Chapter 355: Internal Troubles and External Threats

Jiang Jiang Mingyu frowned as he looked at the map. Other Xi Xia had just been pacified, yet various forces were deeply entrenched and intertwined; there was no guarantee that remnants of Tuoba Ji Qian were not lurking within. Moreover, he had already killed too many people in Other Xi Xia, and the people's hearts were unpredictable. Once the garrison troops of Other Xi Xia were redeployed, if trouble arose in the rear, the grand campaign of southern expedition would be ruined.

However, the battle in the Southern Frontier was imminent, and with forces scattered, victory would be difficult to achieve. At this moment, Tu Tu Kesiluo walked in, saw Jiang Jiang Mingyu lost in thought, approached, and asked, "Elder brother, what military secret are you pondering?"

Jiang Jiang Mingyu came to his senses, beckoned Tu Tu Kesiluo to come over and sit, and said in a deep voice, "I am worrying about the problem of troop allocation. Other Xi Xia has just been pacified, yet hidden dangers are everywhere; the Southern Frontier urgently requires expedition, yet our army cannot fight on two fronts. I fear that either Other Xi Xia will erupt in change, or the Southern Frontier will be caught off guard."

Tu Tu Kesiluo nodded in understanding: "Elder brother speaks too heavily. The foundation of Other Xi Xia is not yet stable; indeed, any change could be fatal. But the Southern Frontier is also a strategic location, and this battle concerns the overall situation. I think the Southern Frontier is more important, what do you say?"

Jiang Jiang Mingyu sighed, "I think so too. It is just that nowadays, much of One Da Jiang's troops are defending Other Xi Xia; a southern expedition will inevitably greatly compress the stationed forces. Once Other Xi Xia has a change..."

Tu Tu Kesiluo waved his hand to interrupt: "Why does Elder brother worry too much? Other Xi Xia has no power to resist; I have managed affairs there with skill, and even if new variables arise, I can handle them. What is most urgent now is to take the Southern Frontier and consolidate One Da Jiang's Jiangshan!"

Jiang Jiang Mingyu was about to say something else when Tu Tu Kesiluo continued, "Listen to me finish. Intelligence shows the garrison of Jiangzhou numbers about 80,000; even if Wei Wei Yangyao temporarily mobilizes troops, it will not exceed 100,000. In comparison, even if we leave 50,000 troops to guard Jiancheng, the southern expedition still has a grand army of 120,000. We hold a complete advantage in numbers; the hope of succeeding in both siege and open battle in one stroke is very great!"

Jiang Jiang Mingyu played with his teacup and said lightly, "Looking solely at the numbers, we hold the advantage, but leaving fresh troops stationed carries lingering worries, and sieging requires seizing the initiative completely. Relying solely on quantity is probably a grave mistake..."

Tu Tu Kesiluo hurriedly explained, "Elder brother misunderstood. I merely said that instead of worrying excessively about changes in Other Xi Xia, we should seize the opportunity in the Southern Frontier and take it in one stroke. This way, we can redeploy troops back to station in Other Xi Xia as soon as possible; is that not proper?"

Jiang Jiang Mingyu pondered in silence. Seeing that he still had reservations, Tu Tu Kesiluo continued to persuade, "Elder brother, if you hesitate any longer, I fear we will give the advantage to Wei Wei Yangyao. The climate of the Southern Frontier is complex and changeable; the opportunity slips away in an instant. We must seize the initiative to decide the victory; do you not agree?"

Jiang Jiang Mingyu pondered, knowing that simply comparing numbers clearly would not work; he must find a way to resolve this seemingly dilemma, otherwise this hard battle was destined to be difficult to win. He needed a strategy that conformed to the overall situation and was steady, only then could he win this siege battle with limited forces...

Tu Tu Kesiluo remained silent for quite a while before speaking.

"I fear the only way right now is to conscript new soldiers again?"

Conscript soldiers?

Jiang Jiang Mingyu did not think twice and directly shook his head.

"Impossible. When Fei Hou was in charge, it was precisely because of his relentless warfare that rebellions erupted in various places."

"Moreover, after his ordeal, even with one out of every two able-bodied men conscripted, the strong men of One Da Jiang are nearly exhausted."

"Adding to that, since I ascended the throne, we have been waging war in all directions; the money and grain we need have all been levied from the people."

He sighed and continued speaking.

"Although Zhu Ge Yu does not say it, I also know that the people are already full of complaints about this."

"If we conscript soldiers again, I fear our fate in the future will certainly not be much better than Fei Hou's."

Tu Tu Kesiluo also came from a humble background and deeply understood the principle that harsh governance is fiercer than a tiger; he could not help but frown and say.

"New soldiers cannot be conscripted, yet the Southern Frontier must still be fought; what shall we do?"

Just as the two stared at each other with wide eyes, at a loss, a guard outside the residence suddenly came to report.

"Your Majesty, the official sent by the Chengxiang Sect to take over Jiancheng has arrived; he is waiting outside the residence."

So soon?

Originally, Jiang Jiang Mingyu thought this person would take at least a few days to arrive, but unexpectedly, he has come now.

He forced a smile.

"Let him come in."

Soon, that middle-aged scholar named Shi Zhuo arrived before the two of Jiang Jiang Mingyu.

After performing the rites, seeing the two with faces full of bitterness and grievance, Shi Zhuo clasped his hands and asked.

"Your Majesty, what troubles you?"

Jiang Jiang Mingyu sighed and briefly recounted what he had just said to Tu Tu Kesiluo.

Unexpectedly, hearing this thorny problem, Shi Zhuo, who should have been full of worry, actually smiled lightly.

"Your Majesty, this matter is not difficult."

Not difficult?

Jiang Jiang Mingyu was nearly dying of worry; he hurriedly asked.

"In that case, then speak of your high opinion."

Although Tu Tu Kesiluo did not speak, he also stretched out his neck, obviously waiting for Shi Zhuo's explanation.

Shi Zhuo naturally dared not be negligent; facing the gazes of the two, he spoke.

"Your Majesty may not know, before I arrived at Jiancheng, the Chengxiang Sect had just finished a large-scale inspection of the entire country."

"According to the situation reported by the Inspectorate, the people of the original six provinces of One Da Jiang mostly highly praised Your benevolent governance."

"Even many people say that compared with the previous Fei Hou, the decrees of our One Da Jiang are absolutely worlds apart."

Previously, to contend with Fei Hou, Jiang Jiang Mingyu had issued many decrees of light corvée and low taxes.

Later, when competing with Li Li Haoyang for the three southern provinces, the scale of his benevolent governance had reached a peak.

Thus, it is quite reasonable that the people of One Da Jiang feel gratitude for Jiang Jiang Mingyu's kindness.

Hearing this, Tu Tu Kesiluo felt he already understood; he interjected.

"Shi Zhuo, do you mean that since the people feel gratitude for Elder brother's benevolent governance, they will absolutely not rise up in rebellion again?"

"And we can also use this opportunity to transfer most of the troops from those six provinces to the Southern Frontier front."

He calculated, then spoke with eyebrows dancing and face full of joy.

"Elder brother, if so, we can at least mobilize 200,000 grand troops, temporarily solving this urgent crisis."

Before Jiang Jiang Mingyu could speak, Shi Zhuo beside him gently shook his head.

"Prince, what I said is not this meaning."

Not this meaning?

Tu Tu Kesiluo was stunned and directly asked.

"Then what do you mean?"

Shi Zhuo smiled again.

"What I mean is, since Your Majesty can implement light corvée and low taxes and promote benevolent governance in One Da Jiang, why not in the Southern Frontier?"

"The people's hearts are the will of Heaven; as long as the people of the Southern Frontier also experience Your Majesty's benevolence and virtue, is it still necessary to station heavy troops to guard the city?"

After Shi Zhuo proposed his suggestion, both Jiang Jiang Mingyu and Tu Tu Kesiluo were stunned. After quite a while, Tu Tu Kesiluo finally spoke: "Shi Zhuo, this idea of yours is truly wonderful! We actually forgot the most basic principle—to win the people's hearts, why must we press the enemy with a grand army?"

Jiang Jiang Mingyu nodded repeatedly as well: "Indeed, when I implemented benevolent governance in One Da Jiang, did that not win the support of the people there? Why should the Southern Border be any different?"

"Haha, Your Majesty is wise!" Tu Tu Kesiluo laughed heartily. "With the support of the people, will our war efforts in the Southern Border not be like a tiger adding wings? By then, we need not worry about troops or provisions!"

Jiang Jiang Mingyu, however, furrowed his brow: "But when I first conquered the Southern Border, to meet military needs, I also conscripted many funds, grain, and soldiers. The people likely already hold many grievances against me."

Tu Tu Kesiluo's expression darkened as well: "Alas, Your Majesty speaks truly. We indeed handled the Southern Border too harshly. To strive again for the people's hearts will likely not be easy."

The two fell into a brief silence.

At this moment, Shi Zhuo smiled and spoke: "Your Majesty, this humble subject believes winning the people's hearts is not difficult. What the people value most is nothing more than their livelihood. Now that the war in the Southern Border has been pacified, it is the time to bestow benevolent policies. If Your Majesty grants a general amnesty, reduces taxes, and reemploys former generals of the Chu region, you will surely stabilize the people's and the army's morale."

Hearing this, Jiang Jiang Mingyu had a sudden realization: "So that is how it is! I truly still lack experience in statecraft. Thank you, Shi Zhuo, for guiding me out of confusion!"

Just as Jiang Jiang Mingyu was about to praise Zhu Ge Yu for sending him such a worthy talent, Tu Tu Kesiluo, who had been silent for a while, spoke up again with a worried expression.

"Big Brother, Shi Zhuo's idea is good, but there is still one drawback."

Immediately, he added with great seriousness.

"A huge drawback."

A drawback?

Jiang Jiang Mingyu glanced at Shi Zhuo and asked subconsciously.

"What drawback?"

Tu Tu Kesiluo had been pondering this matter since earlier; seeing Jiang Jiang Mingyu ask, he hurriedly said.

"Big Brother, think about it. The so-called benevolent governance boils down to these four words: light corvée and low taxes."

"Currently, the national treasury is not very abundant; apart from the great army's campaigns, the biggest reason is light corvée and low taxes."

He paused, disregarding whether Jiang Jiang Mingyu was pleased or not, and continued speaking on his own.

"Back then, to win the people's hearts, Big Brother, you would often exempt the people from one to three years of taxes, varying by situation."

"And the most direct consequence of this was that when the tax season arrived, the government offices could not collect a single copper coin."

"If we repeat this in the Southern Border, let alone the various expenditures of the court, I fear our great army will soon be unable to keep the pot boiling."

Tu Tu Kesiluo was very clear on how much silver it cost for over a hundred thousand great army soldiers to gnaw on horse bits every day.

The problem raised by Tu Tu Kesiluo caused the few present to fall into a brief silence. After a long while, Jiang Jiang Mingyu smiled slightly and spoke: "This matter is not difficult. We can reduce the frequency of the people's corvée labor without lowering their taxes."

Tu Tu Kesiluo was completely baffled and frowned, saying: "What 'one part, two parts'? What do you mean? Speak plainly if you have something to say; do not always play riddles with us."

Jiang Jiang Mingyu did not mind his brother's blunt speech. He explained patiently: "The so-called light corvée and low taxes include two parts: corvée labor and taxes. We can keep the people's taxes unchanged but assign them fewer free tasks; this greatly helps ease the people's lives. In this way, we neither reduce taxes nor lose the people's support, achieving two goals with one stroke. Why not do it?"

Tu Tu Kesiluo nodded repeatedly: "So that is what you mean! I understand; arranging it this way indeed achieves a perfect balance."

Shi Zhuo listened quietly from the side, interjecting a few words from time to time: "Your Majesty is wise; this is precisely the logic. The people suffer most from corvée labor; if it can be lightened, they will surely wholeheartedly support you."

Jiang Jiang Mingyu said with a smile: "Exactly. When I was young, I often heard Father King say that the people are the foundation of the state. To ensure national prosperity and peace, the people living in comfort and happiness is the truth. If we implement such policies in the Southern Border, we might even better stabilize the people's hearts there."

Tu Tu Kesiluo couldn't help but laugh: "Big Brother, you and I have followed Father King since childhood, fighting wars north and south; our experience in statecraft is practically non-existent. If Shi Zhuo hadn't reminded us today, I fear we would still be going in circles."

Jiang Jiang Mingyu also smiled bitterly: "Yes, I am usually busy with warfare and have slightly neglected internal administration. Fortunately, with you and Prime Minister Zhu Ge assisting in the court, I have worried a little less."

Shi Zhuo immediately bowed and said: "Your Majesty overestimates me; this humble subject has only done his utmost. Compared to Your Majesty and the Prince, I am far inferior."

Soon, a gate-guarding soldier arrived before Jiang Jiang Mingyu.

"Your Majesty, Prince, it is getting late; it is time to dine."

Jiang Jiang Mingyu was in a very good mood at this moment; he nodded slightly.

"Very well, Tu Tu Kesiluo, Shi Zhuo, since there is nothing else to do, why not join me for a few drinks?"

With the matter resolved, and with the soldier saying so, he suddenly felt his stomach had already started drumming incessantly.

Tu Tu Kesiluo, besides nodding, had no major reaction; after all, having meals with Jiang Jiang Mingyu was something he was long accustomed to.

But Shi Zhuo looked utterly terrified; in his view, this absolutely counted as the supreme honor.

Even if he retired and returned to his hometown someday, just based on this one meal, he could brag to others for years.

Jiang Jiang Mingyu raised his cup, took a sip of fine wine, and looked at Tu Tu Kesiluo and Shi Zhuo: "The future is long; we might as well talk more. Tell me, should our One Da Jiang launch an attack now to surprise the Southern Border?"

"This..." Tu Tu Kesiluo frowned and pondered. "The Southern Border's defenses are strict; a surprise attack would likely be difficult."

"Haha, Old Tu, you are indeed becoming more and more cautious." Jiang Jiang Mingyu laughed loudly, slapped Tu Tu Kesiluo's shoulder, and said, "I was joking; how could I really rashly launch an attack? Our dynasty currently faces internal troubles and external threats; we still need you and me to work together."

"Your Majesty is wise!" Shi Zhuo hurriedly echoed.

"Enough, do not just busy yourselves praising me." Jiang Jiang Mingyu waved his hand. "Speaking of which, I am still a bit worried about Liu Liu Yifei. She has been in the Southern Border for over half a year; I wonder how she is doing now?"

"Rest assured, Your Majesty," Tu Tu Kesiluo said in a deep voice. "The spies I sent have already quietly reported back; Sister-in-law is safe and sound, but the mission is arduous, making it difficult for her to break free."

"Of course, I believe that. It's just..." Jiang Jiang Mingyu's expression dimmed slightly; he shook his head gently. "Perhaps it is worrying about nothing. Last night, I dreamed she was surrounded by a group of Southern Border soldiers; the situation was extremely critical. I know this was only a dream, yet I cannot help but worry."

Tu Tu Kesiluo and Shi Zhuo exchanged a glance, both seeing a flicker of worry in each other's eyes.

Half an hour later, while Tu Tu Kesiluo was constantly trying to comfort him, saying that excessive concern leads to chaos, a guard suddenly strode in.

"Your Majesty, one of the dispatched scouts has returned and is waiting outside the gate."

A scout? Jiang Jiang Mingyu couldn't help but be stunned.

"Why did he return so quickly?" In terms of distance, even riding a fast horse from Shangshan Jian City to Jiangzhou City would take two days. How could the scout have returned in less than half a day?

Something must have happened. Could the events in the dream have come true? Did Liu Liu Yifei really encounter some danger? Thinking of this, Jiang Jiang Mingyu's face changed slightly; the sword-like eyebrows, from which two cold glints suddenly arose, trembled slightly. He spoke in a deep voice, his tone faintly carrying anxiety: "Quickly, quickly invite him in!"

Very soon, a scout, covered in sweat and dressed in ordinary commoner's clothes, arrived before the three of them: Jiang Jiang Mingyu, Tu Tu Kesiluo, and Shi Zhuo. Jiang Jiang Mingyu sized him up; after confirming the face was very familiar, he finally asked: "Why did you return so quickly? Did something major happen?" He still remembered the incident with the fake messenger, so he had to verify the other party's identity first before asking for details.

That scout, however, knew nothing of these matters; he hurriedly bowed his hands toward Jiang Jiang Mingyu and said: "Your Majesty, something major has happened."

Tu Tu Kesiluo's heart jumped; seeing Jiang Jiang Mingyu change color, he quickly narrowed his long eyes and spoke sternly: "Speak your piece; why make such a fuss?" The scout instinctively shrank his neck and hurriedly reported:

"Your Majesty, Prince, it is like this..."

It turned out they had been ordered by Tu Tu Kesiluo to investigate the situation in Jiangzhou and Liu Liu Yifei's army. But after running for only a few hours, they heard that Ke Bin, the Governor of Jiangzhou, had been greatly alarmed upon hearing news that Jiang Jiang Mingyu was about to attack Shangshan Jian City. As the Governor commanding the Jiangzhou troops, Ke Bin clearly understood that once Shangshan Jian City fell, the gateway to Jiangzhou would be thrown wide open. To defend the safety of the Southern Border and Jiangzhou, Ke Bin immediately sent fast horses to several other commanderies under Jiangzhou to urgently mobilize troops to reinforce Shangshan Jian City.

The moment the scout's words fell, Jiang Jiang Mingyu clearly felt a huge stone in his heart drop to the ground. He slightly lifted the corners of his mouth, relaxed his furrowed brows, and his entire body relaxed.

Six hundred thousand Southern Border reinforcements. Jiang Jiang Mingyu silently repeated this number in his mind. Adding the fifty thousand original defenders of Shangshan Jian City, the assembled forces on the Southern Border side amounted to a full one hundred and ten thousand. Had it not been for the One Da Jiang army's massive momentum and ferocious killing intent, merely these one hundred and ten thousand troops might have made Shangshan Jian City impenetrable.

But at this very moment, Jiang Jiang Mingyu was not at all worried about these suddenly arrived six hundred thousand reinforcements. Because he clearly knew that even if the Southern Border mobilized all their troops to come, they would merely be live targets delivered to the door, vainly adding to the One Da Jiang army's victories. These sixty thousand troops were like panicked lambs, about to step into the Tiger's Mouth, to be slaughtered at will.

Jiang Jiang Mingyu narrowed his eyes, his gaze slowly sweeping over the scout and Tu Tu Kesiluo. He saw the scout drenched in sweat, beads streaming down his cheeks and soaking his sideburns; he saw Tu Tu Kesiluo's sword-like brows knitted tight, a hint of doubt hidden in his eyes.

"Something is amiss... our army only occupied Shangshan Jian City yesterday; how could the news have reached Southern Border so swiftly today, prompting Ke Bin to mobilize troops immediately?" Tu Tu Kesiluo murmured to himself, "Could it be... there is a traitor within the ranks?"

Jiang Jiang Mingyu let out a light snort, dismissing the thought. He glanced casually at Tu Tu Kesiluo and spoke in a steady tone: "Why worry so? Let the enemy come, we will meet them head-on; this suits our plans perfectly. The channel through which Ke Bin learned the news is unimportant; what matters is that our army's combat power far surpasses the enemy's. These sixty thousand troops will accomplish nothing."

He rose and walked to the scout, looking down on him with disdain, and asked in a deep voice: "Those lingering here are of no further use. You, return swiftly. Investigate the deployment positions of the Southern Border troops and their commander. Report immediately upon learning the details. Go quickly and return quickly."

The scout responded with repeated assents, bowed deeply, and strode away. Jiang Jiang Mingyu watched his retreating back, a faint, barely perceptible smile playing on his lips. His air of confidence caused Tu Tu Kesiluo to turn his head in surprise.

Jiang Jiang Mingyu returned to the table, picked up the tea from the side, and took a sip. The fragrant tea slid down his throat, bringing a moment of tranquility to his mind. This peace was soon shattered by the sound of a fight outside the door, followed by wails and screams. Jiang Jiang Mingyu was slightly startled and was about to speak when a blood-soaked soldier burst through the door.

"Reporting to Your Majesty: Southern Border spies infiltrated the camp, attempting to assassinate the patrol commander. They have been captured since the incident!"

Jiang Jiang Mingyu raised an eyebrow, a flash of cold light passing through his eyes. He stood up, adjusted his robe sleeves, and spoke calmly: "Someone, convey My Imperial Decree: interrogate the spies immediately regarding their movements and numbers!" He knew the infiltration of Southern Border spies must have a purpose and was determined to unearth the truth from it.

In an instant, the prisoners' piercing screams rose and fell, interspersed with the sound of blood splattering against the walls. Jiang Jiang Mingyu stood motionless with a blank expression, listening to the interrogation in his ears, while his mind pondered the reason for the appearance of the sixty thousand Southern Border troops...