Chapter 1119: Annexing the High Kingdom (Part 6) [Requesting Double Monthly Tickets]
Shen Tang waited and waited, but no other names appeared.
"Besides Lady Mi and her descendants, were there any other people?"
Shen Tang asked herself honestly, she wasn't some kind of vicious person. Despite having taken countless lives, she believed that war was war, and killing during the war was a matter of course. However, bullying the defenseless and vulnerable after the war was the act of a beast.
The strong wield their swords against the stronger, not to vent their frustrations on the weak and find a pitiful sense of satisfaction. She and Wu Xian had known each other for many years; their relationship had progressed from friendship to mutual ulterior motives, and finally to a life-or-death struggle. Ultimately, it wasn't due to differing values or deep-seated hatred, but purely a conflict of interests. No matter how serious the war between the two countries, the elderly and children should not be harmed, so Shen Tang naturally wouldn't refuse his request.
Wu Xian was taken aback.
He seemed surprised by Shen Tang's reaction.
Shen Tang hadn't expected Wu Xian to not mention anyone else at all. For a moment, the two stared at each other, an awkward silence hanging in the air. Shen Tang tried to change the subject, but Wu Xian chimed in, "The others all have their own support."
Mi and her children could only rely on themselves.
If he didn't speak up, who else would stand up for them, mother and son? Even heroes are sometimes swayed by personal feelings. Wu Xian knew that pleading for his concubine was hardly heroic, and if history records even a few words about him, this incident would become a laughingstock for posterity.
However, after thinking it over, he still spoke up.
So what if I'm being laughed at?
Lady Mi has been with him for many years, helping him solve countless troubles in the inner quarters, and bearing him filial and obedient children. What is there for him to be ashamed of? Wu Xian thought of his other concubines and their troublesome sons, and said helplessly, "I'm not afraid that Lord Shen will laugh at me, but Lady Mi is different from others. She doesn't have that much scheming, doesn't have a good background, and has no powerful maternal clan to rely on, but the others have the foundation of noble families! Even if the State of Gao is destroyed and their maternal clan's land and people are confiscated, they can still enjoy a life of wealth and honor."
Thinking of this, Wu Xian felt even more remorseful.
He should usually reward Lady Mi with more gold, silver, and land, and less with flashy but impractical jade feathers and pearls. With money to fall back on, she could live a stable life even as a commoner. Immersed in his own world, Wu Xian did not notice the subtle details on Shen Tang's face.
The Mi clan that Wu Xian mentioned is the same Mi clan in her intelligence report...
Are these two definitely the same person?
On the day of the palace coup, Lady Mi was far more decisive than the filial son Wu Xian had described. She held a banquet to imprison people, took hostages, and eliminated dissidents, using the coup to settle a host of unresolved issues. Her cunning and skill were nothing like the parasitic vine Wu Xian had described.
Sigh, she no longer blames Wu Xian for not understanding her.
Wu Xian didn't even get a clear look at the person he had cherished as his bedmate for many years.
Shen Tang didn't intend to discourage him.
Hearing is unreliable, seeing is believing.
Perhaps only after seeing that Mi clan member with his own eyes will Wu Xian realize how terribly wrong he has been all these years, and that his fate as a loser was predetermined. Shen Tang vaguely replied, "Brother Zhaode, don't worry, as long as they don't get in the way, I won't touch them."
That was the only promise she could make.
If the Mi clan were to perish before Shen Tang conquered the Gao Kingdom, or be taken over by other forces within Gao, then she couldn't be blamed for breaking her promise. Wu Xian, being a seasoned veteran, naturally understood this rule. He said gratefully, "Lord Shen, thank you."
Shen Tang sighed inwardly upon hearing Wu Xian's address to her.
He shook his head and sighed, "Looking back on the road I've traveled, everything has changed."
Because the elite troops of the Gao Kingdom were severely weakened in the last battle, and Shen Tang used three abdication edicts to sow discord among the officials from the noble families of the Gao Kingdom, the troops defending the border were either veterans, wounded soldiers, or temporarily recruited men, so their fighting strength was predictably weak.
Wu Xian's son is quite remarkable.
After taking power, he first sent people to negotiate peace, while at the same time making two preparations. He ordered the garrison troops that had formed combat capabilities to be transferred from various parts of the country to support the border cities in order to delay the time as much as possible.
Unfortunately, even the most skilled cook cannot cook without rice.
Mi's son was somewhat intelligent, but not much so.
Without Wu Xian to oversee things, the Mi clan's disadvantages as a noble family were fully exposed. Most of the military commanders stationed in various regions came from aristocratic families, and even the few commoners were related to these families by marriage. Once the new king's orders left the capital, very few people obeyed them.
These military generals each had their own private retinues.
Willing to listen to Wu Xian does not mean that one will listen to Wu Xian's son.
Hmph, a greenhorn with no background or connections, doesn't know the rules! He thinks he can use his so-called status as the ruler to make them work for him? Naïve! Even his father, Wu Xian, had to bribe him to keep them in line. Who does he think he is? Petty orders won't work; only money and provisions can move people's hearts!
Therefore, when the royal order to mobilize troops reached the military commanders of various prefectures and counties, the reactions of these troops were quite interesting. Those who showed the slightest respect would send away a few hundred or a thousand newly recruited soldiers as a token gesture, even though these soldiers were barely fit to serve as cannon fodder; those with better tempers would feign illness to delay or intercept the messenger, completely ignoring the matter; those who showed absolutely no respect simply trampled the order underfoot.
After all that effort, they managed to muster no more than five thousand soldiers.
If we further disperse this force into three routes, what will it be enough for?
It wasn't even enough to fill the gaps between the teeth of Kangguo's soldiers.
Shen Tang received battle reports from the front every other day and was also surprised by Gao Guo's slacking off behavior: "Is there really no trickery?"
Could this be a trap to lure someone into a snare?
First, use a winning streak to lower her guard and induce her troops to be eager for merit. Then, once the various units have broken away from the main force, suddenly concentrate your forces to gradually whittle them down? In an instant, Shen Tang's mind flashed an image of ambushes leaping out of the bushes, and the alarm bells beeped!
She slammed her hand on the table and said, "We cannot let our guard down! Issue orders for the army to advance slowly, not like wild horses running rampant. Those people from Gao Kingdom might have a conspiracy waiting for us..."
Ning Yan: "Perhaps, we don't need to think about it so complicatedly."
Sometimes, the strength of an enemy stems from one's own imagination.
Shen Tang asked, "What happened?"
"According to the intelligence sent back by the unfounded sources, the troops in various parts of Gao are outwardly compliant but inwardly defiant. Since we rejected Gao's peace talks, the number of Gao officials attending court has been decreasing day by day. They are claiming illness and taking leave, or staying at home. Now, less than half of the officials are still on duty. The remaining ones have little real power and are just putting on a show."
These rumors were all fabricated.
After perfecting her mastery of the Scholar's Way, Ning Yan discovered she could summon two more avatars, and communication with them was no longer restricted. Her true self could even briefly control the avatars embodying literary energy. The feeling of multitasking was extremely subtle; she wasn't used to it at first, but got used to it in three to five days. Other surprises were still being explored. To ensure the accuracy of her information, she even had Zixu Wuyou travel to various places to verify it.
Shen Tang: "...How absurd!"
"Wu Zhaode relied heavily on these military generals, generously granting them military power and tacitly allowing them to continue to raise and expand their armies. This created a system of checks and balances across the land. While this approach certainly improved combat effectiveness, it also had significant drawbacks. The soldiers recognized their generals, not their lords, even though their pay came from Gao Guo. Wu Zhaode, in his prime, could control these 'monsters and demons,' but if anything happened to him, none of them would submit to anyone else." Ning Yan was used to this; warlords led by military generals had always been like this. They only admired those stronger than themselves who could provide them with sustenance; if even one condition wasn't met, they might turn on each other.
If they bite you to death, you'll have nowhere to seek justice even in death.
"Besides these military generals..." Ning Yan paused abruptly, then continued only after seeing that Shen Tang's expression remained unchanged, "Since its founding, the Gao Kingdom has heavily relied on officials from aristocratic families. These families have their own set of methods for securing their positions and for being opportunistic..."
Ning Yan's words were harsh, but they were true.
Given the bleak prospects and lack of chance of victory, the fall of Gao Kingdom was simply a matter of letting it go. Officials could simply find another job; those who switched early might even get promoted and receive a raise. There was no need to risk their lives. Those with integrity wouldn't be alive today.
Shen Tang's three abdication edicts tricked the core group of Gao Kingdom, causing the wishful thinking of several major families in Gao Kingdom to fall through. After the palace coup ended, three important concubines died, cutting off the way out for the aristocratic families to reconcile with the new king. In addition, there were disobedient military generals who stirred up trouble. It would be strange if Gao Kingdom could unite to resist.
"This is truly...heartbreaking."
As an opponent, Shen Tang mocked Wu Xian for being a fool, but also felt a sense of shared sorrow. Although Kang Kingdom was far more united than Gao Kingdom, all of this was based on her being alive and the winner. Once she lost or died, how much better would Kang Kingdom's fate be? Wouldn't the demons and monsters suppressed by Shen Tang seize the opportunity to stir up trouble?
"We will never follow in their footsteps." Shen Tang clenched her fists secretly. The mistakes of the past serve as a warning for the future. Kang Kingdom will not become a second Gao Kingdom, much less a second Wu Kingdom!
Ning Yan's information was reliable, but Shen Tang still wanted to be on the safe side.
For no other reason than that logistics and supplies are slow to move.
If she doesn't keep some boundaries, the main force will stray too far and become isolated from logistics. Military operations require seizing opportunities, but also adherence to rules. We cannot tolerate this trend of prioritizing military achievements over discipline.
Once it becomes a habit, what will happen?
She tried to suppress it, but her speed was still astonishing.
Wu Xian refused Shen Tang's suggestion to move him elsewhere and silently followed the army. He silently calculated the daily marching time and distance, and based on the surrounding vegetation and terrain, he could roughly know the progress of the Kang Kingdom's campaign. As a result, he became increasingly depressed and quiet. In his estimation, things shouldn't be this bad.
There were quite a few military and civil officials who were loyal to Wu Xian.
Some of them were childhood friends.
Decades of friendship!
Are they just going to stand by and watch Gao Guo fall so quickly?
Have they forgotten the hardships they endured to conquer these territories of Gao? If they had just given it their all, even if they had lost, Wu Xian wouldn't be so heartbroken. He couldn't help but wonder if he had misjudged them, or if they had already changed. He lost his appetite because he was in a bad mood and hadn't eaten for two or three days, which reached Shen Tang's ears.
Shen Tang still needed Wu Xian to promote his business, so he couldn't let him starve to death. With a wave of his hand, he sent the captured Gao Guowenwu to the vicinity of Wu Xian's tent. These prisoners were all witnesses; he hadn't mistreated Wu Xian.
If Wu Xianga is killed, it's because he lacks magnanimity.
Yes, no wonder she was Shen Youli.
More than half a month has passed, and Gao Guo has gained control of half of the country.
Besides the areas that were captured, there were also several places that surrendered without a fight. Before Shen Tang's troops arrived, wealthy families and noble households in the city packed up their belongings and fled. Overnight, the local government office was completely empty, and only a thousand or so soldiers remained in the city.
The wandering knights spontaneously organized troops to defend the city.
In this chaotic world where information was scarce, in the eyes of the common people of other countries, Shen Tang was no different from any other warlord. Though nominally a regular army, he acted like a bandit, sure to take advantage of the chaos to burn, kill, and plunder. Before the war between the two countries, Wu Xian used the funeral of his wife and two sons to smear Shen Tang, thus inciting nationwide indignation. Due to these combined factors, the common people feared Shen Tang like a wolf.
Besides being good at fighting, Shen Tang is also good at winning people's favor.
The latter is even better than the former.
Under her influence, Wenwu also followed her example.
Lu Ji sent men to scout the city; taking it shouldn't be difficult. If they were quick, they might even be able to do it faster than the other two routes.
Bai Su: "The best strategy is to subdue the enemy without fighting, the next best is to disrupt their alliances, the next best is to attack their army, and the worst is to besiege their cities. If we can win a city through strategy, why use force to subdue it? Since the officials in the city have deserted and abandoned the common people, we might as well do the opposite. If it works, we can spread the word throughout the army and serve as a model for others to follow."
Her solution was to send messengers to deliver messages within the city.
It's best to spread the word so that ordinary people know about it.
As long as the city gates are opened, the culprits will be captured without resistance, and they guarantee that no one will be harmed! Lu Ji glanced at the outline of the city under the night sky.
How to send a message?
Send men to challenge them, shouting into the city?
Bai Su suddenly said out of the blue, "It's time to practice calligraphy."
Lu Ji instantly understood, revealing a sly smile: "Got it!"
Literacy education has always been a tradition in Shen Tang's army. Regardless of rank, everyone who is illiterate must learn to read. In addition to the martial arts exam, there is also a written exam every month. How can you understand orders in battle if you can't read? Literacy has many benefits. It can not only improve the efficiency of troop changes, but also make the soldiers more united and strengthen their combat ideology and will.
Bai Su issued the order that very night.
Winning hearts and minds is the best strategy! Have the soldiers write "notices," then have scouts ride on the Warrior's Totem to distribute these "notices" from the sky, scattering them all over the city, ensuring that the defending troops can't keep up with the cleanup.
The common people in the city were already fearful.
Hearing about this good thing, I was immediately tempted.
The next day, the whole city was talking about it.
"This is absolutely fake!"
"We must not believe these lies!"
There are instances of people being tricked into opening the city gates and then massacring the inhabitants.
Believing such nonsense is tantamount to courting death!
"...Didn't they say the officials fled long ago? If they've all fled, how can we resist?" There are no secrets in the world. Even the most uninformed people know something about what's happening in their local area. How can a hastily assembled garrison resist the mighty army outside? If they really make a move, even if we fight to the death, we'll just be sending our heads and military merits to others.
He died a gruesome death, leaving no trace of his body!
Enemy troops outside the city are arrayed in neat rows, with catapults poised to fire! Once they fall, how many people will be smashed into mincemeat?
Since death is inevitable either way, why not take a gamble?
"Open the city gates!" The wandering knights were a mixed bag, with flexible principles. While some were righteous and willing to sacrifice their lives, many were local ruffians. Some who stepped forward were simply looking to make a quick buck, not genuinely wanting to risk their lives. Bai Su gave them a way out, and with the commotion within the city, they soon gave in.
(ω)
Thorn's new book will be available on May 1st!
PS: Thank you for the generous donation from the adorable folded skirt master. Before I knew it, I had 29 adorable masters. Thanks (ω). The reader ranking has also reached 1.67 million. I am grateful to every generous patron who has subscribed to my book.
P.S.: I posted another keyboard giveaway on Weibo today, but it's a paid event. It's an LMK67 aluminum keyboard with G-series yellow switches, which is a relatively lightweight option for office work and typing. If you're interested, comment to participate! (The aluminum keyboard is quite heavy, weighing about four or five pounds including the box, so paying for shipping will probably be expensive.)
PPPS: The publisher sent over the autographed papers, but Xianggu hasn't practiced her handwriting yet. Looking at the two boxes of papers, one big and one small, she sighed and said, "I'll work harder!"
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