Chapter 377

"Scholar, put away your little tricks.

Such a shallow provocation is useless in front of me.

If you feel the conditions are not good, you can completely choose not to participate.

After finishing this job, we can just go our separate ways; in any case, no one is forcing you to accept the amnesty!"

Zhu Zhongxuan said irritably.

Leading a group of pirates to negotiate conditions indeed offered a chance to strive for better treatment.

But for him, the leader, the consequences would be disastrous.

The imperial court needs them now, so even if the conditions were excessive, they would likely agree, but this would leave hidden dangers.

Don't look at how pirates talk about loyalty every day; acts of betrayal happen on the sea every single day.

People talk about morality only because the price for betrayal isn't high enough.

When the time comes to settle accounts later, these pirates would definitely sell him out completely.

None of the pirate leaders who attended the meeting that day wanted to be the first to stick their necks out, precisely to avoid being settled with later.

For people like them, official positions were never the most important thing; completing the amnesty was the right path.

What the Great Dayu officialdom is like, even if they hadn't experienced it personally, they had heard a thing or two.

Once they enter the imperial court system, relying on the wealth they have accumulated, they could pave a path to success just by throwing money around.

Of course, compared to officials from the orthodox path, their treatment would definitely be that of a stepchild.

Official positions could be maneuvered, but wanting to obtain real power was almost impossible.

The biggest benefit is being able to stand in the sunlight and send one's descendants into the ruling group.

"Boss Zhu, calm your anger!"

"I was just complaining on behalf of the brothers!

Everyone is a top-notch hero; we should at least be placed in a good position, not dismissed as mere cannon fodder.

Since Boss Zhu doesn't mind, then I won't say any more!"

The Life-Taking Scholar explained hurriedly.

He was very satisfied with the result of his probing.

If the imperial court had given Zhu Zhongxuan more promises, he should be trying every way to urge everyone to accept the amnesty now, rather than letting things take their course.

The seemingly harsh amnesty conditions actually proved that the Marquis of Hanshui's offer to amnesty the pirates was real.

There was no other reason; the Marquis of Hanshui, born into a noble family, certainly had his pride.

If they had defected earlier, there would have been hope of being valued.

At a time like this, there were too many people willing to work for him; pirates like them didn't deserve to be treated with courtesy.

Just look at this operation.

Besides these pirates, there were also teams of coastal merchants.

It's just that to hide their identities, the merchants put on pirate masks.

In a sense, this operation against the Annan people was also a screening process.

The major forces participating in the operation might not necessarily get benefits, but those who didn't participate would definitely have a hard time in the future.

From Liangguang to Nanzhili, everything was in the hands of the nobility faction.

In a feudal dynasty, wanting to make money in a high-profit industry like maritime trade without actively leaning toward those in power was not the act of a wise man.

Once you stand on the wrong side, it doesn't matter how strong your backing is.

Great Dayu implements a maritime ban policy; engaging in maritime trade is fine, but it cannot be brought to the table.

Violating the ban and being executed—even if you die, you die in vain.

"Enough, Scholar.

I know you have many schemes, but schemes should be used for the right path.

The amnesty matter is not urgent for now; the most important thing now is to get rich.

Annan is empty; this is a heaven-sent opportunity.

After a successful landing, everyone can act freely; how much you can loot depends on your own ability.

I only have one requirement: before the operation ends, killing each other is forbidden!"

Zhu Zhongxuan's words satisfied the small and medium pirate leaders.

Although this constraint might not necessarily be 100% effective, having it is certainly better than not having it.

Private conflicts are unavoidable, but at least on the surface, everyone has to give Zhu Zhongxuan face.

For pirates with weaker strength, this is the greatest guarantee.

……

It wasn't just the pirate coalition led by Zhu Zhongxuan that launched the looting; other pirate groups also chose their own targets.

For a time, smoke rose everywhere along the Annan coast.

As time passed, letters of distress flew to Hanoi like snowflakes.

"The pirates are attacking on a large scale; it is definitely not as simple as it appears on the surface.

Lord Lin, has your Tongzheng Office investigated the origins of these pirates?"

Looking at the distress letter in his hand, Cui Ziyan asked with a frown.

The combat effectiveness of pirates is mainly at sea.

On land, they are no match for a regular army.

Under normal circumstances, pirates landing to loot would also do one job and leave.

The situation this time is special; the pirates who came in groups are still advancing inland after looting the ports.

The long and narrow border of the Great Yue Dynasty is easily cut in half by the enemy.

"Prime Minister, according to the intelligence collected, most of these pirates are Dayu people.

The range of their activities is very wide; from the Sea of Japan to the Nanyang, one can see the figures of these people.

It is also filled with a large number of Dayu maritime merchants.

After these people took the lead in invading, the pirates active in our country's outer seas also followed suit to loot while the house was on fire.

According to the data collected, the number of pirates looting our country is likely no less than 200,000.

And this number shows signs of continuing to increase.

If we cannot take measures in time, I am afraid that the pirates active in the Indian Ocean will also be attracted here."

Lin Zeliang said tremblingly.

The previous Tongzheng Commissioner was imprisoned and questioned precisely because the intelligence collected had problems.

After he took office, although he made some changes, the ability to collect intelligence remained scarce.

The information just mentioned didn't actually need investigation; it could be analyzed just the same.

Such a large-scale pirate force could not be supported anywhere else except for Great Dayu.

"Do you mean that these pirates are a conspiracy of the Dayu people?"

Cui Ziyan asked uncertainly.

Pirates are also unwelcome in Great Dayu.

Logically speaking, these people have always stood on the opposite side of the Dayu imperial court; there is no reason for them to help the Dayu Emperor.

"Prime Minister, if it weren't for the Dayu imperial court planning it behind the scenes, who would have the ability to organize so many people to come here!

Relying solely on the pirates' spontaneous actions, they could at most loot some coastal areas and would never penetrate deep inland.

Only the Dayu government giving them promises would lead to the current situation.

The great clans of Dayu have the habit of harboring mountain bandits and outlaws; it is not impossible that they harbor a group of pirates at sea.

Ordinary pirates have a grudge against the Dayu imperial court and would not obey the Dayu Emperor's orders, but the pirates harbored by the great clans of Dayu are different."

Lin Zeliang gave what he considered a reasonable explanation.

He didn't care what the truth was, but this hurdle in front of him had to be fooled past first.

Reorganizing the intelligence system could not be completed overnight, but the people above only looked at the results.

If he couldn't complete the task, he would be the scapegoat.

"Since it is a conspiracy of the Dayu people, then the navy cannot be moved lightly.

Order all provinces to strengthen their vigilance and strictly guard against pirate attacks.

The Hanlin Academy should immediately draft an official document and send the information we know to the front lines via 600-li urgent dispatch for His Majesty's imperial review."

Cui Ziyan immediately made a decision.

Compared to pirates, in his mind, the greatest threat had always been the Dayu navy.

If the Great Yue navy went south to wipe out the pirates, it might be that the Dayu army would attack the Hanoi region from the sea.

The core region of the Great Yue Dynasty has always been the delta plain, with a status equivalent to the Jiangnan + Capital of the Great Dayu Dynasty.

Losing the core hinterland would be a minor injury, but it might even lead to a catastrophic disaster.

"Prime Minister, reporting to His Majesty now, I am afraid that distant water cannot quench near thirst.

Pirates are rampaging through the central and southern provinces; if we cannot take effective measures in time, half of the Great Yue Dynasty will be gone!"

Ruan Xinjie's words suddenly caused the officials to break their defenses.

If it got out that half of the Yue Kingdom was looted by pirates, they would all be jokes in the history books.

Especially the officials from the central and southern regions—their facial expressions were even more rich at this moment.

With their hometowns gone, they were reduced to rootless duckweed.

"Prime Minister, Minister Ruan is right.

At a time like this, we cannot sit and wait for death.

We must send reinforcements as soon as possible and let those pirates know how powerful we are!"

Seeing the officials forcing the palace, Cui Ziyan's anger soared instantly.

It wasn't that he didn't want to send troops; it was mainly that he had no troops to send.

The nominal military establishment does not equal the actual number of troops.

The current Great Yue Dynasty has a registered population of only about three million.

Even if the real population is more, it's only about five or six million.

To support the 250,000-strong army fighting at the front lines, they have already conscripted hundreds of thousands of laborers.

The able-bodied men in the country are mostly serving the war, and the troops left behind are mostly the old and weak.

The Great Yue Dynasty's military mobilization capability has reached its limit at this time.

Essentially, this Northern Expedition is gambling with the nation's fate.

Unfortunately, their luck is not very good; the Great Dayu Dynasty, which has entered a period of decline, is still not something they can touch.

"Enough!"

"You keep talking about sending troops, so where will the troops come from?"

"In any case, this official cannot conjure up troops!"

"Don't you know what kind of goods the troops left behind in various places are?

They are fine for stabilizing the local area, but if they are sent to the battlefield, they are just contributing military records to the enemy.

If you feel that the domestic situation cannot be controlled, then hurry up and submit a memorial to His Majesty, asking him to lead troops back to reinforce us."

Cui Ziyan immediately flew into a rage.

Everyone just knew how to pressure him, but the problem was that he was just the Prime Minister, not the Great Yue Emperor.

He had speaking power in the court, but no final decision-making power.

When the border conflict first broke out, everyone felt it was an opportunity and advocated for a Northern Expedition against Great Dayu.

After the war broke out, they discovered the enemy was not to be trifled with, and their political stance began to change.

It looks like they are urging him to send troops to rescue the central and southern regions, but in reality, they want to force him to lead the officials to pressure the Emperor to urge a withdrawal.

After the new Emperor ascended the throne, the first great battle ended in failure; just think about how serious the consequences would be.

Taking the lead in forcing the palace at this time would mean being hated by the Emperor for a lifetime.

Standing from Cui Ziyan's personal position, the best choice is to state the facts and let the Emperor abandon the Northern Expedition himself.

……

Below Zhennan Pass, Yue army camp.

Looking at the official document sent from the country, Hu Xinbo's face turned livid instantly.

The Great Yue Dynasty being driven to a dead end by a group of pirates is undoubtedly the greatest shame for him, the Emperor.

"Despicable Dayu people!"

After cursing, Hu Xinbo had to face the problem squarely.

The country is empty, and being taken advantage of by pirates has become a fact.

If he doesn't take measures quickly, the Great Yue Dynasty will be finished.

"My beloved ministers, the Dayu people are manipulating pirates to invade Great Yue; does anyone have a brilliant strategy to teach me?"

Hu Xinbo asked expectantly.

"Your Majesty, mere pirates are not worth worrying about; just let the navy attack and encircle them!"

Chen Jingfu responded first.

However, his positive performance did not gain Hu Xinbo's approval.

If the navy could attack, they would have already taken action; there was no need to report the matter to him, the Emperor.

"Minister Chen, I'm afraid you haven't grasped the situation.

What I mean is that pirates are invading on a large scale, and the navy is being held back by the Dayu navy, making them completely unable to suppress the bandits."

Hu Xinbo explained coldly.

For a small country, this is where the sadness lies.

They can win countless times, but one problem can lead to a catastrophic disaster.

The current Great Yue Dynasty is not only having its navy held back by the enemy, but even its main army is being dragged down by the Dayu army.

That group of civil officials in the country hasn't grasped the situation and thinks that as long as he withdraws the troops, all problems can be solved.

But reality is cruel.

The enemy's reinforcements have already arrived at the front lines, and the troops of Liangguang combined also number over 100,000.

Once the Yue army withdraws, the enemy will pounce.

If one is not careful, the retreat will turn into a great rout.

"Your Majesty, if the navy cannot attack, then transfer General Xiao back to reinforce us.

In any case, the attack on Yunnan was for the sake of a surprise attack; now that the surprise attack has failed, there is no point in continuing to waste time there."

Chen Jingfu immediately remedied the situation.

The Yue army's surprise attack on Yunnan failed not because of Xiao Yunfan's command error, but purely because it was delayed by the roads.

The terrible traffic dragged down the marching speed, and by the time they killed their way over, the enemy had long been prepared.

When it came to attacking the city, they tragically discovered that the gunpowder had been improperly stored and dampened, and all the firearms in the army were reduced to fire pokers.

Although the Yunnan garrison was not strong, facing a Yue army in the cold weapon era, they were not cowardly.

Failing to take the city wall at the first opportunity turned it into a war of attrition.

"Hmm, this is a good idea.

However, the number of pirates invading the country is too large; I'm afraid Xiao Yunfan's 40,000-plus troops are not enough."

Minister of War Chen Chuyang reminded him tactfully.

40,000 regular troops dealing with a group of pirates should not be a big problem under normal circumstances.

The situation now is special; Xiao Yunfan's troops have just suffered a defeat, and their morale is severely damaged.

Even if they return to the country, it will take some time to restore their combat effectiveness.

If this unit is rushed to the front lines, it will cause a big mess.

"Hmm!"

"If the troops are not enough, then transfer another 20,000 troops from our side to return to the country together to encircle and suppress the pirates.

Send someone to tell Xiao Yunfan that if he can't even handle a group of pirates, he should just slit his own throat!"

Hu Xinbo said murderously.

It can be seen that he was truly angered, otherwise he wouldn't have been so uncomposed.

"Your Majesty, absolutely not!"

"Although we occupy a numerical advantage, the Dayu army opposite is not to be trifled with.

If we continue to divide our troops, it is easy for the enemy to find flaws.

The war has progressed to this point; continuing to persist will do us no good.

It would be better to send a mission to the Dayu capital and temporarily make peace with the Dayu Emperor.

After finishing off the pirates, we can look for opportunities to attack Dayu again!"

Shi Yufeng immediately remonstrated.

"Looking for opportunities to attack Dayu again" was quite tactful.

The cruel reality clearly told everyone that they did not possess the strength to conquer Great Dayu.

Just some garrison troops, plus a group of unranked pirates, had them running around in exhaustion.

If one day Great Dayu got serious and mobilized the nation's elite to kill their way over, it would be even more fatal.

"Old General, you are overthinking.

The war has just begun; there is no need to talk about peace.

Even if we want to seek peace, it should be the Dayu Emperor seeking peace from us.

The situation they are facing is much more serious than ours; how could they have the courage to counterattack!"

Seeing the Emperor's face look wrong, Chen Chuyang hurriedly reprimanded him.

For this attack on Dayu, the Emperor paid too high a price.

If there wasn't a military record that could be brought out, there would be no way to end it.

For the new Emperor, such a result would be a political disaster.

Originally, within the Great Yue Dynasty, the power of the great clans was very large.

Once imperial power is damaged, even if he isn't sidelined by those below, Hu Xinbo's control over the court will decline.

With the situation developing to this point, Hu Xinbo is already riding a tiger and finding it hard to get off.

He can't win the fight, and the domestic situation doesn't allow for peace, so he can only choose to hold on.

(End of chapter)