stonecrandall Chapter 818 Xiao He’s admiration shows that Gao Yao has not forgotten his original intention!
Chapter 818 Xiao He’s admiration shows that Gao Yao has not forgotten his original intention!
Gao Yao spoke with a sharp gaze, "What's even more terrible is that in order to quickly calm people's hearts and demonstrate our benevolence, we still need to spend a huge amount of grain to provide relief to refugees, comfort the people, and reduce taxes! I, Gao Yao, can certainly provide this grain, but it is by no means inexhaustible! This is not simple charity, but a heavy burden! Every grain we give is like making wedding clothes for others - nourishing the people of this land who have not yet truly returned, but consolidating the entrenched foundations of those old forces!"
He walked back to the map, his finger tracing the long border. "The larger the territory, the more troops are needed to garrison it! Every newly captured city, every newly acquired pass, will require troops to guard it to prevent possible rebellion or foreign invasion. Look!" He poked the map vigorously with his finger. "Now, our Southern Border Army appears to be strong and powerful, with banners covering the sky. The territory it controls is vast and boundless, far exceeding the southern border of the old Qin Dynasty. But this 'strength' is only superficial! The troops are spread out like a pancake, and the depth is stretched to the limit! Once..." Gao Yao's tone became extremely serious, "If we lose in any key battlefield and let the enemy tear a hole in it, do you know the consequences?"
"That's like a thousand-mile dam crumbling at the slightest drop! The newly annexed lands are already plagued by unrest and under-defense. If one area collapses, panic will spread like a plague! Those who sit on the fence will immediately switch sides, and those who were previously on the sidelines will take advantage of the situation to loot! The defeat will be devastating, with entire cities surrendering. This is no exaggeration! The foundation we've worked so hard to build could crumble overnight!"
The study was completely silent, with only Gao Yao's deep yet powerful voice echoing. "So, stop! You must stop! This isn't cowardice, but for survival, for true possession!" He concluded decisively, "We desperately need a precious respite! Halt our expansion and redirect our energy from endless conquests to internal consolidation and construction!"
Gao Yao's eyes grew firm and filled with a calculated gleam. "We must reorganize the army, eliminating the weak and retaining the strong, restoring the weary army's edge. We must identify, select, and train truly loyal and reliable officials, replacing those who waver and double-cross, and deeply root the new policies in every inch of land. We must sort out local government affairs, measure the land, and establish reasonable taxes to restore people's livelihoods and let the people feel the tangible benefits of the new policies, rather than just post-war handouts! We must truly digest and absorb the eight newly acquired counties, transforming them into a solid source of strength for us!"
"Therefore," Gao Yao's voice was filled with unquestionable determination, "strategic contraction and consolidating the foundation are the only options at this moment, and they are also the necessary choices! Otherwise, we will not be able to consolidate this hard-won victory, let alone support the greater vision of the future! Pass the order, all units cease offensive posture and switch to full defense. We must hold the existing borders! Xiao He, you will take the lead in coordinating internal affairs immediately. We must come up with a practical and feasible governance strategy as soon as possible!"
This order marked the shift of Gaoyao's power from a swift and violent expansion to a steady and steady internal development. This temporary pause was for the sake of a more stable and far-reaching future.
"Yes! Your Majesty, please rest assured!" Xiao He bowed deeply, his voice steady and powerful, without the slightest hesitation or even a hint of evasion. "Your Majesty, I, Xiao He, will do my utmost to live up to your trust!"
He stood up, his gaze fixed firmly on Gao Yao on the throne. He hadn't accepted this assignment simply because it was easy. Quite the opposite: it was one of the most complex and arduous challenges he had ever faced in his career! Its complexity was far greater than even managing food and fodder for a vast army.
The eight newly incorporated counties encompassed a vast territory, each with its own distinct situations. From appointing county governors, reorganizing county troops, and redefining taxes and levies, to inspecting officials in each city and pond, understanding the people's livelihoods, and overcoming obstacles to implementing new policies... Xiao He was responsible for sorting out, coordinating, and making decisions on every detail. He needed to untangle the mountains of paperwork, strike a balance among the complex intertwined interests of various parties, and navigate countless conflicting forces, both overt and covert.
This not only requires extraordinary administrative skills, but also unimaginable effort and energy. It requires him to be like the most sophisticated loom, re-combing and weaving countless scattered silk threads into a stable net.
Xiao He had no desire to complain, but instead was filled with a feeling of admiration that bordered on comfort. This heavy sense of responsibility stemmed precisely from Gao Yao's penetrating and to-the-point analysis.
Gao Yao, he not only saw the vastness of the territory, but also clearly saw the fragile foundation hidden beneath this vastness; he not only saw the fatigue of the army, but also keenly perceived the key to the public's support; he not only knew that food was sufficient, but also clearly understood the cost of excessive allocation and the risks of uncontrolled governance! He accurately "pinpointed" every pain point and every hidden danger exposed by the rapid expansion of the southern border army. His deep insight and far-sightedness shocked even Xiao He, a capable official who prided himself on being proficient in practical matters.
Ever since Gao Yao led his army northward, his territorial expansion expanding with unstoppable force, Xiao He had harbored a lingering worry. It's human nature to be complacent after victory! This is an eternal truth. How many people have lost themselves in the face of such tremendous victory? Especially now that Gao Yao has ascended to the throne of king, with his civil and military officials constantly urging him to become emperor! The pinnacle of power often brings a decline in mentality.
Xiao He had seen too many heroes: some worked hard to govern the country at first, but indulged in pleasure after achieving a little success; some just pursued bigness and speed, were carried away by victory, ignored the actual limit of their ability, and eventually led to the collapse of their foundation; some were surrounded by flattery, gradually could not listen to the honest advice, and became stubborn and self-righteous... He was worried that Gao Yao would also gradually develop arrogance in the supreme glory and the sweetness of power?
Would he become inflated by his vast empire, neglecting the emptiness of the land beneath his feet? Would he become obsessed with the majesty and comfort of royal power, beginning to pursue beautiful palaces, rare treasures, and sensual pleasures, thereby eroding his enterprising spirit and relaxing his vigilance against danger?
But Gao Yao's words today completely dispelled Xiao He's concerns!
The king before him, though clad in imperial robes and bearing a majestic demeanor long since lost, remained calm, pragmatic, and vigilant. He had not been carried away by successive victories, lost his way in the vortex of power, nor, because of his noble status, succumbed to the hedonistic quagmire of "the land of comfort." He maintained the cautious awareness of an entrepreneur, maintaining a precise grasp of the situation.