Thief Emperor

Chapter 557: Two Hundred Years of Change
The real estate business has existed in every dynasty, and the more prosperous the era, the more likely it is to appear.

During the prosperous Tang Dynasty in another world, some prime ministers had to rent houses in the capital.

This is why it is said that it is not easy to live in Chang'an.

After Li Yun took over Huainan Province this year, the Jiangdong area has already met all the conditions for establishing an independent country. And Nanjing, at present, is naturally the only choice for the capital.

In fact, Li Yun has been building his own small Jiangdong court in the past one or two years.

Anyone with a discerning eye can see these.

Therefore, the "real estate" of this new city can be developed. On the one hand, it can save a lot of expenses, and on the other hand, it can create momentum for the future.

After the wedding banquet, it was already dusk. After the groom Zhao Cheng had dealt with the guests, he brought his new wife to Li Yun's table to toast.

After some polite conversation, Li Yun, Du Qian and others left the Zhao family together. When they reached the door of the Zhao family, Du Qian suddenly asked, "Are you going to make Nanjing the capital in the future?"

Li Yun thought for a moment, looked at him, and said with a smile: "For now, we only have Jinling as a place to choose. As for the future."

"If the cause is successful."

Li Yun touched his chin and said, "We'll make plans when the time comes."

Du Qian exhaled a breath of alcohol and said, "My suggestion is to go to Beijing, Beijing..."

“It’s going to be much more prosperous and lively.”

"Moreover, over the past thousand years, several dynasties have established their capitals in the capital."

Li Yun smiled dumbly: "There is no shadow yet, why is Brother Du considering the capital?"

"I don't think it's very far."

Du Qian looked at Li Yun seriously and said with a smile: "Looking at all the places in the world, I think only the upper position is well prepared. Even the imperial court is not as good as us in Jiangdong in some aspects."

Li Yun pulled his sleeve and said with a smile: "We can only talk about the future in the future."

"Thinking about it now is just wishful thinking."

"The Chinese New Year is just a few days away. Brother Du will probably be busy for several days. Since General Zhao is getting married today, Brother Du should take a good rest."

Li Yun smiled and said, "I will go and have a drink with Brother Du during the New Year holidays."

Du Qian responded and smiled: "Okay, then we'll have a family dinner at my place."

The two people parted in the night.

At this moment, it is the winter of the third year of Zhaoding, and there are only four or five days left until the end of the year.

At this time, the story of Yu Huan, the commander of the Jiangdong Army, had been advertised everywhere, and Yu Huan would be beheaded in two days.

At this time, General Zhao Cheng was getting married, and the small circle of Jiangdong's high-level officials was lively and peaceful.

At this time, a young man riding a horse in the north took a last look at the pass of Da Zhou, turned his horse around with his tribesmen, and rushed back to Linhuang Prefecture in the north.

This place is about to become the capital of the Khitans, the Shangjing of the Khitans.

Because the young man named Yelu Yi was preparing to formally establish the Khitan Kingdom after the beginning of the year.

At the same time, on the wall of Youzhou, General Xiao Xian, dressed in armor, looked at the Khitans going away, but there was no happy expression on his face.
Because he knew that the Khitans left most likely because they had something to do, or... because the weather was too cold.

They will definitely come back in the early spring of next year.

Deputy General Chen Yang, standing beside General Xiao, lowered his head and said, "General, there's a letter from the junior general."

As he said this, he handed the letter over. After Xiao Xian unfolded it and read it, he put it in his arms and said, "Write him a reply and tell him to be careful on his way."

"You must return to Fanyang safely."

Chen Yang responded and quickly lowered his head.

After a while, a middle-aged man in a cotton suit who looked like a scholar stood behind General Xiao and sighed, "General, General Li Tong replied that as long as the court issued an edict, he would help. If there was no edict from the court, he would be treasonous if he acted on his own, so he dared not move."

The middle-aged man paused and then said, "However, General Zhou of the Pinglu Army gave a very straightforward answer. He said that as long as Youzhou is in danger, he will send troops to rescue it."

General Xiao put his hands behind his back and said slowly, "Although Zhou Yaozi is very annoying, he is not a bad person after all. He knows the principle of "the lips and the teeth are cold when they are gone."

The middle-aged man lowered his head slightly and said, "General, these Khitan people..."

"Is it that powerful?"

This middle-aged man's surname is Fan and his name is Tao. He is the chief of staff under General Xiao and also Xiao Xian's adviser.

The last time, it was his idea for the Fanyang Army to lead the troops to defend the king.

Now the facts have proved that his decision was not wrong. At least General Xiao did get a lot of benefits from the court in the past one or two years. However, the unification of the Khitan tribes was beyond everyone's expectations.

Theoretically speaking, this matter is no easier than marching troops southward to sweep across the Central Plains; it may even be more difficult.

General Xiao looked at him, and after a long silence, he said, "If the imperial court was still in existence, with the imperial court coordinating with friendly forces, military supplies, food, and other things, these Khitans would not be a threat."

"but now."

Xiao Xian frowned, then said softly: "The Fanyang Army alone can hold out for one or two years without any problem. It may also hold out for three to five years. But if they really hold out for three to five years."

"The Fanyang Army is about to be crippled."

If there was a large rear support, this loss would be completely acceptable. However, after the imperial court collapsed, the Fanyang Army had not yet built up its own rear.

Once the loss continues, I'm afraid it will be unsustainable.

This is also what General Xiao is most worried about.

After hearing this, Mr. Fan bowed his head and said, "General, you have done your best by guarding the border for a while. If the Khitans continue to attack and other military governors do not come to rescue, there is no need for the Fanyang Army to defend the border for others."

"At that time, we can even let the Khitans directly into Guanzhong to avoid causing trouble and force other Jiedushi to step down."

"If the imperial court doesn't take responsibility for this matter and the other governors don't say anything, there's no reason for you, the general, to bear it all alone."

Xiao Xian frowned and said, "Fanyang and Youzhou are our base. If we don't defend them, where can we go?"

Mr. Fan said without hesitation: "The general has 100,000 soldiers and horses, where in the world can't he go?"

"Why would you want to trap yourself here and waste your troops just to do the job for the old Zhou?"

In recent months, the Fanyang Army has suffered more than 10,000 casualties, including those caused by underestimating the enemy and defending the city.
Even for a behemoth like the Fanyang Army, such a loss is unacceptable.

Moreover, if the Khitans come again next year, this loss will continue.

In the end, even if the manpower gap can be made up through conscription, the overall strength of the Fanyang Army will definitely become weaker and weaker.

By then, he would lose the qualifications and ability to compete with other Jiedushi for the world.

General Xiao looked at Mr. Fan silently. After a long silence, he said, "Sir, you are really smart."

"Don't dare."

Fan Tao bowed his head and said, "I am only considering this for the general."

General Xiao looked at him again, with a hint of murderous intent in his eyes, but he quickly suppressed it. He said in a deep voice: "Send a letter to Li Yun in the south, and ask him to come to support Fan Yang when necessary."

"Li Yun?"

Mr. Fan was stunned and said, "General, Li Yun is already a thousand miles away from Youzhou, and there is a Pinglu Army in between. How could he come to Youzhou to help?"

"It's his business whether he helps or not, and it's our business whether he writes or not."

"If you are asked to write, just write."

Mr. Fan then lowered his head and said yes, then quietly retreated.

General Xiao looked towards the north and sighed silently: "The two hundred years of change seem to have arrived."

In the past few years, so many things have happened one after another.

First there was civil unrest in the Central Plains, then the old emperor died suddenly, rebels invaded the capital, and then heroes rose up in various places.

Now, the Khitan tribes, which had not been unified for more than a hundred years, were finally unified!
The trend is already quite obvious.

The protagonists on the land of China are about to usher in a new round of changes.

General Xiao was in a daze for a long time before he silently walked down from the city wall. Then he called a civil servant and spoke slowly.

"The emperor ordered the recruitment of new soldiers in Hebei Province."

The civil servant lowered his head and asked, "General, how many troops should we recruit?"

"do not know."

General Xiao looked calm.

"Let's conquer first."

“I’m afraid it will be useful next year.”

(End of this chapter)