lovenovelstory Chapter 81 Japan Strategy
Chapter 81 Japan Strategy
Cao Cao's army approached the city, and the situation unfolded unexpectedly smoothly.
On the advice of his strategist Jia Xu, Zhang Xiu surrendered the city without resistance.
Cao Cao entered Wancheng without bloodshed, feeling triumphant.
That night, Cao Cao held a banquet at Zhang Xiu's former residence to celebrate the easy capture of the important town of Nanyang.
In the midst of the revelry, the pressure accumulated from days of battle and the sense of relaxation after entering the enemy city, coupled with a lingering worry about Cheng Yu's whereabouts, made Cao Cao feel both smug and inexplicably irritable.
Slightly drunk, he looked around and casually uttered that famous line:
"Is there any beautiful woman in this newly annexed city to entertain us?"
Upon hearing this, the room fell silent.
All the generals knew that their lord had this fondness.
Dian Wei, the loyal Tiger Guard commander standing behind him, answered honestly when his lord asked the question:
"My lord, I have heard that there is a place in Wancheng called 'Tingtao Pavilion'. The women in the pavilion are quite beautiful and skilled in music, chess, calligraphy and painting."
He paused, then added:
"Furthermore... General Zhang Xiu has a widowed aunt, Madam Zou, who is said to be quite charming."
Cao Cao's eyes lit up with a drunken glint, and he stroked his beard and laughed:
"Oh? 'Listening to the Waves Pavilion'? That's an elegant name. As for Aunt Zhang Xiu... let's leave that aside for now."
Zhang Xiu's aunt was a good person, and also a widow.
However, she is Zhang Xiu's aunt after all, and if she were to be taken by force, it would likely incur Zhang Xiu's displeasure.
Fortunately, there is a Listening to the Waves Pavilion in this city. Let's go and check it out first.
If all else fails, it's not too late to go find the widow.
If Cao Cao thought about it, he would laugh and say:
"Erlai, do you know the details of this 'Listening to the Waves Pavilion'?"
Dian Wei replied, "It seems to be a establishment that has only recently emerged. Its background is unclear, but its rules are very strict, and it is not an ordinary brothel."
"Unknown background?"
A glint of shrewdness flashed in Cao Cao's eyes, but it was quickly masked by the effects of alcohol and his curiosity.
"No problem! Let's go to the 'Listening to the Waves Pavilion' and listen to the sound of the waves today! E'lai, lead the way!"
Thus, Cao Cao, under the protection of Dian Wei and the Tiger Guards, arrived at Tingtao Pavilion.
For several days in a row, Cao Cao lingered here, indulging in the pleasures of the women. He was quite satisfied with the women carefully cultivated by the mysterious master of Tingtao Pavilion, especially their flute playing skills, which were unheard of and indescribably wonderful.
He spent his days lingering there, neglecting Zhang Xiu, whom he had recruited.
During this period, Zhang Xiu requested an audience several times to discuss matters such as defense and military pay, but Cao Cao always brushed him off with the excuse that he was "tired from his journey and needed to rest."
Cao Cao even sneered at his attendants once while drunk:
"Zhang Xiu, that brat, surrendered at the first sign of trouble, like a dog with its tail between its legs. What can he accomplish? Let him wait a few days; how dare he complain?"
These words naturally reached Zhang Xiu's ears without missing a single one.
Zhang Xiu was both ashamed and angry. He was originally a regional warlord, and he already felt humiliated by being forced to surrender. Now he was being treated with such contempt!
What made him even more uneasy was that Cao Cao spent all his time in the "Listening to the Waves Pavilion," which fueled his growing ambition.
The strategist Jia Xu observed the situation with a detached eye and then whispered in Zhang Xiu's ear at the opportune moment:
"General, Cao Cao is arrogant and unprepared, and he looks down on us. Our safety is hanging by a thread. Given his contempt for us, he is not one to be tolerated for long. Once his power base is secure, disaster will not be far off for you..."
Upon hearing this, Zhang Xiu recalled Cao Cao's disdain and felt a mixture of surprise, doubt, hatred, and fear.
He gripped the sword hilt tightly, a murderous glint rising in his eyes.
……
Qingzhou, Linzi, the council hall of the governor's office.
The atmosphere inside the hall was somewhat somber.
Lu Su had just finished reporting the latest treasury revenue and expenditure. After the generous rewards and huge compensation payments for the Battle of Shouchun, Qingzhou's finances once again faced a huge deficit.
Although the profits from salt and iron were substantial, the expansion of the army, the construction of cities, the development of water conservancy projects, and the resettlement of displaced people all required money, so the income was still insufficient to cover the expenses.
Zhen Yao, with a worried expression, stepped forward and reported:
"My lord, although the profits from sea salt are still considerable, after the distribution among various parties, the amount actually entering the treasury is much less than before. If this continues, I fear it will be difficult to support the army's expenses and your grand plans."
His words had a hidden meaning. The Zhen family had invested heavily in the sea salt business, but now the profits had been distributed by Yuan Tan to new nobles like Guo Jia and Xin Pi, so they were naturally resentful.
Originally, the daughter wasn't married off, so the separation was fine.
Now that my daughter is married, why can't I, her father-in-law, get a little benefit? Wouldn't that mean my daughter's marriage was for nothing?
Yuan Tan sat in the main seat, his expression calm, as if he had expected this.
He smiled calmly:
"What my father-in-law is worried about is the issue of increasing revenue. The profits from salt will eventually come to an end, but the benefits of the world are so vast. Why focus only on this sea in front of us? Beyond the East Sea lies a whole new world."
Everyone looked puzzled.
Lu Su asked, "What is the lord referring to...?"
Yuan Tan rose, walked to the huge hanging map of the world, pointed eastward across the vast sea, and pointed to the vaguely outlined contours of a cluster of islands:
"This place, Japan, also called 'Fusang,' may be a barbaric land in their eyes, but in my eyes, it is a fertile land overflowing with gold and silver!"
"What?"
Zhen Yao gasped in disbelief.
He had been to these places before when he was doing business.
But the existence of mountains of gold and silver here is unheard of.
Guo Jia's eyes flashed with a sharp light, while Lu Su fell into deep thought.
Yuan Tan did not answer. Instead, he took a vermilion brush and, relying on the memories of a time traveler, accurately marked several points on the outline of the island. He then said loudly:
"Here, Sado, is a land of gold! Here, Iwami, its silver mines are the richest in the world! And there are places like Izu... their gold and silver are so abundant that if we could acquire them, it wouldn't be enough to support not only Qingzhou, but the entire Han Dynasty!"
He looked at Zhen Yao's gaze, which had suddenly become intense, and smiled:
"Father-in-law, this isn't just empty promises; it's a real mountain of gold and a sea of silver! What do you think?"
Zhen Yao was breathing rapidly, so excited he almost fainted, but his businessman's caution quickly calmed him down, and he raised the practical issues:
"My lord... this... this is a gift from heaven! However, the sea route is treacherous, with countless waves. How will we transport the craftsmen and supplies there? And how will we bring the gold and silver back? This alone will likely cost an astronomical sum!"
"Who said we were going to transport a large number of craftsmen?"
A cold smile curled at the corner of Yuan Tan's lips.
"The natives of Japan are ignorant and resemble savages, yet they are strong and healthy. We only need to provide them with swords, cloth, porcelain, lacquerware, and other rare items."
We can lure their tribal chiefs, or directly capture their able-bodied men, and enslave them to mine for us! Exchanging goods for people, and using people to mine gold—why not?"
Zhen Yao gasped, shocked by this blatant slave colonization plan, but the enormous profits made it impossible for him to refuse. His voice trembled as he said:
"But... to control the natives, a large army is needed to suppress them, and that involves military pay and supplies..."
"Why is a large army necessary?"
Yuan Tan interrupted him, his eyes flashing with the shrewdness of a capitalist and the ruthlessness of a conqueror.
"Drive them with profit, divide and rule them! We can support the submissive tribes of Japan, help them annex, and offer them our Qingzhou artifacts as payment, so that they can capture slaves and protect mines for us."
I only need to dispatch a few hundred elite troops, armed with powerful bows and crossbows, to garrison a few key ports and mines, and that will suffice! This is the way to use barbarians to control barbarians, and to achieve victory with limited resources!
He paused, then continued:
"As for Japanese women, the most beautiful ones can be selected and sold to the Central Plains. The 'Listening to the Waves Pavilion' in Qingzhou could be purchased to expand its scale, or sold to powerful families as concubines. This could be a huge profit. However, remember one thing!"
His gaze swept over the crowd.
"Remember! It is strictly forbidden to teach them my advanced skills in iron smelting, city building, agriculture, and shipbuilding! They must remain slaves and vassals forever; we must never allow them any chance to rise to power!"
Guo Jia clapped his hands and chuckled, his eyes full of admiration:
"My lord's strategy, turning barbarian lands into a source of profit and turning savages into cattle and horses, is truly a brilliant idea unheard of throughout history! I admire it greatly! However, the most important thing is secrecy. This matter must be carried out secretly under the guise of a merchant caravan, without making a big fuss, lest it attract the covetous eyes of others, and we must be especially wary of... the Sun family of Jiangdong."
Lu Su pondered for a moment and said:
"What Fengxiao said is absolutely right. The naval commander Gan Xingba is well-versed in sea routes and possesses exceptional courage and strategy. He is capable of undertaking this important task of expansion. However, we must first send out a small fleet to explore the waterways, establish strongholds, and proceed step by step without being rash."
Yuan Tan nodded:
"Zijing has considered everything thoroughly. This matter will be overseen by my father-in-law, with Lu Su assisting in managing finances and logistics, and Gan Ning in charge of escorting the expedition. The first group can establish transit points at Dan'er (presumably Hainan) and Yizhou (Taiwan, China)."
"Familiarize yourselves with the seas, forge alliances with the local people, and then plan your advance into the Japanese mainland. The necessary funds will first be allocated from the government treasury; once the first batch of gold and silver arrives, they can be reused to snowball!"