stonecrandall Chapter 1117 Cabinet Meeting: How to Win Over the Next Year!
Chapter 1117 Cabinet Meeting: How to Win Over the Next Year!
The Five Frontier Armies—this is the fist of the Qing Kingdom's external conquests. Their total strength is no less than 600,000, all truly elite troops who have served on the frontier year-round and been tempered by blood and fire. Even more terrifying is that over 70% of these soldiers are martial artists. Although most are only at the entry-level of the first or second rank, the ability to mobilize true qi versus the inability to do so makes a world of difference on the battlefield.
According to intelligence, the officers holding official military ranks in the five border armies are generally at least fourth-rank. Those generals commanding over ten thousand men have even reached the sixth or seventh rank. This means that the Qing Kingdom's middle and high-level command system is itself a group of highly skilled individuals.
The Seven Route Provincial Armies—local troops responsible for the defense and security of various prefectures and counties, with a total strength of nearly 700,000. Although their combat effectiveness may not be as good as the Five Route Border Armies, these troops are widely distributed and familiar with the local terrain. Once war breaks out, they can quickly control key routes, maintain stability in the rear, and provide solid support for the main force at the front.
This doesn't even include the most crucial forces in Emperor Qing's hands.
The Imperial Guards of Kyoto numbered 80,000, stationed permanently around the capital. They were well-equipped and highly trained. They were the cornerstone of Emperor Qing's absolute control over the capital.
The Black Riders are the elite force under Chen Pingping, the head of the Overwatch Council. Numbering only a little over a thousand, each Black Rider is a killing machine selected from mountains of corpses and seas of blood. Intelligence indicates that this cavalry unit once routed an army of eight thousand on the Northern Qi border with only three hundred men, suffering less than one-tenth of their own casualties. Gao Yao estimates that even his most elite Black-Armored Cavalry, in equal numbers, might not be a match for the Black Riders.
The Red Cavalry, Emperor Qing's private army, numbers in the tens of thousands and is roughly equal in strength to the Black Cavalry. If these two cavalry forces were to launch a combined attack, even a single charge from twenty or thirty thousand ordinary troops would likely be too much for them.
At this moment, Fan Xian has just arrived in the capital. This means that the special force known as the "Tiger Guard" has not yet been formally established, but Emperor Qing has at least fifty experts of the eighth rank or above who can be mobilized at any time. Eighth-rank martial artists are all killing machines on the battlefield, capable of taking on a hundred enemies at once and moving freely.
This is something that Gao Yao cannot compare to now, nor can Huaxia, which he has managed for decades, easily contend with.
Gao Yao walked to another map on the north side of the secret room—this was a map showing the troop deployment of the Chinese.
After decades of development, China is indeed powerful today. The four major army groups, plus the Imperial Guard and local troops, total strength exceeds one million. Looking at the numbers alone, it seems not much different from the 1.3 million-strong army of the Qing Kingdom.
But Gao Yao knew clearly that the accounts couldn't be calculated that way.
The Qing Kingdom's army has an extremely high proportion of martial artists. Even those of lower rank are still martial artists capable of manipulating true qi. In terms of individual combat strength, one first-rank martial artist is at least equivalent to three to five well-trained ordinary soldiers. On large-scale battlefields, this gap in individual combat strength will be magnified many times over.
Not to mention that the Qing Kingdom also possesses special forces such as the Black Riders and Red Riders, as well as dozens of experts of the eighth rank or above who can be mobilized at any time. These high-end combat forces are enough to change the balance of power on local battlefields at critical moments.
“If we directly launch an invasion…” Gao Yao slowly shook his head, “we will likely end up losing both our wife and our army.”
He was never an impulsive person. When the balance of power was not in his favor, wisdom and patience were his best weapons.
A few days later, in the Bright Palace, the atmosphere in the central hall of the Inner Cabinet was solemn. Bronze lamps illuminated the entire hall, and Gao Yao, dressed in a black robe with dragon patterns, sat upright on a rosewood dragon-carved chair. His gaze swept over the brilliant minds gathered below, people who had transcended time and space, and an indescribable sense of pride welled up in his heart.
"Gentlemen," Gao Yao's voice echoed in the hall, "I have summoned you here today to discuss a major matter concerning the foundation of our Chinese nation for the next hundred years."
Before convening this cabinet meeting, Gao Yao had already handed over information and data about the special world to everyone present. This world no longer poses any real threat to China, as none of them are a match for the Chinese army. Continuing to expand outwards is no longer meaningful; the more important objective has shifted from expansion to development.
Xiao He stroked his long beard, his eyes gleaming with wisdom: "Is Your Majesty referring to that newly discovered world of the younger generation?"
Zhuge Liang gently waved his feather fan, his brows furrowing slightly: "According to reports from our scouts, martial arts are flourishing in that world, and various nations coexist, making it vastly different from the world we inhabit. A hasty attack would likely not be the best course of action."
“What Mr. Kongming said is very true,” Di Renjie continued, his expression serious. “The two worlds are vastly different in terms of culture, system, and martial arts. If we were to fight each other directly, even if we could win, it would be a Pyrrhic victory, which would be detrimental to the long-term development of China.”
Gao Yao nodded slightly: "This is precisely the key point I want to discuss with you all today. Direct warfare is indeed unwise. However, the martial arts manuals in this world are crucial for the health, longevity, and even national strength of our Chinese people. Do any of you have any good strategies?"
The hall fell silent for a moment, with only the crackling of the candlelight.
Xiao He slowly rose and walked towards the huge map hanging on the palace wall. Half of the map depicted the vast territory of the Qin Dynasty, while the other half was a rough sketch of the world under heaven based on reports from spies.
"Your Majesty, fellow colleagues," Xiao He's voice was steady and powerful, "After analyzing the situation for several months, I believe there are several key points in the current situation that need to be clarified first."
He pointed to the southern part of the map: "This world is divided into three major powers: Southern Qing, Northern Qi, and Eastern Yi City, with many small countries as vassals. According to intelligence, the tripartite balance of power has been maintained for decades. On the surface, it is peaceful, but in reality, undercurrents are surging."
Cao Can nodded and added, “What Prime Minister Xiao said is absolutely right. The Southern Qing Kingdom is rich and powerful, and it is a country based on commerce; the Northern Qi Kingdom is known for its martial spirit and has many masters; although the Eastern Yi City is small, it is located on a major transportation route and has a developed commerce. All three kingdoms have their eyes on it.”
“More importantly,” Xiao He continued, “the monetary systems of these three kingdoms are similar to those of China, all using gold and silver as currency. This provides us with an excellent entry point.”
Zhang Juzheng's eyes gleamed: "Prime Minister Xiao means... economic infiltration?"
"Exactly!" Xiao He clapped his hands and said, "Our China has unified the world, and although its territory is vast, its population is only over 60 million. We have not yet developed and utilized 30% of our existing resources. Rather than continuing to expand and increase the burden of governance, it would be better to use economic means to penetrate other worlds and make our move gradually."
Zhuge Liang gently waved his feather fan, seemingly lost in thought: "Prime Minister Xiao's plan is brilliant. Using merchants as spears and profits as blades, we can subdue the enemy without fighting. But how exactly should we implement it?"
Zhuge Liang rose and slowly walked to the map. He took out a scroll of silk from his sleeve and slowly unfolded it on the table.
"I have three strategies, which I would like to explain in detail to Your Majesty and the gentlemen."