The Demon Lords-Chapter 736 - 157: Exploring the Heart’s Core_1

When your superior calls you over, telling you there's something they want to discuss, you're utterly deluded if you genuinely believe you're going to sit down and hash things out.

In fact, General Zheng wasn't unaware of this truth, but he truly didn't want to leave his comfortable territory.

What kind of mess is this?

I had just finished building Green Willow Fortress when I was sent to Shengle.

I had just finished constructing Shengle's new city walls, and now I'm being reassigned to Snow Sea Pass?

Am I a general meant to lead troops in battle, or am I just a pawn for Yan?

But no matter how many grievances you have, once Tian Wujing spoke those words, the matter was settled.

Truth is, no one cares whether you're willing or not.

Those words described the current relationship between Lord Jingnan and the general of Shengle, but didn't they also carry a deeper meaning?

Zheng Fan fell silent. He stopped resisting because the path to opposition was completely blocked.

Tian Wujing looked at Zheng Fan and continued, "Snow Sea Pass is a good place."

"Lord, that was in the past."

Even if he intended to resign himself to fate, he still had to voice some of his grievances, right?

He couldn't possibly, after being kicked out of his nest, still have to shamelessly reply, "The Lord is wise."

In the past, Snow Sea Pass itself in this area was a formidable strategic point. Zheng Fan's Shengle Army had successfully defended it largely by leveraging this strategic advantage.

The wild people hated it, but they hadn't managed to completely destroy it. Firstly, because the wild people's king had ordered a timely halt. Secondly, because the city was simply too robust.

Its foundations were deep, its bricks thick, and its scale vast. For the wild people to demolish it would have required a monumental effort.

Indeed, even if you were to expand the newly built Shengle City several times over, it would still struggle to match the scale of Snow Sea Pass.

This was because Snow Sea Pass wasn't just a single city; it also comprised a sprawling defensive line with many military forts similar to Green Willow Fortress, as well as small satellite towns.

Its status and sheer size were comparable to Tuman City, previously seen in Beifeng Prefecture.

After all, it was a strategic pass built by the Jin people with the resources of an entire nation. How could it be anything less than formidable?

And though called a "pass," the space within its walls was certainly not small and could accommodate a large population.

Originally, holding Snow Sea Pass would have guaranteed prosperity. One could trade with the Snow Plain wild people, extend commercial routes to Chu State, and also handle commerce from Jin State, the Yan region, and even further west.

But now, after the recent war, the wild people—who had no concept of sustainability and were more like a pack of ravenous wolves—had almost turned this place into a barren wasteland.

Consider that later, the wild people couldn't even find nearby Jin people to enslave. They couldn't find cannon fodder for sieges, and their "food" supply—meaning captives—also ran out. This shows just how drastically the population here had plummeted.

More importantly, this place will inevitably become a frequent battleground in the future.

Yan State exercises almost military governance over the Three Jin lands. If you're stationed here, the royal court might only give you half the necessary funds and grain, leaving you to make up the rest yourself.

In other places, this is an unwritten rule because the court is well aware you have other sources of income. In short: don't pretend to be as pure as driven snow.

However, the deadliest part is this: once war breaks out, not only must you dispatch your own troops, but you also have to cover the expenses of other armies passing through. It's just like when Lord Jingnan led his army on the expedition to the Snow Plain, and Shengle City had to provide provisions, equipment, and laborers.

So, in essence, I'd be taking over what looks like a massive operation but is actually an empty shell. On top of that, I'd have to prepare for a horde of poor relatives coming to freeload, taking whatever they can eat and carry.

"One must look to the long term. Shengle, in the end, is too small a place."

Tian Wujing looked calmly at Zheng Fan and continued, "My marquisal seat should move from Li Tian City to Ying Capital City. As for Li Tian City and Quhe City, the court will reclaim control over half, assigning civil officials to govern."

Quhe City and Li Tian City were the respective "capitals" of the Helian Family and Wenren Family. According to Lord Jingnan, pure military rule in these two places will end, transitioning to a system of joint governance by two top officials: one civil, one military.

This aligns with the current trend: civil officials govern localities, and generals manage military affairs. However, due to Yan State's political climate, a situation where civil officials overshadow military commanders, as is the case in Qian State, will be avoided for the time being.

However, such a shift would undoubtedly make you uncomfortable.

Once authority over the economy and the people's livelihood is stripped away, how could I still train troops? How could I develop with peace of mind? How could I expand my army? How could I conduct my own ideological and political education?

Comparatively, it's quite logical for Lord Jingnan to move into Ying Capital City. Firstly, to stabilize local public sentiment. Secondly, to deter the Snow Plain and Chu State. Thirdly, to continue eroding and dismantling Cheng State's foundations, thereby accelerating its integration into Yan State.

"You could go to Quhe City or Li Tian City, but would you be willing? Ying Capital City is, of course, not an option for you. In the Three Jin lands, there are only a few truly lucrative posts. Surely you don't want Jade Plate City?

"Tens of thousands of Chu army soldiers are still trapped in Jade Plate City. After several major battles, it's long been emptied out.

"Snow Sea Pass, however, is strategically vital. From there, you can check the Snow Plain to the north and threaten the borders of Chu State to the south.

"As a general, one shouldn't fear war; one should fear having no wars to fight.

"There are quite a few Regional Commanders in Yan, but there's a vast difference between them. 'Regional Commander of Shengle' doesn't sound very grand, does it? Once the war here ends and two or three years pass, who will even remember you?

"A blade rusts if not honed. A man is forgotten if he doesn't stand in the limelight."

This was Tian Wujing speaking from the heart.

If it were anyone else, he'd think: I'm giving him a promotion, a key territory to garrison, and not only is he not grateful, but he dares to be picky?

Has he gotten too arrogant, or can I, Lord Jingnan, no longer wield my blade?

It was only with Zheng Fan that Tian Wujing would say so much.

"It's true that the lands outside Snow Sea Pass are currently a wasteland, but aren't you, General Zheng, most skilled at development? You managed to turn little Shengle into something quite impressive. If you could redevelop Snow Sea Pass, its future would be truly extraordinary.

"If not for your supreme merit in this eastern campaign, at any other time, even if you desired the post of Regional Commander of Snow Sea Pass, it would have been very difficult for me, this Lord, to secure it for you.

"You're skilled in production and fond of commerce. Goods from Shengle's workshops are plentiful in the shops of Li Tian City.

"If you want the twenty thousand captive wild people, I can give them to you. But if you want more…"

Lord Jingnan pointed northward and said, "There are plenty more on the Snow Plain."

Slaves, laborers—whatever was lacking, one could just go to the Snow Plain and capture them.

After all, following this campaign, even if the Yan people didn't launch a northern expedition against the Snow Plain for the time being, the Snow Plain itself had suffered grievous losses to its vitality and would find it very difficult to stir up trouble again.

In the past, the Snow Plain wild people's slave trade had boomed.

Zheng Fan believed that if Blindie were to manage this, he could perfectly replicate the tactics Westerners had used on Africans.

Zheng Fan nodded, his tone slightly softening as he sighed, "Lord, your words indeed hold true. This general understands your appreciation and promotion of me, but…"

"For the first three years, Ying Capital City will take full responsibility for supplying all the funds and grain Snow Sea Pass requires."

Zheng Fan's eyes lit up.

"Other places might face shortages, and you'd have to find ways to cover them yourself, like with your Shengle City. But Snow Sea Pass, with its critical location and immense importance—given the prior calamity caused by the wild people—neither the court nor the common folk of Jin land would want a repeat of that.

"This is the difference your posting makes.

"I heard that when Wujiang led the army on the eastern campaign, you even went to him to request provisions and pay. Although his refusal was a deliberate deflection, everyone actually knew that a place like Shengle couldn't possibly have sufficient military supplies.

"But when you are stationed at Snow Sea Pass, whatever you need, you can directly petition Ying Capital City, petition the imperial court. They wouldn't dare refuse.

"Never mind funds and grain; you can request personnel, officials, warhorses, official positions—request after request, item after item.

"You can even make audacious demands—for instance, that all trade caravans departing from your Snow Sea Pass be exempt from taxes in the Three Jin lands and the Yan region."

The more Zheng Fan heard, the brighter his eyes became.

Damn it, is Old Tian teaching me how to be a warlord?

Tian Wujing looked at Zheng Fan's face, shook his head, sighed, and continued, "Of all the talents in the world, only a fraction are found among the common folk; the vast majority are in the royal court. Whether it's the path of civil administration or martial prowess, it all comes down to serving the imperial house.

"Many things, you might painstakingly accumulate and scrounge them yourself, racking your brains and running around, only to end up with very little. It's far better to simply ask the court directly.

"When it's given, it belongs to the court. But use it long enough, and it becomes your own.

"I trust General Zheng doesn't need me, this Lord, to teach him the specifics of how to engineer that transformation, does he?"

"This humble general is slow-witted, my Lord, but I will ponder it day and night. I wouldn't dare trouble Your Lordship further."

Those words were, in fact, extremely inappropriate.

Tian Wujing was, in a way, teaching by his own example.

The Jingnan Army—whose was it originally? It was the royal court's Jingnan Army.

More than a decade ago, Tian Wujing had taken over the title of Lord Jingnan from his predecessor.

It's important to understand that, unlike the Earl of North Border, whose title was hereditary, the title of Lord Jingnan, before Tian Wujing, was said to be a peerage but in reality functioned more like an official appointment.

In just over a decade, Tian Wujing had stamped the Jingnan Army with his personal mark.

Its soldiers, armor, funds, and grain were all provided by the royal court.

Yet look at the situation now: half of the Northern Border Army has been consumed by the court, but the Jingnan Army, in contrast, has become a truly independent power base within Yan's military.

Even when the Eldest Prince led an eastern campaign under imperial decree, the various Regional Commanders of the Jingnan Army dared to openly disregard him.

Zheng Fan was genuinely moved. That Tian Wujing would say such things indicated he didn't want Zheng Fan to harbor any resentment and hoped he would take over this place with a steady heart.

"My Lord, this general understands. I will definitely not disappoint Your Lordship's expectations and will guard Snow Sea Pass well. However, what this general truly worries about is... if I spend years of painstaking effort to rebuild Snow Sea Pass, only to be transferred elsewhere later, wouldn't this general have suffered a great loss…?"

Tian Wujing interrupted Zheng Fan, chuckled, and said, "If you manage it well…"

He paused.

A look of deep contemplation appeared in Tian Wujing's eyes.

"Who then would dare ask you to vacate the place?"