[{"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-370":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},2364639,4623,"Chapter 370: Black Clouds Press the City","restoring-the-mountains-and-rivers-chapter-370",370,"\u003Cp>Outside Shenglong City, the Yue army’s encampment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gazing at the fluttering banners, Hu Xinbo, commanding troops for the first time, felt boundless ambition, as if the entire world lay beneath his feet.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“My loyal ministers, Guangxi lies just ahead—do any of you have a brilliant strategy to defeat the enemy?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hu Xinbo asked with great vigor.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The late emperor favored foreign campaigns, but those were all small-scale wars; mobilizing ten thousand troops was already considered a major operation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Mobilizing the entire nation’s army together was unprecedented since the founding of the Great Yue Dynasty.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before the expedition, the ministers opposed his leading the troops.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After all, entrusting a monarch with no prior military experience to command hundreds of thousands of soldiers seemed utterly implausible.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet disagreements arose among the ministers over the commander’s selection, and Hu Xinbo seized the opportunity to turn their discord to his advantage, Shunshi  seizing control.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It wasn’t that he particularly loved commanding troops—it was simply that this military campaign was too critical.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He could not trust anyone else with the nation’s army; he had to take the field himself.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Your Majesty, Guangxi is surrounded by mountains on three sides and borders the sea on the fourth.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Yu Dynasty’s navy is strong; crossing the sea to wage war carries excessive risk and offers no advantage.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The land borders are blocked by the Liu Zhao Mountains, Daqing Mountain, Gongmu Mountain, and the Ten Thousand Mountains, with extremely rugged terrain.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To attack Guangxi, the best option is to launch troops from Liangshan, storm into Siming Prefecture, and seize Zhennan Pass.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The more Chen Chuyang analyzed, the more he felt attacking Guangxi was a mistaken decision.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before the Yu Dynasty abandoned Jiaozhi, besides internal strife among civil and military officials, it was because holding Jiaozhi was a financial loss.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Military issues were secondary; the main factor was logistics.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the time, the Hong River Plain had not been developed to its current level and could not supply sufficient grain and pay for a large army; supplies had to be transported from the homeland.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sea transport could have solved this, but civil officials, eager to push the maritime ban, deliberately burned vast numbers of treasure ships.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Relying solely on land transport was problematic—Guangxi’s roads were already poor, and after entering Jiaozhi, they became even more tortuous.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Liangshan, the gateway to Hanoi, features towering mountains, deep valleys, dense forests, and crisscrossing rivers and gorges, like a labyrinth.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Combined with the tropical rainforest climate—humid, swarming with insects and mosquitoes—it was a literal hellish supply line.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If attacking from Guangxi was this difficult, then attacking from this side would face the same obstacles.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The previous Great Yue emperor had long coveted the Two Guangs but ultimately took no action, having been forced to abandon the plan after calculating the costs.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Compared to overcoming these immense difficulties to wage war against the Yu Dynasty, it was far more cost-effective to bully the indigenous tribes of the Zhongnan Peninsula.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But these reasons clearly failed to convince Hu Xinbo.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To diminish the people’s fear of the Yu Dynasty, they had spent over a century and still had not fully erased the shadows left by the Yu army.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Having just ascended the throne, he needed to consolidate imperial authority.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With the Yu Dynasty provoking conflict now, failing to respond forcefully would be a major blow to his rule.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If everyone knew there was still a suzerain state to the north, a Yu Emperor looming above him, his position as emperor would become a joke.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Once public sentiment shifted, the Yu Dynasty could use political means to overthrow him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Among the imperial clan, he was not the only heir.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If one of his brothers allied with the Yu Dynasty and received their formal investiture, he would gain the legal basis to usurp the throne.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hmm!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Minister Chen’s plan is sound, but too conservative.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Since we’ve decided to launch a campaign against the Yu, we must not limit ourselves to Guangxi alone.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>We must attack Siming Prefecture—and not neglect other regions.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Send a diversionary force to launch an offensive into Yunnan, and let the Yu Emperor experience what it means to be stretched thin.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Minister Xiao, I entrust you with fifty thousand troops to conquer Yunnan.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before the local Yu troops realize the danger, swiftly capture Guangnan Prefecture.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hu Xinbo added after a moment’s thought.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Compared to heavily fortified Guangxi, neighboring Yunnan was clearly slower to react.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This stemmed from long-standing border tensions: Guangxi and Annan had frequent skirmishes, while the Yunnan border had remained far more peaceful.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Your servant obeys!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xiao Yunfan replied with delight.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Having campaigned east and west for years, he had earned great military merit in the Great Yue Dynasty, yet still lacked a decisive victory to cement his status.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Previously, he had only bullied small indigenous states; even when victorious, people considered it routine.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This time, facing the Yu Dynasty, if he could seize Yunnan, his name would become a monument in Great Yue’s history.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Bathed in spring breeze, Li Mu once again led his troops into the field.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had ultimately not waited for the child’s birth.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With the border situation tense and Annan troops ready to strike at any moment, he had to go ahead and stabilize morale.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was a lingering consequence of the Annan threat narrative.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Mu had confidence in the garrison troops under him, but others did not.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even before the war erupted, Guangxi’s gentry and merchants were already preparing to flee.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Appeals for help from officials poured in like snowflakes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If no immediate action was taken, his side would collapse before the enemy even arrived.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“My Lord, news has arrived from Shenglong City.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Five days ago, King Hu Xinbo of Annan swore in his troops at Shenglong and launched his campaign.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Judging from the banners, the enemy’s total strength is roughly 250,000, though they publicly claim two million.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Upon hearing the final number, Li Mu couldn’t help laughing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had seen bluster before, but never this much.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Only peasant uprisings in feudal dynasties could muster two million troops—by counting every man, woman, and child.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The actual combat-capable forces were less than one-tenth of that.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hah…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Since the Annan people are so generous, we must reciprocate.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Issue orders: tell the world that I, your Lord, lead fifty thousand troops to confront the Annan army in decisive battle.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Mu declared with grandeur.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had originally wanted to boast and scare the Annan, but now saw it was pointless.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They claimed two million troops; to outdo them, he’d have to claim three million.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If he did that, future historians would record it as a joke.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had no desire to become the “Great Boaster” of posterity, so he changed strategy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If he couldn’t exaggerate upward, he’d simply understate.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After all, he wasn’t lying: excluding Guangxi’s local forces, the troops he brought were indeed only fifty thousand.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If the Annan believed him, they’d suffer dearly on the battlefield.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Guilin Prefecture.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Where is the Han River Marquis’s army?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhang Sihan asked anxiously.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Since learning of the Annan army’s “two million,” he had not slept well.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even knowing the enemy was bluffing, everyone’s nerves remained frayed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even if that number were halved twice, it would still be fifty thousand troops—Guangxi remained at a decisive numerical disadvantage.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If the enemy broke through the lines and invaded Guangxi’s heartland, his position as Provincial Governor would be ruined.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not even mentioning punishment or imprisonment, all his past achievements would be lost.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Having worked hard for so long, he was no longer young; he had little time left to waste.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If he failed to rise this time, his dream of entering the Grand Council would truly become a fantasy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Although Great Ming history had seen officials promoted directly from Provincial Governor to the Grand Council, those were the high-ranking governors of Nanzhili.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As a Provincial Governor of Guangxi—one of the lowest-ranked among governors—he was still several tiers away from qualifying for the public recommendation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Your Excellency, rest assured—the Marquis’s army has entered Wuzhou and will soon reach the front.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Annan forces are still en route; by distance, they’re only about a hundred or so li away.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Guangdong garrison troops have been reorganized by the Marquis; their overall quality rivals regular recruited troops, and their marching speed should far exceed the Annan’s.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The two armies should arrive nearly simultaneously, without affecting the battle.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Lingchuan replied with a smile.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As the Military Preparedness Commissioner, he frequently interacted with the military and understood Guangxi’s garrison troops well.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Due to relatively sufficient funding, these garrison troops trained as rigorously as recruited soldiers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>During the suppression of the rebellion, they had followed Li Mu all the way—from Guangxi to Guangdong, then from Guangdong to Guizhou.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Later, due to reorganization, they were reclassified into the garrison system.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet in the court’s eyes, most of that once-formidable force were listed among the fallen.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Officials serving in Guangxi had subtly sensed something was amiss.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But the garrison system was a closed world; local officials had no authority to intervene and were unaware of how wildly Li Mu had falsified battle losses.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Military commanders knew the truth, but they were also beneficiaries of the system and would never go around blabbing about it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The officialdom was no different from any workplace: if all problems were solved in advance, superiors wouldn’t think subordinates were capable—they’d assume it was only natural.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Only victories achieved after countless setbacks and terrible sacrifices earned public recognition.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Military merit required the lives of soldiers as its foundation; if battle losses weren’t large enough, fabricate them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was the unique trouble of Li Mu’s unit.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Other military commanders, having suffered defeats on the battlefield, were desperately concealing their losses to avoid accountability.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“As long as they arrive in time!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“But the reinforcements brought by the Marquis of Han River amount to only fifty thousand—likely insufficient.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Why not have each prefecture conscript able-bodied youths to join us in defending the city?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Provincial Surveillance Commissioner Zhou Zhenbang proposed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This time, he genuinely offered advice, with no intention of causing trouble.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After all, with Annan’s invasion, everyone was on the same boat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If we won the war, everyone would share the glory.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If we lost, everyone present would perish together.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“No need for such fuss.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Guangxi isn’t short of troops—it even has more soldiers than Annan. It’s just a matter of whether we dare to use them!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jia Bo spoke calmly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As a land of exile for convicts, Guangxi had received over a million war prisoners over the past few years.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>These men were scattered across various garrisons, undergoing forced labor and reeducation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Compared to ordinary civilians, these battle-hardened veterans could be deployed after minimal training.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Master Jia, don’t joke like this.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Those rebel soldiers despise the court more than anyone else—arming them might unleash chaos we can’t control.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“In my humble opinion, let the Marquis handle military matters—we shouldn’t interfere!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chai Jingcheng immediately objected.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The front-line fire was still far from Guilin; it wouldn’t affect this region anytime soon.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Unlike arming rebel soldiers exiled for military service, these men were dispersed across garrisons—over one hundred thousand war prisoners alone were in Guilin.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If trouble broke out, he had no capacity to contain it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Master Chai, you overthink it.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I have no habit of meddling recklessly!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“These prisoners were exiled here specifically for military service and border defense—my suggestion merely asks them to fulfill their duty.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Whether to adopt it ultimately rests with the Marquis’s decision.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“As for fears of unrest, there’s no need to worry.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“So many war prisoners have been exiled to Guangxi—have you ever heard of any disturbances?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Due to the sheer number involved, their nine clans haven’t all been exiled yet, but they will be sent eventually.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Prisoners with no reservations are extremely rare.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Just keep tight watch on those few troublemakers.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jia Bo replied calmly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No local official liked the families of rebels.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No one would hesitate to send these unstable elements away.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For local gentry, their departure freed up space.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With their families present, prisoners had something to lose.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Unless pushed to the brink, no one dared cause trouble.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After all, they were all former offenders with only one chance at exile and military service.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If they committed a grave crime, their entire family would be executed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>(End of Chapter)\u003C\u002Fp>",2059,"2026-06-21T08:09:04.021Z",1,"Qwen3.5 397B","995ad456dbd4eceadb9ca32488a78cda77e197d6d59d636bcb9a1a4776178918","restoring-the-mountains-and-rivers-chapter-371","restoring-the-mountains-and-rivers-chapter-369",391,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Frestoring-the-mountains-and-rivers-cover.jpg"]