Chapter 152

Thang Long City, Great Viet Imperial Palace.

"Your Majesty, there have been new changes on the Yu Dynasty side.

After the White Lotus Sect defeated the suppression army and occupied all of Guangxi, the Yu army launched a counterattack.

There is a detachment on the front line that landed at Lianzhou Port and inserted a nail into the rear of the White Lotus Sect."

Tongzheng Official Ding Weiqi stepped forward to report.

Unlike other vassal states, the Le Dynasty only surrendered to Great Dayu under force.

When facing Great Dayu, they called themselves the Annan Kingdom, but internally they had always considered themselves the Great Viet Empire.

Every time Great Dayu had a problem, they couldn't help but make trouble.

Essentially, they were about the same as the Northern Tatars, except they were better at dealing with Great Dayu bureaucrats.

While nibbling away at Great Dayu's territory, they also left enough face for the Yu Emperor and often gave gifts to Great Dayu officials in private.

Yet the Yu Dynasty civil officials just ate this set; as long as they were given enough face, the barbaric land of Jiaozhi was lost, so be it.

Relying on a series of means, they successfully completed the annexation of the Jiaozhi Administration Commissioner.

Once ambition is born, it will not be satisfied.

After tasting the sweetness, they once again set their sights on the Guangxi region.

Relying on a series of means of coercion and bribery, currently half of the chieftains in Guangxi have accepted the Viet Emperor's enfeoffment.

Now they just need an opportunity to send troops to swallow Guangxi in one fell swoop.

"A cult organization, after all, is difficult to become a climate, actually letting the Yu Dynasty imperial army gain a foothold in the rear.

According to this situation, the White Lotus rebel army is difficult to block the multi-pronged siege of the Yu Dynasty people.

Send an order to the chieftains who support us, let them give greater support to the rebel army, preferably helping to pull out this nail behind them.

Chancellor, arrange for someone to organize a caravan to sell weapons and ammunition to the rebel army.

Except for grain, all strategic materials can be sold to the rebel army; I want this rebellion to continue!"

Viet Emperor Hu Ruiyang immediately ordered.

Compared to external wars, the destructive power caused by civil war is obviously much more serious.

Regardless of the final result, it will significantly consume Great Dayu's national strength.

It seems that the White Lotus Sect rebellion is inconspicuous, but the real damage caused to Great Dayu is actually worse than the Northern Tatars in Liaodong.

Judging from the current situation, after the war, the Guangxi region will not be able to recover its vitality for thirty years.

For the Yu Dynasty, the bigger trouble is that after a large number of ordinary people die, a vacuum period will appear.

If they cannot be filled by immigration in time, these lands will fall into the hands of chieftains, thereby causing the strength of these separatist forces to further grow.

Let alone the 'return of land to the state', a renewed rebellion of the feudal towns is possible.

Just by provoking behind the scenes and intensifying the contradictions between local chieftains and the Yu Dynasty, a war between the two sides can be triggered.

Once the war continues, with the style of Yu Dynasty officials who don't feel heartache for selling their grandfather's land, someone will advocate abandoning Guangxi again.

Spend a little more money to operate it, and just like acquiring the Jiaozhi Administration Commissioner back then, they can gradually nibble away at Guangxi.

"Your Majesty, compared to obtaining land from Great Dayu, it is actually easier to buy land from the White Lotus rebel army.

Now they only have one Guangxi, so naturally they won't let go no matter what.

With the expansion of their sphere of influence, the situation will change.

Those short-sighted cult members only stare at the world of earthly pleasures in Jiangnan and don't know the importance of Guangxi at all.

If our support is greater, allowing them to successfully kill into Jiangnan.

Ceding Guangxi and Guangdong to us, I think the White Lotus Sect will also accept it."

Chancellor Cui Ziyan said with a tone of contempt.

Choosing to support the White Lotus Sect behind the scenes does not mean that the White Lotus Sect is welcomed by the rulers here.

Influenced by the annexation of the Jiaozhi Administration Commissioner, a series of White Lotus Sect rebellion ideas also spread in the Great Viet Kingdom.

Multiple organizations similar to the White Lotus Sect were born in the territory, but the organizational structure was more chaotic, and the combat power was not as strong as the White Lotus Sect.

The success of the Guangxi White Lotus Sect rebellion also stimulated the ambition of these rebel organizations to a certain extent.

As Chancellor, Cui Ziyan could receive news of cult chaos every few days.

Especially the White Lotus Sect's Equal-Field Edict, which was regarded as a flood and beast.

If it weren't for expanding northward, he would have wanted to drag all the White Lotus Sect members who caused the chaos out and tear them apart with five horses.

"Chancellor, our influence on the White Lotus Sect mainly stems from material transactions.

Wanting to incite them to take the initiative to abandon Guangxi, break away from the heavy siege of Great Dayu, and kill directly into Jiangnan, I'm afraid it's not easy!"

The Viet Emperor hesitated and said.

If the White Lotus Sect really did this, I don't know if the uprising could succeed, but causing chaos in Great Dayu would definitely be achieved.

The key to the problem is that the high-level members of the White Lotus Sect are not puppets; they are also weighing the pros and cons and will not easily abandon their lair.

Compared to the Guangxi region, the people in the Jiangnan region are living better, and their willingness to rebel is not strong.

If they shout, people will turn around and run to report to the government, which would be embarrassing.

The local sect members did not respond in time, and relying on themselves to kill all the way to Jiangnan, unless the imperial army coming to suppress them did not bring their brains.

"Your Majesty, the White Lotus Sect people naturally won't listen now.

Once they fall into a predicament, this will be a new choice.

We are just telling the White Lotus Sect people in advance that they have another choice to go all out to take Jiangnan."

Cui Ziyan said calmly.

Before the strategic plan is completed, no one can guarantee that it will definitely succeed.

Especially this kind of plan that calculates two major forces at the same time, it depends more on luck.

Adopting this plan is not because the success rate is high, but because the cost they need to pay is low enough.

If you win the bet, it's a blood profit.

If you lose, just pretend nothing happened.

Great Dayu currently has too many troubles and won't have time to come and retaliate against them for a while.

"The Chancellor's words fit my wishes, let's do it!

The required financial, human, and material resources will all be allocated from the national treasury; I want Great Dayu to fall into chaos!"

The Viet Emperor said with satisfaction.

Lianzhou Port.

"Seventh Uncle, the fish has taken the bait.

It seems I won the bet this time.

Does the previous bet still count?"

Looking at the rebel camp opposite, Li Mu joked.

A group of idle men gathered together for a long time will always be unable to help but toss something out.

A few days ago, he and Jing Yifeng made a bet, guessing who the main force of the rebel army coming to attack them was.

Jing Yifeng guessed it was White Lotus Sect reinforcements, and Li Mu guessed it was chieftain troops.

Now looking around, it's all messy clothing, which doesn't look like the White Lotus Sect's army at all.

They have now established the White Lotus Holy Kingdom, and even official positions have been clarified, so naturally they have to unify their clothing.

Unlike the enemy army opposite now, some guys are actually wearing the standard armor of Great Dayu officers.

Besides painting the color white, they are too lazy to change the accessories.

"The bet naturally counts.

After this battle is over and we go back, I will definitely invite you to have fun on the Qinhuaihe as promised.

Even if your wife asks, I will take full responsibility; that should be enough, right!

If you feel it's not enough, I'll send you two famous Qinhuai courtesans to make you comfortable enough."

Jing Yifeng scolded angrily.

Willing to bet and willing to lose, he still had that bit of credibility.

However, the words that followed were purely a joke.

Going to the Qinhuaihe to drink flower wine together belongs to normal social interaction and is not a big deal.

Sending people to the mansion of one's own cousin's son-in-law is different.

If they are not favored, it's fine; if they really fascinate Li Mu and the niece is wronged, the cousin will definitely not spare him when he turns back.

"Seventh Uncle, if you dare to send people over, I will respect you as a man.

But forget about the return gift; I am a junior who knows the measure and dare not stuff people into the elder's room.

Otherwise, you should work hard on the battlefield and let the Emperor reward you with a few beauties; I guarantee no one will have anything to say!"

Li Mu joked in turn.

Both of their marriages were products of political marriage.

Having enjoyed the benefits, they naturally need to pay a certain price.

Wanting three wives and four concubines is fine, but not now.

During the struggle period of the career, one must show a spirit of striving upward.

Only by performing well enough can one obtain the continuous investment of resources from the clan.

After achieving success and fame, even if they don't degenerate themselves, everyone will advise them to start the enjoyment mode.

This is the fate of Great Dayu military officers.

The greater the achievements obtained in their youth, the more they must indulge in sound, color, dogs, and horses in the second half of their lives.

The dividing line between struggle and enjoyment is the Emperor rewarding gold, silver, jewelry, beauties, and fine wine at the same time.

Military officers with understanding, after accepting these things, will take the initiative to find an opportunity to give up military power and go home to enjoy themselves.

Usually, when it reaches this step, the Emperor will accept the military power and give a prominent empty position to hang on.

Eating, drinking, and having fun in normal times, and during wartime, the Emperor will occasionally consult on military affairs.

After grinding away their fighting spirit for a few years, if they are lucky, they may be reused again.

If they are unlucky, they will continue to be drunk and dream of death.

If the understanding is not enough and they fail to realize the Emperor's kindness in time, it will be difficult to end well.

"Hehe..."

"Just talking about your Seventh Uncle, you should think about yourself!

Don't forget that in this battle, you are the commander, and I am just here to mix food.

If you really make a great contribution, it will be your first merit."

The two kept joking and teasing, and the originally tense pre-war atmosphere was diluted a lot.

The originally tense soldiers, seeing their commander imagining the post-war period, couldn't help but fantasize about the future.

They didn't hope for the Emperor to reward beauties.

Being able to get a few taels of reward silver would not be a wasted trip.

If they were lucky enough to easily obtain one of the four great merits of beheading generals, seizing flags, or being the first to enter the formation, they would be soaring.

For ordinary soldiers, as long as they can be officials, that is to honor their ancestors.

The sound of the horn in the enemy camp broke this beautiful moment and pulled everyone back to reality.

I saw teams of enemy soldiers stepping out of the camp, setting up battle formations and approaching the camp.

Leading the way was a group of war elephants, and every step of their huge tonnage made the earth tremble.

Everyone knew that the war had begun!

"Pass down the order to let the artillery be divided into five batches and use explosive shells to aim at the enemy's war elephants!"

Li Mu immediately ordered.

Elephant troops had always played an important role on the battlefield of the Southwest chieftains.

Once, they were the strongest cavalry unit in the Southwest region.

However, this strong army of the cold weapon era lost its original status when entering the era of hot weapons.

No matter how strong the elephant is, it cannot withstand the blow of artillery.

The huge size is a living target on the battlefield.

Under normal circumstances, an explosive shell cannot kill an elephant, but it hurts when hit!

In the blink of an eye, the war elephants hit by the shells became irritable.

The soldiers who should have commanded the war elephants to advance had already been thrown to the ground at this moment.

The war elephants that lost command, some chose to accelerate and run wildly, some walked in curves, and some war elephants performed an on-the-spot turn directly.

The originally neat elephant army formation suddenly became chaotic.

(End of chapter)