Chapter 1548: The Sixth Son Has Grown Up Too

"If you were the commander of the Shiwei forces, how would you deal with this incursion by the Wanyan Jurchens?" Emperor Liu pondered for a long while, then suddenly raised his head to ask Liu Min, who was standing in attendance—formally soliciting his opinion.

Liu Min showed not the slightest pretense; a look of earnest contemplation appeared on his swarthy face. This serious demeanor rather won Emperor Liu's appreciation—he had always liked people who took things seriously.

Speaking of which, among so many sons, it was Liu Min and the thirteenth son, Liu Ye, who had the darker complexions. Originally, Liu Min had not been particularly fair-skinned, but he had been within normal range; however, after his journey to Mobei, that swarthy complexion had never faded. Of course, it was no great problem—at least he looked more lean and robust.

Liu Min did not notice that Emperor Liu was idly concerning himself with his son's complexion, and without overthinking, said: "The situation on the battlefield changes with every passing moment, and any outcome is possible. In terms of war preparations, the Wanyan Jurchens have been preparing for nearly two years—whether in troop training or in weapons and equipment, the Jurchens hold the advantage.

Though the Shiwei are fierce and valiant, in this regard the Jurchens are not far behind. Therefore, the Shiwei's advantage lies mostly in their numerical superiority.

If I were the Shiwei commander, I would fully exploit this advantage, as Father said—overwhelm with numbers. The two sides have been locked in stalemate for some time now; although the Shiwei have lost the initiative, as long as those thirty thousand Shiwei troops remain, they pose a tremendous deterrent and threat to the Jurchens.

Even if they merely maintain the current situation and drag things out, it is still the Shiwei who stand to benefit. Therefore, the ones who should be anxious to break the deadlock are the Jurchens. The Shiwei need only maintain patience and stabilize the situation. However, whether the Shiwei possess such patience—I have my doubts.

Yet for these alien tribes of the northeast, to sustain a prolonged war without sufficient national strength, manpower, and financial resources to support it is a very difficult matter.

Since the Khitan's rule over the northeast collapsed, the various states, tribes, and powers there have been in constant strife, but prolonged warfare and confrontation have been almost nonexistent. This time, with the two sides locked in stalemate for over two months, it is already beyond expectations.

If the Shiwei wish to take the initiative, then since Tieli City is difficult to assault, and Wanyan Bohai leads his army roaming outside, cunning and hard to pin down, they could simply refuse to engage him, shift their attention, and strike where the enemy must defend!"

As he spoke, Liu Min bent slightly, picked up several red flags from the sand table, moved them southward, and planted them firmly on the Wanyan Jurchen tribal lands south of the Huntong River, saying with certainty: "Send one division south, cross the Huntong River, and strike directly at the Wanyan Jurchens' lair—rather than concentrating all forces to face the Jurchens in a stalemate at Tieli City!"

Hearing Liu Min's analysis, Emperor Liu's eyes brightened slightly, and he said: "If that were the case, then the Wanyan Jurchens would truly be in danger. If their rear were lost, even if they ultimately repelled the Shiwei and took the Tieli region, it would still be a loss that outweighs the gain!"

"And once the Shiwei go south, the stalemate at Tieli City would very likely be broken!" Emperor Liu's tone was even more certain than Liu Min's.

"But..." A rare hesitation appeared on his young face, and Liu Min said: "If the Shiwei truly cross the river southward and invade south of the Huntong River, how should the Liaodong garrison respond? And once the Wanyan Jurchens fail, suffer a crushing defeat, or even face the danger of extermination, can the court simply sit by and watch?"

Liu Min's words made Emperor Liu fall into deep thought as well, and he said in a low voice: "Indeed! The court is currently watching from the sidelines, enjoying the spectacle, but once the situation slips out of control, it will inevitably be drawn in after all!"

In fact, the court had long since been drawn in—whether in strategic deployment or policy direction, the court needed to keep an eye on the developments there. From the moment they began supplying the Wanyan Jurchens with weapons, iron cavalry, grain, salt, and other materials to support their northern campaign against Tieli, the court had already been deeply involved.

For the court, it mattered not how the Jurchens and Shiwei fought in the Tieli region, nor how long they fought, nor how many died—none of that was of any consequence. However, once the Shiwei turned from guests into masters, led their troops south, and brought the flames of war south of the Huntong River, then the court would certainly not be able to sit still.

Because that would not only be a manifestation of the Shiwei's continued expansion, but would also threaten the security of Huanglong Prefecture. Having a Wanyan Jurchen tribe of considerable strength and barely obedient on the border was already the maximum the court could tolerate.

"Father, I have some doubts!" Seeing Emperor Liu lost in thought, Liu Min could not help but clasp his hands in salute again.

"Speak freely!" Emperor Liu waved his hand in response.

Liu Min asked: "What exactly is your attitude toward these two tribes, the Shiwei and the Jurchens?"

"You've hit the nail on the head with that question!" Hearing the question, Emperor Liu smiled slightly and said: "One thing must be made clear: no matter how chaotic the struggles among these northeastern tribes, vassal states, and powers may be, the court's attitude is the key that decides victory or defeat. Let the chaos be chaos, but the situation must not slip beyond the court's control. Once it does—or shows a tendency to—then it is time for the court to step in and arbitrate!"

Seeing Liu Min lost in thought, Emperor Liu's indifferent tone suddenly carried a note of forcefulness as he said coldly: "The Shiwei—first they refused to submit to Liao, now they refuse to submit to the Han. Teaching them a lesson is a must.

In recent years, they have indeed grown considerably in the northeast, swallowing up much of the former Liao's territory, vassal states, and population. How can such an unruly power be allowed to run rampant, to sit back and watch it grow and expand?

At present, Liaodong has only recently been pacified and is still in recovery and development. To rashly mobilize the imperial army, march north on a distant campaign, and venture deep into barren wasteland to subjugate that remote, bitter-cold land would be untimely. Thus, we can only act through another's hands.

The reason for supporting the Wanyan Jurchens is naturally born of such considerations. However, judging from the situation of the Wanyan tribe, these Jurchens are not to be trusted either.

Though we support them, that does not mean the court can tolerate their true rise to power. Otherwise, having suppressed one Shiwei only to see a Wanyan Jurchen rise in its place would bring little benefit to the court—both would be obstacles to the court's control over the northeastern situation.

You must understand: the Jurchens are not just one Wanyan tribe. They are widely distributed, scattered throughout nearly all the forests and mountains of the northeast. Scattered Jurchens are nothing to fear, but if one tribe should rise and even unite the various Jurchen tribes, the threat to the court would multiply—the danger would even exceed that of the Shiwei.

Therefore, allowing the Wanyan Jurchens to occupy the former Tieli lands is already my bottom line. Once that bottom line is breached, then likewise we cannot let it go—when suppression is called for, suppress decisively.

The best scenario would be for the two powers to regard each other with hostility north of the Huntong River, consuming each other and maintaining a state of balance. Once that balance is broken, it is time for the court to act!"

Hearing Emperor Liu's explanation, Liu Min was not relieved; on the contrary, his brows furrowed even more tightly. He raised his eyelids, seeming to want to speak but hesitating. Seeing this, Emperor Liu showed a benevolent father's smile and said: "If you have any views, speak them plainly!"

Liu Min said: "Father's thinking is certainly good—it could even be implemented as the court's basic policy toward the northeastern situation. However, I always feel that this is not a complete solution. Maintaining this balance will not be easy either.

On the contrary, the court's influence and control over the various northeastern tribes is still too weak. The Wanyan Jurchens are so obedient and submissive only because they are near Huanglong Prefecture, under the shadow of the imperial army's blades, and because they need the court's support and patronage—they submit only out of necessity.

Just as you said, the Wanyan Jurchens likely wish to use the court's prestige to pursue their own expansion. Once they grow strong, they may not remain as obedient as they are now.

Moreover, stirring up conflicts among the northeastern tribes and powers can indeed achieve a balancing effect and deplete their strength, so as to prevent them from threatening the court.

But it also gives them the possibility of rising. A tribe that has emerged from blood and fire poses a far greater threat than those who merely survive by ordinary hunting and herding."

"I've heard talk of playing with fire and getting burned before—do you hold that view as well?" Hearing this, Emperor Liu showed slight surprise.

Liu Min nodded, pondered for a moment, then said: "I believe we can create contradictions among the northeastern tribes, support those close to the court, and suppress those who refuse to submit. However, we still cannot allow them to attack each other freely; we should try to maintain a stable situation as much as possible. Only thus will it benefit the peace of Liaodong and the court's control over the northeast!"

Emperor Liu had heard similar suggestions many times in the past, yet now, seeing his young sixth son earnestly and pertinently expressing his views, Emperor Liu showed not the slightest displeasure—on the contrary, he felt greatly gratified.

"You have indeed grown and improved over these years! Setting aside everything else, your understanding of military and political strategy has clearly advanced!" Emperor Liu looked at Liu Min with a beaming smile, his expression entirely gentle, and even reached out to pat his shoulder.

Facing Emperor Liu's praise and feeling the encouragement of his father's gesture, Liu Min instead felt somewhat embarrassed. He lowered his head slightly and replied with restraint: "My knowledge is shallow; I was merely speaking off the cuff. There is still much I need to learn from you and the ministers of the court!"

"Haha!" Seeing this, Emperor Liu could not help but laugh heartily.

When the laughter subsided, Emperor Liu's expression returned to calm. His gaze lingered on the sand table for a moment, then turned to the enormous map of the Great Han hanging in the hall, staring directly at the northeastern region. He said softly: "No policy or strategy is set in stone. As for the future of the northeast, we shall have to see what comes!

This war between the Shiwei and the Jurchens—let it serve as an experiment. Let us first see the results. As you said, neither side has sufficient strength for a prolonged struggle. They have been entangled for this long; it is time for a resolution."

Pausing for a moment, Emperor Liu continued: "You made one good point just now—the court's control over the northeast is indeed still somewhat weak. It needs to be further strengthened......"