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墨書 Inktalez
During the three months that Lu Chen was in seclusion, significant changes occurred in the Central Plains, causing quite a stir. For the Great Zhou Dynasty, its vast foundation finally began to shake. Corruption ran rampant among officials, who held great power, and countless greedy officials emerged, breeding internal decay. There was severe disunity within, with various princes scheming against each other, engaging in both open and covert struggles to amass their own strength.
For the Great Zhou Dynasty, this was merely an internal crisis; there were also external threats, the most serious of which was the uncontrollable situation with the feudal lords outside.
The various Regional Governors and Provincial Governors outwardly still paid homage to the court but had long ceased to accept its orders.
Within the court, there were obvious political errors that had been exposed. To address these issues, they resorted to using monetary compensation as a means of atonement. The wealth gap was enormous, with officials protecting one another while the common people banded together, leading to class struggles that were as irreconcilable as fire and water.
On the battlefield of the Qi Kingdom in the north, the Defender of the Realm stationed troops along the borders of Qi Kingdom and engaged in warfare at the boundaries of the Central Nine Provinces and Northeast Five States.
Superficially, the Defender of the Realm appeared powerful and well-equipped; however, on the battlefield of Qi Kingdom, things were not going well for him, suffering significant losses in both men and resources.
The Supreme Commander of Qi Kingdom, Marshal Chen Shilong, was a renowned general. Besides being exceptionally skilled in Qigong Martial Arts, he excelled in military formations and strategies. He had inherited teachings from Yin Yang Gate and often combined military strategy with spells to achieve surprising victories in battles that seemed miraculous.
During his confrontations with Chen Shilong, the Defender of the Realm did not gain any significant advantages. While he did not suffer outright defeat, he consistently failed to breach Chen Shilong's forces or capture territory in Northeast Five States.
Moreover, Qi Kingdom controlled Northeast Five States, a major grain-producing region that was very prosperous. The people lived in peace and did not adhere to the laws of the Great Zhou Court; they were only governed by Qi Kingdom's laws. Deep down, they resisted the Great Zhou Court.
One clear distinction based on differing laws was regarding monetary compensation for crimes. The Great Zhou Court allowed fines as a substitute for punishment; however, Qi Kingdom did not permit this—those who broke the law were treated equally regardless of status. This led to widespread support for Qi Kingdom among its citizens.
With both military and civilian unity, Qi Kingdom became as unshakeable as an iron barrel. It was nearly impossible for the Great Zhou Court to conquer Qi Kingdom in a short time; this was evident to everyone.
After several months of stalemate, aside from depleting vast amounts of resources, the Defender of the Realm achieved nothing. The pressure from the court nearly threw him off balance since Korea had also risen up.
The Korean Chu Family, entrenched in Western Seven States, was a prestigious family with a legacy spanning over a hundred years and enjoyed strong support from Korean citizens. They were well-equipped and formidable in battle. Additionally, Han Wangfu was filled with talented individuals and experts, receiving covert support from Star Gate.
Thus, when evaluating overall strength, Korea was nearly on par with Qi Kingdom and perhaps even stronger.
Now that the Defender of the Realm could not subdue Qi Kingdom while simultaneously holding supreme military authority as a grand marshal and prince, his pressure was immense.
On the court's side, accusations piled up like mountains against the Defender of the Realm due to his prolonged absence from battlefields without any achievements in Qi Kingdom. If it weren't for the emperor personally suppressing these memorials, it was likely that officials would have already revolted against him.
In addition to Qi Kingdom and Korea as major feudal states, there were also dozens of grassroots anti-Zhou forces such as Peasant Uprising Army.
Among them was a Peasant Uprising Army from the south that had suffered from flooding. Its leader Zhao Shichang had gained considerable fame and gathered over a hundred thousand impoverished farmers to form an army that was slowly advancing northward.
One of the more famous groups is the peasant army from the Northern Bitter Cold Lands, led by Huang Gong. They have even captured several nearby county towns, with an army of nearly one hundred thousand people. The officials and garrison in those counties have long since fled.
Aside from the feudal lords and peasant armies, there have also been several cases of governors rebelling, all originating from the south. In the Great Zhou Dynasty, various states and counties in the northwest were granted feudal kings, while only four states in the south and east were directly governed by the court.
However, this is where the problem lies. States and counties without feudal kings are prone to the emergence of Peasant Uprising Armies and rebellions by Provincial Governors. This has almost become a norm; historically, it is often within these ungranted states that rebellion forces arise.
On the surface, this appears to be a management failure by the court, but there is evidence to support it. If the court had granted autonomy to all fourteen southeastern states to govern themselves, then during times of disaster, they would not be neglected or ignored, and relief funds would reach disaster areas, preventing anger among the common people.
Conversely, if the directly governed fourteen southeastern states could timely distribute relief funds with a clean management system that avoids embezzlement, then naturally, the Great Zhou Court would not face its demise step by step.
Lu Chen has calculated these matters over the past few months and is well aware of them without needing Sun Zizhao to elaborate further; he understands.
Just now, he emerged from his secluded chamber, and a sudden auspicious light was witnessed by people from nearby provinces.
In reality, this was Lu Chen creating momentum, pretending that it was a divine mandate bestowed upon him to give the impression that the new emperor must emerge from this side, signaling that the Great Zhou Dynasty's fate is indeed at an end.
Now that the court is incompetent, this serves as an excuse for military action. Sun Zizhao's Great Han Banner can advance into surrounding regions.
To gain support from the common people and initiate war—encouraging them to fight—timing and location are essential.
Only with favorable timing and location can the faith of the common farmers be secured to support the onset of war.
Lu Chen's emergence from seclusion and the appearance of auspicious signs indicate that a new emperor will rise in this land, backed by a divine will that no one can defy. Cultivators cannot go against it; how could ordinary people?
The auspicious signs created by Lu Chen have already been seen by residents in nearby provinces, soaring into the sky and illuminating the night. This is an omen; it is believed that soon more provinces and even counties will witness this phenomenon and understand that a new emperor is about to appear while the Great Zhou Dynasty heads toward destruction.
Three months ago, Lu Chen was injured, but now it seems genuine without any suspicion of fabrication.
Even Lu Chen himself finds it incredible because everything aligns perfectly at this moment.
This very significance has provided Lu Chen with an opportunity to create auspicious signs. Thus overall, while the auspicious signs may seem fabricated, they are indeed real because they were genuinely inspired by higher authority—not merely invented by Lu Chen—since his injury was real beyond doubt.
With these auspicious signs in play, one can imagine what actions Lu Chen and his companions will take next; they will naturally gain support and admiration from the common people. In ancient times, there were instances where peasant armies defeated uprisings like the White Snake Uprising, which led local farmers to wholeheartedly believe and place their faith in such leaders. Therefore, Lu Chen's campaign not only has fame but also power and popular support.
The momentum and human resources are already in place; as for the geographical advantages, that is something Lu Chen and Sun Zizhao will have to create themselves.
After Lu Chen emerged from seclusion, Sun Zizhao hosted a banquet at his residence in Yuyang City, inviting guests including Lu Chen and his friends, all present to offer their congratulations. Subsequently, Sun Zizhao issued orders overnight to mobilize troops and build up forces for expansion into the surrounding areas.
When Lu Chen first arrived in Yuyang City, he had instructed his trusted subordinates, Lian Dashuang and Old Mu, to train the troops, conveying his streamlined knowledge from the Human Book. He diligently cultivated a group of strong generals and some new strategists. The reason for this was to prepare for the present moment, which had finally arrived. The saying "to raise soldiers for a thousand days is to use them for a single moment" holds much truth.
Next, Lu Chen and Sun Zizhao took a carriage to Qinghe City to review the troops and prepare for their first battle. Sun Zizhao appointed Lu Chen as the General of the Anti-Zhou, carrying the Great Han Banner, proclaiming their intent to punish the Tyrant Zhou and capture the Dog Emperor.
During their time in Qinghe City, Sun Zizhao personally oversaw all preparations for the uprising under the guidance of Lu Chen. However, regarding declaring himself emperor and establishing a national title, Sun Zizhao was somewhat hasty in his intentions. This was subtly expressed but was ultimately prevented by Lu Chen. Although they were flying the banner of the former Han Dynasty, it did not carry much weight.
The Han Dynasty had been overthrown for quite some time, and many newcomers likely did not even know it had existed. Following Lu Chen's advice, Sun Zizhao abandoned the idea of declaring himself emperor and establishing a national title, changing their banner to one that opposed Zhou and aimed to eliminate tyranny.
Sun Zizhao placed great trust in Lu Chen's suggestions, rarely needing to deliberate before agreeing with him. Lu Chen was indeed a trusted advisor to Sun Zizhao, who would consult with him on major decisions before making them, demonstrating his confidence in Lu Chen.
Moreover, Lu Chen enjoyed this level of support from Sun Zizhao. The two of them were equals in their roles; although Lu Chen did not care much about such matters, it would only benefit him in the future.
From now on, Qinghe City would be the permanent residence of Sun Zizhao, where administrative affairs would be conducted. As the gateway to the easternmost province, it was a crucial military location that controlled vital access points. Establishing their base here was also suggested by Lu Chen.
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