RPAGF Chapter 21 The Strategist Offers a Plan, Killing Three Birds with One Stone
Chapter 21 The Strategist Offers a Plan, Killing Three Birds with One Stone
In the main hall, the candlelight flickered red.
Just as Gao Jiong was about to speak, a purple figure suddenly stepped out.
That step was extremely fast and ruthless, carrying an unquestionable decisiveness, abruptly cutting off the prelude that the current prime minister should have made.
"Your Majesty! I believe we should fight!"
His voice was resolute, and the cuffs of his purple robe trembled slightly as he cupped his hands in greeting.
"Your Majesty! In my opinion, Wei Chong deserves a reward! Goguryeo harbors wolfish ambitions; since they dare to extend their claws, there is no need to talk about 'appeasement' from now on!"
"Whether Gao Yuan is testing us or truly intending to fight, now that blood has been drawn, our Great Sui must respond with immediate and swift action! Otherwise, the surrounding barbarians will stand by and watch, regarding our Celestial Empire as nothing!"
This "preemptive strike" was executed with such precision that it was breathtaking.
This not only demonstrated his tough stance as a hawk, but also, silently and subtly, used an extremely aggressive aura to overshadow Gao Jiong, who was the head of all officials.
In the shadows behind the screen, Yang Yan's pupils contracted slightly, and he subconsciously held his breath.
This was Yang Su. His conduct and actions were indeed as recorded in history books—he did not follow conventional principles, but only sought practical results.
"Oh?"
Yang Jian leaned back on the dragon throne, his eyelids slightly raised.
The cracked jade paperweight in his hand stopped spinning.
Unlike usual, when the word "war" would ignite a surge of patriotic fervor, the founding emperor's eyes instead flashed with a cold, scrutinizing light.
"The Prince of Yue wants to wage war? How will he wage war? Will he, like in the past, lead a large army and march straight in?"
Yang Yan clenched his fist tightly in the shadows.
It worked! The thorn he had planted at great risk regarding "food consumption" and "popular sentiment" had finally pierced the heart of this supreme ruler.
Yang Su clearly hadn't expected Yang Jian to ask such a question.
But he was, after all, the shrewd and calculating Yang Su. After only a moment of surprise, he immediately adjusted his stance.
He didn't realize the shadow of Yang Yan behind those words, only assuming that Yang Jian had become indecisive due to his old age.
He straightened up, his voice booming: "Your Majesty! Military strategy says, speed is of the essence in war! Goguryeo is a barbarian state, a monkey in a crown, ignorant of its own limitations!"
"Does Your Majesty still remember the battle to pacify Chen?"
Yang Su paced back and forth in the center of the hall, his robes fluttering, as if he were once again amidst the turbulent waves of yesteryear.
"At that time, the Yangtze River was a natural barrier, with vast, turbulent waves. All the generals said it was impossible to cross and that we should proceed slowly. Only I overruled their objections, crossed the river at Caishiji at night, captured the city in one fell swoop, and seized Chen Shubao in the Rouge Well!"
"Later, we decisively defeated the Turks. A blizzard struck the northern desert, cutting off our supply lines and shaking the morale of our army. It was I who ordered the entire army to abandon our provisions and travel light, putting ourselves in a do-or-die situation, and launched a surprise attack on the camp of Shabolue. The Turks were routed at the mere sight of us, and for ten years they dared not venture south to graze their horses!"
His voice echoed throughout the hall, carrying a captivating power unique to veteran generals.
"The land of Liaodong is indeed bitterly cold, but how can it be compared to the former Chen Kingdom, which possessed the natural barrier of the Yangtze River, or the Turks, who had a million archers?"
"Your humble servant, though old and frail, is still willing to serve Your Majesty! Next spring, I wish to personally lead a large army to annihilate their elite forces in one battle south of the Liao River! At that time, we will trample Pyongyang, capture Gao Yuan, and present him as a prisoner at the Daxing Palace. Your Majesty will then no longer need to be troubled by these petty scoundrels of Liaodong!"
Yang Yan listened from behind the screen, his heart pounding with fear.
This person is amazing.
He doesn't bother with tedious and boring numbers like provisions, losses, and terrain.
He began by mentioning "pacifying Chen" and "defeating the Turks," each sentence pointing directly to Yang Jian's most glorious past, the pinnacle of this old man's lifelong ambition.
Sure enough, a terrifying glint flashed in Yang Jian's eyes, and his fingers unconsciously rubbed the cracks on the paperweight.
Just as Yang Jian was about to be swept away by these grand words, a gentle yet deep voice rang out at an inopportune moment.
The speaker was Niu Hong, the Minister of Personnel.
The old minister, who was in charge of personnel and selection in the Sui Dynasty, bowed slightly, his face showing worry, as if a bucket of cold water had been poured over him.
"The Duke of Yue's ambition is commendable, and his achievements in pacifying Chen and defeating the enemy are known throughout the land."
"But Liaodong is far away, not as prosperous as Jiangnan, nor as open as the northern deserts. Even if we follow the Duke of Yue's suggestion of a swift victory, the cost of provisions for such a large-scale expedition would be astronomical. I wonder if the Duke has considered this carefully?"
"Moreover, although the granaries in Guanzhong are full, transportation is difficult. If we waste national funds due to war, it may harm the people's strength."
Upon hearing this, Yang Su's lips curled into a barely perceptible cold smile.
He slowly turned to Yang Jian, his voice deliberately lowered, yet it sounded even more menacing: "Supplies? Your Majesty, I have already made plans."
"Your Majesty, Minister Niu's concerns are absolutely correct. The transport of supplies is indeed difficult; delivering provisions over a thousand miles will exhaust the soldiers."
Yang Su paused, then abruptly changed the subject.
"However, Your Majesty, Liaodong is short of grain, not because it cannot produce it, nor because it truly has no grain!"
Each word was spoken slowly and deliberately, exuding a murderous aura.
"I have investigated and found that Yingzhou, Youzhou, and even the counties of Hebei have been plagued by powerful local lords and fortified villages since the Northern Qi Dynasty!"
"These people have seized land, concealed their population, amassed mountains of grain in their homes, and possessed private armies—it's even possible that they secretly colluded with Goguryeo and traded ironware!"
See you in the picture!
Yang Yan suddenly opened his eyes wide in the darkness, a chill running from the soles of his feet straight to the top of his head.
not good!
Yang Su wasn't actually trying to kill any Goguryeo people!
The bloodthirsty glint in Yang Su's eyes could no longer be concealed. He abruptly flicked his sleeves and bowed deeply to Yang Jian: "Your subject requests the imperial decree! Under the pretext of 'assisting the army in suppressing the rebellion,' grant the Duke of Qi the Emperor's sword and order him to proceed ahead to Liaodong—"
"Requisition grain locally!"
The last four words fell like icicles to the ground.
A sickly flush rose to his face, but his voice was chillingly calm: "The powerful and fortified villages along the way all have stored grain! Minister Gao only needs to carry the Emperor's sword, and wherever the army passes, read out the imperial edict, ordering them to open their granaries and offer up their provisions. Anyone who hesitates or refuses to comply will be considered irrefutable evidence of treason and will be executed without mercy!"
He took half a step forward, the hem of his purple robe making a barely audible sound on the floor, and the ruthlessness in his eyes could no longer be concealed:
"In this way, we can not only replenish the military funds and relieve the court's urgent needs, but also conscript their private troops and retainers locally to serve as a suicide squad for attacking cities and capturing strongholds; moreover, we can take this opportunity to eradicate these malignant tumors that are entrenched in the local areas, disloyal to the central government, and duplicitous!"
He raised his head, his hawk-like eyes fixed on the dragon throne: "This is a strategy that kills three birds with one stone. Your Majesty, why not do it?"
The main hall was deathly silent.
The candlelight crackled and popped silently.
Behind the screen, Yang Yan felt his blood freeze for a moment, and the sudden chill that rushed to the top of his head made him almost tremble.
This is not a requisition of grain.
This is more than just tactics.
This put Gao Jiong—the most solid pillar of Crown Prince Yang Yong in the court and the most important link between the Shandong gentry and the Guanlong Group—on a raging volcano.
Upon receiving the imperial decree, he was to wield the emperor's sword and slaughter the local people, thus losing all his reputation and severing his own foundation.
To disobey an imperial order is to jeopardize military operations; such a person is despicable and will face certain death.
He slowly exhaled a hot yet trembling breath, and for the first time, he truly touched the core of the power struggles of this era—a kind of elegant, ruthless, bloodless cruelty that could destroy hearts and families.
The real showdown in the imperial court has only just begun, with the veil of sentimentality being torn away.