It just so happened that Hsu Fengnian had obtained a large stack of intelligence reports from the Fushui Room on the military town of Guangling over the years. Hsu Fengnian originally knew that the Zhao family's Emperor had appointed the old Grand Preceptor of West Chu, Sun Xiji, as the Administrator. It seemed like he was letting the tiger return to the mountain, but in reality, he was inviting the tiger into the jar so that he could catch the big turtle in the jar. However, looking at the truth that had been carefully analyzed, Hsu Fengnian could be sure of one thing. Those garrison generals who complained to their subordinates that the court lacked pay were all righteous and confident. They said that the court was too biased toward the two Liao defense lines, but in reality, it was just them filling their own pockets. Under the joint leadership of Zhang Julu and the Minister of Revenue Wang Xionggui, who was extremely skilled at "turning stone into gold," the court had never treated the garrison troops in the territory unfairly. It was not strange to say that the local garrisoned troops were making a ruckus, and that the child who knew how to shout would get milk. But in Xu Fengnian's view, the manners of these generals of the Guangling Path were really terrible to a shocking level. However, this was Zhang Julu reaping what he had sown. At the beginning, it was he who had single-handedly created the situation of "southerners going up north as ministers, northerners going down south as generals." Although this action had separated the two powerful groups in Jiangnan and the north from their respective areas, after those northern generals had been led to Guangling Path, they had the support of the neighboring families near the place where the Zhao family had risen. How could these martial artists, who were proud of the fact that their father's generation had built the country, have good table manners? Guangling Path was also the place where the court had taken the lead in squeezing out criminals. How could they have any fear? After more than a dozen years, almost every position with real power had been taken by turns to plunder and plunder. Who cared about the people's livelihood and public opinion?
Hsu Fengnian said quietly, "Too much is as bad as not enough."
Hsu Fengnian rose and walked to a wall. On the wall hung a geographical map that included the old Chu territory and the entire southern part of the capital.
If the name was not legitimate, the words would not be reasonable. If the words were not reasonable, the matter would not be accomplished.
Currently, both Liyang and West Chu could be considered legitimate rulers. The former was sitting on the country and wanted to quell the rebellion, while the latter was waving the banner of the orthodox Central Plains. This was not two hundred years after the fall of the country, but only twenty years later. When West Chu was destroyed, even the historians believed that "the emperor, the officials, and the common people did not deserve to live". The destruction of West Chu was even more lamented by countless scholars as "the sinking of the Divine Land".
Hsu Fengnian looked at the map. It was different from the usual rough maps of the territory. The geography of the mountains and rivers and the military towns were extremely detailed. As long as there was a possibility of a military base being used, there was not a single place left out. Furthermore, the number of soldiers and residents of each place were clearly marked and often changed at the last minute.
On this map, there were hidden movements and stillness. The ones that were still were Prince Jing Nan's various troops and horses, as well as the temporary Assistant Minister of the Ministry of War, Lu Shengxiang's tent, which was temporarily conferred the title of Great General, Yang Shenxing's infantry, which was mainly 40,000 elite troops, and Yan Zhenchun's cavalry, which was mainly 30,000 troops.
It was said that Lu Shengxiang's Youlu Pass was difficult to issue military orders.
Yang Shenxing's troops were in the Xiyu area, eyeing covetously. Behind this veteran general Chunqiu was a large group of nobles and aristocrats waiting to be fed. Xiyu had many mountains and rivers, as well as many tunnels and valleys. It was neither a dead place for military strategists, nor a lonely place. They were connected by the same breath and branches.
As for Yan Zhenchun's Dongyu Plain, it was a plain. The terrain was flat and wide. Although there was no danger to take refuge in, it had been convenient for cavalry troops since ancient times. If it were not for the fact that Yan Zhenchun rarely interacted with the nobles and aristocrats in the capital, there would be more people who would want to join Old General Yan's army so that they could gain more military merits earlier. Anyway, the remnants of West Chu could be crushed with a snap of the fingers. When the time came, how could the two-legged foot soldiers run faster than the cavalry troops on horseback?
The three troops did not move for the time being. However, according to the latest spy report, West Chu's military strength had been surging in the dark. Other than the south, which was relatively quiet, the Old Capital's military strength had spread out in all directions. This was especially so in the north, where there was no fixed number. At a glance, it was like a headless fly flying around, full of obvious flaws.
Hsu Fengnian squinted at the map, trying to guess Cao Changqing, the Confucian general who did not shine during the Chunqiu period. Hsu Fengnian was in Beiliang. Although he was only a defender after his father's generation had conquered the country, he knew the importance of an ambush. The thousands of armored soldiers in Mount Qingcheng and the two groups of Horse Gang at the border were like this. It was the same for the cavalry troops that were placed in the Western Region to drive the troops up north. When placed in a battle, it also required accurate input of the following troops. This was why the heavy cavalry could make the final decision on the battlefield. In the past few years, around the old West Chu, there had always been many roaming bandits crossing the border and causing trouble. The fact that the Prince of Guangling Zhao Yi's troops could maintain a relatively high fighting strength was largely due to the contributions of these training targets. This was why Zhao Yi did not think highly of the Prince of Yan Chi and claimed that he could challenge the Beiliang cavalry. Among the vassals, the Prince of Jiaodong, Zhao Sui, had the geographical advantage of being at the border. However, under the double suppression of the court and Gu Jiantang, he could not fight the Beimang head-on. His combat strength had been declining in these years.
Hsu Fengnian was searching for the location of Cao Changqing's elite troops. He believed that the leaders of the Ministry of War in Great peace City were also looking with wide eyes.
In the past, Da Chu, who wanted to rule the world, had the War Saint Jiang Baikui as a stabilizing force. More importantly, he had many good generals, 120,000 great halberd warriors, and a large cavalry army that had been fed with gold and silver. Both light and heavy cavalry were invincible.
Now, the great halberd warriors of West Chu had disappeared, and the new heavy cavalry had not surfaced. The forces that appeared on the map were mainly the 20,000 "rebels" in charge of guarding the old capital of West Chu, and the 80,000 soldiers in the various military towns and passes. The roaming bandits hidden in various places were conservatively estimated to be no less than 30,000 people. Their combat strength was far above the 80,000, and they were on par with the 20,000 troops. However, when two countries fought, the foundation supported by the people and the power of the country was very important. With reputation, there would be sources of soldiers. The people were willing to fight for it. Only with wealth could one not lose in terms of equipment. Two armies of roughly equal strength, the number of weapons, and the quality of their armor were enough to decide the outcome, unless one side's general made a fatally stupid order. But the problem was that almost no one could be sure whether there were thousands or tens of thousands of West Chu survivors who would die for the Jiang character.
Hsu Fengnian's gaze shifted further north, where Gu Jiantang's 300,000 border troops were, the true elite of the Liyang Dynasty.
Hsu Fengnian slowly retracted his gaze and turned his head to look at the border between Western Shu and Southern Zhao.
Two of the best soldiers in the Liyang Dynasty. One had nothing to do and did not dare to go north, nor could he go south. The other was looking for trouble, using the Huangmu Rebellion as an excuse to bring troops south. It was said that he only brought 800 soldiers.
Hsu Fengnian sat back down at the table and closed his eyes in concentration.
There was no map of Liang Mang's confrontation hanging in the room, because there was no need to look at it. It was all engraved in his mind. There was also no need for him, the King of Beiliang, to do his utmost in military affairs at the border. The reason was very simple.
After nearly 20 years of hard work, the defense of Beiliang's border had reached the pinnacle.
If the Northern Mang only sent four hundred thousand soldiers from the Southern Dynasty to the south,
Beiliang would eat them up without hesitation.
If Beimang sent all of its troops south.
It would be nothing more than a battle to the death.
Of course, it could also be understood as helplessly waiting for death. To put it nicely, it would be mutual destruction.
Hsu Fengnian walked out of the room and came to the side of the Elephant Washing Pond. The small path was paved with cobblestones in the pond, tight and orderly. After being washed by the rain and pond water year after year, the cobblestones, which were originally not very sharp, had become even smoother and rounder. Hsu Fengnian took off his boots and held them in his hands. He slowly walked on the cobblestone path, a cool but not cold comfortable feeling seeping into the soles of his feet.
Hsu Fengnian jumped onto a large stone and lay down, looking at the starry sky and closing his eyes.
How many tens of thousands of people on the Guangling Road would not survive this autumn?
How many tens of thousands of Beiliang would not survive the next autumn?
Select text and click 'Report' to let us know about any bad translation.
