Chapter 442

Chapter 442

Can a strategist not ascend the throne? Extra Chapter: The Sea Voyage (2)

This battle against Buyeo and Goguryeo, which began in March of the fourth year of Yuanzhao, ended much faster than anticipated.

In March and April, it was not yet the time for these regions to fully transition from winter to spring.

The still freezing temperatures kept the Buyeo people and their neighboring Sushen tribes in a state of cave dwelling.

They never expected that the Liaodong garrison, which had previously shown a friendly demeanor despite their military deterrence, would suddenly change their approach and deliver a fatal blow, abandoning their prior dealings with the Wuhuan and Xianbei tribes.

However, according to General Lv’s speech during the oath-taking ceremony, this military action indeed did not require prior notification to them.

The Wuhuan people, living within Han territory and integrated into the Da Yong military, were no different from the Qiang people. The Xianbei chieftain Budugen had repeatedly sent Xianbei people to work in Bingzhou and offered livestock from beyond the frontier as annual tribute to the Son of Heaven, showing a submissive stance.

However, Buyeo and Goguryeo, proud of their small states, refused to pay homage or submit, lacked diplomatic relations, and failed to enrich their countries or protect their people. The Ruoshui River basin, every winter, saw countless deaths from freezing, making it justifiable to conquer them and govern them under Da Yong’s laws.

Of course, they should be attacked!

This statement very much resembled Qiao Yan’s style when she attacked the Ye City court.

But obviously, the most crucial point was not their incompetence, but their terrible stance in choosing sides.

Not to mention comparing them to the retired Liu Jingzhou, even compared to Budugen, who had been severely beaten, they were far inferior.

Their military equipment and armament were also vastly lacking.

The Sushen people, as described by Lu Lingju and Gan Ning, were skilled in shooting stone arrows, all of which were poisoned. However, if the arrows could not penetrate armor, and the enemy’s cavalry was swift and capable of long-range mounted archery, what other tricks could they have besides using caves as barriers to try to halt the attack and scattering across the vast northeastern plains to delay capture?

Probably none.

Gao Shun, previously captured in Beiping County, was assigned by Lu Lingju to Guo Huai’s route in this battle to assist in breaking through the central interception of the Gaema Mountains, using the strength of the Xianying Camp to break through their defenses.

She, along with Yu Jin and Cao Hong, used the Youzhou cavalry to pursue the fleeing Buyeo king after capturing the Buyeo capital, relentlessly chasing the fleeing forces.

The Buyeo king, Weichoutai, had never regretted more than now not cherishing the good days when he was neighbors with Gongsun Du. But realizing this now clearly could not change the impending defeat of his territory being annexed.

He thought that retreating into the Sushen territory, especially into the mountain pass area later known as the Sanjiang Plain, would allow him to escape, but there he was “welcomed” by Gan Ning.

On the other side, the Goguryeo king, after crossing the Gaema Mountains, fought and retreated, directly falling into the ambush prepared by Lu Meng.

From the Luoyang merit discussion to now, nearly two and a half years had passed.

Lu Lingju, who was once overly aggressive in battle, had now matured into a seasoned general. Lu Meng, who was once just a guard under Zhang Zhao, was no longer a reckless youth but an excellent general capable of accurately capturing the Goguryeo king on the spot.

By April, all the influential figures of these four tribes or state powers had been captured, with none escaping.

However, even if some had managed to escape, after experiencing such a comprehensive encirclement that even the sea was not spared, they likely would not dare to continue opposing Da Yong.

The Buyeo king Weichoutai and the Goguryeo mountain king were both executed.

The four tribes’ soldiers, forced to lay down their weapons, were temporarily settled around the Buyeo capital under the assistance of Ju Shou and others, to be managed. The other generals involved in the battle were responsible for continuing to collect military power from various places to prevent further disturbances in this land.

After nearly a month of reorganization, even the most remote caves had been notified that they were now under Da Yong’s rule.

But to Qiao Yan’s surprise in Chang’an, after this operation, Gan Ning did not head south to the Three Han and Japanese islands as originally planned, to drive and intimidate the hundred states and the Three Han as she had instructed.

In the document sent back from Liaodong, it was written that after pacifying the four regions, Lu Lingju decided to ask Gan Ning to first explore the islands east of North Wozu.

After capturing the Wozu people, Lu Lingju asked them if there were any miraculous things in this place, such as the black soil that seemed very suitable for farming. If they could bring back some high-yield crops to the Central Plains, the Emperor would surely be pleased.

However, before any high-yield crops were found, these Wozu people, who could barely communicate through Goguryeo translators, told General Lv something: there was a female kingdom in the sea, with no men.

General Lv was naturally curious about what this female kingdom in the sea was, and if there was a wise and powerful female emperor like the Emperor.

What was particularly interesting was, if a country had only women, how did they reproduce?

The Wozu people said that there was a divine well in the country, and just by looking into the well, one could bear a child.

Hearing this, Lu Lingju was wide awake.

In the history of emperors, miraculous conceptions were standard for founding monarchs or wise rulers. If there really was such a divine well, reporting it to the Emperor would be a significant achievement.

In these times, there was not much skepticism about myths and rumors, and encountering two action-oriented individuals like Lu Lingju and Gan Ning, they immediately changed course to explore the island.

Since the island was not as far as imagined, in fact, it only took two days for Gan Ning and others to return to the Yamaguchi Bay, then set sail eastward and arrived at this long strip of an island.

According to later generations, this was Sakhalin Island, north of Hokkaido.

But to Lu Lingju’s great disappointment, there was no such divine well on the island, nor were there only women. It was just that there were more women than men, hence the rumor.

However, this uncivilized land had no political power, meaning they could incorporate it into their rule without considering national negotiations, effectively expanding Da Yong’s territory.

After a search on the island, they also found coal and gold resources in the northern part of the island.

Disappointed as she was, the gains were not small. Lu Lingju honestly reported her entire exploration process to Qiao Yan, asking her to name the conquered Buyeo, Goguryeo, Wozu, Sushen, and the island in the sea, to signify their submission to Da Yong.

Names…

Qiao Yan twirled her pen, somewhat troubled.

Even though the Little Ice Age had not yet passed, and the temperatures in the northeast were much colder than in later times, making it seem less suitable for survival, the rough farming conditions ensured the survival of the four tribes’ people, proving the high fertility of the land.

The black soil formed by the decomposition of grass over tens of thousands of years, though not as thick as in later times, was not much different and lacked the soil erosion caused by over-cultivation.

This was a fertile land that, if utilized properly, could produce enough food for millions in an era of relatively low productivity!

The land occupied by these four tribes, including the uncivilized island in the sea, combined was comparable to two provinces of Da Yong, even surpassing some smaller provinces and counties, so it could not simply be merged into Youzhou.

This naming was not for a county but for a province.

After some thought, she wrote down a character and sent it along with the document to Liaodong, reaching Lu Lingju, who had returned from the island.

“Sui… Sui Province?” she exclaimed in surprise, looking at the document.

Thinking of the character “Sui,” her first thought was of the Suiyuan City built under Lü Bu’s supervision at the Baidao Pass.

She looked down at the text and saw that Qiao Yan indeed meant this.

[Suiyuan City guards the Baidao Pass, stabilizing the Xianbei. Sui Province, bordering the Xianbei and Wuhuan, contains many from Buyeo and Goguryeo, with the Three Han to the south and the hundred Japanese states across the sea. Although the killing of the Buyeo king and the mountain king stabilized the situation, the people of Sui Province are now under Da Yong’s rule and should live in peace and prosperity, to gather the tribes, hence the name.]

Using the same character “Sui,” whether it implied Lu Lingju’s surpassing her predecessor was not explicitly stated, but Lu Lingju had no time to consider this.

Because when she looked at the following lines in the document, she saw that the most crucial part was not the naming but the official appointment.

[The Middle General of the Wuhuan, brave and resourceful, commanding the three armies, pacifying the four tribes of Sui Province, and stabilizing the Black Dragon Isle, with a reputation among various tribes, should be the Governor of Sui Province, guarding the frontier for the Emperor, pacifying the people…]

Lu Lingju: “…!”

The island in the sea, opposite the Ruoshui River estuary, was named Black Dragon Isle, which was not surprising.

But suddenly being appointed as the Governor of Sui Province completely exceeded her expectations!

Governor of Sui Province!

Currently, the provincial governors were either civil officials like Xu Shu, Jia Xu, Guo Jia, and Zhang Zhao, or versatile talents like Zhou Yu and Zhang Liao, who were both civil and military strategists. Why did this position suddenly fall to her?

But after years of following the Emperor and her achievements in the Xuanyuan Pavilion, after the initial shock of this heavy responsibility, she began to ponder Qiao Yan’s intentions.

This might not be an appointment based on personal relationships.

Sui Province was the most special, as its territory was almost entirely inhabited by foreign tribes. Even though the Emperor mentioned in the document her intention to develop the black soil and relocate people from Qingzhou, Jizhou, and Youzhou, given the general reluctance to leave one’s homeland, the number would not exceed that of the Buyeo and other tribes.

Thus, this place needed military suppression more than civil governance.

And Lu Lingju, as the overall commander of the Liaodong campaign, was more suitable than others for this role!

Moreover, in such frontier areas, like the matriarchal society of the Black Dragon Isle, a female general need not worry about being underestimated, as strength spoke for itself.

So why couldn’t she be the Governor of Sui Province?

Her time at Leping Academy might not have made her an expert in astronomy and geography, but it was enough to teach her priorities, right and wrong, and historical lessons that served as warnings.

In settling the displaced…








In the implementation of laws and dealing with remnants of various ethnic groups, she might not be very skilled, but in this appointment, Ju Shou, who was also present, was granted the position of Vice Governor of Sui Province, precisely to compensate for her shortcomings.

The output of this black soil was not to be taken lightly by His Majesty. The Grand Minister of Agriculture would dispatch a research team to first divide and measure it, and deliver the best seeds from Guanzhong as quickly as possible to ensure another harvest this year.

If nothing unexpected happens, Tian Chou, who was originally in charge of farming in Youzhou, would temporarily stay in the newly established Sui Province, and Lu Lingju would not need to give any unprofessional advice on this matter.

What she should do is to bring these tribes, which still retain many primitive customs, into the customs of Da Yong, lead their development and education, and make good use of the generals under her command to form a new defensive border.

If that’s all, since she dared to take the position of Protector of the Wuhuan Middle General, she naturally dared to take the position of Governor of Sui Province!

“However, His Majesty really thinks too highly of me…” Lu Lingju read further and couldn’t help but feel a bit sour.

In this appointment document, Qiao Yan mentioned that Emperor Wu of Han could pluck a loyal minister from the surrendered Xiongnu, so it’s not impossible for Lu Lingju to find a few talents from the Fuyu, Goguryeo, Sushen, and Wozu tribes.

Whether this goal is too difficult to achieve is another matter, but conquering this land is only her first step.

Successfully taming this place and completing the governance of this black soil is an even greater challenge.

There are also other appointments in this not-so-short document.

For example, Gao Shun, Guo Huai, Cao Hong, and Yu Jin, who participated in this battle, were each responsible for overseeing a region, and there were arrangements for Gan Ning and Lu Meng’s naval forces.

In the exchange of documents, Gan Ning had already rushed from Heilong Island to the Japanese archipelago, cruising on the Lelang Sea. After sinking several Japanese warships, he suddenly turned to the Three Han regions, as planned before the expedition to Liaodong, directly targeting the leader of the Three Han, King Chen, capturing him and stationing troops between the Three Han and Japan.

The sudden changes in Fuyu and Goguryeo, given the current slow communication and the barriers of the Daling Mountains or the Lelang Sea, were even less likely to be known by the Three Han and the Japanese.

All they knew was that the great central plains nation to the west had, for some reason, launched a terrifying invasion against them!

With the scale of their fleet, they had no chance of fighting back.

When Guo Huai arrived with the orders written in the document, Gan Ning was sitting on an island in the strait, looking like a pirate, with a pile of tribute gifts from both sides in front of him.

These people made such gestures, hoping to learn from him how they should act to ensure their survival.

Guo Huai: “…”

It’s not his fault for making such associations; Gan Ning’s current demeanor was indeed very pirate-like.

But before he could speak, Gan Ning had already jumped up, pulling him aside as if seeing a lifeline, and asked, “What reply did His Majesty give?”

He originally thought that capturing these two regions wouldn’t be difficult, but the Three Han region alone had three small tribes stationed, and the Japanese archipelago was divided into at least dozens of small countries.

If he were to conquer and merge them one by one, it would take at least two or three years.

Would this display the might of his navy?

It could.

But this was clearly far from the responsibility he was originally supposed to bear!

These small, insignificant countries didn’t need to be tied down for long… right?

Seeing Gan Ning’s anxious expression, Guo Huai could roughly guess his thoughts and immediately replied, “His Majesty has appointed me as the Prefect of Nansui County, overseeing the Three Han and Japanese regions. Since General Gan has already opened the situation, I will take over the subsequent negotiations. The matter of the Three Han King Chen going to Chang’an to pay homage will also be arranged by me.”

The naval forces of Youzhou and Qingzhou might not be as adept at sea as Gan Ning’s fleet, but they were sufficient to pacify these two regions!

This naval fleet should play a more significant role.

“His Majesty has three sentences for you in this letter responding to the Sui Province campaign.”

Gan Ning’s naval combat capabilities were not what Qiao Yan valued most; she cared about the precise landings during these overseas voyages.

Clearly, even without the coordinate-locking cheat this time, the navy, trained for two years, had successfully achieved her goal.

Now, it was time for them to sail further.

The first sentence was about official appointments.

Gan Ning’s position as Admiral of the Tower Ships was not promoted due to this battle, but his deputy, Lu Meng, was given the title of Admiral of the Cross-Sea.

This was undoubtedly Qiao Yan’s recognition of them.

After the Qingzhou naval forces arrived and took control of the sea, Gan Ning, thinking of the latter two sentences, immediately dispatched the fleet south to replenish supplies and crew numbers.

Before returning to the Hailing Port in Xuzhou, he first followed His Majesty’s instructions and went to Yizhou.

It had been over four years since the Yangzhou noble families were sent to Yizhou for “advanced studies,” with Gu Yong serving as the Prefect of Yizhou.

The central plains had undoubtedly undergone earth-shaking changes in these four years.

For those on the island, these four years felt like an eternity.

During these four years, the noble youths on Yizhou constantly regretted why they had opposed Sun Ce, even plotting against his life, which led to Qiao Yan’s wrath.

Even after pacifying the internal strife in Yangzhou, she still decided to exile them to Yizhou.

When the news of Qiao Yan’s ascension to the throne reached the island via Yangzhou, and when Kong Rong was sent here, bringing news of the fall of the Ye court, they regretted their decisions even more.

But Qiao Yan, who was so ruthless back then, was even more so as an emperor.

If they couldn’t complete the education of the Gaoshan tribe on Yizhou, uncover the island’s resources, and grind down their arrogance, they would never have a chance to leave this place.

They waited for four years.

In the new dynasty, the easiest to rise were the new nobles, and Yangzhou would be no exception.

They no longer dared to think about how much status the four surnames of Wu County could retain in Yangzhou, only hoping to return to the mainland as soon as possible to start anew, even if it meant starting from scratch.

It was at this time that Gan Ning’s fleet arrived.

“His Majesty’s intention is to bring some people back to Yangzhou first?” Gu Yong, upon hearing this news, thought he was hallucinating.

Although his mentor, Cai Yong, had pleaded for him, from the moment he became the Prefect of Yizhou, he had prepared himself to stay here for ten years.

Gu Yong lived up to Cai Yong’s praise of being “pure and self-restrained.” In these four years, he had completely gained the trust of the Gaoshan tribe and, through years of agricultural education, had established a sizable city on the island.

As he walked on the city walls with Gan Ning, hearing this news, he felt a moment of dizziness when looking at the distant green mountains.

Gan Ning replied, “Indeed, His Majesty’s intention is that the exile punishment for the four surnames of Wu County need not last for centuries. If there are those among them who have repented and realized their mistakes, keeping them confined in this remote place would be uncharacteristic of His Majesty’s magnanimity. However, only twenty people can return this time. Please consider carefully, Prefect Gu.”

This troublesome and potentially offending task was something Qiao Yan herself didn’t want to handle, so she left it to Gu Yong and the others to discuss.

After all, as these noble youths from Wu County had guessed, Yangzhou, managed by Zhang Zhao, had already squeezed out their foothold. Restarting their careers would be extremely difficult, and the selected ones would undoubtedly be the best, which could also demonstrate her mercy towards them.

With Sima Lang in Yangzhou, these twenty people wouldn’t be able to cause much trouble.

After enjoying some seafood and resting for a night on Yizhou, Gan Ning saw Gu Yong, who had stayed up all night, hand over the twenty people to him.

What arrangements these people would face upon returning to Yangzhou was not something he needed to concern himself with.

Thinking of the final arrangement given by His Majesty, Gan Ning’s heart was filled with boiling excitement that needed no words to describe.

Set sail!

After replenishing enough supplies for the fleet to last over half a year, they officially set sail.

This time, what he needed to do was not to follow the coastline but to sail eastward into the depths of the ocean, as His Majesty had instructed, until they reached a sufficiently vast land!

This was a challenge no one had ever attempted before, with a high risk of perishing at sea due to storms. But when Qiao Yan proposed it, he didn’t retreat, and he wouldn’t now!

However, even with such preparations, Gan Ning didn’t expect this transoceanic voyage to last so long.

When a clear and long horizon finally appeared in the distance—

The fleet had already been sailing for five full months.

At this moment, as if infused with sudden strength, Gan Ning climbed up the mast of the flagship in three steps and looked into the distance.

The midday sun, rising to its zenith, dispersed the sea fog completely, allowing him to be absolutely certain that the black line before him was no illusion.

It was a landmass!

Author’s Note:

Congratulations to General Lv for being promoted from Protector of the Wuhuan Middle General to Governor of Sui Province. Although Sister Lu’s Liangzhou and Little Lv’s Sui Province are relatively remote, they are both very important, one being the Protectorate of the Western Regions and the other the black soil.

Since this is a side story, not all details will be elaborated on, but this is an important step in the promotion.

Congratulations also to Gan Ning and Lu Meng for reaching the opposite shore.

① The name Sushen is their self-designation, while Yilou is a somewhat derogatory term used by outsiders, meaning “cave dwellers,” which evolved into their name. So, the text still uses Sushen.

② From “Book of the Later Han: Biographies of the Eastern Barbarians.”

At that time, people didn’t know much about Goguryeo and Wozu, and they hadn’t actually been to the islands across the sea from Wozu, leading to this magical record.

[It is also said that there is a women’s country in the sea, with no men. Some say there is a divine well in the country, and looking into it will cause one to give birth.]

Later generations learned that [Sakhalin Island is the ancient women’s country, also known as the Hairy People’s Country], where there are more women than men, hence the legend of a women’s country in the sea.

General Lv’s execution power 233333

See you tomorrow at 9:30 AM.