Call of the Heroes of Chaos in Another World

Chapter 2114 Returning to Han at Yangguan Pass, Zhuge Liang's Memorial

When Zhao Kuangyin arrived with his reinforcements on the west bank of the Yellow River, all he saw were rows of warships on the river.

As for the people of the Western Cang court, they had naturally already boarded their warships by this time.

The generals of the Song Dynasty were seething with hatred at this moment. However, they were all helpless.

Even though they were all valiant warriors on horseback, their skills were useless in the water. Apart from Xuanwu, the rest couldn't even defeat Zhang Shun in the water.

"Your Majesty, the Great Wu Navy has appeared on the Yellow River. We are not the only ones who are anxious; the Great Han is also concerned!" Xie Guanying looked around and lowered his voice.

The fact that the young emperor of Xicang stayed behind will not only become a hidden danger for the Song Dynasty, but also for the Han Dynasty.

Xie Guanying naturally knew that the taking away of the young emperor of Xicang had both disadvantages and advantages for the Zhao Song dynasty!

Zhao Kuangyin probably didn't want to completely cut off the Huangfu family's path either!

The day the Song Dynasty was established was indeed a day that no one in the Song Dynasty wanted to mention, and the same was true for Zhao Kuangyin.

Even among the blood debts of that day, one involved Zhao Kuangyin's mother.

However, even if Zhao Kuangyin harbored the same hatred, sometimes he could set it aside.

Monarchs, especially successful monarchs, aren't they all like that?
If Wang Xu could see through this, Xie Guanying could naturally see through it too!
"The Great Wu still holds immense power, far surpassing that of our Great Song!"

"Fortunately, there's a strong man here!" Zhao Kuangyin looked at the warship that was about to sail away, and it was unclear what he was thinking.

The Great Wu of today is not like it was a few years ago!
Not only was Dou Jiande's faction eliminated internally, but external pressure was also greatly reduced.

After several years of internal strife within the Northern Di, Temujin finally felt the time was ripe and prepared to once again deploy his forces into the Northern Di territory.

Of course, the Golden Horde would not let such a good opportunity pass by either; they naturally wanted to take a big bite out of that juicy piece of meat in the west.

Furthermore, due to the significant changes that occurred within the Papacy, and the fact that it no longer clashed with the Kingdom of Gaul and Great Wu, it shifted its focus back to internal affairs.

Therefore, for Zhao Kuangyin, having the rising Han dynasty as a shield at this time, which allowed him to free up his hands to deal with the Wu dynasty to some extent, was indeed a good thing.

However, whether Da Wu spared Dou Jiande's remaining forces or took away the young emperor of Xicang, it revealed their ambition for the east.

Despite the fact that over the years, the Great Wu lost three northwestern provinces to the Yuan Mongols and two more to the Great Qin.

However, these are the most barren paths in the Great Martial Realm.

The most vital central and southern routes remain firmly in their grasp.

Overall, Da Wu's strength has not suffered much loss.

However, although the Great Wu was strong, Zhao Kuangyin estimated that they wouldn't really do anything to the east in the short term. The reason was simple: the Great Wu had been fighting continuously for so many years, and no matter how much wealth they had, they couldn't continue fighting.

"Regardless, Your Majesty, from this day forward, the Hexi region will be entirely in Your Majesty's hands, and the Great Song will be free from any hindrance!" Xie Guanying said with a smile.

Previously, the Song Dynasty's military strength was not weak, but its national strength was limited.

The Kanto and Kansai regions are capable of raising a strong army, but they lack the funds and provisions to supply such an army.

Having conquered the Hexi region, they finally filled their last remaining weakness. From then on, the Song Dynasty could truly be a land where fish could leap freely in the vast sea and birds could soar in the boundless sky.

…………

News from Hexi hasn't arrived as quickly as it could have from the Han Dynasty.

However, Kuai Che and Su Li, who were originally heading to Zhennan, had already returned to the Han Dynasty.

Furthermore, they brought the news that the Han people wanted to hear.

When Kuai Che and Su Li stepped into the Imperial Study in Tianjing, weary from their journey, the hall was filled with a sense of oppression, as if waiting for the dust to settle.

When the news that "the handover of Yangguan has been completed and the garrison has taken over" was clearly reported by the two men, the invisible tension suddenly dissipated and was replaced by a calm, sharp excitement.

Wang Yu sat upright on the throne, his knuckles tapping lightly on the armrest, producing a soft, clear sound that was exceptionally distinct in the silent hall, as if measuring the weight of this hard-won victory.

"Excellent!" Wang Yu's voice was not loud, but it carried the weight of metal and stone, penetrating the palace. "Ma Qianli is, after all, Ma Qianli. This promise is a matter of loyalty for him, but for my great Han Dynasty, it is the key!"

Ma Qianli was, after all, merely a general, at most a feudal patriarch; he was not fit to be a monarch!
Of course, he may also be self-aware, and therefore, he has never had such thoughts.

If it were someone like Wang Yu or Zhao Kuangyin, they might not have agreed to the deal.

Although Yangguan Pass was essentially something Ma Qianli picked up, it wasn't initially under their control but rather under Huangfu Guyuan's. However, such a pass, if not under their control, would be fine, but once under their control, it would become their lifeline.

If Yangguan Pass were in Ma Qianli's hands, the Han Dynasty would essentially only have Guangyin Pass left if it wanted to launch a military campaign against Zhennan. After all, given a choice, who would want to risk a dangerous pass like this?
However, if Yangguan falls into the hands of the Han Dynasty, and if they were to launch an attack on Zhennan one day, they could launch a two-pronged attack from both Yangguan and Guangyin.

For the sake of tens of thousands of troops, to release such a strategically important location—whether Wang Yu or Zhao Kuangyin would have been willing to do so is truly an unknown!
However, Ma Qianli ultimately agreed to the exchange!

Although Kuai Che and Su Li also contributed to this, the personality of Ma Qianli, the lord of Zhennan, was also indispensable.

Of course, this doesn't mean that these tens of thousands of prisoners are unimportant to Zhennan at present. On the contrary, having suffered heavy losses in the Henan campaign, exchanging them for these tens of thousands of prisoners would have an immediate effect on restoring their fighting strength. After all, these tens of thousands of prisoners are veterans; after a little reorganization, they can quickly regain their fighting strength. However, if they were to recruit new soldiers, it would take a much longer time for the new recruits to recover to the same fighting strength as these veterans.

However, Zhennan actually had some time to recover its strength at that time.

After all, Zhennan's two largest neighbors are none other than the Great Yan of Xuanyuan Huang and the Great Qian to the south.

The Great Qian in the south, at this moment, how could they possibly have the spare energy to interfere in the affairs of the Great Cang?

As for the Great Yan of Xuanyuan Huang, although they suffered a military defeat in this great battle, they cannot be considered losers. After all, they took the opportunity to seize all the advantages of Dongcang south of the Yellow River.

The area south of the Yellow River in Dongcang needs some time to digest.

Therefore, within Zhennan, figures like Ma Baili advocated against making this deal. In fact, to stop it, many even used the blood debts from the recent battle in Henan to provoke Ma Baili.

However, in Ma Qianli's heart, these tens of thousands of soldiers were more important than Yangguan Pass, so the deal was ultimately successful.

For Ma Qianli, the battle of Henan had already cost him the lives of so many brothers. If he could bring back some of them, he would do everything in his power to do so.

The Han Dynasty released all the prisoners of war from the Battle of Henan, including Ma Chao, while the Zhennan Army handed over Yangguan back to the Han Dynasty.

From then on, of the three passes and one mountain in Henan Province, except for Liang Pass, the rest fell into the hands of the Han.

When this news reached them, everyone present was greatly encouraged. The return of Yangguan Pass was not merely a matter of gaining or losing a single pass; it meant that the Han Dynasty had gained a crucial piece on the strategic chessboard for the future.

"Your Majesty is wise." Zhuge Liang, who had just taken office as the magistrate of Henan, stepped forward first. This calm and composed prime minister's eyes shone with the light of a strategist.

"With Yangguan Pass in hand, the defensive situation in the southern border has been completely reversed. Without Yangguan Pass, we would have to be on guard against Zhennan Kouguan day and night, which would require tens of thousands of elite troops and waste the country's resources without daring to act rashly. Now, we only need to send a steady general with 30,000 elite troops to guard the natural barrier of Yangguan Pass. Even if Ma Qianli launches a full-scale attack, relying on the formidable pass, it is not difficult to hold out for several months!"

For the Han Dynasty, whether or not they could capture Yangguan Pass was closely related to their next military operation.

Once they have fully digested the gains from this southern campaign, the location of Yangguan will be extremely important for their next military operation, whether they target the Great Yan or the Great Song.

If Yangguan Pass still exists, at that time, their southern defenses would only require 20,000 to 30,000 troops to guard the pass.

Even if Zhennan were to attack, with only 20,000 to 30,000 troops, holding out for several months would not be a problem at all. For at least three months, there is no fear of Yangguan falling.

With troop transport vehicles available, even at a slow pace, reinforcements can be brought over within three months.

But if Yangguan is not in their hands, once they decide on their next military objective and actually launch an attack, how many troops will they have to waste just to defend against Ma Qianli in the south?

After all, their capital has now been moved to Tianjing, and the defense of the south is of paramount importance!
As the head of the civil officials and in charge of the country's finances, Zhao Anling's focus was more practical: "Kongming is absolutely right. The greatest benefit of Yangguan's surrender to our Han Dynasty is that it greatly frees up military manpower and national funds! If Yangguan is lost, the future military expenditure on the southern front will be enormous, just for the defense of Zhennan."

"Now, only the garrison on the southern front needs to be maintained. The saved soldiers, provisions, and laborers can be used elsewhere. This shift in resources will greatly increase the nation's strength! Your Majesty, this is the best strategy to subdue the enemy without fighting!"

Zhao Anling was very pragmatic; in conquering the world, silver and grain were always the most crucial things. The money and grain that could be saved over time at Yangguan Pass could support a medium-sized war.

With a sinister expression and a bald head, Yao Guangxiao stroked his beard and pondered, his eyes deep: "The two physicians, Kuai Che and Su Li, have not only brought back Yangguan to our Han Dynasty, but also a clear answer."

"Ma Qianli was a man who valued loyalty and righteousness over power and strategy, and was good at maintaining the status quo but not good at making progress. He regarded his soldiers as his own brothers, so he was willing to exchange a strategic pass for them."

"However, its scope ultimately stops at being a regional lord, not a powerful ruler vying for supremacy over the world. This point should be the cornerstone of our Great Han's future strategy to control the south. Rather than making it an enemy, it is better to guide it well and make it a shield for our south, restraining the power of the Great Yan or Great Qian. As long as Yangguan is in our hands, the initiative will always be in our hands."

The next target of the Great Han Dynasty, whether it is the Great Yan or the Great Song Dynasty, cannot be Zhennan. This is determined by the most basic geographical location among the various parties.

However, although their next target was not the other side, once they took over Henan, they would be bordering Zhennan, and they would have to consider the other side's attitude.

For the Han people, encountering such a truly compassionate and righteous leader is an absolute blessing.

This kind of person will never amount to anything. Good people are not suited for this chaotic world.

As for Yao Guangxiao, he was suitable to be an old friend or relative. However, he was not suitable to be his subject or ruler.

Wang Yu nodded slightly, his deep gaze sweeping over the assembled officials below: Zhao Anling, Guan Zhong, Yao Guangxiao, and the other five cabinet ministers, along with the newly appointed Henan Magistrate Zhuge Liang, and Zhang Liang, who served as his secretary.

Wang Yu often consulted with these individuals on truly important military and national affairs in the court.

Finally, Wang Yu's gaze fell on the huge map hanging behind him. His finger moved slowly, passing over Yangguan Pass where the red Han flag had just been planted, pointing westward to the fertile Hexi Corridor occupied by the Song Dynasty, and then eastward to the seemingly prosperous but turbulent territory of the Great Yan.

"Yangguan has been secured, and the southern border is safe." Wang Yu's voice was steady and powerful, carrying an undeniable determination. "However, the world is not yet at peace, so how can we rest easy? Now that Henan has been taken, the foundation of the Han Dynasty is established. When we are ready to prepare our troops, we will sweep them all away."

His fingers slammed heavily on the map, making a dull thud.

Now that Yangguan was secured, Wang Yu made arrangements for the garrison commander of Yangguan, and then picked up a memorial from his desk.

"Kongming submitted a memorial yesterday. Gentlemen, please read it first!"

As he spoke, Zhao Gao shrewdly handed over several copies of the memorial he had already copied to the important officials below him.

After receiving it, Guan Zhong only glanced at it briefly. They had already read the contents of the report when they were on duty yesterday.

With the exception of a few confidential documents, all memorials were submitted to the cabinet, where cabinet ministers would offer suggestions before Wang Yu would approve them.

Therefore, at this time, only the four cabinet ministers—Zhao Anling, Yao Guangxiao, and others—who were not on duty yesterday, were seriously reviewing the documents. Of course, although the secretary's official rank was not high on the surface, Zhao Gao still handed over a copy as well.