Water Margin: The opening scene involves assassinating Emperor Huizong of Song and forcibly taking L

Ailao was once a tribal alliance state, also known as Mengzhang Kingdom or Chengxiang Kingdom.

It submitted to China during the Han Dynasty, and its territory was established as Yongchang Commandery.

The royal family of Ailao rebelled against the Han Dynasty and was forced to migrate westward from Yunnan, where they established the Shan Kingdom in northern Myanmar.

During the Tang Dynasty, another branch of the Ailao Yi people established the Nanzhao Kingdom.

The northern border area between Laos and Vietnam in later generations was also called Ai Lao by Annam at this time.

The conquest and assimilation of the Ai Lao Yi by ancient Vietnam continued from the Northern Song Dynasty to the Qing Dynasty.

Moreover, if the Vietnamese king were to abandon the capital and flee, there is an eight or nine out of ten chance he would escape to the Ailao Mountains.

The terrain there is complex, easy to defend and difficult to attack, so even the local rebels are unwilling to go there.

Yang Zaixing had no desire to pursue them. If he led his troops into the mountains, they would likely be dragged out until the hot summer.

King Ly Duong Huan of Annam, who had been raised in luxury, found it extremely difficult to adapt to life in the mountains.

Moreover, at such a young age, his body had already been weakened by wine and women, and he soon fell ill.

In the makeshift wooden hut, Li Yanghuan lay on his sickbed, receiving Zhang Xianlu, who had just arrived from Thang Long Prefecture.

"What conditions did the Ming Dynasty propose?" Li Yanghuan asked.

Zhang Xianlu said, "The Ming Dynasty is demanding Guangyuan Prefecture, Qiyuan Prefecture, Men Prefecture, and Liang Prefecture."

Grand Tutor Zhang Boyu hurriedly said, "Menzhou and Liangzhou cannot be given!"

Menzhou is the area around Zhennanguan, while Liangzhou is the area around Liangshan.

Once Annam falls under the control of the Ming Dynasty, only a small number of troops need to be stationed there to control the northern gateway to Annam.

Zhang Xianlu said weakly, "Liangzhou... is gone."

Zhang Boyu exclaimed in surprise, "Isn't there still an army of ten thousand there?"

Zhang Xianlu explained: "The Ming army (the Guangxi garrison led by Li Herong) forced the local chieftain of Qiyuan Prefecture to surrender. Instead of continuing to attack Guangyuan Prefecture, they suddenly launched a fierce attack on Liangzhou."

"When the garrison of Liangzhou learned of the fall of Thang Long, their morale plummeted, and they abandoned the city and fled after only two days of defense."

"You bastard... cough cough cough!"

Li Yanghuan was furious upon hearing this. He himself could abandon the capital and flee, but he would not allow the frontline generals to abandon the city and flee.

Zhang Boyu said, "Go and discuss with the Ming general again to see if you can give them more money and goods, at least to keep Liangzhou safe."

"Besides gold and silver, we can also give away beautiful women, which might persuade the Ming general."

Zhang Xianlu was somewhat troubled: "The Ming army is looting Thang Long Prefecture. What kind of woman can't they take?"

"Ordinary beauties are unlikely to be effective."

Everyone fell into silence.

Zhang Boyu said that once the Ming army withdrew, they could harass the border every year to force the Ming to return the territory.

However, the premise is that Liangzhou must be in Annam's hands; otherwise, if it angers the Ming Dynasty in the future, it can send troops to drive straight in at any time, and then the King of Annam will have to go west again.

Liu Yaomin, the Annamite deputy envoy who had previously served as an envoy to the Ming Dynasty, suddenly remarked, "The Ming emperor's authority is absolute; even bribing the generals at the front lines would likely not be enough to bring back Liangzhou."

"If we really want to offer a beauty, we might as well offer her directly to the Prime Minister of the Ming Dynasty."

Zhang Boyu said, "But your return last time showed that the emperor and prime minister of the Ming Dynasty were not lustful rulers."

Liu Yaomin said, "The Ming Dynasty has a vast territory and certainly has no shortage of beautiful women. But the prime minister of the Ming Dynasty has a very peculiar hobby."

"What kind of quirks?" Li Yanghuan asked.

Liu Yaomin said, "This matter is common knowledge in the Ming Dynasty. The Prime Minister has a fondness for widows and married women. All of his wives and concubines are widows. One of them is not a widow, but is a concubine of Wuqimai, the emperor of the Jin Dynasty."

Zhang Boyu said, "The Prime Minister of Ming has already retired. Even if a beautiful woman bewitches him, what use will it be?"

Chapter 3610 Presenting the Empress Dowager

Liu Yaomin said, "They get along well as the emperor and his minister. The Liangshan emperor trusts the prime minister a lot. This Prime Minister Wen has a very high prestige in the Ming Dynasty, and his words carry a lot of weight."

Li Yanghuan asked, "Which woman do you wish to offer up?"

Liu Yaomin looked around and said, "Your Majesty, please dismiss everyone else."

Li Yanghuan dismissed the eunuchs and other officials, leaving only Zhang Boyu and Liu Yaomin.

Liu Yaomin said, "The late emperor left behind several young concubines. One of them can be selected and made empress dowager, and then presented to the prime minister of the Ming Dynasty."

"A widow of such status would surely please the Prime Minister of the Ming Dynasty."

"At that time, the wife of the Prime Minister of the Ming Dynasty will be Your Majesty's nominal mother."

Li Yanghuan was stunned.

Zhang Boyu was also shocked, never expecting such a thing to happen.

But instead of cursing, they began to consider whether the plan was feasible.

Annam has been frantically promoting Confucianism in governing the country for only a few decades, and it doesn't really value morality and ethics.

Li Yanghuan asked, "Which imperial concubine do you think is suitable?"

Liu Yaomin said, "Consort Li."

Upon hearing this, Zhang Boyu immediately lowered his head.

Li Yanghuan's expression, however, was unpredictable.

The Dinh Dynasty of Vietnam was founded through a coronation ceremony.

During the Le Dynasty in Vietnam, the emperor still wore a yellow robe.

During the Ly Dynasty in Vietnam, the emperor was still wearing a yellow robe.

Although the Li family seized the throne from the Li family, the Li clan's power remained formidable.

Grand Tutor Zhang Boyu was formerly known as Li Boyu.

Consort Li was Zhang Boyu's niece!

If Consort Le were made Empress Dowager Le and married the Prime Minister of the Ming Dynasty as his concubine, the Le family would have the Ming Dynasty as their backing, and they would also have a Grand Tutor in Annam.

What if the Li family were to seize power again?

Li Yanghuan favored his maternal uncle, Du Yingwu, in order to suppress the powerful influence of the Li clan by promoting members of his maternal clan.

Thinking about the other concubines, it seems that their families are all close to Lady Li.

None of them can be used!

However, Li Yanghuan was inspired by this terrible idea: "The Prime Minister of the Ming Dynasty is a modern-day Yao and Shun. My mother has been widowed for many years, so she can marry a hero."

Zhang Boyu's eyes widened, thinking there was something wrong with his ears.

Li Yanghuan, the King of Annam, actually wanted to offer his birth mother to the Prime Minister of the Ming Dynasty!

Outrageous?

In the context of Annam at that time, it didn't seem out of the ordinary.

It should be noted that the Ly Dynasty of Vietnam married off a number of princesses and noblewomen to the barbarians in order to win them over.

If a princess can marry a barbarian chieftain, why can't an empress dowager marry the prime minister of the Ming Dynasty?

Zhang Boyu didn't even dare to dissuade him, fearing it would lead to Li Yanghuan's misunderstanding.

Li Yanghuan's act of offering up his birth mother was a two-birds-with-one-stone strategy.

First, ease tensions between the two countries.

It would be best to take back Liangzhou. Even if we can't take back Liangzhou, the marriage of the Queen Mother of Annam to the Prime Minister of Ming will prevent Ming from easily launching a military campaign against Annam.

Second, to consolidate their own power.

King Li Yanghuan, with his birth mother backing him in the Ming Dynasty and his uncle promoting him to counterbalance powerful clans within the country, could intimidate these clans from both inside and outside the country, preventing them from rebelling.

After the officials left, Li Yanghuan invited his mother, Madam Du, to come over.

Ms. Du is in her thirties this year. She was known for her beauty when she was young and still retains her charm.

Moreover, becoming Empress Dowager added a certain inexplicable charm to her, and her pampered life made her even more attractive.

After hearing her son's story, Mrs. Du was extremely shocked, but not angry; she was even a little ashamed.

This woman had been widowed for many years and was indeed very lonely.

If she weren't the Empress Dowager, given the moral customs of Annam at that time, she would have remarried and found another man long ago.

Du asked, "How old is the Prime Minister of the Ming Dynasty?"

Li Yanghuan said, "According to the envoy's report, the Ming Prime Minister is not very old, and is extremely handsome and healthy. He also has only a few wives and concubines, and often travels with them."

"Could such a wise and enlightened ruler who founded the dynasty really be interested in a widow like me?" Du felt somewhat inferior.

Li Yanghuan said, "Perhaps we can give it a try."

Madam Du said, "The powerful clans in the country are arrogant and domineering. It would be great if they could share my son's burdens."

Du had been well-versed in poetry and literature since childhood, and she had long admired the beauty of China. At this moment, she was truly moved by her son's words.

After the mother and son finished their conversation, a eunuch quickly came to report: "Your Majesty, the Imperial Uncle has achieved a great victory in the south!"

"So fast?" Li Yanghuan was pleasantly surprised.

Du Yingwu's methods are incredibly skillful. He commands battles in a conventional manner, but he is extremely adept at using cunning and intrigue.

This guy sent someone to contact the Champa general, saying he was willing to return Maling Province and even sent the province's household register (this was originally lost territory of Champa).

Then the entire army withdrew, ceding Maling Prefecture.

The Champa army gained a province for free and forbade its allies, the Zhenla army, from entering the city, fearing that their city would be plundered.

The Zhenla general was furious. Why did Champa take all the benefits when the two countries had joined forces to conquer a province?

As a result, the Zhenla army began to plunder the countryside. The Champa general went to negotiate and stop them, but the two sides parted on bad terms.

The two countries agreed to continue their offensive and engage in a decisive battle at Lizhou, a hundred miles away.

During the battle, Du Yingwu led the Annamite army to launch a special attack on the Champa army.

Chapter 3611 Pillars of the Nation

As expected, the Zhenla army preserved its strength. Seeing that the Champa army was about to be defeated, the Zhenla army simply fled the battlefield.

Not only did they flee, but the Zhenla army also went to plunder the city of Wuzhou in Champa during their retreat!

Du Yingwu pursued them relentlessly, not only recapturing Maling Prefecture but also capturing Wuzhou City.

After hearing the battle report, Li Yanghuan exclaimed, "The Imperial Brother-in-law has indeed lived up to expectations; he is truly a pillar of the nation!"

Du Yingwu, however, thought differently: what's the point of being a pillar of the nation?

The Dinh, Le, and Ly dynasties all established their kingdoms by donning the yellow robe, so why can't I don the yellow robe and establish a Du dynasty?

Of course, the time is not yet ripe.

Gaining the king's favor was the first step, winning battles was the second, and the next step was to continue to control the government and the army.

This guy led his troops back and stopped moving dozens of miles away from Thang Long Prefecture.

He has already won the battle, so there is no need to risk fighting again. If he loses, it will damage his prestige.

Thus, although the main force of Annam returned in triumph, they watched as Yang Zaixing occupied Thang Long Prefecture, without having any intention of retaking the capital.

Inside the Thang Long Mansion, Yang Zaixing was looting.

He wanted to rob the craftsmen and their families, as well as the young women, and steal the gold, silver, copper coins, and grain!

In any case, we must wreak havoc on Thang Long Prefecture so that Annam will have no strength to invade the north in the short term.

"General, the Annamite envoy has arrived again, and he has brought a woman with him, saying that he wants to present her to Prime Minister Wen."

Yang Zaixing was completely bewildered: "Even if a beauty were to be presented, shouldn't it be offered to His Majesty the Emperor? Why would it be offered to the Prime Minister?"

The envoy Zhang Xianlu was brought in, and upon meeting him, he said, "To show our sincerity, His Majesty wishes to offer his birth mother, Empress Dowager Du, to the Prime Minister of the Great Ming!"

Yang Zaixing could not understand the thought process of the Annamite monarch and his ministers.