Honglou: This bastard is too persuasive.

Chapter 631 Arrival at Baekje and Planning for Baekje

Faced with difficult sailing and shortage of supplies, the fleet continued to explore southward.

One day, the lookout suddenly shouted from the mast: "There is a dark shadow ahead! It looks like land!"

Jia Changsheng was delighted and quickly picked up the telescope to look around. He saw a vague outline in the distance, which seemed to be land.

"Hurry! Full speed ahead!" he ordered excitedly.

However, when the fleet approached, they found that it was just a huge reef, which was completely uninhabitable and untenable. Everyone's mood instantly fell to the bottom.

"My lord, are we really going to keep drifting on the sea like this until we run out of everything?" a soldier asked in despair.

Jia Changsheng clenched his fists and shouted, "No! I don't believe this sea can trap us. Let's explore a little further east, maybe there is the place we dream of."

The fleet adjusted its course again and continued to move forward. During this period, soldiers and sailors continued to fall due to disease, hunger and exhaustion, but Jia Changsheng never gave up hope.

"My lord, we have followed you here. Although we have experienced many hardships, we have never regretted it. I only hope that this time, we can really find the land of hope." Chen Ying said softly, looking at Jia Changsheng's tired but determined back.

Jia Changsheng turned around and looked at these loyal confidants and exhausted soldiers and sailors, his heart filled with emotion and guilt: "Everyone, it is me, Jia Changsheng, who has implicated you all. But I promise you that if we can find land, I will lead you all to build a prosperous home so that you will no longer suffer."

As time went by, the fleet's survival on the sea became increasingly difficult, but they still persevered tenaciously. Every morning, Jia Changsheng would stand at the bow, facing the rising sun, looking forward to the appearance of land. And his confidants always surrounded him, never leaving him. They believed that as long as Jia Changsheng was there, there was still hope, even if this hope was like a small boat in the sea, so small and fragile in the wind and waves, but as long as it did not extinguish, there would always be a day to reach the other side.

Jia Changsheng stood at the bow, the sea breeze blowing with a hint of saltiness, his eyes were tired, but full of determination. After going through countless hardships and dangers, the coastline of Baekje finally came into view. The looming outline of the land instantly raised the morale of everyone on the boat.

"My lord, Baekje is just ahead, we are finally here!" Zhao Feng shouted excitedly, his voice a little hoarse from drifting on the sea for a long time.

Jia Changsheng nodded slightly and said in a deep voice: "Don't take it lightly. Although we have arrived, we know very little about this land. We still need to be extremely cautious when landing."

Li Su, the counselor, stepped forward and said, "My Lord, what you said is very true. Although Baekje is a small country overseas, it also has its own power and rules. If we rashly land, we may arouse their vigilance and resistance. We might as well send a small boat with an envoy to inform them that we have no ill intentions and are just looking for a place to stay. We are willing to coexist peacefully with Baekje and share what we have with each other."

Jia Changsheng thought for a moment and said, "Li Su's plan is very good. Chen Ying, select a few smart and eloquent subordinates to accompany the envoy. Be sure to find out the situation in Baekje, including its military deployment, the temperament of the rulers, and the attitude of the people."

Chen Ying clasped his fists and accepted the order: "My lord, rest assured, Ying will fulfill the mission."

Soon, a small boat slowly sailed out from the large fleet and rowed towards the coast of Baekje. Jia Changsheng stood at the bow, watching the small boat go farther and farther away, silently thinking about the various situations he might face next.

"My lord, what should we do if Baekje refuses to accept us?" Sun Yu asked with some concern.

Jia Changsheng's eyes were firm. "If they are unwilling to accept us, we cannot give up easily. But we must first treat them with courtesy and show our sincerity. If we really encounter hostility, we also have this fleet to rely on. We can retreat to the sea first and then find other ways. However, I hope to avoid using force. After all, we are new here and our foundation is not stable. It would be best if we can coexist peacefully."

Under the gaze of the crowd, the boat gradually approached the shore. The Baekje defenders discovered the boat and took up their weapons to be on guard. The messenger on the boat stood up and shouted loudly: "Baekje warriors, don't panic! We are travelers from afar, with no ill intentions, and we only want to see your monarch to discuss important matters!"

The leader of the Baekje garrison stepped forward and shouted, "Who are you? Where are you from? Why did you suddenly appear on the coast of Baekje?"

The envoy replied respectfully: "We are from the Han Dynasty. Due to the domestic war, we were forced to cross the ocean to seek a new home. We heard that Baekje is a country of etiquette, so we came to ask your country to take us in. We are willing to become friends with your country and develop together."

The Baekje leader frowned slightly, thought for a moment and said, "You wait here. I need to report to the court and let His Majesty make the decision."

The messenger nodded and said, "Thank you, General. We will wait here for good news."

The small boat returned to the large fleet and informed Jia Changsheng of the situation. Jia Changsheng felt relieved, at least Baekje did not reject it immediately.

"It seems there is still hope. Let's wait patiently. During this period, the entire army should be on alert, but no provocative actions should be taken." Jia Changsheng ordered.

A few days later, news came from Baekje that the king agreed to meet Jia Changsheng and his party, but only allowed a few people to go ashore and enter the palace.

Jia Changsheng selected Zhao Feng, Li Su, Chen Ying and others to go ashore with him. They dressed up and took with them some precious gifts from the Han Dynasty, such as fine silk and gorgeous porcelain, and set foot on the land of Baekje.

As soon as they landed, officials from Baekje came to greet them and led them to the palace. Along the way, Jia Changsheng carefully observed the customs and practices of Baekje. He saw that most of the people in Baekje wore simple clothes, and the architectural style of their houses was slightly different from that of the Han Dynasty. There were farmers working hard in the fields, and the market was quite lively.

"Although Baekje is not as prosperous as the Han Dynasty, it also has its own vitality." Jia Changsheng whispered to the person beside him.

Arriving at the palace, the King of Baekje sat on the throne, surrounded by a group of civil and military officials. Jia Changsheng and others stepped forward and saluted respectfully.

"Foreigners, what are you doing here in Baekje?" the king asked.

Jia Changsheng raised his head and said in a neither humble nor arrogant manner: "Your Majesty, I am Jia Changsheng of the Han Dynasty. As the envoy said before, the Han Dynasty was in turmoil, and we crossed the ocean to survive. Seeing that Baekje was rich and peaceful, we yearned for it and came to ask Your Majesty to take us in. We brought some special products of the Han Dynasty and would like to present them to Your Majesty to show our sincerity." As he spoke, he signaled his men to present the gifts. The King of Baekje looked at the exquisite silk and porcelain, and a trace of surprise and love flashed in his eyes.

"Although you are from the Han Dynasty, my Baekje also has its own rules and difficulties. If I take you in, how will you live? What can you bring to my Baekje?" the king continued to ask.

Li Su stepped forward and said, "Your Majesty, my master is proficient in military tactics and can help Baekje train its army and strengthen its national defense. We all have our own skills and can provide advice to Baekje in agriculture, commerce and other aspects to promote Baekje's prosperity. Moreover, we have brought the Han Dynasty's advanced farming technology and handicraft skills. If we can promote them in Baekje, it will surely benefit the people of Baekje."

The King of Baekje pondered for a moment and discussed in a low voice with his ministers.

"Okay, I can take you in temporarily. But you must abide by the laws of Baekje and not act recklessly. And you must teach my Baekje people the farming techniques and handicraft skills you mentioned." The king finally said.

Jia Changsheng was overjoyed and quickly thanked him: "Thank you for your kindness, Your Majesty. We will definitely obey your will and do our best for the development of Baekje."

After leaving the palace, Jia Changsheng and his companions returned to the shore and informed the fleet of the news. Everyone cheered and began to prepare for landing.

“My lord, this is a new beginning. We finally have a foothold.” Zhao Feng said excitedly.

Jia Changsheng looked at the land that would become their new home and said slowly, "Yes, this is a new beginning. We will take root here and accumulate strength. Although we are far away from the Han Dynasty, our goal has never changed. One day, we will return to the Han Dynasty and control the land that belongs to us."

In the following days, Jia Changsheng led everyone to settle down in Baekje. They lived in harmony with the people of Baekje, taught various skills, and secretly expanded their power, continuing to plan for future great undertakings. This overseas land will also become a new starting point for their rise, and gradually write their own legendary chapter in the long river of history.

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Jia Changsheng returned to the camp and immediately summoned his confidants to discuss the matter. Everyone knew that this so-called "surrender" was just a temporary measure, and occupying Baekje was the long-term goal, so the atmosphere in the tent was solemn and full of expectations.

Jia Changsheng spoke first: "Everyone, although we have the King of Baekje's consent to stay here temporarily, we are determined to control this place. Let's first tell us what you have observed about Baekje's military strength and defense. Zhao Feng, you tell us."

Zhao Feng clasped his fists and stood up. "My Lord, from what I have observed, the Baekje army has about 30,000 soldiers, but their equipment is uneven, mostly simple swords, spears, and halberds, and their armor is not sophisticated. Their defense focuses on several major cities, such as the capital, Ungjin, which has tall and thick walls, but the defenses of other cities are relatively weak. In addition, there are only a few well-trained soldiers, and they fight mostly by courage, lacking sophisticated formations and tactical coordination."

Jia Changsheng nodded slightly: "So, its military strength is not indestructible. Li Su, what is your opinion on the government and public opinion of Baekje?"

Li Su stroked his beard and said, "My lord, the government of Baekje seems stable, but in fact the nobles are fighting each other. Although the king has authority, his control over remote areas is gradually weakening. The common people are curious and in awe of our arrival. If we show benevolence, it will not be difficult to win the hearts of the people. However, some conservative nobles in Baekje are suspicious of outsiders like us and may secretly obstruct us."

Jia Changsheng pondered for a moment: "So, Sun Yu, what have you discovered about the economy?"

Sun Yu bowed and said, "My Lord, Baekje's agriculture is fairly developed, with abundant crops such as rice, but its farming technology lags behind that of the Han Dynasty. Commerce is concentrated in a few prosperous cities, mainly based on barter, and currency is not widely circulated. Moreover, its handicrafts are crude. If we can introduce the advanced technology of the Han Dynasty, we will be able to quickly control its economic lifeline."

Jia Changsheng's eyes were deep: "It has both shortcomings and strengths. Chen Ying, can the intelligence network you are in charge of find out whether Baekje has any external aid or potential allies?"

Chen Ying whispered, "My lord, Baekje and Goguryeo have had friction from time to time, and they also have dealings with Japan. But Goguryeo is currently unable to take care of itself, and Japan is far away overseas. Although there is contact, it is difficult for it to provide strong support to Baekje in the short term."

Jia Changsheng stood up, paced for a while and said, "In this case, we can take over Baekje in several steps. First, in terms of military, Zhao Feng, you select elite troops, disguise them as ordinary soldiers, infiltrate the Baekje army, secretly learn its command system and defense weaknesses, and make friends with some low-level officers, and instigate them to rebel when necessary. When the time is right, our army will cooperate internally and externally to capture key cities."

Zhao Feng accepted the order: "I will obey your order and act with caution."

"Second, Li Su, you led a group of advisers to make friends with knowledgeable people and dissatisfied nobles in Baekje, provoke internal conflicts and divide their power. Support the forces that are close to us, so that the Baekje court will fall into chaos and have no time to pay attention to our actions."

Li Su responded: "My Lord, this is a brilliant plan. I will do my best."

"Third, Sun Yu, you will start to promote our Han Dynasty's advanced farming and handicraft skills among the people and establish good relations with them. At the same time, secretly control Baekje's commercial routes and important resources, and gradually weaken its economic foundation."

Sun Yu nodded: "Yu understands, I will make Baekje's economy work for me without anyone noticing."

"Chen Ying, you continue to strengthen intelligence gathering and pay close attention to the domestic developments in Baekje and the reactions of neighboring countries. Report any signs of trouble immediately."

Chen Ying said: "Ying will definitely fulfill the mission."

Jia Changsheng looked at everyone with a determined look: "Everyone, this plan needs to be carried out step by step, and we must not act too hastily. Our foundation in Baekje is not stable yet, and any mistake will lead to failure. We must be cautious and united. When Baekje is in chaos and we control the military, it will be time for us to replace it. At that time, Baekje will become our solid foundation overseas. With the manpower and resources here, I can plan to return to the Han Dynasty and achieve hegemony."

Everyone shouted in unison: "We are willing to serve our lord, even if it means going through fire and water!"

In the following months, everyone acted according to the plan. Zhao Feng's men gradually emerged in the Baekje army and made many like-minded people; Li Su's advisers dealt with the Baekje court and nobles, and the struggle in the court became more and more intense; Sun Yu's promotion among the people also achieved results, and the people became more respectful and dependent on Jia Changsheng and others; Chen Ying's intelligence network was as dense as spider silk, and any subtle movement could not escape his eyes.

Jia Changsheng was in the middle of the situation, closely following the progress of all parties. He often had secret talks with his confidants late at night and adjusted strategies according to changes in the situation.

(End of this chapter)