[{"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-391":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","Restoring the Mountains and Rivers",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":12,"novelImage":21},{"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},2364660,4623,"Chapter 391: Nurturing the Bandits to Bolster One's Own Weight","restoring-the-mountains-and-rivers-chapter-391",391,"\u003Cp>At dusk, in the main camp of the Yue Army.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"With a powerful enemy before us and pursuing forces behind, do any of you, my beloved ministers, have a strategy to defeat the foe?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hu Xinbo asked, his face etched with exhaustion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The day's battle had dealt a massive blow to the Yue Army.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When the two armies clashed head-on across the vast plains, they were beaten so thoroughly that they could not even fight back.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No matter how stubbornly one might argue, one had to admit that a clear gap in strength existed between the two sides.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Your Majesty, let us advance west!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Hanoi has fallen into enemy hands; we lack the power to retake it in the short term.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Continuing to press forward has now lost all meaning.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At this moment, the enemy is advancing from both north and south, forming a pincer movement against our forces; staying put is tantamount to waiting for death.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To the east lies the sea; right now, the army's only path to survival lies to the west.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Let us first break out of the enemy's encirclement, and only then can we plan for what comes next!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chen Chuyang spoke up to offer this advice.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As for a strategy to defeat the enemy, he truly had none.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had known the domestic situation was dire, yet in his wildest dreams, he never imagined the Hanoi region would collapse so quickly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Having lost their foundational territory, the Great Yue regime was now like duckweed without roots.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To make matters worse, Great Yu had abandoned its previous benevolent stance, cutting off even the path to seeking peace.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Under such circumstances, the only way to preserve their lives was to break out toward the west.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Minister Chen, advancing west may not be easy either!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Since the enemy has already reached here, it will likely not be long before they march into Thai Nguyen, Tuyen Quang, and other places.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If the enemy commanders are clever, they will move north along the Red River basin, splitting Western Yue in two.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Worse still, the Yu forces in Yunnan might also launch an attack, targeting Lao Cai and other regions.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chen Jingfu analyzed the situation immediately.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Although he had suffered defeat in the war against Yu, in terms of military acumen, he still surpassed most of those present.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To hold the position of Left General, flattery was secondary; reliance on one's own ability was paramount.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He laid out the entirety of Great Yue's current predicament squarely on the table.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In normal times, anyone who did such a thing would surely suffer a brutal beating in the officialdom.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But now the situation was special; with life and death hanging in the balance, continuing to play games would mean everyone's doom.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Theoretically, serving a new master would still allow them to hold office, but that was merely theory.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With so many in the Yu Dynasty eager for official posts, where would there be room for them?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"The Left General speaks rightly; advancing west is equally unsafe and can only address the immediate crisis.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What we need most right now is precisely time.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No matter how powerful the Yu Army is, it cannot conceal the fact that they face internal troubles and external threats.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If we drag this out until the Emperor of Yu orders a withdrawal, we will have won victory.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What our ancestors achieved back then, we can achieve now as well.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If Thai Nguyen cannot be held, we retreat to Tuyen Quang and An Phu.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If the area north of the Red River cannot be defended, we shift southward.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>We can simply establish our temporary capital in Zunbian Prefecture, avoiding the enemy's spearhead.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Should we still be unable to hold on, we will cross the border and continue west into Burma.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If the Yu Army dares to pursue, we dare to run!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chen Chuyang declared with bold spirit.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Running away when unable to win was a tradition left by their ancestors; picking it up again carried no pressure whatsoever.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Facing Great Yu, failure was normal; victory would be a miracle.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Good!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"We shall follow Minister Chen's words and shift westward!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hu Xinbo made the decision decisively.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fleeing could not solve the problem, but fleeing could save their lives.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had not lived long enough yet and had no desire to martyr himself for the nation just yet.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Your Majesty, once the main army shifts, we will be handing over the empire's most fertile lands on a silver platter.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The whole world is watching; we cannot...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before the elder could finish, Hu Xinbo waved his hand to interrupt him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Minister Pang, look at what you are saying.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It is as if not shifting west would allow us to keep Hanoi!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The enemy's momentum is currently at its peak; we cannot contend with them directly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Once their sharp edge is worn down, we will regroup our banners and reclaim our lost territories.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was not that he wished to disrespect the senior minister, but simply pointing out flaws without offering a solution was futile.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Advancing west might entail many problems, but it was the best response plan they could conceive.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With the main force fleeing, the Battle of Liangshan entered its final stages.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Yue soldiers, having lost the city, were ambushed by the Yu Army the moment they exited the gates.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the ensuing panic, Pu Yufeng could only flee with a handful of personal guards; this flight signaled the failure of the blocking action.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Leaderless, aside from a few who put up a futile resistance, most of the Yue soldiers chose to surrender.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Looking at the captives spreading across the hills and fields, Li Sanqi felt as though he had returned to three years ago.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Back when suppressing the White Lotus Sect rebels, after a great victory, capturing prisoners had also been done in vast swathes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With more prisoners of war than his own troops, leaving them unused in the POW camps would be too wasteful.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"General Ruan, you deserve the foremost merit for this complete victory.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I have already requested merit recognition for you in the victory report; now we simply await good news!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>All of you are also meritorious subjects; the Marquis never treats contributors unfairly, so everyone will be rewarded.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Looking at the Annan surrender soldiers who participated in capturing the city, Li Sanqi spoke to soothe them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Having submitted their pledge of loyalty, these men were now trustworthy allies.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Although he despised these fellows for coveting life and fearing death, political necessity still required winning them over.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"General, you are too polite.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To serve the Superior State is our honor!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ruan Yunxiang said with Jidong  excitement.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gaining the recognition of Great Yu meant their blood had not been shed in vain.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For Great Yu to unify Annan in the long term, buying loyalty with gold was indispensable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As early defectors, they undoubtedly held an advantage.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Once they became the model established by Great Yu, they need not worry about glory and wealth for the rest of their lives.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"General Ruan, it is excellent that you hold such understanding.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"In this battle, we captured over thirteen thousand enemy soldiers; according to the law, such a grave crime as rebellion warrants the execution of nine generations of kin.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>However, Heaven possesses a virtue of cherishing life, and I do not wish to engage in slaughter, so I have secured an opportunity for them to atone for their crimes through meritorious service.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Upon approval from the Marquis, the plan is to select loyal and righteous individuals from the surrendered troops to form an auxiliary force comprising five battalion commands.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Since you are all meritorious subjects, the officer positions within the auxiliary force will be filled from among you.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gentlemen, are you willing to share the burdens of the court?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Once Li Sanqi finished speaking, everyone suddenly perked up.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The earlier promises of titles and rewards were all illusory pie-in-the-sky, but these official positions were tangible benefits.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Perhaps compared to their original ranks, these were still somewhat inferior.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet Great Yu was the Celestial Superior State, so the value of its official posts was inherently much higher.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"We are willing to exert our utmost effort like dogs and horses!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After a brief hesitation, everyone replied in unison.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Good!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"The personnel appointments have already been submitted upward and will be issued within a few days.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Your next task is to select from the surrendered troops those righteous men willing to serve the court and enroll them into the army.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The remaining surrendered troops will all be classified as prisoners of war, awaiting the court's disposition.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After reorganizing the units, the subsequent mission will be to hunt down the remnants of the rebel army and restore a clean Liangshan to the world.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Differential treatment was the oldest and most effective method of division.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Once the reorganization was complete, the prisoners of war would be split in two.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In subsequent bridge-building and road-laying efforts, the Annan soldiers enrolled in the army would serve as overseers, while the remaining prisoners would become coolies.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With such unequal treatment placed before their eyes, it would not be long before the two groups became mutually hostile.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In fact, according to the initial plan, all captives were to be enrolled into the auxiliary army.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Alas, they had captured far too many prisoners—more than the troops under his command as Guard Commander—creating a risk of being usurped by their captives.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>……\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the Shu region, at the Rebel Army camp.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"That rogue Li Yuan made a feint, leading his troops from Hanzhong into Guangyuan Prefecture and is now launching an offensive against the Mianzhu area.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If we do not take measures, it will not be long before they link up with Xu Wenyue's forces.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>By then, the situation in Shu will slip out of our control.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>My lords, does anyone have a strategy to defeat the enemy?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wei Hao asked, his face clouded with displeasure.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To guard against Li Yuan entering Shu, he had concentrated a massive force to establish defenses in Chongqing Prefecture.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had dispatched scout after scout, all to keep watch on the enemy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Never did he expect that while Li Yuan ostensibly marched toward Kuimen, he secretly sent troops to strike into Shu from Hanzhong.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Although the imperial troops entering Shu numbered only two divisions, a mere fraction of their own strength.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet war is not decided by numbers alone.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On the battlefield, the combat effectiveness of twenty thousand elite soldiers far exceeds that of two hundred thousand cannon fodder.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With this fresh force joining the fray, the imperial army in Shu would soon be fully restored.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Time was on the enemy's side; if they could not block the enemy outside Shu, defeat was merely a matter of time.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Your Highness, the situation has come to this; Li Yuan's entry into Shu is now a certainty.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Our only course now is to seize Chengdu Prefecture as quickly as possible, then wait for an opportunity to drive the enemy out of Shu.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fang Yuxuan suggested tactfully.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Having just defected, he was immediately entrusted with a heavy responsibility: the task of capturing Chengdu Prefecture.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The result, naturally, was no surprise; they had met with nothing but failure beneath the city walls.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>While Xu Wenyue might not be much of a commander in the field, he had certainly accumulated considerable experience in city defense.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The city was well-stocked with grain and fodder, garrisoned by tens of thousands of troops.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Previously, concentrating hundreds of thousands of soldiers to besiege it had failed to take the city; with merely the tens of thousands of newly formed troops in their hands now, there was even less chance of success.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not only had they failed to capture Chengdu Prefecture, but their army had even suffered attacks from the Tusi chieftains of Chuanxi.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If they had not harbored ulterior motives from the start and held back from a full-scale assault, they would have truly been ruined.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Hmm!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>General Fang speaks reason; indeed, this is our only option now.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The troops withdrawn from Chuandong for rest and reorganization shall henceforth be under your command; you must capture Chengdu Prefecture with all haste.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wei Hao stated expressionlessly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though he seemingly agreed with the suggestion, his heart was actually filled with suspicion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was not that he lacked magnanimity, but rather that these generals from the State of Wu had always stuck together in a clique.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Several attempts to split up this group had been met with refusal.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Were it not for the several thousand elite troops these men had brought, who could now play a crucial role, he would have shown his displeasure long ago.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With loyalty unguaranteed, vigilance was essential.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Infighting within the Rebel Army had never ceased.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was only due to their shared origins and the pressure from the Yu Army that the Three Kings had been able to divide their domains peacefully back then.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At any other time, they would likely have already fought until blood flowed like rivers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One need only look at the Rebel Army in Guanzhong to see that various factions had engaged in fierce battles over the title of supreme leader.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The rapid counterattack by the Shaanxi imperial army was largely due to internal strife among the rebels.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even after fleeing to Shanxi, the infighting among the rebel forces had not stopped.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"This general receives your order!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fang Yuxuan replied immediately.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Knowing full well that both sides were merely using each other, the proper formalities could not be neglected.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Regardless, Wei Hao was a senior figure in the sect, the last of the kings among the Three Kings and One Emperor.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Qin Laosan, hear my order!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I command you to lead your one hundred thousand troops to launch an offensive against the Chuanxi region.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Eliminate the threat posed by the Tusi chieftains and relieve pressure on General Fang's flank.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Deng Er, hear my order!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I command you to lead your eighty thousand troops to launch an offensive against Songpan Guard.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>……\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Immediately after, Wei Hao issued a series of orders that left everyone utterly confused.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Under normal circumstances, they should be concentrating their forces to cut off the convergence of the Yu Army.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Or else concentrating their strength to forcibly capture Chengdu Prefecture.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Dealing with the Tusi chieftains of Shu was clearly a secondary objective.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After successfully establishing a separatist regime in Shu, there would be ample time to deal with them later.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Engaging them now would yield little gain even if victorious, but result in a bloody loss if defeated.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After leaving the command tent, the former generals of the State of Wu instinctively gathered together.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Marquis, we simply cannot comprehend these deployments by the Eastern King.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What exactly is he plotting inside that gourd of his?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Liu Laoxu asked bluntly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Since entering Shu, Fang Yuxuan had become the mainstay for these former ministers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>By sticking closely together, they had gained the capital to negotiate terms, successfully establishing their own faction under the Eastern King.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"It is right that you do not understand.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If everyone could understand it, the plan would have already failed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In fact, stepping back from the military deployments themselves reveals the issue.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With the enemy advancing so fiercely, he is either aiming to strike the enemy or to secure an escape route.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fang Yuxuan said with a sigh.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had long known that the Eastern King struggled to stand alone, but never expected the situation to deteriorate so rapidly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Since ancient times, the Shu region has been the burial ground for countless heroes; entering Shu is difficult, but leaving it is even harder.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After Wei Hao's forces entered Shu, failing to quickly seize the region, their morale was soon worn down.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though they appeared to have abundant troops and generals, their actual combat effectiveness was very limited.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One need only look at the troops assigned to his command: after several days of assaulting Chengdu Prefecture, casualties surprisingly did not exceed three digits.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The number of soldiers dying on the battlefield was less than those killed by the disciplinary execution squads.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was evident that the Rebel Army had not won the hearts of the people in central Shu, and local soldiers resisted the war.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The main force of the war remained the troops brought in from outside.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>However, if the people of Shu had truly submitted, Wei Hao would not have expended such great effort trying to win them over.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With Shu's financial resources, training tens of thousands of elite soldiers would not have been difficult.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Had they gained the support of the local populace, Chengdu Prefecture would have been captured long ago.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The reason they could not achieve a breakthrough was primarily due to the excessive killing committed by the Rebel Army after entering Shu.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not only were the great noble families targeted, but ordinary gentry and wealthy households also failed to escape disaster.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In a clan-based society, these people held local influence and naturally did their utmost to smear the Rebel Army.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If, after occupying a region, the Rebel Army had promptly carried out a land revolution and distributed the land to the people as promised, everything would have been fine.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Alas, policies require execution, and the Rebel Army lacked talent capable of governing local areas.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Nominally engaging in 'equalizing the fields,' in reality, the land meant for the common people ultimately fell into the hands of officials.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After their status transformed, these grassroots officials who rose through rebellion exploited the people with methods no less ruthless than those of the gentry.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In many places, the taxes and corvée labor burdens borne by the common people were heavier than during the previous rule of Great Yu.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Following this series of blundering maneuvers, resistance from the common people naturally ensued.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When they later realized something was amiss and tried to take remedial measures, it was already too late.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Given the shift in popular sentiment, even without Li Yuan leading his army into Shu, they would not have been able to withstand the counterattack by the gentry coalition.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Marquis, then what shall we do?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Liu Laoxu asked with concern.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Although he had decided from the start to be merely a passerby, now that the time to leave had truly arrived, he still felt some reluctance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Life in Shu was comfortable, far better than wandering homeless.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Without the Eastern King holding the line in front, it would be difficult for rebel generals like them to escape the court's pursuit and slaughter.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"The Eastern King merely lacks confidence; he has not yet made the final decision to flee.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Otherwise, he would have acted long ago and would not need to wait for Li Yuan's forces to attack.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Given the style of the Great Yu officials, once they leave their own jurisdiction, they act as if the matter concerns them not.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even if they were to send troops for suppression, they must first submit a memorial for approval by that brat Yongning.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With all the back-and-forth bureaucracy, the fastest it could happen would take two or three months.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With such a long buffer period, whether advancing west into the Usang Regional Military Commissioner's jurisdiction or going even farther to the Western Regions, the enemy forces would be unable to catch up.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Or rather, even if they could catch up, the enemy would not pursue.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It is all bitter, frozen wasteland; bringing troops to chase offers no benefit whatsoever.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even if Emperor Yongning issues an edict, they will obey in word but disobey in deed, at most sending a few unlucky souls to carry out the mission.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fang Yuxuan immediately mocked.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had always harbored significant grievances against Wei Hao, the Prince of the East.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If not for this fellow entering Shu back then and uniting the power of the White Lotus Sect's three kings, they might well have seized the Central Plains.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Once Great Yu's rule was overturned, they would have been the faction most likely to seize the empire.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the end, whichever one succeeded, the meat would still rot within their own pot.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the critical moment, the Prince of the East led his troops into Shu, leaving no one to undertake the task of the northern expedition to the Central Plains.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was only after the State of Wu was established that the banner of the northern expedition to the Central Plains was raised again, but by then, everything was too late.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Indecisive in the past, he was once again indecisive at this life-or-death juncture.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In Fang Yuxuan's view, at a time like this, one must either burn one's boats and gamble everything, or simply cut and run.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wanting to carve out Shu as a fiefdom while also keeping a way out for oneself—where in this world is there such a perfect solution?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhennan Pass.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Looking at the victory report in his hand, Li Mu's heart bloomed with joy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Prince of Annan led his forces fleeing west, directly handing over eight hundred li of territory, declaring the victory of the first phase of the Annan strategy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Having seized the most fertile Honghe Plain, there would be no need to worry about grain supplies ever again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Pass down the order: let all divisions advance steadily and methodically, and purge the remaining local rebels as soon as possible.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If the Prince of Annan wants to flee, let him flee!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>While issuing the command, Li Mu could not help but sigh.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the past, he had always criticized the Liaodong faction for nurturing enemies to bolster their own importance; never did he expect that one day he would do the same.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was all the fault of resources.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Once the Prince of Annan was killed, the imperial court would surely order a halt to the war.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even if they did not order a withdrawal, the subsequent coordinated funds from Jiangnan and Min-Zhe would be difficult to secure.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Relying solely on coordinated funds from the two Guang regions placed too much pressure.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Keeping the Prince of Annan as a lingering tail changed the nature of things entirely.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As long as the chief culprit challenging Great Yu's dignity remained alive, the great war was not yet over.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even if the imperial court's finances were tight, as long as they were told that victory was only one step away, everyone would grit their teeth and persist.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Compared to the period of the rebellion suppression war, Great Yu had already weathered the most difficult times.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Emperor Yongning's capabilities were average, but his ability to withstand pressure was quite good.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Replace him with an ordinary emperor, and few would dare to shield their ministers from blame.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not only did he do it, but he did it more than once.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With the opportunity to leave his name in history delivered right before his eyes, Li Mu did not believe he would give it up.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>While a prolonged great war could not be sustained, holding on for another year or so should not pose much of a problem.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With an extra year of buffer time, production in the Honghe Plain could gradually recover.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"My Lord Marquis, the victory report can be sent to the capital now.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I imagine His Majesty and the civil and military officials in the court can hardly wait any longer.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It is said that the Northern Barbarians intend to march south again; in recent years, the court has invested limited resources in the northern frontier, so they may not be able to stop the enemy forces.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Perhaps it will not be long before the court issues another call to defend the throne.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>We must make the court resolve to annihilate Annan before the Northern Barbarians march south!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lan Linjie spoke up to remind him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Great Yu imperial court had never set a clear objective for how far the Annan war should proceed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Apart from Li Mu clamoring to annihilate Annan and reestablish the Jiaozhi Provincial Administration Commissioner's office, most officials in the court advocated merely teaching the Annan people a lesson.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On one hand, in everyone's established perception, Annan represented poverty; on the other, Great Yu's national strength was limited and could not support multi-front warfare for an extended period.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Mr. Lan, your words make sense; indeed, it is time to force the court to make a choice.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Draft the victory report: inform His Majesty that we have decisively defeated the Annan army and recaptured many prefectures and departments of the Jiaozhi Provincial Administration Commissioner's jurisdiction.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Urge the court to dispatch officials immediately to establish the Jiaozhi Provincial Administration Commissioner's yamen.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As for the specific battle achievements, you may embellish them as you see fit; follow the old rule of inflating casualty figures.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Arrange for people in the capital to spread rumors that the Annan people have sent undercover agents carrying heavy bribes into the capital.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Their intent is to bribe the court officials into abandoning Annan once again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If anyone in the court speaks up for the Annan people, incite the scholars to cause disturbances at their residences and label them traitors to the nation.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>(End of Chapter)\u003C\u002Fp>",4173,"2026-06-21T08:09:04.021Z",1,"Qwen3.5 397B","3ac4f082e7d0075b6cce72279ef6c36e63da84e994a0687d814304229d5ee287",null,"restoring-the-mountains-and-rivers-chapter-390","https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Frestoring-the-mountains-and-rivers-cover.jpg"]