I Rely on Beauty to Stabilize the Country - Chap 78
Xue Yuan walked up to Chu Wei and stood still by his side.
Chu Wei noticed him, his lips pursed slightly. Instead, he gained the courage to reach out his hand toward the emperor. However, when his hand reached halfway, Xue Yuan quickly and accurately blocked it.
“Lord Chu, you’ve crossed the line.”
Xue Yuan lowered his voice and let go of Chu Wei’s hand. He took out a handkerchief from his pocket and wiped his hand. He appeared to be smiling and had not made any harmful movements. Yet, Chu Wei seemed to see a cold warning in his expression.
Chu Wei expressionlessly folded his hands behind his back, the distinct bones of his long and slender fingers stiff and twitching.
Watching Chu Wei’s demeanor, Xue Yuan smirked silently. He spoke gently and amiably in a low voice, “Chu Wei, with your timid nature, can you handle the emperor’s demands?”
Chu Wei’s expression darkened. He didn’t have a preference for men, but what bothered him even more was, “Why wouldn’t I be able to handle it?”
He almost blurted it out, but then he fell silent.
Xue Yuan’s smile took on a hint of mockery. He walked to the side of Gu Yuanbai, stooped down, and gently cradled the emperor who was sitting on a soft couch. Chu Wei couldn’t help but step forward, wanting to stop this outrageous act, but as soon as he moved, Xue Yuan grabbed the emperor’s hand and lightly slapped him on the face.
Chu Wei froze.
The force was light because Xue Yuan couldn’t bear to hurt Gu Yuanbai’s hand. It was tender and delicate, but when these pampered hands struck Chu Wei’s face, it felt even more humiliating.
Xue Yuan held this hand, with his fingers slipping between the emperor’s, hitting the handsome face of the top scholar, and the expression of this heavenly prodigy changed again and again, but it was evident that he couldn’t bear it.
“If he treats you like this,” Xue Yuan smiled, “how could you endure it?”
He seemed to be sharing a secret, speaking in a low voice, “You can’t, but I can.”
Chu Wei was extremely proud. His face turned away from the slaps, and the jade-like side of his face blushed slightly. It didn’t hurt, but he had a restrained look, and signs of anger were faintly hidden.
“The emperor wouldn’t do such a thing.” He suppressed the emotions and refuted Xue Yuan’s words.
Xue Yuan continued to wipe Gu Yuanbai’s hand, and Gu Yuanbai’s eyelids twitched a few times, showing signs of awakening. Chu Wei’s heart skipped a beat, as if he had encountered a raging flood or a fierce beast, causing him to stand upright abruptly.
Observing Chu Wei’s reaction, Xue Yuan sneered disdainfully. In front of him, he placed Gu Yuanbai’s hand near his lips and gave it a light kiss.
As soon as Gu Yuanbai opened his eyes, he witnessed this scene. His mind went blank, and before he could regain his senses, he slapped Xue Yuan’s face with force.
After coming to his senses, an icy expression formed on Gu Yuanbai’s face.
Xue Yuan turned his head slightly and smiled faintly. He casually held Gu Yuanbai’s hand and brought it to his lips, blowing on it, then sighed, “I’ve been wanting to do this for a long time with just one slap.”
“Look how tender your hand is; it’s even turning red.”
*
“Xue Yuan, are you causing trouble again?” Gu Yuanbai’s face darkened as he had someone bring a dagger.
Xue Yuan’s sudden sly remark made Gu Yuanbai want to break his third leg.
Kneeling on the ground, Xue Yuan looked at the dagger, his face turning pale. At a critical moment, a eunuch outside shouted in haste, “Report! Urgent news from eight hundred miles away!”
Gu Yuanbai immediately threw away the dagger and stood up, striding outside.
The eunuch reporting the urgent news looked disheveled and knelt down, handing over the urgent report to Tian Fusheng. Tian Fusheng quickly accepted it, briefly checked its contents, and then hurriedly passed it to Gu Yuanbai.
As Gu Yuanbai unfolded the letter and read its contents, his expression gradually turned serious. After putting down the letter, he slammed the table and said, “Summon the Ministers of War, Revenue, and Military Affairs to the Xuanzheng Hall for a meeting!”
“Yes!” Tian Fusheng hurriedly sent someone to summon the two ministers. Gu Yuanbai sat behind the table and took up a pen, smoothly jotting down the key points.
A locust plague had broken out in the northern region.
In ancient times, locusts, floods, and droughts were the three most common and devastating disasters.
The urgent report from the north, with the phrase “Locusts darken the sky, and no grass grows where they pass,” allowed Gu Yuanbai to imagine the severity of the situation.
The Ministers of War, Revenue, and Military Affairs rushed to the Xuanzheng Hall. Gu Yuanbai had little time to spare, so he handed General Xue’s documents directly to them for their review.
General Xue led the army to the northern frontier for two main purposes: to escort the merchant caravans and to deter the nomadic tribes, facilitating border trade. The primary objective of this expedition was commerce, not warfare. However, Gu Yuanbai provided him with sufficient troops and supplies. With all these provisions, General Xue initially intended to showcase his ambition and teach a lesson to the increasingly arrogant northern nomads. But upon arriving in the northern region, they were confronted with a devastating locust plague.
Wherever the locusts passed, they had already consumed all the vegetation and even the hides of animals. General Xue promptly dispatched men to protect the supplies day and night and to manually capture the locusts. However, upon their arrival in the northern frontier, the soldiers guarding the region were already on the verge of starvation. Seeing them arriving with a large quantity of provisions, the soldiers were moved to tears.
Due to the sudden locust plague, the grasslands and livestock hides became unavailable, prompting the nomads to launch multiple frequent attacks on the border.
What was even more heart-wrenching was that cannibalism had occurred in the disaster-stricken areas of the north.
General Xue immediately deployed his troops to resist external enemies and fight against the locusts, setting them on fire. A significant portion of the military provisions was also allocated to aid the civilians. With decisive and forceful measures, they managed to restore order and settle the border troops and civilians affected by the disaster. News was spread, urging the affected civilians to immediately seek refuge at the military garrisons on the border.
Through these bold policies, a glimmer of hope emerged in the hellish situation at the border. However, General Xue knew that the challenge ahead was not just the nomads but also the scarcity of food supplies and the natural calamity.
The locusts were difficult to catch, and even more challenging was the amount of provisions General Xue’s army carried. Gu Yuanbai had provided them with sufficient food, but for the disaster-stricken areas, it might not last long.
After reviewing the documents, the three ministers understood why the emperor’s expression was so solemn. The Minister of War spoke directly, “Your Majesty, we cannot delay. We should immediately send someone to transport food to the northern frontier. Otherwise, the casualties in the north will be severe, and there may be unrest.”
The Minister of Military Affairs added gravely, “In the past, the nomads invaded the Central Plains around September when their soldiers and horses were well-fed and robust. However, from General Xue’s report, it is clear that the nomads have also been severely affected by the locust plague. Their horses and livestock have nothing to eat, leading them to launch attacks earlier than expected. The nomads have always relied on their excellent horsemanship, but now they have lost their powerful mounts, presenting us with an opportunity to suppress them.”
Gu Yuanbai’s face was serious as he said, “After the locust plague, a series of disasters and outbreaks of diseases will likely follow. The court must be fully prepared to respond. Minister of Revenue, how is the state treasury’s grain supply?”
The Minister of Revenue relaxed his expression, “Your Majesty, the looted resources from the rebellious forces in Southern Jing and Southern Hu provinces have already overwhelmed the state treasury. Additionally, there have been donations of rice and grain from all over the country. Twenty-two new granaries have been established in the capital alone, all fully stocked. Throughout the Da Heng Dynasty, any deficiencies in the granaries and meat stores have been replenished with food supplies, and with the current abundant harvests across various regions, even if we divert a significant amount of food to the northern frontier, the granaries will still be full even after a month.”
As he spoke, the atmosphere lightened significantly.
The Minister of Military Affairs gained confidence and said, “Then this moment is when our Da Heng Dynasty is at its strongest and most robust.”
Gu Yuanbai’s expression eased slightly. Whether it was combating corruption or dealing with rebellious forces, he always danced on a minefield. Unexpectedly, the current situation had turned the unfavorable circumstances in the northern frontier into an advantage.
Indeed, the locusts had devoured the grasslands that the nomads relied on, and their cattle and sheep were slaughtered and dried to serve as provisions for their march. However, they could not consume their own horses, which were now deprived of the strong and healthy grass-fed livestock.
With the nomads lacking their powerful steeds, the Da Heng Dynasty had nothing to fear from them.
Gu Yuanbai suddenly realized that this was a golden opportunity.
A splendid opportunity to launch an offensive against the northern nomads.
This was a significant temptation, and Gu Yuanbai began to seriously consider whether he should initiate the war now.
In Gu Yuanbai’s original plan, he intended to start border trade first, exchanging for fine horses and cattle from the nomads to train a large number of cavalry. Then, after a few years, when the cavalry had grown strong, transportation improved, and relay stations developed, he would decisively annihilate the nomadic tribes.
But what would be the pros and cons of starting the war now?
The advantages were self-evident. The Da Heng Dynasty’s granaries were overflowing, and the nomads were currently weakened by the locust plague. If they attacked now, it would be a perfect opportunity. However, launching an early assault on the nomads would also impose a sudden and immense pressure on the Da Heng Dynasty’s military logistics and its officials and civilians.
Road construction was already underway, and it would take another two to three years for smooth transportation to the northern frontier. Apart from other considerations, if they conquered such a vast grassland, communication would be difficult, and news of locust plagues like the current one might take a long time to reach Gu Yuanbai. How could they prevent the nomads from resurging in such a scenario?
Conquering the world was not difficult; what was difficult was maintaining and defending it.
Gu Yuanbai pondered extensively, his mind racing. The northern nomads were not just the Khitan Eight Tribes; there were also three branches of the Uyghurs – Gaochang, Ganzhou, and Huangtou. Apart from the Uyghur tribes, there was also a small ethnic group known as the Jurchens.
On the grasslands, there were hundreds of thousands of these nomads combined, forming a massive northern ethnic group.
However, these nomads were plagued by constant internal strife, each treating the other tribes as slaves. Even among the Khitan Eight Tribes, there were undercurrents of tension due to the impending succession of their old leaders.
Should they attack or not?
Once the imperial court launched a massive attack, the nomads would be unprepared in the initial stages. But afterwards, they would undoubtedly convene to resist as a unified force. The Da Heng Dynasty was not yet prepared for prolonged warfare, and on the grasslands, there would always be places beyond the reach of locusts. Once the nomads united, they would assist one another, leading to the unification of the nomadic tribes.
Gu Yuanbai wrestled with these thoughts as his mind raced through various scenarios.
Gu Yuanbai opened his eyes with determination. “We will attack.”
The Minister of Military Affairs and the Minister of War looked at Gu Yuanbai with focused attention.
Gu Yuanbai turned to the Minister of Revenue and said concisely, “Go and mobilize the transportation of provisions immediately, to send out as much grain as possible to the northern frontier.”
The Minister of Revenue complied and hurriedly left.
The Minister of War couldn’t help but ask, “Your Majesty, are we really going to war?”
“Yes, we will fight,” Gu Yuanbai smiled suddenly, “but border trade is also going to happen.”
“I don’t intend to forcefully conquer the nomads now,” he continued, seeing the puzzled expressions of the two ministers, “what I want to do is to make them think that I’m about to launch a massive military campaign against them.”
First, instill fear into those nomads who have grown increasingly arrogant over the years, showcasing the abundance of food and military might of the Da Heng Dynasty. When they get scared enough and start preparing to unite, that was when Gu Yuanbai will halt the war and engage them in negotiations.
He plans to give one of the tribes a title, making them the leader of all tribes, and then manipulate them through coercion and temptation to create internal strife. By treating them differently, he can easily sow discord and divisions among them.
Ideally, he would persuade the nomads to accept the establishment of imperial schools. After all, they were eager to learn about the civilization of the Da Heng Dynasty, right? The Da Heng Dynasty can offer free education to their children, and once they deeply understand the supremacy of imperial authority and the essence of Chinese characters and culture, they will be truly educated.
Educated children would report any misconduct of their parents that may harm the Great Heng Empire to the stationed officials out of fear and suspicion of each other. Controlling their thoughts through education would be the most effective method of governance.
Of course, if they refuse to accept the imperial schools, then in a few years, when the iron cavalry of the Da Heng Dynasty roams the grasslands, these hundreds of thousands of people will become laborers to liberate the labor force of the common people.
The Minister of War stroked his beard and exchanged a glance with the Minister of Military Affairs. He asked, “Your Majesty, do you have someone in mind to lead the grain transport and military troops?”
Gu Yuanbai hesitated for a moment and replied, “Xue Yuan.”
*
Meanwhile, in the Mingsheng Relay Station.
Prince Li Angshun of Western Xia asked, “Is the person on the carriage really Prince He?”
His subordinate replied, “I saw with my own eyes that the carriage stopped in front of the prince’s mansion, and the guards around it were extraordinary. It must be Prince He.”
“Did you know that Prince He has been to the battlefield before?” Li Angshun pondered, showing a mocking expression, “I never expected the Prince to look like this.”
He chuckled meaningfully, “Let’s send one of the Western Xia beauties we brought as an apology to the Prince’s mansion. Consider it a way to make amends, after all, we can’t afford to offend a noble figure like the Prince in the capital of the Da Heng Dynasty.”
“By the way, I want to see what Prince He really looks like,” Li Angshun couldn’t contain his curiosity. His slightly curled black hair fell loosely as he murmured to himself, “No matter how I look at him, he doesn’t seem like someone who has experienced the battles of the battlefield.”
On the contrary, he appeared pampered and delicate, even fairer than that Great Heng official named Chu Wei.
Could it be that he had mistaken him earlier?
