You Jijing deferred to Mu Chaobi and said,
“Military intelligence is urgent, and troop deployment cannot be entrusted to outsiders… Well, let’s ask the Duke to explain the current situation to everyone! Duke, please?”
Clearing his throat, Mu Chaobi feigned reluctance. “The court’s regulations dictate that civil officials hold authority… but this is a border issue. I certainly wouldn’t dare to be negligent, so I’ll say a few words.”
He looked at the assembled officials and stated with a grave expression,
“Mang Yinglong is a formidable warlord. Wielding Frankish firearms, he has swept aside all opposition. North of Ava, his forces have pushed towards Jinteng territory, and the three prefectures and six protectorates of Lanna, Cheri, and Laos have all suffered his depredations… The Taizu always admonished us, saying that Burma is a minor hegemon and should not be underestimated. Since my ancestor’s time, we have walked on thin ice, maintaining our position to this day. North of Yongchang, there has been no violation for a hundred years…
Uh, I am not seeking credit. Many of you commanders are hereditary officials of the ninth rank, and you naturally understand these intricacies. When deploying troops in Yunnan and Guizhou, the primary concern is unified command; the orders cannot be inconsistent… I believe the same applies to this expedition. All generals must strictly adhere to orders to achieve victory.”
His words were typical of military leaders, and no one found them unusual.
At this moment, Wang Fu, the Commander of Qujing Garrison, chimed in,
“The Duke’s foresight is admirable, and his words are certainly fitting. I believe that our previous expedition to Cheri and the battle against Lanna suffered initial setbacks precisely because individual garrison commanders disobeyed orders… Uh, everyone knows who they are! I will say no more for now!”
Among those present, except for Zhu Mo, nearly everyone knew Wang Fu was Mu Chaobi’s confidant. However, even Zhu Mo recognized that there was more to his words than met the eye, sensing that these individuals were not eager to discuss military matters but rather to settle old scores.
You Jijing’s expression immediately soured.
But the military officials paid him no mind. Another Yunnan Central Garrison Commander named He An continued,
“Duke, I believe our troops are still insufficient. We can temporarily requisition garrisons from Chuxiong, Dali, and Yongchang along the way. I have fought the Burmese three times. Their firearms are truly formidable, and their soldiers are fierce. Our current force is only fifty thousand; I believe we need at least eighty thousand.”
Mu Chaobi reprimanded him feigning annoyance,
“He An, you are the one managing your affairs, and you blame the lack of troops? Stop speaking such nonsense in the future!”
He An, also his confidant, blushed and stepped back.
Wang Fu then added,
“Duke, what He San said is not entirely wrong… but it doesn’t hit the mark. Duke, Governor, esteemed officials, the three prefectures and six protectorates of Yunnan are plagued by troublesome indigenous officials who often defect to the enemy during wartime, and there are many disloyal commoners… I often hear the soldiers complain. This time, Mang Yinglong has penetrated deep into the Lujiang River, and Yongchang is in grave danger. I believe that on this expedition, we cannot show leniency to these disloyal commoners. The indigenous officials must be strictly controlled. If any commoner aids the enemy, our soldiers can no longer turn a blind eye!”
A gasp and a murmur rippled through the room.
It was well known that Yunnan and Guizhou were regions where Han and Yi peoples intermingled. Not only in the border territories, but even in this hall, there were three or four indigenous commanders, such as An Xiaoliang. However, these indigenous officials, tracing their lineage back, were often descendants of Central Plains people from Emperor Wu’s expansion period, although their customs had changed over the years. An Xiaoliang’s surname was a case in point; his ancestors were criminals from the Sanfu region of Chang’an exiled to the south, truly Han people. By the Song and Yuan dynasties, however, they had adopted Yi customs.
Given this, in all discussions, no one dared to bring up this topic. Once it was revealed, it often led to suspicion. The Yan family, for twenty years, had seen every governor, except for You Jijing, deliberately provoke this conflict, leading to bloodshed between indigenous and civilian officials, and among indigenous officials themselves.
At this moment, An Xiaoliang was greatly fearful. He pulled on the indigenous commander beside him, and several other indigenous officials similarly trembled, drawing closer together. It was not that they were disloyal, but that the Yan family never advocated unity; they often sowed discord from the outset, and ultimately, these indigenous officials became scapegoats, often meeting tragic ends. Not only were their titles stripped, but their families were often annihilated.
You Jijing sighed inwardly, thinking, “You are incorrigible… I have tried my best to mediate their differences for four years, but if you speak of it so openly, this war cannot be fought.”
At the same time, he felt a chill—
The last time Mu Chaobi was not in Kunming, and the situation in Cheri was critical, he had dispatched five thousand men south overnight. Although the situation was pacified, it had ultimately not been sanctioned by Mu Chaobi. Since then, their animosity had deepened.
Now, he felt that Mu Chaobi was likely to revisit old grievances today. He glanced at Wang Daren and then at the calmly composed Zhu Mo.
You Jijing secretly rejoiced—
“Fortunately, this Zhu Mo is decisive. If he hadn’t obtained Wang Daren’s leverage overnight, today would have been my doom. His actions are truly thunderous. If he hadn’t dared to write down classified information, how could I have trusted him?”
At this moment, Zhu Mo harbored similar thoughts— “This You Jijing is still exceptionally intelligent. If he hadn’t given me the Governor’s seal, I wouldn’t have trusted him either…”
The two exchanged a meaningful smile.
As Governor, You Jijing had certain principles that must be stated. Facing the increasingly awkward atmosphere, he slowly paced a few steps and sighed,
“Duke, everyone, the key to matters in Yunnan and Guizhou is unity, as Prime Minister Zhuge Liang long ago determined: winning hearts is paramount, and conquering cities is secondary. Do you not know this? Since I took office, have I not earnestly advised? Duke is correct, Mang Yinglong is a formidable warlord and very difficult to deal with. How can we disrupt our own ranks? The establishment of each garrison was planned by the Taizu and his meritorious officials; their foresight was beyond our comprehension. Everyone, I believe the command must be unified, but baseless suspicion must absolutely be avoided! As for the people in the border regions, though they have committed offenses, they should not be regarded as aiding the enemy!”
His words were reasonable and logical, but strangely, the atmosphere in the room did not ease at all. Some of the generals, who understood righteousness, secretly sighed and cast their gazes towards Zhu Mo.
At this moment, Wang Daren said indifferently,
“Governor, your words are misguided… Since ancient times, if there is no peace within, how can we resist external threats? All the generals are men of the battlefield, and their observations are naturally accurate. Governor, you are in the prayer hall; perhaps you should listen more to the words of the soldiers on the front lines?”
A sharp intake of breath filled the room, and everyone grew tense.
Everyone knew that this man was an Imperial Censor tasked with inspecting these provincial officials. His words were indeed very weighty.
Mu Chaobi feigned,
“Lord Wang misunderstands; Governor You has no ulterior motives! For the past four years, he has been extremely diligent; all of us colleagues bear witness to it! The matters of Yunnan and Guizhou are difficult to explain fully. I implore the Imperial Envoy not to rush to judgment.”
He spoke with a sincere and impassioned expression, as if he were risking everything to protect You Jijing.