Chapter 315

Liu Zheng returned to the mansion and saw someone who looked slightly familiar, but he could not recall who this person was.

At this time, Liu Dahao, as well as Ying Rong and other officials, had solemn expressions.

Even Zhou the Grand Eunuch, who was staying in Liangzhou, wore a murderous look.

Upon seeing Liu Zheng return, Zhou the Grand Eunuch exclaimed: "Oh my, Prefect Liu, you're finally back! Something big has happened!"

Liu Zheng frowned and asked: "What's going on?"

At that moment, the slightly familiar person suddenly knelt down and wailed loudly: "Prefect Liu, I am Zhou Niu Guishan of the Shu Prefecture!"

Shu Prefecture?

Has something happened in Chuan Shu?

Liu Zheng's heart skipped a beat, and he quickly said: "Speak quickly if there's news!"

Niu Guishan wailed: "Prefect Liu, half a month ago, the southern barbarians of Dianzhou colluded with the alien tribes of Jiaozhi and launched a surprise attack on our Jiangzhou in Shu, with three hundred thousand troops pressing the border! Jiangzhou could not resist, the people suffered greatly, the Shu king personally led the campaign but was severely wounded, and Shu is now in grave danger!"

"What?"

Liu Zheng's face changed drastically.

Who would have thought that, with the Yuanxiao Festival approaching, such a thing would occur? These past years, the southern borders of the Longyan Dynasty have actually been quite peaceful.

The southern Yue occasionally harassed, but most of the time it was only small-scale.

Because of Shu's terrain, which is easy to defend but hard to attack, others who wanted to besiege cities and seize land often found it not worth the cost. This is why, since ancient times, Shu has been the Land of Abundance: first, the environment is indeed suitable for crop growth; second, few people invade, allowing the populace to live in peace and prosperity.

Shu's wealth and comfort are known to all.

In other words, being a prince in Shu can sometimes be more enjoyable than being the emperor of the Longyan Dynasty. Of course, being a prince is fine, but if one wishes to conquer the world, Shu likewise faces constraints from its harsh environment. Difficult to enter, naturally also difficult to exit, so Shu has become a place of non-contention with the world.

Because it is distant from the Central Plains orthodoxy, the Shu Han of the Three Kingdoms period ultimately ended in failure.

At this moment.

The Longyan Dynasty is corrupt within and beset by strong enemies without.

Such as the Xiongnu, the Qiang, the Wa pirates, and the southern barbarians, collectively known as the Four Barbarians.

In fact, because of Shu's natural barrier, the threat of the southern barbarians is the smallest. Yet who would have thought that, these past days, while the restless Xiongnu and Qiang have taken no action, the southern barbarians have shockingly invaded with three hundred thousand troops!

Liu Dahao sighed beside him: "Zheng, this year's locust plague in Dianzhou has been rampant, surely affecting the harvest, so..."

Liu Zheng listened and nodded.

Dianzhou.

This is actually what is now Yunnan. This land has many ethnic minorities and has never felt strong allegiance to the Longyan Dynasty. When the Longyan Dynasty was strong, it established a Prefect's Office to administer Dianzhou.

But later, one Prefect actually died from poisonous insects.

From then on, locals were appointed as Prefect. This caused Dianzhou to outwardly obey but inwardly defy the Longyan Dynasty. However, Dianzhou is clearly much smarter than the Western Regions.

On the surface, I still bow my head and call myself a minister to your Longyan Dynasty.

Every year we come to pay tribute, then take away a large bounty.

But behind the scenes, we loot when hungry and seize anything good. Bandit habits, never changed. Yet these southern barbarians have always only engaged in petty skirmishes.

However...

This summer, Dianzhou's locust plague caused an eighty percent drop in harvest. It seems Dianzhou is starving, which is why it has resorted to desperate measures.

But...

What does this have to do with me?

Liu Zheng looked at Niu Guishan.

Niu Guishan had not yet spoken when Liu Dahao chuckled bitterly: "Son, the main route of the Grand Canal in the Shu section passes through Jiangzhou. When the southern barbarians attacked that day, they killed our thirty thousand canal workers!"

"What?"

Liu Zheng's face changed drastically, and he suddenly stood up.

The late Emperor Xie Tianyao, after issuing the order for nationwide support of the Grand Canal excavation, personally led the effort, first completing the Western Regions section at great speed, then the recently vigorous Liangzhou section, and also the Hanzhong section where old acquaintances had already begun work. Of course, the Jialing River in Shu is also a vital part of the Grand Canal.

Fortunately, despite several encounters with the Shu king involving swords and spears, we ultimately came to mutual respect.

With the emperor's order, the Shu king had no objections to the Grand Canal.

Recently, the Yinzhou Chamber of Commerce dispatched a manager to oversee this. The manager carrying Yinzhou coins seemed to have just urged the workers to start construction, but then the southern barbarians captured the city...

The land of Jiangzhou is a key point of the Jialing River, specifically corresponding to modern Chongqing. The great river passes through Jiangzhou, then to Yong'an, then onward to Jingzhou, the Jiangdong region—all waterways—so that the Grand Canal can truly traverse the Longyan Dynasty from south to north.

If Jiangzhou is lost, the entire Grand Canal project will be affected.

"So what?"

Liu Zheng took a deep breath, a sharp light flashing in his eyes.

Niu Guishan continued wailing: "Prefect Liu, in the battle of Jiangzhou, the Shu king fell for a ruse, losing one hundred and fifty thousand Shu troops, this this this..."

Everyone present could not help but suck in a breath of cold air.

The law of the Longyan Dynasty states that each major province may have at most three hundred thousand troops.

Who would have thought that this battle alone would directly cause half of them to be lost? Afterwards, the Shu king could not recover from his wounds. Thus, the people of Shu are surely filled with anxiety.

The situation is dire!

Liu Zheng looked at Zhou the Grand Eunuch: "Zhou the Grand Eunuch, can this be reported to the Emperor?"

Zhou the Grand Eunuch exclaimed, bitterly: "Prefect Liu, it was already reported to the court at the first opportunity, but but, Dianzhou is remote, and the court can do nothing!"

Liu Zheng listened and smiled bitterly repeatedly.

Indeed...

The Longyan Dynasty's feudal system relies on feudatory kings to handle border issues, but whenever border warfare occurs, the court can only offer spiritual encouragement, powerless to act. These years, the court's finances have been in deficit, stretched thin. Relying on the court—what can we hope for?

Last time the Xiongnu invaded, only the Crown Prince and the Third Prince, as well as the Prince of Lu, came to assist.

This time?

Jinghua is far away. Last time the Crown Prince's army was exhausted and has not yet recovered. After Shu's great defeat, the only forces that can come to assist are from the Jingzhou region.

However...

However... the lord of Jingzhou, King Xiang, upon hearing this, is again a man of extremely deep scheming, a hegemon from the southern Dragon Flame who can be mentioned in the same breath as the Wei King of Qingzhou. Since ancient times, he has not gotten along with people of explosive temperament like the Shu King; seeking his aid, Shu will surely be stripped of a layer of skin.

"So, the Shu King has come seeking aid?"

Liu Zheng figured all this out, gave a wry smile: "It's just that the Prefectural Assistant of Niu, Liangzhou has just been stabilized, all affairs await revival, and moreover the Upper Yuan Festival is approaching, the soldiers wish for stability, this..."

He truly lacks the strength.

The situation in Liangzhou is still tangled and complex.

Internal chaos remains unresolved; adding to that, several wars have consumed the Yinzhou Army considerably. Recruiting and training troops takes a long cycle.

The road to Shu is far; he does not wish to bring trouble upon himself.

Niu Guishan knelt on the ground and wept loudly.

At this moment.

Qin Zhangfeng rushed in, face dark as he knelt on the ground: "Young Master, Zhangfeng wishes to rush to aid Shuzhou!"

Upon seeing Qin Zhangfeng like this, everyone was startled.

Liu Zheng was also dazed, quickly reaching out to help.

Qin Zhangfeng, in the Liangzhou Army, holds an extremely high position, already a Pingxi General, renowned throughout the world; I have always regarded Qin Zhangfeng as an elder brother, never having performed such a kneeling bow before, today this is...

Upon hearing Qin Zhangfeng's name, Niu Guishan immediately rejoiced: "Indeed, General Qin, the Shu beauty Pei Yanran, I was instructed to deliver a brief letter to you..."

Everyone froze in unison.

Pei Yanran?

That talented lady whose name was once associated with Sikong Jing? The Shu talent who sought Qin Zhangfeng's hand in marriage? Because the two vied to marry Qin Zhangfeng, it even triggered the Battle of Hanzhong...

Liu Zheng blinked and looked over, only to see Qin Zhangfeng twist awkwardly, responding in a muffled voice.

Good!

Liu Zheng felt great joy in his heart: when did this Qin Zhangfeng again become involved with Pei Yanran?

Qin Zhangfeng wore a look of honest simplicity, scratching his head: "Young Master, it is... it is that Pei Yanran who first sent a letter to Zhangfeng, this this, this is only a beginning exchange..."

"Young Master, it is merely out of friendship; Zhangfeng cannot bear to see Shu fall!"

Qin Zhangfeng sighed helplessly.

Everyone instantly understood.

So it is a beauty, upon learning Qin Zhangfeng's name, deeply affectionate, sending comforting letters, this back-and-forth finally causing Zhangfeng's heart, as firm as a rock, to begin thawing bit by bit?

Excellent!

After Sikong Jing's death, Liu Zheng has always worried that Qin Zhangfeng would never emerge from this affair. It has already been over half a year since Sikong Jing's passing.

Now Qin Zhangfeng still wears mourning for his wife...

How could one not be anxious?

With such a good thing, how could one not help bring it to fruition?

Liu Zheng laughed heartily: "Good, good, good, friendship, friendship, Prefectural Assistant Niu, rest for now; allow Zheng to ponder a plan, I will surely give you a reply!"

Niu Guishan departed happily.

However, the crowd urged in unison, dispatching troops at this time is not a wise strategy.

Liu Zheng, however, turned a deaf ear, summoning Qin Zhangfeng and Jiang Xuan to his chambers.

The remaining group stared at one another.

In Ying Rong's eyes, moreover, a flash of mad light passed.

Is the great army to go forth on campaign?

He has his chance!