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Chapter 106 : A Plan for Half a Province
"Lord Ming, His Majesty requests your presence!"
Ming Chen and Xiao Xinyue's escape had caused a brief commotion, but it quickly subsided upon their return.
The next day, a guard in green robes with a cold and stern demeanor arrived at the door with an imperial edict.
"Oh?"
Ming Chen raised an eyebrow, bowed, and said, "This foreign subject obeys the edict."
Ѐ.nùm̊ á
What he had done in the court hall that day was enough to make the Northern Emperor see clearly that he was the one leading the negotiations.
"Please!"
Dilarang mengopy novel dari Enuma.id.
...
Qin Lou and Xiao Yu were two monarchs of completely different temperaments.
Xiao Yu disliked political affairs but was deeply scheming. Unwilling to relinquish power and trusting no one, he had made himself gloomy and sinister. When discussing matters with him, the room was also dark and eerie.
Qin Lou was a domineering monarch, acting without restraint, his moods unpredictable, but his style was not insidious. He appeared rough, but his heart was delicate; a tiger in the heart, sniffing the rose.
Ẁ ě b̂ n̆о́.v е l̄ E n u_m а́
In terms of monarch ratings alone, Xiao Yu was inferior to Qin Lou.
The Tiger Hall of Northern Lie was where Qin Lou handled his official duties.
The decoration was grand and bright, completely different from Xiao Yu's Hall of Mental Cultivation.
Qin Lou was tall, so his desk and chair were a size larger. A map hung on a wall not far away.
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"This foreign subject, Ming Chen, pays his respects to Your Majesty."
After seeing Qin Lou, Ming Chen bowed in greeting.
Ӗn u m̀ā.і̇d́
Qin Lou sat at his desk, propping his chin with one hand, and looked at this person with great interest. "Heh! Ming Chen, after causing such a scene in my court, you now know how to bow?"
Ming Chen lied with a straight face, "Your Majesty jests. The people of the South value etiquette. This foreign subject has never done anything that oversteps the rules."
"Hahaha~"
This kid was still being sarcastic about what he had said in the court hall earlier.
To be honest, putting aside his identity as an envoy of an enemy nation, Qin Lou quite admired this excessively young, low-ranking envoy.
Courage, wisdom, bearing... all were good, very good.
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Some talents and traits couldn't be learned. You either had them or you didn't.
Even in the Northern Lie court, you couldn't find a single person who dared to do such a thing.
A monarch naturally appreciates a talented person.
"May I ask why Your Majesty has summoned this foreign subject?"
Qin Lou raised an eyebrow and said, "Why? You don't know? Let's not beat around the bush."
"The conditions mentioned in the court hall are impossible to realize. Now, it's just you and me here. Let's have a proper talk about the peace negotiations."
Е̃n u mä .іd
Qin Lou was not like Xiao Yu, who needed guards to protect him wherever he went.
He considered himself the most powerful martial artist in the world and was not afraid of anyone harming him.
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In this hall, there were indeed only the two of them.
He had summoned Ming Chen to sound him out, not wanting this insolent madman to do anything else unpredictable.
The next time this matter was formally discussed in the court hall, there needed to be a plan.
Ming Chen said, "Since it is Your Majesty's request, this foreign subject will naturally comply."
E̊ nũ mà ..i d̈
Qin Lou pointed to a seat on the side. "Sit!"
"Yes."
Qin Lou looked at the map on the side and said, "Ming Chen, speak. What will Great Qian cede to Northern Lie?"
Northern Lie had fought this war, arguably emptying the nation's accumulation of several decades.
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It was all to conquer some fertile land and expand the country's territory.
If Ming Chen didn't yield an inch, then Northern Lie's efforts would have been in vain.
En̆ u m á
Qin Lou would rather stake the entire nation's strength and fight Great Qian to the death for another half a year, even if the mother river entered its frozen period, he wouldn't care.
Ming Chen shook his head, not answering the other's question. "Your Majesty, you must understand one thing. Northern Lie no longer has the advantage."
"Your Majesty, do not forget that your Northern Lie army has just suffered a defeat, losing thirteen thousand soldiers."
"Is Your Majesty so confident that if you continue to fight, you can win?"
"In three months, the Lie River will freeze. How will you transport your grain to the front lines?"
"When the frozen period arrives, the gentle river surface will freeze. The city will have no river to defend it. Our army can bypass Qifeng City, send three thousand cavalry to cross the ice, and take Kuye City directly. Then, using this city as a springboard, we can form a pincer with our main army... How will Your Majesty deal with that?"
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Ming Chen pointed at the map, his voice calm, as he told Qin Lou the proposal Guo Chongyun had given him.
Guo Chongyun was capable. If it weren't for being backstabbed by his own people back then, he might not have lost.
When his unlucky disciple, acting as the client, asked him for a proposal, the old ghost, though grumbling, still gave him one.
And he gave several.
Qin Lou paused, his smile fading, and he took a deep look at the young man before him.
Proficient in both civil and military affairs.
Ѐ n ů m̈ ă. іd̄
This person's military strategic vision was also very strong, his perspective extremely clear.
It was now necessary to re-evaluate this young man's worth.
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After the peace talks, he had to find a way to prevent Ming Chen from returning.
Letting him return to his country would surely make him a great threat in the future.
Qin Lou snorted coldly. "Hmph!"
"Does your Great Qian have the advantage?"
Ẽ ṅu_ma_. іd
He pondered in his heart, but showed no sign of it on his face, only saying in a deep voice, "My soldiers can withstand the severe cold and fight fiercely in icy and snowy weather. Can your Great Qian army compare?"
"What if my army, in one fell swoop, directly crushes you on the main battlefield?"
Ming Chen squinted his eyes, looking at Qin Lou, his words as if probing the depths of his heart. "Your Majesty, Grand General Tian Hong's merits are outstanding. In Northern Lie, his fame has even surpassed Your Majesty's. He has already been enfeoffed as the Pillar of the State. There is no higher title to bestow. If the fighting continues, a loss would be a disadvantage, but even if you win, is Your Majesty not afraid..."
This person even understood the art of being an emperor.
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With a few words, he sowed discord. Truly a fiendish character.
Qin Lou once again re-evaluated Ming Chen.
Е̄ n̆ü m а
In a sense, what Ming Chen said was indeed correct. The people of Northern Lie were inherently martial, and Tian Hong, this legendary general, held a very high position in their hearts. If the war was truly won, Tian Hong's achievements would probably be passed down through the ages, overshadowing Qin Lou, the emperor.
No higher title to bestow, his merits shaking the throne.
For an emperor, this was a very dangerous thing.
However...
Qin Lou lowered his eyes slightly. Accompanying a monarch is like accompanying a tiger; the emperor's heart is unfathomable.
He seemed not to mind this, waving his hand and only saying, "Ming Chen, don't talk about those wishy-washy things. If it doesn't work, then we fight!"
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Qin Lou was already tall and had a natural aura. The majestic momentum of a domineering monarch rushed forward. "Seventy years ago, the monarch of my Northern Lie was forced by your God of War to commit suicide as an apology. Northern Lie rose again from the brink of destruction. The people of Northern Lie will never yield. We have experienced the most painful moments. What's the harm in experiencing it again?"
"Does your Great Qian dare to gamble with us? With our army pressing on the northern border, in half a year, let's see if your blood-clothed rebels can change the heavens!"
The hegemon was heroic and martial, as if the roar of a dragon and tiger could be heard.
For a moment, the great hall seemed to grow colder.
Both countries wanted a reconciliation, but if the benefits were not in place, Qin Lou could not accept it.
Even if continuing to fight would lead to mutual destruction, he would see who was hurt more!
Е ñ u ḿa
"Then how much does Your Majesty want?"
Ming Chen shrugged. The blood-clothed rebels changing the heavens didn't really matter to him personally.
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But for Great Qian, it was indeed not very polite.
Just now, he was purely puffing up his chest to look imposing, only talking about how Northern Lie was failing, while his own side was a complete mess.
Coming on this mission, he did indeed need to reach a peace agreement.
Negotiation is the art of concession; it's impossible not to retreat a single step.
W ёb n̂oṽ е l̄ Е̊ n̂u̇m̈а̃
Qin Lou pointed at the map and said, "I want one province."
They had already conquered one province. Taking one province was not excessive.
Ming Chen shook his head. "No."
The world in this life was much vaster than in his previous one. A province was much larger than a province from his past life. Great Qian had a total of thirty-nine provinces. Giving away one was no small amount.
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Otherwise, why would the Crown Prince worry until his hair turned white day and night?
Ming Chen pointed at the map and said, "How about this, Your Majesty. The Rong River, a tributary of the Lie River, divides Lizhou in two. We will use the Rong River as the border and cede the nine cities north of the Rong River to Northern Lie. How about it?"
Е̄ n̊ŭm̄ а̇ . їd
"With the water as the border, both our countries can defend along the river and live in peace."
"Beyond the Rong River, Northern Lie has no natural defenses. Even if we give you more land, once war breaks out, we can retake it at any time."
Ming Chen didn't want to grind his teeth with the monarch any longer and directly took the most important step in these peace talks.
But Qin Lou frowned tightly. "Not enough!"
The people of Lizhou were almost all dead, and its resources were depleted due to the war. It was all dead land, with not a blade of grass growing.
Just taking half, that bit of land would require population migration and would take who knows how many years to recover. It was too little.
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Ming Chen looked at the map, pondered for a moment, and said, "How about this. This foreign subject will offer Your Majesty another plan. In ten years, it will surely make Northern Lie's national strength three times stronger, with abundant resources and a prosperous populace, and bountiful harvests. How about it?"
"What?!"
As soon as his voice fell,
Qin Lou's pupils shrank abruptly, and he immediately shot up, slamming his hands on the desk. He stared intently at Ming Chen. "Is this true?"
These words could not be said lightly.
As a monarch, he had the ability to control his temper. Not showing his joy or anger and not letting others see his thoughts was a basic skill.
Е̂ n̈ ŭ ḿ à
However, Ming Chen's words were too powerful for a monarch. It was hard for Qin Lou not to be moved. Monarchs like Xiao Yu were an exception.
"It is true."
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Qin Lou's brows furrowed tightly as he stared at Ming Chen.
This time, what Ming Chen said had truly shocked him.
This mad scholar, did he truly have the ability to manage the world, or was he just a braggart?
This enemy country's young man, not yet twenty years old, could always be unexpected, raising his value time and time again.
Ë.n̆ũ m а_
He said, "If it is truly as you say, I will agree."
Ming Chen was not afraid of him going back on his word, nor did he set up a written proof. He stood up, walked to the map, and pointed at it, saying, "Build water conservancy."
"Hmm?"
He pointed to a long river on the map and said to Qin Lou, "Your Majesty, please look. The Lie River is the mother river of Northern Lie. The water comes from the immortal mountains in the far north, irrigates Northern Lie, and has several tributaries, nurturing hundreds of millions of Northern Lie's citizens."
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"However, Northern Lie's territory is vast. There are always saline-alkali lands that have not been blessed by the mother river, where no grain grows. If a disaster strikes, there will be no harvest."
Ming Chen's words were concise, but a few sentences hit Qin Lou's sore spot, and his face darkened slightly.
Е̇ nū ṁ á
Northern Lie had little fertile soil. The land was firm and saline-alkali, and it lacked grain.
This was also the reason why generations of Northern Lie wanted to go south and attack Great Qian.
The conditions in Great Qian's territory were too good. The climate was suitable, with thousands of miles of fertile fields and abundant river water sources. In years without major disasters, without a fatuous monarch and a corrupt court, the people would live very prosperously. The dynasty that had lasted for five hundred years had its reasons for existence.
Ming Chen's finger tapped lightly, drawing a line between two rivers on the map. "Your Majesty, please look. These two rivers, the Lin River and the Xu River. The Lin River is high and the Xu River is low. A main canal can be artificially dug between the two rivers to connect them. Then, a weir can be built on the Lin River to block the river, raise the water level, intercept the Lin River's water, and divert it into the main canal. The end of the canal will eventually connect with the Xu River, forming a large canal."
"At the same time, connect the three small streams, the Zhe River, the Bai River, and the Liang River, into the canal to increase the water volume. Guide the canal water downwards to irrigate the saline-alkali land below."
"When the canal is completed, the saline-alkali land will become tens of thousands of acres of fertile fields, and the people here will no longer suffer from the extreme cold."
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This was a project that would require hundreds of thousands of laborers, yet Ming Chen described it in just a few light sentences.
He looked up at the burly emperor, his eyes as bright as the stars in the sky, and asked with a smile, "May I ask Your Majesty, can this plan of mine increase Northern Lie's national strength several times over?"
A fiendish talent who could change heaven and earth, with the world in his chest, shining brightly.
Qin Lou was dazed for a moment, then he suddenly stood up, walked quickly to the map, and stared intently at the place Ming Chen had traced, murmuring softly, "Saline-alkali land becomes tens of thousands of acres of fertile fields..."
"Truly? Truly..."
He believed it.
Ĕ n ů m̄ а̃ . і̂ d̈
This emperor was a bit tall, so one had to look up at him. His muscles were broad, giving off a sense of pressure.
Ming Chen was not afraid of him, just asking in return, "How about it?"
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He had a smile on his face and asked teasingly, "A monarch's promise is as heavy as a mountain. Your Majesty won't regret it, will you?"
Qin Lou came back to his senses and said to Ming Chen, "I always keep my word."
Now, Qin Lou no longer wanted to haggle over that half a province.
The person before him, the things he said, seemed more important than that half a province of land.
Ӗ ṅ ùmа . іď
"Why did you tell me?"
He believed that if this canal was built, it could turn that saline-alkali land into tens of thousands of acres of fertile fields, thus promoting a qualitative leap in Northern Lie's national strength.
If this matter had been proposed by a minister of Northern Lie, he would have been very happy.
But it was proposed by an envoy from an enemy country. This person was also cunning and fiendish, not someone easy to get along with.
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They were enemies.
It was absolutely impossible for him to propose such a plan that would aid the enemy. It would bring him no benefit.
Е n̊um̊ a . і̀d̄
Qin Lou did not believe the other party would be so kind.
In the court hall that day, he had not let anyone gain any advantage.
How could he possibly think for Northern Lie in every way? He should be happier the more rotten Northern Lie became.
Ming Chen smiled, "Your Majesty, didn't we agree? This foreign subject proposes this plan in exchange for that half a province of land, right?"
Qin Lou shook his head.
He did not believe that was the other party's only thought.
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Ming Chen had no intention of hiding anything, just prompting the other party, "Your Majesty, this is no small matter. This canal will be at least three to four hundred li long. Do you know how much manpower and resources this will consume?"
"The Lie River is the mother river of Northern Lie. The Lin and Xu rivers are the mother's left arm and left leg, respectively. Will those old traditional factions in Northern Lie allow you to touch this river of ancestral spirits?"
Ming Chen was only giving ideas, not handing over a finished product.
A project that would take ten years was not that simple.
These problems were obvious and didn't need to be hidden. Even without Ming Chen's prompting, Qin Lou would have thought of them himself after a few more glances. He was just dizzy with excitement right now.
This was the "Strategy of Exhausting the State" from another civilization's brilliant history, called the stupidest strategy by many. But now, it was being used by Ming Chen.
E ṅ u.m̌ā
The strategies were all the same, but people were alive.
Change the location, change the conditions, and perhaps it would no longer be the stupidest.
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Ming Chen's words were like a basin of cold water poured over his head. Qin Lou was shocked, and his head, which had been rushing with hot blood, gradually regained its rationality.
He frowned, his mind pondering. Finally, he fixed his gaze on the young man before him.
This monster, he knew the other party's purpose.
(End of Chapter)
Е̄ ǹu.m̊ä
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