dognovel Chapter 567 Mi Fang, rotten to the core
Chapter 567 Mi Fang, rotten to the core
Most officials in the Central Plains share a common trait: they are experts at internal conflicts but incompetent at external ones. When it comes to harming their own people, they are both cunning and patient, displaying remarkable professionalism.
However, this method is equally effective if the target is changed to an outsider.
Mi Fang was that kind of person; with a few simple tricks, he managed to leave Guan Yu, the Chinese war god, speechless and helpless.
Although the target of their schemes has now changed to Lin Yi, Mi Fang's methods of swindling people have not diminished. On the contrary, she has rolled up her sleeves and is ready to continue her efforts to expand and strengthen her business.
Therefore, after seeing King Qu Lian off, he summoned Fu Shiren to report on the conversation he had just had with Qu Lian, and then said, "To catch a big fish, you need to use heavy bait. What I told Qu Lian earlier about exchanging farm tools for grain seeds was actually bait. With this bait, our people can wander around and survey the terrain, river course, mineral distribution and other information of Lin Yi."
The so-called bait was just a pretext for them to explore the terrain of Linyi, but this pretext was very important. It really wouldn't work without it. If they went to explore directly without a pretext, what would Qu Lian think? What were you Han envoys trying to do by wandering around my house so soon after you arrived?
Having a pretext makes all the difference; at least if the district leader asks, you can use it as an excuse. As for whether the district leader will believe it or not, does it matter?
Before setting sail, Guan Xing had a special conversation with him, clearly telling him that what the Great Han wanted this time was not to control the countries in the South China Sea. It could not be like before, where local indigenous leaders would simply accept a Great Han official title to show their submission and then send some tribute to the Great Han during festivals. Instead, it was to completely occupy the country and make the local indigenous people identify with the Great Han in all aspects, including politics, economy, and culture, so that they could be completely integrated into the Great Han and become an inseparable part of the Great Han.
To achieve this, the first issue to address is the productivity problem of the small countries in the South China Sea. These countries are too backward; they have vast tracts of fertile land but do not know how to cultivate it, resulting in their own people having nothing to eat, which is unacceptable.
However, sending troops or relocating people to cultivate the land would be too costly. Jiangnan has just been unified, and Liu Bei does not currently have the strength, or more precisely, the capital to squander.
Therefore, it is necessary to utilize the local natives, stimulate their enthusiasm, and encourage them to actively cultivate land and grow grain, so that when the Han army arrives, there will be enough food reserves to feed the enemy.
As for how to stimulate this enthusiasm, whether through incentives or threats, it's not important.
Secondly, we need to persuade the countries in the South China Sea to build roads and bridges. The Ten Thousand Mountains are too difficult to traverse, and it is too much trouble for the army to come over. If we want to pass smoothly, we must build roads. However, sending Han troops to build roads would be too costly. It would be easier to persuade the local natives to build roads.
This was Guan Xing's idea: to let the local natives make their own ropes to strangle themselves. It has to be said that this was truly a bit unethical.
As for whether doing so would create a powerful enemy for the Han Dynasty, there is absolutely no need to worry. The Han Dynasty has been established for four hundred years, and apart from the Xiongnu Empire of that time, none of its neighbors can defeat it. As long as the roads are repaired and the Han army can come over, the Han army is guaranteed to be invincible.
In response to Guan Xing's request, Mi Fang had already formed a general plan on the way here. After talking with Qu Lian, the plan became even clearer. She patted Fu Shiren on the shoulder and said, "Later, Qu Lian and I will go to the royal city. You will continue to stay at the seaside to guard the warships. Also, send people to survey the surrounding terrain. In addition to recording details such as topography and hydrology, find a few suitable locations to build a port and mark them. When the time is right, we will build a port. We can't always come ashore in small boats, right?"
Fu Shiren nodded and said, "Don't worry, I've been to school for a few years, so I can handle this little thing."
The two talked for another half an hour. Mi Fang went out and called Qu Lian, who led a thousand personal guards and pulled thousands of sets of various farm tools to follow Qu Lian toward the capital.
On the way, Mi Fang kept talking with Qu Lian and learned a lot about the situation in Linyi and Funan from him. She also learned that Linyi and Funan were at war.
Linyi and Funan are neighbors, and it is impossible for neighbors not to have friction. In the third year of Chuping, after Qu Lian killed the county magistrate and openly raised the banner of rebellion, Funan launched an attack under the pretext of quelling the rebellion for the Han Dynasty, intending to gain benefits.
This infuriated the district so much that his nose was crooked. He thought, "I'm rebelling against the Han, what does it have to do with you, Fu Nan? It's your place to meddle in other people's business."
Lin Yi, the founding emperor, was no coward. He immediately led his army to counterattack when faced with Funan's attack. He fought several battles with Funan, losing more than he won. This was not because Qu Lian was incompetent, but because Lin Yi's national strength was inferior to Funan's.
Upon learning that Lin Yi and Funan had started fighting, Mi Fang was immediately delighted. He patted Qu Lian on the shoulder and laughed, "This is easy. Just do what I told you to do, and I'll leave you a batch of weapons when I leave. I guarantee we'll make Funan cry for their parents."
This is a good thing, a great thing! If Qu Lianruo defeats Funan with the weapons of the Han Dynasty, would you be convinced if you were the King of Funan?
Since you're not satisfied, you should definitely find out where the weapon came from, get the same weapon, and then fight back, right?
Where did the same weapons come from? They could only be from the Han Chinese.
If Funan wants to defeat Linyi, it can only purchase weapons from the Han Dynasty. However, Funan has no coastline, so the purchased weapons can only be transported by land. Since they have to be transported by land, should we build roads?
Once the road to the Han Dynasty is completed, caravans can come over, so can armies also come over?
Returning to Lin Yi's perspective, what will Lin Yi do after being defeated by Funan using resources obtained from the Han Dynasty? Will he surrender to Funan or seek help from the Han Dynasty?
If we ask the Han for help, could the Han build a series of facilities here, such as steel mills, shipyards, and ports, thereby quickly opening up the road to Linyi and deepening their control over Linyi?
The greatest driving force of social development is not greed but fear. War is an amplifier of fear. In order to avoid being defeated by the other side and dying a humiliating death as a prisoner, both sides will definitely use all their resources to squeeze out all their war potential.
This is the fundamental reason why various industries, such as military, communications, and medical care, were able to develop rapidly during World War II.
Mi Fang, a shrewd merchant by trade, understood this principle very well. Therefore, as soon as he learned of the war between Linyi and Funan, a plan automatically popped into his mind to escalate the war between the two countries, force them to rely on the Han Dynasty, and then reclaim wasteland and build roads according to the Han Dynasty's requirements.
Upon hearing that Mi Fang had provided him with weapons, Qu Lian, who was overwhelmed by the Funan army, not only failed to realize the trap but also looked at the weapons hanging on the waists of the Han soldiers with great joy and said, "That's wonderful! If the angel can really help me defeat Funan, I will definitely go to Jiangling to pay homage to His Majesty and be loyal to the Han Dynasty for generations to come without ever rebelling."
Mi Fang laughed and said, "We're all family, why be so polite? Let's get the grain seeds I need first."
After following Qu Lian for two days, we finally arrived at the capital. When we looked up, Mi Fang looked at us with disgust.
This dilapidated royal city is not even as good as Linxiang, the capital of Changsha Prefecture, let alone Jiangling. It is utterly ruined.
Qu Lian noticed the disdain in Mi Fang's eyes and awkwardly extended his hand with a forced smile, saying, "Please..."
The first thing to do upon entering the city, obviously, is to properly entertain the esteemed angel.
Upon entering the palace area, he immediately threw a grand banquet and ordered all the officials in the city to come and accompany him.
Mi Fang entered the hall and sat directly in the main seat that belonged to Qu Lian. Qu Lian and his ministers did not dare to utter a sound and all accompanied him cautiously.
Despite this, Mi Fang was still dissatisfied. Looking at the dancers posing seductively in the hall, she said with a face full of disdain, "Where did you find all these ugly girls? Not one of them is pleasing to the eye. But when I came in just now, I saw a girl from afar who was quite a sight to behold. Is she one of your concubines?"
Qu Lian's expression changed slightly, and he quickly said, "No, she's Xiao Wang's daughter, but she's already married."
Mi Fang was even more amused upon hearing this, and said with a mischievous grin, "Wouldn't it be better if you got married? How about we come over for a chat?"