Three Kingdoms: Jiangdong is no longer a rat

Chapter 223 Principal and Director of the Political Department
"Young Master, as long as you maintain your resistance against Yuan Shu and keep the sea routes open, I will certainly be able to fulfill your requests!"

The river breeze made Yi Ji's headscarf flutter up and down, carrying his resounding words straight into Yan Yi's ears.

From Yi Ji's words, it can be seen that his stance has undergone a subtle change.

Yan Yi was somewhat tempted, but he quickly came to his senses. How could he let a petty gain disrupt his long-planned strategy?

Occupying Jiangdong is the fundamental strategy, and everything else must give way to it.

As for how to occupy Jiangdong, Sun Ce in history had already pointed out the direction for him: sweep across the land with overwhelming force, without stopping for a moment, and without giving the enemy any chance to prepare or catch their breath.

Now, among the warlords in the north, Liu Biao is far away in Jingzhou and Xiangyang, unable to reach them; Yuan Shu is beset in Huainan and preoccupied with his own affairs; Liu Bei is busy in Xuzhou and his foothold is not yet secure; Cao Cao is embroiled in internal strife and has no time to look south. If we do not seize Jiangdong now, when will we ever get another chance? Once we miss this opportunity, we will surely regret it.

However, Liu Biao's navy remained a problem for him.

Jingzhou is located in the middle reaches of the Yangtze River, crisscrossed by the Han River, Xiang River and other waterways, making it a well-developed waterway transportation hub. After Liu Biao occupied Jingzhou, he relied on strategic locations such as Xiangyang, Jiangling (Nanjun), and Xiakou (later Wuhan) to develop a large navy.

According to the intelligence submitted by Yin Li, the Jingzhou navy has a total of more than 1,500 warships and fighting ships, three to four thousand small boats, seventeen tower ships, and a naval force of up to 25,000 soldiers.

This is an extremely terrifying fleet, a behemoth on the rivers and seas. Throughout the entire Han Dynasty, no other navy could rival the Jingzhou navy.

Therefore, although Yan Yi has listed Liu Biao as a future strategic target, he still needs to maintain a facade of harmony for now and dares not easily break ties with Liu Biao. He needs to appease this "second brother".

He would absolutely not cooperate with Liu Biao in launching a military campaign against Yuan Shu the following spring. However, transporting Liu Biao's goods to Southeast Asia was not a deception, but a real plan to carry it out.

Although progress in expanding trade routes in Southeast Asia has been slow, it is still possible to transport and trade goods on the two existing, well-established shipping routes.

Yan Yi's eyes flickered, neither agreeing nor disagreeing with Yi Ji's words. He then changed the subject and began to boast about his own achievements: "How many people in the world can drive Yuan Shu out of Huainan in half a year? If I had not annihilated tens of thousands of Yuan's main force, how could Jingzhou and Xiangyang be at peace today? How could you, my lord, have eliminated the threat from the east? Your support has actually yielded a rich return. I must make you understand this principle."

Yi Ji paused slightly, then looked thoughtful. Yan Yi's words made sense; Liu Biao had indeed gained enough from this transaction.

The mere fact that Jingzhou and Xiangyang were no longer threatened by Yuan Shu, and that Yuan Shu's retreating defenses allowed Liu Biao to easily capture his last few cities in Nanyang, was worth far more than a few thousand gold pieces. Liu Biao had truly struck it rich.

However, human desires are never satisfied. Liu Biao took Yan Yi's rapid advance for granted, and thus conceived the idea of ​​having Yan Yi continue to weaken Yuan Shu while he seized Huainan. This idea was rather naive; did he really think he could get someone to risk their life for him based solely on past assistance?

Yi Ji dared not think any further. He was surprised to find that his opinion on this matter was somewhat biased towards Yan Yi.

He shook his head, banishing these distracting thoughts from his mind, straightened his clothes, bowed to Yan Yi and took his leave: "I still need to return to Xiangyang to report to you, my lord, so it is inconvenient for me to stay here any longer. I will take my leave now."

"I look forward to seeing you again soon." Yan Yi saw that he had come in a hurry and was only wearing a cotton robe, so he took off the fox fur cloak from his shoulder and draped it over his shoulders. He turned to Huang Gai beside him and instructed, "Gongfu, select twenty warships to escort Ji Bo back to Xiangyang."

Yi Ji was deeply moved. He took the reins from his attendant, mounted his horse, and bowed again from horseback: "Take care, young lord."

"Take care on your journey, Uncle Ji." Yan Yi returned the greeting with a fist and palm salute.

As the sound of horses' hooves faded into the distance, he turned his gaze away from Yi Ji's retreating figure and returned to the dock to continue discussing the construction of the port with Lü Fan.

"In my opinion, now is the best time to build this port, as it is the winter off-season for farming and a large number of immigrants are pouring in, so there is no shortage of labor."

"The construction of this port is of utmost urgency. Yuan Shu is purchasing warships everywhere, and within six months at most, the Jianghuai navy will be restored, even stronger than before. Our army must possess a formidable port in the Moling and Qu'a area, no less powerful than the Qiantang River, to firmly control the downstream river region."

"Young Master should allocate a sum of money for labor service as soon as possible to recruit waterworkers from those bankrupt immigrants. This will not only solve the manpower problem for port construction, but also solve the livelihood problem for some immigrants, allowing them to get through this winter safely. In addition to waterworkers, experienced engineers, ferry officials, and water management officials should also be recruited."

Facing the river breeze, Lü Fan spoke loudly and incessantly. In history, he had served as the commander of the navy of Eastern Wu, in charge of the Yangtze River defense line and fleet construction. He had extremely strong abilities in port construction and ship management, and apart from He Qi, no one could compare with him.

Historical records indicate that he was "fond of dignity and discipline in fleet management," which shows that he was good at systematic management of military logistics, and ports and fleets are the core links of naval logistics.

Yan Yi, having accompanied Lü Fan on an inspection of the ferry crossing, intended to entrust him with the construction of Jinling Port. After listening to his suggestion, he smiled and said, "Ziheng is an expert in water affairs, and his insightful remarks have greatly benefited me. It is a pity that someone of your talent is relegated to a minor post. I wish to entrust you with the position of Commandant of Ships, concurrently serving as the Supervisor of the Camp, overseeing all matters related to naval construction. I hope you will not refuse."

Upon hearing this, Lü Fan paused slightly, his fingers unconsciously clenching.

He had surrendered to the Sun family more than two months ago, and while Sun Ce and others were successively given important positions, he himself had not been granted any real post. It would be impossible for him not to feel a sense of loss.

This psychological gap stemmed from his desire for fame and fortune on the one hand, and from his guilt towards his wife on the other.

Lü Fan came from a poor family, while his wife, Liu, was from a wealthy and beautiful family. She married him out of love for him and her belief that he would achieve great things.

To realize his ambitions and repay his wife's deep love, Lü Fan devoted himself wholeheartedly to following Sun Ce. However, after Sun Ce submitted to Yan Yi, his hopes were dashed, and for a time, he was at a loss as to what to do next.

Liu repeatedly urged him to ally himself with Yan Yi, because Yan Yi was, in every respect, more worthy of service than Sun Ce had been. He himself gradually began to have this idea, but he had never been given an important position by Yan Yi, which made him somewhat hesitant.

Now that Yan Yi has bestowed upon him two powerful and prestigious positions, entrusting him with all matters concerning the naval construction and engineering under his jurisdiction, Yan Yi's status has soared, fulfilling his long-cherished wish and causing the balance in Yan Yi's heart to begin to shift.

Lü Fan was well aware of the importance of the position of Commandant of Ships and concurrently Supervisor of the Camp. If Yan Yi were to take control of Jiangdong in the future, given Jiangdong's location by the sea, the importance of these two positions would be immeasurable.

"Your talent and virtue are meager, yet the young lord entrusts you with such a heavy responsibility. Aren't you worried about delaying important matters?" He suppressed the turmoil in his heart and asked solemnly.

Yan Yi was slightly taken aback, thinking: 'Could I tell you that I am from another time and know you very well?' He replied seriously: 'Having Ziheng is like a fish finding water. How could a fish have any doubts about water?'

"Having heard your words, I, Fan, will certainly do my utmost to live up to your trust." Lu Fan was moved, but his expression remained unchanged, instead becoming even more solemn. He said in a deep voice, "Jinling Port is backed by Moling. To ensure the smooth progress of all port construction, we need a capable person to serve as the magistrate of Moling. I wonder if the young lord has a suitable candidate in mind?" Yan Yi had already considered this matter, but this candidate needed Lu Fan's approval; otherwise, there would inevitably be the hidden danger of discord between the general and the minister.

His tone was inquiring as he asked, "Quan Ziyuan is knowledgeable in government affairs and skilled in water management. I intend to appoint him as the magistrate of Moling. What do you think, Ziheng?"

Transferring Quan Rou away from Qiantang City was something he had been planning for a long time, and it was better to do it sooner rather than later.

According to future plans, Moling is even more important than Qiantang, and with all industries waiting to be developed, it is easier to accumulate merits. Therefore, if this position is granted to him, Quanrou will have no complaints.

"Young Master has keen insight; Quan Ziyuan is indeed the best choice." Lü Fan had a good impression of Quan Rou and felt that they should be able to get along well, so he nodded with a smile.

Seeing that he had no objection, Yan Yi took out a silver fish-shaped tally from his waist pouch and handed it to him: "Ziheng can use this tally to temporarily take charge of various affairs. Once the official seal is cast, he can exercise formal authority."

As Lü Fan held the fish tally, which still retained a trace of warmth, in his palm, his heart seemed to warm up as well.

Yan Yi always adhered to the principle that "the ruler should be diligent in seeking out virtuous men and leisurely in appointing them" when handling affairs. After entrusting the construction of the naval forces to Lü Fan, he did not linger at the ferry crossing and led his personal guards back to Moling City.

On the way back to the city, newly arrived immigrants could be seen everywhere busy clearing land and building houses. When they saw Yan Yi's carriage passing by, everyone prostrated themselves and bowed down, their shouts echoing across the fields.

The carriage entered through the north gate of Moling and proceeded along the wide street towards the county temple. As it passed the north gate of the temple, Yan Yi heard a series of clanging sounds, like metal striking metal. Intrigued, he lifted the curtain of the carriage and looked out.

Below the gate, figures moved about, and piles of bluestone and granite were stacked like mountains. Around the foundation of a stone platform that was beginning to take shape, hundreds of craftsmen and hundreds of laborers were ramming the foundation and chiseling inscriptions.

Several months later, a stone monument nearly three zhang high will be erected here, inscribed with "Jiangdong Martyrs' Monument" to commemorate the immortal achievements of the fallen soldiers.

Undoubtedly, this was Yan Yi's method of rallying morale among his troops. However, he also held deep feelings for the fallen soldiers. This act served both to commemorate the heroes and to consolidate morale, achieving two goals at once.

The monument to the martyrs erected in Moling has also sparked much speculation. Many people have keenly sensed that Moling may become the military and political center that Yan Yi plans to establish in the future.

Yan Yi did have such plans, but before pacifying Jiangdong, the matter was still in the planning stage.

The changes that have taken place in Moling City are certainly not limited to just one monument to martyrs.

For example, the Wuwei Camp in the south of the city was originally just a garrison for county soldiers, but now it has been renovated and has been transformed into a military academy.

The following morning, the all-night snowstorm abruptly ceased. The leaden-gray clouds receded like a curtain, revealing a vast expanse of azure blue sky.

On a rare occasion with such good weather, Yan Yi impulsively changed his plans and summoned his generals to the newly completed military academy.

The grand procession of carriages set off from the official temple and, after about 15 minutes, arrived at the front gate of the Military Academy.

The Military Academy is situated on a wide-open platform. The three courtyards are enclosed by gray brick walls. From a distance, it looks like a blue inkstone in the city. The main gate has a five-bay gatehouse with upturned eaves, under which hangs a black plaque with gold lacquer that reads "Moling Military Academy".

On the vermilion pillars on both sides of the gate tower, a couplet is engraved in bold, iron-like strokes: "Those who seek promotion and wealth, please go elsewhere; those who are greedy for life and afraid of death, do not enter this gate."

At the foot of the gate tower, twenty or thirty people stood in a row. When Yan Yi's carriage stopped, they all held their breath and stood at attention.

These people were the instructors of the Military Academy. Among them were strategists who taught military books; horse and archery instructors who taught various practical combat skills; weapons officers who were responsible for the hands-on operation, maintenance, and assembly of military equipment; and instructors who taught sand table simulations and battle formations.

Sun Ce, Xu Sheng, Zhou Xin, Zhou Ang, Wu Jing, Zhu Zhi, Cheng Pu, Huang Gai, Han Dang and others also held part-time teaching positions at the Military Academy, but these were temporary positions and not permanent.

The two most important teaching positions—the Military Advisor in charge of ideological education and the Director of the Military Academy, who was in charge of the entire academy—were held by Yan Yi himself.

It is believed that before long, outstanding officers will emerge from this fledgling military academy, filling various units and divisions, undergoing the tempering of war, and ultimately becoming the backbone of Yan Yi's army.

Yan Yi was well aware of the terrifying power contained in a wartime military academy, so he not only served as the "principal" but also concurrently as the "director of the political department".

Looking across the entire Han Dynasty, it's unlikely anyone could be more suitable for these two positions. After all, the ideological education work at the Military Academy was completely different from that of this era, drawing on many successful cases and experiences from later generations, making it highly innovative.

"Reporting to Young Master, the three hundred students of the Martial Arts Academy have lined up in the outer courtyard's training ground, awaiting your inspection and instruction on martial arts strategies!"

Zhu Zhi, dressed in a black academic robe with a blue sash, strode out from the crowd of scholars and bowed to Yan Yi, who was alighting from his carriage.

His sword wounds had healed, but he was still somewhat weak. His once full cheeks were now sunken, and his face was slightly pale.

Sun Ce, Cheng Pu, and others all cast somber and complex glances at him.

The Zhu Zhi of today is no longer the Zhu Junli who was once so close to them.

After Zhu Zhi recovered from his injuries, he seemed to become a completely different person, gradually drifting away from the Sun family. He had risked his life to serve the Sun family, only to be met with a series of assassins sent by them; he had spent countless days and nights hoping that the Sun family would rescue him, only to be met with disappointment after disappointment.

When the news reached him that the entire Sun family had sought refuge with Yan Yi, he felt a mix of emotions, which ultimately turned into a sneer.

In contrast, Yan Yi, despite having humiliated him, humbled himself and personally apologized to him in front of the entire army. He not only fully compensated him in terms of power, status, and wealth, but even adopted one of his sons to him to continue the family line.

Although Zhu Zhi knew that Yan Yi was deliberately trying to win him over, he was still deeply moved by the extent to which Yan Yi had gone to such lengths, and the relationship between the two had improved significantly.

(End of this chapter)