Fu Shanhe

Chapter 564 The building will collapse

Nanjing City.

The officials had just digested the devastating news of the fall of Anqing Prefecture and had not yet come up with effective countermeasures when news arrived that the rebel army had crossed the river.

The rebels who had crossed the Yangtze River were now free to roam as freely as fish leaping in the sea and birds soaring in the sky.

Even officials who only knew theory now realized the seriousness of the situation.

Both Huguang and Southern Zhili were important sources of revenue and grain for the Great Yu Empire.

The fall of any place would be a devastating blow to the imperial court.

Unfortunately, both locations were exposed to the rebel army at this time, and the imperial court would find it difficult to gather enough troops to annihilate the rebels in a short period of time.

"Grand Secretary, summon the Marquis of Hanshui to come to the emperor's aid!"

Shi Qingchen's words made the already oppressive atmosphere in the room even more somber.

"Hey!"

"Distant water cannot quench immediate thirst!"

Wan Huaijin sighed and said.

The loyalist army was not always on high alert, waiting for their call.

According to normal troop deployment logic, supplies and troops will only be procured and assembled after receiving military orders.

The fact that the army was able to arrive within six months is considered highly efficient.

Even if it takes a year, you can't say they're slow.

But given the current situation, they simply don't have six months to spare.

"Distant water may not quench immediate thirst, but it can still come over to clean up the mess."

The loss of cities and territory is inevitable, but surely we can hold Nanjing for a year!

The Duke of Chu couldn't help but speak up.

Since Li Mu left office, the influence of the nobility in the court has shrunk significantly.

Their daily treatment also plummeted.

Perhaps out of despair about the situation, or perhaps simply out of spite for the civil service, the noble generals chose to stand by and watch the situation deteriorate.

People began to selectively comply with the orders issued by the imperial court.

When there are benefits, everyone rushes to do them, but when it comes to dirty or hard work, everyone makes excuses and refuses.

Even on the battlefield, the first priority is to preserve strength, not to win.

As a result, Yu Jun's combat effectiveness declined sharply.

With the flames of war reaching their doorstep and infighting still raging in the court, the Duke of Chu could no longer tolerate it.

If we don't seize the time to prepare for war now, his position as the defender of Nanjing will be in danger once the enemy attacks.

He was entrusted with the honor of his family; others could abandon Nanjing, but he couldn't!

"My lord, the situation hasn't reached that point yet."

By concentrating our forces and guarding strategic locations, we still have a chance to turn the tide.

However, if the enemy army is to be defeated, summoning the Marquis of Hanshui to come to the king's aid is indeed the best option.

Bai Jinwen then continued the conversation.

The Battle of Nanjing was the last resort.

Nobody wants that day to happen, no matter how small the chance is.

Once they were trapped in Nanjing, it would mean that they had lost control of the situation in the country.

Even the slightest delay in the arrival of the loyalist army could have resulted in their deaths.

"Lord Bai, if we summon Marquis of Hanshui to come to the aid of the king, shouldn't we give him an explanation for what happened before?"
If we don't resolve the issue first and eliminate the misunderstanding between the two sides, the Marquis of Hanshui might become resentful.

He Zhengze spoke slowly.

This moment, that moment.

At a different time, he would definitely choose to uphold the dignity of the imperial court.

But the current situation is special. The enemy is about to attack, and if we continue to maintain the dignity of the imperial court, the country will perish.

“In the past, the imperial court would have been able to give an explanation, but that might not be possible now.”

The fact that the Marquis of Hanshui was willing to accept it did not mean that his subordinates would accept it as well.

Even a slight delay from those below can significantly slow down the arrival of reinforcements.

To resolve this issue, the imperial court must demonstrate greater sincerity!

As soon as Bai Jinwen finished speaking, the court became lively.

It's not a good sign for the central government to bow down to local warlords.

The censors launched a barrage of criticism, angrily accusing him of betraying the country and disgracing the nation.

……

"General, news has come from the rebel alliance that they have successfully crossed the river, so we don't need to go."

Upon hearing the news brought by his deputy, Shi Shichang smiled coldly.

I knew this alliance was unreliable, but I never expected it to break up so quickly.

Deep down, he held the Tatars in utter contempt for their ability to find allies.

They previously allied with Westerners to form an anti-Yu alliance and launched an attack on the Great Yu Empire.

As it turned out, after the war broke out, it was discovered that this alliance was just an empty shell.

The Westerners who had promised to send troops had long since disappeared without a trace, and even the promised material aid had not arrived.

Even the Kingdom of Burma, which had joined the war effort, was ultimately destroyed due to the overwhelming offensive of the Annam Protectorate.

The so-called four-sided siege plan was actually a one-on-one confrontation between the grassland allied forces and the Great Yu.

"Send someone to report the message to the Great Chanyu. The army will set up camp on the spot and await the next order from the royal court."

Despite his contempt, he still had to rely on the Tatars for a living.

To reduce suspicion, he had to tone down his sharp edges.

He would never make decisions on his own if he could consult the royal court.

Even if it delays the battle, he is willing to do so.

If we miss the opportunity, we can always pay with lives.

Not all of his troops were his direct subordinates; many of them secretly flirted with the Tatars.

When you're under someone's roof, you have to bow your head. Normally, he could only turn a blind eye to these little actions.

During wartime, it's a time to eliminate dissidents.

There are too many people willing to be dogs, so dogs are worthless.

As long as it's not too obvious, and someone dies normally on the battlefield, the Tatars won't say anything.

"As ordered!"

"But General, shouldn't we do something?"

The lieutenant couldn't help but ask.

As a trusted confidant, he knew that his general was currently being viewed with suspicion by the Tatars.

Even the slightest flaw could lead to death.

No one wants to live this precarious life forever.

If they stayed in Liaodong, they had no choice but to endure it.

But now that the army is marching south, the situation has changed.

A hundred thousand troops can accomplish a great deal in chaotic times.

Even after separating from the Tatars, they could still live a very comfortable life.

"What can I do?"

"The accompanying Guifang cavalry and Goguryeo people are still watching from the sidelines!"
Even the slightest transgression by this general would bring utter destruction upon him.

Shi Shichang said expressionlessly.

However, the resentment in his eyes betrayed his true feelings.

Being afraid to do something and not wanting to do something are two completely different situations.

……

Yong'an City.

Shi Xinjie was overjoyed to see the visiting envoys from various European countries.

Compared to other departments within the Protectorate, his Ministry of Foreign Affairs was a completely deserted department, even more deserted than the Court of State Ceremonies of the Great Yu Empire.

At the very least, the Court of State Ceremonies still had to frequently receive envoys from vassal states who came to the capital to pay tribute, keeping them busy for a while each year. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, on the other hand, was in a sorry state. With Southeast Asian countries completely wiped out, the Protectorate General had practically no diplomacy at the moment.

Although there are many daily trade exchanges, the local government handles them all, so the Ministry of Foreign Affairs doesn't need to get involved.

Moreover, in the eyes of outsiders, the Annam Protectorate is itself a branch of the Great Yu Empire, and if it really wants to carry out diplomatic activities, it should go to the capital of Great Yu.

As a result, officials from outside the ministry were often seconded to various departments to help out.

When he was busy, even he, as the minister, was seconded to the Ministry of State Affairs.

These European envoys are the first official foreign delegations to be sent to Europe.

"Welcome to the Annam Protectorate."

"I am the Minister of Foreign Affairs under the Protectorate General, and I am fully responsible for the Protectorate General's foreign affairs."

If you have any needs in your daily life, please feel free to speak with the officials of our Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

There are various Western restaurants in Yong'an City; they can take you there.

Shi Xinjie said with great enthusiasm.

Although it is a separate department, the Foreign Affairs Department has always had very few staff members because it handles very few foreign affairs.

The five-story reinforced concrete building in front of us is still the office building of the Ministry of Government Affairs; the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is only using a few rooms in it.

With such a shabby office space, there would naturally be no dedicated reception area, let alone a separate Western restaurant.

"Your Excellency, when may we be able to meet with the Marquis of Hanshui?"

"Spanish representative Brick asked with a concerned look."

They came with a mission.

After their covert, targeted operations failed, and realizing that military means could not shake the rule of the Annam Protectorate, the European colonists decisively adjusted their policies.

"I'm sorry, Your Excellency is very busy and has no time for foreign affairs reception."

If you have any questions, you can speak with me.

Shi Xinjie said, sounding slightly annoyed.

I just made it clear that I am fully in charge of external affairs, but these guys are not giving me any face.

If he didn't want to achieve results quickly, he would never mind letting these guys run into trouble.

My lord is about to become emperor; how could he lower himself to receive a group of Western envoys?

“Your Excellency Minister, we have come here with sincerity.”

We should not only strengthen bilateral trade cooperation, but also explore how to jointly safeguard world peace and stability.

Seeing that the atmosphere was not right, the British representative, Nicholas, quickly tried to salvage the situation.

If they had a choice, they definitely wouldn't have come as a group.

After all, relations between these countries are not good in the European world.

But there was no other way. After witnessing the fighting power of Yu's army, they realized that their colonies in Southeast Asia were in danger.

Although the previous actions were all carried out in secret, there was never any open conflict with the Great Yu Empire.

However, once something is done, it will inevitably leave some clues.

The fact that the Great Yu Empire has not reacted yet does not mean that it will not react in the future.

If we don't resolve this issue soon, it won't just be a colony problem once the Great Yu comes knocking.

Their operations in the East will be completely destroyed, and the conflict between the two sides will spread from the Pacific Ocean to the Indian Ocean.

Military conflict would inevitably disrupt the normal course of trade between the East and the West.

Spices, silk, tea, and porcelain were all necessities for the upper classes in Europe, bringing huge profits to these maritime powers.

Losing these sources of revenue would not only be unbearable for the noble lords whose interests were harmed, but would also severely impact the country's fiscal revenue.

This is undoubtedly unacceptable to European countries that prioritize their own interests.

“Mr. Nicholas, if these are the issues, I think we need to sit down and have a proper talk.”

Strengthening bilateral trade cooperation is beneficial to everyone, and I am happy to promote bilateral relations.

As for maintaining world peace, this is something the Great Yu Empire has always been doing.

Shi Xinjie responded with a smile.

Westerners needed trade between East and West, and so did the Annam Protectorate.

As the party with the trade deficit, the current trade system is very favorable to the Annam Protectorate.

If trade relations can be further strengthened, it will undoubtedly further stimulate the export of industrial and commercial products from the territory.

The larger the import and export trade volume, the more taxes the tax department can collect, and the more money it can invest in the struggle for global dominance.

From the moment the decision was made to intervene in the chaos of war, the Annam Protectorate adjusted all its domestic and foreign policies.

The priority is to conquer the world; other issues can be discussed after the world is pacified.

As a result, many plans within the Annam Protectorate were slowed down.

"If that's the case, then our next meeting should be very pleasant."

Your Excellency, I look forward to a formal meeting with you.

Niklas shrugged and said.

If both sides are sincere about peace, things will be easier to handle.

Trade negotiations are the simplest, as everyone shares common interests on this issue.

Unless there are special circumstances, no one would turn down money.

Maintaining world peace is just an excuse; the real purpose is to resolve geopolitical conflicts and the potential risk of war.

In fact, a major war at this time would be a losing proposition for both sides.

The Great Yu Empire was incapable of conquering Europe, and the European world was equally powerless against it.

Distance became the best barrier for both sides, preventing them from becoming strategic enemies.

Many unnecessary conflicts can be avoided if countries simply sit down and define their respective spheres of influence.

……

The Marquis of Hanshui's Residence.

With the outside world in turmoil, the atmosphere in the Marquis's residence was exceptionally tense.

The trigger for the conflict was that Li Mu's fourth son started school!

What should have been a joyous occasion turned into a disaster on his very first day of elementary school.

Looking at his wife's ashen face, and then at the giant tortoise in the book, Li Mu wanted to laugh but couldn't.

"Li Yan, you brat, what exactly are you trying to do?"

Jing Yaqing suppressed her anger and asked.

She tolerated his mischievousness when he was a child.

After all, his previous sons had grown up in the same way.

I thought that with my previous experience in raising children, my mental resilience had improved.

She never expected that her chubby-cheeked little son would cause such a big stir at school.

"Alright, Madam."

"Calm down first. If a naughty kid is disobedient, just give him a good beating."

If that doesn't work, then beat them a few more times, but don't get too angry and hurt yourself.

Before his youngest son could reply, Li Mu spoke first to comfort him.

He had seen plenty of naughty kids in his past life, but his own youngest son was nothing compared to them.

Drawing turtles in textbooks is essentially a sign of being playful and not wanting to go to school.

They were trying to avoid going to school through such petty tricks.

"Ok!"

"My husband is right, that kid deserves a beating."

"Cui'er, fetch my whip!"

Jing Yaqing nodded and said.

Based on past experience, there's no problem that a good beating can't solve.

"Madam, let's postpone this beating for now."

Domestic unrest occurred, and the rebels crossed the Yangtze River.

If nothing unexpected happens, it won't be long before I have to go to war again.

......"

(End of this chapter)