Chapter 463 Three Problems
In the hall, everyone was watching intently, not daring to say a word! Those who knew the inside story naturally knew that this was a play to teach a son. Those who didn't know the inside story, like Tanchun, were already dumbfounded. This was completely different from the majestic and domineering queen ...
"I dare not, absolutely not! After I finish this battle, I will stay in the capital all day long. Even if the sky falls, even if Your Majesty forces me with a knife, I will never lead an army again."
Seeing her son surrender, the queen let go of Jia Cong's ear with satisfaction and clapped her hands proudly.
In reality, the Queen worried more about Jia Cong than anyone else. However, she didn't want to upset her son by crying! Furthermore, with the battle imminent, her crying wasn't a good sign. But she was deeply upset with the father and son, so she ignored her status and gave her son a lesson.
She glared at her son again, then stepped forward, grabbed Tanchun, and said, "Are you the third girl of the Jia family, Yuanchun's sister, Jia Tanchun? We met before when I visited your house."
Tanchun, who had been in a daze, came to her senses and quickly bowed and said, "Jia Tanchun, the concubine of the second branch of the Rongguo Mansion, pays her respects to the Empress."
"Get up!" The Queen looked Tanchun up and down and nodded with satisfaction. Although there were many useless people in the Jia family, the daughters were all excellent in both appearance and talent. Her son was born in a country of daughters.
Seeing the queen glaring at him again, Jia Cong touched his nose in confusion.
"Alright, I'm here to talk to the sisters, and I don't need you to accompany me. Go to Daming Palace and tell them that the Emperor wants to see you."
Jia Cong breathed a sigh of relief. Facing the retired emperor was much better than facing the queen. At least it wouldn't be so embarrassing.
When they arrived at the Daming Palace, they saw the retired emperor staring at a huge geological survey map in a trance. Taking two steps forward, Jia Cong looked over and saw that the geological survey map was of the southwestern provinces.
"You're here, come and take a look with me!"
Jia Cong stepped forward and stood beside the retired emperor, who spoke, "Although the tribes of Southern Xinjiang are nominally part of our Daqian territory, they have always been independent, and the imperial court has no jurisdiction over them. When Taizu and Taizong founded the country, there was instability both domestically and internationally, so they could only temporarily stabilize the southwest!"
"Whether it's the Southern Border Barbarians or the Nan'an County Prince's Mansion, they are actually just relics of the past!"
"When I inherited the throne, I planned to completely resolve the hidden dangers in the southwest, but it happened just as the northern grassland tribes were moving south!"
"I personally led the army and crippled the northern barbarians, but I also emptied our Daqian clan's treasury! Therefore, even if I wanted to send troops to the southwest, I couldn't. Moreover, although the internal situation was stable at the time, many signs of trouble had already emerged."
"Taizu and Taizong founded their empires in Jiangnan, where many aristocratic families lived. After the founding of the Daqian Empire, in order to stabilize the government, Taizu and Taizong had no choice but to make use of the Jiangnan gentry. After several decades of development, those aristocratic families in Jiangnan had even reached the point where they could influence government."
"Ninety percent of the candidates for the imperial examinations are from Jiangnan. If this continues, will the Daqian Empire belong to our family or to the Jiangnan clan?"
Jia Cong, who was standing by, was complaining in his heart, "Don't use 'our our'. This word is not allowed here. If I really admit this 'our', will you chop me off right away?"
"So, I've made up my mind to move the capital. It's not that I'm arrogant. When I swept through the northern border, my prestige wasn't as great as Taizu and Taizong's, but few dared to question it. If this problem isn't completely resolved, the next emperor will surely become a puppet of these powerful clans. By comparison, the hidden dangers in the southwest, while significant, are of different priorities."
"Next, I planned for many years, killing countless people and shedding blood, before finally moving the capital from Jinling in the south of the Yangtze River to the current Shenjing. However, I am old now, and the affairs of the southwest can only be left to your emperor."
"And now that things have changed in the southwest, the responsibility has fallen on you again!"
"Heroes are made by the times. I understand the dangers of the southwest better than anyone else. However, this opportunity only comes once. If you miss it, it will never come again. Establishing the southwest is almost as great as founding a nation, and not everyone is qualified to do so. That's why I decided to let you go."
"If this battle goes well, it will be your chance. If it doesn't, at worst I will personally lead the army again to let the barbarians in southern Xinjiang know that my Great Qian is not without its men. The fact that they have survived until now is not because my Great Qian lacks the strength to deal with them, but because of luck!"
Jia Cong nodded vigorously. No matter whether the retired emperor was bewitching or sincere, at least he was deeply moved by his words. No wonder there were loyal ministers in every dynasty who died for the royal family. The emperor's grace was so great that it could not be repaid, and the only way to repay it was with death!
"I will definitely live up to the trust placed in me by the Emperor and His Majesty!"
The Emperor pulled Jia Cong to sit down, and then asked him, " What are your plans for sending troops to the southwest this time?"
Jia Cong pondered for a moment, then said, "I believe there are three difficulties in sending troops to the southwest this time!"
"First, the terrain in Shu is complex and the roads are difficult to travel! In comparison, the tribes in southern Xinjiang are more familiar with the local topography and terrain. We are at a disadvantage in terms of terrain !"
"Secondly, although the Southern Xinjiang tribes refer to the area south of the Dadu River, in reality, the entire Shu area is mostly a collection of various tribes. For example, the Qiang people in Wenshan have deep roots with the Southern Xinjiang tribes. When our Daqian troops go to war with Southern Xinjiang, will these tribes defect? This is a question."
"Thirdly, the southern border tribes are adjacent to the Dali Kingdom. Although the Dali Kingdom is much smaller than our Daqian, it also has its sights set on the north. If the war gets serious, the Dali Kingdom might send troops to take advantage of the situation."
The Emperor laughed heartily. "According to what you said, we have no chance of winning, right?"
Jia Cong suddenly smiled and said, "Your Majesty, although this battle presents three difficulties, I have five strategies in mind. I will definitely achieve the great feat of conquering the southwest! No one can take it away from me!"
…
In Fengzao Palace, Tanchun was stunned. She didn't know how long she had sat there in such a daze. Only the words the Empress had said to her echoed in her mind, "That little monkey is my son who has been lost for sixteen years. He is His Majesty's only legitimate son and the grandson of the retired Emperor!"
Yuanchun, who was standing by, looked at her sister's stunned look and felt both amused and helpless. However, this was not surprising. When she knew about this matter before, her reaction was almost exactly the same as Tanchun's.
