It seems we'll have to wait until March or April next year. If the foreign kingdoms don't make a statement by then, the Great Northern Dynasty will definitely have to take measures. We'll make a decision based on the specific circumstances at that time.
Just then, a minister in the hall spoke up:
"Your Majesty, I have heard that some forces in the northwest have been making unusual moves. For example, Ma Yuanhao of Louye and Huang Liang of Lanwei have been very active recently."
According to rumors circulating among the people, these two forces were plotting a rebellion and declaring themselves kings.
The emperor was greatly surprised upon hearing this.
"Where did you get this information? Do you have any official reports from the local government?"
"Not yet. This is just something I heard secondhand. I don't know if it's true or not."
No sooner had this person finished speaking than a minister beside him quickly added:
"Your Majesty, I have also heard about this matter. To be honest, there is no smoke without fire. Although the court has not received any memorials from the local government, the court should pay sufficient attention to this matter."
The same situation occurred in Yuanxi. With the help of the foreign states, Xiao Taiyuan developed his own power. Fortunately, we discovered it in time and eliminated him.
Louye and Lanwei, like Yuanxi, belong to the desert region, and their situations are similar, with each possessing powerful local forces.
These forces were inherently rebellious against the Northern Dynasty's control over them and had long harbored rebellious intentions.
Because the local government had weak control, the expansion of these forces did not encounter much resistance.
Especially in the last two years, their power has grown rapidly, and they harbor ambitions to become kings, forcing the imperial court to be on guard.
The ministers' words made the emperor very worried. He took out a map and began to examine it carefully.
Li Guang's map was extremely accurate; through this map, the northwestern territory of the Great Northern Dynasty was clearly visible.
The three regions of Yuanxi, Louye, and Lanwei are lined up in the desert, with Louye located at the westernmost edge, basically bordering the foreign kingdom.
The area is vast and sparsely populated, so it would be easy for foreign kingdoms to infiltrate these regions.
The emperor stared at the map, pondered for a long time, and then spoke:
"The court knows nothing about the situation in Louye and Lanwei. If the forces there want to rebel, the court will definitely intervene."
"Yes, Louye and Lanwei are both territories of the Great Northern Dynasty. How can we allow local forces there to run rampant?"
The ministers were discussing amongst themselves when the emperor coughed, and everyone immediately quieted down.
"Is Minister of War Cheng here?"
"Your subject is here." Lord Cheng quickly stepped forward.
"Lord Cheng, please immediately send people to Louye and Lanwei to find out the situation there."
Regardless of whether the forces there have already rebelled, I will eliminate them to prevent future troubles.
"Your humble servant obeys the decree."
Winter had already arrived, and unlike the northern frontier, the roads in the Western Regions were passable. After receiving his orders, Lord Cheng immediately arranged for personnel to travel to Louye and Lanwei.
According to the emperor's plan, the next step may be for the emperor to send troops to two regions to quell the rebellion.
This matter needs to be arranged in advance. Even if troops are dispatched, we should wait until the weather warms up next year.
It seems that Xiao Yi's plan has been adopted by the foreign kingdoms and has already worked. Next, the foreign kingdoms should send people to Louye and Lanwei regions to continue spreading rumors.
The geography and climate of Louye and Lanwei are similar to those of Yuanxi. These two regions are located deeper in the desert and were once two small kingdoms that were destroyed by the previous dynasty.
Since Louye and Lanwei have no jade mines and are not as wealthy as Yuanxi, fortunately, both places are located in oases with fertile pastures nearby, where cattle and sheep can be raised.
While herding is possible, it only solves the problem of survival. For these two regions to achieve substantial development, other industries are needed to support them.
As a result, Louye and Lanwei maintained close ties with some neighboring countries.
Through commodity trading, the economy has developed to a certain extent, which has enabled these forces to grow and expand.
Xiao Taiyuan of Yuanxi, Ma Yuanhao of Louye, and Huang Liang of Lanwei were known as the Three Heroes of the Desert, and these three forces were the most powerful in the Gobi Desert.
They usually keep to themselves and don't interact much, so there are no conflicts of interest between them.
The sudden annihilation of Xiao Taiyuan's forces served as a wake-up call for Ma Yuanhao and Huang Liang.
In their view, Xiao Taiyuan's demise was related to his possession of a jade mine. Although the jade mine brought him huge profits, it also brought him his death.
The destruction of Xiao Taiyuan's forces actually brought them a good opportunity for development. The monopoly of one company in the Yuanxi jade market no longer existed, which provided them with an opportunity to enter the jade market.
The region is far from the emperor's reach, and the Central Plains have been invaded by foreign enemies this year, providing these forces with an unprecedented opportunity.
By now, the power of Ma Yuanhao and Huang Liang should not be underestimated.
It was at this time that they heard news that the imperial court was worried that their power was growing too large and wanted to eliminate their forces to prevent them from rebelling.
Although the news was hearsay, it still shocked them greatly, as the scene of Xiao Taiyuan's annihilation was still vivid in their minds.
At the time, no large army from the imperial court arrived; only a small force was sent to rescue the slaves and wipe out Xiao Taiyuan's power.
If the imperial court sends troops, their power, built up over many years, will only be destroyed.
They could not sit idly by and wait for their doom. Ma Yuanhao and Huang Liang, the two overlords of the desert, finally came together.
After the two met, they quickly began to discuss the rumors. At this point, they were in the same boat, and the only way out was to cooperate with each other to deal with the court's suppression of them.
With their current strength, they cannot confront the imperial court. Only by relying on external forces may they have a glimmer of hope.
Finally, Ma Yuanhao came up with an idea. Since Louye was very close to the foreign countries, Ma Yuanhao often did business with the foreign people and got to know some of them.
Since the Fan Kingdom and the Great Northern Dynasty were mortal enemies, Ma Yuanhao wanted to use his connections in the Fan Kingdom to see if the Fan Kingdom could provide him with any assistance.
After all, their confrontation with the Northern Dynasty would also benefit the vassal states, and the vassal states should lend them a helping hand.
Huang Liang also thought this method was feasible, and perhaps it was the only way to save himself at the moment, so he agreed. At that time, they would fight together as one.
After returning to Louye, Ma Yuanhao began preparations, planning to personally travel to the foreign country to seek assistance.
At this time, the north was already very cold, but it had not yet reached the point of being covered in ice and snow. Since Louye was not far from Yanjing, the capital of the foreign kingdom, Ma Yuanhao quickly arrived in Yanjing.
After settling in Yanjing, Ma Yuanhao began to make moves, and this matter soon came to the attention of Emperor Yelü Wu.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com