Take control of Wei Zhongxian at the start and confiscate 100 million from him!

Chapter 384 Follow the path of the Jurchens, leaving them with nowhere to go.

However, just before Zhu Youjian spoke, as his gaze swept over the densely packed river and swamp markings on the map, a faint, bitter smile quietly appeared on his lips.

That soaring ambition did not dissipate, but was instead tempered by a more stark sense of reality.

In fact, when he made up his mind to launch this war that would determine the fate of the nation at this moment, his plan was based on a seemingly impeccable logic: Liaodong, like the interior of the pass, was suffering from years of severe drought, and the land of the Jurchens was also barren and desolate.

So, when spring arrives, flowers bloom, and ice and snow melt, it will be a golden opportunity for all things to revive and for the army to set out on its campaign.

However, when he actually set foot on this land, and when the wheels of his carriage groaned dully on the seemingly flat but actually muddy official road, Zhu Youjian truly realized that the complexity and difficulty of a war could not be fully captured by sand table simulations.

A severe drought does not mean that the land will not be muddy in the spring!
On the contrary, it is this combination of extreme cold and drought that has created a terrible trap for the coming spring, one that could devour thousands of troops.

In Liaodong, the winters are long and harsh.

Throughout the winter, the severe cold froze the soil beneath the surface into a layer of frozen earth several feet deep, as hard as rock.

However, after the start of spring, as the yang energy rises, the permafrost layer does not immediately thaw.

This resulted in a landform that is considered a major taboo in military strategy – “thawed above and frozen below”.

The remaining snow and shallow soil on the surface thawed first, and the melted snow water mixed with the soil tried to seep downwards, but was blocked by the deep frozen soil that was still as hard as iron.

With nowhere to go, the water can only accumulate on the surface of the land.

Thus, this muddy water, with nowhere to go, turned the earth into a vast, unbearable swamp.

The wheels got stuck, the horses' hooves sank, and the people's feet sank.

In the local dialect of Liaodong, this process has a chillingly vivid name – “flooding”.

The drought did indeed drastically reduce snowfall in winter, but it could not change the harsh sub-zero temperatures throughout the winter.

If permafrost is bound to form, then the moisture contained in the soil itself during thawing will be enough to create a deadly layer of mud on the surface.

At this moment, the land of Liaodong is like a piece of frozen meat taken out of an ice cellar. Even without pouring a drop of water on it, its surface will naturally become wet and slippery at room temperature.

Therefore, this seemingly "springtime" season was not an ideal time for war for either the Ming army about to set out on a campaign or the Jianzhou Jurchens besieged in their city.

Zhu Youjian's gaze was deep and unfathomable, as if he could see through the map and see the countless figures bound by mud in the long river of history.

Throughout history, nomadic peoples from the north, whether the Xiongnu, the Turks, or later the Jurchen Mongols, almost invariably chose to march south and attack the passes in late autumn or early winter.

Why?

The autumn air is crisp and clear, the grasslands are lush, the warhorses are plump and strong, and the ground is firm, which is conducive to the cavalry group's lightning speed and long-distance raids.

When the harsh winter arrives, the freezing weather turns rivers into thoroughfares, making it easier for the army to move freely and for logistical transport to be carried out.

They will try their best to avoid launching a large-scale southward invasion in the spring, in order to avoid this terrible "frost-tillage period".

The mud, which could render any cavalry's mobility advantage meaningless, was the most terrifying nightmare under the iron hooves of their warhorses.

Similarly, if the Ming army were to launch a large-scale offensive outside the pass at this moment, it would also be subject to the strict constraints of the laws of nature.

however……

Zhu Youjian slowly clenched his fist, his knuckles turning slightly white from the force.

He narrowed his eyes, the bitter smile long gone.

Admittedly, the timing was unfavorable.

However, warfare is based on deception. This refers not only to tactical deception but also to the deception of strategic timing.

The timing was unfavorable, not only for us but also for the Jurchens!
The emperor's gaze remained fixed on the enormous map, as if he were having a silent dialogue with this land and with the archenemy that had entrenched itself here.

“It takes more than one day for ice to freeze three feet deep; the devastation of Liaodong is not due to a single year. However, the current state of the Jurchens is such that when the water dries up, the fish will die; when the roots rot, the tree will break.”

The emperor's voice suddenly turned stern.

"The reason I chose this time to raise an army and unleash such mighty force is that there are three things that cannot be delayed, and three opportunities for certain victory!"

The officers in the hall were immediately invigorated, and all their eyes were fixed on the young emperor's tall and straight back.

"Firstly, we cannot wait for Ligdan Khan! The Southern Mongols have just submitted, and their hearts are not yet settled. Although our Great Ming has defeated the Khorchin at Baicheng and our momentum is strong, Ligdan Khan is a fickle and capricious man. If we do not seize this opportunity to advance with him from the east and west, then changes will inevitably occur over time!"

Zhu Youjian moved his finger toward the sea, as if pointing in the direction of Pi Island.

"Mao Wenlong, we cannot wait! Dongjiang Town is located overseas, and its food and military supplies all rely on inland transport. Although we and the Grand Tutor are now fully supporting it, it is isolated behind enemy lines and constantly faces the danger of being attacked by the Jurchens from both land and sea. If our frontal forces do not move for a long time, this thorn driven into the enemy's rear in Dongjiang Town will surely be exhausted!"

The emperor's hand finally landed back at Shanhaiguan, pressing heavily on the edge of the general's desk.

"Thirdly, and most importantly, the vitality of our nation cannot be relied upon! To prepare for this war, I cleared the fields, reformed the canal transport system, and opened up maritime trade. Only with the strength of the entire nation can we have the strong army and abundant provisions we have today. But you should know that in recent years, the weather has been unfavorable, with severe droughts raging, not just in Liaodong."

In Shaanxi, Shanxi and other places, the land was scorched and thousands of people were displaced. The people's livelihood was so difficult that they were like fish in a pot!

Although I have done my best to provide relief and comfort, this is a natural disaster that cannot be reversed by human power in the short term.

If this continues, natural disasters will inevitably turn into man-made disasters, and a single spark can start a prairie fire!

If we cannot eliminate this external threat of the Jurchens with swift and decisive action before this internal strife completely deteriorates, and if war breaks out in our heartland and the court is bound hand and foot, then even a million-strong army will be powerless to march out of the pass!

The three sounds were so loud they could not be delayed, like three thunderclaps exploding within the Governor's Mansion.

Zu Dashou and Wu Xiang, these fierce generals who only knew how to bury themselves in battle, felt a chill run down their spines and were drenched in cold sweat.

This was the first time they had heard such a grand and ruthless strategic vision from the young emperor.

It turns out that what they thought was everything was in place was actually a situation that was so urgent and hanging by a thread!
A glint of light flashed in Sun Chengzong's half-open eyes. He looked at the emperor's back and slowly nodded, his eyes full of approval and satisfaction.

Zhu Youjian turned to face the crowd, his gaze piercing.

"Only by knowing that it cannot be waited for can we have a sure chance of victory!"

"My victory is assured for one reason: the enemy is weak while we are strong, and the tide has turned! The Jurchens have suffered from natural disasters for years and are internally unstable, so their strength has declined. Meanwhile, our Great Ming has spent a year recuperating and strengthening its army, and the morale of our troops is at its peak! This shift in power is a perfectly legitimate and open strategy!"

"My victory hinges on two things: a conventional attack and a surprise attack! The three armies—Shanhaiguan, Dongjiang, and the Mongol forces in southern Mongolia—form a pincer movement, like Mount Tai pressing down on us. The main force marches out of the pass—this is the conventional force; the Dongjiang raids and the Mongol diversions—this is the surprise attack. With the conventional and surprise attacks combined, the Jurchens will be unable to defend themselves from both ends, and will be exhausted both inside and outside the borders!"

"There are three reasons why I am certain of victory, and these are also the key to this battle!" He paused, his gaze sweeping over everyone present, and said, word by word, "It lies in—the unfavorable timing!"

As soon as these words came out, the whole hall was shocked.

Even Sun Chengzong showed a look of surprise.

Zhu Youjian's voice rang out again, filled with an all-knowing confidence.

"Springtime flooding and muddy roads are disadvantageous to our army, and even more so to the Jurchen cavalry! Our army should proceed step by step, unleash our firearms simultaneously, and advance steadily, thus playing to our strengths and avoiding our weaknesses!"

"If the Jurchens go out of the city to fight in the open, their cavalry will be stuck in the mud, making them easy targets for our Shenji Battalion's muskets and Hongyi cannons! If the Jurchens stay in their turbid camps and do not come out, our three armies will surround the city and cut off their supply lines. At that time, we will not need to attack the city; their internal forces will surely fall into disarray due to lack of food!"

"Therefore, the opportune moment at this time is not an obstacle for our army, but a powerful tool!"

(End of this chapter)