, who knows how much will be embezzled during the various processes involved.

Unfortunately, a heavy snowfall occurred last year, resulting in a shortage of livestock and food this year.

He knew, of course, that his subordinates were always the type to report good news but not bad, and when they did report bad news, they would downplay it as much as possible.

But now this minister has actually said something like "not a small gap," so the truth must be that there is a huge gap!

Jin Huang took two deep breaths, suppressing the anger in his heart.

But what follows is a sense of helplessness.

The Jin Dynasty had been established for nearly a century and was no longer the valiant nation it once was. The powerful and wealthy within the country were generally cowardly and afraid of war, yet they indulged in pleasure.

Even if Jin Huang wanted to realize some of his ambitions, he would face numerous obstacles.

Moreover, his abilities are somewhat lacking.

Over the years, the Jin state had been bullied by the Yuan state.

Naturally, his prestige as emperor was also suppressed with each defeat.

This led the powerful and wealthy in the country to increasingly despise the emperor.

The fact that 30% of the annual tribute has already been lost so soon is a manifestation of this lack of prestige.

If it were the founding emperor of the Jin Dynasty...

If he doesn't speak up, who among his men would dare to lay a hand on him?

The Golden Emperor sighed deeply.

No matter what, this problem still needs to be solved.

What to do when resources are scarce...? Jin Huang could only think of one solution.

grab!
However, looking at the surrounding countries, the Jin Dynasty could only defeat the Liao, Qing, and Song Dynasties.

However, the Liao Dynasty itself was not weak, and like the Jin Dynasty, it was located in the north, so it was probably also very poor.

Needless to say, the Qing Dynasty was separated from the Liao Dynasty by a great distance.

So, the only state that could fight and had enough resources for them to seize was the State of Song.

"Attack the Song Kingdom?!"

The next day in court, as soon as the Emperor announced the decision, all the officials below immediately knelt down.

"Your Majesty, no!"

"The State of Song has just sent its annual tribute; how can we turn around and attack at this time?"

"How can the Jin Dynasty maintain its dignity if it breaks its promise?!"

"Your Majesty, you must not!"

The Golden Emperor remained completely calm, having anticipated this scene.

The Jin Dynasty of today is no longer the Jin Dynasty of the past, and the powerful and noble people in the country have long lost their bravery.

Even if it's a battle they're certain to win, these people would probably hesitate for a long time before deciding whether to go to the battlefield.

Moreover, although the State of Song was weak, it was not so weak that it could be manipulated at will.

Most importantly, the Song Kingdom was a Central Plains kingdom with a strong martial arts community and many masters.

Although these warriors were a disorganized mob and no match for a large army, infiltrating the army and assassinating enemy leaders was exactly what they excelled at.

Once war breaks out, these powerful figures in the court are very likely to lead troops into battle and become targets for assassination by Song's experts.

To be fair, if war breaks out with the Song state, the death rate of these powerful and wealthy people might be higher than that of the soldiers below them!
Given this situation, how could so many powerful figures possibly agree to the Golden Emperor's decision to start a war?

But the Emperor remained calm, saying, "Last year's heavy snow froze countless livestock to death. According to statistics, our country is already facing a severe food shortage. If no measures are taken, at least 30% of our people will starve to death this winter!"

"what?"

The ministers were extremely surprised.

It wasn't out of pity for the lives of ordinary people, but because in the Jin Dynasty, or rather, in the various foreign kingdoms, ordinary people were also part of the assets of the powerful and wealthy.

Moreover, it is a relatively important asset.

After all, these common people can farm and herd livestock, thus helping the powerful and wealthy increase their total assets.

They wouldn't care if a few died, but if too many died, everyone would feel sorry for them.

An old prince stepped forward and said, "Your Majesty, the annual tribute from the Song Kingdom has arrived. We can use this tribute to fill the gap."

"That's what I thought too, but unfortunately the warehouse didn't store it properly. As soon as the annual tribute was put into storage, 30% was lost."

"Thirty percent!"

The old prince was startled and turned to look at the many powerful and influential people.

The nobles either looked up at the sky, stared down at the floor, or looked around, none daring to meet the old prince's gaze.

The Emperor said, “If you are unwilling to go to war, I have another solution. I ask that you generously donate grain and fodder to supply the people. Once we get through this crisis, things will naturally get better next year.”

“Your Majesty!” A minister stepped forward and said, “This year’s tribute is unusual. How could it be that 30% is missing as soon as it has entered the treasury? In my opinion, it is likely that the Song Kingdom deliberately deceived us and used tricks to send 30% less.”

Such behavior is blatant disrespect to the Emperor's authority. I request that we declare war on the Song Dynasty!

"I second the proposal!"

"I also second the proposal!"

"I recommend Wanyan Chang as the commander-in-chief of the army!"

"You're talking nonsense! Your Majesty, I am not capable of this. Please choose someone more capable."

The atmosphere in the imperial court changed again.

Many ministers who had just been vehemently opposed the idea now spoke up in agreement.

It can only be said that the Jin dynasty's years in the Central Plains were not in vain.

Although he was eventually sent back to the north, at least he had made it through this whole ordeal.

They completely lost their bravery, but learned all the hypocrisy of the people of the Central Plains.

When asked to donate generously, these people even agreed to war.

It is true.

After all, one can't risk their life for money.

The Golden Emperor sat atop the throne, surveying the court's various activities, a cold smile playing on his lips.

He had actually anticipated this scene.

It wasn't that the Golden Emperor was exceptionally intelligent; it was simply that he had seen the same scene far too many times.

Fortunately, the decision to go to war was ultimately implemented.

But that's what's been confirmed.

The next question is who should be the head coach and who should be appointed as generals.

The discussion went on for ages, and it still wasn't over.

Finally, the Emperor had no choice but to adjourn the court, but then summoned the old prince to discuss the matter privately.

"Uncle Wang, what do you think is the best way to fight this war?"

The old prince thought for a moment and said, "Your Majesty wants to start a war because last year's heavy snow froze many livestock to death, resulting in insufficient food for the people this year."

However, the Yuan, Western Xia, and Liao dynasties were all located in the north, just like our Jin dynasty, so their situation probably wasn't much better either.

The King was shocked: "Uncle, you don't mean for me to contact them and start a war in the south together, do you?"

Even if he had the greatest courage, he wouldn't dare to do such a thing.
It's important to understand that once a war begins, how it ends is often beyond human control.

The Jin emperor only intended to seize a batch of supplies from the Song state, but he had no intention of waging a war that would last for several years.

The old prince said, "What I mean is that the rulers of the other three kingdoms are probably facing the same problems as Your Majesty, and making the same decisions as Your Majesty."

In particular, the Yuan Kingdom, last year, the Ming Dynasty's Grandmaster Zhang Sanfeng challenged the Yuan Kingdom's Demon Master Pang Ban and Demon Sect Master Meng Chixing, both of whom defeated him and forced the Yuan Emperor to apologize.

The Yuan Emperor was deeply ashamed and sent a letter last year requesting an alliance to march south, but we refused at the time. This year, however, we've encountered this problem. Even if our Jin Kingdom doesn't want war, we have no choice but to fight, especially since the Yuan Emperor himself already wants war!

The Golden Emperor frowned.

If this is the case, then once the Jin Dynasty starts a war, the Yuan Dynasty will definitely send troops in return.

The war could still escalate to an uncontrollable level.

"So, what Uncle Wang means is..."

"Your Majesty can wait for a while. If the Yuan Kingdom does send a letter inviting us to go south together, then we should agree. However, they should be the ones in charge, and we should just follow along and plunder some grain."

"What if the Yuan Kingdom doesn't start a war..."

"Your Majesty can invade the Song Dynasty from the east to avoid dealing with the Yuan Dynasty. If you seize enough grain, or if the war goes against you, you can withdraw your troops at your leisure and avoid being plundered by the Yuan Dynasty."

"Uncle Wang's words are wise and prudent, and every word he said makes perfect sense."

The Emperor exclaimed, "If war breaks out, who should I send as commander-in-chief?"

"I recommend a man, Wanyan Yi, the commander of the Loyal and Filial Army. He is not yet forty, in the prime of his life, fond of literature, well-versed in poetry and books, and possesses the cultivation of a grandmaster. He is a rare man who is both learned and skilled in martial arts. He is strict in disciplining his troops, always takes the lead in battle, and is extremely brave. He is suitable to be the commander-in-chief!"

Jin Huang thought for a moment and quickly realized who it was: "So it was him, hmm."

He nodded, but did not say whether he agreed or disagreed.

Although deep down, he actually agreed.

But as an emperor, he can't just agree to everything his ministers recommend.

I need to think about it for a couple of days and then express my opinion.

State of Song.

Qingxi County.

"Is the Yuan Kingdom going to war?"

Dongfang Bubai frowned: "But the information I gathered is that the Jin Kingdom is going to war with the Song Kingdom."

Jin Jiu laughed and said, "Yuan Kingdom's target is Ming Kingdom, not the weak Song Kingdom. The Jin Emperor openly announced this in the court, without any fear of being found out, because he is confident that he can defeat Song Kingdom on the battlefield with ease."

However, the Yuan Dynasty could not do this at all, nor did it have the confidence to do so. Naturally, it had to strictly control the information in order to prevent the Ming Dynasty from finding out.

However, their actions have been too drastic; I'm afraid this news won't be kept under wraps for long.

"them?"

Dongfang Bubai asked, "Could it be that the Yuan and Jin kingdoms have joined forces, one attacking the Ming and the other the Song? No, if that were the case, the Jin kingdom would also keep it a secret."

"It's not just the Yuan and Jin dynasties, but also the Liao and Western Xia dynasties."

"what!"

Dongfang Bubai was shocked: "With so many countries united, are we about to have an earth-shattering North-South war?"

"If that weren't the case, I could have contacted you using the Heavenly Secret Token; why would I have bothered to come all the way here?"

Jin Jiu said, "Last year's heavy snow caused losses to all the northern countries, so they needed to plunder to make up for the losses. Otherwise, they probably wouldn't have a good winter this year."

"I see."

Dongfang Bubai nodded: "But you didn't come here just to tell me this news, did you?"

"of course not."

Jin Jiu shook his head: "Should we take this opportunity to start a rebellion?"

Dongfang Bubai pondered, "After occupying Suzhou and Hangzhou, my Ming Cult has developed extremely rapidly. If it continues to develop, I'm afraid the imperial court will find out. Therefore, I was originally planning to raise an army this year."

"It seems that the State of Song will have a difficult year."

Gin said with a gloating tone.

Apart from the Yuan Kingdom wanting revenge against the Ming Kingdom, and last year's heavy snow being merely an excuse, the other kingdoms genuinely intended to acquire resources through plunder.

And this target had no other choice but the Song state, which was extremely wealthy but militarily weak.

Moreover, although the State of Song was wealthy, the wealth was concentrated in the large cities, while the smaller cities were subject to exploitation.

Otherwise, there wouldn't have been hundreds of uprisings in just over a hundred years.

These were all ordinary people who couldn't make ends meet and rose up in rebellion.

Once this great battle begins, let alone someone like Dongfang Bubai who has already made ample preparations.

Even other unprepared rebel armies would probably seize the opportunity to rise up.

There will even be more ambitious people who have nothing but ambition and dare to raise their voices.

With internal and external troubles plaguing the Song Dynasty, the outbreak of an illness was practically imminent.

Therefore, the Song state will naturally not have an easy time this year.

Even next year, the year after... it's possible that things won't go well.

After all, a war like this, which involves multiple countries and spans the north and south, would likely not end in just one or two years once it begins.

(End of this chapter)