Guiyi Fei Tang

Chapter 529 War is Imminent
"Crash..."

In late July, when Pei Ting's delegation traveled south from Shangjing and successfully arrived at Beisha City (Dalian), the southernmost part of Liaodong, the summer southeasterly winds dominated the Bohai Strait. Although the sea conditions were not as complicated as expected, they were not suitable for sailing from north to south.

Even so, Pei Ting still chose to cross the sea to Dengzhou, just to see if the Han warships were as large as Li Juzheng had said.

"I have prepared the ships that Shuyan needs. I hope that Shuyan can avoid this battle. I would be very grateful."

At the docks of Beisha City, a general nearing sixty years old was bowing and paying his respects to Pei Ting.

This man was Li Juzheng, the Southern Left and Right Guard General stationed in Liaodong, and his remarks made Pei Ting frown.

"Is General Li so afraid of battle?"

Pei Ting spoke somewhat dismissively, but Li Juzheng said, "It's not that I'm afraid of war, but the warships of the Han Dynasty are as high as hills, and the ships are linked together to form islands. Moreover, the warships have so-called sorcery that can launch stones several miles away, with the sound reverberating for dozens of miles."

"If our country goes to war with the Han Dynasty, not to mention whether we can win, the Khitan in the west and Silla in the south will certainly not let go of the opportunity to nibble away at our country."

"That is precisely why I do not wish for our country to go to war with the Han Dynasty..."

Li Juzheng saw things clearly, and Pei Ting, after hearing this, also put away his previous disdain and solemnly said, "If things are really as the General says, I will certainly reconsider."

"That's excellent." Upon hearing Pei Ting's words, Li Juzheng immediately breathed a sigh of relief and looked at the ten large ships in the harbor.

Ten large Bohai ships, similar in design to Tang dynasty ships, were moored in the harbor. Each ship was about 12 or 13 zhang long and 3 zhang wide.

Since it was an envoy mission, the tribute items had to be brought. The tribute items from the Bohai Kingdom were mainly sable furs, fine horses, and gyrfalcons.

Therefore, although the mission consisted of only a hundred people, it required more than five hundred sailors and ten ships to escort them south.

“Three days ago, I sent a ship south to inform Grand Commander Geng in the south of the news of the imperial envoy’s mission.”

"Grand Commander Geng already knows, Shuyan, just go south."

"Although the wind is against us now, it will only take two days to travel south from here."

Li Juzheng recounted his actions to Pei Ting, who nodded in agreement and then said:
"If that's the case, I will lead my envoys south tomorrow, hoping to find out what the Han Dynasty is planning."

"It's all thanks to Shuyan," Li Juzheng replied respectfully.

After exchanging pleasantries, the two returned to the city of Beisha behind them. After having the supplies and tributes loaded onto the ship, they went to rest.

The next day, as dawn broke, Pei Ting led ten envoy ships southward, while Li Juzheng, wearing a cloak, watched as the ships sailed out of the dock and headed further and further south.

Only after the fleet disappeared from sight did Li Juzheng descend from the city wall.

At the same time, when Pei Ting, who was standing on the deck, could no longer see Liaodong to the north, he walked to the bow of the ship and looked out at the boundless Bohai Sea.

Although he was physically strong, the sea breeze was really giving him a headache, and he chose to return to the cabin after standing for a short while.

However, after he returned to his cabin, he soon heard the mockery of the accompanying officials.

"Li Juzheng was probably afraid of fighting, so he made up the story that the Han Dynasty's warships were towering into the clouds."

"I certainly don't believe it. How can ships built by our country be as tall as those built in the Central Plains, since there are no giant trees there?"

“We have traveled south from the capital, covering a distance of over a thousand miles. Even the Han Dynasty could not have covered such a distance.”

“In the past, the Tang Dynasty attempted to send troops to Liaodong, but in the end, it was still defeated by King Wu, who even conquered Dengzhou.”

"If the Tang Dynasty was so powerful, how much stronger could the Han Dynasty be?"

"Hahahahaha..."

Everyone was chatting and laughing, completely unaware of Pei Ting's arrival.

Pei Ting didn't disturb them, but quietly returned to his cabin to rest.

Although he felt that Li Juzheng was acting in the best interests of the Bohai Kingdom, Li Juzheng's explanation was indeed worthy of suspicion.

He had just been granted an official position, and speaking up now would not only fail to help Li Juzheng, but would also harm him.

Thinking of this, Pei Ting sighed and then closed his eyes to rest on the couch.

Time passed by, and in the blink of an eye, it was the next morning.

As the land gradually approached, a thin mist gradually rose from the sea.

The waves, some ten feet high, kept crashing against the ship, but fortunately, the ship was tall enough that it could calmly and slowly sail south despite the crashing waves.

Pei Ting walked onto the deck, followed by more than ten accompanying officials.

The fog ahead gradually thinned over time, and the view began to expand.

Even so, the accompanying officials continued to chat and laugh: "Counting from yesterday, we should be arriving at the islands at sea soon, right?"

"Haha, I wonder if we'll be able to see those so-called towering warships?"

"Hahahahaha..."

As they chatted and laughed, Pei Ting's brows furrowed involuntarily, as a row of black lines began to appear in the distance.

"We've arrived in Dengzhou so quickly?"

"This is my first time passing through Dengzhou on a diplomatic mission. I'd like to see what Dengzhou looks like now, the place that was conquered by King Wu in the past."

"I'm afraid the people here fear our country like a tiger and dare not speak with our officials."

"Yes, yes, yes..."

The glory of defeating the Tang Dynasty in the past seemed to be imprinted on the souls of the Bohai nobles. Even if the topics were different, some people would take the initiative to bring it up in order to boost their confidence.

However, their confidence was clearly misplaced, because Pei Ting had already roughly calculated the distance the fleet had traveled.

"This distance is definitely not enough to reach Dengzhou, and then there's the south..."

"Boom!"

In an instant, thunder roared and lightning flashed. Many sailors and officers on the deck couldn't help but take two steps back, looking around in disbelief.

"What is that sound?"

"Could what Li Juzheng said be true?"

"Impossible! How could such an absurd statement be true?!"

"Look! Look to the south!!"

A cacophony of sounds arose, and finally, at the final command, the officials on all ten ships turned south.

When they looked over, the deck was immediately filled with gasps of shock.

They saw that the coastline, which they had previously recognized as being five or six miles to the south, was steadily approaching them.

At this time of year, the winds in the Bohai Strait are favorable from southwest to northeast, so the distant coastline approached them in just a quarter of an hour.

When they got closer to the so-called coastline, the Bohai delegation, which had been so self-assured, realized their mistake.

That was not a coastline, but an "island" formed by a dense cluster of large ships moored together.

The island, made up of large ships, was approaching them rapidly, reducing the distance from several miles to about a mile in less than a quarter of an hour.

Under their watchful eyes, hundreds of ships, far larger than the one beneath their feet, began to approach them.

Among them, the large ships, with a capacity of three thousand liang, were much taller than their envoy ships, and could be described as small hills.

Suddenly, many dark openings appeared on both sides of the ship, and with a slight adjustment, they were aimed at them.

Who are you?!

On the deck, a burly general in bright armor questioned the people on the ship, an act that was clearly an insult to them.

They had already hoisted the banners of the Bohai Kingdom's delegation, and the generals of the Han Dynasty could not have failed to see them, yet they still resorted to such brutal methods to deal with them.

The accompanying officials, who had been making outrageous remarks, all fell silent. Pei Ting, however, managed to maintain his composure and bowed, saying, "I am Pei Ting, the envoy from Bohai, sent by the king to pay tribute to Luoyang."

Although the people of Balhae privately referred to themselves as a nation, and even addressed the Balhae King as His Majesty.

But before the Han Dynasty, they could only be subjects of the Han Dynasty, and the King of Bohai could only be the Prince of Bohai, not a prince.

"So it is an envoy sent by the Prince of Bohai. We have been waiting for you for a long time. Now that you have arrived, we will escort you to Dengzhou!"

The general chuckled lightly, then turned around and made a few noises. He saw the flag bearers on the masts fluttering their command flags, and countless large ships began to retreat to the left and right, leaving a path for the ten envoy ships from Bohai to advance.

"sail!"

Pei Ting urged them on with a grim expression, and the naval commanders quickly directed ten envoy ships to shuttle in front of the Han warships.

As a large ship with a capacity of 800 liang, the ship was not small, but compared to the warships of the Han Dynasty, it was like a toddler that had not grown up.

They headed south under the escort of the Han fleet, and these warships seemed to be preparing for something, all of them sailing to the left rear of the envoy ship.

As they continued south, Pei Ting finally learned of their intentions.

In the distance, countless stone fortresses were built on numerous islands stretching from north to south. Something was swaying on these stone fortresses, and from time to time, they emitted a thunderous roar.

The sheer scale of the scene made the timid weak-kneed, and those officials who had previously mocked the burly man now slumped into their chairs, desperately gripping the ship's gunwale.

After most of the day had passed, they passed by Da Xie Garrison and Wu Hu Garrison, the largest garrisons in the archipelago.

These islands originally consisted of only a few small fishing villages, but now they have developed into something resembling cities, bustling with people.

The further south the fleet sailed, the more astonishing the changes the Han Dynasty brought to the mission became, reaching its climax when the distant coastline came into view.

But in the port of Penglai County, the seat of Dengzhou, hundreds of warships, as tall as the warships behind them, were moored.

Their ten small boats were like children who had never grown up compared to these warships.

Under the watchful eyes of the sailors on the decks of these warships, Pei Ting and his envoy successfully entered the port, which seemed to have been renovated and was more than two or three times larger than before.

The port was bustling with activity, with no fewer than 10,000 laborers working there, pulling and hauling military supplies. There were also several thousand Han soldiers at the port.

Even Pei Ting dared not make a sound at this moment, but calmly followed the Han officials and boarded a carriage towards Penglai County.

As they approached, the rammed earth and brick-clad walls of Penglai County astonished them. Even in the Bohai Kingdom, with its two to three million inhabitants, only the palaces of its five capitals could employ such a method.

The bricks used in Penglai County alone would be enough to cover the entire outer city of the capital.

"The Han Dynasty is far superior to the Tang Dynasty of the past..."

Pei Ting's expression turned solemn. Then he saw them pass through the checkpoint, cross the city wall passage, and enter the city.

Many of the officials in the delegation had previously paid tribute to the Han Dynasty, so they had naturally seen Penglai City.

It had only been three years since the last tribute mission, yet the changes in Penglai City were almost unbelievable.

In the third year of the Hongwu reign, although Penglai City had been recuperating for five years, the lives of the people were still very difficult due to the severe drought, even though the citizens of the city wore old clothes and looked pale.

Now, in just three years, most citizens are wearing silk and cloth shoes, and everyone has a rosy complexion and a slightly protruding belly, looking very prosperous.

"In just over three years, the changes have been so tremendous..."

"Could it be that he did this on purpose to save face?"

The officials of Bohai were all speculating, while Pei Ting's expression grew increasingly grave.

Fortunately, the carriage soon stopped in front of a government office. Pei Ting and his two deputy envoys were welcomed inside, while the other officials were taken to the post station to rest.

After Pei Ting and his two deputy envoys were brought into the yamen, they soon saw Geng Ming sitting in a high position in the main hall, along with four captains sitting below him.

"An envoy from a lower kingdom pays respects to Prince Hezheng..."

Following the introductions from the officials who had brought them there, Pei Ting and the others took the initiative to bow and pay their respects to Geng Ming, who was seated in the main seat.

As one of the most law-abiding members of Liu Jilong's old brothers, Geng Ming naturally held the highest title of Prince, which was the highest that could be granted to someone of a different surname. In addition, he also served as the Left Grand Commander of the Eastern Army in the Five Military Commissions and the Commander of the Eastern Sea Navy.

He had already planned how to treat Pei Ting and the others, so he calmly nodded and said, "Please take a seat."

At his signal, Pei Ting and the other two took their seats one after another. After Pei Ting was seated, he couldn’t help but ask, “May I ask Prince Hezheng, why does the court have so many warships in Bohai, and why does it also build cities and stone fortresses in Daxie and Wuhu garrisons in the north?”

He was straightforward, but Geng Ming preferred communicating with people like him who got straight to the point. Therefore, after he asked his questions, Geng Ming calmly replied:

"His Majesty once said that Liaodong is also part of the Han territory. Without controlling Liaodong, it is impossible to expel the Khitan and Xi barbarians."

Upon learning that the Han Dynasty was indeed going to reclaim Liaodong, Pei Ting's expression turned extremely grim.

From today's experience, he has come to understand that what Li Juzheng said was not unfounded, and he has also seen the strength of the Han Dynasty at sea.

Even if all the Bohai navy were mobilized to fight the Han Dynasty in Bohai, it would only result in thousands more floating corpses at sea.

If they cannot hold them off at sea, then they will naturally not be able to wait for the Han army to land in Liaonan.

Once the Han army lands in southern Liaoning, Bohai will have to gather tens of thousands of troops there.

Although Bohai can still recruit 200,000 to 300,000 soldiers domestically, with the armor and weapons in its arsenal, it can at most immediately muster 70,000 to 80,000 armored soldiers from its current 100,000 regular troops.

The logistics for 170,000 to 180,000 soldiers required at least a million people to supply them.

If Bohai and the Han Dynasty were to fight in Liaonan, the population of over 200,000 in Liaodong would certainly be insufficient to supply the army with money and provisions, and they would have no choice but to retreat to cities such as Liaodong and Xuantu (Shenyang).

Even if they could hold out, there were still the Khitans to the west, Silla to the south, and the Shiwei to the north...

These countries will not let go of the opportunity to dismember Bohai together with the Han Dynasty. However, the internal contradictions within Bohai are already very serious. Faced with this war from multiple sides, it is destined that it will not be able to hold out for long.

They could either retaliate like King Wu of the past, quickly defeating the Han army and then swiftly counterattacking the Shiwei, thus deterring the Khitan and Silla from launching any military action.

They would either have to cede Liaodong, further exacerbating internal conflicts.

The latter is clearly impossible, while the former faces even greater difficulties.

The Bohai Kingdom today cannot produce a figure like King Wu. Even Li Juzheng, who is quite famous in the army, does not recommend going to war with the Han Dynasty. Other generals are probably even less capable.

"The court did not want to go to war with Bohai, firstly because the Bohai Prince was obedient, and secondly because the court needed to use Bohai to counterbalance the Shiwei and Khitan."

"His Majesty has said that the people and soldiers of Liaodong may be relocated, but Liaodong must be returned to the court."

Geng Ming got straight to the point, and Pei Ting, hearing this, already knew that negotiations were unlikely to succeed, and couldn't help but say:

"Our country has 300,000 archers and 3 million people. Is the imperial court really so sure that it can conquer Liaodong?"

"Ha ha……"

Faced with his threat, Geng Ming couldn't help but laugh, and the other captains followed suit.

Their disrespect caused the two deputy envoys beside Pei Ting to blush and clench their fists, while Pei Ting remained calm.

When Geng Ming's laughter stopped, Pei Ting expected Geng Ming to say a few words to him, but instead saw Geng Ming look at the captain and say:
"Huilian, take Ambassador Pei to the North City and let him see a play."

"Yes!" The general, who was no more than thirty years old, bowed in response, then looked at Pei Ting and the other two: "Ambassador Pei, please..."

Pei Ting was puzzled, but he could still see Geng Ming's contempt, so he followed the general out of the yamen out of curiosity.

They traveled by carriage to the north of the city, and soon reached the top of the north city wall, using it to climb to the highest point of the city tower.

Standing here, one can clearly see hundreds of warships inside and outside the harbor, so Pei Ting thought that Geng Ming wanted to use these warships to overwhelm him.

However, before he could speak, the general gestured to the flag bearers beside him, and then the flag bearers began to wave the two-zhang-tall flag.

After the flags were waved, the warships that had been resting began to move, turning their sides one after another and pointing them toward a stone fortress on the beach.

The stone fortress was clearly newly built; although it was not large in scale, it was sturdy.

"Beep--"

The piercing sound of the wooden whistle rang out and traveled back and forth.

"Boom!"

In an instant, smoke billowed from the warships at sea, followed by a thunderous sound.

Before Pei Ting and his two deputy envoys could react, they saw countless dark shadows streak across the sky and land near the stone fortress two or three hundred paces outside the city.

Sand and dust flew everywhere as the seemingly sturdy stone fortress was attacked one after another by countless dark figures. Even if Pei Ting didn't know what cannons were, he could still think of catapults based on this attack method.

However, the attack range of this catapult seemed to far exceed his expectations.

"It's at least two li!"

Pei Ting felt a chill run down his spine. Even though he had never personally led troops into battle, he had learned a lot about military strategy from the books in his clan's library.

The distance of the catapult meant that only the big men could attack them, and they had no chance of attacking the big men.

However, this alone is not enough to convince Pei Ting, because war is not just about the gains and losses of a single city or place, but also about the strength of a nation.

Although the Han Dynasty was powerful, the Liaodong and Liaoxi regions were separated by the Liaoze River, so the Han Dynasty could only launch a direct attack by crossing the sea.

Shipping is no joke; shipwrecks and loss of life are common occurrences, and the suitable sailing season lasts only four or five months.

If a storm were to suddenly occur, hundreds of thousands of military supplies would sink to the bottom of the sea, leaving the frontline troops to suffer from hunger.

The Bohai Kingdom only needed to defend its own borders, while the Han Dynasty needed to cross the sea and travel thousands of miles by land to recover Liaodong.

If this stalemate continues, even if the Han Dynasty manages to defeat the Bohai Kingdom and reclaim Liaodong, the situation within its borders will certainly not be good.

"Rumble..."

As Pei Ting pondered this, the Han army's artillery bombardment continued for half an hour. After half an hour, the general ordered the flag bearers to stop waving their flags, and only then did the warships at sea cease their bombardment.

A quarter of an hour later, the general, having confirmed that it was safe, looked at Pei Ting and said with a smile, "Please, Ambassador Pei, take a step forward."

Pei Ting had already guessed where they were going next, but he still pretended not to know and was led out of the city by the general to a stone fortress a few hundred paces north of the city.

On the beach, there were many fist-sized stone spheres scattered about, while the stone fortress was now broken and in ruins.

Even if it could be repaired and continued to hold out, such power still made Pei Ting worry.

There are very few cities in Bohai that could withstand such an attack; even if there are, they are all mountain fortresses left over from Goguryeo.

Even though his heart was already churning with turmoil, Pei Ting remained calm and composed: "If that's all there is to it, I'm afraid I've overestimated the Heavenly Army."

"Hehe..." The general didn't expose him, but simply gestured, "Please, Ambassador Pei, retreat."

Seeing this, Pei Ting, along with his two deputies and generals, retreated several hundred paces.

Before they could turn around, a violent rumble of thunder came from behind them, followed by a strong wind sweeping in from behind.

The deafening sound made them stay in place for more than ten breaths before they dared to slowly open their eyes, but when they looked back, the original stone fortress had completely collapsed.

This sight caused Pei Ting's heart to clench, and the two deputy envoys looked terrified.

"The imperial court has many other methods; this is just one of them."

"I suppose Ambassador Pei also has something to discuss with his subordinates. I will escort Ambassador Pei back to the post station first, and then Ambassador Pei can decide what to do next."

Before Pei Ting and the others could speak, the general arranged their next destination.

They were taken to the post station, and upon arrival, the two deputy envoys revealed the methods used by the Han army.

The atmosphere inside the post station became heavy, and the officials who had been mocking the Han Dynasty turned ashen-faced.

Even someone as resolute as Pei Ting couldn't help but rest in the room for two hours before summoning two deputy envoys at nightfall.

By candlelight, Pei Ting looked at the two dejected deputy envoys, pondered for a moment, and then spoke:

"I will lead the delegation to Luoyang. You two must immediately return to the capital and tell His Majesty everything you have seen and heard today."

"I tried my best to persuade the Hongwu Emperor that if things were not going to work out, the only option would be to build more fortifications and hold Liaodong."

As soon as he finished speaking, one of them couldn't help but ask, "Can you hold out?"

"We have all witnessed the strength of that stone fortress today. Even such a sturdy stone fortress could not stop us, let alone other means."

“Building the stone city would be very costly, but Liaodong only has a population of just over 200,000. How could it be so slow to build a stone fortress for them?”

"I'm afraid that before the stone fortresses at various strategic passes are completed, the Han army will have already breached Xuantu City."

His words caused the candlelight in front of him to flicker. Pei Ting coldly replied, "We'll have to try eventually."

“But…” the deputy envoy was about to object when Pei Ting stood up and said, “I am the ambassador!”

Seeing that he was using his status to intimidate them, the two deputy envoys could only respond with silence.

"Go down. Tomorrow, the two of you will return to the capital and tell His Majesty everything about this matter."

He began to see the guests off, and the two deputy envoys, seeing this, could only reluctantly get up, leave the room, and close the door behind them.

As the two footsteps faded into the distance, Pei Ting took a deep breath, placing all his hopes on himself.

Half an hour later, the candles in the room went out, but countless people tossed and turned in the darkness, unable to sleep.

The following day, Pei Ting split his troops into two groups as previously agreed, one heading north and the other west.

The journey from Dengzhou to Luoyang is over 1,400 li, while the journey to Shangjing is over 1,700 li.

Geng Ming did not stop Pei Ting; instead, he sent troops to escort them westward.

As Pei Ting traveled westward by carriage, the lives of ordinary people in Henan Province of the Han Dynasty unfolded before his eyes like a scroll painting.

Compared to three or even ten years ago, the people of the Central Plains today seem to live in a completely different world.

As we approached Wulao Pass, not far from the official road, we saw villages with wisps of smoke rising from their chimneys, and from a distance, we could see several children chasing and playing at the village entrance.

Even this ordinary village is surrounded by many earthen ditches and canals, and there are more than a dozen wells scattered around hundreds of acres of farmland.

The wheat has been harvested, and the village is lined with animal-powered mills. These seemingly ordinary wells, canals, and mills are buildings that can only be found in cities throughout Bohai. Even in a village with thousands of people, it would be impossible to find so many agricultural buildings.

To the Bohai officials who had visited the Tang Dynasty, the scene before them seemed like a fantasy, while the cannibalistic scenes of the people of Henan Province in the past were the reality.

No matter how much they disbelieve it, the scene before them is real, and it is what they have seen and heard along the way.

The wealth of the Han Dynasty truly numbed them.

With this numbness, they arrived in Luoyang in late September.

Outside Luoyang, many Bohai officials saw the once dilapidated but now magnificent and unattainable capital city.

The prosperity of Luoyang was dazzling. Even after they settled into the inn, they still couldn't believe that Luoyang had transformed from a place of ruin to a place of prosperity in such a short time.

Pei Ting's spirits were worn down by what he had seen and heard over the past month. He had thought that although the Han Dynasty had just ended the war, the people were not starving, but the situation was not much better.

But what he saw and heard now told him that the Han Dynasty had rebuilt a dynasty that everyone looked up to in just six years, on the foundation of the Tang Dynasty.

He spent several days in Luoyang in a daze, until he learned all the proper etiquette, before he was allowed to go to the Zhenguan Hall to meet the Hongwu Emperor.

"Your humble servant, Pei Ting, Supervisor of the Imperial Archives, has come to pay homage to Your Majesty by order of the Prince of Bohai. Long live Your Majesty! Long live Your Majesty! Long live Your Majesty!"

Pei Ting performed the salute as instructed by the officials of the Ministry of Rites, and then shouted "Long live the Emperor!" three times.

"Give me a seat!"

A majestic voice rang out, and Pei Ting cautiously glanced up at the emperor sitting on the golden platform, and was inevitably taken aback when he saw him.

He knew the emperor's age; he was forty-six, nearly fifty, and thought that his youth was naturally fading.

But when he saw Liu Jilong, he realized that Liu Jilong looked to be only in his early thirties and was not as old as he had imagined.

Moreover, even he, a man praised by the nobles of Bohai for his handsome appearance, couldn't help but feel ashamed of his own looks.

"Liaodong is the old territory of the Han people. In the past, the Central Plains was exhausted and powerless to control it. Now that the Central Plains is strong, it is time for it to return to the Central Plains."

Liu Jilong's words effectively shut down what Pei Ting was about to say, leaving Pei Ting with no choice but to bite the bullet and say:
"Your humble servant traveled from Dengzhou to Luoyang and saw along the way that the people lived in peace and prosperity, but the land was vast and sparsely populated."

"Although I have never been to Hebei, the various towns in Hebei have been at war for many years, so I imagine the situation is not much different from that in Henan."

"In my humble opinion, the Celestial Empire has only been free from war for six years, and the people are living in peace and prosperity. It is really not appropriate to wage a large-scale war."

"Moreover, Liaodong is bitterly cold, and the people of the Central Plains may find it difficult to endure. At that time, it will probably drain the strength of the Celestial Empire."

"Why not wait until the Celestial Empire has a vast territory and a large population before recovering Liaodong?"

Pei Ting has come to understand the profound heritage of the Han Dynasty after his journey.

Whether it's a contest of national strength or military power, the Bohai Kingdom seems to have no chance of winning, so he can only hope that he can persuade Liu Jilong.

However, as soon as he finished speaking, Liu Jilong's tone remained unchanged, without the slightest ripple.

"The Celestial Empire produces cotton, which is a hundred times better than cotton cloth and wool. Even if people from Henan were to migrate there, they could endure the bitter cold."

"Moreover, there are tens of millions of people in Henan and Hebei, and three million people in Hedong. We only need to relocate a few hundred thousand people to Liaodong to occupy Liaodong. Why would it affect the livelihood of the people in the three provinces?"

"Moreover, the imperial court's plan to recover Liaodong is to expel the Xi tribe and the Khitan. This strategy benefits both Bohai and the Han Dynasty. Why does the ambassador object to it?"

"In my opinion, could it be that the King of Bohai is unwilling to give up Liaodong and is trying to seize control of the region?"

Cotton and a large population in the north were the reasons why Liu Jilong dared to recover Liaodong.

If Pei Ting wanted to convince himself with this, he was being far too wishful.

"I hereby grant the King of Bohai permission to relocate the people of Bohai to the north. Once the court has relocated the people of Liaodong to a peaceful and prosperous life, merchants will no longer need to risk the sea to conduct business; they will only need to transport goods on land."

"In addition, the cotton in the hands of the imperial court can also be imported into Bohai, so that the people of Bohai will no longer fear the severe cold."

"Once the imperial court opens up farmland in Liaodong, grain can be transported north to alleviate the grain shortage in Bohai."

"Furthermore, when the court drives out the Xi and Khitan tribes, Bohai will no longer need to maintain tens of thousands of troops in places like Fuyu. The money and grain saved can be used to build water conservancy projects and benefit the people."

Liu Jilong said many things that would benefit Bohai, but these were not things that Pei Ting and the Bohai ruler and his ministers were worried about.

What the rulers and ministers of Bohai were most worried about was that after the Han Dynasty established a firm foothold in Liaodong, it would continue to encroach on Bohai's lands to the northeast.

Although it may seem far away, it is a real threat and we must be wary of it.

Therefore, faced with Liu Jilong's argument, Pei Ting, knowing he could not persuade Liu Jilong, could only sigh and bow:

"If that's the case, I can only send a fast horse back to Longquan Prefecture to report all of Your Majesty's thoughts to Wang Le."

"Excellent!" Liu Jilong nodded slightly. He had never thought of subduing the enemy without a fight.

Even if the Balhae Kingdom were to back down, he would still try to wage a large-scale war in the Northeast to deter Silla, Shiwei, Japan, and other countries.

This war could be against Bohai, or against the Khitan and Xi tribes; in any case, this war is inevitable.

Only by inflicting heavy losses on one of them can we demonstrate the strength of the Han Dynasty to other countries and maintain peace in Northeast Asia.

Furthermore, if Silla and Japan could witness the strength of the Han Dynasty, it would make it easier for Liu Jilong to acquire Tamna Island (Jeju Island) and Sado Island from Silla.

The former served as a transit point, while the latter was used for mining gold and silver.

After gaining control of these two islands, they would further interfere in Japan's internal affairs and build a transit station on the east side of the Japanese mainland so that their fleet could later travel to the Americas to obtain new crops.

Liu Jilong recalls that in the late 16th and early 17th centuries, Japan, with the help of the Spanish, built ships to cross the Pacific Ocean and reach Mexico, then set off from Mexico to Europe, and finally returned to Japan.

Although it took a long time, it also demonstrated the feasibility of this matter.

At that time, Liu Jilong planned to send fleets to the east and west respectively. As long as they could bring back many crops from the Americas, many mountainous areas in the southwest and northwest could be utilized, and local conflicts would be greatly reduced.

Thinking of this, Liu Jilong glanced sideways at Jing Xiang below the stage, who then sang, "Retreat..."

"Your humble servant respectfully withdraws. Long live Your Majesty! Long live Your Majesty! Long live Your Majesty!"

Pei Ting respectfully withdrew from the Zhenguan Hall, and Liu Jilong, after watching him leave, glanced sideways at Jing Xiang:
"By imperial decree, Geng Ming, the Prince of Hezheng, is appointed as the Commander-in-Chief of Liaodong, with command of 50,000 troops from Qingzhou and the East China Sea Navy, to be dispatched on short notice."

"The officials of the Southern Court used the old maps and books of the Tang Dynasty as maps, established the Liaodong Circuit and various prefectures and counties, appointed officials according to their talents, and ensured that the number of personnel was sufficient, in order to prepare for the relocation of people to the border."

As Liu Jilong finished speaking, Jing Xiang respectfully bowed and said, "Your subject will remember Your Majesty's decree..."

At Liu Jilong's instruction, Jingxiang ordered someone to go to the cabinet to draft confidential edicts, which were then sent to the Three Departments of State Affairs to complete the procedures before being distributed to the relevant departments.

Just as this matter was settled, Zhao Ying entered the Zhenguan Hall, bowed to Liu Jilong, and said:

"Your Majesty, Deputy Protector-General Zhang has returned to Luoyang on the orders of the King of Jiaohe, and has now arrived in Luoyang."

"In addition, the Crown Prince, the King of Jiaohe, and the families of many officials from the Western Regions were all in the entourage."

Upon learning that Zhang Huaishen had ordered the families of officials from the Western Regions to be sent to Luoyang, Liu Jilong understood his intentions.

"It seems that the Anxi and Beiting circuits should also establish three departments, but how to settle these officials from the Western Regions is a problem."

Liu Jilong raised the question, and Jing Xiang took the initiative to bow and said, "Officials in the capital can be sent to Liaodong, Anxi and Beiting to take up their posts, and the vacancies in the Six Ministries and Nine Temples can be filled."

The reassignment of officials in the capital and on the border is indeed a good solution. Liu Jilong nodded slightly and then gave the instructions:
"Let the three ministers of the Cabinet and the Council of State discuss this matter and draft a plan as soon as possible."

"Your subject obeys the decree..." Jing Xiang nodded in agreement, while Liu Jilong looked at Zhao Ying:
"I urge the Crown Prince to come to Zhenguan Hall, and order Deputy Protector Zhang to return to his residence and rest well."

"Your subject obeys the decree." Zhao Ying acknowledged and walked out, while Liu Jilong continued to process the memorials that had been edited by the cabinet.

These memorials were compiled by the seven Grand Secretaries of the Cabinet, and each of the seven Grand Secretaries also provided their own suggestions for Liu Jilong to choose from.

Liu Jilong quickly glanced through the memorial and chose the relatively safest suggestion from among the several options.

It may seem complicated, but it's much faster than Liu Jilong having to research and make decisions on his own.

Previously, he needed seven hours a day to process memorials, but now he only needs four hours, saving most of his time.

With the time saved, Liu Jilong could spend time in the inner court with Feng Hui and Li Meiling, or take a walk in the Shanglin Garden, thus avoiding the problem of sitting for long periods and becoming obese.

He had to protect his health, so he rarely ate pastries or rich foods. He only stayed in the inner palace for a few days each month, and spent the rest of the time resting in the Zhenguan Palace.

Maintaining a healthy diet year-round is what makes him look younger than others.

"Your subject Lie requests an audience with Your Majesty..."

Suddenly, a deep, youthful voice came from outside the hall. Liu Jilong immediately put down his brush, got up, and walked out.

Having not seen his eldest son for ten years, he was naturally both excited and apprehensive.

Excited by the long-awaited reunion, yet also uneasy about not having fulfilled his responsibility as a father to accompany his child.

When he arrived at the palace gate, Liu Lie, who was covered in soot, suddenly appeared before him.

Even though they hadn't seen each other for ten years, he still recognized him and couldn't help but hug Liu Lie like a child, spinning him around twice.

Liu Lie was still nervous about how to talk to his father whom he hadn't seen for many years, but before he could react, he was picked up by Liu Lie.

Liu Lie, who was about to come of age, was quite startled by this sudden action and hurriedly said, "Father! Father, put me down!"

"Good, good, good!" Liu Jilong cheerfully put him down, looked at Liu Lie, who was about the same height as him, and happily hugged him, patting him hard, saying, "You've gotten stronger, good, good..."

Liu Lie's face was flushed red, and he wished he could disappear into a crack in the ground. However, his skin was so tanned that no one could tell he was blushing.

"Father, come in first, come in first..."

Liu Lie just wanted to get away from this place immediately, because he could see the people around him trying to suppress their laughter.

"No, we won't go in. We'll go back to the inner palace first."

Liu Jilong turned to look at Jingxiang, who had followed him out, but Jingxiang said, "I have already asked the eunuchs to prepare a palanquin. I hope Your Majesty will wait a moment."

"Okay!" Liu Jilong nodded, then turned to look at Liu Lie, who seemed somewhat awkward and embarrassed.

"Judging from the way the eldest son looks, he must be skilled in archery and horsemanship."

"I heard that you and Zhang Lang have come. Have you met with Madam Zhang yet?"

Perhaps it was due to his age, but Liu Jilong had become a bit talkative, while Liu Lie awkwardly replied, "Of course I have seen him."

"Okay, okay, okay." Liu Jilong smiled broadly, and Jing Xiang, standing beside him, chuckled softly as well.

Liu Jilong usually doesn't smile as much as he does today, even if it takes half a month. Seeing Liu Jilong happy, he was naturally very happy too.

"Go to your mother's place later, and in a few days summon Madam Zhang to the palace so that I can have a good look at her."

"Yes……"

Liu Lie just wanted to get back to the inner palace as soon as possible. He didn't care about the awkwardness of the long-awaited reunion between father and son or anything else.

He felt that if he continued to be coaxed like a child by his father, he would really die right here.

Fortunately, the eunuch didn't keep him waiting long. Upon seeing two palanquins approaching, he quickly stopped the incessantly talking Liu Jilong:

"Father, the palanquin has arrived. Hurry up and get on. Mother must be getting impatient."

"Alright!" Liu Jilong sat in the palanquin and gestured for him to sit down quickly.

Without delay, Liu Lie quickly sat down and rode alongside Liu Jilong toward the inner court.

After they had gone some distance, the remaining eunuchs and soldiers began to discuss among themselves:

"Your Majesty's smile was truly beautiful just now, but why is the Crown Prince so dark-skinned?"

"I heard that the Crown Prince served in the army in the Western Regions, enduring wind and rain, so it's normal that he's a bit tanned."

"It's just the Crown Prince..."

As they talked, they recalled the scene of Liu Jilong picking up Liu Lie and spinning him around, and couldn't help but laugh.

Liu Jilong rarely lost his temper with them. He was usually very kind and would even occasionally ask about their family situation and joke with them.

That's why they dared to speak so boldly about the funny thing that just happened.

Jingxiang did not go to the inner court. Seeing everyone chatting so enthusiastically, he coughed and said:

"Stay quiet and keep to your post."

Upon receiving his order, the soldiers and eunuchs stopped whispering and obediently began their duties.

Seeing that they had quieted down, Jingxiang went back into the Zhenguan Hall to read through the remaining memorials.

In this way, when Liu Jilong returns, he will be able to recount the contents of these memorials in detail and offer suggestions.

Meanwhile, after leaving Zhenguan Palace and returning to the post station, Pei Ting hurriedly ordered the delegation to set off back to Bohai.

The officials, who were well-prepared, packed their bags as instructed by Pei Ting. Pei Ting then selected several skilled archers and horsemen to ride ahead and convey the emperor's attitude back to Bohai in advance, so that Bohai could make preparations in advance.

Under his arrangement, the delegation of over a hundred people left Luoyang before noon, while Liu Jilong was immersed in the atmosphere of the long-awaited reunion between father and son.

Now that his eldest son has returned, his duties in the Zhenguan Palace will naturally be taken care of by someone else. No wonder he is so happy...

(End of this chapter)