Chapter 470 Why give up the strong for the weak?
On the day Luo Guanlin secretly left Jiangdu, Chang Suining sent express horses to deliver a letter to the twelve states in Huainan Road, ordering the governors of each state to arrive in Jiangdu for discussions within seven days after receiving the letter and to bring with them all the details of their respective state's fiscal and tax revenues, household registrations, soldiers, and military equipment in recent years.
Hezhou and Jiangdu were separated by the city of Jiangning. The next day, Hezhou Governor Yun Hui received a letter from the Jiedushi. He was very active and asked someone to prepare a box of documents that had been sorted out long ago. He said with a gleaming look in his eyes, "Let's set off early tomorrow morning!"
But not everyone is as positive as Yun Hui.
Wuzhou, who had previously followed Hezhou in responding, were slow in their actions, but after receiving the letter, they also began to discuss and plan their trip to Jiangdu.
As for the remaining six states, their attitudes have not softened.
Among them, Shenzhou and Huangzhou had the most intense reactions. These two states have always been the most unwilling to accept the consequences and have never concealed their dissatisfaction with Chang Suining.
The governor of Shenzhou directly tore up Chang Suining's letter and said, "...You want me to go to Jiangdu to report and discuss matters? Just because she is a little girl, she is worthy of me to go and pay my respects in person! What a joke!"
Moreover, the other party's move was clearly a threat!
Jiangdu was going to reopen the Maritime Customs, the saint had already agreed, the news of the Sea Sacrifice Ceremony had spread to everyone, and countless merchants and wealthy families in Shenzhou City were also ready to go to the Jiangdu Maritime Customs to ask for a pass to go out to sea for business, but they were politely turned away - the explanation given was that the trade between Jiangdu and Shenzhou had to wait for discussions between the two government offices before it could be opened.
What kind of bullshit is this? It's clearly telling Shenzhou that as long as the governor of Shenzhou doesn't go to Jiangdu to hand over power, the maritime order of the Maritime Customs will not be open to them! Not only the Maritime Customs, but also the workshops and trade routes that are now booming in Jiangdu show no signs of being open to Shenzhou.
The news coming out of Jiangdu was very "bewitching" and now the whole Huainan Province knew that Jiangdu was thriving and people lived and worked in peace and contentment. From scholars to ordinary people, everyone was flocking to Jiangdu's new policies.
Those poems that praised Jiangdu to the skies spread across the entire Huainan Road like flying flowers, and nothing could be stopped.
The merchants and nobles who had returned from Jiangdu with setbacks became more and more restless the more they thought about it. If they were all suffering in Huainan Road, it would be fine. But now people in Jiangdu eat so well that the aroma of meat wafts into their noses, while they can't even get a sip of soup and can only soak in the bitter water... Who can bear this kind of suffering? Not many of the scholars and dignitaries supported the governor of Shenzhou to "go it alone". There were bloody examples everywhere. They had more than ordinary people and didn't want to lose everything they had in the turbulent war.
As dissatisfaction accumulated at all levels, the old nobles in Shenzhou City finally began to put pressure on the governor of Shenzhou.
The governor of Huangzhou, who shared the same attitude as the governor of Shenzhou and openly expressed his dissatisfaction with Chang Suining, was now facing the same situation - the louder he cursed Chang Suining before, the bigger his head would be now.
The remaining four states that had been pretending to be deaf and dumb were now also filled with voices of unrest and dissatisfaction.
They have not made any statement, but not making a statement is already a statement. In addition, there are too many voices secretly fanning the flames, so the six big words "never surrender to Jiangdu" were naturally hit on their foreheads.
Gwangju is one of the four states that are pretending to be deaf and dumb. The governor of Gwangju has been very troubled by this recently.
He could feel that now in Guangzhou City, countless eyes from top to bottom were watching him, and those eyes hoped that he would keep his mouth shut - never learn from Shenzhou and Huangzhou and say words that would ask for a beating;
Second, he hoped that he would take action - to quickly take his wealth and leave for Jiangdu as soon as possible to hand over power.
The governor of Guangzhou paced anxiously and angrily: "... She is in Jiangdu, and she has disrupted the internal affairs of various states and the people's hearts with just an inciting poem. It is simply absurd, insidious and despicable!"
"It's not just one poem..." The counselor at the Guangzhou Governor's Mansion sighed, "There are hundreds of poems."
To be honest, there are quite a few good poems among them, and he has already memorized several of them.
"And those doggerel poems and nursery rhymes..." The counselor sighed again: "It's really hard to guard against them."
Although nursery rhymes have the word "child" in them, they are never to be underestimated in terms of politics. Compared with poems that are only circulated among officials and scholars, nursery rhymes have a wider coverage and can penetrate into the hearts of ordinary people. In this world where information is blocked, nursery rhymes have no rivals.
Moreover, they spread at an astonishing speed, often becoming widely known overnight.
The reason why this thing spreads so quickly is largely because it is too catchy and very brainwashing.
When the strategist went out this morning, he heard his youngest son singing a song. He quickly scolded him to stop singing. However, after he got into the sedan chair, he was lost in thought and couldn't help humming in his mind: [… Six frogs in the pond to the west, croaking, chewing mud, jumping around blindly, not recognizing their home…]
Even now, he still couldn't get this voice out of his mind. Just when he was talking to the governor, he had sung it in his mind more than ten times...
In this way, there is "A Book for the World" on the top, doggerel in the middle, and nursery rhymes below, just to ensure that everyone can have a taste of this melon... With such a high degree of coverage, how can it be prevented? "To be honest, the reason why the people are turning to Jiangdu is not just because of these poems and nursery rhymes..." The counselor said: "Your Excellency should know that these are superficial after all."
What truly attracts the people is Jiangdu itself.
In this precarious world, the current scene of Jiangdu is like a lamp in the dark night or an oasis in the desert. Doing nothing but just staying there is enough to fascinate countless people.
There is the scholarly future that scholars yearn for, the peace and stability that the powerful yearn for, the fertile soil with prosperous industry and commerce that merchants yearn for, and the safe and prosperous life that ordinary people yearn for.
These poems, nursery rhymes and public opinions were just the final push, giving the people a gap and confidence to explode.
Seeing the frown on the governor's face, the counselor said, "The current situation in each state is like this. As long as officials intend to stay in this land, they cannot ignore these voices."
If not, the result is predictable. Civil strife will inevitably break out first, and then the name of rebellion will be confirmed. At that time, Chang Suining will naturally lead his troops to seize power, and I am afraid that countless people will choose to open the city gates to welcome him.
By then, they had lost the support of the people and their military strength had been crushed, so they were unable to resist at all.
This is the dilemma facing Gwangju, and it is also the situation that the other five states will soon face.
Unless they have no intention of staying in the capital for long, and take up arms as soon as possible to join the struggle for supremacy among all parties -
This sentence touches upon the crux of the matter.
"I was going to rebel originally..." The Governor of Gwangju spoke in a low voice, and his tone was not so firm.
He has been in contact with several other states secretly. Otherwise, he would not have dared to play dumb until now. It is difficult to make a difference alone. Facing Chang Suining with the strength of his state alone, it is doomed to be like an egg hitting a stone. Joining forces is the inevitable choice.
But in his heart, he was still watching the feasibility of this matter and had not really made up his mind.
"I have a different opinion now..." The counselor hesitated for a moment and asked, "Do you think the new governor Chang Suining has any evil ambitions?"
The governor of Guangzhou snorted and laughed: "It's something that is out in the open!"
Recruiting talents, opening workshops, building ships, smelting, promoting agriculture, the Maritime Customs... military power, money and food, there is nothing she doesn't mess around with! "So, Chang Suining must have rebellious intentions." The counselor said sternly: "In this case, why don't you submit to her and rebel with her in the future?"
The Governor of Guangzhou: “?”
He was actually stumped by the question! At first glance, this suggestion seemed absurd, even indescribably strange... but it was actually worth thinking about.
The counselor took the opportunity to explain the pros and cons: "Your Excellency has no friendship with those people, and they say they want to start a rebellion, but how confident and likely are they to succeed?"
Look at their regular envoys, they have all the military power, money and food prepared...how solid and reliable.
Moreover, she has military merits, a good reputation, and can win the support of the people. If she really submits to her, she will not be scolded by the people.
The governor of Guangzhou, who had been scolded by the people and even his own father recently, couldn't help but feel moved when he heard this.
The counselor went on to say that if they followed Jiangdu, even if they didn't rebel, at least they could save some money and enrich their family... This was the immediate benefit.
The governor of Guangzhou was completely shaken.
If someone else had said these words, he would have thought twice, but this strategist had followed him for many years and was the person he trusted the most. This person had made great contributions to his ability to stay in the position of Governor of Guangzhou for many years.
"Sir, you won't harm me..." The Governor of Guangzhou sat back in his chair and finally sighed, "But if you ask me to recognize a little girl as your master... I feel bad about it anyway."
He was originally dissatisfied with the empress's rule. He finally saw that the empress had lost the support of the people and the imperial power was shaken. He was just happy, but in the end, he turned around and was asked to submit to another woman, a little girl of seventeen or eighteen years old...
"Sir, the human heart and the spleen and stomach are the closest. When you eat meat with the envoy Chang Jie, your stomach will feel comfortable, and then your heart will naturally feel happy." The counselor smiled and said, "Besides, even if you don't feel uncomfortable for a while, it is better than having your head separated from your neck..."
The Governor of Guangzhou laughed bitterly upon hearing this: "I have to say, your words today... every word touched my heart, and completely relieved my anxiety for many days."
Perhaps he had already made up his mind, and was in a good mood to joke: "It's as if I got some advice from some god."
The counselor just stroked his beard and smiled.
"Then let's get people ready..." The governor of Guangzhou said, "I will go to Jiangdu in person to see what this new governor who is said to be so legendary looks like."
The counselor smiled and stood up to salute: "Your Excellency is wise."
That night, the Governor of Guangzhou returned home and was finally free from being scolded by his father.
The counselor returned to his residence and bowed deeply to the guest in the study: "It has been done. Thank you Mr. Qian for your advice!"
Luo Guanlin, who was half-covering his face with a mask, nodded slightly: "This is a blessing for the people of Guangzhou."
The counselor could not help but sigh: "Mr.'s words really hit the nail on the head..."
Especially the calm and domineering sentence - [We have to rebel anyway, why give up the strong for the weak? ]
Such a gesture simply killed the confrontation.
Aren't we going to rebel? Then let's do it together - but before rebelling, it's normal to first accumulate some assets, expand power, and improve people's livelihood and accumulate more reputation. This is the core of Luo Guanlin's trip to instigate the opposition.
Thinking about the future prospects, the strategist was excited and immediately asked someone to prepare wine so that he could drink with Mr. Qian.
Mr. Qian declined: "We can meet again in Jiangdu someday."
Now that this place had been decided, he was going to rush to the next place, so he asked his adviser, "I wonder if your letter is ready?"
The counselor hurriedly took out the prepared letter and handed it over with both hands.
There are private contacts between these states, and the advisers also have their own network of relationships.
If we can knock on the door by taking advantage of the relationship between them, it will be much easier to persuade them to revolt.
Luo Guanlin took it, thanked him, and left at night.
The counselor watched him leave and said with emotion: "With such talent and dedication, there is no need to worry about not achieving great things."
After leaving Guangzhou, Luo Guanlin headed west to Shenzhou.
Guangzhou is close to Shenzhou in the west, and under Shenzhou are Anzhou and Huangzhou. These four states have one thing in common, that is, they are all located in the border area of Huainan Road and are not easy to be encircled and blocked. This is also their reason for not being willing to submit to Chang Suining.
Anzhou is located in the west of Shannan East Road, facing Jingzhou across the Han River, and is only separated from Yuezhou in Jiangnan West Road by Mianzhou.
Yuezhou was occupied by Bian Chunliang's army, and Li Xian had been guarding Jingzhou for more than half a year.
That night, outside Jingzhou City, a scout returned to the camp with a secret report: "General, we have intercepted a secret letter from Anzhou to Yuezhou... Anzhou Governor Cao Hongxuan secretly wants to collude with Bian Chunliang to start an uprising!"
In the letter, Cao Hongxuan encouraged Bian Chunliang to first capture the prosperous Huainan Road and then attack the capital, and Anzhou was willing to open the door to Huainan Road for Bian Chunliang.
After the case, Li Xian read the secret letter and raised his eyebrows.
"General, the governor of Anzhou has already started to rebel. Should we send a message to the Saint immediately and inform the governor of Huainan Road?"
Li Xian said "hmm" and raised his hand to signal the scouts to retreat.
When the scouts left the tent, Li Xian placed the secret letter above the oil lamp, and a smile appeared on his lips as he watched the letter light up.
He was just following the order to defend Jingzhou and kill Bian Chunliang... Anzhou was under the jurisdiction of Huainan Road, what did it have to do with him? If Huainan Road had any problems because of Anzhou, it would only mean that the new Jiedushi was incompetent.
Furthermore, if Bian Chunliang really changed his route to capture Huainan, it would actually help relieve the danger to Jingzhou and the capital, which might not be a bad thing.
Of course, he would not do nothing. He had sworn to the saint that he would recapture Yuezhou this month.
For this purpose, he has made all the preparations and is only waiting to send out the troops tomorrow.
Inside the central army commander's tent, Xiao Min was repeatedly confirming with his subordinates about moving troops to Yuezhou tomorrow.
Since Xiao Min arrived in Jingzhou to support Li Xian, he has fought with the Bian army several times, but he had only defended before, and this time he wanted to attack.
To Xiao Min's surprise, although Li Xian was very dissatisfied with him and the two had many disagreements, Li Xian mostly followed his arrangements on the plan to retake Yuezhou and did not argue again.
This made Xiao Min feel relieved, but he also felt something was wrong, so he repeatedly confirmed tomorrow's battle plan.
After everything was ready, all the generals left, and Xiao Min also came out of the tent to get some fresh air.
He looked far away in the direction of Huainan Road and took out the copper coin strung with a red thread from his arms.
Whenever he felt overwhelmed by the tense war and the messy people around him, he always missed the good old days when he could take credit behind General Ning Yuan.
Xiao Min held the consecrated copper plate in his hand and said as if to relieve his nervousness: "May General Ning Yuan bless our army to win a great victory in this battle..."
Chang Suining, who was far away in Jiangdu, sneezed, and the lights flickered.
4300 words, thank you all for your monthly tickets, rewards, and messages, good night~ (End of this chapter)
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