Chapter 736: Gaoli Reality

"What is the current movement of the Beidi?" Zhao Xu looked toward the direction of Gaoli, his brows knitting slightly.

"Replying to Your Highness, Gaoli has already dispatched Right State Councilor Li Wancheng to the Beidi, but as of now, there are no signs of troop movements from the Beidi," Xu Ke said.

Zhao Xu nodded, "Continue to keep an eye on the Beidi. If they show any sign of activity, report it to this Prince immediately."

Right now, what he cared about most was the attitude of the Beidi.

If the Beidi sent troops, he would watch the fire from across the river.

If the Beidi did not send troops, he would have to be extra cautious.

After all, once his army entered Gaoli, there was no guarantee the Beidi wouldn't stab him in the back.

The Beidi were unwilling to provoke the Eastern Land Alliance, but they would be happy to take the opportunity to seek revenge on him.

Therefore, he had to ensure that this campaign into Gaoli would not be affected by the Beidi.

As for this task, it would have to be handed to the Ningjin Army.

It is common knowledge.

In the current era, the peninsula region and the Central Plains dynasty have a natural barrier called the Yalu River.

This is a great river that runs through the entire peninsula from south to north.

Although Gaoli took advantage of the Ningjindusizhizhan to cross this river and occupy a significant amount of Da Song territory.

The existence of this river provided them with the conditions to block the Beidi from entering the Gaoli battlefield.

When the time comes, he will have the Prince's Personal Army quickly occupy the territory Gaoli seized from Da Song.

Afterward, the Prince's Personal Army will continue to move south.

The Ningjin Army will be responsible for digging deep trenches and building high ramparts to guard this bridge.

"Yes, Your Highness," Xu Ke replied.

Thinking of something, he added, "By the way, Your Highness, Chai Wu has already met with Gaoli Left State Councilor Yin Boming. If things go smoothly, we can cultivate our own forces in Gaoli to use for controlling Gaoli in the future."

"Hmm, well done," Zhao Xu looked satisfied.

If he could control Gaoli, he would need a local Gaoli proxy.

The cost of directly dispatching Da Song officials and armies to manage Gaoli was too high.

The reason was simple.

Because for these years, Gaoli had been a vassal state of the Beidi.

From top to bottom, both officials and commoners were full of hostility toward Da Song.

Direct military occupation and control by officials would easily provoke resistance from the Gaoli people.

Rather than that, it would be better to support a pro-Da Song proxy.

This way, it could ensure Da Song's control over Gaoli.

Once trouble arose in Gaoli, it would be their own Gaoli people dealing with their own people, which counted as internal attrition.

Meanwhile, at the Beidi Khan Court.

Li Wancheng knelt before the tent of Mule Hongzhen, refusing to rise, begging incessantly, "Khan, please save Gaoli! For all these years, we in Gaoli have been loyal to the Beidi, working like horses and oxen for you. You cannot just abandon us like this..."

Six days ago, he had arrived at the Khan Court.

He had relayed the news of the Eastern Land Alliance's invasion of Gaoli to Khan Mule Hongzhen.

But to his horror, upon learning this news, Mule Hongzhen had fallen into a long silence.

Ultimately, he chose to refuse to send troops to Gaoli to fight the Eastern Land Alliance.

This was something he had never expected; as a vassal state of the Beidi, he had never thought that one day, the Beidi would refuse to help them.

But besides the Beidi, who else could Gaoli rely on?

Thus, he chose to continue begging, hoping to move Mule Hongzhen.

Inside the tent.

Mule Hongzhen was holding a book and reading.

But he could not take in a single word on the page; Li Wancheng's wailing made him feel distracted and annoyed.

He was a smart man; the Eastern Land Alliance invading Gaoli, he understood the logic behind it instantly.

This was clearly a punishment for his refusal to join the Eastern Land Alliance.

After all, he had chosen to stand on the side of the Ross, which went against the interests of the Eastern Land Alliance.

Of course, there was naturally the factor of Yan Wang in this as well.

The Eastern Land Alliance was killing two birds with one stone.

If it were the Beidi at its peak, he would have led the Northern Cavalry into Gaoli.

However, the war with Yan Wang made him understand the importance of firearms in warfare.

If the current Beidi participated in this war, the plans he had been making for this period would all come to nothing.

He absolutely could not make a stupid mistake at this time.

"Sob, sob, sob, Khan..."

Li Wancheng was still wailing, and a sudden sense of annoyance rose in Mule Hongzhen's heart.

He said to the guards at the door, "Give this group of Gaoli people a sound beating and drive them out of the Grassland."

"Yes, Khan," the guards replied.

Li Wancheng was still crying loudly.

Just then, he saw two guards walking toward him.

His heart leaped with joy; he thought Mule Hongzhen was finally going to see him.

He stood up and was about to speak, but saw a fist the size of a sandbag coming toward his face.

With a sharp pain, he let out a miserable scream and fell backward, feeling his nose grow hot; when he touched it, it was full of blood.

"What are you doing!" Looking at the fierce-faced Northern Di soldiers, Li Wancheng was shocked and terrified.

The guards ignored him completely, continuously raining down punches and kicks.

The Koryo officials who had followed Li Wancheng on the diplomatic mission to the Northern Di did not escape either.

After beating Li Wancheng half to death, the Northern Di soldiers threw the Koryo officials' luggage out of the tent and roared, "The Khan has ordered you to get out, otherwise you will be killed without mercy!"

Having said that, they drew their Curved Blades one after another.

Seeing this, the Koryo officials were scared out of their wits; not daring to stay, they dragged Li Wancheng away in the direction of Koryo.

Li Wancheng was bruised and swollen, yet he still dared not accept this cruel reality, muttering to himself, "Why, why..."

Seven days later, he returned to Rang City, only to find the entire city in a state of panic.

Large numbers of Koryo merchants and dignitaries were fleeing from within the city, heading toward the North Territory.

He hurried into the Koryo royal palace.

Halfway there, the King of Koryo came out to meet him, a glimmer of hope emerging in his desperate eyes, "Right State Councilor, my life and fortune are in your hands; have the iron cavalry of the Northern Di arrived?"

Hearing this, Li Wancheng was overcome with shame; he knelt before the King of Koryo and said sorrowfully, "Your Majesty, the Northern Di have abandoned us!"

"What!" The King of Koryo stood dumbstruck, his legs went weak, and he sat down on the ground.

Ever since the Coalition army landed in Koryo, they had been advancing like a hot knife through butter.

In just ten days, they had fought their way to Tieyuan City, only three hundred li away from Rang City.

The Koryo Army was defeated like a collapsing mountain; the troops sent to meet the battle were essentially routed at the first touch by the Coalition, completely unable to defeat the Coalition equipped with large quantities of firearms.

From top to bottom, the army had lost all confidence in the war.

Now that Li Wancheng had brought such dire news, the King of Koryo felt as if he had fallen into an ice cellar.

Once Koryo fell, Watanabe would surely kill him.

"What is to be done? Is it Heaven's will to destroy my Koryo?" The King of Koryo looked up to the sky and wept.

He had not yet enjoyed enough wealth and glory, he could not bear to part with the beautiful women in his palace, and he was even more afraid of death.

But now, for him, it was a desperate situation.

Just as the two of them were in utter despair, Yin Boming, who was following behind the King of Koryo, suddenly said, "Your Majesty, we still have one path we can take."

The King of Koryo and Li Wancheng both looked up at Yin Boming, "What path?"

Yin Boming looked toward the direction of Yanzhou and said calmly, "Seek help from the Dayan Wang."