Chapter 381: Chapter 205: Great Prestige_3
Translator: 549690339
At this moment, Su Xuange also laughed and said, “I guess the court is now swearing and agonizing over how to deal with us rebels. I just don’t know if the court is going to suppress or pacify us.”
Lu Yuan was well aware of the court’s predicament at this time, and after hearing Su Xuange’s mocking words, he also smiled slightly and said, “It’s probably impossible to suppress us, since the court wouldn’t want to end up ruined with us. Those aristocratic families in Linhai County, aren’t they all very wealthy?
This world of the landscapes and the domination, for them, is nothing more than a game where their families take turns being in charge.
Now that the chessboard is about to be overturned, and the game cannot continue, how can the six families and seven clans be willing to accept this?
There hasn’t been much movement in the Xunyang Prefecture army camp at this time, probably because they are discussing strategies internally and talking about how to appease us.
Just watch, it won’t be long before envoys from the court come to negotiate terms with us.”
Yan Wangqiu laughed, “I wonder what conditions the court will offer. If they still treat us like beggars by giving us half a county like before, that would just be giving charity.”
Su Xuange also nodded and said, “That’s right. This time, with the three of us, if they don’t give each of us a county, the court shouldn’t expect any peace.”
Lu Yuan laughed, “Let’s just wait and see.”
And so, amid the laughter and conversation about the court, the curtains on the session came to a close.
Lu Yuan was waiting for the court’s appeasement.
But in the meantime, he wasn’t just sitting idly by.
First, he sent 10,000 soldiers under his command, led by his disciple Zhang You, to Luyang Prefecture to deter and intimidate Yuzhang Prefecture.
Then, he left 20,000 men to have his disciple Chu Wei guard Wuling Prefecture, guarding against the Zhou people and the court’s navy from the north. At the same time, he sent some of his troops to take over the western parts of Yueyang Prefecture, such as Anxiang and Shiyang, and build a defensive line along the Linjiang River.
After that, he left another 20,000 soldiers, ordering his disciple Han Shun to guard the three southern prefectures.
He also sent 10,000 soldiers under his disciple Li Liang to occupy Hengyang Prefecture, officially taking control of this Prefecture under the court’s rule.
Later, Lu Yuan personally led 40,000 soldiers, as well as 60,000 Miao defectors, along with his disciples Zhou Qing, Yan Wangqiu, Su Xuange, Lan Zhaoyun and his daughter, and with a total force of 100,000, they advanced to Changsha Prefecture.
In the meantime, hearing the news, Shangguan Ming immediately led his 30,000 soldiers surrounding Yiyang County of Changsha Prefecture to withdraw to Baling County overnight, not daring to face Lu Yuan at all.
On Lu Yuan’s side, he continued to besiege Yiyang County, surrounding the 8,000 remaining soldiers of Li Yanjing in the city.
While surrounding these Zhou soldiers, Lu Yuan also began to send troops to take over the various counties of Changsha Prefecture.
He later sent Zhou Qing with 10,000 soldiers and 20,000 Miao soldiers to occupy several counties to the north, taking control of the southern part of Yueyang Prefecture and establishing a northern barrier for Changsha Prefecture.
In a series of such actions, the entire Dongting and Jiangnan regions, except for Baling County in the Prefecture and the counties of Linxiang and Huarong around the county, fell under Lu Yuan’s control.
With these series of big moves, Shangguan Ming could only rely on the Yangtze navy with his 40,000 soldiers, barely maintaining a foothold like the Marquis of Wu’an, Bai Mengyang, cramped between the Yangtze River and the city.
The situation in Dongting, Jiangnan changed dramatically overnight.
Originally belonging to the court, the Southern Conquering General and the Marquis of Luyang, now led an army of more than 100,000 people and confronted the court across the Yangtze River and the Dongting Lake.
Although both sides had not yet torn their faces, and Lu Yuan was still using the court’s banner, almost anyone with some insight could see that the wind and the situation had changed.
But this was not the end.
After taking control of Dongting and Jiangnan, in order to further pressure the court, Lu Yuan finally began the selection of officials that he had previously been dragging his feet.
This time, the scope of his selection expanded to the nine prefectures of Dongting, Jiangnan. He issued a public announcement for the examination of all scholars and juren.
This blatant imperial examination, with its naked bid to win over people, virtually revealed Lu Yuan’s intentions to the world without any concealment.
Naturally, there was an uproar within the Dongting jurisdiction.
Even not only in Dongting but also upon hearing of Lu Yuan’s actions, the kingdoms of Zhou and Liang in the north of the river, and the various prefectures of Yue in the south of the river, were all shocked and astonished.
However, after the shock, especially in the Zhou Kingdom, they immediately sent emissaries to communicate with Lu Yuan.
They wanted to join forces with the suddenly rebellious Southern Conquering General and strike at the Yue Kingdom from both the north and the south, completely breaking through the Yangtze waterway to let the hundreds of thousands of troops in the north cross the river.
On the court’s side, they couldn’t sit still any longer after Lu Yuan’s series of actions.
On the 14th day of the 4th month of the 7th year of Hongdao, a small boat came from the east, crossing the Yangtze River and Dongting Lake, and arrived at Yiyang County where Lu Yuan was stationed.
Outside the Yiyang County military camp, Lu Yuan opened the camp gate wide and led Su Xuange and others to greet the envoy from the court.
Upon meeting, this envoy looked up and down at Lu Yuan, and then looked at Su Xuange, Yan Wangqiu, and Lan Cai Er behind him. After a long time, he finally withdrew his gaze and said with mixed feelings, “General Lu, it’s been more than a year since we last met, and your demeanor is even better than before.”
Lu Yuan looked directly into the envoy’s eyes, calm and composed, smiling faintly, “General Yang, you too. It’s been more than a year since we last met, and you’ve been promoted from the court’s Taichang Temple Minister to the Northern Conquering General and Martial Proclamation Marquis. Now you’re even commanding a 100,000-strong army, deterring the northern invaders, making a resounding reputation, and shaking the world.”
Upon hearing this, Yang Jing’s expression turned cold, and he said in an unfriendly tone, “If it weren’t for General Lu’s actions today, then this time I might have truly deterred the northern invaders, recaptured lost territory, and made a resounding contribution to shaking the world during trip with these troops.
But at present, General Lu has deployed hundreds of thousands of soldiers in Jiangnan.
My mere 100,000 troops have been overwhelmed by General Lu’s prestige and can only stop at Xunyang, not daring to advance any further.
General Lu, what great power, courage, and ability you have!”
With three consecutive bursts of praise, Yang Jing’s anger and dissatisfaction in his heart were fully displayed.