Chapter 92: Thousand-Mile Surprise Attack

The Sima clan fell into internal strife, and the various princes invited the Hu barbarians as allies.

The Hu barbarians migrated inward, seized the opportunity to grow powerful, and ultimately ravaged the Central Plains, slaughtering countless people.

"Only a few dozen years have passed since then!"

Lin Dao narrowed his eyes and spoke in a low voice, "These aristocratic families have forgotten the calamity of those years."

"Truly, rotten mud cannot be propped up on a wall."

Wang Meng, who had hurried over, pondered carefully, "My Lord, this is the Jiangzuo gentry's measure to counter our Qihuo Army."

"The Qihuo Army has risen powerfully; the Jiangzuo gentry must also be unable to eat or sleep in peace."

"They must fear my Lord's southward advance, and are strengthening themselves by any means, using the Qiang as a barrier."

His brow gradually relaxed, "The Qiang Yao Chang tribe has several tens of thousands of elite men, veterans of battle who have clashed with our Qihuo Grand Army several times."

"The Jiangzuo gentry must have taken a fancy to this point."

Wang Meng analyzed calmly, without flying into a rage like Lin Dao.

In his view, such maneuvering was perfectly normal.

Several tens of thousands of troops tempered by the fires of war were willing to surrender; naturally they would not be turned away.

After all, in the eyes of the Jiangzuo gentry, the Qihuo Army posed a greater threat than the Hu barbarians.

It directly threatened the status of these aristocratic clans!

Before negotiations were settled, they were bound to be on guard.

"It is nothing more than a struggle for power and influence." Lin Dao sat quietly, the anger in his heart already gone.

For the aristocratic clans, there was no great difference between Hu barbarians and Han people.

They did not value such distinctions either.

Not to mention the aristocratic clans who served Shi Hu and Murong Huang.

In the several hundred years that followed, the aristocratic clans who served every manner of Hu barbarian were as numerous as carp crossing a river.

For instance, Shi Hu's original wife was a woman of the Taiyuan Guo clan.

Later he also took as concubines women of the Qinghe Spitting clan, the Hedong Liu clan, and others.

Several hundred years later, those who boasted of being the Five Surnames and Seven Wang Families were nothing but waste clinging to life through their women.

Having understood these things, Lin Dao was no longer angry.

Getting angry for the sake of such people was too unworthy.

His expression, however, turned extremely resolute.

"As it turns out, the greatest source of calamity in this world is those high-ranking families!"

"The Yongjia Dongdu?"

"Even after crossing east, they are still a scourge!"

Lin Dao rose, unable to suppress a laugh, "Since they are a scourge, they must be eliminated."

"Zhou Chu's methods may seem crude, yet they are effective in practice."

Wang Meng's face changed, 'Who is Zhou Chu? How have I never heard of him?'

"My Lord."

He stepped forward to advise, "The various states, provinces, and counties of the Northern Lands lie in ruins awaiting reconstruction."

"Moreover, General Ran Min and General Qin Lang are out on campaign."

"Mobilizing a large army now would likely be an excessive burden."

After years of alternating ravages by the Sima clan and the various Hu, the Northern Regions had long been beaten to pieces in the chaos of war.

This year, moreover, saw a series of major battles, coupled with natural disasters and severe drought, and things had already reached the utmost straits.

Were it not for my Lord's Five Ghosts Transportation Technique, I fear half the people would have starved to death this year.

And even in such a harsh environment, the Qihuo Army has continued to fight without cease.

Sweeping the grasslands to the north, attacking Guanzhong to the west.

This is already a two-front war, yet my Lord now intends to open yet another front, marching south to attack Jiangzuo?

Wang Meng felt his scalp tingle.

Even in the era of Emperor Wu of Han, such consumption could not be sustained.

"My Lord."

Wang Meng urged bitterly, "Why not recuperate and multiply for a few years, wait until the national treasury is full and provisions are ready."

"When all armies have been reorganized and perfected, and Jiangzuo is mired in internal strife, that will be the best time to send troops."

The historical Wang Meng had also advised Fu Jian in this way.

But after his death, Fu Jian was bewitched by Murong De and others, and impatiently rushed south.

As for the result, the history books record it clearly.

Wang Meng felt that my Lord's Five Ghosts Transportation Technique was indeed miraculous.

But my Lord himself had said that acquiring supplies had an upper limit.

In his view, that limit had already been reached.

If he forced a southern campaign, it would likely lead to total collapse.

Lin Dao sneered, shaking his head, "No need to persuade further; my mind is made up."

"Letting those high-ranking families live even one more day is a crime."

Wang Meng wanted to speak but stopped, his face showing disappointment.

After a string of victories, has my Lord become arrogant?

This is truly too regrettable.

Clearly he possessed the talent of a hegemon, yet at the key moment he failed to seize it.

"I understand your meaning." Lin Dao frowned. "I am not acting on impulse or without thought, mobilizing the nation's full strength to campaign against Eastern Jin."

That was Fu Jian's doing.

A negative example stands right there; how could I possibly make the same mistake?

"I intend to launch a thousand-li lightning raid."

"Strike with elite troops, cross the Huai River and the Da Jiang, and head straight for Jiankang City!"

Candlelight flickered, casting Wang Meng's figure swaying unsteadily.

He gaped at Lin Dao, his full face written with disbelief.

The first reaction in his mind was 'Nonsense~~~'

Jiankang is the site of the Jiangzuo capital; garrison troops plus the private armies of the high-ranking families — no matter how you count, there are at least several tens of thousands.

On top of that, the city defenses are solid and defensive facilities complete.

Even if the Qihuo Army fights well, it would still take an army of several tens of thousands.

With so many men and horses crossing mountains and rivers all the way, at minimum they would need several times as many civilian laborers to transport grain and military rations.

Moreover, Jiangzuo's navy is formidable; with the rivers blockaded, there is simply no way to cross.

What kind of lightning raid is this? It is clearly going to send them to their deaths.

"Soldiers are valued for quality, not quantity."

Lin Dao smiled. "Twenty thousand elites are enough."

Wang Meng instinctively curled his lip.

Twenty thousand elites — he speaks as if they were twenty thousand wild people; where would that many elites come from!

Elites don't grow out of the ground!

"Send orders to Ran Min and Qin Lang, having each draw five thousand elite soldiers — is that feasible?"

Most of the Qihuo Army veterans have been taken away by those two.

Each scraping together five thousand elites is doable.

He = Wang Meng immediately asked, "What about the other ten thousand?"

"Draw from the Ye City garrison, intensify training, raise the mess standard — first solve the night blindness at least."

Liver, carrots, spinach, and fish liver oil vitamin tablets.

This lightning raid requires night marching and night battle; the elites at minimum must not have night blindness.

Wang Meng asked again, "Over such a vast distance, twenty thousand elites would need at least tens of thousands of civilian laborers — these laborers..."

Lin Dao did not speak; he raised his hand and pointed at himself.

"Oh~~~"

Wang Meng suddenly realized.

He remembered — the Lang Lord knows the Five Ghosts Transportation Technique!

The Lang Lord personally accompanying the army means no civilian laborers are needed.

A crucial constraint, thus easily resolved.

At this moment Wang Meng's complexion had already shown an obvious change.

He pressed further, "How to cross the Huai River and the Da Jiang?"

These are great rivers, not some petty ditches.

"I have river-crossing equipment." Lin Dao replied calmly. "Let the soldiers train intensively in the river for several days; mastery will follow."

"Then~" Wang Meng pursued, "If we encounter the navy, how to respond?"

"Avoid them as much as possible."

Lin Dao said in a deep voice, "If avoidance is impossible, I have modified iron ships!"

He would have to add another training item: learning to pilot and sail ships.

Second-hand fishing boats welded with ramming prows.

Upon meeting Eastern Jin's navy, just ram them directly.

Soldiers aboard can hurl incendiary rounds.

If that fails, send drones ahead for an air strike and burn them all down!

"Jiankang's city walls are solid." Wang Meng's breathing grew increasingly rapid. "How to breach the city?"

"How did we breach Longcheng before?" Lin Dao said with a smile. "Didn't you read the battle report?"

Wang Meng suddenly recalled.

The battle report said the Lang Lord controlled a steel behemoth, piercing Longcheng's city wall with a single horn.

His complexion gradually flushed.

Put that way, there really is a chance of success?

If this battle succeeds, it will surely leave a name in history!

Wang Meng drew a deep breath and asked the final question.

"Jiankang is the site of the Jiangzuo capital."

"Jin armies from all quarters will surely come to the rescue with full force."

"How to respond?"

"Jinglue." Lin Dao signaled him to sit and speak. "Have you ever considered..."

"... that my marching speed might be faster than the couriers carrying dispatches?"

"Ah?" Wang Meng was astonished. How could that be possible!

"Secret troop deployment, no one will know." Lin Dao reached out and traced on the map, "March rapidly through sparsely populated areas, straight to the opposite shore of Jiankang."

This era is not the world a thousand years later, where people are everywhere.

Under natural and man-made disasters, the population sharply declined; everywhere are desolate uninhabited lands.

As long as the route is planned well, with drones scouting all the way, finding secluded routes is no difficult matter.

As for carrying heavy equipment and such, Lin Dao directly confiscated the heavy armor and such, only carrying personal weapons; each person a hammer for self-defense.

Before arriving at the battlefield, then deliver the armor, weapons, military supplies and such to this world.

Yonghe Spacetime has no telephones, mobile phones, or radios; as long as one runs fast enough, even if Jiankang City is captured, the Jin armies in various places still won't have received the news.

Without Lin Dao's Five Ghosts Transportation Technique, this kind of surprise attack would be impossible to succeed.

A single logistics problem alone is enough to make the plan go bankrupt.

"This matter."

Lin Dao stepped forward, pressed down on Wang Meng's shoulders, "Jinglue should prepare and arrange as soon as possible."

"I can't wait any longer; confiscate the property according to the clan register."

"Roger~~~"

Jiangzuo, Kuaiji Commandery, Dongshan.

"Elder Brother." Xie An rubbed his forehead and sighed lightly, "In judging people, I am not as good as you."

"A Nu." Xie Yi, wearing open-crotch pants, sat there in an indecorous posture, "Take less Five Stone Powder; that stuff is bad for the body."

"When the body is well, the eyesight naturally becomes good too."

Xie An smiled, "The court ministers discussed and decided to grant the Qihuo Marshal the title of Prince of Wei."

"Heh~~~"

Xie Yi's face showed a look of disdain, "A bunch of corpse-position grain-eaters, thinking a mere empty reputation can trap the Qihuo Marshal?"

"If that were so, then the Qihuo Marshal would not have been able to unify the Northern Lands."

The Qihuo Army fights too well; first destroying Shi Zhao, then pacifying the Xianbei, like a tornado sweeping across the Northern Lands.

Jiangzuo, upon receiving the news, was like a giant stone thrown into a pond.

The court grandees' first reaction was to stabilize the north first.

"That is merely delaying things." Xie An nodded, "Once the Northern Lands are settled, they will have no choice but to urge him to ascend the throne."

For the aristocratic clans, whoever becomes Emperor doesn't matter.

As long as they can maintain the power of these high-ranking families, the Cao clan, Sima clan, Lin clan, whatever, are all fine.

It's been like this for so many years; it's long since become customary.

With the north stabilized, next comes mutual contact and probing.

Once terms are negotiated, the rest will naturally follow smoothly.

A hundred years ago, they pushed the Cao clan and Sima clan into power this way.

Now, it's merely changing to a new family, that's all.

"Right."

Xie An asked curiously, "Elder Brother, what clan background does the Qihuo Marshal actually come from? Why have we never heard of him before?"

"I've asked about this too."

Xie Yi looked somewhat bewildered, "He said, let me go ask the Sea Goddess Niangniang~~~"

Xie An: ". Ah?"

(End of Chapter)