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Chapter 449: 229: Sowing Discord and Plotting_2

They don’t even have to backstab; if Jihui the Holy Monk and Qiao Kangquan withdraw, the front line battlefield would not have the support of these two Inborn Grandmasters, and this Northern Expedition would not be possible.

At that time, even if Lu Yuan’s surprise attack succeeds and he retakes Xichuan County, what would be the significance for the court?

Therefore, the Eastern Three Prefectures of Xichuan County is a bottom line for the court and cannot be ceded.

However, in response to Bai Mengyang’s words, Lu Yuan said, “I am well aware of the contributions of Holy Monk Jihui and Qiao Family Head, so this demand for the Eastern Three Prefectures is not entirely for making exorbitant demands, but also for compensation.”

At this point, Lu Yuan walked up to the map of the two countries and pointed at the southern region of Hanzhong County, saying: “Please look, Wuan Marquis, this is the West Xixiang, Nanjiang, and Baishi Prefectures of Hanzhong County. This time I will be rushing thousands of miles, passing through these three prefectures.

This time, we can seize them.

Moreover, as previously mentioned, the territories conquered during this onslaught belong to me. This time should be no exception, right?

If so, I will take the southern three prefectures of Hanzhong County in exchange for the eastern three prefectures of Xichuan County.

The southern three prefectures of Hanzhong County had never been ravaged by war and had extremely populous households, almost a million.

On the contrary, the eastern three prefectures of Xichuan County were devastated by war, and it is feared that there are not even two hundred thousand households left now.

By trading one of my prosperous lands for one that lies in ruins, this deal cannot be said to have caused Holy Monk Jihui and Qiao Family Head any loss, right?”

Originally, Xichuan County was naturally prosperous, even richer than Dongting County before the war. At its peak, it had 800,000 households and more than 4 million people, known as the Land of Heavenly Wealth.

However, since the 28th year of Longqing, Li Xiong led the Qiang people to rise in Xichuan County, and shortly after, Xichuan County fell into chaos.

During this time, the court and Li Xiong were in a stalemate, both sides constantly levying taxes and enlisting civilian workers, making the area a place of constant unrest and hardship for the local people.

Finally, Li Xiong took control of most of Xichuan County and established the Xi Shu State.

In order to break through the Innate, he began to suppress the local Jianghu sects, causing another wave of turmoil.

Then, Wuan Marquis led the army to advance westward and enter Xichuan, engaging in a fierce battle with Li Xiong. The various heroes and factions in Xichuan County’s rear, who had gathered more than one hundred thousand soldiers in response.

Both sides fought fiercely, and the people of Xichuan County, who had known peace for less than a year, faced another catastrophe.

Then the Zhou people came, the two countries went to war, and it was another catastrophe.

By the previous year, there was an earthquake in Xichuan County, and the local people suffered heavy casualties. At this time, they had to pay taxes and submit to Corvee Labor, deliver military food to the front-line Zhou Shu United Army, and even go to the battlefield.

This oppression drove the local people to rebel and stirred up another uprising.

This also forced the Zhou-Shu coalition forces to abandon the siege of Yuzhong Prefecture and return to the rear to suppress the rebellion, leading to another massacre.

Later on, after a series of battles, Bai Mengyang withdrew from Xichuan, and Xichuan County finally had a year of peace.

However, even so, the 300,000 Zhou-Shu coalition forces stationed in Tianmen Prefecture required a large amount of money and food to be provided by Xichuan County, which was another great pressure.

So, one can calculate how many calamities Xichuan County has gone through, including the Qiang people and the Jianghu people – there have been four major uprisings and rebellions. Among them, the battles between Zhou and Shu and Zhou-Yue were thrice.

The various massacres and burdensome military duties and taxes during this time had long since turned this once prosperous Xichuan Heavenly Wealth into a devastated wasteland, desolate everywhere.

At this moment, I’m afraid that only about one million people remain in all ten prefectures of Xichuan.

And this one million people, divided between the two forces, would each have only 560,000, or 670,000 citizens left.

With less than one million subjects under their control, what’s the point for Jihui the Holy Monk and Qiao Kangquan to be a king?

Therefore, if Lu Yuan proposes to exchange the southern three prefectures of Hanzhong County for the eastern three prefectures of Xichuan County, the likelihood of the two forces agreeing is really high.

After all, the court wants Xichuan County to threaten Lu Yuan’s east side. If they can do so without harming their own interests, Jihui the Holy Monk and Qiao Kangquan may be willing to help.

But when it comes to one’s own interests…

What?

In order to advance the great cause of the court, I would give up one million people in order to have this devastated and desolate place, and then risk sending soldiers and funds to fight Changsha State on behalf of the court.

Sorry, I also have difficulties; I can’t help.

As for how to deal with the hatred and hostility aroused by Zhou Country when taking the southern three prefectures of Hanzhong County?

Are you kidding?

Would Zhou Country not hate and be hostile to me if I don’t take the southern three prefectures of Hanzhong County?

When the court stationed these two forces in Xichuan County, the purpose was to let them bear the brunt of Zhou Country’s firepower and share some pressure for the court in the west.

If they can seize the southern three prefectures of Hanzhong County and weaken the enemy now, it would not only strengthen the power of Jihui the Holy Monk and Qiao Kangquan but also be a good thing for them.

Therefore, Lu Yuan’s proposal is not meant to take advantage of these two men.

Because the entire deal is favorable to him, it can stabilize the western border. For Jihui the Holy Monk and Qiao Kangquan, they can only gain a large population, and their territories remain undiminished.

The only one who suffers in this arrangement is the court.

As for the court?

As mentioned earlier, as long as their core interests are not touched, they would naturally be willing to cooperate.

But when it comes to their own interests, whether this card is effective or not depends on the individual’s perspective.