Moreover, there are still 130 border vassal states, most of which are in the outer areas, beyond reach and completely outside the control of the imperial court.
In the end, the total strength of the Cai Dynasty according to human nature can reach 20%, and the snowball trend has formed. If it were not for the decree of heaven and the bottom line of not allowing direct civil war, it would not be very difficult to level the world again.
"Hey, it looks like the situation of the Second Artillery Master"
At this point, Ye Qing had to be thankful that he was in a good position. Although he was currently the number one Immortal Lord in the world, his hatred was too high. If he was shot first, he would receive special attention. There was nothing he could do about it.
However, in terms of geographical location, Yingzhou is actually relatively safe in the lower reaches of the Qianjing River. As long as it survives this disaster, the threat from the Cai Dynasty will be much smaller in the future.
There are hundreds of states and countries in the world. It is estimated that currently only the most powerful group of state princes in the middle and lower reaches, as well as the numerous German vassal states, can continue to guarantee their independence. The stronger they are, the greater the benefits will be.
"The Northern Wei Dynasty can almost compete with the Cai Dynasty. It's no wonder that Bai De assisted in the change of destiny this time. He must have an idea... There is a precedent of counter-tidal counterattack that resonates with the world. If one day the Heavenly Court changes from defense to offense, the Northern Wei Dynasty will gain
There will undoubtedly be more destiny..."
Wei Yu is probably the biggest beneficiary of this change in destiny. He can just sit at home and have his dreams come true.
This good luck made Ye Qing jealous, but when he thought about it, it was only natural that dozens of generations of leftover warriors had fought with blood to develop the remaining warriors. Otherwise, dozens of generations of leftover warriors would have to stand on the same starting line as ordinary people.
Not long-sighted.
Compared with the Northern Wei Dynasty, which withstood Cai Chao's prepared offensive, Chu State had the misfortune to let Cai Chao crush him a few years ago. The army attacked the border in advance and detained him back to the imperial capital on the charge of the Lord's Unlucky Case.
Whether it's true or not, it's still a mystery to this day.
The new leader of Southern Chu is relatively weak and inferior. In fact, he is not suitable for the reform of fire virtue. I wonder if Red Emperor Yide will have any ideas.
"It's too early to rise this time... There are advantages to being early, but there are also troubles to be early... The step to swallow Xiangzhou is inevitable, but after taking this step, Cai Chao will not be able to bear it, and directly targets me.
——Everyone knows that once I control the two states, it will be difficult for the imperial court to control it."
Ye Qing thought about the tug-of-war between the various forces, the actual pros and cons, and analyzed the forces to determine his own negotiation conditions.
It's okay to go to the East China Sea to open up wasteland, but you want to spit yourself out of Xiangzhou with just a vacant title conferred by the King of Han?
I'm afraid Cai Chao himself doesn't quite believe it.
You can’t get it on the battlefield, and you can’t get it at the negotiation table.
Any exchange of interests is related to each other's strategic direction. Because different strategic systems have different value judgments on various conditions, the details are full of intrigue and strategic deception. In the final analysis, they are based on their respective strengths.
Da Siming's trip represents Qing De's full support, which is enough to weaken the imperial court's power a lot - Cai Dynasty is large and has many opponents, and Ye Qing knows that it is impossible to spend too much cost on one person.
It is true that one hundred thousand troops can be stationed downstream, but when it comes to killing enemy ships and occupying territory, can they really defeat their own Immortal Lord in a short period of time?
If we keep troops stationed for a long time, we should not expand elsewhere?
This expansion of cost-effectiveness is the fulcrum. Ye Qing is convinced that as long as there is no real fight, they will eventually have to compromise with each other to achieve their main goals.
Just like competing for the championship group stage, no one wants to run into the strongest opponent in the group stage.
Ye Qing contemplated the decision and thought that what Grand Siming said was right. Capturing Xiangzhou was a big deal in her opinion. In her opinion, it was just a small matter. The difference between advancement and retreat was not just about the superficial territory. It all depends on whether you can get it.
The core benefits you need.
"That's the current situation...Cai Chao knows that I have no foundation in the mainland, and it depends entirely on the current situation of the first newborn Immortal Lord. The purpose of sending me to the East China Sea is just to interrupt my snowball. However, I will never allow this situation to be interrupted, but
The specific methods can be weighed... In the end, it all depends on whose method is better."
Ye Qing whispered, some of his thoughts had been confirmed in his mind, but he would not really disclose the meaning to the outside world. He would only revise and improve all aspects of his plans based on the new military information. He also called Zhuge Liang over and instructed him to make some preparations: "Immediately order
I have stepped up my efforts to collect refugee craftsmen from central Hunan and recruit local swordsmen to evacuate them to northern Hunan."
"My lord is ready to give up central Hunan?" Zhuge Liang was slightly surprised. In his impression, my lord would never give up the benefits willingly.
Ye Qing nodded: "It depends on the situation. Next, I may ask the lion to open a big door. If the conditions are good, Xiangzhong can prevaricate the other party's dissatisfaction... You can do this quietly, and don't let it go for the next two days."
"Um."
After he retreated, Ye Qing was no longer sleepy, and there was another knock on the door, so he said, "Come in."
Zhou Ling came in with light steps and whispered: "Sir, your uncle... the head of the Ye family just happened to be sailing here. He heard that you are here and wants to pay a visit."
Uncle...Zi Fan?
Ye Qing thought for a while. Although he had not been very close to him in his previous life, he had always left the old Ye family to this person. Now that he has become an immortal, he has no grudges. He waved his hand and said, "Come here? I'm afraid you have the intention to come. Otherwise,
Such a coincidence...that's all, don't care about it, just let him come over."
After a while, a middle-aged man came in. He hadn't seen him for a while, or he had something on his mind, so he looked serious as soon as he came in, knelt down and saluted: "I... pay my respects to the Marquis."
Ye Qing looked at his white temples and remembered that he had been like this ever since the incident with his cousin and aunt. He felt pity in his heart and helped him up: "You are the elder, how can you be so polite? I remember you were not like this before.
"
"One moment, another moment, now you are a true immortal and a Han Hou, how can I dare to go beyond my duty?" Ye Zifan still finished the etiquette before getting up.
The traditional concepts of this world are deeply rooted in people's hearts. Ye Qing didn't try to persuade him, he just asked: "What brings uncle here?"
"We are bringing merchant ships to central Hunan to expand, but..." Ye Zifan hesitated for a moment, and then said: "I heard on the ship that the imperial court has taken control of the seventeen prefectures in Zhiji Province, and has also sent troops to the southwest. I guess it has been controlled by now.
The upper reaches of the Lingqing River include the four states of Kyushu..."
Ye Qing was startled and then smiled: "It may be possible to control the seventeen states in Zhiji, but it may not be possible to control the nine states and four countries in the upper reaches of the Lingqing River..."
"I just learned about this news. Where did uncle hear it?"
"The rumors are boiling." Ye Zifan told him one by one what had just been discussed on the boat. Ye Qing didn't take it seriously at first, but gradually his expression became serious.
"I heard that the imperial court wants to make you the King of Han?" After Ye Zifan finished speaking, he asked tentatively.
Ye Qing was startled. This was top-secret news. How could outsiders spread it?
Seeing the change in Ye Qing's expression, Ye Zifan woke up with a start and said in a panic: "These news are also some rumors... I didn't take it seriously - but if this happened, my Ye family would be really prosperous..."
"Okay, okay, I can tell you that there is such a saying." Ye Qing heard what he said incomprehensively, and smiled and waved his hand.
"Really?" Ye Zifan was overjoyed and murmured: "God bless you, you won the scholarship, we all said that you will give us the honor of the Ye family."
"If I win the Jinshi, I have nothing else to miss."
"I didn't expect that it was only a few years ago that I became the Marquis of Han, and now the court wants to confer the title of King of Han..."
At this time, Ye Qing took up the topic and said, "Well, it may not be a good thing for the imperial court to confer the title of King of Han."
Saying that, Ye Qing stood up and walked slowly, his voice was quiet and clear in the sound of wind and rain: "You no longer have the throne, you don't know how powerful it is - no matter how good the throne is, if you hand over the prefecture, you will
Not worth it anymore.”
Ye Qing said, walking to the window and looking out, there was heavy rain, and lightning flashed in the black clouds. After a long time, Ye Qing turned around and said: "I understand your mood, I will always put the family first, but now
This is not a good place, you should go back."
After saying that, he went out personally and escorted him back to the merchant ship.
The rain was pouring down. Several merchants from Yingzhou were surprised at first glance, but they had seen Ye Qing a few times. They wiped their eyes and confirmed that it was this person. They all knelt down and said, "Meet the Marquis of Han."
"Ah, it's really Ye..." The rest of the people were shocked, especially when there was a rumor just now that the Marquis of Han was detained. At this moment, the rumor was self-defeating, and many people glared at the people who had just spread the rumor.
The mustachioed businessman was among them, and he felt like an immortal and glanced over...
Feeling guilty, timid and frightened, my back was instantly soaked with sweat, and my legs went weak and I instinctively fell to my knees.
Ye Qing was slightly startled when he saw it, but didn't pay attention, just thinking deeply.
The news spread so quickly. Northern Hunan has been under rule for a long time and the situation should be more stable. There must be a lot of incitement in the newly occupied areas of central Hunan to spread the news and ultimatums from the court. Presumably even the insiders who have surrendered are also ready to make moves. With Cai Cai
If the main fleet breaks through to the middle reaches or even the lower reaches in heavy wind and rain, the environment will inevitably become bad.
Needless to say, he could guess whether he was the Prince of Qing County or the Marquis of Xiang. In order to force him to go to the Eastern Wasteland, he had to fight hard.
Watching his uncle go away, Ye Qing's eyes flashed with cold light: "Why did my uncle come here? That's the first point. Secondly, I have a ship here. I'm not allowed to get close to it for free. How can there be a merchant ship to dock?"
"Lingling, go and find out. Don't give face to the prince and the Marquis of Xiang. Find one and kill the other."
"Yes, Master." A young swordsman dressed in white responded.
When his son returned to the Xiangzhou Navy flagship, Zhou Ling looked back at the kneeling people, nodded at a few of them, and said with cold eyes: "You guys tell me."
As soon as Ye Qing left, several people felt the pressure disappear and suddenly woke up. Some people were very clever and immediately said: "I was just scared..."
Qiang——
The long sword broke through the air, and the man's head flew up, and blood spattered on the mustache merchant behind him. The guy suddenly started shaking like chaff.
"Killing indiscriminately, killing indiscriminately." One of them shouted, and after shouting twice, the sword flashed and another head flew out.
Seeing Zhou Ling looking at him, and seeing the Hunan soldiers in the distance pretending not to see him, the mustachioed businessman suddenly screamed: "I said, I said - it was all instigated by someone on the second floor..."
Zhou Ling put away her sword with an expressionless face. She was dressed in plain white clothes and not stained with blood. She calmly listened to the remaining people explaining the situation. With a wave of her hand, more than a dozen Han troops rushed forward.
"Kill" There was a sound of killing on the second floor of the passenger ship, but soon the sound of fighting stopped, and the heads with ferocious expressions were placed in front of her: "Looking at the secret sign on the talisman, he is a member of the Qing County Prince, but he is not
If we rule out that someone else is deliberately pretending to be someone else, do we need to investigate further?"
"No need... I'll cut it off."
The Han soldiers did not hesitate, and with a flash of their swords, the mustached businessman's head flew out and rolled on the deck. He was still alive for a moment and was eager to bite people.
Zhou Ling nodded and glanced at the head, Jian Xin and Jian Zhong's great sword cultivator. She was not aware of the resentment at all, and only ordered: "It's too ugly to look uncomfortable... wrap it up with a piece of cloth, Lian Fu Pai"
Take them back together and return them to the county king."
"Follow your orders"
This group of people left, leaving only the passengers on the boat looking at each other in confusion, feeling quite like they had been struck by a fish in a pond, but fortunately they were not involved in the military disaster.
Many people were born in southern Hunan. When they saw the majesty of the Hanhou for the first time, they were shocked and sighed: "You can see the big from the small. It seems that it is not that easy for the Xianghou and the prince to win this game."
"It's not..."
After this happened, the fleet did not dare to stay where it was, and headed for the port ten miles away.