Chapter 480 Discussion
Huo Lin's letter of state clearly caused a great uproar in the Southern Frontier Royal Court.
Less than half a month later, the newly appointed envoy from the southern border, holding the official letter and a thick list of gifts, knelt tremblingly on the golden hall of Daliang.
The letter was filled with humility and remorse, shifting all blame to the arrogant clansmen who had already been severely punished and the treacherous remnants of the Empress Dowager's faction. It promised never to repeat the offense and offered several times the previous annual tribute, along with rare medicinal herbs and gemstones.
Huo Lin listened from his superior position, his face calm and composed, without uttering a word. He simply instructed the Ministry of Rites to accept the money as usual and then sent the envoy away.
He's smart enough to know his place, but he won't be able to hold onto the throne securely any longer.
Let them fight amongst themselves; it'll save me the trouble of getting my hands dirty.
However, just as the turmoil in the southern border region seemed to have subsided, an urgent military report from the northwest was delivered to the palace overnight.
Inside the Imperial Study, the lights remained on all night.
Huo Lin held the border report in his hand, his brows furrowed into a deep frown.
Jiang Huan brought in ginseng tea and, noticing his pale face, asked softly, "What's wrong? Is there trouble again in the Southern Frontier?"
Huo Lin handed her the border report and rubbed his throbbing temples: "Several large tribes in the Western Rong have been making frequent unusual movements recently, gathering troops on the border, frequently harassing border markets, and robbing caravans. Xu Zhiyuan sent people to investigate, and those captured confessed that they were instigated by the Southern Frontier and wanted to open another passage for me in the west."
Jiang Huan quickly finished reading, and her heart sank.
She noted Xu Zhiyuan's supplementary analysis at the end of the letter: "...However, the various tribes of the Western Rong are not monolithic. The tribes led by Tufa and Wuhe are greedy for the benefits of trade and collude with the southern border, advocating war and provoking conflict. However, the majority of tribes, such as Helan and Chigan, have benefited greatly from trade with Daliang in recent years, and the lives of their herdsmen have improved. They are unwilling to restart the war. I believe that the differences between the war and peace factions have become apparent within the Western Rong."
At this moment, Wang Degui whispered outside the door that several important officials had been summoned and were waiting in the side hall.
Huo Lin stood up and said to Jiang Huan, "You rest first, I'm going to discuss matters."
Jiang Huan tugged at his sleeve: "I'll go listen too."
Huo Lin glanced at her, and seeing the determination in her eyes, he nodded.
The atmosphere inside the side hall was somber.
The Minister of War, the Minister of Revenue, several generals, and Shen Yi and other confidants were all present. Huo Lin gave a concise account of the military situation in the Northwest.
No sooner had the words been spoken than an old general with white hair stood up abruptly, his voice booming: "Your Majesty, the Western Rong barbarians are fickle and greedy. The Southern Frontier has just been pacified, and now the Western Rong have risen up again. They are clearly trying to bully our Great Liang. I request that you immediately send troops to the Northwest!"
"General Wang, please calm down." The Minister of Revenue stepped forward with a frown. "The previous campaign against the Northern Barbarians has cost a lot of money for water conservancy, schools, and disaster relief in various places. Although the national treasury has been reorganized and is slightly fuller, it is still barely enough to support a major war. Moreover, the Western Barbarian cavalry are swift and the terrain is complex. If the war becomes a stalemate, the losses will be even greater, which will be detrimental to the recovery of people's livelihoods."
"Minister Li, you are mistaken!" another middle-aged general retorted. "Do we mean that just because the national treasury is not full, we should allow barbarians to burn, kill, and plunder on our borders? If we retreat one step today, they will dare to advance ten steps tomorrow. If the border is not peaceful, trade routes will be cut off, where will tax revenue come from? How can the people's livelihood be stable?"
"Of course we must fight, but how to fight and to what extent we should fight requires careful consideration," Shen Yi said slowly, waving his fan.
"General Xu also mentioned in his letter that the Western Rong are not of one mind. If we rashly start a full-scale war, wouldn't that push those tribes that were originally observing or even loyal to our dynasty to the opposite side?"
The pro-war and pro-peace factions each held their own views, citing classical texts and engaging in endless debate.
Huo Lin sat at the head of the table, his fingers unconsciously tapping the armrest, his expression calm and revealing no inclination.
But Jiang Huan, standing behind the screen, could clearly hear the turmoil in his heart.
[Fighting is of course necessary; if this evil fire isn't extinguished, the Northwest will never have peace.]
General Wang's bravery is commendable, but although Old Man Li is talkative, what he said is true.
However, Shen Yi's point is valid; we can't let everyone get mixed up.
[However, this battle requires careful consideration of its scale and degree. It needs to inflict significant damage on the most aggressive party without completely destroying the situation, while also leaving room for negotiation… It's difficult.]
As Jiang Huan listened to Huo Lin's plan, she quickly recalled the details in Xu Zhiyuan's letter, and a thought gradually became clear to her.
As the argument grew increasingly heated, Jiang Huan quietly stepped out from behind the screen.
The hall fell silent instantly. The officials were taken aback by the Empress's appearance at this moment and bowed in surprise.
Huo Lin also looked at her, his eyes filled with questions.
Jiang Huan nodded slightly to the assembled officials, then walked to Huo Lin's side, her voice clear enough for everyone in the hall to hear.
"Gentlemen, I have been listening to my second brother's military report for a long time and I have a preliminary idea that may be of interest to you."
Huo Lin's eyes flickered slightly: "Speak freely."
Jiang Huan organized her thoughts and said, "The main problem with the Western Rong right now is that they are not united. Some people have been misled by the Southern Frontier and want to take advantage of the situation."
She paused, looked around at everyone, and said, "But if we don't care about the consequences and start fighting directly, it will only unite them against us."
Minister of War General Wang asked in confusion, "Does Your Majesty mean..."
“My idea is to divide and conquer, and use economic means to check and balance them,” Jiang Huan explained. “My second brother mentioned in his letter that the Helan and Chigan tribes have benefited from the trade and are willing to live in peace. We can give them more trade preferences, such as raising the purchase price and giving priority to supplying them with the materials they need, so that other tribes can see that only by following us can they have something to eat.”
Minister of Revenue Li pondered for a moment: "What about the tribes that caused trouble?"
"Sever all economic ties." Jiang Huan said firmly, "Immediately stop trade with tribes like the Tufa and Wuhe, strictly prohibit caravans from doing business with them, and at the same time have Second Brother deploy troops on the border as a show of force. However, we must respond precisely to their provocations, neither being weak nor escalating the conflict."
She turned to Huo Lin, her eyes bright: "We can also ask Prince Xiaoyao to use Princess Ayina's connections to put pressure on the Mobei from the side. In this way, we can focus on economic differentiation while the Mobei holds back the flanks and isolate the pro-war faction. In time, they will naturally be unable to hold on."
Shen Yi was the first to agree: "Your Majesty's idea is brilliant. Let the Western Rong people weigh the pros and cons themselves and see if it's worth it to cause trouble."
Although General Wang felt it wasn't quite satisfactory, he also admitted that this method was more reliable and effective.
Minister of Revenue Li breathed a sigh of relief, as this would save money and protect the interests of border trade.
Huo Lin felt much of his frustration dissipate as he watched Jiang Huan speak eloquently.
[Tsk, my Empress, she's so clever. How is her mind so sharp?]
However... this idea is really good; it saves both time and effort.
[The Imperial Uncle has been living a carefree life for too long; it's time to find him some serious work to do.]
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