Daming: At the start of the showdown, Lao Zhu was stunned

Chapter 847: Raising the Bandits to Respect Oneself
Although it was also stated in the court report, Zhu Su's own words still convinced Li Wenzhong and Lan Yu. Hearing that Zhu Su still had some thoughts about Annan, the two of them breathed a sigh of relief at the same time. Li Wenzhong said, "I have said long ago that your majesty is wise and brave, and our Ming Dynasty is famous and powerful. How could we put our weapons into storage at this time when the military and the people are ready to use them... But recently many scholars have said that the court will finally not need warriors like us to rule the country in the future. We only know how to lead troops to fight, and we don't know so many twists and turns. Today, you, Xiaowu'er, have confirmed it, which is good."

Li Wenzhong's worries were also the worries of many generals guarding the borders of the country. The court decided to temporarily stop the war, and many scholars who thought they had found out the emperor's intentions were celebrating. They believed that all dynasties had won the country with military force and ruled the country with culture. The Ming Dynasty was full of military virtues, and the days of respecting crude military generals were much longer than in previous dynasties. It would not be surprising to reduce military power and rule the country with culture in the future.

Some even think that doing so is the right path.

Zhu Su listened to Li Wenzhong's words and smiled coldly, "Those pedantic Confucian scholars, why listen to him? People are divided into men and women, but they insist on dividing the court into civil and military. Regardless of civil affairs or military affairs, anything that benefits the country is a good thing. Why should officials have the idea of ​​civil and military affairs in their hearts? Must we support one side and suppress the other in order to achieve long-term peace and stability? Can't we pay equal attention to civil and military affairs and work together?"

"These mediocre officials and corrupt scholars who presumptuously speculated on the emperor's will and shook the morale of our Ming army will be punished by our father in the future, so there is no need to pay attention to them... Retracting our fists is to better deliver the next punch, and our next punch must be Annan. Brother Baoer, I see that the helmets and armors of these guards in Lianzhou are shining, and I think they are all usable troops. So, do you have any information about Annan's movements?"

"Although we have been training for a long time, we are not an elite army without actual combat experience... However, we have heard about Annan's movements." Li Wenzhong said. "It is just as you and His Majesty said, Xiao Wu'er. The country of Annan is now in chaos."

"The Supreme King of the Chen family, the ruler of Annan, worships the powerful minister of the Hu family to an extreme degree. The Hu family is so powerful that it is impossible to get rid of it. Their power has surpassed that of the legitimate King of Annan."

"Once this foolish king dies, the Hu family will be in power, and the Annan court will surely cause unrest... Then it will be the time for our Ming soldiers to march out with justice and justification."

"It's just... it's true as the secret decree said, it's easy to conquer Annan, but it's hard to keep Annan... If we can't completely recover the many chieftains in the southwest, I'm afraid that even if Annan is conquered, our Ming Dynasty won't be able to keep it."

Li Wenzhong was not a foolish playboy like Li Jinglong. Although he modestly called himself a crude warrior, in fact, even in politics, this first person of the second generation of the Ming military, who was cultivated by Zhu Yuanzhang and Xu Da, was very capable. He just didn't think about it before, but after receiving the secret order, Li Wenzhong shifted his attention from how to conquer Annan to how the court should digest Annan.

It should be noted that the Ming army is now able to wage wars on all fronts without consuming national finances, but instead moving mountains of gold and silver into the treasury. A big reason for this is because the Ming army is now fighting profitable wars.

Plundering wars, assault wars, and wars of aid in which the other country's rulers paid for military pay and supplies for the sake of justice, these are the reasons why the Ming Dynasty sent troops everywhere but did not engage in "militarism". If the conquest of Annan led the Ming Dynasty into a situation of militarism, Li Wenzhong and Lan Yu would be ashamed of the credit for expanding the territory.

The Ming Dynasty conquered Japan by taking advantage of the conflict between the kings of northern and southern Japan, establishing puppets to control the entire territory of Japan, and relying on the benefits of trade to establish concessions, gradually eroding Japan; conquering the grasslands by taking advantage of the huge profits of wool yarn, turning the grasslands from a useless place into a rich place to make delicious steamed buns, making the benefits of controlling the grasslands exceed the expenses; conquering the three Han territories of Korea was also by taking advantage of the usurpation of power by Lee Seong-gye and sending reinforcements in the name of supporting the young ruler. The expenses of the armies in these places were either borne by the local royal family, or there was a mature sea and land transportation system, and they took every step carefully to achieve the goal of expanding the territory step by step.

But Annan is different... Annan is located in the southwest, a humid and mountainous land, and it is difficult to transport supplies. The Annan royal family has effectively ruled Annan for hundreds of years, and China has long lost its ruling foundation in the area. It is also different from Japan. Their royal family has actually held power for a hundred years, and they will certainly not be willing to be just a puppet.

The above is not bad. As long as the Ming Dynasty holds the righteousness and uses the power of a great country to influence the country for decades, there will always be a time to completely swallow up this land. However, subtle influence also requires subtle conditions. With the obstruction of the chieftains in the southwest, the Ming Dynasty's baggage transportation must be difficult, and it is extremely difficult to spread the royal rule to Annan.

That is for sure. Even the chieftains closer to the city did not accept the Ming Dynasty's rule. Why should Annan, which is more remote and has even less ruling foundation, accept it?
"If it was to deal with these chieftains, why did the higher-ups let His Highness take charge of the military and political affairs of the southwest in the name of suppressing bandits?" Lan Yu asked in confusion. "The Sizhou barbarians are just a bunch of chickens and dogs. They can be destroyed overnight. How can they control the military and political affairs of the southwest?"

It would take time to control the chieftains in the southwest. What Lan Yu said made sense. However, this was a trap set by Zhu Yuanzhang for Zhu Su. Zhu Su smiled and said, "My father and I have already thought of this point."

"It is precisely because the Sizhou barbarians are weak that we have to use this as an excuse..."

"Weak, so I can control it. Weak, so I can raise it. Weak, so I can use it for my own benefit..."

"For my own use?" Lan Yu was stunned, then suddenly realized: "Oh!"

"So, the higher-ups want us to 'keep the enemy in check'?"

To support oneself by keeping bandits in the lurch is usually when local warlords, under the pretext of suppressing bandits, refuse to hand over power and allow the bandits to grow in power in order to maintain their own military power.

However, the emperor's order to "raise the enemy for personal protection" did shock Lan Yu and Li Wenzhong's three views.

"This... is this a bad idea? If we can't wipe out a mere bandit, wouldn't that bring ruin to the prestige of our Ming Dynasty?" Li Wenzhong hesitated.

"The Sizhou barbarians were naturally wiped out in one go," Zhu Su said with a smile. "But after the Sizhou barbarians, can't there be Lianzhou barbarians, Sinan barbarians, and so on?"

The corners of his mouth curved. "As for who is the thief and who is the minister, it depends on who in the southwestern tribes supports and who opposes the major policies of my court."

(End of this chapter)