roccoschili Chapter 66 The Wind Rises in Lingnan
Chapter 66 The Wind Rises in Lingnan
Yang Guang lowered his eyes, his mind racing.
He caught a glimpse of Yang Yan's thin yet upright back as he knelt on the ground, and a surge of hatred welled up in his heart.
This kid... how come I never noticed how difficult he was before?
We can't dwell on this issue anymore!
We have to jump out!
Who was Yang Guang? He was probably the most outstanding politician and schemer of his time, and shifting blame was his basic tactic.
Since this matter has become a quagmire, let's overshadow it with something bigger!
He took a deep breath, and when he looked up again, his face was now filled with a look of concern for the country and its people, as if the embarrassment just now had never existed.
"Father!"
Yang Guang bowed deeply, his tone extremely sincere: "Although Yan'er's actions were absurd, they were for the sake of learning and advancement, and his original intention was good. Moreover, he is young and ignorant, and it is possible that he was misled by treacherous people. I believe that punishment is not urgent."
"Didn't I say before that I had two things to report? The other matter is of utmost urgency, concerning the safety of our Great Sui Dynasty!"
Yang Jian frowned: "What is it?"
Yang Guang pulled a prepared memorial from his sleeve, raised it high above his head, and said in a deep, authoritative voice, "It concerns the border war!"
"Your spies in the south have just sent back an urgent report. They discovered in Lingnan that Li Xian, the Prefect of Guizhou and a former general who surrendered to the Chen dynasty, is secretly amassing troops and armor, and is contacting powerful local figures. He already harbors rebellious intentions!"
"The Lingnan region is rife with miasma, and its people are known for their fierce and warlike nature. If Li Xian rebels, he will inevitably collude with the Li and Liao chieftains who have not yet submitted to his cause. At that time, the entire sixty prefectures of Lingnan will likely be plunged into war once again!"
"This is also why I said before that the Liaodong campaign needed further adjustments!!"
These words shocked the entire court.
"Snapped!"
The urgent silk scroll from the south was slammed to the ground by Yang Jian, echoing loudly in the empty hall.
"Traitors! A bunch of ungrateful wretches!"
Yang Jian braced himself on the imperial desk with both hands, leaning forward, his chest heaving violently.
"I have always believed that I have treated the barbarians of Lingnan well! I have exempted them from taxes and allowed them to govern themselves. This Li Xian was originally a surrendered general of the Chen Dynasty. Not only did I spare his life, but I also granted him the position of Prefect of Guizhou, allowing him to enjoy all the riches and honors! And yet he dares to rebel? How could he possibly dare to rebel?!"
The courtiers fell silent, heads bowed, not daring to even breathe loudly.
Everyone knows that what this founding emperor hated most was betrayal.
Moreover, he was at that moment full of ambition, wanting to conquer Goguryeo and establish unparalleled achievements.
Yang Yan stood in the crowd, turned his head slightly, and his gaze passed through the gaps between the civil and military officials, accurately capturing the Prince of Jin, Yang Guang, not far away.
Yang Guang remained bowing, his face showing grief and worry, as if he were truly concerned for the country.
However, the moment Yang Yan's gaze fell upon him, Yang Guang seemed to sense something and turned his head slightly.
Eyes facing each other.
A subtle smile appeared on Yang Guang's lips.
That was the smile of a victor.
The fleeting hint of mockery in his eyes clearly said—Nephew, you're definitely going to Lingnan!
"Yang Guang, do you think this is sending me to my death?"
Yang Yan sneered inwardly, "Since you want me to go, then I'll go! However, once I'm there, how this game of chess is played won't be up to you!"
"His Majesty!"
Yang Su's voice broke the silence.
"The sixty prefectures of Lingnan are the southern border defense of our Great Sui Dynasty. If Li Xian truly colludes with powerful clans and raises the banner of rebellion, the Li and Liao tribes, who have not yet submitted, will surely rise up in response! At that time, the flames of war will inevitably spread to Hunan and Jiangxi, and even threaten the Yangtze River!"
At this point, Yang Su's voice suddenly lowered: "Your Majesty, the powerful clans of Jiangnan have only recently settled, and the people's hearts are not yet at peace. If Lingnan falls into chaos, then Jiangnan will certainly be unstable; if Jiangnan is unstable, the Grand Canal will be cut off, our Great Sui's taxes will be halved, and the foundation of the nation will be shaken!"
"Your Majesty, I humbly request that you appoint me to oversee the administration of Jiangnan!"
Upon hearing the words "the foundation of the nation is shaken," Yang Jian took a deep breath and forcibly suppressed the anger in his heart.
Reason told him that Yang Su was right.
Goguryeo was merely a minor ailment, and even if there were a real rebellion in Lingnan, it wouldn't matter much. The most important thing was still Jiangnan.
Although the Sui Dynasty's Guanzhong-centric policy was stable, it relied heavily on supplies from the Jiangnan region for grain and revenue. That was the lifeblood of the Sui Dynasty; it could not be severed!
"The Duke of Yue is absolutely right."
Standing to the side, Gao Jiong sighed inwardly. Although the outcome was the "slow war" he wanted, the process was completely out of his control.
Yang Jian's gaze swept over the group of generals below, their heads bowed, and his voice was hoarse: "So what should we do now? Who dares to take command and pacify these barbarians for me?"
The military officers looked at each other in bewilderment, and many of them even quietly took a half step back, afraid of being caught by Yang Jian's surveying gaze.
Because that's Lingnan.
In the eyes of the people of the Central Plains at that time, that place was not territory, but a living hell.
There were no military exploits there, only humid, rotting jungles and the terrifying miasma. Historical records state that of the armies that went to Lingnan, "three out of ten returned," most not dying by sword, but from dysentery, malaria, and the mouths of unknown poisonous insects.
Moreover, Li Xian is a local strongman who relies on the terrain to wage guerrilla warfare. This battle will be difficult, time-consuming, and yield little reward.
Lingnan is a godforsaken place; if ten people go there, three will come back at best. Most of them don't die on the battlefield, but from the miasma and the unfamiliar environment. Moreover, Li Xian is a local expert, familiar with the terrain. This battle will be difficult, and the rewards will be meager—a typical arduous task.
Winning is a matter of course; losing is a complete loss of face; dying is the most humiliating thing of all.
This is an utterly miserable job, a bottomless pit that can never be filled.
Seeing this, Yang Jian's anger surged up once more. He slammed his fist on the table, his gaze like lightning, piercing straight at the silent Left Attendant, Gao Jiong.
"Duke of Qi! You are the head of all officials, what do you think? Is there really no one in my Great Sui Dynasty who dares to share my burdens?!"
Gao Jiong's body trembled; he knew he couldn't escape it any longer.
He glanced at Yang Yong, then at Yang Yan, who stood calmly in the distance, weighed the pros and cons in his mind, and slowly stepped forward.
"His Majesty."
Gao Jiong's voice was calm and steady, carrying a comforting power: "I believe that what the Duke of Yue said is absolutely right. The danger in Lingnan is indeed greater than that in Liaodong. However... just as the generals have worried, Lingnan has a treacherous terrain, and it may not be the best strategy to send a large army to the border at this time."
"Oh?" Yang Jian frowned slightly. "Then what good plan does Minister Gao have?"
"Currently, our spies have received advance notice that although Li Xian intends to rebel, he has not yet raised the banner of rebellion. If the court rashly sends a large army south at this time, firstly, it will lack a legitimate reason for the campaign and risk losing the support of the people; secondly..."
Gao Jiong paused, then glanced at Yang Guang: "Li Xian has been operating in Lingnan for many years, and his influence is deep. Although I don't know where the spies obtained this intelligence, it's possible that it was Li Xian's insidious plan. Perhaps the various tribes and peoples of Lingnan originally had no intention of rebelling, but the sudden influx of a large army might have instilled panic among them, making them believe that the court intends to exterminate all the tribes. This could have forced them to unite with Li Xian and fight against the court as one!"
Upon hearing this, Yang Jian nodded thoughtfully: "That makes sense. What do you think?"