When it was time for lunch, Li Guang returned. As soon as he entered the courtyard, he saw the Fourth Prince sitting there.
Li Guang quickly stepped forward, knelt down in front of the Fourth Prince.
"Greetings, Fourth Imperial Uncle."
Upon seeing Li Guang, the Fourth Prince immediately beamed with joy, stood up, and helped Li Guang to his feet.
"Qing'er, please rise without the formalities."
"I didn't expect Fourth Uncle to come. If I had known, I wouldn't have gone to work in the fields today."
"I heard from Xue'er that you planted five thousand acres of cotton. Take me there to see it later. After we return to the capital, I will report this to the Emperor and make him happy."
The food was ready. Meng Yaoyao was a good cook and prepared a table full of delicious dishes that were a feast for the eyes, nose, and palate.
The Fourth Prince was hungry, so he sat down at the table and began to drink and eat heartily. Zhao Xian did not go back but stayed by his side.
While they were eating, Li Xue suddenly remembered something and asked:
"Father, before I left the capital, the court ordered General Huo to lead 15,000 troops to Louye and Lanwei to quell the rebellion. I wonder how things are going."
Upon hearing this, the Fourth Prince put down his chopsticks and drank the wine in his cup in one gulp.
"General Huo was ordered to go to Louye and Lanwei to quell the rebellion. Before he even reached Lanwei and saw a single enemy soldier, his camp was burned down by the enemy, resulting in a disastrous defeat. General Huo had no choice but to flee back with his remaining troops."
General Huo, dragging his ailing body, led his troops back to the capital. He collapsed and died in front of the city gate, vomiting blood uncontrollably.
The Fourth Prince's words left everyone stunned. After a long while, Li Xue finally spoke:
"Li Guang's prediction about suppressing the rebellion came true."
Some time ago, Li Guang learned that the court had ordered General Huo to quell the rebellion in Louye and Lanwei. He knew the rebellion would not succeed, and that he would be lucky to return to the capital alive.
Upon hearing this, the Fourth Prince looked at Li Guang and said:
"How does Qing'er know that the rebellion will not be quelled and that General Huo will return empty-handed?"
"The sudden uprisings in Louye and Lanwei are very suspicious. Under normal circumstances, the forces in these two places would never take the initiative to oppose the imperial court. There must be a reason for this."
Considering the recent defeat of the foreign kingdoms, they feared retaliation from the Northern Dynasty and thus sought to stir up trouble to distract the Northern Dynasty.
Creating trouble in Louye and Lanwei is the simplest and most direct way to achieve results.
The imperial court's dispatch of troops to quell the rebellions in Louye and Lanwei was exactly what they wanted. They had already made ample preparations in the desert, and once the court sent troops, they would surely not return.
"Does Qing'er have any ideas on how to quell the rebellion? The Emperor will not allow Louye and Lanwei to separate from the territory of the Great Northern Dynasty."
“Sending troops to Louye and Lanwei to quell the rebellion is necessary, but we must avoid the trap set by the Shangfan Kingdom. I have considered two methods to ensure the success of the rebellion.”
"What two methods? Qing'er, tell me quickly!" the Fourth Prince asked eagerly.
"The imperial court can send another large army to the desert, but it cannot go to either Louye or Lanwei. Instead, it must station troops in Yuanxi, settle down there, thoroughly understand the situation there, and use Yuanxi as a base to send troops to eliminate the forces in both places."
The situation in the desert region is complex, and not all local forces are aligned with the Northern Dynasty. Suppressing the rebellion there must not be rushed; it is essential to follow the will of the people to ensure peace in the region.
The Fourth Prince nodded. Li Guang's idea coincided with Wei Jin's, so it seemed that this method was feasible.
"Is there another way?"
"Since foreign countries can spread rumors and cause trouble in the Great Northern Dynasty, we may also use this method to deal with them."
We can announce to the outside world that the Great Northern Dynasty will mobilize 300,000 troops to attack the barbarian kingdom. The barbarian kingdom will surely be filled with panic upon receiving the news.
Of course, the foreign countries are not fools; they will not be easily fooled. Therefore, we must bluff and create the illusion of sending troops to make them believe it.
In this way, they will be busy preparing for war and will have no time to attend to Louye and Lanwei. Without the help of the foreign countries, the forces in the two places will be nothing more than a rabble.
In this way, the imperial court can then successfully quell the rebellion in one fell swoop.
It seems that the foreign kingdoms do have capable people. When uprisings broke out in Louye and Lanwei, the foreign kingdoms provided them with assistance, but only by offering strategies and not by sending troops.
Judging from General Huo's defeat, this man is a master strategist; if we encounter him again, we must be extremely cautious.
Li Guang's words greatly excited the Fourth Prince. After finishing a full cup of wine, he spoke:
"The imperial court has dispatched 20,000 troops to the desert to continue suppressing the rebellion in Louye and Lanwei. This suppression will surely be successful."
Upon hearing this, Li Guang was greatly surprised. If the imperial court blindly sent troops, it would suffer the same disastrous defeat.
Seeing Li Guang's surprised expression, the Fourth Prince continued:
"Qing'er, don't worry. This time, the imperial court is sending 20,000 troops to the desert. They are not going directly to Louye and Lanwei, but to Yuanxi to permanently garrison the troops. Prefect Jin will serve as the general, and the imperial court will send military advisors to assist in suppressing the rebellion."
This time, the army's suppression of the rebellion was no longer a reckless act. Instead, based on a thorough understanding of the situation, it used the former western outpost as a base to gradually eliminate the forces in Louye and Lanwei.
So that's how it is. Li Guang breathed a sigh of relief. This was the best solution to quell the rebellion. The imperial court stationing troops in Yuanxi was like embedding a nail in the desert region, which could ensure the stability of the entire desert region.
"Do you know who came up with this suggestion?" the Fourth Prince asked.
Everyone shook their heads; anyone who could come up with such a suggestion must be a genius.
"Some time ago, the imperial court held a military examination, and the first place winner was named Wei Jin. He was very young and skilled in both literature and martial arts."
General Huo's campaign was unsuccessful, and the emperor was deeply troubled. None of the officials could come up with a good solution. Just then, Wei Jin stepped forward and offered his idea, which was immediately adopted by the emperor.
The Emperor entrusted him with an important position, appointing him as a military advisor and sending him with 20,000 troops to Yuanxi to assist the Yuanxi prefect in establishing a general.
"Excellent! General Wei is highly skilled in martial arts and has a meticulous mind. He is a pillar of the nation."
"This military examination has selected many excellent generals for the Northern Dynasty, which is truly a fortunate thing," Li Guang said excitedly.
The meal lasted a long time. The Fourth Prince was so full that he was unsteady on his feet, and Li Xue quickly went to help him.
The Fourth Prince was so drunk that he could barely lift his eyelids.
The Fourth Prince has been traveling a lot these past few days and is very tired. He needs to rest well.
Li Xue helped the Fourth Prince into a room, where he immediately fell asleep, soon snoring loudly.
The door was closed, and several guards stood outside to protect the Fourth Prince's safety.
Seeing that the Fourth Prince was already resting, Zhao Xian prepared to go back. He told Li Guang that a banquet had been prepared at home to welcome the Fourth Prince, and asked Li Guang to bring several generals from the military camp to attend the banquet.
"Okay, Brother Zhao, I understand. I'll make the arrangements later," Li Guang said.
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