Chapter 386: Chapter 207: Agonizing Wait _2
Translator: 549690339
However, on the way to the banquet, Yan Wangqiu still couldn’t help but ask with some uneasiness, “Brother Lu, will the court agree to our terms?”
Although Yang Jing had just surrendered, his surrender could only represent the attitude of one of the six surnames and seven families, the Yang Family.
As for the remaining twelve aristocratic families, would they agree to compromise? It was still uncertain.
Lu Yuan gave his ally a reassuring look and confidently smiled, “Don’t worry. We’ve prepared so well this time that the court has no choice but to compromise.
Unless they really want to see Zhou soldiers cross the river and for both sides to suffer.
Otherwise, they must agree to our demands.”
In fact, their greatest reliance in pressuring the court this time was not the alliance of the three families.
Instead, it was the three hundred thousand Zhou soldiers who were being stopped by the court’s navy from crossing the river to the north.
If it weren’t for these Zhou soldiers stationed in the north, coveting the territory of Yue Country,
Even if the alliance of three families could raise eight hundred thousand rebels, it would have only been another rebellion war for the Yue State court.
With the strength of the court, suppressing Lu Yuan and his allies would not be impossible without outside interference.
Even the possibility was quite large.
After all, the court still had the moral high ground, nearly three hundred thousand soldiers, seven Inborn Grandmasters, and it was possible that the six surnames and seven families had hidden resources…
With so many advantages, it would not be impossible to defeat the eight hundred thousand ragtag army led by Lu Yuan and the others.
Unfortunately,
Now there are three hundred thousand Zhou soldiers pressing along the court’s northern boundary, and in the south, there is the alliance of three families led by Lu Yuan.
The court could actually deal with either side on its own.
But when confronted with both sides, it would be a disaster that they could barely handle.
So, if Lu Yuan really let the Zhou soldiers cross the river, it would be the end of Da Yue.
And once Da Yue is destroyed, with Zhou soldiers crossing the river, the coastal aristocratic families and the six surnames and seven families would be finished as well.
The Zhou People would not spare them.
The reason is simple.
These six surnames and seven families, these millennial aristocratic families have deep roots in Jiangnan, especially in the four counties of Jiangdong.
Leaving them in Jiangnan would make it hard for Zhou Country, so far away, to control the newly acquired Jiangnan territory without issues.
It is feared that Jiangnan would not be stable for long before these aristocratic families would rise up in rebellion and restore the Jiangnan court.
By that time, Zhou Country would be thousands of miles away, and it would take months or even half a year to mobilize troops to suppress the rebellion.
When the suppression army arrives, the Jiangnan court would have already been established, and it would all be a done deal.
Therefore, in order to avoid this situation, and in order to make their war of annihilation not in vain, exterminating the aristocratic families in Linhai County, and wiping out the six surnames and seven families, would become the only option for Zhou Country.
And these rebels, led by Lu Yuan, would also have to eradicate the six surnames and seven families to prevent their enemies from rising again.
It is necessary to cut the grass and remove the roots.
It was precisely because of these objective conditions that Lu Yuan mentioned letting the Zhou soldiers cross the river earlier, causing Yang Jing’s reaction to be so great that his defenses were instantly shattered.
That’s because the Martial Proclamation Marquis knew that if the Zhou soldiers crossed the river and went south, Lu Yuan and the others might not have any problems.
After all, it would be impossible for Zhou Country to digest and annex all nine counties of Da Yue at once, so it would be possible to cede a few counties to Lu Yuan and the others as rewards.
So, there is a basis for cooperation between Lu Yuan and Zhou Country.
But there is no such foundation for cooperation with these coastal aristocratic families.
After all, Zhou Country wouldn’t be able to destroy Yue Country and then give these aristocratic families a share of the land to let them establish their own fiefdoms, right?
Then my war of annihilation would have been in vain.
It is precisely because of this irreconcilable conflict that the coastal aristocratic families and Zhou Country are mortal enemies, with no possibility of reconciliation.
“Thus, the court now has only two choices,”
At the banquet, Lu Yuan analyzed these matters and then looked at everyone with a smile, “Either accept our terms, cede the three prefectures and maintain the rule and family lineage, or turn against us and let the Zhou soldiers cross the river, leading to not only the country’s destruction but also the demise of their families.
Tell me, if it were you, how would you choose?”
Upon hearing this, Su Xuange next to him couldn’t help but take a long drink and laughed heartily, “Naturally, I would choose to compromise and survive.”
Yan Wangqiu also felt relieved and nodded, “Indeed! Indeed! Giving out three prefectures is better than losing eight. At least the country doesn’t have to be ruined, and the family doesn’t have to be destroyed.”
The others also smiled.
Seeing the joyful atmosphere filling the room, Lu Yuan raised his cup and said, “Then let us wait here for the court’s decision in one month, and then each of us will establish our own countries and stand alone. Come, let’s drink this cup to the full.”
“Drink up!”
Everyone stood up and raised their cups, drinking the wine.
After negotiating with the court envoy, Lu Yuan didn’t make any major moves.
Except for continuing to lead his troops to besiege Yiyang City, the busiest thing he was dealing with was the ongoing selection of officials.
Due to previous political considerations, the southern three prefectures had been subdued for a year, but they were still lacking a large number of lower-level officials.
Wuling Prefecture, on the other hand, was even still under military control, with no local government administration.
As for the newly acquired Hengyang, Changsha, and Yueyang prefectures, many officials chose to leave and not serve under Lu Yuan after he openly declared his intentions against the court, leaving many positions empty.