Honglou: This bastard is too persuasive.

Chapter 687 Dong Zhuo's Depression

Kaifeng City in the Northern Song Dynasty was bustling and bustling. But in the court, the news that the Sui Dynasty had conquered the island country made the atmosphere tense.

Song Renzong Zhao Zhen sat on the dragon throne and looked at his ministers solemnly: "The Sui Dynasty has conquered the island country and its strength has increased greatly. This is a big threat to our Song Dynasty. My dear ministers, do you have any countermeasures?"

"Your Majesty, I think we should immediately strengthen military training and expand armaments. At the same time, we should build fortresses in border areas and strengthen defense." Fan Zhongyan stepped forward and made an impassioned speech.

"Lord Fan is right. But strengthening defense alone is not enough. We also need to develop the economy and enhance national strength. Only when the country is strong can it remain invincible in this chaotic world." Fu Bi added.

"Well, what you two said makes sense." Zhao Zhen nodded in agreement. "Besides that, we cannot ignore the role of diplomacy. Send envoys to the Sui Dynasty to express our friendship and find out their true intentions."

"Your Majesty is wise." The ministers praised him one after another.

Although there were concerns and uneasiness in the court of the Northern Song Dynasty, there was more determination to actively plan and respond to challenges. They knew that in this turbulent era, only by constantly strengthening themselves can they protect the country and the people.

At the end of the Han Dynasty, the world was in turmoil. Outside Luoyang City, the tents of the eighteen princes were lined up, and the military flags were fluttering. The princes gathered here to fight against Dong Zhuo, who was causing chaos in the court. In the tents, the candlelight flickered, the smell of wine and sweat mixed, and everyone was arguing about the war. At this time, a messenger galloped and brought an astonishing news from thousands of miles away - the Emperor Jia Changsheng of the Sui Dynasty led the army in person and successfully conquered the island country.

"Everyone, this Jia Changsheng of the Sui Dynasty actually crossed the sea to conquer an island country and expand the territory. It is really amazing!" Cao Cao was the first to break the silence, playing with a wine glass in his hand, with a thoughtful look in his eyes. He was dressed in a black robe and had an upright posture. Although he was in the midst of this chaotic world, he could not hide his heroic nature.

"Yes, Brother Mengde is right." Yuan Shao stroked his beard, nodded slightly, and showed a trace of envy on his face. As a descendant of a famous family, he was born into a prominent family. This time he was elected as the leader of the eighteen princes. "The island country is isolated overseas, and the journey is difficult, but Jia Changsheng was able to succeed in one fell swoop, which shows his courage and strategy." Yuan Shao's voice was low and powerful, echoing in the tent.

"Humph, it's just luck." Yuan Shu snorted with disdain. He was dressed in a gorgeous brocade robe and a purple gold crown on his head. He was proud of his noble status and looked down on everyone. "How many troops can a tiny island country have? The Sui army is large in number and well-equipped. How difficult is it to conquer it?" Yuan Shu's words were full of arrogance and prejudice.

"Brother Gonglu, what you said is wrong." Gongsun Zan couldn't help but refute. He was tall and strong, with a heroic look on his face. His White Horse Volunteers were famous all over the world. "Fighting across the sea is difficult, and the number of troops is not the only factor that determines victory or defeat. Jia Changsheng must have something extraordinary to be able to formulate such a strategy and successfully conquer the island country." Gongsun Zan's voice was firm and powerful, causing everyone to nod.

"I think Jia Changsheng has pointed out a new path for us." Liu Bei spoke slowly, his face solemn, his ears hanging down to his shoulders, his hands below his knees. Although he was born in poverty, he had great ambitions. "We are here to fight Dong Zhuo, and the outcome is unknown. Even if we succeed, it is just to restore the old system of the Han Dynasty. If we can find another way, expand our territory, and establish unprecedented achievements, wouldn't it be great?" Liu Bei's words revealed a vision for the future.

"Mr. Xuande is right." Sun Jian's eyes gleamed. He had been through many battles and was known as the "Jiangdong Tiger." "Jiangdong is a land of waterways. If we can build a strong navy and go out to sea to find new lands, we may be able to achieve great things." Sun Jian's voice was full of ambition.

"General Sun, that being said, it is not easy to go to sea." Kong Rong frowned and said worriedly. He was a great scholar of the time, known for his profound knowledge and noble character, but he was skeptical about going to sea. "The vast ocean is rough, not only do we have to face the harsh natural environment, but we also have to guard against pirates and unknown dangers at sea." Kong Rong's words cooled everyone's enthusiasm a little.

"What Kong Wenju said makes sense." Tao Qian also nodded in agreement. He was old, kind, and had made great achievements in governing Xuzhou. "Going out to sea and opening up new territories requires a lot of manpower, material resources, and financial resources. We are now busy fighting against Dong Zhuo, so how can we have the energy to prepare for these?" Tao Qian's words made everyone fall into deep thought.

The tent was quiet for a while, and everyone was thinking about the feasibility of going out to sea. Cao Cao stood up and walked slowly. Suddenly, he stopped and said with a firm look: "Everyone, I think this is feasible. Although there are many difficulties, opportunities and challenges coexist. If we succeed, we can not only gain a vast world for ourselves, but also make immortal contributions to future generations." Cao Cao's words ignited everyone's enthusiasm again.

"Brother Mengde, in your opinion, how should we prepare?" Yuan Shao asked impatiently.

"First, we need to form a navy that is proficient in naval warfare." Cao Cao said in an orderly manner with a sharp gaze. "We can recruit fishermen and sailors from coastal areas and train them. At the same time, we need to build sturdy warships and equip them with advanced weapons and equipment."

"Secondly, we need to collect navigation data and understand the routes and geography of the sea." Cao Cao continued. "We can send envoys to the coastal countries to exchange navigation experience with them and obtain relevant information."

"Furthermore, we need to gather enough food and supplies," Cao Cao said at last. "Going on a long voyage requires a large amount of supplies, so we must prepare in advance."

After hearing what Cao Cao said, everyone nodded in agreement.

"Brother Meng De is right. We will follow your advice." Yuan Shao, as the leader of the alliance, immediately made the decision. "We can go back and recruit navy, build warships, and collect food and grass. When the time is right, we will go out to sea together to expand our territory!" Yuan Shao's voice was full of determination and fighting spirit.

"Good!" Everyone shouted in unison. The atmosphere in the tent was warm and full of expectations for the future.

In this chaotic world, the 18 princes were originally only trying to defeat Dong Zhuo and restore the Han Dynasty. However, the news that Jia Changsheng of the Sui Dynasty conquered the island country gave them another possibility. They began to look forward to going out to sea and establishing their own hegemony. Although the road ahead is full of unknowns and challenges, the blood in their hearts has been ignited, and they are willing to give it a try for the unattainable dream.

In the following days, the 18 princes returned to their respective territories and began to prepare for the voyage. Cao Cao recruited a large number of fishermen and sailors in Yanzhou and trained the navy himself; Sun Jian built warships and collected various sailing materials in Jiangdong; Liu Bei ran around to raise food and funds.

At the same time, the princes did not forget the great cause of conquering Dong Zhuo. While preparing to go to sea, they continued to confront Dong Zhuo's army, waiting for the best time to attack. In this turbulent era, the fate of the 18 princes began to change quietly with these two major decisions. And the unknown ocean was waiting for them to explore and conquer.

In Luoyang City, the Grand Tutor's Mansion was filled with gloom and depression, and the atmosphere was as dull as before a storm. Dong Zhuo sat high in the main seat, his body was fat and his face was full of flesh, but at this moment, his brows were tightly knitted, and in his hand he tightly grasped the secret report that brought the news that Jia Changsheng of the Great Sui Dynasty had established a country overseas. His eyes were full of complex emotions, with panic, unwillingness, and a trace of uncontrollable greed. "Look at me, Jia Changsheng of the Great Sui Dynasty has made such a big fuss overseas!" Dong Zhuo suddenly threw the secret report on the table, shaking the cups and glasses, and roared, "Now the eighteen princes are pressing hard, and we are attacked from all sides in the Central Plains. Don't we have a way to find a way out overseas?"

Li Ru, Dong Zhuo's trusted strategist, was dressed in a black robe and had a stern face. He stepped forward, clasped his hands together, and said respectfully: "My lord, please allow us to think about this carefully. Building a country overseas is by no means an easy task."

"Hmph, what's the difficulty? If Jia Changsheng can do it, why can't I?" Dong Zhuo waved his hands impatiently, his eyes full of arrogance.

At this time, Lu Bu stepped out from the side. He was wearing silver armor and holding a Fang Tian Hua Ji. He looked majestic, but he asked with a puzzled look on his face: "Foster father, what is overseas like? Can it really allow us to establish a country?"

Li Ru sighed slightly and said slowly: "General Fengxian doesn't know that overseas places are separated by a vast ocean. Not only is the journey long and full of unknown dangers, but the local customs and power distribution are also unknown. For Jia Changsheng of the Great Sui Dynasty to succeed, he must have prepared for a long time and planned carefully."

Dong Zhuo frowned and asked, "Then why don't we also prepare, send people to explore the way, and then recruit soldiers and horses?"

Li Ru shook his head, his expression solemn: "My Lord, under the current situation, we really can't spare the energy to prepare for this. The troops of the eighteen princes are approaching our borders, and we are challenged every day. The war on the front line is tight, and the soldiers are exhausted from coping. The consumption of food and armaments is huge. Our manpower, material resources, and financial resources must be given priority to fight against the princes. How can we have spare time to plan overseas?"

"Besides," Li Ru continued, "most of our soldiers are from the north. They are good at land warfare but know nothing about naval warfare. If we want to go to sea, we need to form a navy, but where can we find generals and soldiers who are proficient in naval warfare? Even if we recruit, training will take a lot of time, and we can't wait right now."

Dong Zhuo's face became increasingly gloomy. He slammed the table heavily and gritted his teeth, "Is there no other way?"

At this time, the counselor Li Su stepped forward and said carefully: "Grandmaster, in addition to military and material preparations, the people's hearts are also the key. Now you are in control of the government, doing many unjust things, and the people of the world are complaining. If you say you want to go to sea and establish a country at this time, I am afraid no one will be willing to follow you."

"How dare you!" Dong Zhuo was furious when he heard this. "Are you saying that I am unpopular among the people?"

Li Su was so frightened that he immediately knelt on the ground and said tremblingly: "Grandmaster, please calm down. I am only telling you the truth. The people are looking forward to peace, but we are regarded as traitors by the princes. If we propose to establish a country overseas at this time, it will only make the people of the world despise us even more, and even the soldiers may be unstable in their morale."

Dong Zhuo's eyes widened with anger, and he was breathing heavily, but he knew that what Li Su said was true. He turned to look at Lu Bu and asked, "Fengxian, what do you think?"

Lu Bu scratched his head and said in a simple voice, "Foster father, I think what they said makes sense. We can't even handle these eighteen princes right now, so how can we care about overseas affairs?"

Dong Zhuo sat back in his chair dejectedly, feeling unwilling. He thought of his evil deeds in Luoyang, the fearful eyes of the people, the condemnation of the princes, and realized that he had fallen into a desperate situation. Building a country overseas was just a distant fantasy.

"Am I really going to be trapped here and wait for death?" Dong Zhuo muttered to himself, his voice full of despair.

Li Ru stepped forward and said softly, "My Lord, for now we should focus on dealing with the eighteen princes. Perhaps we can negotiate with them and find a way out."

Dong Zhuo snorted coldly: "Negotiation? They wish they could die alone, how could they give up so easily?"

"But this is the only way at the moment." Li Ru insisted, "We can show weakness first, delay time, secretly accumulate strength, and then make plans later."

Dong Zhuo was silent for a long time, and finally nodded helplessly: "Forget it, this is the only way."

After this, although Dong Zhuo was unwilling to give up the idea of ​​establishing a country overseas, under the strong pressure of the 18 princes, he could only focus all his energy on dealing with the war at hand. He knew that his former arrogance had put him in an irreversible situation. The dream of establishing a country overseas had been shattered in the face of cruel reality. And his fate would also move towards an unknown ending in this chaotic time in the Central Plains.

At the end of the Han Dynasty, the country was in chaos. Dong Zhuo disrupted the government and used the emperor to control the princes, causing the people to live in misery. In order to support the Han Dynasty, the eighteen princes gathered together to fight against Dong Zhuo. At once, heroes from all walks of life responded, and the mighty army marched towards Luoyang, approaching Dong Zhuo's lair.

Dong Zhuo was shocked when he heard the news and hurriedly summoned his generals to discuss countermeasures. Lu Bu, a fierce general known as the "Flying General", volunteered to lead the army to Hulao Pass to resist the princes. Dong Zhuo was overjoyed and immediately appointed Lu Bu as the vanguard to lead the army to Hulao Pass.

Hulao Pass, with its strategic location, is an important gateway to Luoyang. After Lü Bu led his army to Hulao Pass, he immediately ordered the city defense to be strengthened in preparation for the battle against the allied forces. He was wearing silver armor, a purple gold crown, and holding a painted halberd. He stood majestically on the city wall, overlooking the allied forces outside the pass, his eyes full of disdain and arrogance.

The coalition forces of the 18 princes set up camp outside Hulao Pass, with tents stretching for miles and military flags fluttering. As the leader of the coalition forces, Yuan Shao summoned the princes to discuss strategies to defeat the enemy.

"Everyone, now that Lu Bu is guarding Hulao Pass and our army has failed to take it down, what should we do?" Yuan Shao asked with a frown, worriedly.

(End of this chapter)