vstars Chapter 191 Unified Thought
Chapter 191 Unified Thought
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A storm is brewing in the Taiwan Strait. As the storm approaches, the year is quietly drawing to a close.
In the first year after Liu Ye and Liang Xiaoming traveled back in time, they occupied the salt fields, found an iron mine, and had several hundred men under their command, thus establishing a foothold in ancient times.
The second year was a year of rapid technological advancement and industrial upgrading. The Wuyi-class warship and the "Yuanhang" were built, and gray cast iron was produced. To obtain suitable coking coal, Liu Ye risked falling into the hands of rebels and traveled to Shandong, nearly losing his life. However, the adventure paid off; his cannon-casting technology gained a significant advantage, making him far ahead of any other force in the era in terms of military technology.
In the third year, military struggles against the Ming Dynasty began. Two major victories at Qiongzhou and Guangzhou transformed the guard force, initially established at the salt fields, into a modern army. Following its advancements in military technology, its military system also surpassed that of its future adversary—at this point, both the Ming and Later Jin armies were essentially still feudal armies. While the Ming army was large, its outdated system, low morale, inefficient command and control, and primitive logistical support made it vulnerable. Although the Later Jin was a rising power with far superior fighting spirit than the Ming army, its reliance on cold weapons meant that, before acquiring the Ming's cannons, its offensive and long-range capabilities were weak. Furthermore, the characteristics of its Eight Banners system and its large population base inherently hampered its ability to sustain continuous combat; the shortage of manpower was the Later Jin's Achilles' heel.
As the fourth year after his time travel—the ninth year of the Chongzhen Emperor's reign—approached, Liu Ye, having established himself, began to set his sights on the vast ocean. Beyond the sea lay inexhaustible wealth; whoever controlled the maritime trade routes would be the winner of this era. Zheng Zhilong, who had become a maritime overlord in another timeline, became Liu Ye's target—though, in order to buy time to expand his maritime power, he was forced to cooperate with his future adversary and eliminate other obstacles.
At this moment, Liu Ye was full of ambition. Before the new year, he convened a meeting of his key figures to prepare a strategic plan for the next steps of the Qiongzhou Camp. Since the focus now had to be on the greater cause, Lingao County, as the base of operations in the rear, and even the entire Qiongzhou Prefecture, had to be completely controlled so that he could focus his efforts on dealing with the inland refugee army, the northern Tartars, and the crumbling imperial court.
Before the main event, he announced to everyone that in order to celebrate the great victory over the government army and to ensure a smooth entry into the Central Plains in the future, he decided to hold a grand celebration for the New Year.
Yan Guang was the first to respond: "General, your great cause has already begun, and the situation is excellent. We should celebrate properly and let the soldiers and civilians know who is in charge in Lingao and even the entire Qiongzhou."
Liu Ye's eyes lit up. This was an excellent entry point. He could use the New Year celebration as an opportunity to create momentum in Qiongzhou and make the people accept the established fact that he controlled the Qiongzhou Prefecture. This coincided with his intention to consolidate his rear base.
Sun Yuanhua nodded in agreement: "Mr. Yan is right. General, your military strength is now formidable and your supplies are no longer dependent on others. You can announce to the world that not only the people, but also all levels of government in Qiongzhou should understand that all matters, large and small, in Qiongzhou, whether civil or military, depend on the general's approval."
Liu Ye slapped the armrest of his chair and praised, "Well said! Mr. Sun is indeed brilliant. This is another level above. Without resorting to violence, he can lead the officials of Qiongzhou by the nose. It will be much more convenient to get things done in the future. In our terms, this is called..." He turned to Liang Xiaoming, "How should it be described again?"
Liang Xiaoming scratched his head and said uncertainly, "Unify thinking and understanding?"
"Haha, people from state-owned enterprises really get it right away!" Liu Ye laughed heartily. "It's about unifying our thinking and understanding. From the prefect down to the clerk, everyone must recognize and accept this reality. From now on, in Qiongzhou, whether civil or military, big or small, everything will only count if I, Liu Ye, give my approval."
Liu Ye's words sounded arrogant, but the others, after some thought, realized it was true.
The Qiongzhou Camp was completely self-sufficient in terms of both provisions and military equipment. The imperial court couldn't control it, and tactics used against ordinary military officers were utterly ineffective. They couldn't afford to turn against the government and start a war either, as the fates of Wang Zunde and He Rubin served as cautionary tales. The Qiongzhou Camp was now essentially the "弼马温" (Bima Wen, a lowly official in charge of stables) on Qiongzhou Island—seemingly insignificant military officers, yet they couldn't be disciplined or punished, and had to yield to everyone. Until the government found a powerful patron like Buddha, they had no choice but to endure.
Yan Guang cupped his hands meaningfully to Sun Yuanhua and said, "Mr. Sun's thinking is indeed thorough. I never expected that after you once rose to the rank of governor, you would be more accurate and ruthless in dealing with your former colleagues than we lowly officials are."
The hall fell silent. Everyone glanced at Yan Guang, then turned to look at Sun Yuanhua. No one who could stand in the South Garden council hall was a fool. Even someone like Li Ergou possessed the wisdom unique to farmers. These words were a veiled compliment, a subtle dig at the heart of the matter. It seemed the two of the general's most trusted advisors were about to clash. Now, it was up to Mr. Sun to see how he would respond.
Sun Yuanhua remained unmoved, seemingly oblivious to the unusual tone in Yan Guang's words. He simply said, "I have repeatedly stated that once I shed my official robes, I am no longer an official, but merely a commoner. Not holding a position, I should not concern myself with its affairs. Furthermore, I was originally destined for execution at the execution ground in the capital, but I was momentarily blinded by my own circumstances and failed to see the bigger picture. Now, having calmed down, I realize that the General saved my life. Since the General saved my life, I naturally must serve the General. This is not for any other reason than to repay a debt of gratitude and to put my life's learning to use."
Yan Guang coughed twice but didn't say anything.
"Furthermore, my loyalty to the general is genuine, but my devotion to the court and the people is equally sincere," Sun Yuanhua said frankly. "I firmly believe that the general's actions are not for personal gain, nor are they to become a patriarch of the southern frontier. The Qiongzhou Camp is not like the Guan Ning Army; it will not be short-sighted, focusing only on its own small territory, allowing bandits to ravage the heartland and the Tartars to enter and leave the border with impunity, thus destroying the great land of the Ming Dynasty!"
After uttering a few powerful words, everyone present, regardless of whether they secretly harbored any intention of following the emperor, was convinced by his words. His words were frank and upright, expressing both gratitude and demonstrating his integrity in caring for the country and its people.
“Mr. Sun is right!” Liu Ye said. “I was just a commoner. If I only wanted to enjoy myself, my few businesses of cotton cloth and winemaking would have been enough. Why bother to raise an army and fight against the government troops? With the prestige of a great victory, why should I agree to be appeased and become a general of the court?”
He stood up: "Since Mr. Sun has brought this up, I might as well state my position as well. We are all in the same boat now, so there's no need for us to hide from each other or be suspicious of one another. Now that I have this ability, and I expect to have even greater abilities in the future, I will naturally not let the land of China be destroyed by bandits and Tartars. Bandits are just a group of starving people who live by plundering; they know nothing but destruction. Tartars are nothing but a group of barbaric and uncouth savages from Liaodong. Neither of them is worthy of ruling the Central Plains. This beautiful land of the Central Plains can only belong to the capable. If His Majesty is wise, I, Liu Ye, don't mind being Guo Ziyi of the Ming Dynasty. If he is foolish and incompetent, and the situation forces him to, then this drama of donning the yellow robe might have to be staged."
These words caused an uproar, with most people extremely excited. Compared to their previous ambiguous attitude, this clearly defined the direction of the Qiongzhou Camp's advance.
Sun Yuanhua, Yan Guang, and others understood the meaning of these words without needing to elaborate. Li Ergou, Li Fu, and others, though not highly educated, were familiar with stories from plays about Guo Ziyi quelling the An Lushan Rebellion and preserving the Tang Dynasty, and Zhao Kuangyin's coup at Chenqiao Mutiny and ascension to the throne. Liu Ye's words couldn't be clearer: if the current emperor is worthy of assistance, he should be a pillar of the court, defending against external threats; if not, then he should be replaced.
Those who harbored ambitions to serve the new emperor were reassured, but Sun Yuanhua's feelings were complex. He hadn't expected that, caught off guard, he would so quickly "force" Liu Ye to clarify his stance. He was slightly disappointed by Liu Ye's statement, as it wasn't the outcome he had hoped for, but it wasn't too bad either. At least it left room for maneuver, indicating that he wasn't determined to overthrow the Ming Dynasty. Most importantly, Liu Ye was willing to take on the responsibility of suppressing the bandits and resisting the Tartars, which was what pleased Sun Yuanhua the most.
Yan Guang didn't speak again, but a faint smile appeared on his lips. He wasn't acting on impulse to embarrass Sun Yuanhua; he had ulterior motives.
Since Sun Yuanhua arrived in Lingao, he has felt an unprecedented sense of crisis, and his former sense of superiority has vanished.
Originally, Liu Ye had no decent scholars under his command. Liang Xiaoming, the "second-in-command," was obsessed with technology and didn't concern himself with politics. Compared to a military man like Shi Ying and a peasant like Li Ergou, Yan Guang's position as chief strategist was unshakeable. But things changed when Sun Yuanhua arrived. Sun Yuanhua was a scholar who had passed the imperial examinations and had served as a principal officer, secretary, right vice censor-in-chief, and governor of Dengzhou and Laizhou. His achievements, positions, and experience far surpassed Yan Guang's. Yan Guang's status as a minor official in the Nanjing Ministry of War was simply embarrassing. Even his pride in his "military knowledge" couldn't escape the embarrassment of being a mere armchair strategist in the face of Sun Yuanhua's impressive resume.
However, Yan Guang's intuition told him that although Sun Yuanhua was willing to stay in Lingao, his loyalty to the court couldn't be changed overnight. He understood Liu Ye's thoughts better than anyone else; Liu Ye was unwilling to be a military general at the beck and call of civil officials, and his ultimate goal was to conquer the world. He wasn't sure if Liu Ye could truly understand Sun Yuanhua's mind, but he was confident he could find a suitable opportunity to make Sun Yuanhua clarify his stance, to make Liu Ye understand Sun Yuanhua's "feeling loyal but not loyal" mentality. As the saying goes, "a gentleman can be deceived by his principles," and in the situation just now, Sun Yuanhua would never choose to lie and would inevitably reveal his true intentions.
As he had predicted, Sun Yuanhua was "naturally" provoked into making those remarks by his seemingly somewhat rude words. No matter how magnanimous Liu Ye was, this thorn had been planted. In the future, Liu Ye might still rely on Sun Yuanhua's talents, but he would never completely trust him and would always hold back. Yan Guangcai, on the other hand, was a subordinate who wholeheartedly assisted him in seizing power. As for Liu Ye's statement, in his view, it was merely a cover-up to make his actions less unsightly.