PFC Chapter 19, Strategy 5: Conquering Liaodong, Anchoring Effect
Chapter 19, Strategy 5: Conquering Liaodong, Anchoring Effect
"The second strategy is to launch a surprise attack behind enemy lines."
"Following the example of General Huo Qubing, select another 10,000 elite troops, abandon their heavy armor, carry only dry rations, cross mountains and valleys, and launch a surprise attack on their rear cities and granaries."
"Burn their grain supplies, cut off their supplies, create chaos in the heart of Goguryeo, and prevent them from coordinating their efforts."
"The third strategy is to stabilize the rear."
"When the army enters Liaodong, it will not only refrain from forcibly requisitioning the people's stored grain, but will also open the granaries to distribute grain and provide relief to the disaster victims of last year."
"Strike with swift and decisive action against the cavalrymen from Goguryeo who are raiding our territory, and protect the people of our Great Sui Dynasty."
"In this way, the people of Liaodong will become the eyes and ears of our army, and the Goguryeo barbarians will have nowhere to hide."
"The fourth strategy: Cut off the fuel supply!"
Yang Yan's tone suddenly turned cold.
"I have heard that many powerful families in the Liaodong and Hebei regions are annexing land and hiding people."
"This is a parasite on the nation! Your Majesty, you should issue a strict decree ordering honest officials to thoroughly investigate his illegal activities!"
"Seize their property, forfeit their grain reserves, and use them all for military purposes!"
"This is not looting, but acting in accordance with the law! It will both replenish the army's food supplies and restore order to the local area—a win-win situation!"
"The fifth strategy: the true tactic is revealed when the map is unrolled!"
Yang Yan's voice calmed down, carrying a sense of confidence that he was in control of the situation.
"The above four strategies are all preliminary steps."
"When the raiding squads roamed freely in its heartland, when the powerful clans of Liaodong were wiped out one by one, when the people of Liaodong welcomed the king's army with food and drink."
"Goguryeo will inevitably descend into chaos, its rulers and ministers will become disaffected, and its will to fight will be completely lost."
"At that time, our Great Sui's 80,000 elite troops can seize the opportunity for a decisive battle, deciding the fate of the world in one fell swoop. We can also bring our army to the city gates, forcing King Gao Yuan to come out of the city and surrender, relinquishing his imperial title and becoming a vassal!"
After Yang Yan finished speaking his five strategies, Yang Jian leaned back on the dragon throne, his cloudy old eyes fixed on Yang Yan as if trying to see through him.
Dugu Jialuo's hand, which was holding the teacup, froze in mid-air.
To her at first glance, these five strategies seemed to indicate a military offensive, but upon closer examination, they revealed a harmonious and prosperous society.
She didn't understand the specific strategies for a field raid, but she saw through the core of the plan at a glance—it was aimed not only at Goguryeo, but also at the deep-seated problems of the powerful clans in Liaodong during the Sui Dynasty.
From leveraging allies and launching surprise attacks to appease the people and purge powerful figures, and finally revealing the true intentions, every step skillfully intertwined external conquests with internal purges.
This goes far beyond a simple military strategy; it's more like a shrewd political program.
A war that could have depleted the national treasury and incited public resentment was turned into an opportunity to unite the people, consolidate imperial power, and replenish the national treasury.
In particular, the "cutting off the fuel supply" strategy directly addressed the problem of the powerful and uncontrollable forces in Guanzhong and Hebei. This boldness and ruthlessness made her secretly tremble.
This is hardly something a sixteen-year-old boy, raised by women in the inner palace, could come up with.
This is clearly a well-thought-out, meticulously crafted combination of moves that only a prime minister with decades of experience in the imperial court could come up with.
She couldn't help but raise her eyes and, for the first time, truly and carefully examine the eldest grandson she had always overlooked.
The calmness and confidence in his eyes did not overlap with the image of the timid or arrogant boy in my memory.
Was it because of Yun's upbringing? Or was he always hiding his talents, only revealing his brilliance today?
Regardless of which one it is, Yang Yan is someone she can no longer ignore at this moment.
After a long silence, Yang Jian finally spoke slowly: "Who taught you these five strategies?"
The air inside the hall froze instantly.
Yang Jian leaned forward slightly, and an invisible imperial pressure swept over him.
"Gao Jiong? Su Wei? Or is there some extraordinary person hidden in the Eastern Palace whom you don't want me to know?"
This was indeed Yang Jian.
No matter how good the plan is, his first reaction is always suspicion.
Yang Yan was already prepared.
If there is even the slightest panic at this moment, all previous efforts will be in vain.
It could even bring about the destruction of Gao Jiong and others.
He met Yang Jian's gaze calmly, without flinching in the slightest.
"Your Majesty, I would not dare to lie."
Yang Yan gave a wry smile and pointed to his head.
"These are not things anyone taught us."
Instead, the grandson was in the Eastern Palace, facing that dusty "Map of Liaodong", and went through all the records of the northern campaigns in the "Records of the Grand Historian" and the "Book of Han", especially the battles of Wei Qing and Huo Qubing against the Xiongnu.
"Only after combining these few volumes of 'A Study of Military Rations' in the Eastern Palace's storeroom did I dare to come up with these rudimentary ideas."
He paused, then gave a clear and logical explanation.
"Grandfather, you are wise enough to know that Lord Gao Jiong is the Left Vice Minister of the Imperial Secretariat of the Sui Dynasty. He is extremely busy with state affairs and has no time to teach his grandson about military matters."
"If it was truly taught by Master Gao, why didn't he report it directly instead of going through such a long and roundabout way to have his grandson do it? It doesn't make sense from any perspective."
Yang Yan lowered his eyes, his voice lowered, carrying a just-right amount of worry and sincerity.
"The reason why my grandson can think of these things is simply because... my grandson has grown up."
"I see my father's predicament and I am deeply worried about him."
"My grandson is reading history books at night, and the more he reads, the more alarmed he becomes. How similar our Great Sui Dynasty is to the Great Qin Dynasty of the past. My grandfather and the First Emperor were both great rulers who unified the world."
"However, the Qin Dynasty only lasted for two generations. The root cause was that the royal family was not strong, the emperor was young and the country was suspicious, which led to Zhao Gao's chaos in government and the collapse of the country."
"As a descendant of the Yang family, my fate is intertwined with that of the Sui Dynasty. Whenever I think of this, I cannot sleep at night and am filled with constant fear."
"Your grandson is not talented, but he also wants to share the burdens of his grandfather and do his part for the Yang family's empire."
This reason is very real and very "human".
It transformed Yang Yan's actions from a minister's "offering of advice" into a grandchild's "filial piety" and "foresight."
More importantly, the analogy of "the Qin Dynasty perished after only two generations" was like a needle, precisely piercing Yang Jian's deepest fears.
What emperor doesn't hope that his dynasty will last for thousands of generations?
Yang Yan's words were more effective at dispelling Yang Jian's doubts than any high-sounding reason.
"His Majesty."
Just then, Dugu Jialuo, who had been silent all along, spoke up.
She picked up her teacup, took a small sip, and spoke with a hint of barely perceptible approval and protectiveness.
"Yan'er's words are all reasonable."
"Your Majesty has long been concerned about the threat from Goguryeo. If Gao Jiong truly possessed such a brilliant strategy, given his character, he would have already outlined it in his memorials long ago. Why wait until now?"
Dugu Jialuo put down her teacup and looked at Yang Yan with gentle eyes.
"Moreover, these five strategies are indeed ingenious."
"That 'drawing the firewood from under the cauldron' strategy, though seemingly ruthless, points out the deep-seated problems of local powerful clans in our Great Sui Dynasty. This is not something an ordinary official would dare to say."
She turned to look at Yang Jian and smiled slightly.
"This child seems to have really thought about the war in the north."
"Otherwise, you couldn't have made up details like 'Mount Yiwulü' and 'Mohe Guide' out of thin air."
"It's a good thing that our Yang family's descendants have become enlightened, so why are you always so suspicious?"
The Empress's words were like a spring breeze, completely dispelling the heavy atmosphere in the hall.
Yang Yan quickly stepped forward to explain: "My grandson had previously read through all the records of northern campaigns in the Records of the Grand Historian and the Book of Han, especially the battles fought by Wei Qing and Huo Qubing against the Xiongnu."
"Combined with the few volumes of 'A Study of Military Rations' in the Eastern Palace's storeroom, and the dusty 'Map of Liaodong,' I spent a long time deducing from place names such as 'Yiwulü Mountain' and 'Beisha City' on the map before I dared to come up with these rudimentary ideas."
The look of suspicion on Yang Jian's face slowly faded.