Ming Zhengzhi, I am Zheng Kezang

On behalf of Emperor Wucheng, Zheng Kezang accepted the pilgrimage of Zhengdan envoys from Champa and Chenla, and led the three existing inner feudal clans of Jinlan to pay homage to Wuchang. So far, Gu Tongshan’s new year ceremony held in Jinlan Dadufu has also come to an end After a while, it was time for a joyous feast, but there was no trace of joy on Gu Tongshan's face.

It's not that Gu Dahu's memorial was suffocated in Wuchang. He felt uncomfortable. In fact, Wuchang received Gu Tongshan's report after the closure of the Yamen. The corresponding reply will not arrive until at least the next year or even February. Jin Lan, so what Gu Tongshan was worried about was not that his own ideas were being questioned by the center.

After all, Gu Tongshan's bitter appearance was due to Jin Lan's situation.

What?Is the situation in Jinlan not good?How is this possible!Didn't the Jinlan Metropolitan Protectorate take away a large piece of territory from Chenla not long ago?It stands to reason that the situation should not be bad, but should be good.

The person who said this only saw one side and ignored the other side. In fact, the change in the situation in Cam Ranh was caused by the territory obtained from Chenla. The leader of the regional lords, so he has no power to make the lords and nobles east of the Mekong River obey his decision. This has caused Huaxia to face rebellion from the local lords and nobles even though they own this area in name.

The continuous counter-insurgency in the area east of the Mekong River has not only restrained the precious military strength of the Jinlan Metropolitan Protectorate, but also increased the financial burden of the Camran Metropolitan Protectorate. Finally, I was full and had indigestion.But it's not easy to tell Wuchang about this, otherwise I don't know how many people are waiting to make Gu Tongshan worse.That's why Gu Tongshan urgently needs to send him a sufficient population from the country, even if these populations are Yi people, children who have not yet fully Sinicized, or simply fresh people and Japanese people from foreign countries.

Gu Tongshan's worried expression was obviously caught.After the banquet was over, Sun Miao and Sima Bai Guoen, the chief historians of the Dadu Protectorate, did not leave. They were also devastated and tried to persuade Gu Tongshan to have a happy Chinese New Year first.

"Nowadays, there is only a thousand shi of rice in the warehouse of the Duhu Mansion, and the front line costs a lot. You let me celebrate the New Year, how can I have such an idea." Originally, I planned to turn the Jinlan Duhu Mansion into Jinlan Province with all my might. Yes, but it turned out to be counterproductive. How could this kind of contrast make Gu Tongshan happy. "Okay, okay, Mr. Changsun, Mr. Yang, you go on your own."

Gu Tongshan almost said not to bother me, but what he said would not solve the problem at all, and the eldest Sun Miao, who was sitting there motionless, smiled bitterly: "My lord, don't get angry with yourself. If you don't have enough money and food, you can talk to me." Borrowing from several inner feudal clans is really not going to work, and Champa and Vietnam can also find ways to fight the autumn wind, and the situation can always be maintained."

"Maintain it? Is it to apply for the minimum amount of food, or is it borrowed or not?" Gu Tongshan shook his head. "None of this solves the problem."

"The main reason is that the front of the army was too exhausted, which dragged down the Duhu Mansion." Changsun Miao lamented, then turned to ask Bai Guoen. "Master Yang, when will this war come to an end?"

Bai Guoen spread his hands: "I, Chang Shi, was sent by the Ministry of War, and I can't control those gangs of Qiu Ba who are in the Privy Council. So Brother Changsun is asking Yu Blind. I don't know when this war will end."

Changsun Miao gave Bai Guoen a displeased look: "It's understandable if Brother Yang doesn't know about the commanding matters, but Brother Yang is in charge of military administration and military affairs, so he has some ideas about the progress of the frontline war."

"What's the spectrum? I just heard that the front line is short of troops." Bai Guoen sighed. "But the soldiers in the Duhu Mansion are custom-made, and you can't just have them if you want." The Longxiang Army can't be transferred at will, and it requires the Wuchang Privy Council or the Western Navy to nod; The troops here have also been mobilized a lot, and all the private soldiers left by the Mo family and the Chen family have also been used. Under such circumstances, Bai Guoen can't turn into a soldier to support the front line. "But there are not enough soldiers, and the front line can only watch those Chenla people being defeated again and again, and re-emerging from other places again and again."

"Yeah, he is a local snake. He can live in the dark old forest. Do you dare to pursue him if you don't know the way?" some. "But I don't believe it anymore. Without food, salt, and iron tools from outside, these Chenla people can persist in the old forest."

Bai Guoen echoed: "Lord Guardian's words are very true. I think that as long as we cut off the food road for the people of Chenla, the situation will change. But the front line is not ignorant of this. Without enough troops, everything is useless."

"I'm afraid King Zheta will also put some pressure on it." Changsun Miao suggested. "It is necessary to order him to assist in Hexi."

"Blocking the Mekong River through the Chenla people, I think it is unlikely. It is very good that King Zheta is not involved in it. If he is asked to prohibit the import of materials from the west of Hexi to the east of the river, I am afraid he is also powerless." The provinces have a certain influence, but this influence has disappeared with the move of Zheta IV to cede most of the country in exchange for regaining the throne. King Zheta, whose government orders are basically out of gold, can be said to have no power at all Prevent the princes below from acting on their own. "To accomplish this, the key is to rely on the strength of the Mekong Squadron itself."

How powerful is the Mekong Squadron?Squadrons and squadrons, as the name suggests, are more than a dozen or twenty ships topping the sky. How can it be feasible to block the Mekong River for hundreds of miles with this weak force.

For this reason, Changsun Miao said with some hindsight: "If I knew it earlier, why would I support King Zheta?"

"I can't blame King Zheta for this matter." Gu Tongshan was still quite sober. "Speaking of which, they are still dragged down by us."

While speaking, some officials came to report that it was Zhengdan envoy of King Chenla who asked to see the chief protector.Gu Tongshan didn't want to show up, so Changsun Miao went out to meet this guy, but when he came back, Changsun Miao had a rather strange expression on his face.

"Brother Quxi?" Bai Guoen couldn't help asking. "What happened to King Zheta?"

"Brother Shengdong, today I know what an old fox is." Changsun Miao responded. "King Zheta saw that the decree was unreasonable, and there were voices of opposition from all over the country, so he decided to abdicate within this year." Looking at the two with surprised expressions, Changsun Miao praised. "This is to discern the timing and know the way to advance and retreat. The throne will be abandoned if it is said to be abandoned, but you don't have to worry, Zuo is just retreating. It is possible to support a small puppet royal family to come to power and still hold real power behind it." For the time being, avoid the limelight that Wan Fu pointed out."

"It's a good one to retreat." Gu Tongshan saw the problem at a glance. "In this way, the imperial court cannot rely on him."

"It's really a house leak and it's raining all night." Bai Guoen looked more and more frowning. "How can this be good."

"Why don't you ask the imperial court for an order. You don't need to hide your incompetence. To tell the truth, please ask the imperial court to agree to Jin Lan's expansion of the army." Of course, the issue of soldiers comes first. "In addition, we need to ask the court to allocate an additional fee to finish this battle."

Before Bai Guoen could make a statement, another official under the corridor reported, "Lord Protector, a Beijing-China express message has arrived."

Gu Tongshan took it over and took a look. Although it was an express letter, it had been on the road for more than ten days, so it should not be a reply from his own memorial.So he tore open the envelope, took out the inner letter and took a look, only to see the words "Governor's Department of Foreign Affairs of Foreign Countries" written on the envelope of the inner letter.From this he let out a soft cry.

"It's in charge." Seeing that it was a document from the competent authority, Gu Tongshan didn't dare to neglect it, so he opened it to have a look. "I bought a thousand slaves from Xikang, half male and half male. They were dispatched years ago, and they are expected to arrive in Jinlan around February." The [-] Tibetan slaves were actually a tribute paid by the Tibetan and Tibetan chieftains in northern Sichuan and Kham to the Songpan Propagation and Appeasement Department, the Lifan Propaganda and Appeasement Department, and the Kangzang Propagation and Appeasement Department. "In addition, I want us to be prepared. The imperial court may grant the designation of the Shence Army to the troops in Jinlan, Haidong, Lingyamen and other places. The Shence Army? The local army? This?"

"It's sleepy, someone gave me a pillow." Bai Guoen jumped up immediately. "My lord, did I tell you how the Shence Army is organized? Where do the soldiers come from? How are the military expenses spent?"

"Master Bai, you are too impatient." Gu Tongshan handed the document directly to Bai Guoen. "Look for yourself." Bai Guoen was stunned for a moment, and found that Gu Tongshan had closed his eyes to think, and then he and Changsun Miao looked down together. After watching, the two were relatively speechless. "Look clearly, this Shence Army is probably not a regular soldier."

"General Protector, the Shence Army is definitely not a regular soldier, otherwise it should be a document from the Ministry of War." Bai Guoen is obviously clearer about this. "However, the lower officials think that it doesn't matter whether it's the military or not, as long as the court approves us to expand the army in the name of Shence Army."

"Bai Sima, what you said is wrong. It's not about military control. Who will bear the military expenses?" Changsun Miao had a disagreement with Bai Guoen at this time. "Let's not talk about the number of divisions, even if we only add a few regiments, the cost will not be covered, not to mention the current situation in the Duhufu is so embarrassing."

"Prince Guard, the lower officials secretly think that I might dare to say hello to us in advance by delivering this news," Bai Guoen had his own opinion. "Next, the Fubo Army and the Longxiang Army that will be called to the front line will be returned to construction immediately."

Changsun Miao didn't believe it: "Master Bai, could it be that you are talking nonsense."

"No, Master Bai's words are not impossible." Gu Tongshan opened his eyes and said. "If the imperial court wants to weaken the instability of the Protectorate's Mansion, it will definitely control the military power, so we can't count on the navy in the future."

Changsun Miao suddenly became anxious: "What about the front line? That's half Jinlan."

"So there is no delay in the training of the Shence Army." Gu Tongshan pointed to the document and said. "It makes sense for the imperial court not to treat the Shence Army as an economically controlled army, but the imperial court has already thought about the soldiers for each capital guard. They can be Japanese soldiers, slave soldiers, or native soldiers. That’s it for the generals of the country.”

"But it's not urgent."

"Since I can't eat for a while, it's a waste of money and food, but it's better to wait until we have a few regiments of soldiers and horses."