in2ebook Chapter 234: Living People as Military Rations
Chapter 234: Living People as Military Rations
Liu Rusi didn't know what expression to make for a moment...
She immediately understood why Sun Zhizhao couldn't help but scold the Oirat Khan for eating living people as military rations... It was hard not to scold...
“…Using people as military rations, isn’t this something that has only happened in the past? Your deputy general even said that he heard it from his father.” Liu Rusi found it a little unbelievable.
"For Daxia, it is indeed a thing of the past."
Chu Shiyu explained: "The northern grassland countries often suffer from food shortages and shortages of supplies, so the border of Daxia is constantly harassed all year round."
"But Daxia is a powerful country. Since its founding, we have fought several large-scale battles with the grasslands. We have always won and they have fled. They have no chance to use Daxia people as military rations."
"Although it is difficult to prevent harassment from small groups of people, and there are always villages and civilians killed, the bandits are afraid of being surrounded by the Great Xia Army. They want to escape quickly after robbing something and cannot carry a lot of things. As for my Great Xia family, we have some food stored, so the bandits will naturally not bring corpses to increase the burden..."
Chu Shiyu paused and added: "If there are other foods, they will not choose human flesh."
Liu Rusi finally understood roughly, and asked with a sigh: "So, Wala is now seriously short of food and grass?"
Chu Shiyu nodded and said, "Yes, Wala's original plan was to break into Daxia Pass, and then we would naturally have our granaries."
"Forehead…"
Liu Rusi was stunned for a long time... and then asked: "Don't the Tatar tribes conquered by the Oirat have any food?"
"The Tatars are also very poor, although they were preparing to fight the Oirat and had collected a batch of food and fodder."
Chu Shiyu turned the topic again: "But now nearly half of them have been intercepted by King Kang, so the Tatar tribes are also stretched to the limit. They have to supply the Tatar main force with all their strength, and the Oirat cannot defeat the Tatars for the time being."
"Forehead…"
Liu Rusi's mind was suddenly in a mess!
Robber A and robber B conspired to rob the rich man C. B planned to rob the robbers but C1 robbed his food. A was also fooled by C3 and turned to fight with B. Now A is on the verge of starvation because he didn't get C3's food. He planned to eat robber B alive, and then C3's family jumped out and accused him of cannibalism...
What a confusing mess!
"Can I ask a question... Why don't the Oirat and Tatar shake hands and make peace... and turn around and fight us together?"
Liu Rusi was a little puzzled. It was obvious that there would be no benefit in fighting against the Oirat and Tatars like this.
Chu Shiyu further explained: "There are two main reasons. First, it is difficult for them to enter Daxia alone. The Tatars have already betrayed them once, and it is difficult for the Oirat to trust the Tatars again. No one dares to withdraw their troops and let the hinterland be lost."
"Secondly, I sent Sun Zhizhao to bring the envoy over to give the Khan of Wala a reason not to turn back. I asked the envoy to state the competitive relationship between me and the King Kang on the other side, and to propose a deal."
"What deal?" Liu Rusi was confused again.
"I can lend 100,000 soldiers to Wala, and bring my own food and fodder to help them fight the Tatars. For every piece of land they conquer, Daxia will have to give up an equal area outside the northwest pass and assign it to Daxia in my name."
This was beyond Liu Rusi's understanding. She asked one question after another: "Why did Wala agree to this deal?"
"The grassland they are fighting for is very important and fertile, but it is thousands of miles away from Daxia. Daxia is not a nomadic tribe, so it would be useless to occupy it."
"So the Khan of the Oirat Mongols believed that I lent him troops just to gain the northwest region so that he could achieve amazing feats and surpass King Kang."
There were only two of them in the big tent, and Chu Shiyu couldn't help showing a somewhat sarcastic smile...
"The Khan of the Oirat Mongols probably thinks that he can go back on his deal with me once the war with the Tatars is over. After all, there aren't many cities outside the Great Wall that can be defended, and it would be easy for them to sneak attack and take back such a large area."
Liu Rusi couldn't think of Chu Shiyu's specific plan, but she knew very well that Chu Shiyu was not a good businessman who would trade fairly...
"Then...it shouldn't be difficult to get back Sun Zhizhao, right? After all, he's openly a friendly force now..." Liu Rusi temporarily returned to the main issue.
"Of course it's not difficult. The Oirat sent a letter just to negotiate, otherwise they would have killed Sun Zhizhao on the spot. Now we can use Sun Zhizhao as an excuse to get the Daxia army to give them some food and grass."
Liu Rusi frowned and asked, "Even?"
"Or rather, charity." Chu Shiyu said disdainfully.
"If Wala wants to exchange or buy, they can just ask directly. This gesture wants me to see their difficulties and take the initiative to help them solve their urgent problems."
"Why do Wala think that you will give it to them when they are so arrogant?" Liu Rusi didn't think Wala would regard Sun Zhizhao as an important person...
"Because King Kang on the opposite side has already made preparations to force the Tatars to surrender. If this succeeds, it will be a great achievement that will be remembered for generations to come." Chu Shiyu said calmly.
Liu Rusi was surprised and asked softly, "Prince Kang is making such rapid progress?"
"It's just a gimmick at the moment. The Tatars are brave and good at fighting, and rarely surrender. Moreover, they still have some strength to spare. If they are really defeated, the Tatars can retreat to Siberia in the north, or to the Jurchen tribes in the east."
A hint of malice appeared on his handsome face. "Rather than surrendering to Daxia, the Tatars would rather negotiate with the Oirat to stop the war. They have sent envoys to the Oirat to discuss the matter more than a dozen times. Now it is the Oirat that does not want to stop the war."
"After all, Wala has the upper hand now, and they have 100,000 'free' soldiers to help them fight. How can they be willing to give in without sufficient benefits?" Liu Rusi said, and suddenly, it dawned on him!
"So... it was you and Prince Kang who were behind the scenes, preventing the Oirat and Tatar from stopping the war?!"
Rui Feng narrowed his eyes slightly and said coldly: "If Wala uses Tatars as military rations on a large scale, it will be even more difficult for them to reconcile in this war."
Feeling inexplicably frightened, Liu Rusi murmured, "So Sun Zhizhao jumped out to scold you and disrupted your plan..."
Suddenly, Liu Rusi understood...
Why did the emperor cruelly cut off the flesh and blood of the princes, why was Chu Shiyu so favored...
It is precisely because Chu Shiyu has a cold heart and a weak sense of morality that ethics and right and wrong will not affect his understanding and judgment of worldly affairs. He is a cold decision-maker. In comparison, King Kang seems to have a little more human touch...
At their level, morality and ethics are all powerless bubbles...
Only life and death are real...
"But Sun Zhizhao is now the envoy of Daxia, and I can't just let the Oirat do whatever they want. I have to respond..."
Chu Shiyu could not help but curse out loud: "I said Sun Zhizhao was a blockhead! He actually jumped out and let Wala catch him!"
Liu Rusi didn't know how to comment for a moment. Sun Zhizhao was just an ordinary person with normal moral values. How many people could take it for granted when seeing people eating each other?
"What countermeasures do you have now?" Liu Rusi asked softly.
"First, give them a batch of grain according to Wala's expectations." Chu Shiyu looked indifferent.
"But you won't give it." Liu Rusi said affirmatively.
"Hmm." Chu Shiyu sneered: "Why should Daxia give its grain to foreign tribes for free?"
Indeed, the grain collected from the taxes of Daxia's thousands of farmers was used to feed Daxia and strengthen the country's army. Liu Rusi asked softly, "Are there any other countermeasures?"
Chu Shiyu's expression became much heavier... He said slowly: "Give orders to other messengers to kill Sun Zhizhao."