Chapter 96: Two Choices
Unexpectedly, Li Heng’s answer was even more infuriating:
“The Black Feather Camp can enter the city and garrison it, but the Tuntian Soldiers cannot. Yanzhou is so small, and if so many people enter at once, it will cause chaos.”
Jinsui’s voice grew colder: “Then the refugees and herdsmen I just took in, and the people near the border city, cannot enter the city for protection?”
Li Heng said with a tone of justification: “Your Highness jokes. Those people aren’t even considered Xia citizens, how can they enter the city?”
Seeing Jinsui’s face darken, he continued to explain: “Your Highness may not know, but this is the role of the border army!”
“The Black Feather Camp is usually responsible for suppressing bandits and patrolling. When external enemies arrive, they should naturally be the first to engage.”
Jinsui stroked her chin and said:
“There are only a little over a thousand Tartars in total. If we combine our forces, deploying the Yan Prefecture Army and the Black Feather Camp to defend outside the border city, they will have no return. Why does Prefect Li have no will to fight?”
Li Heng acted as if he had heard a huge joke, and said in a lecturing tone: “It seems Your Highness truly doesn’t understand the situation on the frontier.”
“That’s not right. Didn’t Your Highness previously defend against the Fan People in Hexi? You should know how to deal with the Tartars raiding for supplies.”
Jinsui narrowed her eyes: “If you have something to say, say it directly. Stop beating around the bush with me!”
Li Heng quickly said: “The Tartars send vanguard armies to raid the border cities for supplies. If they seize provisions and slaves, they will not risk attacking the main city area.”
“They will only conduct a hasty raid and then withdraw. However, if this vanguard army is surrounded and even half of their forces are killed, the Tartar army will march on the city.”
“Heh heh, actually, the Tartars haven’t wanted to go to war with Great Xia in recent years. They raid border civilians for food and slaves, which doesn’t harm the foundation of Great Xia.”
Jinsui felt disgusted listening to this. What a Great Xia official stationed at the border! Is this how they protect the border citizens and deal with external enemies!
She tried her best to calm herself and asked in a deep voice: “Do the Yanzhou Gentry also let the Tartars do as they please?”
Li Heng’s answer was ambiguous:
“Your Highness knows, Great Xia only reclaimed Yandi how many years ago? We call the Northern Frontier country Tartars, but in fact, many of them are related to the Yanzhou Gentry.”
“This is also why smuggling at the border has been repeatedly banned but never stopped!”
Now Jinsui truly understood. Among the gentry, some were secretly doing business with the Northern Frontier Tartars, and possibly had branches or relatives in the Northern Frontier.
Imperial Court officials in Yandi only wanted to protect their lives and futures, to pass through three years peacefully, and then be transferred away.
The only ones suffering were the people of Great Xia, the border soldiers.
They were like leeks, harvested batch after batch.
Like sacrificial offerings, they were sacrificed by Yandi to the Northern Frontier to ensure their peace.
She asked her last question: “Does the Imperial Court not know about these matters?”
“Minor skirmishes with not heavy casualties are not reported to the Imperial Court.”
“Your so-called not heavy casualties are those that did not harm the Yanzhou Gentry.”
“But the civilians outside the city were massacred. The old and young were killed, the men were captured as slaves, and the women were taken as maids, becoming breeding tools for the Tartars.”
This is why there are so many refugees!
Li Heng was silent for a long time, and once again advised:
“Your Highness, with your three thousand border soldiers, you cannot change anything. You should quickly enter the city with this official. If you are safe, the border city can be rebuilt!”
Jinsui sneered: “Now you know to protect this King’s life. Do you know what the Imperial Commissioner from the Imperial Court is here for?”
Li Heng, worthy of being an old hand, let out two dry laughs: “This official knows Your Highness is blessed with good fortune and that the Zheng Family cannot harm Your Highness in the slightest.”
Jinsui raised an eyebrow: “So, Lord Li admits that the assassins were sent by the Zheng Family?”
Li Heng was startled. This Li King could dig traps for anyone at any time. Talking to him required extreme caution.
“Assassins? What assassins? This official knows nothing!”
Jinsui leaned forward to look outside: “How many men did Lord Li bring?”
Li Heng instantly stood up in fear and retreated towards the door: “What does Your Highness intend to do?”
“Nothing much. With these Tartars attacking, having one more person in the border city means one more chance of victory. You will accompany this King to defend the border city!”
Jinsui looked at him with a condescending and disdainful gaze, and calmly uttered the scene that most terrified Li Heng.
Li Heng thought of the rumors circulating in the city: whether human or horse, anyone passing by the border city would be captured and forced to do some work.
Young Masters like Yan Shiyi Lang had become salt carriers.
Noble ladies like Miss Yan had to find matchmakers for the border city.
Li Heng had sworn twice before never to set foot in the border city again. He never expected that breaking his oath this time would result in such a consequence.
He rushed to the door: “I do not agree! What if you are an Imperial Prince? You cannot detain a high-ranking official of the Imperial Court!”
Jinsui sneered: “Try and see if this King can.”
“Guards, escort Prefect Li to my residence to rest.”
Li Heng was truly scared now. He knew very well that the Li King’s so-called keeping him to defend the city was just a bluff.
With his dozen or so escorts, how much strength could they add to the border city?
Having navigated between several factions in Yanzhou for many years, he had honed his skills to perfection and quickly calmed down, asking:
“Your Highness, what exactly do you want this official to do? Please instruct me!”
Jinsui smiled: “That’s more like it. Your attitude of staying out of it earlier made it impossible to have a proper conversation.”
“My request is simple: Yanzhou City must provide shelter for all border soldiers and civilians. Only then will I enter the city, and I will give you the Black Feather Camp to defend the city.”
Li Heng gritted his teeth: “Your Highness, please don’t make things difficult for this official. This is simply impossible! The border soldiers and civilians number at least over twenty thousand. How can Yanzhou City shelter them?”
“Furthermore, if the Tartars cannot seize food and slaves, they will forcefully attack Yanzhou City! It’s not worth the loss!”
Jinsui spread her hands: “This is my request. Whether Yanzhou agrees or not is your responsibility, Lord Li.”
Li Heng stomped his foot: “This request is truly impossible to agree to. Even if I agree, the Yanzhou Gentry will not.”
If the Yanzhou Gentry united, they would drive him to the border city too, and that would be terrible!
He looked at the Li King’s expression and suddenly remembered that the Li King had mentioned earlier that the approaching Tartars were only a little over a thousand troops. If they cooperated, they could defeat them. A flash of inspiration struck him:
“Can Your Highness propose other demands?”
Jinsui raised an eyebrow: “Since you cannot shelter all the border soldiers and civilians, I will shelter them. However, Yanzhou must send troops, and the gentry must provide provisions and supplies.”
Li Heng exclaimed: “Your Highness still wants to fight the Tartars?”
“Nonsense! You are willing to watch the Tartars bully our people, but I cannot! Aren’t you afraid that after killing these thousand troops, a larger army will press on?”
“Then I will annihilate their entire army! And bring peace and prosperity back to our border city!”
“Go and negotiate with the Yanzhou Gentry. You have two choices: first, all border soldiers and civilians enter the city for shelter.”
“Second, send troops and provisions, and I will lead them to defend the border city.”
Li Heng asked in a deep voice: “What if they disagree with both?”
Jinsui laughed heartily: “Then it’s even simpler.”
“There’s no need to fear the Tartars attacking Yanzhou City. I will attack it first!”
