Chapter 366: Turmoil in Jiangnan

Quarreling could not solve the problem. Everyone racked their brains, yet they could not come up with a perfect plan to raise funds.

Guangxi was a place where the soft persimmons were easy to bully, but there was no money in their pockets.

As for those who had money in their pockets, they were not easy to provoke.

After a round of extreme tug-of-war, everyone ultimately adopted the common tactic of Great Dayu bureaucrats: levying quotas level by level down to the bottom.

Gathering six hundred thousand taels was a tremendous pressure for everyone.

In other places, a clean prefect could make one hundred thousand taels of silver in three years, but that did not work here in Guangxi.

Even when Zhang Sihan, this Provincial Governor, finished his three-year term, after deducting all expenses, his remaining balance was not even one hundred thousand taels.

While it was true that he was particular about his image, it was mostly because the number of "leeks" was insufficient.

After the White Lotus Sect rebellion, the local population plummeted. The areas with the highest population density were, conversely, the local garrisons.

In many prefectures, the number of civilians under their jurisdiction was less than one hundred thousand. Their dwellings were also very scattered, widely distributed across various mountain peaks.

For villagers in some remote areas, apart from paying taxes and performing corvée labor, ordinary people would never deal with the government in their entire lives.

As the birthplace of the White Lotus Sect rebel army, the gentry in Guangxi had been purged the most thoroughly, and the few survivors kept their tails tucked between their legs.

The land was vast and sparsely populated, and labor was scarce.

Even if officials wanted to collude with local gentry to amass wealth, there was no room for them to maneuver.

However, after breaking it down, the pressure was much smaller.

It was best if they could raise the money; if they could not raise the sufficient quota, then they would have to find a way to cover it themselves first.

When subsequent tax collection came, they could slowly levy it down, so as to avoid inciting public anger by imposing a huge additional levy all at once.

The reason the officials were so obedient was that they had been disciplined once before.

When Marquis Wuyang was raising funds earlier, he had dealt with a group of those who were passive and slow to work.

The operation was very simple: whoever did not complete the task would have people sent to investigate them.

Those who had no issues were directly transferred from their posts and replaced by officials capable of completing the tasks.

If evidence of corruption was found, they were directly dismissed and their homes raided to fill the deficit.

Without a doubt, in the Great Dayu where corruption was rampant, there were few officials who could stand the test.

Not a single one of those passive and slow-working guys was spared.

Now, this set of tactics had been learned by several Viceroys and promoted throughout the southern provinces.

The problem of official corruption had not been eradicated, but the execution capability of local governments had increased significantly.

In a feudal dynasty, once the officials made up their minds to make money, there was no such thing as not being able to get it.

……

Time flew by, and in a blink, it was the end of the year. The festive atmosphere in Guangzhou City grew increasingly rich.

The imperial decree from the court was formally issued, and Li Mu began to act as the Viceroy of the Two Guangs.

In fact, it was not much different from ordinary times.

For a non-permanent position like the Viceroy of the Two Guangs, if one wanted to seize power, then one could manage everything.

If one wanted to be a "salted fish," one did not have to do anything, and the government offices at all levels would still operate normally.

Li Mu was not a person who loved power; as long as the officials below could fulfill their duties, he did not want to stir up trouble.

His main work was still focused on military affairs; he was either inspecting garrisons here or strictly enforcing training at that garrison.

Not only were the garrison troops strictly trained, but even the prisoners of war who had families were drilled together.

To what extent the war with the Annan people would go, Li Mu was also unable to determine.

Making more preparations was certainly not wrong.

"My Lord, a victory report has been sent from the front line.

Following the imperial army's recovery of Huai'an Prefecture, the Liaodong Town captured Xuzhou Prefecture and completed a rendezvous with the multi-provincial allied forces in Fengyang.

Throughout the north of the Yangtze River, only Anqing Prefecture and Luzhou Prefecture remain in the hands of the rebel army.

In the south, the imperial army along the Zhejiang line has launched a fierce attack on the rebel army in Huizhou Prefecture and Ningguo Prefecture, occupying most of the territory of the two prefectures.

The rebel army's garrison in Jiujiang and Nanchang, after becoming isolated forces, has also shown signs of fatigue.

According to the current situation, they should not be able to hold on for long.

Perhaps sensing the danger, the traitor Fu has gathered heavy troops in Nanjing, preparing for a decisive battle with the imperial army.

It is just that Marquis Wuyang and the Duke of Cheng did not pay him any mind, still following the previous plan to gradually erode the rebel army's controlled areas.

If there are no accidents, the rebel army will launch a major counterattack in the near future to reverse the passive situation."

Student Lan Linjie introduced calmly.

Having followed Li Mu for several years, his military standard had also improved significantly.

He was able to conduct a relatively objective analysis of the battlefield situation.

"Hmm!"

"The rebel army's combat effectiveness has dropped quite a bit compared to before; it looks like that burst of spirit has leaked out.

As long as the imperial army can fight steadily and surely, winning this war is just a matter of time.

The traitor Fu still has some ability, but it is a pity that his reaction time was too late.

If he had burned his bridges and concentrated his forces for a decisive battle with the imperial army at the beginning of the war, he might have had a glimmer of survival.

Dragging it out to this point, their chances of winning are already minimal."

Li Mu shook his head and said.

Like most peasant uprisings, Pingnan Fu Haoxuan made the same mistake in strategy.

Before toppling the imperial court, the insurgent army could not stop its pace.

Once they slowed down and let the imperial court react, it would be a devastating disaster.

Managing a base area also had to wait until after the world was in chaos.

Opposing the world from a corner of the land, unless one had super-strong organizational ability, failure was just a matter of time.

From the moment he declared himself emperor in Nanjing, Pingnan Fu Haoxuan embarked on the wrong path.

If, after capturing Nanjing, he had led all his elite forces to march north to the Central Plains and formed a response with the Northern Barbarian army.

Even if he could not annihilate the Great Dayu, he could have dealt the imperial court a heavy blow.

Losing Nanjing and then losing the Central Plains, the Great Dayu Dynasty's orthodox status would no longer exist.

The hearts of the people in the world would change, and the timing for a change of dynasty would have arrived.

Once reaching that step, turning back to manage the Southern Zhili and seizing the world would have had at least a twenty percent chance.

In troubled times, this was already a very high number, enough for a group of noble families to scramble to place their bets, and talent would no longer be a factor restricting development.

It is a pity that Pingnan Fu Haoxuan could not resist the temptation, declared himself emperor in Nanjing too early, and missed the best timing for the Northern Expedition.

Of course, there must be many reasons behind the strategic decision-making error.

Noble families placing bets on both sides did not mean that the previous blood feuds were wiped out.

It is quite possible that some of them joined his ranks just to take revenge, deliberately leading him into a ditch.

Such things are not without precedent in history.

"My Lord, besides this victory report, the Duke of Cheng and Marquis Wuyang also sent people to ask for your opinion on the upcoming major battle.

How do you intend to reply to them?"

Student Lan Linjie asked with concern.

Involving a decisive battle of hundreds of thousands of troops, neither side could afford to lose.

Before the major decisive battle begins, there will be no shortage of fierce struggles.

"Tell them, one word—drag!

At this moment, the rebel army's strategic space is already very narrow.

With so many troops gathered together, the daily consumption of supplies is an astonishing number.

Continue to compress the enemy's strategic space, increase the enemy's psychological pressure, and force Pingnan Fu Haoxuan to come out and fight a decisive battle voluntarily.

The greater the pressure applied, the higher the probability of the enemy making mistakes.

Forget it!

I will write this letter myself, and you are responsible for polishing it."

Li Mu said slowly.

After all, being thousands of miles away, how much weight his words held was also an unknown.

With so many generals below, although most were brought up by Li Mu himself, it did not mean that everyone did not have their own ideas.

They were all young people, and wanting to show off a bit was understandable.

The smooth progress earlier had made these troops arrogant, and many did not take the rebel army seriously at all.

Compared to fighting steadily and gradually eroding the rebel army, the credit for directly launching a decisive battle would obviously be greater.

For the sake of military merit, it was not impossible for them to do some outrageous things.

Marquis Wuyang's military standard was limited, and the Duke of Cheng's level was slightly higher, but that was only a medium-to-high level.

If they were persuaded by the people below and wanted to do something big, the imperial army might suffer heavy casualties.

The newly formed troops were one thing, but Li Mu could not bear to lose the veterans of the Two Guangs' Liuzhen.

……

Liaodong, Tatar Wang Ting.

"Great Chanyu, news has just come from the south that the White Lotus Sect rebel army is about to be unable to hold on."

E'erde stepped forward to report.

Although Pingnan Fu Haoxuan declared himself emperor and established the Wu State, in the eyes of the world, the label on them was still the White Lotus Sect rebel army.

To obtain orthodox status, unless they toppled the Great Dayu Dynasty, the bureaucrats and gentry would smear them to death.

The White Lotus Sect rebel army was not welcomed within the Great Dayu, but for the Tatar clan, they were the best allies.

If it were not for these rebel armies pinning down the energy of the Great Dayu Dynasty, the Tatars would not have dared to confidently and boldly send troops on a long expedition.

It did not need to be many; as long as one or two ten thousand Dayu cavalry appeared on the grassland, they would only be able to return to defend their lair.

"The White Lotus Sect rebel army, are they that useless?

This Chanyu still remembers that they traded ten thousand warhorses with us, and they breached the contract after sending only one thousand!"

Hugjile said indignantly.

It had always been him breaching others' contracts; when it came to the White Lotus Sect rebel army, he actually became the object of a breached contract.

One must know that agreeing to the warhorse trade was a decision he made while under internal pressure.

In the eyes of a group of Tatar dignitaries, all Dayu people were enemies, and trading warhorses to them was aiding the enemy.

He pushed for this trade on one hand to exchange for grain, and on the other hand to support an ally.

Compared to the Great Dayu, the strength of the White Lotus Sect rebel army was obviously a bit weaker.

Hugjile wanted to help the rebel army build cavalry through trade, thereby balancing the strength of both sides.

He never expected that the White Lotus Sect rebel army, which looked full of sincerity, would choose to breach the contract not long after the trade.

What made him even more speechless was that the rebel army, after breaching the contract, still could not withstand the Dayu army's encirclement and suppression.

"Great Chanyu, the White Lotus Sect rebel army's controlled area has been greatly compressed.

Compared to their peak period, their remaining territory is less than one-fifth, and their military strength has also plummeted significantly.

Compared to this is the Dayu army, which has been constantly expanding its troops during the encirclement and suppression process.

It is said that the Dayu army alone in the southern provinces has more than twenty towns of recruited troops, as well as a huge number of garrison troops.

These recruited troops were mostly split from the Two Guangs' Liuzhen.

After a series of battles, they should have initially formed combat effectiveness, so it is understandable that the rebel army is not their opponent.

Not to mention that the Liaodong Town also split off a part to participate in this major battle."

E'erde helped explain.

In the eyes of the Tatar high command, the two most combat-effective troops of the Great Dayu were the Liaodong Town and the Two Guangs' Liuzhen.

With both troops appearing on the battlefield together, even the Tatar elites would have to be careful.

"E'erde, there is no need to worry too much.

The Two Guangs' Liuzhen' combat effectiveness is not weak, but that does not mean that after splitting up, they also have such strong combat effectiveness.

With the Dayu Dynasty's logistics supply capability, they simply cannot afford to raise so many elites.

Don't forget that their military expenditure investment is mostly in the northern frontier, and the share obtained by these troops in the south is very small.

You still don't understand the style of those Dayu officials?

Local government offices raise their own grain and funds, only to put them into their own pockets; they simply cannot bear to spend them on the soldiers."

Sarina laughed out loud.

Towards the Dayu Dynasty, their feelings were very complex.

Envy, fear, contempt—all kinds of emotions were present.

"Inner Minister, regardless of how much combat effectiveness the enemy troops have, our allies are about to be finished.

Jiangnan and Huguang have always been the Great Dayu's key areas for money and grain; with the rebel army wreaking havoc there, the Dayu Dynasty people have no ability to cause us trouble.

Once they suppress the rebellion, the Dayu Dynasty's terrible finances will gradually improve.

By then, they will have more money and grain to invest in military affairs.

The Great Dayu is simply too big.

They can fail ten times, twenty times, but as long as we fail once, it will be a devastating disaster."

E'erde said with worry.

Not harassing the Great Dayu border recently was not because they had changed their nature, but because they were too busy.

On one hand, they were sending troops to Goguryeo, and on the other hand, they had to deter the Guifang tribes on the grassland, so they temporarily could not spare the energy to seek trouble with the Great Dayu.

"The Great Dayu's internal problems are numerous.

Without the rebel army in Jiangnan, there are still the Guanzhong rebel army and the Shu rebel army; they cannot be wiped clean.

Not to mention that a few days ago, news was received that the Annan people are eyeing their southern frontier; it is estimated that both sides should have started fighting by now.

With so many troubles, how could they be cleaned up in a short time?

As for our allies in Jiangnan, let them pray for their own luck!

If you have the heart, let them find a way to hold on for a while longer.

By this time next year, after we finish off Goguryeo, the Khanate will send troops to the Great Dayu to relieve them."

Sarina said with a calm face.

It was not that he was unwilling to help, but mainly because at this time, the Tatar Wang Ting's military strength was empty.

Rashly starting a major war on the border would easily allow the Dayu people to see through their reality.

With the hatred between the two sides, once a flaw was revealed, the Dayu army would definitely launch a counterattack.

Don't look at the Liaodong Town often being passive and slow to work; if there really was an opportunity to deal them a heavy blow, they would not be soft-handed either.

Nurturing bandits to bolster one's own power definitely did not include such out-of-control bandits as them.

"Alright, you two are both pillars of the Wang Ting; don't quarrel over these trifles.

We have never signed a treaty of alliance with the White Lotus Sect rebel army, so there is no military obligation.

If we can help, we will help along the way.

Now that distant water cannot quench near thirst, we can only let them hold on for a bit.

Just like the last major battle, as long as they hold on until our next southward expedition, everything lost now can be taken back twofold!"

Seeing the smell of gunpowder spreading, Hugjile immediately called a stop to this quarrel.

Being able to occupy the Liaodong land and become the hegemon of the grassland, he was already satisfied.

Contending for the Central Plains was just a political slogan to attract Dayu people to defect.

With just this little population of Tatars, if placed in the Central Plains, they would be instantly submerged.

No matter how well their army could fight, the number of clansmen was only this much.

Maintaining an army of one hundred thousand was the result of exhausting the country's resources.

If they wanted to continue expanding their troops, they should develop the number of clansmen first.

The last time they went deep into the Great Dayu's hinterland, it seemed they grabbed countless spoils, but in reality, it was a bloody loss.

More than ten thousand sons remained permanently on the land of the Great Dayu.

If they came a few more times, it was unknown whether the Great Dayu would be annihilated, but the Tatar clan would be wiped out first.

It was precisely the last major battle that made the Tatar high command realize that the Great Dayu was still powerful and not something they could swallow.

After the war, they changed their strategic goal to invading Goguryeo.

……

(End of chapter) ===== CHAPTER 367 =====