Upon hearing Li Hu's words, Wei Maozhen's cold expression softened slightly.
The Tusi (chieftains) of Shu were officials appointed by the previous dynasty (Da Zhou), and their positions were held by local leaders and were hereditary. They could be divided into positions such as Xuanwei Shi (Pacification Commissioner), Xuanfu Shi (Pacification Commissioner), and Anfu Shi (pacification commissioner) according to their rank.
Lin Wenzhong destroyed the Great Zhou Dynasty, and the local chieftains, remembering the kindness of the previous dynasty, raised an army to rebel.
Although it was later suppressed, a government-in-exile still exists abroad.
At the same time, the Shu region bordered the Western Regions and foreign states. The Tusi (local chieftain) regime in exile colluded with the Western Regions and foreign states, and had been harassing the border for a long time.
The people of the Western Regions were called the Dos people. They were similar to the Tubo people on Earth. They lived in a grassland plateau region and had a strong animal husbandry industry.
They raise fine horses on the grasslands and are a warrior people who roam the vast grasslands.
The Doss were natural-born cavalrymen, their horsemanship surpassing that of any Great Xia cavalry.
Light cavalry were their main force.
The Doth warriors wield scimitars, longbows, and whips. They are all brave and skilled in battle, possessing formidable fighting prowess.
While Lin Wenzhong was alive, the people of Duosi were relatively peaceful, but after his death, they began to stir again.
Since last year, Wei Maozhen has also seen a series of memorials from Western Regions foreign tribes harassing the people on the border.
Sending Lin Mo to pacify the Western Regions would indeed be a win-win situation!
How many troops does Lin Mo have? He absolutely cannot pacify the Western Regions. Once war breaks out, he will definitely be killed by the Dos people!
In this way, he just happened to solve his own problem!
The land of Shu is barren, so even if it were conquered by the Dos people, it wouldn't cause any real harm.
Thinking of this, she parted her cherry lips and said, "Very good! The King of Shu has done a great job in suppressing the bandits. He was able to wipe out the bandits in Shu in a short period of time. Such bravery makes him the best candidate to pacify the Western Regions!"
"If that's the case, then you can make the arrangements!"
At this moment, Li Hu grinned.
The Western Region barbarians were not ordinary bandits; they were legitimate armies.
Lin Mo has only just arrived in Shu and has barely established himself. Can he really handle quelling the border unrest?
Thinking of this, he couldn't help but get excited, "Lin Mo, Lin Mo, let's see if you'll live or die this time!"
~~~
With the plan in place, the next step is implementation.
Such an important matter would naturally be raised by Li Hu in the imperial court, and then the officials of Li Hu's faction would agree. The Empress would then "seek" the opinions of all the civil and military officials, and the matter would be settled in this way.
The next morning, as soon as the court session began, Li Hu eagerly brought up this suggestion.
Upon hearing this, the Minister of Revenue immediately retorted. "Your Majesty, although the King of Shu annihilated tens of thousands of bandits in Shu, these bandits were nothing more than a rabble, while the Western Region barbarians were a regular army!"
Sending the King of Shu there might be... a bit too hasty.
Upon hearing this, Li Hu coldly shouted, "Lord Sun! What are you saying? Do you think the King of Shu is incapable? The King of Shu was able to lead his troops to wipe out the bandits in Shu in such a short time!"
Not a single bandit escaped; they were all slaughtered! The people of Shu knew of it all! Would such a valiant and skilled military genius of the Great Xia fear a mere barbarian tribe?
"Yes, Lord Sun, don't forget that back then, Marshal Lin led the Great Xia cavalry and slaughtered the Western Region barbarians, forcing them to retreat two hundred miles! He helped our Great Xia conquer a vast territory."
Like father, like son. As the son of Marshal Lin, the King of Shu has been well-versed in military strategy since childhood. This small barbarian state will surely be utterly annihilated by the King of Shu! Only the King of Shu can quell the rebellion on the frontier!
At this moment, the Empress's favorite minister said repeatedly, "General Li is right! Her Majesty personally appointed Lin Mo as the King of Shu, precisely to have him quell the unrest on the border of Shu."
The people of Shu have suffered greatly from war. If the King of Shu could pacify the vassal states of the Western Regions in one fell swoop, it would not only be a blessing for our Great Xia, but it would also allow the King of Shu to better govern the local people! Isn't this a win-win situation?
Sun Mian trembled with anger upon hearing their words.
The way you guys are acting in concert, your intentions are truly sinister.
The purpose of deliberately elevating Lin Mo was to force him to send troops to attack the allied forces of the Western Regions and the chieftains.
Just as Sun Mian was about to speak in rebuttal, he heard several ministers say, "Your Majesty, General Li's words make sense!"
"Yes, Your Majesty, I also believe that the chaos in the Western Regions should be addressed by the King of Shu in person."
"Your Majesty, the Dos people have repeatedly harassed the borders of our Great Xia. When the barbarians attack, they are like locusts swarming across the land, looting all the grain, women, cattle, and sheep. After they leave, the land of Shu is filled with wailing and countless people have hanged themselves."
"Send the King of Shu to conquer them, to demonstrate the might of our Great Xia, and to bring blessings to the people of Shu. This is of utmost urgency!"
A chorus of agreement rose up one after another, and Sun Mian frowned as he listened.
He looked around, searching for friendly faces, but found very few besides his own students.
The Minister of Personnel remained expressionless, his smile ambiguous, leaving everyone wondering what he was thinking. The Commander of the Imperial Guards of the capital, on the other hand, wore a somber expression. The rest of the group were all Li Hu's men, and naturally, they were all filled with hostility.
At this point, there's no point in saying anything more.
Seeing this, Wei Maozhen nodded with great satisfaction. "Very good! Since all the ministers believe that the Prince of Shu is the only suitable candidate to quell the border rebellion, then let it be settled!"
"Issue the order! Command King Lin Mo of Shu to immediately lead his troops to the border to subdue the Duosi people and ensure the peace of our Great Xia!"
After speaking, Li Hu's heart stirred, and a cold glint appeared in his eyes. He said, "Your Majesty, shouldn't we set a date to encourage the King of Shu to fight bravely against the enemy?"
Upon hearing this, Sun Mian felt a chill run down his spine. "What, you want to wipe them out within a set timeframe?"
The Empress understood immediately and said, "Thanks to Minister Li's reminder, I almost forgot about this! The order is given: if the Prince of Shu fails to drive back the Western Region barbarians by a hundred li within one month, he will be severely punished!"
Wei Maozhen didn't specify how he would be punished, precisely to avoid giving anyone cause for controversy.
At the same time, such vague statements are often the most fatal.
Everyone knew that with the forces Lin Mo had, it was impossible to defeat the Doss people.
If he dies at the hands of the Doss, that would be best. But if he delays at the border and dares not go, after the deadline, whether I demote him to a commoner, exile him, or kill him, it will be up to the Empress!
Thinking of this, Li Hu felt a sense of comfort.
Let's see how you, Lin Mo, escape this predicament and live peacefully as a prince in Shu!
When the Crown Prince Sun Mian heard the imperial edict delivered by Wei Maozhen, he couldn't help but sigh.
This time, it can truly be described as a certain death!
It is reported that Lin Mo only has 10,000 elite troops. Leaving Xichuan City and losing the protection of the city walls, he went to fight the Dos people on the grassland. Isn't this a suicidal act?
conscription?
Even if an army could be recruited, how could civilians with no combat experience be trained into a fierce and powerful force in such a short time?
"Sigh..." Sun Mian sighed inwardly, his face ashen.
Li Hu, standing to the side, wore a cold smile, secretly pleased with himself.
To ensure Lin Mo dies at the hands of the Doss people, he wrote two personal letters yesterday to guarantee everything would go smoothly.
"This time, the entire Lin family will die in Shu!"
Thinking of this, Li Hu's face grew even colder.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
