Guiyi Fei Tang

Chapter 542 Internal Cultivation and External Defense
"Beep--"

"Giddy up, giddy up, giddy up..."

On February 12th of the eleventh year of Hongwu, seeing that the pass could not withstand the cannons of the Han Dynasty, You Shilong finally ordered the army to block the passageway of the pass at dawn and the army withdrew to Yangjumei City.

After more than four months of fighting, the 70,000 Nanzhao soldiers in the eastern border region were reduced to just over 40,000 due to casualties. The morale of the army plummeted, and their formation faltered during the retreat.

Shortly after their retreat, Gao Pian realized that something was wrong with the situation inside his pass and sent people to try to find out what was going on inside.

As the soldiers discovered that the area inside the pass was deserted, Gao Pian ordered his men to climb the city walls and begin clearing the passageway leading to the city gate.

Three hours later, the Han army was in perfect formation. According to the order of the three armies, the cavalry and infantry passed through the pass first, while the musketeers carrying matchlock guns and the artillery battalion passed through the pass last.

After they passed through, 50,000 laborers quickly followed, while You Shilong retreated to Yangjumei City much earlier.

When Gao Pian led his army to the gates of Tuodong City, he found the city gates wide open. Inside the city, apart from nearly ten thousand old, weak, sick and disabled people, the rest of the able-bodied men had either been taken away by You Shilong or fled to the surrounding mountains and forests.

"Damn it, you're pretty fast!"

On the horse path of Tuodong City Wall, Wang Jian, who was following behind Gao Pian, was cursing and swearing, while Gao Pian was gazing at Kunming Lake to the south, taking in the view of Kunming Lake and the surrounding mountains and plains.

"If this place is used properly, hundreds of thousands of acres of farmland can be cultivated, which would be a good option for the future administration of the Southwest Circuit."

Gao Pian only needed to observe briefly to sense the potential of Tuodong City as a future center of governance.

While Yangjumei City is well-established, it is still too far from Lingxi and Annam, making it far less suitable as a prefecture than Tuodong City.

Of course, if the imperial court intends to continue expanding southwest and vigorously develop the Indian trade route, then the status of Yangjumei City will be another matter entirely.

As Gao Pian was thinking this, he turned his gaze back to the generals behind Wang Jian.

These generals were all between twenty and thirty years old, but Gao Pian's gaze was fixed on one of the young generals who was twenty-five or twenty-six.

"Yang Shihou!"

"The general is here!"

The young general stepped forward; he was none other than Yang Shihou, last year's martial arts champion.

"You shall lead five thousand elite cavalry and immediately leave the city to pursue them to Yangjumei City."

"Although the Southern Barbarians were prepared, the forced relocation of people will not be fast. Remember, the priority is to save the people, and there is no need to pursue them relentlessly."

"Understood!" Yang Shihou responded without hesitation, took the fish tally from Gao Pian, and immediately mustered his troops to set off.

Two quarters of an hour later, the thousands of elite cavalrymen who had been resting outside the city galloped westward, while Gao Pian stroked his beard and said:

"Once we take Tuodong, we don't need to continue westward for the time being. Summer is not far off. It's more than 500 li from Tuodong to Yangjumei City, and there are many snakes, insects, rats and ants there. We should order all the troops to rest for the time being and wait for the supplies to arrive before continuing westward."

"Your subordinate obeys!" Wang Jian nodded in agreement, while Gao Pian ordered his men to gather the people who had fled to the mountains and instructed the soldiers and laborers to hurry up with planting to avoid delaying spring plowing.

Two days later, Yang Shihou returned in triumph, having not only captured more than 30,000 Han and Manchu civilians, but also beheaded and captured more than 4,000 people.

Now, the three governorates and military commands of Tuodong, Huichuan, and Tonghai have been occupied by the Han army, and Nanzhao has lost three of its nine directly governed territories, severely damaging its vitality.

Gao Pian reported the victory to Luoyang, while Zhao Nuomei returned to Nanzhao at the same time and learned that the Han army had occupied three governorates. He hurriedly rushed to Yangjumei City.

"The three governorates of Tuodong, Huichuan, and Tonghai have all been recovered by our army, which is excellent."

In early March, holding the news of victory from the southwest, Liu Jilong in the Zhenguan Hall smiled at the opportune moment.

Nanzhao was a formidable opponent, but it was no match for the Han army's artillery and firearms. If the army had not ventured deep into Nanzhao's territory, causing logistical difficulties, and if the southwest of that era had not been mostly covered by primeval forests with severe miasma, Gao Pian might have been able to destroy Nanzhao in a single battle.

"Your Majesty, in this battle our army has recovered three lost territories. The Prince of Bohai has petitioned the court to relocate the people so that the army can be self-sufficient in Tuodong. However, there are only about four thousand prisoners in the southwestern provinces, and with their relatives, there are no more than twenty thousand. I'm afraid it will be difficult to relocate them to the new land."

In the hall, Cui Shu respectfully explained the current predicament to Liu Jilong, who then nodded in response.

Before he could speak, Feng Bangyan from the Ministry of Revenue stepped forward and bowed, saying, "Your Majesty, this campaign has consumed nearly half of the reserves of the four southwestern provinces. If we continue to transport grain to Tuodong, I'm afraid less than one-tenth of the grain will be delivered."

"Given this situation, I believe that the campaign to destroy Nanzhao should not be rushed and that we must wait..."

After Feng Bangyan finished speaking, Chen Jingchong of the Five Military Commands also stepped forward and respectfully said, "Your Majesty, in this battle, more than 2,400 soldiers of our army died in battle, and as many as 3,200 died from poisonous miasma and epidemics."

"I believe that since summer is approaching, the army should not leave the city to meet the enemy without authorization. We should wait until winter."

All three provinces, six ministries, and the five military commands expressed their positions, with the casualties among the Han army being staggering.

Despite having chosen to launch a winter campaign, the number of soldiers who died from malaria and disease remained high.

Although the main culprits who died from the malaria were the two armies on the southern route, quite a few soldiers on the northern route also died from the disease.

Yunnan was a place with a spring-like climate all year round in later generations, but in this era it was a paradise for poisonous insects and snakes. Although it was not as terrifying as Lingnan, the number of deaths and injuries was still difficult for the imperial court to bear.

After all, the compensation for the Han army has always been high. The more than 5,600 people who died in battle or from illness this time should receive at least 500,000 strings of cash in compensation.

If the losses from transporting grain through the four routes are taken into account, it's no wonder that Feng Bangyan of the Ministry of Revenue would jump out to object.

The Han Dynasty did have a lot of money and grain, but the losses during transportation were too high.

For this reason, Liu Jilong did not refute, but nodded and said:
"The southern barbarians are indeed dangerous. For now, the army will rest and reorganize, and wait until winter to follow orders to attack westward."

“Two million guan were transferred from Gyeonggi and Sannamdong to Jiannan Road, and grain was purchased from Jiannan Road and transported to Tuodong, Tonghai, Moyu and other places.”

"If soldiers can be stationed and cultivated, one shi of food in Tuodong can be equivalent to ten shi in Xichuan."

"In addition, the former territory of Nanzhao was established as Yunnan Circuit, with its capital temporarily located in Tuodong City. Tuodong was renamed Kunzhou and established as Kunming City."

"Zhuti is established as Zhaozhou, and Zhuti is renamed Zhaotong; Shicheng County is renamed Quzhou, and Shicheng is renamed Qujing City; Tonghai is established as Tongzhou, with Jianshui as its seat, originally..."

Under Liu Jilong's orders, the newly recovered eastern territory of Nanzhao was quickly converted into the "Daozhou County" system of the Han Dynasty, and many cities whose names were transliterated from barbarian languages ​​were also renamed in Chinese.

Liu Jilong established four prefectures in three locations, and the original Huichuan was also renamed Huizhou, making a total of four prefectures and twenty-two counties.

Although these prefectures and counties do not have many people now, and the number of Han people is pitifully small, as long as their plan succeeds, it will be very easy to migrate Han people into Yunnan and then make Yunnan completely Han territory.

Pulling himself back to reality, Liu Jilong gave another order: "Order the Prince of Bohai to expand and repair the official road, and make sure it is unobstructed so as to receive the influx of immigrants."

"Your subject obeys the decree..."

The officials bowed in unison, and Liu Jilong, seeing this, stepped down from the golden platform. The Minister of the Court of State Ceremonial, seeing this, also quickly announced, "Step back..."

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

Amidst shouts of "Long live the Emperor!", Liu Jilong boarded his jade carriage and instructed Ximen Junsui, who was traveling alongside it, "Summon the Crown Prince and Crown Princess to Yaoguang Palace for a meal."

"In addition, the concubines who have children and several princes in the palace were all sent to Yaoguang Palace. It has been a long time since the palace has held a family banquet."

"This servant will obey Your Majesty's decree..." Ximen Jun then agreed and dispatched several accompanying eunuchs to handle the matter.

The imperial carriage headed towards Yaoguang Palace, and the people sent by Ximen Jun also arrived at the East Palace, bringing Liu Jilong's oral message to Liu Lie.

Liu Lie accepted the gift respectfully, and then returned to the main hall with Zhang Miaoyin.

"Summon a few gentlemen."

"Yes……"

Upon returning to the hall, Liu Lie gave instructions to Zhang Chengye behind him. Upon seeing this, Zhang Chengye withdrew from the hall, preparing to go there himself.

As he listened to the sound of his footsteps fading into the distance, the irritation between Liu Lie's brows did not subside, but instead became even more serious. At this moment, he stood with his hands behind his back in front of a huge map, his gaze fixed on the two words "Guanzhong".

This was a gift sent by his father half a month ago for his wedding. It was called "The Complete Map of the World", a copy of the map in the Zhenguan Hall.

As he frowned in thought, Zhang Miaoyin, the Crown Princess, quietly walked up behind him, placed the warm tea carried by the lady-in-waiting on the table, and spoke softly but clearly:

"His Majesty has just pacified Tuodong, Tonghai and Huichuan of Nanzhao in the south, and then held a family banquet in Yaoguang Palace."

"Although Your Highness enjoys His Majesty's favor, this family banquet is probably not so easy to attend..."

Faced with his wife's words, Liu Lie did not turn around, but his Adam's apple bobbed, and his voice was slightly dry:

"It's certainly not an easy thing to get involved in. I'm afraid Father wants to ask me if I'm ready to take action against those people in Gyeonggi Province."

He frowned, turned around, sat down, picked up his warm tea and took a sip. His eyes held a heaviness and worry that seemed out of place with his youthful appearance.

After drinking the warm tea, he felt a little better in his throat and sighed, "Most of the officials and civil servants in the capital region are from Longyou, so they are my uncles."

"Which of them didn't follow Father in conquering the world and deserve credit for his service?"

"Now, more than twenty years later, Gyeonggi Province has been turned into a tangled mess by them, with things like maps, accounts, and the people's hearts rotten!"

"Father wants to see if I have the resolve to be the villain, to wield the 'Gyeongcha' (Imperial Inspection) knife to cut the flesh off my uncles in Gyeonggi Province!"

"It is the Crown Prince's duty to make a good cut, but it is my fault if I make a mistake!"

As soon as Liu Lie finished speaking, Zhang Miaoyin frowned slightly and lowered her head to think.

At the same time, footsteps were heard outside the hall. Zhang Chengye arrived at the hall door and bowed first: "Your Highness, the four gentlemen have arrived."

"Please come in." Liu Lie nodded in acknowledgment, and then Zhang Chengye led four officials in. The oldest among them was only twenty-three or twenty-four years old, and the youngest, Lu Zhi, was only eighteen.

Even so, Liu Lie, who was much older than them, still addressed them as "sir".

"Please offer seats to the four gentlemen."

Liu Lie gave instructions to Zhang Chengye, who then made the arrangements in an orderly manner.

As the four sat down, Liu Lie's gaze swept over them.

Yan Keqiu has a lean face and, although somewhat composed, his youthful vigor remains undeniable.

Guo Chongtao has a sharp and piercing air about him, with thick eyebrows and long eyes. Although he is young, he exudes an air of authority without being angry.

Zhao Guangfeng had a gentle expression and a calm demeanor, while Lu Zhi, the youngest of the group, was respectful in his manners, yet his eyes held a hint of unruliness.

"His Majesty has summoned me to Yaoguang Palace. The four gentlemen should all know this."

Liu Lie recounted the events, and then bowed slightly to the four of them, saying, "The matter of the capital inspection is like being surrounded by tigers and wolves; one wrong step and you'll be plunged into an abyss."

"If the four gentlemen have any good ideas, please consult me ​​so that I may satisfy Father."

Faced with Liu Lie, the Crown Prince, displaying such an attitude, the four were somewhat apprehensive and moved. Therefore, after returning the greeting, Yan Keqiu spoke first, his tone very calm:

“Your Highness, His Majesty’s actions are not to inquire about matters concerning the Crown Prince, but to question the heir apparent’s conscience.”

"Today Your Highness calls it a difficult task, but in the future, when the Guanzhong Hall is filled with the cries of Your Highness's uncles and old friends, and their pleas for help are heard, will Your Highness be able to remain as firm as iron and enforce the law as solid as a mountain?"

He paused slightly at this point, letting his words carry weight and putting pressure on Liu Lie.

Before Liu Lie could express his opinion, he continued, "If you do not have this determination, you should plead with His Majesty now. You may be too young to fail His Majesty's grace."

"If Your Highness is so determined, then you must ask His Majesty for permission to make the decision and request the Heavenly Cavalry of the Left and Right Armies of the Divine Martial Army to accompany you."

"Furthermore, when cruel officials are recommended to the front of the board, Your Highness can remain behind the scenes, so that the bad reputation is borne by others and not tarnished by Your Highness."

Liu Lie had already considered Yan Keqiu's words and had naturally made a decision.

"Now that I have taken on this task, I am determined to handle it. However, we still need a plan for how to carry it out."

“That makes things much easier.” Seeing Liu Lie’s strong character, Guo Chongtao immediately chimed in, “If we’re going to do it, we’ll do it with thunderous force and with utmost integrity!”

"Your Highness must not harbor any illusions or pick on the weak. Instead, you should first target the most prestigious and arrogant families who rely on their merit in supporting the emperor, and investigate them thoroughly and clearly."

"In this way, if we take down just one, all the others will be terrified, and things will be much easier to handle."

"If His Majesty asks Your Highness after you go to Yaoguang Palace, Your Highness can make it clear that you only have the 'Great Han Law' in mind, and that you should publicly display the evidence of your crimes in Guanzhong, so that the whole world can see that this is not the court abandoning its benefactors after they have served their purpose, but that they have brought this upon themselves and deserve to die!"

Compared to Yan Keqiu, Guo Chongtao's schemes were rather ruthless and cold-blooded, so Zhao Guangfeng, who had been remaining silent, couldn't help but speak up:

“While ruthless methods are the foundation, a compassionate heart is also indispensable.”

"Your Highness's trip is not only to punish evil, but also to promote good and demonstrate the fairness of the court's laws."

"The Great Han Law is that measuring stick, but it must be accurate and convincing to the people."

"The reason His Majesty wants Your Highness to conduct the capital inspection in the capital region is simply because there is a shortage of population in Anxi, Beiting, and Yunnan, which is now under construction. He wants to send convicted officials and their relatives to the capital after the inspection, so as to settle the population there."

"Therefore, when Your Highness is inspecting the capital in Gyeonggi Province, those who commit minor crimes need not be severely punished; they can simply be exiled."

After Zhao Guangfeng finished speaking, Liu Lie nodded. He also thought that his father had only wanted people who could be relocated from the beginning. However, relocation without proper planning would definitely give others cause for criticism. Therefore, they needed to investigate the case first, make them criminals, and then send them away.

After such an operation, there would be criticism from the court officials, and even his own father and he would have something to say about it.

"Gentlemen, are you trying to put His Highness on the hot seat, using both knives and rulers?"

While Liu Lie was thinking about these things, the youngest, Lu Zhi, gave a wry smile and then looked at Liu Lie: "Your Highness, I think this is a good opportunity to stabilize your position."

Seeing him say this, Liu Lie looked at him in confusion: "What do you mean by that, sir?"

Faced with Liu Lie's doubts, Lu Zhi chuckled dryly and said, "Gentlemen, do not forget that from ancient times to the present, it has never been easy to be the son of a great ruler, let alone a founding great ruler like Your Majesty who rose from humble beginnings."

"Although Your Highness is the eldest son of the legitimate wife, this status cannot protect Your Highness for a lifetime. Unless Your Highness truly gains His Majesty's approval, the position of Crown Prince is nothing more than a position that His Majesty can easily change at will."

"That is why your trip to the capital is not just to carry out official business, but also to demonstrate the majesty of the Crown Prince. You must not be timid or hesitant."

"After Your Highness conducts the inspection of the capital region, it will inevitably displease many meritorious officials. If you are timid and hesitant, others will misunderstand that Your Highness has a rift with His Majesty."

"That is why Your Highness's entourage must be ample and your presence imposing on this trip to Gyeonggi Province."

"In addition, if there are any despicable and laughable things in the crimes of those corrupt officials, we can have the scribes of the Crown Prince's Palace write them into theatrical pieces and then have them published in the newspapers 'Guo Bao' and 'Jing Bao' so that the people of the world can hear them and have a laugh."

"Sometimes, the gossip of the masses can spread faster and kill more ruthlessly than imperial edicts."

"Furthermore, when you meet His Majesty later, Your Highness may wish to be a little sharp-tongued, even if it means contradicting His Majesty."

"With Your Majesty as such a great ruler as your father, if you do not have some vigor, you will inevitably repeat the story of 'the son not being like his father'."

"Only by making His Majesty feel that you resemble him when he was young can His Majesty become more fond of you."

After Lu Zhi gave a lengthy explanation of his thoughts, he took a breath, while Liu Lie nodded repeatedly.

After the four people called his name, his previous anxiety was suppressed and replaced by a calm after making a decision.

Thinking of this, he stood up and gestured for Zhang Chengye and the others to come forward and straighten his clothes. Then he solemnly bowed to the four of them and said, "I know how to answer Father."

The four of them stood up and stepped aside to avoid the greeting, letting out a sigh of relief.

"You escort the four gentlemen for me, and the Crown Princess and I will now proceed to Yaoguang Palace."

Liu Lie ordered Zhang Chengye to escort the four people out of the hall, and at the same time signaled Zhang Miaoyin to go to Yaoguang Hall with him.

Under the watchful eyes of several people, Liu Lie and Zhang Miaoyin took the lead in riding in a carriage to Yaoguang Palace, while Zhang Chengye saw off Guo Chongtao and the others who were relieved.

Shortly after they left, Liu Lie and Zhang Miaoyin also took a carriage to Yaoguang Palace.

Since it is already March, the scenery of Jiuzhou Pond surrounding Yaoguang Palace is beautiful, and from a distance you can see female officials playing with several children.

Those were Liu Lie's younger brothers and sisters, but he had been away for too long and didn't have a deep affection for them.

The carriage stopped in front of Yaoguang Hall. The couple got off the carriage and walked into the hall. Before long, they saw Liu Jilong looking into the distance with a monocular telescope on the sky corridor of Yaoguang Hall.

"Your subject pays respects to Your Majesty..."

"Get up." Liu Jilong gestured for the two to rise without turning his head, and after a moment, he put down the monocular telescope and handed it to Liu Lie, saying:
"The lens of this monocular telescope was obtained by the navy from their old Persian homeland, and it is much clearer than ours."

Liu Lie took it and looked at it, thinking to himself that it was indeed true. This lens was indeed cleaner than the lenses currently made in the Han Dynasty, and it could even see people's faces from a distance.

"Father, this skill..."

"We've already mastered it."

Before Liu Lie could even ask, Liu Jilong gave the answer, while his gaze lingered on Zhang Miaoyin.

This wasn't the first time he'd met this daughter-in-law, but he'd been too busy with official duties to get a proper look at her in the past few times.

Now that I have some free time, I can see for myself that she is indeed beautiful and obedient, no wonder Zhang Huaishen cherishes her like a treasure.

“Your father has done a great service. Now the city walls have been built all the way to Huangcaobo. It should not be long before they can build to Gongyue City and recapture Suyab City.”

"Silla has sent a batch of maids as tribute. Talk to the Empress and ask her to select some to go to the Eastern Palace to take care of you and your husband, and try to give birth to a grandson for the Emperor as soon as possible."

“Yes…” Zhang Miaoyin replied respectfully. Then Liu Lie looked at her and said, “Xijun, you can go and keep your mother company.”

Zhang Miaoyin nodded, then bowed to Liu Jilong and left.

After she left, Liu Jilong looked at Liu Lie, but before Liu Jilong could speak, Liu Lie bowed and said:

"Father, rest assured, I have made full preparations, and the matter in the capital will begin soon."

Faced with his initiative, Liu Jilong remained calm: "Put aside what those subordinates are saying for now, and tell me what's on your mind."

Upon hearing this, Liu Lie's heart skipped a beat, but he gritted his teeth inwardly: "Father's actions, besides cleaning up corrupt officials in the court and acquiring money, are nothing more than exiling criminals and their relatives to the frontier."

"I believe that immigration and establishing a real homeland are the foundation of our great Han Dynasty. This world belongs to the Han family, not to the ministers."

"If there is anything I said that is incorrect, please correct me, Father!"

His words were firm and decisive, as if he were always right.

Liu Jilong merely glanced at him twice, regardless of what he was thinking, and simply said:

“Since the Sui Dynasty, the court has often suffered from a shortage of money, and there are very few copper-producing areas in the court. Therefore, I am trying to obtain gold and silver from overseas and use them to mint coins to alleviate the shortage of money.”

“There are many gold, silver and copper mines overseas, but overseas is far away and people’s hearts are fickle. If something goes wrong overseas, it will inevitably bring disaster to the court and the world.”

"Yunnan may seem like a wild and untamed land, but it is rich in gold, silver and copper mines. Judging from what our spies have discovered, with the current mining technology of the Han people, as long as the population is sufficient, we can obtain 200,000 taels of silver and 3 million catties of copper every year."

The number Liu Jilong mentioned had actually been somewhat reduced, but it still sounded like a thunderclap to Liu Lie.

With three million catties of copper, using the current minting methods, at least 800,000 strings of cash can be minted. It would only take twenty or thirty years of mining to solve the current cash shortage.

"I had no idea this place was so important..."

Liu Lie sighed, and Liu Jilong was very satisfied to see him like this.

Relocating people to Yunnan was not something that could be accomplished in one generation; it required the joint efforts of several generations.

To protect a piece of land, it must first produce something, and in Yunnan, that means gold, silver, and copper mines.

As long as Yunnan's gold, silver, and copper production accounts for a sufficiently high proportion nationwide, Liu Jilong does not believe that anyone would abandon this treasure trove.

The situation in the Han Dynasty was better than in the Ming Dynasty. There were no powerful enemies around, and the Han people had mastered firearms and had a sufficient Han population base in Annam.

Therefore, the Han Dynasty did not need to choose between Yunnan and Annam. It only needed to develop Yunnan as the primary focus and Annam as the secondary focus to create a virtuous cycle.

The grain from Jiannan Circuit was mainly transported to northwestern and northeastern Yunnan, while the grain from Annam could be transported to southern and central Yunnan.

As long as there is a grain supply, it is not difficult to migrate people to Yunnan and cultivate farmland. After all, although Yunnan's geographical conditions are not good, its agricultural conditions are not bad.

Even in later generations, the food self-sufficiency rate in this area was not low; at least it was self-sufficient, which was much better than most areas in the south.

Once Yunnan is stabilized, the Han Dynasty can begin expanding its territory southwestward during the colder periods to come.

However, the development of the Northeast and Northwest must not be neglected before that, because these places can only be controlled by the Han people when the dynasty declines if they are developed during the rise of the dynasty.

Liu Jilong is no longer worried about Anxi and Beiting. After all, Hexi now has a population of over 1.5 million, and Anxi and Beiting together have nearly 600,000. Once the capital inspection in Jingji Province is over, the population of Hexi, Anxi, and Beiting will increase further.

Such a large Han population was enough to supply tens of thousands of troops to keep the enemy at bay outside the country's borders.

His main concern now is the recently recovered areas of Daning and Liaodong.

With that thought in mind, he started walking along the corridor, with Liu Lie following behind him, ready to respond at any moment.

"Currently, there are 30,000 troops stationed in both Daning and Liaodong, but Daning has only 130,000 people, and although Liaodong has slightly more, it still has only 150,000 people."

"Although Yunnan needs people, it needs people south of the Qinling Mountains even more, while the population north of the Qinling Mountains is reserved for Daning and Liaodong."

“Gyeonggi Province is just the beginning. After the Gyeonggi Province situation is over, the flames of war in the southwest will likely be reignited.”

"When that time comes, you can bring people back to Luoyang, but after that, the place that will be subject to inspection in the capital will not be just one place."

"Your mission to Guanzhong this time is not only to address the problem of the dense population in Guanzhong, but also to expand the Imperial Inspection Team and find a way to involve the cases in various circuits..."

Liu Jilong stopped and turned to look at Liu Lie: "Do you know?"

"Your subject knows." Although Liu Lie had considered that this matter would not be so easy, he did not expect his father to be planning such a big undertaking.

If it's really going to involve people, there could be many things that could be implicated in Gyeonggi Province. Moreover, if it's going to involve people, it wouldn't be surprising if some wrongful convictions or miscarriages of justice occurred, even if it's fabricated out of thin air.

Liu Lie didn't think this kind of thing could affect any small family, after all, a small family only has a few people.

As long as it involves a family, even a small one, that would involve hundreds or thousands of people. These are the people he wants to implicate.

"The family dinner is starting, let's go."

"Yes……"

At Liu Jilong's command, Liu Lie, with mixed thoughts, followed him down the corridor and sat down in the main and secondary seats in the hall.

More than twenty concubines and more than a dozen princes and princesses were present, creating a lively scene.

In this situation, Li Meiling took the young man's hand and walked up to Liu Jilong to bow.

"My dear father pays his respects to his father..."

"Is the Eighth Prince here?"

The thirteen-year-old boy bowed respectfully, while Liu Jilong smiled and looked at him, saying, "You should be a sophomore this year, how about it?"

"I find Luoyang University rather uninteresting; the martial arts training at Zhechong Prefecture is far more engaging."

Although he was only a thirteen-year-old boy, Liu Di's appearance was remarkable. The court official even described him as young, imposing, and with a heroic spirit.

He was easygoing but well-mannered. Although Liu Jilong rarely met him, he always managed to say something that made Liu Jilong happy.

"Oh?" Liu Jilong asked curiously, "So, it seems you're going to be a general someday?"

"If possible, that would be best!" Liu Di chuckled.

Seeing his reaction, Liu Jilong asked, "If the barbarians march south, would you dare to lead troops?"

"I dare!" Liu Di replied without hesitation, without any boasting or self-praise, simply stating that he dared to do so.

Seeing his expression, Liu Jilong looked at Liu Lie and said, "It seems that Balang will surely become your general in the future."

"Hehe..." Liu Lie chuckled, a hint of unease in his eyes.

Liu Di was, after all, of the former Tang imperial family, and was his half-brother, so he naturally needed to be wary of him.

Liu Jilong, who turned around too quickly, didn't see his wariness, but Li Meiling and Feng Hui did, and the two women felt a vague unease.

"If you achieve something in your studies at university, I will allow you to skip the rural service and join the army directly, where you can make a name for yourself."

Liu Jilong happily promised Liu Di, then patted him and said, "Go sit down, you can start eating now."

"Yes!" Liu Di left happily, while Liu Jilong also withdrew his gaze and glanced at Liu Lie.

"You have been to Kansai and the Southwest, so you are naturally familiar with the local customs. However, you have many questions about Hebei and Jiangnan."

"Once the imperial examination in Gyeonggi Province is over, you can take the opportunity to go to Hebei to take a look."

"Yes." Liu Lie nodded, and the family banquet began with Liu Jilong personally taking the first bite of food. In the distance, an artist even painted this scene.

While Liu Jilong was having a meal with his family, Zhao Nuomei, exhausted from the journey, returned to Yangjumei City with the permission of the Han army.

At this time, Yangjumei City was no longer peaceful. The plains west of the Xier River were filled with countless temporary tents, and the people inside the city were filled with panic.

Inside the Wuhua Tower, You Shilong sat in the main seat, his fists clenched so tightly that his knuckles turned white.

The nobles in the hall had grim expressions, their eyes fixed on Zhao Nuomei, who looked sickly.

"How can we allow others to snore on the side of the bed?"

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

Yu Shilong, sitting in the main seat, suppressed his temper and uttered these words, which angered the assembled officials. Only Zhao Nuomei and Dong Cheng turned pale, knowing the weight of his words.

Liu Jilong truly intended to destroy their kingdom and completely bring Nanzhao under the control of the Han people.

Thinking of this, Dong Cheng couldn't help but stand up and bow, saying, "Your Majesty, the reason the Han army is not making any moves is simply because they are short of supplies."

"When autumn comes and the harvest is in full swing, the Han Dynasty will surely transport the autumn grain to Tuodong. At that time, Gao Pian will surely lead his troops westward."

"The imperial court now has only 60,000 troops at its disposal. The barbarian tribes in the southwest have suffered heavy casualties. Tribes such as the Xun Chuan Man, Jin Chi Man, and Mang Man have all declared independence and even sent envoys to Tuodong City, preparing to surrender to Gao Pian."

"I believe that it would be very difficult for 60,000 troops to stop the advance of the Han army."

"Your Majesty, I am willing to personally lead troops to relocate these people to Yongchang, quell the various tribes in Yongchang and Lishui who are trying to establish themselves, rebuild the capital in Yaxi City, and await Your Majesty's western hunt!"

Dong Cheng's words moved many nobles, since they now knew that Liu Jilong not only wanted to destroy Nanzhao, but also to relocate all of Nanzhao's nobles and officials to the Central Plains.

Although the Central Plains were good, they were destined not to achieve much without leaving the land of Nanzhao.

They preferred to flee west rather than be captured by the Han army and taken to the Central Plains.

Thinking of this, they all looked at You Shilong. Although You Shilong was angry at Dong Cheng for being cowardly before the battle, he also knew that Dong Cheng's words were what he should do now.

As long as he lives, Nanzhao will always exist, but if he dies, his playful son will certainly not be able to support Nanzhao in times of crisis.

Thinking of this, he took a deep breath and said, "This matter will be handled by Dong Qingping. I will soon be going to the west to escort the western city."

"Your subject obeys the decree..." Dong Cheng and the many nobles and officials breathed a sigh of relief and quickly agreed.

Looking at everyone's expressions, Yu Shilong took a deep breath and continued:
"If all one million of our people were to migrate to the west, how would they survive?"

"I have decided to appoint General Duan Zongbang as commander of the large army, and send 20,000 troops from Lishui to destroy the Pyu Kingdom. Then we will relocate our people to occupy the Pyu Kingdom's lands and continue the dynasty's existence."

"I will lead the army to defend Nongdong, Jianchuan, Yinsheng and other places, so that the Han army cannot easily cross Longhe City!"

Longhe City was indeed easy to defend and difficult to attack, and everyone knew this. However, judging from the Han army's previous methods, no matter how many mountain fortresses were set up in Longhe City, the Han army could use time and artillery to flatten them.

What Nanzhao needs now is time, since Pyu Kingdom was destroyed by Nanzhao decades ago.

Later, although the original cities of Pyu formed an alliance again, due to the decline of Pyu, the Burmese in the north and the Mon people in the east began to move south. Now, Pyu is nominally a country, but in reality, it is a fragmented entity.

If Nanzhao retreats to Yongchang and Lishui, and then finds a way to defeat the remnants of the Pyu Kingdom and the Burmese and Mon people, even if it cannot restore the former glory of Nanzhao, it can still preserve the Nanzhao bloodline.

Upon realizing this, the officials and generals nodded in agreement, and the court meeting ended with Liu Jilong's shocking statement, "How can I allow others to snore beside my bed?"

The Nanzhao Kingdom had two million people, but nearly half of them were barbarian tribes from the south.

As Nanzhao retreated step by step on the battlefield, the southern barbarian tribes either declared independence or submitted to the Han Dynasty.

The Bai and Wu Man people in the Six Zhao regions were definitely going to migrate, but the Bai and Wu Man people outside the Six Zhao regions were not willing to migrate at all.

If Nanzhao forcibly relocated them, they would probably rather go to war with Nanzhao.

In this critical situation, Dong Cheng did not consider relocating the million Wuman and Baiman people to Yongchang and Lishui. Instead, he first took the nobles, officials, and their relatives and slaves to Yaxi City in Yongchang.

The fact that a group of over 100,000 people set off first naturally caused panic among the people of the Six Zhao regions.

Many people sought their own way of life, and some even moved their entire clans south to seek refuge with the barbarian tribes who had once been subservient to Nanzhao.

The commotion in Nanzhao was not small, so many barbarian tribes who had surrendered to the Han Dynasty sent news to the Han.

"It seems that Yushitaka is really planning to keep fleeing westward..."

In what was once Tuodong, now Kunming, Gao Pian held the military documents he had obtained from the south, and couldn't help but feel a headache coming on.

Li Yangchun's 25,000 troops were stationed south of Tonghai, so the various barbarian tribes who surrendered to the Han army first came into contact with Li Yangchun.

The situation for the Han army is not good. More than a thousand of Li Yangchun's troops have been killed due to poisonous miasma and epidemics, even while living around the city.

If Li Yangchun hadn't ordered the barbarians to continuously cut down trees and push the dense forests deeper into the mountains, the number of casualties might have been even greater.

The situation was similar for Li Yangchun's troops, and Gao Pian's troops were not much better, with around eight hundred dying from poisonous miasma and epidemics.

Of the three armies, only Zhang Wu's army was in slightly better shape, but in the previous battles, Zhang Wu's troops had suffered many casualties.

Of the 100,000 Han soldiers, fewer than 90,000 are still capable of fighting. Only a little over 3,000 soldiers died in battle, and the rest died from disease.

This is only the beginning of summer. If the war continues, it is questionable whether even 50,000 of the 100,000 Han soldiers will survive until the end of the war.

"We can't let them continue fleeing westward."

Gao Pian made his decision, then stood up and instructed Wang Zhongren in the yamen: "Tell Li Yangchun to inform the tribal leaders that anyone who kills a Nanzhao person will be rewarded with an iron pot or a shi of grain!"

For the southwestern barbarians, the iron pot of the Han Dynasty was a revolutionary technology. Not only them, but even India to the west and Persia further west could not make it.

Over the years, the Han Dynasty had engaged in considerable trade with the various barbarian tribes in Annam using iron pots, so they naturally knew the value of iron pots.

In the past, an iron pot could be exchanged for at least a few ounces of gold dust, but now people don't care about that anymore.

Organizing the various tribes was difficult, but getting them to spontaneously attack the migrating groups of Nanzhao was much easier than commanding them.

"The last general takes command!"

Wang Chongren quickly agreed and hurriedly left the yamen.

After he left, Wang Jian also entered the yamen, followed by generals such as Yang Shihou, Wang Yanzhang, and Fu Cunshen.

As generals, they mostly stayed within the city and naturally wouldn't be infected by any poisonous miasma.

"how?"

Upon seeing Wang Jian and his group arrive, Gao Pian took the initiative to inquire, and Wang Jian bowed in response:
"The chieftain took away a lot of people, but there were also a lot of civilians who fled."

"When the people saw the imperial army, they quickly moved out of the mountains and forests. At present, more than 30,000 people have been found around Kunming Lake. If we include the people who could not be taken away, there are at least 50,000 people."

"Fifty thousand?" Gao Pian nodded slightly, thinking that this number was not small, but it was still less than he had expected.

But it doesn't matter, once the summer harvest is over, the imperial court should bring the exiled criminals and grain.

As long as he can hold out until winter, he can send troops to destroy Nanzhao and prevent them from migrating to Pyu!
(End of this chapter)