After a good time of intimacy, Qin Mu finally coaxed the pregnant woman to sleep. Without taking a break, he immediately began to inquire about the battle situation.
After understanding the situation, Qin Mu breathed a sigh of relief. The monkey tribe had come with great force, but their momentum was waning. Feng Ang had abandoned some areas, stretching the battle lines, which had caused the monkey tribe considerable trouble. The key issue was the monkey tribe's arrogance, which had brought trouble upon themselves. The monkey tribe didn't just attack cities; relying on their superior numbers, they displayed their bandit nature, leaving no village or mountain stronghold untouched.
This provoked widespread anger. Although there is deep hatred between races, this hatred is not deeply felt by ordinary people unless they experience it firsthand. The monkey tribe's indiscriminate attacks ignited a sense of shared hatred among everyone. Mountain strongholds sent troops to help. Although each stronghold might only have one or two skilled fighters, the total number was significant. Larger strongholds also had priests, whose abilities were immense, providing healing and boosting morale—after all, priests were the spiritual pillars of their strongholds.
What Qin Mu didn't know was that they were causing trouble in the rear. Although the monkeys' numbers didn't affect the people at the front, the movement of people in the rear put a lot of pressure on the food supply, since they were already poor.
Having withstood the initial onslaught, the monkey tribe achieved virtually no major victories. The imperial court also acted swiftly, with Li Shenfu, who was stationed in Jiangnan, leading 200,000 troops to provide support. They are currently planning a counterattack.
After resting at home for a night, Qin Mu set off again to provide support, as he was still the Deputy Governor of Annam. Princess Changning, of course, was very considerate and didn't cry or make a fuss.
"Drive the monkeys away as soon as possible, I want to come back and be with you to have children." Qin Mu said gently, then jumped onto the rhinoceros, waved and set off.
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Jiaozhou, Prefectural Governor's Office!
"It's good that you're back. Fourth Brother has already told me about your situation. You did a great job." Feng Ang patted Qin Mu's arm and said. It had been more than three months since they last met. Feng Ang looked a bit older. Although there weren't many more wrinkles on his face, his white hair was more noticeable.
"I overestimated myself and failed to reduce the pressure on you. I should have stayed and helped with the defense," Qin Mu said apologetically. He still admired the old man in front of him. The Feng family had made tremendous contributions to Lingnan, and Feng Ang was willing to make sacrifices and even fully support Qin Mu's suggestions for the development of Lingnan.
"How can you say that the pressure hasn't been reduced? If things get out of hand, they'll at least have to worry about their rear, what if we send in extra troops to attack?" Feng Ang said with a smile.
"I don't know the current situation. I know a little, but I'm not clear on the specifics. Is there anything I can do to help?" Qin Mu asked.
"The current situation is quite interesting. The monkey tribe has gained the upper hand, but they're reluctant to withdraw, and they can't take it down either, so it's a stalemate. Of course, these guys aren't entirely without other moves; they've sent people to try and bypass us multiple times, but unfortunately, all our people have retreated to the rear, implementing a scorched-earth policy, leaving them with nothing," Feng Ang said with a smile. It was clear he was under little pressure.
"This won't do us any good either, will it? Too much labor has been wasted this year, and the grain harvest has been severely affected. I'm afraid the people will have a very hard winter. We should ask the court for help as soon as possible," Qin Mu said worriedly.
“You’re absolutely right, but all these problems have been solved. Lingnan is a vast and populous region, and the people who were previously in Jiaozhou have been relocated, allowing for concentrated development. As for the food issue, His Majesty has already made arrangements. After the autumn harvest, the grain will be transported from Jiangnan. In addition, the aristocratic families in Jiangnan have already donated 100,000 shi (a unit of dry measure), so we have no problem with the stalemate,” Feng Ang explained.
"The aristocratic families of Jiangnan actually donated grain. Are they really that enlightened?" Qin Mu said in surprise.
"Hehe, this is also thanks to you. The refined salt sold from Lingnan is cheaper than that from Guanzhong, as are the canned fruits. The Jiangnan families only asked us to give them the agency rights for these two items, so they could sell them in Sichuan, Jianghuai, Shandong, and other places. As for Guanzhong, everyone can sell there. Since you weren't here, I agreed," Feng Ang said apologetically.
“Yes, we don’t need to do transportation, which is beneficial to everyone, so it would be best to agree. We just need to set a price; we can’t let them sell it too expensively, otherwise it will conflict with the court’s objectives,” Qin Mu reminded them.
"The two young men from the Xiao family handled things very well as intermediaries. The people you brought this time were truly a great help. Resettling hundreds of thousands of people wouldn't be so easy," Feng Ang nodded. He was an old hand; he should have considered this issue long ago, so Qin Mu didn't bring it up again. As for Feng Ang saying that the people he brought were good, that was certainly true. They were all talents cultivated by aristocratic families, and they certainly had abilities. Especially the first to eighth aristocratic families—precisely because their living space had been squeezed by the Guanzhong aristocratic families, they had become very pragmatic. Perhaps they couldn't help much with major events, but they were very adept at these basic tasks.
"The stalemate with the monkey tribe isn't good for us either. After all, we don't need to worry about their lives, but it will hinder our own development. We still need to defeat them as soon as possible," Qin Mu suggested.
“That’s right, that’s what I was thinking too. The Prince of Xiangyi has led 200,000 fresh troops to Fengzhou and will cross the Xidao River to attack the monkey tribe’s flank. We can then launch a pincer attack. You could say your return is perfectly timed,” Feng Ang said, pointing to the map.
Qin Mu then understood why he hadn't seen any imperial reinforcements, and he also agreed with Feng Ang's counterattack plan. The monkey tribe's battle lines were now stretched wide; a sudden attack from the flanks and rear by a fresh force would surely yield significant results. Firstly, it would be a surprise attack, and secondly, the monkey tribe probably wouldn't expect the Tang Dynasty to cross the river.
"I saw many mountain strongholds in the city. Having them around should make the counterattack much easier," Qin Mu said. The monkey tribe has poor records and their battle lines are spread out. While a counterattack could be successful, catching up with so many scattered creatures across the mountains would obviously be much easier with the manpower of these strongholds. Sometimes, using scattered, unaffiliated soldiers is more effective than using them against other groups.
"Hehe, you're right. Huai Dao, do you know that there are 100,000 people from the mountain strongholds and thousands of villages this time?" Feng Ang asked with a happy smile.
"So many! There are just too many mountain strongholds in Lingnan," Qin Mu exclaimed.
“There are many, but many of those who came down from the mountain this time are unwilling to return to the mountain village. In fact, quite a few priests have inquired about the treatment they would receive for moving down the mountain,” Feng Ang said proudly.
"That's wonderful! They understand the difficulties of living alone now." Qin Mu was also very pleased. In his discussions with Feng Ang, figuring out how to lure the people of the mountain stronghold out of the mountains was their most important task. After all, only flat land is more suitable for farming.
"This is also what you brought: refined salt, seaweed, and dried salted fish. These are all things they want. They're used to the food in the army, and they don't want to go back to the mountains and continue living a bland, saltless life. Besides, fish is meat too," Feng Ang said to Qin Mu with a sigh.
"This is a good start. Treat them better; they'll probably find it harder to adjust when they go back. Once this group spreads the word, more mountain villages will accept the relocation," Qin Mu said, his eyes lighting up.
“That’s what I thought too, so for the past few months, none of our output has been sold to outsiders; it’s all been sent to the military,” Feng Ang nodded.
The opportunity for a counterattack came quickly. Scouts brought news of panic among the monkey tribe, with some retreating to the rear. It was clear they were worried about their escape route being cut off and them being surrounded and killed by the Tang Dynasty.
Upon learning the news, Feng Ang ordered a full-scale counterattack. The Tang Dynasty, which had been conserving its strength, unleashed its full power, deploying a massive quantity of crossbows onto the battlefield. Lingnan and the South Seas are humid and rainy, so bows and arrows were rarely used due to the string's susceptibility to moisture. Therefore, the concentrated use of crossbows inflicted heavy casualties on the monkey tribe. This was also a contingency plan Feng Ang had prepared; knowing Lingnan best, he understood that this was the most appropriate way to utilize his resources.
The return of Qin Mu and his men was a tremendous force. While defending the city was manageable—it didn't require many skilled fighters to hold it—the counterattack, with dozens of experts and even top-tier warriors, had a completely different effect. The heavily armored cavalry, empowered by their enhancements, relentlessly crushed the monkey tribe's defenses.
Qin Mu then encountered another trump card of Feng Ang: the war elephants formed by the mountain stronghold. These massive creatures, even larger than the Triangular Bull, stood tall with their long tusks and let out deafening roars. They were equally awe-inspiring when they ran, shaking the earth and displaying a menacing aura. This was also very difficult for the monkey tribe, as they never imagined that these large creatures, which were usually their prey, would be tamed and used to attack them.
Behind the two massive forces, Tang Dynasty cavalry further expanded their gains, quickly routing the monkey tribe. Unable to withstand the cavalry in the open, the monkey tribe wisely fled towards the mountains.
Think you're safe once you're in the mountains? No! The people living in the mountain villages are just as skilled in mountain warfare as the monkey tribe, especially since this is their home turf. They fight even better against the monkey tribe, who have already lost their will to fight.
The Tang Dynasty, poised for action, launched a full-scale offensive. If it were at the beginning, facing an enemy several times larger, they would certainly be outmatched. But now, they were attacking invaders, seeking revenge, and fighting a battle with the wind at their backs. Naturally, the more they fought, the better it went.
Facing the monkey tribe, whose records were not particularly reliable, Feng Ang also adopted a small-group combat strategy. The initial charge of ten thousand men quickly split into ten thousand-man teams. Led by skilled fighters, these teams formed arrowheads, breaking through and defeating the enemy.
With a swift and decisive strike, the Tang army defeated the monkey tribe and then relentlessly pursued them for two days and one night, giving the monkeys no chance to rest or recuperate. The mountain stronghold's inhabitants were the best hunters; they possessed ample patience and endurance, and chasing a ferocious beast for days and nights was commonplace for them. This time, they performed exceptionally well, avoiding direct confrontation with the monkeys, instead maintaining a distance and constantly reaping the lone prey. If the enemy outnumbered them too much, they would ambush them, setting traps and unleashing sneak attacks.
The presence of cavalry on the main road made the monkey tribe even more hesitant to stop. The once familiar mountains and forests had become deadly, driving the monkey tribe to near despair. In particular, the other force had also failed, and the merger of the two defeated armies intensified the atmosphere of fear.
"Escape! Escape! Escape! Escape back to our territory as soon as possible." This was the only thought in the monkey tribe's mind.
Faced with his subordinates who had lost the will to resist, the monkey clan leader had no choice but to give up. This was because the Tang Dynasty had many experts, and even if he couldn't fight them one-on-one, he was completely fearless with his troops.
Having fled back to Wendan City, the monkey tribe tragically discovered that less than one in ten of their people had returned. The more than ten prefectures and counties they had previously occupied were all lost, and they hadn't brought back any of their spoils. This expedition seemed to have gained nothing but damage to the Tang Dynasty. Of the two million troops and three hundred thousand support personnel, it was estimated that only thirty percent would return to their own territory. This was a complete and utter defeat.
The Golden Monkey Clan was in trouble. The Western Little Ape Clan certainly wouldn't let go of the opportunity to take advantage. This was the thought in the mind of the Monkey Clan leader. However, he soon lost interest in that thought, because he considered his own fate. How could the Monkey Clan King let go of a leader who had caused him such heavy casualties?
,,,,,,,
Qin Mu and his group were unaware of the monkey tribe's affairs and had no time to concern themselves with them. After recovering all the lost territories, their next task was to join the association to defend against possible monkey tribe attacks and to figure out how to restore production in these prefectures and counties.
"I urge Your Highness to petition His Majesty that the reinforcements be stationed in Lingnan from this point onward," Feng Ang said, bowing.
“Very well, this is my duty.” Li Shimin would be extremely happy if Feng Ang were willing to station the imperial troops in Lingnan, so Li Shenfu readily agreed.
“Thank you, Your Highness! Huaidao, how about entrusting Luofu Prefecture to you? And Tang Prefecture, Panyu is already on the right track, you can leave someone familiar with it behind.” Feng Ang continued.
"I will naturally obey the Governor's orders, but my wife is about to give birth, so I'm afraid I won't be able to take up my post until after the New Year," Qin Mu said hesitantly.
“It’s almost autumn, and the Monkey Clan is unlikely to have any major operations this year. Go back and take care of Ruoxi. I’ll keep an eye on things here in Luofu Prefecture for you. You can leave the plans here. Aren’t there still the Cheng family boy and those little guys from the Yuchi family here?” Li Shenfu said with a wave of his hand.
"Thank you, Uncle," Qin Mu said gratefully with a smile. It was truly good to have someone from his own side taking care of him. Moreover, this was the best solution; Feng Ang needed to return to govern post-war Lingnan, and someone with significant influence was needed to oversee the front lines. However, a mere prince like Feng Ang didn't have the authority to command, so his willingness to accept the position was the best outcome. Feng Ang also breathed a sigh of relief. Although Qin Mu had demonstrated his abilities, Li Shenfu was still more reliable in defending the border.
It wasn't just Feng Ang who thought this way; even Li Shimin wouldn't dare entrust the crucial border region to Qin Mu. This had nothing to do with ability; it was mainly about age. The person in charge of the border didn't need to be too powerful; the key was maturity, prudence, and the inability to make mistakes.
70
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