[{"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-366":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},2364635,4623,"Chapter 366: The Shift in the Jiangnan Situation","restoring-the-mountains-and-rivers-chapter-366",366,"\u003Cp>Arguments cannot solve problems. Everyone racked their brains but came up with no perfect plan for raising funds.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Guangxi is a soft target, poor and easy to bully.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Those with money are hard to touch.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After intense wrangling, the group ultimately resorted to the common bureaucratic tactic of Guangxi officials: shifting the burden downward level by level.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gathering sixty thousand taels together was immense pressure for everyone.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Elsewhere, a clean magistrate might accumulate ten thousand taels over three years—but not in Guangxi.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even after Zhang Sihan’s three-year term as Provincial Governor ended, his net surplus after all expenses fell short of ten thousand taels.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Partly because he cared about appearances, but mostly because there simply weren’t enough peasants to squeeze.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After the White Lotus Rebellion, the local population plummeted. The highest population density was now found in the local garrison posts.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Many prefectures had fewer than one hundred thousand civilians under their rule, and these people lived in extreme dispersion, scattered across countless hills.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In remote areas, villagers rarely ever dealt with the government except to pay taxes and perform corvée labor.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As the birthplace of the White Lotus rebels, Guangxi’s gentry had been purged most thoroughly; the few survivors kept their heads down.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Vast land, sparse population, labor shortage.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Officials wanting to collude with local gentry to extract wealth had no room to maneuver.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But once split apart, the pressure became much lighter.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If money could be raised, fine; if not enough was collected, officials should cover the shortfall themselves.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Later, during tax collection, the burden could be gradually distributed, avoiding massive sudden levies that might spark public outrage.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Officials were so obedient because they had been reined in once before.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When the Marquis of Wuyang raised funds earlier, he punished a group of sluggish officials.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The method was simple: anyone who failed to meet their quota was investigated.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Those with no wrongdoing were immediately reassigned, replaced by capable officials.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If corruption was proven, they were dismissed and their property confiscated to fill the deficit.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Undoubtedly, in Great Yu’s rampant corruption, few officials could withstand scrutiny.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>None of those sluggish officials escaped punishment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This method has since been adopted by several Viceroys and spread across southern provinces.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Bureaucratic corruption was not eradicated, but the execution capacity of local governments greatly improved.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In a feudal dynasty, when officials were determined to extract money, they always found a way.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Time flew by, and before long it was year’s end; the Lunar New Year atmosphere in Guangzhou grew thicker.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The imperial edict arrived officially, and Li Mu began acting as Viceroy of Guangdong and Guangxi.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In truth, it made little difference from ordinary times.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As an ad hoc post, the Viceroy of Guangdong and Guangxi could control everything if he wished to seize power.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If he wanted to be a dead fish, he could do nothing—bureaucracies at all levels would still operate normally.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Mu was not power-hungry; as long as subordinates fulfilled their duties, he had no desire to interfere.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His main focus remained military affairs: inspecting one garrison post, then drilling another.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not only were garrison troops rigorously trained, but even prisoners of war with families were put through drills.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Mu could not determine how far the war with Annan would escalate.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Preparing more was certainly better.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“My Lord, a victory report has arrived from the front.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After government forces reclaimed Huai’an Prefecture, Liaozhen captured Xuzhou Prefecture and linked up with allied armies from multiple provinces at Fengyang.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>North of the Yangtze, only Anqing and Luzhou prefectures remain under rebel control.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Government forces along the Zhejiang front launched fierce attacks on the rebels in Huizhou and Ningguo prefectures, seizing most of their territory.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The rebel garrisons at Jiujiang and Nanchang, now isolated, showed signs of fatigue.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Given the current situation, they cannot hold out much longer.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Perhaps sensing danger, the rebel leader Fu Haoxuan concentrated heavy forces in Nanjing, preparing for a decisive battle with government troops.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But the Marquis of Wuyang and the Duke of Cheng ignored him, sticking to their original plan: slowly nibbling away at rebel-held territory.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If nothing changes, the rebels will soon launch a major counteroffensive to reverse their dire situation.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lan Linjie explained calmly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Having served under Li Mu for years, his military acumen had improved dramatically.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He could now analyze battlefield conditions with relative objectivity.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hmm.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The rebels’ combat effectiveness has dropped significantly—they’ve lost their momentum.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As long as government forces advance steadily, victory is merely a matter of time.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fu Haoxuan has some ability, but he reacted too late.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Had he, at the war’s outset, burned his boats and concentrated all forces for a decisive clash with government troops, he might still have had a chance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now, at this stage, his odds of victory are negligible.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Mu shook his head.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Like most peasant uprisings, Fu Haoxuan made the same strategic error.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before toppling the court, the rebels could not afford to pause.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Once they slowed down and allowed the court to react, annihilation followed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Consolidating a base must wait until the whole realm is in chaos.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To oppose the entire empire from a single region—unless you possess extraordinary organizational strength—failure is inevitable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>From the moment Fu Haoxuan declared himself emperor in Nanjing, he took the wrong path.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Had he, after capturing Nanjing, led all his elite forces northward to strike the Central Plains and coordinate with the northern barbarians,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>he might not have destroyed Great Yu, but he could have inflicted a crushing blow on the court.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lose Nanjing, lose the Central Plains, and Great Yu’s legitimacy vanishes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Public sentiment shifts, and the moment for dynastic change arrives.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At that point, returning to consolidate Nanzhili, his chance of seizing the throne would be at least twenty percent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In chaotic times, that is an extremely high figure—enough to make powerful clans rush to back him, and talent would no longer constrain his rise.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Unfortunately, Fu Haoxuan succumbed to temptation, declaring himself emperor in Nanjing too early and missing the optimal moment for northern expedition.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course, strategic missteps always have deeper causes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The gentry backing different sides doesn’t erase past blood feuds.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Some may have joined him merely to seek revenge, deliberately leading him astray.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Such things are not unheard of in history.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“My Lord, besides this victory report, the Duke of Cheng and the Marquis of Wuyang have sent envoys to ask your opinion on the coming major battle.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>How should we reply?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lan Linjie asked with concern.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A decisive battle involving hundreds of thousands of troops leaves no room for defeat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before the great clash, there will be fierce maneuvering.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Tell them one word—delay!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The rebels’ strategic space is now extremely narrow.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With so many troops concentrated together, daily supply consumption is astronomical.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Further compress their strategic space, increase their psychological pressure, and force Fu Haoxuan to come out and fight.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The greater the pressure, the higher the chance the enemy will make a mistake.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Forget it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I’ll write the letter myself—you’ll polish it.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Mu said slowly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After all, he was thousands of miles away; how much weight his words carried remained uncertain.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Many of the commanders below, though trained by him personally, still had their own ideas.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They’re all young men eager to prove themselves—understandable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The earlier successes have turned these troops into arrogant soldiers; many now dismiss the rebels entirely.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Compared to steady, gradual encroachment, a direct decisive battle brings far greater glory.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Some might do reckless things for the sake of military merit.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Marquis of Wuyang’s military skill is limited; the Duke of Cheng’s is slightly better—only moderately above average.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If they’re swayed by their subordinates and decide to go for a big gamble, government forces could suffer heavy losses.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The newly raised units are one thing, but Li Mu couldn’t afford to lose the veteran troops of the Six Garrisons of Guangdong and Guangxi.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Liaodong, the Tatar Khanate.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Great Khan, news has just arrived from the south: the White Lotus rebels are about to collapse.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Erde stepped forward to report.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Although Fu Haoxuan declared himself emperor and founded the Wu state, to the eyes of the world, they remained labeled as Bai Lian rebels.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To gain legitimate status, they must overthrow the Great Yu dynasty; otherwise, the bureaucracy and gentry will blacken them to death.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Bai Lian rebels are despised within Great Yu, but to the Tatar tribe, they are the best allies.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Without these rebels tying down Great Yu’s attention, the Tatars would never dare launch large-scale expeditions.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They need not send many—just ten or twenty thousand Yu cavalry appearing on the steppe would force them to retreat and defend their homeland.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Are the Bai Lian rebels really that pathetic?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I still remember—they traded us ten thousand warhorses, then broke their word after delivering just one thousand!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hulugijile said angrily.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had always been the one breaking deals with others, but with the Bai Lian rebels, he became the one betrayed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He knew agreeing to the horse trade meant facing heavy internal pressure.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Among the Tatar nobles, every Yu person was an enemy; trading horses to them was aiding the enemy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He pushed for this trade partly to acquire grain, and partly to support his ally.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Compared to Great Yu, the Bai Lian rebels were clearly weaker.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hulugijile hoped the trade would help the rebels build a cavalry force, thus balancing power between both sides.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He never imagined that the seemingly sincere Bai Lian rebels broke their word so soon after the deal.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Worse still, even after breaking their word, the rebels still couldn’t withstand Yu’s encirclement and suppression.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Great Khan, the Bai Lian rebels’ controlled territories have been drastically compressed.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Compared to their peak, their remaining land is less than one-fifth, and their troop numbers have plummeted.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In contrast, the Yu army has continuously expanded during the suppression campaign.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It’s said the Yu army alone has over twenty regional recruitment units in the southern provinces, plus vast numbers of garrison forces.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>These recruited troops mostly came from the split units of Liangguang and the Six Garrisons.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After a series of battles, they’ve likely formed basic combat effectiveness—it’s understandable the rebels can’t match them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Besides, a portion of the Liaodong Garrison also joined this major campaign.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>E’erde added helpfully.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the eyes of the Tatar high command, the two most formidable Yu forces were the Liaodong Garrison and the Liangguang Six Garrisons.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If both forces appeared on the battlefield, even the Tatar elite would have to tread carefully.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“E’erde, no need to worry too much.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Liangguang Six Garrisons may be strong, but that doesn’t mean their split-off units retain the same combat power.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Yu court’s logistical capacity simply can’t sustain so many elite troops.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Don’t forget their military funding is mostly allocated to the northern frontier; southern units receive only tiny shares.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>You know how those Yu officials behave, don’t you?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Local offices raise their own grain and pay—they only fill their own pockets, never spending a penny on their soldiers.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sarina laughed heartily.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Their perception of Great Yu was complex.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Envy, fear, contempt—all emotions coexisted.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Minister, no matter how strong the enemy troops are, our ally is about to collapse.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiangnan and Huguang have always been Great Yu’s vital grain and revenue regions; while the rebels ravage there, the Yu court lacks the strength to trouble us.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Once they crush the rebellion, Great Yu’s dire finances will gradually improve.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then they’ll have more grain and funds to pour into the military.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Great Yu is simply too vast.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They can lose ten times, twenty times—but if we lose once, we face annihilation.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>E’erde said anxiously.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Their recent lack of raids on Great Yu’s borders isn’t due to a change of heart—they’re just too busy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They’re simultaneously campaigning against Goryeo and intimidating the Gui Fang tribes on the steppe, leaving no bandwidth to trouble Great Yu.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Great Yu has countless internal problems.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Without Jiangnan rebels, there are still the Guanzhong rebels and Sichuan rebels—impossible to fully eradicate.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Besides, we recently received word that the Annan people are eyeing their southern frontier; they’ve likely already clashed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With so many troubles, how could they possibly clean them up in a short time?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As for our ally in Jiangnan, let them fend for themselves!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“If you’re inclined, help them hold out a little longer.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>By this time next year, once we’ve finished with Goryeo, our khanate will march on Great Yu to relieve them.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sarina said calmly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It wasn’t that she didn’t want to help—right now, the Tatar court’s forces were stretched thin.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Launching a major war along the border would risk exposing their weakness to the Yu.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Given the hatred between them, any opening would trigger a Yu counterattack.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Don’t be fooled by the Liaodong Garrison’s frequent laziness—if they see a chance to cripple us, they won’t hesitate.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Maintaining enemies to strengthen oneself” doesn’t include enemies that have gone out of control.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Enough. Both of you are pillars of the court—don’t quarrel over such trivial matters.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>We never signed a formal alliance with the Bai Lian rebels—there’s no military obligation.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If we can help, we’ll lend a hand.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Right now, distant aid can’t solve immediate problems—let them hold on for now.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just like last time—once they hold out until our next southern campaign, they’ll reclaim everything they lost—and more!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing the tension flare, Hulugijile immediately halted the argument.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He was already satisfied having seized Liaodong and become the steppe’s dominant power.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Conquering the Central Plains was merely a political slogan to attract Yu defectors.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With only the Tatars’ small population, they’d be instantly drowned in the vastness of the Central Plains.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No matter how fierce their army, their people number only so much.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Maintaining a hundred-thousand-strong army was already the result of reckless militarism.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To expand further, first grow your population.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The last deep incursion into Great Yu’s heartland seemed to yield endless plunder—but in truth, it was a catastrophic loss.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>More than ten thousand warriors permanently remained on Great Yu’s soil.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A few more such campaigns, and we wouldn’t know if Great Yu fell—but the Tatars would be wiped out first.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That last war made the Tatar high command realize Great Yu was still powerful—too powerful for them to swallow.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Only after the war did they shift their strategic goal to invading Goryeo.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>(End of Chapter)\u003C\u002Fp>",2388,"2026-06-21T08:09:04.021Z",1,"Qwen3.5 397B","ac4d208aff7838f8bf14bf9f2c99d3c9333694620f5fefdd39f0bf1239f86dba","restoring-the-mountains-and-rivers-chapter-367","restoring-the-mountains-and-rivers-chapter-365",391,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Frestoring-the-mountains-and-rivers-cover.jpg"]