"Hedong cannot be broken, or in other words, Hedong cannot be broken from the outside."
"Why are the people in Hedong rebelling? Because if they don't rebel, they will starve to death. They have no choice!"
"Under such circumstances, what will be the consequences of a fierce attack on Hedong by external forces? The people of Hedong are all united under Guo Zhenyue!"
"Not to mention 30,000 soldiers, let alone 300,000 soldiers. To quell the troubles in Hedong, the only way to quell the troubles in Hedong is to slaughter all the two million people in Hedong!"
Zhou Hanhui agreed to take the initiative because he was basically in the army. He had to seize the main offensive task and could not give it to Zhou Che.
As for why the emperor agreed... It would be best if Zhou Han could really make a miracle to level the east of the river. If not, then let the person who can't lose the tail die!
After these people are dead, he can change his method of dealing with the Hedong thieves.
——Of course, all this is Zhou Che’s inference.
As for whether the emperor had other ideas, he didn't know.
"Tens of thousands of elites can't conquer Hedong, so can we just go to Jiguan?" Huangfu Yun asked.
Zhou Che said with a smile: "Of course it won't work just by relying on us outside, but if we add internal support, it will be fine."
"Internal response!?"
Everyone was shocked and lost their voice: "Who are the internal agents and how many are there?"
Zhou Che pointed his finger at himself: "I am the internal leader. No matter how many people there are... millions of people in the east of the river will all be my people."
Everyone was stunned when they heard this, and no one knew what was happening.
Wow——
At this time, the tent door was opened.
"Father." Zhen Wu was stunned: "Why are you here?"
"There is something urgent."
Zhen Chuhe handed over to Zhou Che: "Your Highness, I have brought it to you."
Zhou Che said hurriedly: "Why bother you to come in person?"
"You can rest assured that His Highness has entrusted you to handle it personally." Zhen Chuhe turned sideways and introduced: "No one can meet His Highness's requirements better than this one."
Behind Zhen Chuhe stood a middle-aged man. He was thin, weathered, and his eyes were downcast and sharp.
After seeing Zhou Che, he bowed and saluted: "Hedong Shen Xin, I have met His Highness."
No need to be formal. Zhou Che asked: "Are you from the Shen family in Hedong?" "
"yes!"
The two major tribes in Hedong are collectively called Li Chen.
The Li family is a clan giant. There are fifty to sixty thousand people with the same surname alone. Adding in the dependent small clans with his surname, disciples, shadowed servants, etc., the population is incalculable.
The Shen family is similar to the Zhen family. They started off by doing business. They mainly engaged in the horse business between Beinu and Daxia, which made huge profits. They worked among government merchants and had a good relationship with them.
As Li Cuiluo, the daughter of the Li family, married into the royal family, there was a contrast in power between the two parties.
The chaos that followed in Hedong almost defeated the Shen family in one wave!
Because thieves can easily break open the doors of merchants, but they never dare to offend the clan's Wubao.
A local giant like the Li family has more than ten thousand strong men. How can ordinary rebel leaders dare to provoke them?
Even someone as strong as Guo Zhenyue would mainly comfort and cooperate with them.
The Li family also seized this opportunity and expanded crazily and annexed other forces.
The Shen family that they used to call each other became their primary target.
The younger generation of Shen family members were either assassinated or killed by "thieves".
In order to survive, Shen Xin agreed to marry his daughter into the Li family in order to gain protection from the Li family.
However, after the marriage, Shen Xin's two remaining sons died suddenly one after another!
He himself was poisoned, causing him to lose his ability to behave as a human being.
Fortunately, he also had an illegitimate son, who was sent to the Zhen family by someone and is still being raised in Donghai.
Shen Xin, who no longer had any scruples, endured the humiliation of Hedong and flattered the Li family, and was able to continue running the business.
In Li's eyes, Shen Xin has died, and his only daughter is still at home - he has lost the threat, and all he has to do is run the business for Li.
For Zhou Che, this is a perfect tool man.
"Master Shen, are there many people in Hedong who have suffered disasters like you?" Zhou Che asked.
"As His Highness said." Shen Xin nodded and sighed: "When one party rises, another party will decline."
The rising ones are the thieves and bandits represented by Guo Zhenyue.
These people use force as their basis to instigate rebellion at the bottom. The first disaster is the government. Once the government is cleansed, it will be the turn of the big families.
To put it bluntly, if Guo Zhenyue's people want to expand and grow, they must prey on the 'fat guys' like Shen Xin.
And the local giant clans, like the Li family, must devour them in order to avoid being annexed and even expand their influence.
The conflict of interests is irreconcilable.
The victors, such as Guo Zhenyue and the Li family, were in the territory of Zhangya; the losers, such as the local officials and Shen Xin, were either expelled or killed, or left to suck their blood.
Forced by the situation and powerless, they could only bow their heads and endure the humiliation, waiting for the opportunity.
And Zhou Che is the opportunity they have been waiting for!
Then, Zhou Che asked a second question: "Can the people of Hedong have enough to eat?"
"Excessive talk." Shen Xin sighed again: "How can we feed millions of people by plundering?"
According to Shen Xin, Hedong lacked everything, but the wealth that the top management should make was still indispensable.
A wealthy family like the Li family knew how to seize the opportunity to lure and annex the population with precious money and food.
As for the people at the bottom, they should be hungry.
"As I thought!" Zhou Che nodded.
It is not difficult to guess the answer. If the people from Hedong had a way to survive, would Guo Zhenyue take the risk and rush to the gate of Luo Jing?
If there is food at the bottom of Hedong, as for carrying salt ore across the river to find Zhou Che in exchange for food?
"The reason why we came to the Shen family today is to discuss important events in Hedong."
"That's all His Highness orders."
Zhou Che said: "First, in the name of business, the head of the Shen family spent money to seize salt land and purchase salt mines, promising to distribute benefits to each family."
"Secondly, once the deal is concluded, all the tribes and people in Hedong will be able to survive. Now they can rise up and replace Guo Zhenyue!"
As soon as these words came out, everyone in the tent changed their expressions.
Uprising?
Replace Guo Zhenyue?
Isn't this... a dignified prince becoming a rebel?
Huangfu Yun immediately said: "How can this be done?"
"This will definitely work, and this is the only way!" Zhou Che said resolutely: "The people from Hedong will follow Guo Zhenyue because of successive years of natural disasters, and they can no longer survive under the original order of the imperial court."
"But what about now? Outside, the imperial army is attacking Guo Zhenyue. Although the people of Hedong are united, they are inevitably panicked."
"Now I give them another way to survive, a better way to survive than following Guo Zhenyue, how can they refuse?"
Guo Zhenyue rebelled against the imperial court, and Zhou Che went to rebel against Guo Zhenyue...repaying him with his own methods!
Everyone was still in shock, Shen Xin said: "There are two difficulties."
"Master Shen, please speak."
“It takes a lot of capital to acquire salt land and acquire salt mines.”
Shen Xin looked quite bitter: "After the Shen family was robbed by the Li family, they don't have much money left. Although I can get some on credit, it will be difficult for me to grow big in the end."
Zhen Chuhe waved his hand: "This is nothing, all the money and goods consumed will be provided by me!"
As a smart investor, Zhen Chuhe fully understands the importance of Hedong to Zhou Che.
The rich man spoke and the problem ceased to be a problem.
"Secondly, I am good at doing business and dealing with all parties is not a problem, but if there is an uprising..." Shen Xin shook his head: "It is really difficult for me to lead a group of refugees to attack the rebel army."
"And there are defenders everywhere in Hedong. If they are discovered in advance, all previous efforts will be wasted."
"It's okay." Zhou Che smiled and said, "Leave this matter to me, I'll do it myself!"
"It's too risky!" Huangfu Yun said.
"It's okay." Zhou Che shook his head: "If I don't go in, how can it be a big deal?"
"I have also studied the terrain in the Hedong and Jishan area. The terrain is broken and hilly, which will hinder the army."
"It is precisely because of this that it is extremely easy for a small army to march."
"I only need to take hundreds of trusted soldiers with me and sneak in under disguise. If something happens to Hedong, I can withdraw from now on."
In hilly terrain, battlefield accommodation capacity is very limited.
Even if the defenders of the Hedong bandits in Jishan arrive, they will not be large corps, but scattered small groups.
As for adventure... Zhou Che has never been afraid since time travel!
In his position, he would either risk everything to fight, or be timid and wait for death in the end!
Shen Xin, who had always had a calm demeanor, sighed after hearing this and leaned over: "Your Highness is a rich man, and he will not hesitate to take risks. The common people will do their best to help. If you betray the emperor's heir, God will kill our clan!"
Everyone left one after another.
Huangfu Yun immediately said: "If you insist on going, I will go with you."
"No." Zhou Che shook his head and said, "You have to stay in the army... At the critical moment, the army may be needed to support you, and I don't trust anyone."
Huangfu Yun hesitated for a long time and said with undiminished worry: "Be careful."
"Of course, I haven't conquered my sister yet..."
Before he finished speaking, Zhou Che ran out when he saw the other party extending his hand.
Zhen Chuhe is still waiting for him: "Shen Xin is a man who lives up to his name and relies on his faith to establish himself in the world."
"Now that his family is in ruins, it is even less possible for him to trample on his integrity in front of the royal family."
"Of course I can rest assured about the people you brought." Zhou Che nodded and said, "Since you are here, you might as well do something for me."
"Your Highness, please speak." Zhen Chuhe immediately handed over his hand.
Zhou Che was polite to him and treated him as an elder, which made him feel very relieved.
But Zhen Chuhe is not an unreasonable person. Not to mention himself, he has always urged four words in front of his son: There is a difference between superiority and inferiority!
Zhou Che is a prince, and he is the future emperor in Zhen's heart, so he should be treated with the utmost respect.
"You can find some kabuki for me nearby and send them to the army." Zhou Che said.
"Um?"
Zhen Chuhe was stunned for a moment, but he quickly agreed: "It's not difficult, it can be delivered at night!"
