novelhk Chapter 4 War and Peace
Chapter 4 War and Peace
"Extremely urgent! A report from the border!"
"Extremely urgent! A report from the border!"
"Extremely urgent! A report from the border!"
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Accompanied by a series of shrill yet extremely penetrating roars, it felt as if a red-hot steel needle had been pierced deep into the central nervous system of both the Great Liang Dynasty and the Great Liang Dynasty!
These mournful cries were uttered by messengers on the urgent 800-li journey!
They rode black horses covered in blood, their leather armor soaked with sweat and dust, and in their hands were battle message tubes stained with mud.
In order to deliver the news of the fall of Yanmen Pass, which came from thousands of miles away, to the capital, these messengers killed three fine horses on the way!
Inside the palace, the solemn morning court bell had not yet completely faded, and the civil and military officials were lined up on both sides of the steps according to their rank. However, as the voice of "urgent report from the border" rang out, the originally orderly queue was instantly disturbed.
"Announce—"
The chief eunuch's high-pitched voice trailed off with a long, drawn-out tone, but it couldn't hide the trembling within.
A messenger covered in blood stumbled into the hall, his knees buckled, and he knelt on the gold bricks with a thud.
He raised his hands above his head, presenting the battle report, which was soaked with sweat and even worn at the edges.
"Your Majesty! Yanmen Pass... Yanmen Pass... was breached three days ago... at midnight!"
"The Northern Xiongnu cavalry, disguised as a grain transport convoy, tricked their way into opening the city gates; the defending general... the defending general was killed in battle!"
"The Northern Xiongnu army has now surged into the pass like a flood bursting its banks, burning, killing, and looting, with flames of war stretching for three hundred miles! Your Majesty... Your Majesty, please make a swift decision!"
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The messenger's voice was hoarse, and every word seemed to be squeezed out of his chest.
Above the main hall, beside the dragon throne.
Having only been in this body for three days and not yet fully adapted to the heavy dragon robe, Gu Xiaoxiao felt a chill run down her spine and straight to the top of her head.
Originally, Gu Xiaoxiao thought that after transmigrating into the body of the emperor, she was about to experience a palace intrigue or a power struggle. However, reality gave her a harsh slap in the face!
The palace intrigue and power struggles she had anticipated did not materialize. Instead, the Northern Xiongnu, whom she felt should not cause any trouble in the short term, launched a surprise attack on the Great Liang!
What troubled Gu Xiaoxiao even more was that she had just found a suitable candidate—a woman from a humble background who was highly skilled in martial arts!
Gu Xiaoxiao originally intended to train her to be her most loyal "female general" as a sharp sword for reforming the military system and breaking the monopoly of aristocratic families, but... the stage had just been set up and the play had not yet started when the Northern Xiongnu arrived!
That's really bad news!
However, now that the Northern Xiongnu have attacked, the question facing her is whether or not she should send troops to reclaim the lost territory!
To be honest, Gu Xiaoxiao was actually a bit conflicted about this matter.
Because, according to her original plan, she wanted to wait until the "female general" she had trained took over the military power of the entire Liang Dynasty... or at least a part of the military power of the Liang Dynasty before she would consider military action!
But now, it's clear that plans can't keep up with changes...
"My lords."
Gu Xiaoxiao cleared her throat, drawing all the ministers' attention to herself, before slowly asking,
"The Northern Xiongnu have invaded, and Yanmen Pass has fallen; this is a perilous situation that is now before us!"
"I ask you all," I say, "our Great Liang has stood for a hundred years, when has it ever suffered such a humiliating disgrace?"
"Now, I intend to mobilize all the imperial troops, gather the elite forces, reclaim the lost territories, and sweep them away completely. What do you, my ministers, think? Is this feasible?"
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Although her tone was hesitant and tentative, her eyes were fixed on the high-ranking officials below.
As soon as he finished speaking, an old minister dressed in a purple robe and wearing a golden crown stepped forward shakily.
He is the Grand Tutor of the current dynasty, and also Gu Xiaoxiao's nominal "regent minister"—Zhao Wuji!
"No!" Zhao Wuji's voice was old yet resonant, carrying an undeniable authority. "Your Majesty, you absolutely mustn't!"
He lifted his robe, knelt down heavily, and his forehead struck the gold brick with a dull thud.
"The Northern Xiongnu's attack on our Great Liang is nothing more than a pack of wolves harassing a flock of sheep. What they want is nothing more than to plunder some wealth and people. Once they have plundered enough, they will naturally recede like the tide. To our Great Liang, the Northern Xiongnu are nothing more than a scab; though itchy and painful, they are not fatal!"
Zhao Wuji raised his head, a shrewd calculation flashing in his cloudy old eyes.
"If the imperial court were to mobilize its entire army to engage in a decisive battle with the Northern Xiongnu on the border at this time, it would inevitably lead to an empty treasury and exhaustion of the people's strength. Even more terrifying is the possibility that if the powerful vassal kings within our Great Liang territory—such as the Prince of Su guarding the western frontier and the Prince of Chu guarding the southern frontier—see the imperial army fighting abroad and the rear vulnerable, they might seize this opportunity to rebel and march north… In that case, how should we resist? Should we return to rescue the capital, or continue to fight the Northern Xiongnu to the death?"
His words were like a bombshell, silencing the court.
"Therefore, I believe that our most urgent task is not to pursue the Northern Xiongnu, but to maintain stability, to defend our territory, to consolidate the military power of the vassal states within our borders, and to strengthen the defenses of the capital! As for the Northern Xiongnu, after they have finished their plundering, we can give them some wealth, silk, tea, and even open trade. They will be satisfied and withdraw. This is the way of prioritizing peace and overcoming strength with gentleness!"
As soon as Zhao Wuji finished speaking, a general standing at the head of the military ranks could no longer contain himself. He took a step forward, and his armor made a loud "clattering" sound.
This man is Huo Zhong, the Grand General Who Protects the Nation and one of the few pro-war figures in the court!
"Peace is paramount? Softness overcomes hardness? Grand Tutor Zhao, what are your true intentions behind these words?"
Huo Zhong's beard and hair stood on end, his eyes wide with anger, and his finger almost poked Zhao Wuji's nose.
"The Northern Xiongnu's ambitions are like wolves; how can mere wealth satisfy them? Give them a city today, and tomorrow they'll demand your entire kingdom!"
"Yanmen Pass is the northern defense barrier of our Great Liang. Once it falls, the enemy can advance unimpeded, and then the people of our Great Liang will be burned, killed, and looted, and our land will be trampled by the enemy chieftain!"
"I want to ask you, what exactly was your mindset when you said something like 'a minor ailment'?"
"You bastard, do you intend to disregard the safety of my Great Liang people and allow the Northern Xiongnu's iron hooves to bully and trample upon us? Do you want the blood of my Great Liang ancestors to be shed in vain?"
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Huo Zhong's voice boomed like thunder, making the glazed tiles on the main hall seem to tremble.
"General Huo, you are mistaken. I am doing this for the sake of the bigger picture..." Zhao Wuji retorted coldly without changing his expression.
"The big picture? All I know is that as long as we're alive, we'll hold the position! Losing territory and not fighting back, but instead sending money to others, what kind of big picture is that? That's spinelessness!" Huo Zhong's beard and hair stood on end, his eyes wide with anger.
Immediately afterwards, a group of generals clad in armor stood up to support Huo Zhong.
"Your Majesty! This humble general is willing to lead the troops into battle; I swear I will not return to the capital until the Northern Xiongnu are defeated!"
"Your Majesty, please issue the decree! This humble general is willing to be the vanguard and slaughter all the barbarian dogs!"
"We are willing to follow General Huo into battle to defend our homeland!"
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For a time, the pro-war faction and the pro-peace faction were arguing fiercely in the court.
The civil officials quoted classics, saying things like "the best strategy is to attack the enemy's plans, the next best is to disrupt their alliances," and "exhausting the country's resources and engaging in reckless warfare is a great taboo." The military generals, on the other hand, thumped their chests and clamored, "We raise an army for a thousand days to use it for one day," and "We will not return until we have defeated the Northern Xiongnu!"
In an instant, spittle flew everywhere in the imperial court, and official hats trembled wildly.