Chapter 1302 - 320: Fall_4

Chapter 1302: Chapter 320: Fall_4

Now, the opportunity is right in front of us. Our Three-Border armies are all launching a northern expedition. If we win, we might directly strike at Huanglong; if we lose, Yan State is currently powerless to attack our Qian region.

Regardless of victory or defeat, we can support Chu State."

As long as we fight, there will be effects. This is Zhong Tianlang’s perspective.

"Then, who will be the main general?" Jia Tianhua asked, "Who will be in command?"

Han Laowu immediately spoke up; "It should naturally be Minister Zhong."

Yue Huan also said: "Of course, Minister Zhong should take command."

During the years when Grand Commandant Yang was in charge, Qian’s Three-Border system was able to maintain a superficial peace;

But in reality, it was a military town group living off smuggling and provisioning soldiers, so how could there truly be harmony within?

Wei Town, Liang Town, Chen Town, collectively called the Three-Borders, but in truth, these borders had strong independence. In the past, when there were no wars between Yan and Qian, they even had conflicts over disputes in the division of smuggling profits.

Grand Commandant Yang, although a eunuch, was indeed a master at integration, and this was the real reason the court granted silent approval during his early years as the governor of the Three-Borders.

Now, Yao Zizhan is even more of a well-mannered gentleman, maintaining the situation excellently.

But how can coordination be achieved after deciding to go to war?

Besides the Three-Borders, there is the West Army Division, the Zu family army, and various guest armies that have relocated here in recent years.

Who is capable of commanding these armies?

This is not something that can be resolved with a single Imperial Edict.

Qian State is not like Yan, where no matter who of the Lords commands the troops, no subordinate forces dare utter a word.

Thus, counting up everyone, only Minister Zhong barely holds the qualification.

However,

As the topic veered here,

Zhong Tianlang, unlike Yue Huan and Han Laowu, did not mention his father’s name.

Jia Tianhua watched the imperial son-in-law with a faint smile.

Soon after,

Yue Huan and Han Laowu also looked over.

Zhong Tianlang took a deep breath, remaining silent,

Because his father,

the man who has been bedridden since last year,

he,

does not support the northern expedition.

...

After the northern progression of the West Army Division, it has not been relocated away from the Three-Borders.

For the Qian State court, if the great collapse a hundred years ago seems too distant and a tad vague, then the Yan people’s southward advance three years ago is enough to leave a deep impression on this generation.

Therefore,

after the Yan people withdrew,

the Qian State court mobilized Jiangnan’s resources to start reorganizing the new army and continue strengthening the Three-Borders, which is, after all, the first line of defense against Yan.

Over these years, there has been a consensus in Qian State both in court and among the people that the Yan people will likely make another attempt to invade.

In short,

fighting Qian State,

it’s too easy.

Even many believe that the Yan Emperor might regret that if the main forces of the Northern Pacification Army and the Southern Tranquil Army had gone southward to attack Qian instead of Jin, what was gained could have been even more significant, perhaps?

After all, those with strategic foresight are few among few.

It is hard for them to understand that the Yan’s main force attacking Jin was not a choice, but a necessity because at that time the joint army of the Helian Family and the Wenren Family had almost broken through Yan’s Horse Hoof Mountain defense line.

If the fight continued, the Three Jin knights could have arrived at Yanjing flaunting their military might just within half a year, letting the illustrious Yan Emperor experience what Qian’s officials endured.

Moreover,

although Qian State embarrassed itself in the last war, it was precisely because of the heavy presence of the Three-Border fortresses and large armies that even when Yan attacked across the Bian River, they only retreated without occupying an inch of Qian land as the Three-Borders were not broken, and Yan couldn’t truly infringe upon Qian.

Luckily, this is understood by many, so post-war, both court and commoners agreed to continue expanding the Three-Borders and purging the military registers to rectify governance.

The West Army Division’s base is still in Mianzhou City, the city where Lord Zheng twice proved his military prowess.

However, with Mianzhou City at its core, the West Army Division has established an enormous military camp and has recently begun a new round of expansion of Mianzhou City.

Needless to say,

Qian State,

is still wealthy.

Three years ago, when the Yan people advanced south although their march was swift, aside from a few prefectures, they didn’t plunder the place thoroughly, yet with their military actions, the northern areas of Qian suffered greatly. On top of that, the Yan chose to launch the assault before spring plowing, directly affecting the whole year’s farming in Qian’s north.

Yet still, Qian folks managed to keep sending troops northward, continued building city fortresses, and maintained the normal operation of the Three-Border system.

That night in the imperial capital, Ji Chengjue, intoxicated, expressed to Lord Zheng his lament that it was unfortunate Jiangnan wasn’t part of Yan State. If he, Ji Chengjue, possessed the fertile lands of Jiangnan, his father wouldn’t just sweep eastwards uniting all of Zhuxia, but even if afflicted with maladies wanted to attack the wilderness or after penetrating the desert desired to venture westwards, he would be confident to fulfill his father’s wishes.

Regardless of whether they could triumph, at least there would be reliance and courage to entertain such thoughts.

This is also the very reason why the Yan Emperor is constantly longing for conquering Qian, for Qian State, is too prosperous.

Perhaps precisely because it is overly abundant, warfare falters.

And at this time,

the West Army Division leader, a figurehead in the division, whose words carried absolute weight throughout the Three-Border system and whom even Yao Zizhan, the Literary Sage and governor of the Three-Borders, had to defer to in all matters, Zhong Wenhao, Minister Zhong, lay on the sickbed.

An elderly woman was attending him with medicinal tea.