Unlimited Resources: Raising a Minister with a Space Supermarket-Chapter 545 - 479: Change

The military strength of Yangcheng is pitifully small. Adding together all the government officials, constables, night watchmen, coachmen, and gatekeepers, a motley crew totals only forty or so people.

Among these, a large part was hired later at Su Jingchen’s own expense after he took office.

"If we really retreat to defend Yangcheng, we have no chance of winning!" Li Wenyuan sighed.

The numbers are clear. No matter how well we defend, the Hu army breaking through the city gates is just a matter of time.

Li Wenyuan grumbled inwardly about the Emperor: what kind of great generals have no armies? Does the new Emperor not understand the principle of trusting those you employ? Doesn’t the Emperor consider what to do when the border chaos erupts?

In fact, Jun Tingye had considered it. As an emperor, defending the integrity of the nation is each emperor’s mission.

However, Southern Grand General Yu Zhenwu and Northern Grand General Li Guangpu were both old ministers of the late emperor. Jun Tingye wanted to cultivate people he trusted to take over these crucial positions, but couldn’t simply dismiss the two generals and wrest their military power. So he took a more tactful approach by reducing some of their troops, citing their old age and years of battles, and relocating them to the state not far from the border.

To guard against foreign invasions, smaller forces were dispersed in the neighboring states. However, if Li Guangpu wants to consolidate these forces, it will take a lot of effort.

Jun Tingye’s meaning was clear: counties on the border could be abandoned, but the news of foreign incursion could not be fake.

If the border is lost, forces could be consolidated and taken back later. But if someone uses border chaos as a pretext to assemble troops with rebellion in mind, that would be disastrous.

"So, does this mean we have to abandon Yangcheng?" Li Wenyuan’s face changed drastically.

Su Jingchen glanced at him, "If Linzhou cannot hold, the Hu army breaking into Yangcheng is only a matter of time!"

He had a premonition that Li Guangpu’s support would not come in time.

Now it depends on the intentions of the Prince of Linzhou over there. If he abandons the people of Linzhou and retreats to Yangcheng, he would lose not only his fiefdom but also his reputation.

But relying on those scattered soldiers and stragglers to defend Linzhou is unrealistic.

Unless the Prince of Linzhou is willing to use his private army.

But will Jun Mobai do that?

Before he has absolute strength to rebel, his private army must never be revealed to the public, otherwise, he would be throwing his life away.

The lives of the people compared to the Prince of Linzhou’s life are not worth mentioning, so Su Jingchen concluded that Jun Mobai would retreat to Yangcheng.

Not only will he retreat to Yangcheng, but he will also bring officials like us to retreat again and again, only then can the Emperor be forced to send an extensive army to aid. Qi Yunfan once said that Deputy General An under Li Guangpu was already Jun Mobai’s man.

Once Li Guangpu confronts the Hu army head-on with his troops, the day the Hu army is repelled will likely be the day Li Guangpu dies, and then the military power of the Northern Garrison Army will fall to Jun Mobai.

If Jun Mobai notifies Southern Grand General Yu Zhenwu in advance and triggers chaos at the Southern Border, he can justifiably lead troops to aid the Southern Border. By then, the two armies would join and strike directly at Fengyuan City.

That—is Jun Mobai’s ultimate goal!

Of course, all of this is Su Jingchen’s conjecture, but if Jun Mobai retreats to Yangcheng without even struggling in a few days, it would prove his conjecture correct.

"What should we do then? Where can we retreat to?" Li Wenyuan asked anxiously.

Since coming to Yangcheng, under Su Jingchen’s leadership, he had been wholeheartedly serving the people, barely improving the lives of Yangcheng’s citizens. He couldn’t bear to abandon the city and disregard the people’s life and death!

Su Jingchen furrowed his eyebrows. His mindset had shifted greatly. Regardless of who the emperor is, they must prioritize the people and their livelihoods.

Although Jun Tingye may be timid and cautious, judging by the new law reform, he is still a good emperor who has the people in mind.

"Instruct the northerners of Yangcheng to move towards Jinzhou. Those who are physically unable to travel far should hide with food in the mountains. Those with nowhere else to go can enter the city. Immediately fortify the defense works at the two city gates.

Recently we’ve recruited a few new constables at the county government, right? Their backgrounds need to be thoroughly investigated again, as there may be spies from the Hu people among them.

Order the government officials to thoroughly check the households’ nameplates. Except for women of noble families, conduct door-to-door inquiries.

Anyone coming to visit relatives should have their kin claim them in the city.

Anyone unknown and unrecognized, without any personal tokens, should be intensely scrutinized.

Itinerant monks, fortune-tellers, and peddlers of medicines and rituals from outside are strictly not allowed in.

We need both open and secret investigations because only then can we ensure nothing is overlooked."

Li Wenyuan was slightly confused, "Secret investigations? How are they to be done?"

Afraid of misunderstanding Su Jingchen’s intentions, he straightforwardly asked for clarification.

"Secret investigations are of two types.

The first type involves the government dispatching a few careful and daring constables to go undercover.

The second type involves having local merchants secretly investigate. Of course, these merchants must be beyond suspicion and can be reliably deployed. If they can identify a single spy, they can confidentially report it to the government for a monetary reward." 𝐟𝕣𝕖𝐞𝐰𝕖𝚋𝐧𝗼𝚟𝐞𝕝.𝗰𝐨𝐦

Li Wenyuan nodded, realizing that Su Jingchen planned to defend Yangcheng to the death.

"Sir, what if the Prince of Linzhou orders us to abandon the city?"

"We will not abandon it!" Su Jingchen replied firmly.

Indeed, Su Jingchen’s mindset had changed.

Qi Yunfan wanted to use Jun Mobai to dominate the world, but Jun Mobai wanted to use the people to pave a bloody path for him, and Su Jingchen found it hard to cooperate with that.

"This..." Li Wenyuan was shocked.

Truthfully, while helping the people out of poverty and rebuilding their homes was meaningful, he didn’t want to lose his life over it.

Su Jingchen noticed Li Wenyuan’s hesitation, "If you’re afraid of dying, when the Prince of Linzhou retreats, you can go with him, I won’t stop you!"

People have different goals, and Su Jingchen didn’t think he could hold Yangcheng, so there was no need to drag Li Wenyuan to die with him.

Hopefully, Li Guangpu would arrive in time.

Li Wenyuan lowered his head, and after a while, stood up and left, "I’ll go make arrangements now!"

Su Jingchen watched Li Wenyuan’s back intently.

Once Li Wenyuan left, Yu Xiaolian pushed the door open and entered. Just now, she had been in the side hall, listening to Su Jingchen’s deployment clearly.

She understood Su Jingchen’s plan. In the book, Su Jingchen was an official wholeheartedly devoted to the country and the people’s welfare. Years ago, when Su Jingchen said he would conspire with Qi Yunfan for the world, Yu Xiaolian was puzzled.

Fights for power and position must be bloody; she thought Su Jingchen had long prepared himself mentally for it.

"Cold and heartless scheming is foolish, Lian’er. Only today did I realize how naive I was years ago!" Su Jingchen was deeply troubled within.

He broke his loyalty and betrayed his agreement with Qi Yunfan.