Chapter 441

Chapter 441

Can’t a strategist ascend the throne? Side Story: The Path of Sea Voyage (1)

Book: Can’t a Strategist Ascend the Throne?

Chapter 441 Side Story: The Path of Sea Voyage (Part 1)

In the third year of Yuan Zhao, the arrival of various Western Regions countries to pay tribute almost made people forget another event that occurred simultaneously.

Yuan Shao, imprisoned in Ye City, barely survived for nearly half a year before passing away in July due to illness.

Of the three sons of the late Han Minister of Works Yuan Feng, the eldest son Yuan Ji died from old wounds sustained while protecting Liu Bian, the youngest son Yuan Shu perished in the chaos of Yuzhou, and now Yuan Shao also met his end after repeated setbacks.

If the fall of Ye City already signified the decline of the Yuan Clan of Runan, then Yuan Shao’s death added a striking punctuation mark to their downfall.

The noble families of Hebei were about to lose their minds.

Yuan Shao’s death felt like a death sentence for them as well.

After two years of governance by the two governors sent by Qiao Yan, Ji Province and Qingzhou had become increasingly prosperous, rendering the presence of the Hebei noble families as “pillars of society” irrelevant.

The governors of Ji Province, Xu Shu, and Qingzhou, Jia Xu, were staunch followers of Qiao Yan, excelling in winning over the people and suppressing the noble families without restraint.

Even the timing and circumstances seemed to favor Qiao Yan.

The signs of a bountiful harvest in the third year of Yuan Zhao made her military expedition to the Western Regions at the end of the previous year no longer a subject of criticism.

The countries within the jurisdiction of the Western Regions Protectorate submitted, even personally coming to Chang’an to request vassalage, which, along with the decisive blow to the Kushan Empire, left no room for opportunism.

The small Western countries saw Da Yong as a great nation receiving tribute from all, and the Hebei noble families, as well as the exiled Yanzhou noble families, could not ignore this.

But by the time they realized that this newly risen dynasty possessed strength unlike any other and that Qiao Yan, as the Son of Heaven, had the unyielding authority to back her words, it was already too late.

Two years were enough for the young people cultivated by Qiao Yan to occupy more important positions in the court and various provinces, enough for the people to think of Da Yong first and not the previous dynasty, and for them to realize that attempting to rely on the noble families’ alliance to seek anything was like hitting a rock with an egg.

The best course of action was to plead for mercy by making further concessions.

But when their representatives arrived in Chang’an, they were told that Her Majesty was indeed too busy to deal with the situation in Ye City at the moment.

This was a perfectly reasonable excuse.

How could she not be busy?

The envoys from the small Western countries came to pay tribute, and she needed to personally receive them to show that Da Yong’s attitude towards its neighbors remained unchanged, not seeking to destroy them despite its military strength.

The attacks on Khotan and Jushi were due to their rebellious actions, being the root of chaos in the Western Regions, hence their treatment.

To ensure long-term stability in the Western Regions, manpower for cotton field cultivation, afforestation, and river dredging was being mobilized.

Accompanying these technicians were personnel trained by Chiyang Medical Academy based on Hua Tuo’s medical texts for border regions, who, along with Zuo Ci and Yu Ji, would win over the local populace through medical treatment.

Led by Jiang Tang, those who had studied the languages of Kucha and Tocharian were responsible for introducing Chinese books and writing to this land.

Then there was the matter of dealing with the Kushan Empire.

Before the rise of the Sassanid Empire, the Kushan Empire held a supreme position in Central and South Asia, and the evolution of its Buddhist culture was historically inevitable. Simply destroying it as was done with the Buddhist kingdom of Xu Province’s Ze Rong would be excessive.

But Qiao Yan did not want to see the Kushan’s submission, bought with the blood of soldiers, lead to further turmoil due to lax governance in a few years.

In addition to intimidating the Kushan king with the prosperity of the Central Plains, it was necessary to station troops at the southern passes of the Congling Mountains or directly within Kushan territory to effectively control it.

After some consideration, Qiao Yan decided on Fu Gan for this role.

With Duan Wei and Ma Dai assisting Lu Yuan in stationing troops in the Western Regions, Xu Rong, Zhang He, and Ma Chao were recalled to Liang Province, gradually starting to reclaim the lands occupied by the Xianbei from Liang and Bing Provinces.

These matters, along with the conferment of marquis titles to the rulers of the Western Regions and the issuance of documents bearing the imperial seal, were sent out from Chang’an.

At the end of August, the monument that Qiao Yan insisted on was delivered to the Xuanyuan Pavilion amidst much attention.

The path to Xuandu Mountain was treacherous, and retrieving the buried soldiers would be a life-threatening challenge for the searchers, but the monument representing the contributions of these common soldiers was already erected in the place most symbolic of Da Yong’s achievements.

The Ministry of Works was not only responsible for assisting the painting academy in completing the monument but also for adjusting and repairing the load-bearing structure of the Xuanyuan Pavilion.

To ensure the monument stood without collapsing, the Ministry of Works, led by Ma Jun and Huang Yueying, had to rack their brains.

Fortunately, they finally completed the task.

And let the world know that even the most ordinary people could leave their mark in history in another way.

Not by rising up against the dynasty’s oppression, shouting “Are kings and nobles born to rule?”, but by “water can carry a boat but also capsize it,” contributing to its construction.

“Hopefully, no one will misunderstand that one must die to leave a name,” Qiao Yan said upon her arrival in Luoyang. “After all, more soldiers survived the battle over Xuandu Mountain than perished.”

“In fact, it’s not hard to guess what the next monument’s relief will depict.”

Her gaze turned eastward, filled with anticipation.

It was sea voyages!

That, too, was not something that could be achieved by the efforts of a single person or general, and it would surely leave a significant mark in Da Yong’s history!

But before that, the navy trained by Gan Ning and Lu Meng needed to undergo another test.

From August to October, amidst the bountiful harvests across the provinces, Qiao Yan finally relented, offering a way out for the remaining members of the Hebei noble families by listing their debts separately and allowing them to repay through labor or service within ten years, while establishing a separate supervisory body to enforce stricter laws if anyone attempted to raise funds through illicit means.

Shen Pei…








Transferred to Jing Province to assist Zhong Yao in handling Jing Province affairs, solely because at the end of September, Liu Biao submitted a resignation letter to the court, citing his advanced age as the reason for his intention to retire to his hometown. After receiving Qiao Yan’s approval, Zhong Yao took over the position of Governor of Jing Province.

Ju Shou was transferred to Liaodong to assist in the upcoming Liaodong campaign.

This would also be the first battle where the naval forces would play their role!

At first glance, Fuyu and Goguryeo are connected to the various commanderies of Liaodong by land, at most sending Qingzhou and Youzhou soldiers via sea route to the Lelang Commandery of Youzhou, opening a two-front war with Liaodong. However, the actual situation is not that simple.

“Fuyu and Goguryeo seem to show weakness towards Liaodong, or rather towards our Da Yong, but with various countries from the Western Regions coming to pay tribute, they still show no formal intention to submit,” said Lu Lingju, standing with arms crossed, her face showing dissatisfaction with the two sides’ lack of awareness. “If we do not conquer them, it would be contrary to His Majesty’s expectations of us.”

“The reason these two sides have such rebellious thoughts is that they both have a way out.”

“Fuyu relies on Sushen as its vassal. Although the people of Sushen are not numerous, they are brave and skilled in shooting stone arrows, all of which are poisoned, killing upon contact. They also have the ability to raid by boat, making them the most lawless.”

“Fuyu and Sushen share the black soil of the northeast, with granaries full and people well-fed, making them even more unwilling to bow to the Central Plains.”

Fuyu and Sushen are located in what is now Heilongjiang. Fuyu is closer to Youzhou, while Sushen is to the east, encompassing the coastal mountainous areas, extending to the sea.

The situation with Goguryeo is similarly analogous.

Lu Lingju said to Gan Ning, who had arrived at the Liaodong council, “Goguryeo relies on Okjeo as its vassal state, with the Gaema Mountains as the boundary between the two. In earlier years, whenever the Han Dynasty troops intended to advance westward into Goguryeo, its king would retreat towards Okjeo, using the mountains as a barrier. This area, with mountains at its back and facing the sea, has fertile land suitable for grain cultivation, fostering its ambition to remain independent.”

“General Gan, what do you think?”

Gan Ning keenly noticed two key points in Lu Lingju’s words. “You said the people of Sushen have the ability to raid by boat, and Okjeo faces the sea?”

He emphasized the words “faces the sea,” and unsurprisingly received an affirmative reply from Lu Lingju, “Yes, faces the sea.”

Lu Lingju continued, “In the Kushan War, General Mengqi and General Yanming reached the Kushan capital via the Xuandu Mountains, cutting off their retreat and forcing them to submit to Da Yong. Today, Fuyu and Goguryeo can be dealt with similarly.”

“However, if we only ask General Gan to bypass and land from the rear, joining forces with Youzhou troops for a two-pronged attack, it would somewhat waste the construction of the Funan fleet over the past two years.”

“According to His Majesty’s intention, General Gan is to lead the naval forces, via the Bohai Sea, reach the strait between Samhan and Wa, enter the sea east of Okjeo and Sushen, successfully annihilate Goguryeo and Fuyu, incorporate the northeast land into Da Yong’s territory, then return via the original route, seize the hundred or so Wa countries in the Lelang Sea, and invite the King of Jinhan to Chang’an to meet the Son of Heaven.”

The Lelang Sea, known in later times as the Sea of Japan, is named after its proximity to the Lelang Commandery of Youzhou.

The Lelang Sea is home to the Wa people, divided into over a hundred small states, who paid tribute during the Western Han period.

At this time, the Korean peninsula is divided into Mahan, Jinhan, and Byeonhan, with Mahan being the strongest, its ruler also known as the King of Jinhan.

Since Gan Ning is to set off from the Bohai coast, pass through the strait between Samhan and Wa to enter the Lelang Sea area, land from the rear of Fuyu and Goguryeo’s vassal states to attack, forming a pincer movement with Lu Lingju’s land forces, why not, on the return journey, use the naval forces to further intimidate and strike the areas on both sides of the Korean Strait?

Isn’t that just a matter of course?

If we can’t even conquer these maritime states near Da Yong, how can we talk about sailing to more distant places to achieve His Majesty’s goal of exploring unknown lands and things!

Gan Ning replied, “I understand, General Lu, rest assured.”

These coastal areas, uneducated by law, are rife with bandits, but let’s not forget what line of work Gan Ning started from.

With the increasingly powerful navy and fleet, if the Jinfan Pirates can’t deliver a head-on blow to these guys and make them know the might of Da Yong’s Emperor, it would be a disservice to the ambitious words he once spoke to Qiao Yan.

The Paiguan and hook-linked bridges once used to surprise Gongsun Du are now widely armed in the large fleets built by Jiaozhou, Yangzhou, and Xuzhou. The heavy crossbows on the ships have increased their range and power due to the strengthening of the ship hulls. Even though gunpowder is prone to dampness and artillery is still under development, it’s enough to deal with Sushen, Okjeo, Samhan, and the hundred Wa states!

However, due to the severe cold in the northeast and the logistics of material allocation, this battle was not launched at the end of the third year of Yuanzhao but was postponed to the beginning of the following spring.

Generals like Yu Jin and Cao Hong were also transferred here before the battle began.

Just as Fuyu and Goguryeo thought Da Yong was still focusing on the Western Regions and internal governance of the Central Plains, Lu Lingju and Guo Huai, with Zhang Liao’s support from the rear, advanced in two routes towards Fuyu and Goguryeo, striking their tribal capitals with lightning speed, leaving no room for respite.

As she had explained to Gan Ning, these two sides harbored a sense of complacency, thinking they still had a way out, hence maintaining their independent status, assuming Da Yong would be satisfied with them keeping a low profile. Upon suddenly facing such a strike, they immediately retreated to Sushen and Okjeo, hoping to use these rear routes to halt the advance of Lu and Guo’s forces.

Fortunately, the Xianbei under Da Yong’s rule could not provide any effective support to Da Yong’s military actions, as what separates Fuyu and Xianbei is what would later be known as the Greater Khingan Mountains.

But how could they have anticipated that the fleet setting sail, soon to make a name for itself at sea, had departed even earlier than Lu Lingju and the others, and had already arrived at the bay between the two mountain passes of Okjeo and Sushen.

Their goal was to cut off their retreat!

Author’s note:

Parts of Fuyu, Goguryeo, Okjeo, and Yilou (Sushen) are still within the modern-day three northeastern provinces.

The part mentioned in this chapter does not yet count as foreign aggression (serious face).

The main focus of the maritime voyage is on the gains from the sea rather than combat, so Goguryeo and the like will be briefly mentioned.

I’ve been eyeing some things for a long time QWQ (some crops still need domestication, but some are indeed ready to be written about) (rubbing hands in anticipation).

See you at 9 PM.