Warrior in Turbulent Han Dynasty

It took a long time for the imperial decree in Tokyo, and it took several rounds to get to Jiaozhou. It was a bit difficult for the imperial city to convey the news to the southernmost end of the dynasty. Feng Jiye returned to Beijing to report on his duties according to the decree.

When Feng Jiye went to Guangzhou, he went to Cao Bin's camp of the Chinese army to seek an audience, but he was rejected and was told that the commander-in-chief had gone out. He also left a message saying that General Feng was ordered to report on his duties and should rush to Tokyo as soon as possible and not to stay on the way for no reason.

Since he left a message, he knew that Feng Jiye had come back, and he did not see him on purpose!

Feng Jiye was depressed, as soon as he got out of the city gate, he heard the sound of firearms coming from the suburbs. He immediately rode his horse and followed the sound to find a school yard.

But I saw many infantry training on the school field, crackling, and the smoke was heavy. Feng Jiye wandered around in the distance for a while, and noticed with sharp eyes that there were many guards and banners near the houses beside the school grounds. He expected that Cao Bin might be patrolling here.

He patted the horse over, and as expected, he vaguely recognized Cao Bin who was hugging him from a distance of one mile. Feng Jiye immediately went up brazenly and clamored to see Mr. Cao.

The guards finally allowed Feng Jiye to go forward, but he saw that Cao Bin seemed to have not seen him, busy pointing at the school field, and only talking to the general. Feng Jiye apologized and shouted loudly: "Jiaozhou Army forward Feng Jiye, pay homage to Mr. Cao!"

Everyone around looked sideways, and Cao Bin turned his head to look at him. His face was very displeased, and there were other complex emotions on his face. He looked like someone who was quarreling and angry; he complained a little, but he didn't feel resentful or hostile... Cao Bin seemed to have found a way to clean up the mess.

Feng Jiye hurriedly said: "The last general knows that he is reckless and has offended Mr. Cao. He is passing by Guangnan this time, and he is here to make amends."

Cao Bin frowned and said: "Excuse me, let's go in and talk." After saying that, he threw the whip in his hand to the guards, got off his horse, and walked to the barracks behind. Feng Jiye quickly followed.

The two went to a simple and rough house, and then Lu Duan also walked in.

Feng Jiye said with a straight face: "The formation of the generals watching the school field is very sparse. Are you a new recruit from Mr. Cao?"

Without warning, Cao Bin said angrily, "Isn't it General Feng's good deeds that have caused chaos for this Commander! Otherwise, why bother?"

"This..." Feng Jiye said awkwardly.

Cao Bin took a deep breath to calm his emotions, and said bluntly: "Those people are all criminals in prisons and mines in various states and counties in Guangnan. After training, they will go to Champa and Malacca together with the soldiers recruited by the guards."

"I see." Feng Jiye said thoughtfully.

At this moment, Lu Duan finally spoke: "General Feng stormed Luocheng, burned, killed, looted|looted. It seemed like a great achievement, but in fact he ruined Duke Cao's plan and failed the high expectations of the officials. Duke Cao wants to find another way to make up for his achievements."

Cao Bindao: "A long time ago, the government mentioned that the sea route of Malacca, which is far away in the South China Sea, should be used as a boundary to delineate a large number of maritime forces. However, the sea route is too far away, so it has not been implemented. Now the military government in the south occupies the Jiaozhou stronghold. I have repeatedly weighed with you, thinking that starting from the 'Taiping Fort', along the coast to Champa is like a pocket; and then going south to Malacca, choosing a place to build Liuhua Fort, which can help the officials complete the plan."

Cao Bin mused, "It's my merits and demerits to go south this time. I think I can still fight for it."

Feng Jiye hurriedly said: "The general knows his mistake! If Mr. Cao is useful, the general is willing to make up for it!"

"General Feng went straight to Luocheng, what's wrong with that?" Cao Bin sneered.

Feng Jiye said: "The last general is ashamed, just because he is impatient and greedy for merit..."

Cao Bin then sighed: "It's not that I don't need you. The imperial decree calls you back to Beijing. General Feng will go back to Beijing first and then we can talk about it... However, General Feng still thinks that someone will dare to use you in the future, so he has to change his original temper. Daxu is no different from when the Central Plains was fighting. Before General Feng went out, did I clearly state the court's intentions and plan the deployment? Think again, what I did in Jiaozhou this time is good for the general plan?"

After sending Feng Jiye away, Cao Bin was also busy asking Lu Duan to write a memorial, and asked him to continue to go south.

Please set up three additional provinces in the memorial, Cochin in the province, Champa in the province, and Mabao (Malacca Fortress) in the province. Except for Jiaozhou, the strategy of other places is to build seaport fortresses, win over the local rulers and leaders, and canonize the governors of all provinces in Daxu.

For this strategy, Lu Duan came up with many ideas. Cao Bin appreciated it very much, and proposed to recommend Lu Duan to the Privy Council as a reward.

At that time, the situation in Jiaozhou was out of control. The reason why Cao Bin stamped his feet was not because he was afraid of being punished, but because he had lost the great opportunity to fight for the position of Lord Protector! But now he thought of a new way out, claiming to increase the three major provinces and expand Daxu's influence. It is very exciting to put this credit on the table!

The situation in Jiaozhou cannot be finalized. Who will win? Cao Bin thinks he can fight for it.

While preparing, he decided to send a fast horse north to deliver the memorial.

...

At this time, Tokyo is getting colder, and it seems that the first snow of this year will not be far away. Winter is the last season, and the year is fleeting.

The Palace of Yangde in the imperial city is still warm, and the evergreen plants growing in the pots make the place less bleak in autumn and winter, and it looks full of vitality. Guo Shao knows exactly which plant has withered a branch or leaf, and watering them from time to time has become one of Guo Shao's hobbies.

Among the greenery, there are maps on the walls and tables, as well as files and memorials that were temporarily moved in.

Standing by the wall, Guo Shao looked at the rough and imprecise lines at the bottom of the map. He suspected that the shapes of the islands were also drawn incorrectly, but there was no other way now. It would be good to have a little understanding of distant places.

Now he can only rely on these drawings and words to control his territory.

This is the case with big things, one cannot grasp every place, but can only rely on other people and these pictures and texts; but what can really be grasped is only small things, such as the growth of those flowers and plants in the temple, which can be seen and touched.

There is an open memorial on the table, which describes Jiaozhou Province, Champa Province, and Marburg Province, but Guo Shao can only look at the extremely abstract and crude lines on the map, and try his best to use his imagination to figure out what those places are.

Champa should be located in the southern region of "Vietnam". Champa rice is very famous; the entire Vietnam region has sufficient sunlight and water, and the grain output is high. From the perspective of resources, occupying this area has real benefits.

Yesterday Guo Shao asked the Ministry of Rites that the ruler of Champa had sent people to pay tribute during the (later) Zhou Dynasty. Daxu replaced the Zhou Dynasty and established the country, and there was no large-scale civil war at all during the dynasty change. Even today, a large number of officials in the dynasty are also officials of the Zhou Dynasty, so the damage is very small.

The civilization and technology of the Champa people is definitely not as developed as the Central Plains. If they can reach the Central Plains, then Guo Shao can conclude that the warships of the Jiaolong Army have better sea ships and technology, and they will definitely be able to reach Champa easily.

Mabao is just a nameless fortress. According to Cao Bin's description and the rough map he obtained, Guo Shao guessed that the location is not the Strait of Malacca he mentioned a few years ago, but the Strait of Singapore.

This place is a bit far away. The last time the Great Xu Jiaolong Army sent a fleet through here to reach the Indian region, most of the warships and troops were lost. Guo Shao had to consider the approximate experience, technology and cost.

At this moment, Guo Shao heard someone behind him, he turned from facing the wall, and saw that it was the eunuch Cao Tai holding a clay pot. Seeing Guo Shao turn around, Cao Tai bowed and said, "Pingzhou Jiedu envoy Liu Renzhan sent the Empress a ginseng back last time. The Empress cooked some in chicken soup, and asked the servants to bring it to the officials."

"Oh? Then I have to try it." Guo Shao said happily, not because he thought human-shaped ginseng was rare, but because he heard that Fu Jinzhan cooked it himself.

Cao Tai also smiled happily and said, "Hold on a moment, Your Majesty, the servant hasn't brought the bowl and spoon yet."

Guo Shao sat down on the chair, picked up the brush on the inkstone, and wrote a few paragraphs on a piece of white paper. Yang Ye and Cao Bin were decreed to estimate the annual expenditure provided by the treasury in the northwest and south. The decree was given to the Government Affairs Hall to budget for various taxes in the next three years, the income of the Japanese province's silver and coin production, and the budget of the imperial court.

Zhunzuo Cao Bin set up the province of Champa; whether to enter into Mabao, wait for the reply in the spring of next year... Guo Shao must first calculate whether the income and expenditure can support these measures.

And last month, a local official wrote a letter praising his merits, claiming that Guo Shao’s sage had never been seen before or since.

When Cao Tai came back with the dish spoon, he scooped up a little and put it on the plate. He drank it himself first, and then put the soup in the bowl.

Guo Shao finished a can of chicken soup, took out a handkerchief and wiped his mouth, then pointed to the paper on the case and said: "Take it to the study and give it to the cabinet to assist the government."

Cao Tai hurriedly said: "The servant obeys the order."

Guo Shao improvised, and said again: "Call Yang Shiliang over again."

He turned his head and glanced at the pictures Chengri was facing, and thought to himself, private visits in micro-services are too unsafe, and grand tours to the south and north are too laborious and costly, but leaving the imperial city is only in Tokyo, so there is nothing wrong...Tokyo is the capital of Xu Xu, under the feet of the emperor, and the law and order are considered good.

Not long after Cao Tai left, Yang Shiliang came into the hall to meet him.

Guo Shao glanced at the tall eunuch, and said: "You discuss with Jing Niang and send people from the Imperial City Department to tidy up my old house. I want to live there for a few days."

"Observe the decree." Yang Shiliang replied first, and then said, "The servant first checks the population of every household on the street, sets up secret sentries in nearby places, and then arranges the Imperial Guard in the courtyard opposite the mansion. When I think of other things, I will make another arrangement."

In the blink of an eye, the eunuch had a plan. After hearing this, Guo Shao was very satisfied with him, nodded in praise and said, "Your affairs have always been done well."

Yang Shiliang bowed and said: "The servant girl will leave, and I will tell Eunuch Cao about it later."