Zhutian: Starting from the Space-Time Merchant

Chapter 420 Three Cups of Wine
"Heroes die young, while scourges live to a ripe old age."

Looking at Han Yanhui, who had fallen into a coma and was being carried away in a carriage by his attendants, Lin Dao felt a deep sense of regret.

"My second brother was invincible, but he died young."

"These scoundrels who rise to power by betraying their own people live a comfortable life."

"Now that I've stumbled upon this kind of thing, I absolutely cannot sit idly by!"

His criteria for distinguishing his own people were very simple.

His actions were beneficial to the people of China and to China itself, such as resisting foreign invasions, expanding territory and living space, and inventing technologies that improved productivity.

Conversely, those who invite wolves into the house, those who serve the barbarians, and those who treat the common people like livestock are the opposite.

Although Han Yanhui was old, Lin Dao was overjoyed to see him in such a bad mood.

"Why should only heroes shed blood and tears?"

"It's you guys who should be the ones bleeding and weeping the most!"

"I didn't chop off your head this time because I was being civilized." Lin Dao turned and went back into the tent. "Next time we meet, I'll tear you apart limb from limb!"

The Liao Dynasty's final struggle undoubtedly ended in failure.

Yelü Shulu had no choice but to frantically assemble troops from various tribes in an attempt to continue the resistance.

Anyone with two legs was dragged over, given a weapon, and made a soldier just by riding a horse.

These so-called soldiers would have a hard time even plundering civilians, let alone fighting against the battle-hardened elites of the Central Plains.

Another large-scale open-field battle broke out between the two sides near Dading.

Dading was the later Zhongjing Dading Prefecture.

It would take decades before it was built into a sturdy and massive city, becoming one of the five capitals of the Liao Dynasty.

At that time, this place was just a trading hub where nearby tribes exchanged resources.

In this battle, the Liao army deployed even more troops than in the Battle of Gaoliang River.

But the result was a crushing defeat.

During the Battle of Gaoliang River, there was at least a fierce battle with both sides exchanging blows.

It wasn't until the forest road started racing that they were unable to resist and were defeated.

However, in this Battle of Dading, even though it took place on a flat grassland, the Liao army suffered a swift defeat.

On one hand, they couldn't break through the main camp along the forest road.

On the other hand, during the fierce battle with Lin Dao's cavalry, they suffered a crushing defeat in their most advantageous position: cavalry.

Lin Dao's cavalry force was not large.

However, they were dressed in armor and horse armor, and were linked together by chains to form a series of linked horse formations.

When the cavalry charged from both sides, the Liao army couldn't break through at all.

Lin Dao's armored cavalry charged back and forth, relentlessly assaulting the Liao army's formation.

When they get tired, they drink energy drinks, eat sugar cubes and milk candies, feed the warhorses concentrated feed, and after a short rest, they continue charging.

The Liao army's resistance was actually very fierce.

Especially among the Khitan main force, many fought to the death without fear of death.

They also knew that if they lost again this time, the entire Linhuang Prefecture would be behind them!

Faced with the crisis of national subjugation, they were truly fighting desperately.

But many times, you can't win just by fighting hard.

Lin Dao's troops were also fighting desperately, and they had better equipment, more outstanding tactics, and more exquisite individual martial arts skills.

When Lin Dao restarted the mining truck and appeared on the battlefield, the outcome of the war was already clear.

The hastily assembled motley crew of various nomadic tribes fled on horseback like madmen.

No one dared to confront this colossal creature, which resembled the mount of the gods.

The Khitans, who were determined to resist, were unable to do so.

Having lost the main force of the Pishi Army, the Liao army could not withstand the constant attacks of the linked cavalry, let alone the mine carts.

After this defeat, the Liao emperor once again managed to escape.

However, the Liao Dynasty's organizational structure from top to bottom, its national deterrence, and its mobilization capabilities had all completely collapsed.

They could no longer muster an army of over ten thousand to resist.

Those who had originally served the various departments either fled or sent people to Lindao to worship Buddha and pray for guidance from the Western Paradise.

"Serving the Qin Dynasty is acceptable."

Lin Dao, tireless in his efforts, greeted each tribal envoy with a beaming smile.

Many tribes, and even those with extensive knowledge, had never heard of him.

But it doesn't matter, as long as he can use it, he doesn't mind at all.

"However, I need to see your sincerity."

Lin Dao sincerely stated, "Your tribe needs to live in the place I designate."

"Drain the swamps, cut down trees, and reclaim land for farming."

"Moreover, every year a batch of laborers had to be sent to work in the mines."

“If you don’t want your tribe to provide labor, then go and rob, go and capture people from other tribes to pay the debt.”

"Anyone with hands and feet who can work is welcome."

"Go back and tell your chief to think carefully about whether to accept it."

"If you are unwilling to accept it, then go and be buried with the Liao Kingdom."

At this time, Northeast China had not yet experienced the century of development during the Ming Dynasty.

Everywhere you look there are swamps and marshes, and dense forests stretch as far as the eye can see.

Developing it would require a lot of human and material resources.

Lin Dao has truly changed; he no longer pursues the goal of wiping out all the barbarians, but instead begins to find ways out for them and help them find jobs.

Reclaiming the black soil of Northeast China was the way out that Lin Dao arranged for these barbarians.

Of course, after the fields were cultivated, they would be transferred to other places to continue cultivating, and the remaining fields would be distributed to the single men who had migrated from the Central Plains.

Another reason is to prevent these tribes from growing too powerful, so they made something like thirteen suits of armor.

The forestry association established a fixed rule: every year, they would select able-bodied men to go to various mines. The official explanation was that they would return in three to five years, but in reality…
Finally, there's the tactic of sowing discord between different departments.

Let them fight each other for the number of people they pay each year.

Finally, they secretly encouraged some merchants to come here to do business.

They traded alcohol, spices, jewelry, fine fabrics, glassware, and other things that couldn't improve the tribe's strength for more people.

Both men and women are welcome!

The men are capable of working, and so are the women.

This was done to control the population of each tribe, providing a continuous supply of manpower to the mines, while also making them enemies and unable to unite.

Such a grand undertaking truly signifies a transformation in Lindao.

In the past, there was no need for such trouble; we could have just wiped them all out.

Without a doubt, Lin Dao also lied to and deceived these tribes.

However, he felt no pressure or burden about it.

Compared to the torture and massacres these tribes committed against the people of the Central Plains throughout history, Lin Dao's actions can only be described as saintly.

Ultimately, it all comes down to money.

Lin Dao would stop at nothing to earn money to buy industrial goods.

However, when he slept at night, he dreamed of a man dressed in magnificent robes, wearing a crown, with a long beard like an emperor, and a kind and gentle woman, who came to his side amidst swirling smoke.

They didn't speak, they just smiled at Lin Dao.

Then, three glasses of wine appeared in front of Lin Dao.

In an instant, Lin Dao recalled the process of settling things for Cao Bin in Youzhou City.

He picked up his wine glass and drank it down in one gulp.

After he put down his wine glass, the man and woman in front of him nodded and smiled, their glowing figures gradually disappearing into the mist.

Lin Dao smacked his lips as he woke up from his dream.

"Does it really smell like alcohol?"

He woke Zhou Ehuang and said, "Go and get me a bowl of hangover soup."

She was also dreaming that she had become an empress, and was called Empress Zhou. When she woke up, her oval face was full of confusion.

So late at night, you want a hangover soup?

But there's nothing we can do; gender equality isn't fashionable these days.

Even if she were to become empress, she would still have to make hangover soup if Lin Dao asked her to.

After drinking a bowl of hangover soup, Lin Dao felt much better.

He sat on the bed, carefully recalling the scenes from his dream.

"Could it really be Heaven and Earth coming to find me?"

"What does 'three cups of wine' mean? Does it mean you have to drink three cups as a penalty?"

"Are you saying I deceived these tribes, so you're punishing me with wine?"

As dawn broke, Cao Bin, who was about to have breakfast, arrived at Lin Dao's tent with a bewildered expression.

"Come on in." Lin Dao, who was eating breakfast, gestured for him to sit down. "Let's eat together."

"After the sacrifices to Heaven and Earth in Youzhou City, did you dream of anything strange?"

"Dreaming?" Cao Bin thought Lin Dao had come to him with some important task to arrange, but he never expected that Lin Dao would ask him if he was dreaming.

He frowned, holding the bowl, and carefully recalled, "If I had to say what my dreams were, they were mostly about war, and I also dreamed about women."

"As for anything else, there is none."

Lin Dao bluntly asked, "Have you ever dreamed of Heaven and Earth?"

"So it was a man and a woman, riding the clouds and surrounded by a halo, coming to find you?"

Cao Bin was astonished. "Is that so? I've never heard of it before!"

After a moment's thought, Lin Dao gestured with his chopsticks to the pickled vegetables on the table, "Eat, eat, don't be shy."

It seems that Heaven and Earth came specifically to find me.

Or rather, only they themselves had the right to make them personally drink the penalty shot.

The illness I had on Binglongtai before didn't seem like an accident. Did some god or Buddha really attack me?

After the meal, Lin Dao sat in a chair and thought it over carefully.

In this world, I've offended many people, but I can't recall offending any gods or Buddhas.
"That's not right." Lin Dao suddenly remembered that he had forbidden Buddhism.

"Could it have been done by those bald guys?"

"Surely not, I'm Maitreya incarnate!"

"You should thank me for cleaning up the filth in Buddhism."

Undoubtedly, his initial feeling was one of worry, since he didn't know if armor-piercing rounds could penetrate the bald men's divine bodies.

However, he quickly realized that the white-bearded Taoist priest in his dream had only glanced at him with concern, and his illness was cured.

That put my mind at ease.

"I have connections!"

"If you're really trying to frame me, go tell my superiors."

"No matter what, I also sat on a meditation cushion in the temple to listen to the lectures, so I can be considered a disciple who has entered the inner circle."

Lin Dao raised his hands to rub his temples, his eyes closed, and carefully recalled the scenes from his dream.

“That white-bearded old Taoist priest—no, it was my master—was wearing a Tai Chi robe—a Bagua Taoist robe with the Tai Chi Yin-Yang fish at its center.”

"He must be a formidable figure."

"With him in front of me helping to carry it, everything should be fine."

Lin Dao then remembered that he had never dreamed of strange scenes in the modern world, and now he was completely relieved.

If you truly possess extraordinary abilities, then come and hunt me down in the modern world!

"Where we live, we don't allow spirits to exist!"

(End of this chapter)