[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-restoring-the-mountains-and-rivers":3,"chapter-restoring-the-mountains-and-rivers-restoring-the-mountains-and-rivers-chapter-341":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","Restoring the Mountains and Rivers",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},2364610,4623,"Chapter 341: Fate","restoring-the-mountains-and-rivers-chapter-341",341,"\u003Cp>Your Majesty, after the great defeat at Wuchang, the State of Chu is finished.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even if the Chu King barely escapes, he can only cling to life for a few more days.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After the fall of Chu, the imperial army’s next target will surely be us.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At this point, we must expand our army and prepare for war to face the coming upheaval.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Once war breaks out, consumption of all strategic supplies will surge dramatically.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The original plan to exchange grain for warhorses must now be halted entirely.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Left Chancellor Hu Ruiyang was the first to state his position.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Halting the horse trade means terminating the plan to train cavalry.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The manpower, funds, and materials already invested cannot be said to be entirely wasted—most of it has gone down the drain.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though the losses are severe, Wu has no choice now.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After the defeat at Wuchang, they have not only lost troops and officers, but also lost control of Huangzhou and De’an Prefectures.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Next, Jiujiang Prefecture will become the frontline.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The northern prefectures have long since become battlefields.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wu’s available financial and material resources will inevitably shrink drastically.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Once war begins, consumption of all strategic supplies will skyrocket.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Everything else can be cut, but grain cannot be spared.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hmm!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Chancellor speaks wisely—war must come first.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not only is the grain-for-horses plan suspended, but palace repairs are halted as well.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>From now on, all palace supply allocations shall be reduced by twenty percent; those deemed excessive shall be canceled outright.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fu Haoxuan agreed without hesitation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Having risen from the chaos of war, he understood the difference between fleeting wealth and lasting power.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At this critical moment of survival, the emperor must lead by example to inspire loyalty below.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Your Majesty is wise!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The ministers cried out in unison.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After taking Nanjing, the upper echelons of the rebel army inevitably descended into luxury and debauchery.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As emperor, Fu Haoxuan immediately assembled three palaces, six courts, and seventy-two concubines.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was not out of lust—during wartime, marriage alliances were vital for securing regional stability.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Early on, he had been too ruthless; gentry families fled at the mere mention of the rebel army.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Still, no matter how far they ran, only the direct branches left; distant relatives always remained.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On his subordinates’ advice, Fu Haoxuan forcibly took these families’ collateral daughters as concubines.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Winning hearts was one goal, but the main purpose was to sow discord between Dayu and the Jiangnan gentry.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The methods were base, but the results were undeniable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Dayu’s court was rife with factional infighting; hearing that a political rival’s kin had allied with rebels, they would never pass up such an opportunity.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Whether forced or not, they would impeach first and ask questions later.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Your Majesty, since Chu’s defeat is certain, we need no longer restrain ourselves on the southern front.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Rather than let these lands fall into the hands of the false regime, let our forces take them—it will better serve our cause against Dayu.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Minister of Rites Hu Yuzhe stepped forward to propose this.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Since Wu’s founding, its territory had not expanded, largely due to the Wu-Chu alliance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now that Chu is finished, the alliance is void—this is the perfect moment to expand southward.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seizing Chu’s territories in Jiangxi and Zhejiang will greatly increase Wu’s strategic space.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With these lands integrated, Wu’s financial and material strength will rival the shattered Dayu’s head-on.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Minister Hu, is this wise?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After all, they are allies. Attacking Chu will make us the laughingstock of the realm.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fu Haoxuan spoke hesitantly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When he was a bandit, such actions didn’t matter.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now that he is emperor, he must care about appearances.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Your Majesty, we naturally cannot strike our ally.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Chu’s defeat was caused primarily by traitors within betraying them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To save Chu, we must first eliminate these traitors.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I propose sending eloquent envoys to Chu to persuade its generals to form a deeper anti-Dayu alliance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Should any refuse, they are surely Dayu's moles within Chu—and must be crushed with thunderous force!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hu Yuzhe spoke with righteous indignation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No matter how noble the words, the essence remained betrayal of an ally.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The emperor could not bear this blame—it must fall on his ministers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After large-scale defections among Chu’s court officials, Wu was also affected.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fu Haoxuan gave no public sign, but secretly raised his vigilance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Officials with past ties to Dayu became prime targets for surveillance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As a defector, Hu Yuzhe, despite his merit in surrendering the city, could not escape suspicion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Minister Hu speaks wisely—entrust this matter to the Ministry of Rites and the Ministry of War to coordinate.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fu Haoxuan immediately made his decision.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had long coveted Chu’s territory.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But the alliance had constrained him—until now.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With Chu collapsing and his ministers providing a ready justification for war, there was no need to hesitate.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wuchang City.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Uncle, it seems we must halt our advance.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Looking at the compiled battle reports, Li Mu said helplessly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Earlier, to break the enemy, our inside agents burned the rebel grain depots.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The effect was clear: it shattered rebel morale and secured victory.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Precisely because enemy morale collapsed, imperial forces captured vast numbers of prisoners.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Incomplete estimates place the number of prisoners taken in the Wuchang Campaign at over 350,000.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This number continues to rise.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Adding the earlier 100,000 prisoners, we have captured over half a million in the reconquest of Huguang alone.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Prisoners must be fed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The rebel army was already short on grain; battlefield captures yielded little.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Suddenly adding so many mouths has placed a heavy burden on imperial logistics.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If we press on, we will collapse not from enemy attacks, but from our own supply lines breaking.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Ah!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What a wasted opportunity!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Yuan sighed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He, as Viceroy of Huguang, knew full well the scale of the logistical strain.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though Huguang has been reclaimed, it has just endured war—there is no way to collect much grain in the short term.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The army’s needs rely entirely on supplies from Guangdong, Guangxi, and Fujian.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet these three provinces themselves have very limited grain production.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That we have held out this long is already a miracle.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Not a wasted opportunity—we’ve halted, but the other punitive armies have not.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before Fu Ni moves, we can seize considerable territory.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Having reclaimed so much land, it is time to pause and regroup.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If you wish, we can retain some of these prisoners in Huguang for land reclamation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The rest, I plan to exile to the frontier under Dayu law, to strengthen southern defenses.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Mu calmly slipped in his own agenda.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In terms of cost-effectiveness, farming directly in Huguang yields far greater returns.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Huguang lies deep within Dayu’s heartland, the empire’s granary, under the watchful eyes of court and countryside alike.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To seize unclaimed land as military farmland, as we did in Guangdong and Guangxi, is impossible.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even if we forced it through, we would face fierce backlash.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With no time for internal scheming, Li Mu simply sent them away.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After a period of labor reform, the unstable elements are weeded out; the rest become excellent laborers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Dayu lost Annan largely because there were too few Han settlers there.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the early years of the dynasty, population was too low for large-scale migration.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Never forget the past; it is the teacher of the future. Li Mu would naturally learn from the same mistakes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Zhongnanbandao was underdeveloped; ordinary immigrants had no desire to go there.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Exiling rebels required no consent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Are you truly determined to become Grand Coordinator of Annan?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Yuan asked, frowning.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Among Đại Việt’s many vassal states, Annan was undoubtedly the most unusual.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Its ability to break away from the Jiaozhi Provincial Administration stemmed not only from court factional struggles but also from its own formidable strength.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With over three hundred thousand troops, it was an absolute giant in Southeast Asia.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If progress went smoothly, fine; but if it accidentally sank into a quagmire, it would become a black mark on his military career.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Uncle, I wish to leave my name in history!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Mu replied solemnly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This reason was utterly unassailable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though they fought fiercely within the empire, it was still suppression of rebellion—historical judgment would never be high.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To have one’s name recorded, to earn even a single page of documentation, was already a favor from those civil officials.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The records of the Great Victory at Jinan likely contained more detail than those of suppressing rebels.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It wasn’t about revenge; internal unrest was a black history, to be recorded with the subtle brush of the Spring and Autumn Annals.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If Annan were destroyed and the Jiaozhi Provincial Administration restored, it would be different.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Losing Jiaozhi Provincial Administration had long been regarded as a disgrace by all of Đại Việt.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>During the late emperor’s reign, plans were made to launch an expedition to reclaim Annan, but financial constraints prevented action.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A war of national annihilation with the character of avenging humiliation was most highly esteemed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I knew it—you young people could never settle down.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Going south to stir things up now is better than lingering in court, annoying others.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But you must carefully assess the risks involved.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If you lack confidence, just fight a few symbolic battles to ensure Guangxi doesn’t fall.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Annan’s climate is harsh, and it’s a remote, poor land; whether you recover it or not isn’t important.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Yuan spoke with solemn gravity.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sometimes, when junior descendants are too capable, it becomes a burden.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A military commander like Li Mu, who achieved great feats at such a young age, was most feared.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Drawing from historical precedent, returning to the capital to join court struggles meant either dying mid-fight in internal strife or overthrowing the throne.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It wasn’t a question of ambition; the situation forced them upward.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Once the emperor developed murderous intent, and one refused to sit idle, the only choice was to strike back.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In a clan-based society, one’s loss was the clan’s loss; one’s glory was the clan’s glory.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If Li Mu became entangled, the entire Li clan would be dragged in involuntarily.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No matter the outcome, it was not what Li Yuan wished to see.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Uncle, you’re mistaken.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Annan is not poor—it is extremely wealthy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>According to gathered intelligence, Annan contains several fertile plains, but the Annanese have failed to develop them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In my view, present-day Annan is like Jiangnan a thousand years ago.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Once developed, it could support tens of millions.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Annanese have already laid the groundwork; subsequent development will be far easier.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Mu smiled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To gain clan support, certain information had to be revealed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Rebuilding another Jiangnan carried immense profits.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Once the truth was confirmed, even the most conservative scholar-officials would instantly become fervent advocates of war.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Are you certain?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Yuan exclaimed in shock.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If it were truly another Jiangnan, it could not be abandoned.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Guanzhong suffered constant natural disasters and human calamities; it could become a battlefield at any moment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Staying put and developing meant eventually being drawn into war.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For the sake of family continuity, migration of clan members was inevitable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But good land was already occupied; as powerful outsiders, wherever they went, they would face resistance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Originally, we planned to disperse clan members into Guangdong and Guangxi, relying on official protection to establish roots—no great difficulty.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now, with a better option suddenly available, there’s no need to fight local powers for land.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Eating alone isn’t realistic, but seizing the initiative remains essential.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Uncle, without absolute certainty, I wouldn’t dare speak rashly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Developing Annan requires time; without decades of effort, results won’t appear.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To reach Jiangnan’s level, it may take centuries.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Mu replied conservatively.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To gain trust, what one says must lie within the listener’s understanding.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“If Jiaozhi truly is this wealthy, you may exploit the information gap to seek hereditary rule over the Jiaozhi Provincial Administration.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The civil officials are eager to weaken our noble clans.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Find an opportunity to subtly push behind the scenes—they’ll propose it themselves.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Recovering the Jiaozhi Provincial Administration demands massive manpower, resources, and funding.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The support your family can provide is but a drop in the ocean.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I’ll try to remain two more years as Viceroy of Huguang to supply you with materiel.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As for captured prisoners and their families, they will all be exiled to Lingnan for military service.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>All prisoners taken in subsequent pacification campaigns will be treated the same.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The conditions aren’t ripe yet; hold off for now. Once you’ve invaded Annan, send them there.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I’ll coordinate this with the Marquis of Cheng and the Marquis of Wuyang.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As the price, you and I will relinquish all future pacification battle merits.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Yuan’s sudden shift startled Li Mu.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Moments ago he spoke of Annan; now he called it Jiaozhi—clearly intending to claim it entirely.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To help him realize his plan, he was even willing to exile millions.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Clearly, the allure of fertile land to traditional scholar-officials was unparalleled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hereditary rule over the Jiaozhi Provincial Administration is indeed an excellent choice.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Uncle, rest assured—I won’t disappoint you.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Annanese king has died; the new king has just ascended. By custom, he will petition the court for a royal investiture.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The new Annanese king is arrogant and will surely provoke His Majesty in the state letter.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When the court refuses their unreasonable demands, Annan will likely launch an invasion of the border within no time.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Mu immediately laid out a plan for the new Annanese king.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No matter what the state letter contained, the version sent to the capital would deliver a brutal slap to Emperor Yongning’s face.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Merely verbal provocation might anger the emperor and ministers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But at this moment, the court would never initiate a major war.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet if news arrived of Annan’s invasion, even if the court didn’t want to fight, it would be forced to order troops to march.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fundamentally, the provocation in the state letter was meant to convince the court that Annan would invade Guangxi.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>(End of Chapter)\u003C\u002Fp>",2324,"2026-06-21T08:09:04.021Z",1,"Qwen3.5 397B","fcb9afedcce1df67ceb881eb14ed860cad472a59d410a3c9ddc2f1ac8c55e2ec","restoring-the-mountains-and-rivers-chapter-342","restoring-the-mountains-and-rivers-chapter-340",391,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Frestoring-the-mountains-and-rivers-cover.jpg"]