Fu Shanhe

Chapter 562 The Fall of Anqing
The cabinet hesitated and considered all possibilities, and problems arose before the Jiangbei campaign even began.

Faced with the combined forces of the northern barbarians and the rebels, the Yu army, whose morale was low, struggled on the battlefield.

The various reinforcements dispatched by the imperial court were all dawdling and failed to arrive at the front lines on time.

The remnants of the border army, on whom high hopes were placed, retreated to Shandong and joined forces with the remnants of the Beijing garrison, then simply became bystanders.

Despite repeated urging from the imperial court, the various departments remained unmoved.

Lacking support, the Jianghuai defense line finally collapsed after two months of struggling.

Yong'an City, the residence of the Marquis of Hanshui.

"Hey!"

Looking at the intelligence coming from Dayu, Li Mu sighed helplessly.

He was prepared to betray the Great Yu, but before he could even make a move, the court was about to destroy him.

Judging solely from the surface data, the battlefield situation was on the verge of collapse, mainly because the imperial court had lost absolute control over the army, and various departments were scrambling to preserve their strength on the battlefield.

Looking beyond the fog to the essence, the reason why the generals preserved their strength was still the unfair distribution of resources by the imperial court.

In order to strengthen its control over the army, the Nanjing court invested a large amount of resources in the newly formed army.

As a result, the various factions of the nobility did not receive effective reinforcements after the suppression of the Liaodong rebellion.

Not only did they suffer losses in resource allocation, but they also lost all their voice in the court due to Li Mu's departure.

As the main force in suppressing the rebellion, the cold treatment they received after the war naturally aroused dissatisfaction among many generals.

However, the Nanjing court, seeing the success of the new army's training, felt confident in its own strength and failed to reassure the generals in time.

When the new army suffered a major defeat on the battlefield and was then invaded by the northern barbarians, it was too late to win back the morale of the troops.

"My husband, why are you sighing so much today?"

Jing Yaqing asked in confusion.

As the Protector-General of Annam and Governor-General of Guangdong and Guangxi, he commanded hundreds of thousands of troops and governed tens of millions of people, with a territory comparable to half of the Great Yu Empire.

With such a family fortune, there aren't many things that could cause Li Mu any worry.

"We just received news that Xuzhou City has been breached by the Northern Barbarians, and a gap has been torn in the Jianghuai defense line."

The situation in Sichuan was also unsettled, as the White Lotus Sect revived and swept through several prefectures.

I reckon other places will follow suit and descend into chaos soon.

Li Mu frankly stated.

The sudden chaos that engulfed the world hastened the collapse of the Great Yu Dynasty, but it also disrupted its strategic plans.

Compared to the corrupt Yu Dynasty, the newly rising feudal lords were clearly more difficult to deal with.

The original plan was to launch a northern expedition to defeat the Tatars and then force them to migrate westward to disrupt the situation in Central Asia and Europe. Now, a new plan is needed.

"But the imperial court has summoned you to defend the emperor?"

Jing Yaqing couldn't help but guess.

For the local lords, the chaos in the land was not necessarily a bad thing.

From the perspective of the Annam Protectorate, the more chaotic the country was, the more advantageous it would be for them to attract immigrants.

After annexing the Kingdom of Burma, the population under the jurisdiction of the Annam Protectorate directly exceeded 40 million.

A large influx of immigrants is needed to dilute the local indigenous population.

If the number of the dominant ethnic group is insufficient, even if the local indigenous people are separated and resettled, there will still be problems in integration.

Aside from the imperial court ordering the mobilization of troops to defend the emperor, she couldn't think of anything else that was particularly troublesome.

"no!"

"With all that commotion a while back, outsiders think I'm in a fit of rage right now. Who would dare summon me to come and defend the king?"

Li Mu replied with a smile.

It's true that I have feelings for the Great Yu Dynasty, but that doesn't mean I can make endless sacrifices for those feelings.

A regime that is rotten to the core cannot be reversed by the efforts of any individual.

Sometimes, a little indifference is the best choice.

"With years of continuous warfare, has the Great Yu Dynasty truly reached its end?"

Jing Yaqing complained with a hint of sadness.

Local governors and officials were increasingly alienated from the imperial court, as was the military. With the situation having developed to this point, it was clear to everyone that the Great Yu Empire was doomed.

The most crucial point is that the decline of the Great Yu Empire was not due to the rise of treacherous officials or the misrule of a foolish ruler, but purely a natural decline caused by the collective outbreak of social contradictions.

While it may seem that the Nanjing cabinet was responsible for the decline of the nation, a closer analysis of their actions during their tenure reveals that they were all aimed at strengthening imperial power.

Many plans are good when they are first formulated, but they are often ruined during the actual implementation process due to various factors.

They probably racked their brains trying to figure out why their plans kept failing.

Such a failure is more despairing than a foolish ruler bringing ruin to the country or treacherous officials in power.

They had originally hoped that the Great Yu could, like the Song, rely on the southern half of the country to survive and continue its rule, but now everyone has lost faith.

"Since the Han Dynasty, the dynastic cycle of three hundred years has become a huge curse, killing all great unified dynasties."

Relatively speaking, the Great Yu Empire is doing quite well. Judging by the days, it should be able to rule for three hundred years!

Li Mu said calmly.

With the end of a three-hundred-year dynasty, this was the last bit of dignity that Marquis Hanshui could leave for the Great Yu Dynasty.

The Annam Protectorate is now in a state of war. Hundreds of thousands of troops are fully equipped and ready to go, awaiting his order.

The Tatars advanced triumphantly southward, seemingly invincible, but in reality, the Jiangnan region was a huge trap, waiting for them to fall into it.

It is true that Jiangnan is the wealthiest place in the world, but that does not mean that they can use this wealth.

Even if Nanjing were captured and Southern Zhili occupied, integrating the local areas would not be something that could be accomplished overnight.

Even if they have collaborators, it's useless; Li Mu won't give them time to control the region. The day Nanjing falls will be the day his army marches north.

With his reputation, as long as he takes up the banner of expelling the Tartars, he won't have to worry about finding followers.

By leading a large army on a round trip, one can easily take over all the prefectures and cities along the way.

"My lord, have you decided to contend for the world?"

Jing Yaqing asked in a deep voice.

As the Great Yu Empire declined, calls to march north and seize the world grew louder within the Annam Protectorate.

Even within the inner quarters of the household, Jing Yaqing frequently heard voices urging her to marry. Countless others secretly encouraged her to whisper in her ear.

However, she and Li Mu were quite in sync on this issue, both avoiding the topic.

For those who are truly interested, this avoidance is itself the best answer.

There is no shortage of clever people in the world. After it was determined that the Great Yu was doomed, many people secretly moved closer to the Protectorate General in order to ensure the survival of their families.

Quietly, a startup team had already gathered within the Great Yu Empire, just waiting for him to march north.

"The arrow is on the string, it must be released!"

Li Mu replied with a complicated expression.

Having come this far, he represents not only himself, but also the huge entrepreneurial team behind him.

The decision to launch the operation at this time was not only due to the opportune timing, but also because the people below were simply too impatient to wait any longer.

A leader can suppress the ideas of his subordinates, but he can't keep suppressing them forever.

The Annam Protectorate's call to "rebuild China" was not just a political slogan, but a reality.

During the process of expanding territory, many civil and military officials made outstanding contributions.

According to tradition, many of them should have been granted titles and high positions long ago.

The main reason why everyone has been unable to take the lead is that Li Mu, the leader, is only a marquis.

The current situation is that if Li Mu doesn't improve, none of his subordinates can improve either.

Failing to reward merit has always been a major taboo. The reason everyone was able to tolerate it earlier was because we were in a crucial period of expansion and couldn't afford to be distracted by domestic affairs.

With the end of the Burmese war, the entire Southeast Asia region, apart from a few scattered European colonies, was now entirely under the control of the Annam Protectorate.

The threat from external enemies is almost negligible.

Its only neighbor, the Mughal Empire, was too large to be swallowed whole.

To launch a full-scale war, we must wait until the railway is completed; before that, it will all be small-scale skirmishes.

Barring unforeseen circumstances, the Brahmaputra River will serve as the dividing line between the two sides for some time to come.

At the time when the Annam Protectorate was at its most idle, the Great Yu Empire happened to show signs of collapse, which many people saw as "destiny".

Anyone who blocks our northward march to seize the world is our common enemy.

"My husband, I know what you're worried about, but nothing in this world is perfect."

Since we have to take this step, we should try to increase our chances of winning as much as possible.

In addition to military preparations, existing personal networks must also be mobilized.

With inside help, the difficulty of seizing power would undoubtedly be greatly reduced.

As for other issues, we can consider them after the country is pacified.

Jing Yaqing offered her advice tactfully.

Having reached this point in the situation, Li Mu had no choice, and neither did she.

To increase her chances of winning, she didn't hesitate to bring in all her relatives and friends.

Of course, the current situation is not exactly making things difficult for anyone.

Once they raise their flags, most people will probably want to get on board the Annam Protectorate.

"Ok!"

"It is inconvenient for me to appear in person right now. I would like to trouble you, my wife, to first try to find out the positions of each family through the inner quarters."

However, such matters are ultimately deals involving the confiscation of property and the extermination of entire families, and are primarily based on the principle of voluntariness.

If someone doesn't want to participate, there's no need to force them.

After a moment of contemplation, Li Mu made a decision.

To minimize the impact, the social networks among wealthy and powerful families are mostly maintained through their private residences.

Although Li Mu was also involved, he mainly focused on the Annam Protectorate.

Jing Yaqing was responsible for maintaining the connections between the Jing and Li families in the military and political circles, including their relatives and friends.

Social interactions during holidays and festivals may seem like routine interactions, but they are actually also a form of emotional exchange within a social circle.

The network of connections maintained by blood ties and friendships can play a limited role in a losing situation, but it becomes a godsend when things are going well.

If someone wants to be loyal to the Great Yu, he won't force them. But if they take this wrong step, they'll be out of the running when the power struggle begins.

In fact, this approach is already quite conservative. Expanding the scope of their activities could attract even more collaborators.

However, this would result in a large proportion of former officials from the previous administration. Failure to thoroughly purge vested interest groups would hinder the implementation of subsequent policies.

These kinds of happy troubles, as seen by outsiders, would be criticized as "pretentious" if spoken aloud.

Looking across the world, those who aspire to conquer the world always complain about having too few teammates, never about having too many.

With a large proportion of former officials, it's entirely possible to unify the country first and then find an opportunity to slowly purge them.

……

While Li Mu was busy making final preparations before launching his rebellion, the battle for Anqing Prefecture was gradually coming to an end.

Under the relentless onslaught of the rebel army's sheer numbers, the city was on the verge of collapse.

"General Wang, Anqing's strategic position is extremely important. We must defend Anqing Prefecture no matter what!"

Looking at the exhausted-looking guard, Du Yuhan said with a serious expression.

The constant stream of corpses being carried down showed how arduous the defense of the city had been. However, no matter how difficult the battle, they had to persevere.

Anqing is located on the north bank of the lower reaches of the Yangtze River, at the junction of Anhui, Hubei and Jiangxi provinces, and is a key node connecting Wu and Yue, Jingchu and the Central Plains.

As can be seen from the map, Anqing is strategically located between Wuchang and Nanjing, serving as the upstream gateway to the ancient capital of Nanjing and controlling a vital passage in the Yangtze River waterway.

Anqing's unique geographical location has earned it the reputation of being "the throat of the Yangtze River and the first prefecture dividing Wu and Chu".

For the rebels, capturing Anqing Prefecture meant that the crossing of the Yangtze River campaign was half successful.

Such an important position naturally had to be guarded by the court's elite troops to ensure the emperor's peace of mind.

Unfortunately, the cabinet's complacency placed Anqing in a dangerous situation.

The newly formed and trained troops of the imperial court were indeed very obedient. Unfortunately, their combat effectiveness was rather lacking.

There was no way around it; it was true that the training commanders were drawn from the border troops, but the cabinet selected a bunch of obedient kids who followed orders.

All military training was conducted meticulously according to the requirements of military manuals.

Nominally, it was military officers training troops, but in reality, it was all about instilling the will of civil officials from beginning to end.

The training methods were outdated and mechanical, and they didn't improve much on the battlefield. The civilian officials assigned to oversee the troops were also only half-baked.

Under the overall command of the civil officials, what should have been an easy siege battle turned into a hellish ordeal.

"Lord Du, the war has progressed to this point, and all units have suffered heavy casualties. When will reinforcements arrive?"

Wang Ziqian asked with concern.

Judging from his military experience, he had participated in almost all the major wars of the last ten or twenty years and had achieved considerable military exploits.

During the era when the nobility held power, he failed to rise to prominence mainly because he participated in these major battles as an executor of orders and did not demonstrate initiative.

Such a military general, lacking initiative, is only suitable as an executor to complete the tasks assigned to him.

Appointing him as commander-in-chief would be irresponsible towards the army.

"Don't worry, the imperial reinforcements have already set off and will arrive in Anqing Prefecture in a few days."

If you can just hold on for the toughest few days, you'll launch a full-scale counterattack!

Du Yuhan said in a serious tone, trying to fool people.

Anqing Prefecture lacked reinforcements, as did the Jianghuai region.

The fall of Xuzhou Prefecture created a huge gap in the Jianghuai defense line, urgently requiring a large number of troops to replenish the front.

There is a shortage of soldiers in various places, and the local governors and viceroys are paying lip service to the government. At this time, the court can only mobilize a very limited number of mobile troops.

Although they were called reinforcements, the troops actually sent were very likely just a group of laborers who had just put down their hoes.

They hadn't even had time to complete the most basic military training, so it's easy to imagine how little combat effectiveness they could possibly demonstrate.

However, such confidential information is only for him, the commander-in-chief, to know; there's no need for the military officers to worry about it.

"The general will get the order!"

Wang Ziqian answered with a forced smile.

He was quite dissatisfied at not getting the information he wanted. However, his long-standing habit of obedience led him to choose to carry out the order.

……

Late at night, while patrolling the camp with his men, he was deeply disturbed by the endless wails of the soldiers.

But war is cruel; for every general's success, countless lives are lost. He was powerless to stop the cries of the wounded.

All the doctors in the city were mobilized, and all available medicines were used, but the results were still minimal.

The cries of the wounded soldiers affected the morale of the defending troops to some extent. Knowing that this couldn't continue, Prince Qian still dared not make any rash moves.

The soldiers' morale was shaken by the cries of the wounded, and the consequences would be even more severe if they suddenly stopped hearing the cries of the wounded.

"Rumble..."

The sudden explosion ripped through the beautiful night sky and extinguished Wang Ziqian's dream of defending the city.

(End of this chapter)