Chapter 392: Chapter 209: Founding the Nation and Ascending the Throne_2
Translator: 549690339
Yang Jing reached out his hand and said solemnly, “Don’t thank me yet. The court’s granting of this reward is not without conditions.”
After your fiefdoms are established, you must each mobilize 100,000 troops within half a year to assist the court in attacking Zhou Country.”.
“Help the court repel the Zhou People and recover the lost territory of Xichuan.”
This time, Lu Yuan and his allies caught the court off guard with a sudden rebellion.
Although they temporarily compromised and granted each of them a prefecture as a fief, it doesn’t mean that the court will readily admit defeat and give up on recovering the territory.
The retreat is only temporary.
When Yang Jing returned to the capital, he consulted with Grand General Shen Qiu and others.
They agreed on a strategy to first repel the Zhou People, preserve the dynasty, recuperate, and then suppress the rebels.
In order to achieve this strategy, the court decided to reclaim the half prefecture of Jiuzhen that was originally intended to be granted to the White Phoenix Temple.
White Phoenix Temple and Guanhai Villa will be moved to West Chuan Prefecture.
As for Jiuzhen Prefecture, the court will continue to control it, with Marquis Wuping, Xie Ning governing it, and accumulating food and fodder for the army.
When the court decides to suppress the rebellion in the future, the powerful northern army of the court will march southward, and Marquis Wuping, Xie Ning will lead his troops from Jiuzhen Prefecture to the north, and they will pincer Southsea and Ninghai Countries together with the court.
Therefore, the court is absolutely unwilling to let go of Jiuzhen Prefecture, which has a highly strategic position behind the two prefectures of Lingnan.
However, the conditions promised to the White Phoenix Temple and Guanhai Villa must be fulfilled.
So with no room to maneuver in the four prefectures of Jiangnan, the court could only repel the Zhou People and then snatch back Xichuan Prefecture from their hands to settle the White Phoenix Temple and Guanhai Villa.
However, to achieve this goal, the court’s current strength alone is not enough.
Therefore, the help of Lu Yuan and others is essential.
Since the reality of bestowing the fiefdoms to Lu Yuan and his allies cannot be changed now, the court might as well use the fiefdoms as a condition to exchange for their substantial assistance and maximize the use of these rebels.
Upon hearing these conditions, Lu Yuan immediately agreed, “No problem. As long as the court announces the edict and publicly confers me as the ruler of the country. After the founding of the country, I can command an army of 100,000 and go north to the Tianmen Prefecture to help the court repel the Zhou People.”
He answered very decisively.
In fact, Lu Yuan was also very worried about the Zhou People.
After all, to the north of Dongting Prefecture is Zhou Country’s Xiangyang Prefecture, and to the west is Xichuan Prefecture, also controlled by Zhou Country.
At present, the Zhou People have 300,000 troops in the north of the Yangtze River, watching intently and eager to cross the river to the south.
For Lu Yuan, who has always treated Dongting Prefecture as his own territory, how could he ignore such a huge threat?
Not to mention that the court has now granted Dongting Prefecture to him and allowed him to establish Changsha Country.
And the territory of Changsha Country includes Tianmen Prefecture.
Currently, the 300,000-strong Zhou army is in Tianmen Prefecture, ravaging Lu Yuan’s land. If he doesn’t drive them away, his Changsha Country would be unstable even if established.
At this time, it would be a good thing for Lu Yuan to drive away the Zhou People with the help of the court.
Furthermore, it would be an even better thing to take back Xichuan Prefecture.
By regaining this prefecture, the threat from the Zhou People on the west side of Dongting Prefecture can be eliminated.
As for whether the court will pose a threat to Dongting Prefecture after taking this prefecture?
Realistically, this threat does exist.
But it is not very big.
After all, to the north of Xichuan Prefecture is Zhou Country’s Hanzhong Prefecture. The court’s primary goal in taking back this prefecture is not to attack Lu Yuan, but to figure out how to withstand Zhou Country’s subsequent retaliation.
With Zhou Country restraining them from the north, it is a question of how many troops the battered Xichuan Prefecture can spare to threaten Dongting Prefecture.
Therefore, repelling the Zhou People and taking back Xichuan Prefecture is a good thing for the court.
And for Lu Yuan, it’s an even better thing.
Facing such a win-win cooperation, he naturally would not refuse.
Hearing Lu Yuan’s agreement, Yang Jing breathed a sigh of relief and finally showed a slight smile, “If this is the case, there should be no problem. When does the general plan to accept the edict and establish the fiefdom?”
Lu Yuan smiled and said, “There’s no rush for that matter; it can be put off until later. Instead, I have something I’d like to ask for Brother Yang’s help.”
Yang Jing asked, “What is it?”
Lu Yuan smiled without answering immediately. Instead, he took Yang Jing out of the military tent and pointed to the Yiyang County Town beside the lake in the distance, “Brother Yang, as you can see, there are only these remnant forces of Zhou People left in Jiangnan.
Since we are planning a Northern Expedition, we must first remove this thorn.
So, in my opinion, Brother Yang, as the General of the Northern Expedition, why are you still leading an army in Xunyang?
You should come and join us under the city.
Wucheng Marquis should also come, as he is the General of the Western Expedition. With Dongting’s territory still unsteady and confined in the prefecture city, what does that look like?
He should also lead his troops here.
By then, our three forces joining hands, bringing 300,000 troops together, we can collaborate to break through the city and kill the Zhou People.
After we use the blood of the Zhou People in the city to pay our respects, we can lead the army northward, cross the river to the Tianmen Prefecture. Isn’t that a brilliant plan?”
Inside Yiyang County Town, there are only 8,000 remaining troops of the Zhou People, but there are three Inborn Grandmasters.
With Lu Yuan’s current troops, it is not impossible to take the city.
However, under a strong attack, there would inevitably be a lot of casualties. It is impossible to break the city without losing tens of thousands of corpses.
Now that he is about to establish a country, it is time to employ an army. How could he waste his troops under this city?
Since they have reconciled with the court now, isn’t it silly not to use this powerful ally?