Farmers of Shu Han

Chapter 1459 Making the Move (Many thanks to Uncle Shanxiong Diting for the reward, a long chapter of 5,000 words)
After Qin Bo's figure disappeared outside the door, Feng Da Sima remained seated in the same place without moving, but the tapping sound of his fingertips on the table became more and more rapid, showing that his mind was changing very quickly.

Behind the inner screen, a soft tinkling of jade pendants rang out, and a young woman in elegant attire emerged. She gracefully approached Feng Yong and asked in a gentle voice:
"What is Ah Lang thinking about? He seems so engrossed."

"What else could I be thinking of but Zhuge Yuanxun?"

Without looking up, Feng Yong habitually reached out and wrapped his arm around her waist, gently stroking it a few times, his tone slightly teasing:
"These past few days, because of Shuangshuang's marriage, the number of female guests visiting our mansion has been endless. Instead of helping to entertain them at the front, you have the leisure to hide here with me?"

Upon hearing this, the Right Madam rolled her eyes at him, her tone low and tinged with an indescribable sourness:

"Oh, what are you saying! After all, it's Sister Zuo's own daughter who's going to be the Crown Princess. Such a joyous occasion is naturally handled by her, her own mother. Why should I, an outsider, get involved? I don't want to get in the way."

Feng Yong scoffed and pulled her closer with a slight tightening of his grip:

"What kind of talk is that? When Shuangshuang was little, she spent more time with you than with her third aunt, and she was closest to you. In her heart, you are also her mother. If she heard you say this, how hurt would she be?"

He should have kept quiet; the moment he brought it up, Madam Right's eyebrows furrowed, her resentment seemingly finding an outlet, and the barbs in her words became even more pronounced.

"Don't mention that to me! Your Feng family, the old folks are heartless, and the young ones are heartless too!"

"The old man forgets the old one as soon as there's a new person in the house, and runs to the yard of the man surnamed Yang every night."

"Now that the younger one is all grown up, he knows that his younger brother and I weren't born from the same belly, so he bullies me all he wants!"

"Me, speak? Who would listen to a word I say these days? Of course, everyone listens to their dear mother!"

Upon hearing the barrage of complaints, Feng Yong was immediately overwhelmed and secretly regretted letting Qin Bo leave too soon, otherwise he could have delayed the matter a little longer.

The right-hand lady, however, persisted: "I raised her with such care, and now look what I've done, all the work has gone to someone else, and I haven't gotten a single bit of credit..."

Grand Marshal Feng glanced at the Right Lady, then hesitated, as if he wanted to say something but stopped himself.

That's because you're not strong enough to control her.

If you can beat her so badly that she obediently calls you "Mom," I have no objection.

Seeing that the Right Lady's resentful attitude was getting worse, Feng Yong had no choice but to interrupt this endless rambling and change the subject:
"Alright, alright, let's not talk about Shuangshuang anymore. Let's talk about Amo. I think Amo (Feng Kai, the son of the Right Madam) is not young anymore, and it's time for him to be married."

"Are there any families in Chang'an that you find appealing? If so, I'll send someone to sound them out."

Sure enough, the moment her son's marriage was mentioned, Madam Right's expression immediately brightened, a smile blooming on her face. However, she deliberately adopted a coy demeanor, saying:
"This...this is probably against the rules, isn't it? Ah Chong (Feng Ling, the eldest son of Madam Zuo) is not yet engaged, how can it be Ah Mo's turn first? If word gets out, won't people say that I, as his mother, don't know etiquette?"

“It’s alright,” Feng Yong waved his hand casually. “As for A-Chong’s marriage, Third Sister has her own plans, and I’m too lazy to interfere. As for A-Mo’s matter, you can think about it first and then tell me when you’ve thought it through.”

Madam Right's eyes darted around several times, and Feng Yong, seeing her expression, could easily understand her little scheme:
"Think it over yourself first, and let me know when you've figured it out."

Marrying a princess isn't impossible, since Fatty Liu has many children anyway.

In this day and age, marrying your cousin is a very normal thing.

Anyway, everything that needed to be said had already been said. If he really wanted to marry her, Mr. Feng would naturally not forcibly stop him—Fatty Liu had many children, and so did Mr. Feng's brother-in-law.

Having received Grand Marshal Feng's promise, Lady You beamed with joy, her previous resentful demeanor vanishing instantly, transforming her back into the considerate and virtuous wife she once was.

She deftly picked up the teapot and poured Feng Yong a cup of hot tea, her voice softening once more:

"Ah Lang, please moisten your throat. You must be tired after talking for so long."

After gracefully taking her seat, her eyes sparkled, and she naturally steered the conversation back, her tone carrying just the right amount of curiosity and concern:

"I just heard you say that you're thinking about Zhuge Ke... Do you think there's something else going on behind his actions?"

Why else would you call him the chief secretary?

That one sentence hit the nail on the head regarding Grand Marshal Feng's thoughts. Feng nodded slightly, leaned back, and slowly said:

"It's not hard to understand why a new leader would want to make some achievements to prove himself."

"He's practically a native of Jingzhou, so his efforts to stabilize grain prices and win over the people are understandable. However—"

He frowned slightly. "Governing a country is like cooking a fish. His bold and decisive approach always makes me uneasy."

The right lady leaned forward and asked, "Where does the unease lie?"

Grand Marshal Feng breathed a sigh of relief:

"Sima Yi had just usurped power and moved the false emperor to Pengcheng; Eastern Wu was also facing a young and suspicious ruler, so this was the best time for them to recuperate and rebuild."

"Our great Han Dynasty has experienced the war in Hebei, and after the war we had to appease Yanzhou in Hebei. Our treasury is empty and we are powerless to launch an eastern expedition."

He rubbed his forehead and sighed, "I'm willing but unable..."

"Willing but unable?" The Right Lady glanced meaningfully at her husband and asked, "Then what do you think, my lord?"

Grand Marshal Feng coughed and said, "I hope we can live in peace for two or three years, or even better, three to five years."

Anyway, the Han Dynasty has plenty of time to wait.

"Peaceful coexistence?" The Right Lady chuckled lightly, the tassels on her jade hairpin swaying slightly. "If you think that way, my lord, you've probably underestimated Zhuge Yuanxun's character."

Her expression turned serious. "I think your intuition is right, Master—this man is definitely not one to be content with his lot."

Hmm, it seems that first impressions are always right?

Grand Marshal Feng sat up straight and humbly asked for guidance:
"Oh? Please enlighten me, my lady."

The Right Lady didn't mince words and commented directly:
"In my opinion, when Zhuge Yuanxun first took office, everything was in need of being rebuilt, yet he immediately sent his trusted confidant Qin Bo, who was well-versed in Han affairs, to procure grain. His primary purpose was probably to quell the famine in Jingzhou and win over the hearts of the people."

“Jingzhou borders our Han Dynasty. His actions at least show that he has no intention of being our enemy at present, and may even be willing to ease relations.”

Feng Yong nodded, signaling her to continue.

"However, this person has been making frequent moves, exempting taxes and abolishing checkpoints, and now he is eager to save the people. Behind this widespread benevolence is definitely not just the purpose of stabilizing the internal situation."

"From my observation, his ambitions are not small. He has the demeanor of being decisive and reforming the government. He wants to establish his prestige and seize power as soon as possible."

At this point, her tone became somewhat serious:

"But Zhuge Ke is this man..."

After a pause, she asked in return:

"Does my lord remember when the Prime Minister was alive, he was deeply worried when he heard that Zhuge Ke was in charge of money and grain in Wu, and even wrote a letter to Lu Xun, asking Lu Xun to find a way to persuade Sun Quan to reconsider?"

"Why is that? It is because the Prime Minister knows that Zhuge Ke is 'unapproachable by nature'. And according to the news sent back from Wu, Sun Quan also said that he was 'stubborn' before his death."

“His father, Zhuge Jin, once said, ‘If Ke does not bring prosperity to our family, he will bring great ruin to our clan.’”

"These three people's evaluations show that Zhuge Ke was ambitious but lacked talent, acted hastily, and was unwilling to listen to dissenting opinions."

She looked at Feng Yong and stated her final judgment:

"Now that Wei is in turmoil and Sima Yi has not won over the people, it is the perfect opportunity for Wu to advance north."

"Given Zhuge Ke's eagerness to make a name for himself, once he has initially stabilized the internal situation and believes he has reached a tacit understanding with our Han Dynasty, his next step will inevitably be to disregard reality and forcibly launch a military campaign against Wei."

"Therefore, I believe that his fundraising today is not necessarily all for the benefit of the people, but is probably also a preparation for future wars."

"Ah Lang, we must make plans for this matter as soon as possible."

After listening to Secretary Zhang's analysis, Grand Marshal Feng's brows relaxed, and he asked thoughtfully, "What is the Lady's intention?"

"Pretend to be weak to cultivate pride, and secretly build up your strength." The Right Lady said, emphasizing each word. "If he wants grain, give him more old grain; if he wants to show goodwill, be insincere and evasive."

"If he really crosses the river and heads north to contend with Sima Yi..."

The right lady has bright eyes:
"If we win, the Han Dynasty can take the opportunity to seize the lost territories of Wei; if we lose, we will immediately take over the northern border of Jingzhou, and even the entire Jingzhou. In short, we must let Wu and Wei fight each other so that we can reap the benefits."

The former territory of the Wei Kingdom is easy to discuss, but...

Grand Marshal Feng, feigning ignorance, looked at the Right Lady and slowly raised his voice: "Jingzhou?"

The Right Lady, as if feigning ignorance, looked at Grand Marshal Feng:

"My lord, judging from the current situation, whether it is the pseudo-Wei or the pseudo-Wu, they are only missing a major defeat to be destroyed."

"If Zhuge Ke really insists on fighting a major battle with the pseudo-Wei and is defeated, Wu will most likely exhaust its national strength as a result."

"Ah Lang, you wouldn't still be thinking of helping them restore their national strength instead of taking advantage of the situation to seize it, would you?"

Feng Guiwang smiled knowingly and remained silent.

Of course, things are not that simple, but since the Right Lady has said so, the general direction must be correct.
-
A few days later, as the fervor surrounding the engagement between the Crown Prince and the Grand Marshal's eldest daughter subsided, Grand Marshal Feng sent for Wang Jun and his close disciple Du Yu.

The study in the Grand Marshal's mansion was completely silent, with only the occasional soft crackling of the lamp wick.

Grand Marshal Feng, with his back to the two men, kept his eyes fixed on the map without uttering a word.

Wang Jun and Du Yu stood respectfully with their hands at their sides, wondering what the Grand Marshal (Master) wanted to see them about.

Both men were intelligent. When they saw the military map on the wall, they exchanged silent glances, and a hint of anticipation gradually appeared in their eyes.

Just as the two men were both wearing excited expressions, Grand Marshal Feng finally spoke:

"Shizhi (Wang Jun's courtesy name), Yuankai (Du Yu's courtesy name), you two, make preparations, we will be heading to Yong'an soon."

The sound wasn't loud, but it was like a thunderclap from a clear sky, exploding in Wang Jun and Du Yu's ears!

Their eyes met briefly, and they both saw the same confusion and bewilderment in each other's eyes.

Otherwise, both of them would have thought they had misheard.

Yong'an?

Why not Luoyang?
Wang Jun opened his mouth subconsciously, but no sound came out.

Grand Marshal Feng, not hearing their reply, finally turned around and glanced at them.

Wang Jun quickly lowered his head, his lips pursing almost imperceptibly, showing that he was trying to suppress his inner resentment.

Finally, he replied in a somber tone, "This humble general... obeys."

Wang Jun joined the party relatively late, recommended by Young Master Feng, and was not Feng's disciple.

Although he had distinguished himself in the battle of Hebei, it was not enough to give him the courage to resist Feng Da Sima.

In contrast, Du Yu, the last disciple, reacted rather strongly.

The expectation on his face froze instantly, then turned into astonishment, followed by a short, almost inaudible exclamation: "Sir?!"

His voice was slightly distorted due to his urgency.

She leaned forward instinctively, as if trying to see the man's expression clearly, or perhaps wanting to ask him something.

Go to Yong'an? At this critical juncture?
Why not go to Luoyang to prepare for the war to destroy Wei?

Grand Marshal Feng seemed oblivious to their expressions. He returned to his seat, took a sip of tea, and then looked up to ask:
"What? Don't want to?"

Turning to look at Wang Jun, who hung his head in resignation and remained silent, Du Yu took a deep breath, then turned back to face Feng Yong, his face filled with a pleading expression of resentment:

"Teacher! It's not that I'm afraid of difficulties or distance..."

His tone was agitated, even tinged with grievance, as if he had been deprived of a crucial opportunity:
"However... now that the pseudo-Wei is in turmoil and the Sima clan's foothold is not yet secure, this is the golden opportunity for our great Han to advance eastward with thunder and lightning and conquer the Central Plains!"

"This kind of war that will destroy a nation is a matter of national destiny, and I... I really don't want to miss it."

"I humbly request that you allow me to remain in the army, even as a lowly soldier, I would gladly accept it! Once the Central Plains are pacified, I will immediately go to Yong'an without complaint!"

After sitting down at his desk, Feng Yongduan glanced at the two men and saw through their thoughts.

He wasn't angry; he merely gave a soft "humph," a low sound that even carried a hint of mockery.
"Unwilling to miss out? Willing to be a mere pawn? Do you think the glory of destroying Wei is so easy to earn? That it can be snatched away with just a surge of enthusiasm?"

Seeing the dissatisfaction on his disciple's face, Grand Marshal Feng took another sip of tea before getting up again.

He walked up to the huge map hanging in the sky and gently pointed to the area around Luoyang and Xuchang.

“Jiang Boyue has been stationed in Luoyang for a long time, training his troops and preparing for battle. His subordinates are all battle-hardened elites. He is the General Who Guards the South, personally appointed by His Majesty. He is a veteran general in the army and will surely be one of the main generals to destroy Wei.”

The two generals who guarded the east and south of the Han Dynasty were generals who ranked only below Grand Marshal Feng.

In the eyes of the soldiers, Guan Suo, the General Who Guards the East, might be even more capable than Jiang Wei, the General Who Guards the South.

Besides the aura bestowed upon the General Who Guards the East by Grand Marshal Feng, the General Who Guards the East's military achievements are indeed more numerous than those of the General Who Guards the South.

But those in the know understand that General Zhen Dong has a natural flaw: he must be tied to Feng and cannot guard a region.

In fact, all of General Zhen Dong's military achievements were made under the leadership of Grand Marshal Feng.

But Jiang Wei was different.

After the death of the prime minister, he led troops in battle alone and guarded a region by himself.

He was the first to arrive at Chang'an to support Xiaoguan, and he led his own army after breaking through Tongguan, recapturing Luoyang, and recovering Yanzhou.

His military achievements were not much less than those of the General Who Guards the East.

Jiang Wei had been managing Luoyang for so long; when they marched east to destroy Wei, no one else would be able to do without him.

Grand Marshal Feng then gestured with his finger towards various places in Guanzhong and Hebei:
"Look at the other generals, aren't they all eager to fight and eyeing this unparalleled achievement? When the time comes, there will surely be a large army gathering and fierce generals raining down!"

He turned around and looked directly at Du Yu and Wang Jun:

"Let me ask you this: even if I, as the Grand Marshal, forcibly stuff you into the Eastern Expeditionary Army, do you think you could obtain the vanguard position in front of Jiang Boyue and those seasoned generals?"

"Are you capable of leading independently? At most, you'll be a military advisor or a subordinate officer escorting supplies. Among countless military achievements, how many of your insignificant contributions will be recorded?"

These words were like a bucket of cold water poured over Du Yu's head, causing his face to stiffen.

Seeing this, Feng Yong's tone softened somewhat, but remained sharp:

"The war to destroy Wei may seem like a grand feast, but there are too many people attending, and only a limited share of the spoils can be obtained."

"Many people are eyeing this juicy piece of meat, scrambling to get a piece of the pie. If you join in now, you'll only be adding icing on the cake, or you might even become someone else's stepping stone."

Then, he suddenly moved his finger south, pointing heavily along the Yangtze River, especially around Jingzhou and Jianye.

"But why is your gaze fixed only on the north? Why can't you see further?"

Seemingly to strengthen his persuasiveness, his voice deepened, and he emphasized his words:

"After the fall of the Wei Kingdom, how could the world be divided for long? The next step will inevitably be a confrontation between the north and the south, and eventually the unification of the world. The key lies in this great river."

"The only thing Wu relies on is its navy. If our great Han wants to unify the world in the future, it must cross the river. The key to crossing the river and destroying Wu lies in the navy, and the foundation of the navy lies in warships."

Ding!
Stunt activated!

Grand Marshal Feng's gaze returned to Wang Jun and Du Yu, filled with expectation:

"I sent you to Yong'an so that you could gain the upper hand in the battle to destroy Wu. Zhang Yi, the governor of Yong'an, is a former subordinate of mine and will definitely support you with all his might."

"There you can concentrate on studying the methods of naval warfare without interference and supervise the construction of the navy."

“Yuan Kai, Ling Ze (Luo Xian's courtesy name) and Cheng Zhi (Fu Qian's courtesy name) are your senior brothers. In their early years, they went to Wu to study and learned the art of naval warfare. Now they have been supervising the construction of warships in Hanzhong for several years.”

"When you go to Sichuan, you can keep in touch with them. I will also write to them and ask them to take good care of you."

“Think about it,” Feng Guiwang’s voice was seductive, “while everyone else is still vying for credit for pacifying the north, you are already preparing for an even greater achievement.”

"When the day comes that the court decides to launch a southern expedition, who in the entire army understands naval warfare better than you? Who is more familiar with the situation in Wu? Who is more capable of commanding the army? Who else but you can deserve the greatest credit for destroying Wu?"

"At that time, tens of thousands of warships on the Yangtze River will blot out the sky, all under the command of you brothers. Working together, you will storm Jianye. Your master will be proud!"

"At that time, you won't be going there to get a share of the pie, but to create a new world! That's a truly great achievement, one that deserves to be ennobled and made famous in history!"

Feng Yong walked up to the two men and said earnestly, "Yuankai (Du Yu's courtesy name), Shizhi (Wang Jun's courtesy name), one must learn to consider the big picture and look to the long term, and not lose sight of the bigger picture for the sake of small gains."

"Going to Yong'an is not about abandoning your achievements, but about creating a larger arena of achievements that belongs to you!"

These words were like the sun breaking through the clouds, completely dispelling the gloom and resentment in the hearts of Wang Jun and Du Yu.

The resistance on Du Yu's face vanished, replaced by realization and excitement, along with a hint of shame. He bowed deeply.
"I am a dull student, thank you for your guidance, sir! I am willing to go to Yong'an and will certainly live up to your expectations!"

Wang Jun also bowed quickly, his tone firm: "Jun understands, and will do his utmost to build an invincible navy for the Grand Marshal and for the Han Dynasty!"

Ding!
A critical strike with special effects!