Guiyi Fei Tang

Chapter 540 The side of the bed
"Boom!!"

In the autumn of the tenth year of the Hongwu reign (1389), while the war in the north was being settled, the war in the southwest was put on the agenda due to the emperor's decree.

Although Gao Pian was already familiar with the Han army, the mountains and rivers that stood between the Han army and Dali would not disappear because of the Han army's sharp weapons.

To this end, Gao Pian dispatched 100,000 troops and 400,000 laborers from four routes: Jiannan, Shannanxi, Qianzhong, and Lingnan. They also transported 500,000 catties of gunpowder and countless supplies from each route. With Qianzhong as the main attacking force and Jiannan and Lingnan as secondary forces, they set off on September 25th to launch the attack.

The last time such a large army and laborers were mobilized to attack Dali was during the Tianbao War of the Former Tang Dynasty, and the result was disappointing.

Now that the Han Dynasty has just been established, most of the barbarian tribes in the surrounding areas have been taught a lesson by the Han army. Dali is one of the few forces that has invaded the Han Dynasty several times, been repelled, but quickly made a comeback.

Now, 100,000 Han soldiers and 400,000 laborers are attacking Dali from four directions, which has greatly increased the pressure on Dali.

The gloomy weather and occasional rumbles of thunder above Yangjumei City seemed to indicate the pressure the entire Dali Kingdom was under at this moment.

"Gao Pian led nearly 200,000 troops to Zhuti, and the transport of grain and supplies continued uninterrupted."

“Zhang Wu of Huichuan has gathered tens of thousands of soldiers and civilians and is planning to cross the river to attack Jianchuan. We must be on guard.”

"Li Yangchun of Lingnan divided his troops into two routes. One route, led by Li Yangchun himself, set off from Tianzhou (Baise) to Tonghai. The other route, led by Deng Yan, led tens of thousands of troops and civilians to attack from Annam along the Lishe River (Red River)."

Inside the Wuhua Tower, You Shilong listened to the report from Qingping Official Dong Cheng. Although his face remained calm, his heart was already churning with turmoil.

They naturally couldn't ascertain the exact number of Han troops, and they knew that the number they were currently scouting included civilian laborers, but the exact number was crucial to the fate of the nation.

Fortunately, through several invasions, Da Li had a general idea of ​​how many troops and laborers would be needed for the same distance and route. Therefore, after a brief pause, Dong Cheng continued:

"According to my calculations with Zhao Qingping and Fan Qingping, the Han army should be no more than 150,000, and the number of civilian laborers should be at least several times that of the army."

"Liu Jilong has led a large army to attack, clearly intending to destroy our country."

"I believe that although Liu Jilong is a man of great talent, he is over fifty years old. Our country should only temporarily submit to the Han Dynasty and wait until Liu Jilong passes away before launching a military campaign."

As Dong Cheng finished speaking, Zhao Nuomei and Fan Cuixie stepped forward one after the other, bowed, and said:

"Your Majesty, in the past thirty years, our country has lost as many as 80,000 soldiers in battle. Almost every family is in mourning. The money and grain accumulated by the late emperor have also been exhausted. Now the national treasury has less than four million in usable money and grain."

"I believe that we should submit to the Han Dynasty at the right time to show goodwill to the Han Dynasty and seek peace and recuperation for our people."

"It will not be too late to send troops after Liu Jilong passes away in a few years, when our country's strength has recovered and our resources are plentiful."

"Moreover, the Sangmi (Zhenla) to the south and the Jiaojiao (Pyu) to the west are restless. The court can take advantage of the truce with the Han Dynasty to go south and plunder the barbarian tribes of the two countries to the north and strengthen the country."

"Your Majesty, I second your opinion. The Han army's weapons are strange and powerful. Even if the court can rely on the natural defenses of the mountains and rivers to hold out, if the war goes on for a long time, the court will inevitably be unable to sustain itself. Moreover, many tribes in our country are rebellious, and it will be difficult to recruit them at that time."

As soon as they finished speaking, they turned their attention to You Shilong, who, at forty years old, was no longer as naive as he had been twenty years ago.

Back then, he was young and impetuous, and he had dealt a heavy blow to the Pyu Kingdom in the west and the Zhenla Kingdom in the south. Even Champa was biased towards Nanzhao, and the national treasury was so full that it could hardly hold any grain.

Under these circumstances, he resolutely went to war with the Tang Dynasty and plundered all the people of the prefectures south of Chengdu, thus restoring the glory of the Great Li Dynasty.

However, the national treasury is now empty, the Han Dynasty is at its peak, and there are many conflicts between the Bai and Wu Man peoples in the country, while the Pyu and Zhenla countries in the south are constantly making small moves.

If they continue to fight against the Han Dynasty, Dali will indeed face the risk of national annihilation.

Thinking of this, even though he was unwilling, You Shilong still nodded and said, "I am willing to relinquish the title of Emperor, change the name of the country back to Nanzhao, return the Han people who were captured in the past, and seek peace with the Han Dynasty."

"Your Majesty is wise..."

After a number of officials in the hall spoke, the delegation and officials to be sent to the Han Dynasty were decided.

Setting these things was easy; the real challenge was figuring out how to wait until the Han Dynasty was willing to end the ceasefire.

If their troops are unable to withstand the onslaught of the Han army during the peace negotiations, then Liu Jilong will naturally not accept the surrender.

Therefore, they must maintain the front line, and even if they retreat, they cannot retreat too drastically.

Thinking of this, You Shilong gave the order: "Recruit troops from various tribes and barbarians. Duan Zongbang will lead 30,000 troops to defend Jianchuan, and Yang Jisi will lead 70,000 troops to defend Tuodong. Yang Qiuqing will lead the barbarians to harass and attack the Lingnan Han army that has entered Tonghai."

"Your Majesty is wise..."

The singing continued, but Yusei Ryu's mood was not good.

He had witnessed the power of the Han army's firearms, so he had not sent troops to harass the Han in the past two years.

Now that the Han Dynasty has defeated the Bohai, Khitan, and Xi tribes, and the Tubo (Tibetan) tribes to the west are now subjects of the Han Dynasty, he really has little confidence in the face of these circumstances.

Even if peace could be reached, Nanzhao would likely lose a significant amount of territory, leading to a decline in its national strength.

"Phew... at worst we can just take it back from the south."

Yu Shilong comforted himself, and the delegation he ordered to be dispatched set off the day after the court meeting, rushing towards Luoyang.

As September came to a close and October arrived, the Han army decisively divided into four routes and launched an attack on the three governorates of Nanzhao: Jianchuan, Tuodong, and Tonghai.

"put!!"

"Rumble--"

On the fifth day of the tenth month, as Gao Pian's army marched south from Zhuti, the Han army began to advance southward at a speed of about twenty li per day.

The more than 300-mile journey from Zhuti south to Shengma is mostly through mountain ranges, with narrow and rugged roads.

In this rugged terrain, the narrow Stone Pass, barely a hundred paces wide, blocked the Han army's path, thwarting their hopes of an easy southward advance.

Even the most formidable passes cannot withstand artillery fire, let alone this small Stone Pass.

Although the open space in front of the pass was not wide, Gao Pian still ordered the Han army to move twenty heavy cannons to the official road and bombard the Shitou Pass, which was less than four hundred paces away.

"put!"

"Rumble--"

Heavy cannons loaded with ten-pound iron shells fired from a position less than two hundred paces wide, with each cannon spaced ten paces apart, and a salvo every five minutes.

From dawn to noon, the Han army's artillery bombardment continued without pause, while the five thousand Nanzhao troops at Shitou Pass complained bitterly.

Gao Pian traveled more than ten miles, and under the escort of hundreds of elite cavalry, he climbed a small hill behind him, holding a monocular telescope with slightly cloudy lenses in his hand.

Although it was more than ten miles away, the mountain was only about a mile from Shitou Pass, so the pass could still be roughly seen.

"This place is really difficult to fight. There are plank roads behind it. If the Southern Barbarians lose the battle, they will definitely burn down the plank roads."

Standing next to Gao Pian, Wang Jian, also holding binoculars, frowned as he looked at the winding plank road that seemed to stretch endlessly beyond Shitou Pass, and couldn't help but speak his mind.

Gao Pian nodded upon hearing this, but added, "Let them burn it. These plank roads cannot withstand the passage of heavy artillery and gun emplacements. They will eventually need to be rebuilt before they can be used."

"After they burned it down, our army used gunpowder to break through the mountain wall and used plank roads to attack into the heart of Tuodong."

Wang Jian nodded upon hearing this, but then hesitated and said, "But if that's the case, it will consume a lot of gunpowder and waste time."

"If the entire route is like this, I'm afraid the war won't be over before next spring."

He was somewhat worried that the war might not be completed on time, but Gao Pian was not worried because he knew Liu Jilong's character too well.

Although Nanzhao was weak, it was not weak in strength, and it also had the advantages of favorable timing, location, and popular support, so it was not so easy to conquer.

It was already difficult to advance from Zhuti to Tuodong, and it was even more difficult to attack Yangjumei City from Tuodong. If You Shilong retreated to Yongchang, the problems that the Han army would face would be more than just difficulties.

According to Gao Pian's estimate, the campaign to subdue the southern barbarians would take at least one and a half years and at most three years.

As he was thinking this, soldiers suddenly struggled up the mountain and came before him, bowing and saying:

"King Gao, the Southern Barbarians have sent an envoy to Luoyang to sue for peace and request that our army open the pass."

"Let them pass."

Gao Pian agreed without hesitation, after all, he wasn't arrogant enough to stop the envoy, and besides, the envoy wouldn't reveal too much information after passing through the checkpoint.

As for whether the delegation could persuade Liu Jilong, he was not worried at all. After all, if Liu Jilong were so easy to persuade, he would have already carved out his own territory in Jiangnan.

With cannons and muskets at their disposal, the southern barbarians were like ribs in the mouths of the Han Chinese—hard to chew, but undeniably delicious.

"Send an order to Yang Shihou, the commander of the vanguard, to bombard Shitou Pass day and night. If the pass is breached, he is to act as he sees fit and need not worry about the southern barbarians burning the plank roads."

"Yes!"

Gao Pian gave instructions to Wang Jian, who then sent someone back to the military camp to deliver the message.

It is now October, and the officials who took the military examination in May have already gone south and have been familiarizing themselves with the army for more than two months.

First-class soldiers were appointed as captains, second-class soldiers as lieutenant generals, and third-class soldiers as military advisors...

Gao Pian personally examined the military scholars sent to his army; otherwise, he would not have dared to appoint Yang Shihou as the vanguard.

Besides Yang Shihou, he also discovered many talented officials, and he planned to hone them through training in the upcoming battles.

The Han soldiers in the four southwestern routes were undoubtedly capable in combat, but the southwest had not seen any major battles for ten years, and many veterans had already retired.

Although the Han army was equipped with sufficient combat power, it still lacked experience, and the Nanman were the whetstone for that.

The campaign to pacify the southern barbarians will provide the southwest with enough fighting strength and experience to sustain them for at least a decade. Furthermore, the situation of the various barbarian tribes in the southern regions will ensure that the Han army in the southwest maintains a high level of combat proficiency in the future.

Thinking of this, Gao Pian continued to use his monocular telescope to observe the battle at Shitou Pass.

At the same time, Zhang Wu led his army across the Yak River and began to attack Moyu City. The situation along the way to attack this city was not much different from that encountered by Gao Pian.

The northern part of Nanzhao was surrounded by treacherous mountains, with narrow official roads, continuous plank roads, and high stone fortresses. The only option was to bite off these stone fortresses and passes by using cannons.

Compared to the two northern armies, the eastern and southern armies encountered very different situations.

When troops from Lingxi and Annam split up to attack Tonghai, they mainly encountered obstacles such as mountain towns, dense forests, and swamps.

Since Nanzhao had already sent troops to burn down the bridges and plank roads, Li Yangchun and Deng Yan could only lead their troops to continuously cut down trees and advance slowly.

Half a month later, Gao Pian broke through Shitou Pass. Yang Jisi sent troops to burn the plank road, while Gao Pian ordered the craftsmen accompanying the army to start using gunpowder to blast open the mountain wall and expand the plank road.

"These southern barbarians are indeed not easy to deal with..."

Inside the Zhenguan Hall, Liu Jilong frowned as he looked at the memorial in his hand.

The Nanzhao Kingdom, which the Han Dynasty faced, was much stronger than Dali, Liangwang, and Nanming, which were destroyed by the Yuan, Ming, and Qing dynasties.

More importantly, the development of the southwest was incomplete, and although the temperature in this era was much lower than that during the Kaiyuan period, it was still higher than that during the Yuan, Ming and Qing dynasties.

The advantage of high temperatures is that rainfall extends northwestward, while the disadvantage is that tropical rainforests move northward, resulting in large areas of miasma south of the Yangtze River.

The Han army set out in winter to avoid the miasma, but if they could not end the war before the spring of the following year, they would have to face the miasma.

Although Liu Jilong instructed the Imperial Hospital and the Medical College to make many preparations, these sanitation preparations could not completely solve the problem of miasma, and ultimately it was up to human lives to advance the project.

Taking a deep breath, Liu Jilong slowly raised his head to look at the eight people in the hall: Husiguang, Anpohu, Chen Jingchong, Zhang Chang, Zheng Chu, Shang Duoluo, Geng Ming, and Cao Mao.

The eight men served as the left and right Grand Commanders of the various armies within the Five Armies Grand Commandery. Even the youngest, An Pohu, was forty-four years old, let alone the others.

Bringing them back was not only to establish the prestige of the Five Military Commands, but more importantly, to give newcomers a chance.

Thinking of this, Liu Jilong said to everyone, "Although I do not think that the Southern Barbarians can be pacified in three or four months, judging from the current progress, it will take at least one year and at most three years."

"If soldiers at the front are afflicted by malaria, they should be rescued if possible. If they have to retire due to illness, they should be compensated according to the normal standards for military service and resettled as state military officers."

"Furthermore, although the imperial army is large, it is too scattered. If such a large number of troops are gathered to attack the southern barbarians and suffer casualties due to the miasma, there will be an urgent need for replacements."

"Transfer troops from Shannan East, Jiangnan West, and Jiangnan East to Qianzhong for training. Also, order Jiannan, Jiangnan East, and Shannan East to each recruit 15,000 troops."

As Liu Jilong finished speaking, the eight men bowed in unison, saying, "Your subjects respectfully obey Your Majesty's decree..."

There are still too few people in Lingnan and Qianzhong, so we can only draw troops from the five southern provinces, which have a relatively dense population, and recruit soldiers again.

Thinking this, Liu Jilong said to the eight people, "I have ordered the imperial chefs to prepare a lunch banquet. You may go to Jixian Hall to wait. I will be there shortly."

"Your Majesty, we accept the decree." Upon hearing this, each of the eight men showed joy on their faces, and then withdrew from the Zhenguan Hall after receiving the decree.

After they left, Crown Prince Liu Lie, who often served in the Eastern Pavilion, found Liu Jilong, bowed, and said to him:
"Your Majesty, I have already summoned the students from Linzhou University who have just returned from their 'going to the countryside to serve in the army or as officials' to Luoyang, totaling 2,622 people."

"However, the war in the southwest is not over yet. If we start investigating the case now, will it cause unrest among the troops and hinder the war?"

Liu Lie cautiously questioned Liu Jilong, trying to discern something from his expression out of the corner of his eye.

Liu Jilong remained unmoved, simply putting down his vermilion brush, picking up his teacup, taking a sip, and saying, "Two thousand six hundred people is a bit too few, not to mention I wouldn't feel comfortable using other people."

"Let's wait and see. Gao Pian's battle won't end so quickly. When the rest of the group returns next year, the total will be more than five thousand men."

"With 5,000 people supervising the officials of the Censorate, the Ministry of Justice, the Court of Judicial Review, and the local three judicial departments, the situation should be under control."

"That's what I think too." Liu Lie nodded in agreement, hesitated for a moment, and then continued, "I would like to ask Your Majesty for a few more people."

"Tell me about it," Liu Jilong countered, and Liu Lie added:

"Several top-ranking scholars in this year's civil service examination, such as Guo Chongtao and Yan Keqiu..."

Liu Lie cautiously named more than twenty people, almost selecting all the top-ranking scholars in this imperial examination.

Faced with his request, Liu Jilong pondered for a moment before saying, "Have you ever carefully studied their talents and personalities?"

“Of course.” Liu Lie nodded quickly, then described his impression of the group of people:

"Your subject believes that Guo Chongtao has good vision and methods, but he is upright and outspoken, which makes him prone to offending people."

"Although Zhang Jun was somewhat of a talker, he was very knowledgeable and eloquent."

"Li Juchuan is shrewd and skilled in writing and planning, but his overall vision is somewhat lacking."

"Li Xiji was loyal and unwavering, with exceptional writing skills, but he was indecisive and prone to making decisions."

"Lu Zhi was learned and versatile, well-versed in laws and regulations, and steady and measured."

“Yan Keqiu…”

Seeing that Liu Lie had roughly outlined the strengths and weaknesses of these people, Liu Jilong raised his hand to interrupt him and then said:
“You do need some of your own team, but the Crown Prince’s palace has too little room to maneuver, and as you said, these people all have significant shortcomings that need to be honed.”

"Yan Keqiu and Guo Chongtao can be appointed as attendants to the Crown Prince, Zhao Guangfeng can be appointed as attendants to the Crown Prince, and Lu Zhi can be appointed as stewards of the Crown Prince's household."

"The others, such as Gao Yu and Li Juchuan, are naturally very talented, but they are more suited to other government offices."

"You can send someone to win them over, and then transfer them when you become regent."

After giving his instructions, Liu Lie quickly bowed and said, "Your subject has learned your lesson."

"Hmm..." Liu Jilong nodded, and at the same time mentioned, "Your marriage to Zhang Niangzi, and Zhang Lang's marriage to the eldest daughter-in-law can be arranged now."

Zhang Yanhui is twenty-eight and Liu Zhi is eighteen; it is indeed time for the two of them to get married.

As for Liu Lie being three years older than Zhang Miaoyin, if Liu Lie hadn't needed to complete the process of going to the countryside to join the army or become an official, the two would probably have gotten married long ago.

"My son, I obey."

Upon learning that he was going to get married, Liu Lie was still somewhat excited, not only because he genuinely liked Zhang Miaoyin, but more importantly because he could get the support of the Zhang family.

With Zhang's support, and with his father's permission to cultivate his own team, his position was no longer as precarious as before.

If he could also gain the support of his own brothers, his position would be truly secure.

Thinking of this, he couldn't help but say, "I heard that Second Brother, Third Brother, and Fourth Brother have committed crimes, and Father has been punishing them for over a month. Perhaps..."

"You don't need to worry about their affairs. They won't amount to anything if they aren't disciplined. Do they really think I would tolerate their cunning and trickery, and their bullying of others?"

When Liu Jilong mentioned his three good-for-nothing sons, he naturally knew that it was his negligence that led to their audacity, but it was never too late to mend the fence after the sheep were lost.

If he also protects these three, who knows what kind of trouble they might cause him in the future.

He didn't want to end up like Zhu Yuanzhang, who was discussed centuries later for having several beastly sons.

"Yes..." Liu Lie was embarrassed, only then realizing that he had taken a step too big. He was only the crown prince, not the emperor.

I cannot interfere with or disobey my father's arrangements.

"You go down."

Liu Jilong was clearly still angry, and his voice turned cold. Liu Lie could only bite the bullet, his face flushed, and bow as he left.

Shortly after he left, Liu Jilong calmed down a bit, realized he had overreacted, and then said to Ximen Junsui:

“A few days ago, the Bohai Kingdom sent some pearls. You should personally select a few and send them to the Crown Prince.”

"In addition, the Crown Prince has now begun to cultivate his own people, so the annual expenses of the Eastern Palace will be increased to 50,000 strings of cash."

Ximen Jun then bowed respectfully and said, "This servant obeys the decree."

He stepped down from the golden platform and gave instructions to the eunuchs outside, while Liu Lie, who had returned to the East Upper Pavilion, felt drenched in sweat and his back was damp.

Seeing his unusual expression upon his return, Zhang Ying and the others who assisted him in handling state affairs stood up one after another, asking with worried expressions, "Your Highness, what's wrong...?"

"It's nothing, I was just reprimanded for overstepping my bounds."

Liu Lie forced a smile and then told them what he had gained on this trip.

Upon learning that the emperor had permitted Liu Lie to cultivate his own faction, Zhang Ying and the others showed joy on their faces, while only Jing Xiang and Xie Tong remained calm.

The two were not officials from Longyou like Zhang Ying and others, nor did they have the background of meritorious officials. Moreover, the cabinet could not completely side with the crown prince. This was something that not only they, but also Liu Lie and Zhang Ying were well aware of.

"Gentlemen, please sit down first. I need to attend to the memorials."

Liu Lie gave the instructions, then walked to the main chair in the East Pavilion and sat down, picking up a vermilion brush to process some memorials for Liu Jilong.

With the intervention of the Three Departments and Six Ministries, the Five Military Commissions, the Cabinet, and the Crown Prince, the number of memorials requiring Liu Jilong's daily decision was greatly reduced.

Before Liu Lie returned, Liu Jilong had to handle 260-270 memorials, but now that number has dropped to 130-140, greatly reducing the pressure and workload.

As a result, Liu Jilong's daily routine has returned to normal. He can occasionally go to the inner court to cultivate his offspring and go out of Ziwei City to visit the residences of Shang Duoluo, Gao Jinda, Li Shangyin and others to reminisce.

Meanwhile, the war in the southwest was also progressing steadily.

Faced with the Han army, which possessed cannons and muskets, the Nanzhao army could only rely on the terrain and mountains to build stone fortresses and passes to hold out and delay the inevitable.

Even so, as December arrived, Gao Pian recovered Mazhou, forcing Yang Jisi to retreat to Shengma (Huize), the gateway to Tuodong (Kunming).

Zhang Wu recaptured the three cities of Shenli, Qibu, and Moyu, while Duan Zongbang retreated to Mayi.

With Li Yangchun's forces divided into two routes, Ge Congzhou on the northern route successfully bypassed the Liaozi tribe and will surely be able to attack Tonghai before the first month of the lunar calendar.

Deng Yan and Zhang Guiba, leading the southern route, broke through more than twenty villages along the Lishe River (Red River) and advanced directly towards Tongzaoshui.

Under these circumstances, the envoy sent by You Shilong finally arrived in Luoyang. To show his sincerity, You Shilong even sent Zhao Nuomei, one of the ministers of Nanzhao.

"Your subject Shi Long, with utmost trepidation, kowtows twice and respectfully dispatches Qingping official Nuomei to deliver this letter to His Majesty the Emperor of the Celestial Han Dynasty."

"The Heavenly Han Dynasty was established, and the Mandate of Heaven was renewed; Your Majesty, inheriting the throne, has virtue that covers the world and power that extends throughout the land."

"When the Tang Dynasty lost its throne, the whole world scrambled for it, but the Mandate of Heaven ultimately returned to the Han Dynasty. This is the destiny of the dynasty, and what all people look up to."

"I live in the remote southwest. When I heard that Your Majesty had ascended the throne and changed the era name to Hongwu, I couldn't help but clap my hands in celebration, knowing that the world now has a ruler."

"When I first ascended the throne, I was young and arrogant, and I overstepped my bounds to claim the title of emperor, changing the name of the country to 'Da Li' and usurping the imperial title on the frontier. This was because I was young and foolish, misled by the words of treacherous officials, and greedy for empty fame, which led me to act against Heaven and offend the superior country. Now, whenever I think of this matter, I am drenched in sweat and have nowhere to hide in shame."

"Since His Majesty's rise to power, the royal army has been in a rage; advancing simultaneously from the four routes of Jiannan, Shannan, Lingnan, and Qianzhong, banners cover the sky, armor shines in the sun, and the might of the army shakes the remote regions."

"Now, your subject deeply regrets his past mistakes and has come to his senses; on the first day of the tenth month of the tenth year of Hongwu, in Taihe City, I solemnly offer sacrifices to the ancestral temples and mountains and rivers, relinquish my imperial title, and abandon the false state; from this day forward, I will revert to the name Nanzhao, forever serving as the southwestern bulwark of the Great Han, and for generations to come, I will never again harbor any disloyal thoughts..."

The lengthy letter of peace, exceeding a thousand characters, was being read aloud by Zhao Nuomei, the Qingping official of the Nanzhao Kingdom, inside the Qianyuan Hall in Luoyang. The sound echoed within the hall and reached outside.

"Tears stream down my face as I write this, and I am at a loss for words; I respectfully submit this memorial to you."

"On the first day of the tenth month of the tenth year of the Hongwu reign of the Great Han Dynasty, the King of Nanzhao, your subject Shilong, bows twice in reverence..."

After Zhao Nuomei finished reading, she presented the letter of state with both hands. The Ministry of Rites then sent someone to take the letter and pass it on to Ximen Junsui, who then placed it in front of Liu Jilong.

Liu Jilong, dressed in imperial robes, remained unmoved by the letter of state, and simply said:

"He merely stripped the country's name and the emperor's title, returned 300,000 people, and then did nothing else. Does the chieftain think I am no different from the former Tang emperor?"

His words put pressure on Zhao Nuomei, who lowered her head and bowed, saying, "Our country is willing to exchange the two towns of Tuodong and Tonghai for Your Majesty's apprehension."

The two towns of Tuodong and Tonghai occupied 20% of the territory of Nanzhao and had many river valleys that could be cultivated. However, Nanzhao did not have enough population, so the cultivated land was not much.

Even so, it is clear that Nanzhao was determined to make peace, but Liu Jilong was not a former ruler of the Tang Dynasty and did not want to fail at the last minute.

With an army of 100,000 advancing swiftly into the heart of Nanzhao, the recapture of Tuodong and Tonghai is a foregone conclusion. Why stop the war and return just to spare a few million in money and grain?
"That's all?"

Liu Jilong's voice wasn't loud, but it struck Zhao Nuo like a heavy blow to the brow. His expression darkened, but he still forced a smile and asked, "What does Your Majesty think?"

"I believe that the Nanzhao Kingdom should be annexed. I will grant Shilong the title of Prince of Yunnan, and all Nanzhao subjects shall be relocated to Shannan East Circuit and Henan Circuit to enjoy the peace of the Central Plains."

Liu Jilong's words were astonishing. If he only asked Nanzhao to surrender and be destroyed, and You Shilong to come to Luoyang with the title of Prince and live a life under surveillance, then even if the hope was slim, there was at least hope.

But his demand was to relocate You Shilong and all the officials and their families of Nanzhao to the Central Plains, which was completely impossible.

If Zhao Nuomei dares to agree to such conditions and go back, before he even returns to Yangjumei City, the Bai Man, Wu Man, and various tribal leaders along the way will have to deal with him on the road.

Why is Your Majesty being so aggressive?

Zhao Nuomei, also angered, couldn't help but say, "Your Majesty sincerely submits to our rule, not out of fear of war, but because you cannot bear to see the people suffer the ravages of war again; therefore, you have condescended your title to return the people, which is a sign of your benevolence! Unexpectedly, the Celestial Empire is pressing you like this!"

His gaze was fixed on Liu Jilong without flinching, and he said with heavy breathing, "The Nanzhao Kingdom has been established for a hundred years, not because of the investiture or the rewards from the Celestial Empire... but because of the dangers of the mountains and rivers, the thousands of mountains and valleys, and the miasma and poisonous springs!"

"No matter how mighty the Han army is, or how fine their armor, can they fill every deep valley? Can they dispel every wisp of miasma in the dense forest? Can they make every one of my Cong and Puzi Man warriors lay down their poisoned crossbows and rattan armor?"

Zhao Nuomei spoke each word like a poisoned arrow: "If Your Majesty insists on forcing us to accept this clause of national subjugation, then all that remains is for the fish to rot and the earth to crumble!"

"The two million subjects of Nanzhao all know that the Han Dynasty today is not seeking to appease distant lands, but rather intends to sever all ancestral ties. They must swear an oath of blood to serve their country to the death!"

"At that time, on the banks of the Xi'er River, on the shady side of the Lu River, the old scenery of the Tianbao era will surely be seen again..."

"The bones of the Han people are piled up again, Your Majesty's banners are stained with the ink of malaria, and you are forever trapped in the mire of the mountains and rivers of the imperial land!"

"Your Majesty, I urge you to reconsider. Do you desire a vassal state like Tsering, or a land of corpses and endless suffering?!"

As soon as he finished speaking, the Qian Yuan Hall fell into a deathly silence, with only Zhao Nuomei's heavy breathing due to excitement, like a trapped beast uttering its final roar.

After just a few breaths, the Qian Yuan Hall was already in a state of boiling cauldron and exploding!

"Crazy!"

"How dare these southern barbarians behave like this!"

"Your Majesty! This scoundrel's outrageous words have insulted the nation; he should be executed immediately as a warning!"

Prime Minister Cui Shu stepped forward first, his hair and beard bristling, his former composure transformed into thunderous fury, pointing his halberd at Zhao Nuomei, his voice as cold as ice:

"Zhao Nuomei! Do not rely on the natural defenses of the mountains and rivers! Have you not heard of the mighty power of Emperor Hongwu of the Great Han Dynasty?"

"The matchlock guns fired, piercing through heavy armor; the red-coated cannons roared, and the city walls crumbled!"

"You rely on your heavy armor and stone walls to withstand this divine attack?!"

Seeing someone make trouble, Husi Guang, with his fiery temper, stepped forward and angrily shouted, "You barbarian clown, how dare you talk about fighting to the death?"

"Like an ant trying to shake a tree, how laughable and presumptuous!" Feng Bangyan of the Ministry of Revenue couldn't help but laugh.

"In our dynasty, the granaries of Taicang, Luokou, and Bingwei are overflowing with rotten millet."

“From Sichuan and Jiangnan, grain ships are coming in, filling the rivers. The accumulation of ten years is beyond the imagination of you pestilent and impoverished mountain dwellers.”

"What you just said is nothing but a waste of time. By then, my army will have no worries about food and supplies, while in your territory, people will probably be exchanging children to eat them!"

"If Chieftain relinquishes his imperial title and willingly enters the capital, he can still preserve the ancestral temple and be granted the title of Prince."

"If you remain obstinate and resist stubbornly, when the heavenly army tramples down Yangjumei City, the ancestral temples will be reduced to dust, and your so-called officials and generals will have your entire clan wiped out!"

In an instant, the rebukes of the Han Dynasty's civil and military officials were like a storm, engulfing Zhao Nuomei in the midst of it.

Every word they spoke carried immense weight, shattering the fragile defenses he had just erected with sheer bravado.

Faced with these words from the court officials, Zhao Nuomei could only breathe heavily, her gaze sweeping across the room before finally settling on the golden platform.

He turned his gaze to Liu Jilong, but Liu Jilong just smiled slightly, looking at him as if he were a clown.

"Your Majesty, even if the Han Dynasty is a hundred times stronger than the Nanzhao Kingdom, a pebble can still break a tooth. Does Your Majesty wish to see the Han army suffer heavy casualties?"

“If Your Majesty is willing to accept the Nanzhao vassal state, I am willing to return to the country to persuade my lord to give up the Nongdong land and to govern the barbarians for Your Majesty.”

Zhao Nuo spoke with a dry mouth and throat, trying to buy a glimmer of hope for Nanzhao, but Liu Jilong slowly withdrew his smile, his eyes gradually turning cold.

"How can I allow others to snore beside my bed?"

These words, spoken without the slightest hint of anger, were more chilling than all the previous threats combined.

It is not about victory or defeat on the battlefield, nor about conditions at the negotiating table, but about an absolute sovereignty that is beyond question and cannot be shared.

After he said that, the entire Qian Yuan Hall fell silent. Even the Han Dynasty officials felt Liu Jilong's determination to destroy Nanzhao.

Upon hearing Liu Jilong's words, Zhao Nuomei turned pale.

He finally understood that today's peace talks were not negotiations where bargaining was possible, but rather a choice between life and death.

"Send Zhao Qingping to rest well, and I hope he can convey my words back to Chief Dragon."

Liu Jilong gestured for the guests to leave, and the Ministry of Rites officials immediately signaled Zhao Nuomei to leave the court. Zhao Nuomei could only leave the Qianyuan Hall dejectedly, her face pale.

After he left, Liu Jilong glanced at the assembled officials. The officials, who had been so arrogant in front of Zhao Nuomei, all lowered their heads when they felt his gaze fall upon them.

"The Nanzhao Kingdom has plagued the southwest with war for a century. Now I have raised an army to quell the rebellion. This is in accordance with the will of Heaven and the will of the people. There should be no argument against it. Only when the kingdom is destroyed can the people of the southwest live in peace."

"Your Majesty is wise and virtuous, we will remember this..."

At Liu Jilong's signal, the courtiers echoed his sentiments, and Liu Jilong himself rose and walked down the golden platform.

"Retreat..."

"Long live the Emperor! Long live the Emperor! Long live the Emperor!"

The grand court assembly ended after Liu Jilong left, while Zhao Nuomei fell ill after returning to the Yin Hotel, suffering from a persistent high fever.

Liu Jilong was not concerned about his health. After returning to Zhenguan Hall, he continued to handle memorials as usual.

Shortly after his return, Crown Prince Liu Lie arrived at Zhenguan Hall and, beaming with joy, bowed to Liu Jilong.
"Your Majesty, I pay my respects! Your Majesty's majesty today fills me with awe!"

"How can I allow someone else to snore beside my bed?" Liu Lie thought this was a perfect saying!
How could the emperor and his ministers of the Han Dynasty be threatened by a small country?
While Liu Lie was lost in thought, Liu Jilong, without even looking up, spoke:

"The Lunar New Year is approaching. Issue an imperial edict to the Ministry of Revenue and the Five Military Commands, ordering all soldiers on the southwestern front to receive two bolts of silk and ten strings of cash, and all civilian laborers to receive five hundred cash and two bolts of cloth."

After the first month of the lunar calendar, the climate in the southwest will begin to turn hot and humid. Even though Nanzhao is located on a plateau, the miasma formed by the dense forests will definitely appear with the arrival of spring.

Many soldiers will be killed or wounded, and they will surely be terrified. The court must react and make a statement in advance in order to appease the soldiers.

"My son, I accept the decree!"

Liu Lie bowed respectfully in agreement, and after thinking about why his father had done so, he couldn't help but admire his father even more.

At the same time, footsteps suddenly came from outside the hall. Liu Lie turned to look and saw Xie Tong appear outside the hall and quickly walk into the hall at Liu Lie's signal.

Upon arriving beside Liu Lie, he hurriedly bowed to Liu Jilong on the golden platform: "Your Majesty, news of victory from Beiting! The Prince of Jiaohe led 7,000 elite cavalry and utterly defeated 100,000 Hui barbarians at Huangcaobo, beheading 27 of their Khans and princes. The Hui barbarians were routed, and our army pursued them for over a hundred li, killing nearly 10,000 and capturing 60,000 men and women."

"The enemy abandoned their baggage, cattle, sheep and other livestock, which filled the river and stretched for more than a hundred miles, and were all captured by our army."

"Good!" Even though he had long guessed that this day would come, Liu Jilong still couldn't help but shout "Good!" when it actually arrived.

The Uyghurs suffered a heavy blow and lost Huangcaobo, an important pasture, so they had no choice but to flee to Central Asia west of the Tianshan Mountains.

At that time, they will inevitably clash with the Karluks, while the Han Dynasty can easily develop Beiting and keep the barbarians at bay west of the Tianshan Mountains.

After understanding this, Liu Lie couldn't help but laugh: "If the Prince of Jiaohe knew that both I and Zhang Langjun were married, he would be very pleased."

"Hmm." Liu Jilong nodded. He knew that Zhang Huaishen was very unhappy about his delay in marrying Liu Zhi to Zhang Yanhui.

If he knew about this, he would surely be happy, and I could then give him some gifts.

Thinking of this, Liu Jilong asked Xie Tong, "How many criminals are there in Guannei, Longyou, and Jingji this year?"

"About three thousand people," Xie Tong replied without hesitation. This was what Jing Xiang had told him before he came, and he hadn't expected His Majesty to actually inquire about it.

"That's too little." Liu Jilong frowned slightly, then looked at Liu Lie:

"It's not advisable to cause trouble right now, but we can still try our hand at it."

“The population of Jingji Province is dense. After the wedding, you can personally lead people to inspect the capital. Afterwards, send the offenders to Beiting and send 500,000 shi of grain from Longyou to Xizhou to help Beiting become Han territory as soon as possible.”

"Yes!" Liu Lie replied with a smile, and Liu Jilong also breathed a sigh of satisfaction.

Before he could exhale, he saw a panting eunuch arrive outside the palace, his face not looking good.

Liu Jilong frowned slightly and couldn't help but raise his voice: "What happened?"

"Your Majesty..." Upon hearing Liu Jilong's inquiry, the eunuch hurriedly entered the hall and bowed respectfully below the golden platform.

His posture made Liu Jilong subconsciously uneasy, and he stammered as he spoke:

"Your Majesty, the Prince of Xiping has passed away..."

Although Prince Shang Duoluo of Xiping had retired to the second line due to old age since Liu Jilong's eastward advance, he had stood in the Zhenguan Hall a few days ago, where he and seven others, including Cao Mao, reported to him on the war in the southwest. That night, they even had a banquet and danced together.

Only a few days have passed, and he is now separated from Liu Jilong by death. This left Liu Jilong speechless, a mix of emotions welling up inside him.

“Father…”

Seeing his father stunned, Liu Lie quickly went up to the golden platform, while Ximen Jun also bowed and asked anxiously, "Your Majesty?"

"I am unharmed..."

He raised his hand to interrupt their concern, but his tone was somewhat stiff, and his gaze fell on Liu Lie.

Under Liu Lie's gaze, he slowly rose, his eyes filled with complex emotions, and said, "You shall handle Shang Duoluo's matter..."

"Yes." Liu Lie wasn't very familiar with Shang Duoluo, but since he was an elder, he naturally behaved with great respect.

"Go down."

"My son, please retire."

Liu Jilong gestured for Liu Lie to leave. Seeing this, Liu Lie could only suppress his worries and left Zhenguan Hall with Xie Tong and the others.

After they left, Liu Jilong glanced at Ximen Junsui and said, "You take some men and go for a walk. I'll handle the memorials by myself."

"Your Majesty, this..."

"Go."

"Yes..." Ximen Jun then bowed uneasily and left, turning back every few steps on his way away, only to see Liu Jilong sitting back in his chair, continuing to write down memorials in vermilion ink.

After he left, Liu Jilong sighed deeply, the sound echoing in the hall.

"They're gone, another one's gone..."

(End of this chapter)