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In addition, Qinghe City holds an extremely important significance, which is Lu Chen and Sun Zizhao, originating from here, Cavalry, with profound meaning.
Of course, besides its profound significance, there are also a large number of troops stationed here, along with supplies and so on, making it an administrative center.
In the upcoming time, Lu Chen will be heading out to war, starting with the surrounding counties and provincial capitals after leaving Qinghe City.
Sun Zizhao's territory will be expanded with Lu Chen's assistance, advancing rapidly like a wolf or tiger.
Moreover, on the day Lu Chen set out, the news of auspicious omens had already spread far and wide. Even young children knew about it and often imitated Lu Chen and Sun Zizhao in their games.
This event has subtly garnered countless people's support for Lu Chen during his expansion process.
As the saying goes, water can carry a boat but can also capsize it; the water represents the common people while the boat symbolizes the regime. If one can gain the support of the people, it undoubtedly means winning their hearts, leading to smooth development in the future.
Conversely, if one only knows how to exploit the common people with heavy taxes and various forms of oppression, then it is a foolish act that could lead to being overturned by this endless source of water—the people.
The current Great Zhou Dynasty is like this; on the surface, it still claims legitimacy but has long lost the people's hearts and is despised by them. Among the common folk, conversations over meals often revolve around corruption among officials and various atrocities—there are no good deeds to speak of.
As Lu Chen advances into surrounding areas, he commands tens of thousands of troops from Sun Zizhao. After rigorous training under Old Mu and Lian Dashuang, they have become elite soldiers whose combat power far exceeds that of the court's army—this is an undeniable fact.
Additionally, during the expansion process, they continuously erode the stationed troops in those cities and recruit willing young men for military service.
In this regard, Lu Chen and Sun Zizhao have done well; they do not force conscription nor capture young men to enlist.
Their approach involves incentivizing through benefits and various allurements. For instance, after the auspicious omens were reported, Sun Zizhao's recruitment process for new soldiers often went very smoothly, frequently resulting in long lines of eager volunteers.
Although this method may not be entirely honorable, it is certainly better than forced conscription since it is voluntary.
Under Lu Chen's wise leadership, Lian Dashuang and Old Mu serve as strong military commanders on either side while Xing Ru Xie and Su Mo Li act as advisors.
The march proceeded very smoothly; within just a few months, the entire Eastern Seven States was completely taken over.
This time, Lu Chen and Sun Zizhao's fame skyrocketed; everyone knew their names throughout the land.
Of course, this is largely attributed to the auspicious omens event that not only won over the common people but also earned their respect.
Even the officials from nearby counties and provincial cities firmly believed in this. Therefore, the expedition led by Lu Chen went very smoothly; aside from a few cities that put up desperate resistance, most were taken without much effort. Many simply surrendered without a fight, actively coming out to greet Lu Chen and opening their gates.
Of course, one of the reasons for this was likely Lu Chen himself. At the beginning of his expansion, he deliberately chose several relatively strong cities, especially those guarded by famous generals.
Lu Chen took advantage of the momentum on his side, with elite troops and ample supplies, to challenge these hard nuts to crack, showcasing to nearby cities and commanders that he was unstoppable, capable of conquering even such fortified places. Within a few months, the entire Eastern Seven States fell under Sun Zizhao's domain, and at this point, he still identified as part of the Han Dynasty.
Sun Zizhao consistently followed Lu Chen's advice and did not declare himself emperor; instead, he operated under the banner of the Han Dynasty while pursuing a path against the Zhou.
During these months, significant changes occurred in the broader situation. The Defender of the Realm shifted focus between north and south, eliminating two well-known peasant armies: Zhao Shichang's and Huang Gong's.
These groups were originally peasant armies, born from grassroots origins with an incomplete system, existing in a chaotic state. They could hardly manage their subordinates or prevent them from committing violence, and they themselves had many flaws.
For instance, both Zhao Shichang and Huang Gong shared a common trait: they engaged in city massacres. Wherever they went, they would brutally slaughter officials and wealthy merchants within the cities, often involving innocent civilians as well.
As a result, they left behind a trail of devastation wherever they passed. Neither common people nor lower-middle-class individuals supported them; in fact, many hated and feared them.
This made it impossible for them to achieve great things. In contrast, wherever Lu Chen and Sun Zizhao went after capturing cities, they immediately worked to pacify the populace by reducing taxes and reallocating resources from the Sun Family to support public infrastructure projects such as road construction, bridge building, irrigation systems, and schools.
The skilled craftsmen involved were all drawn from Yushan Kingdom—those whom Sun Zizhao had previously sent there to help with development using their knowledge. After years of honing their skills, they had become quite capable.
Investment brings returns; this saying holds true. The investments made by Sun Zizhao under Lu Chen's guidance have now yielded significant returns as this large group of talented individuals has contributed greatly to Sun Zizhao's efforts.
In the cities conquered by Lu Chen, key positions were filled with these skilled individuals who then utilized their expertise to transform the cities and enhance construction efforts. Naturally, Sun Zizhao had no shortage of funds; the Sun Family was a vast financial empire.
Although during these developments the status of the Sun Family became apparent—almost all factions recognized that the Sun Family was behind the Great Han Banner and had been supporting Sun Zizhao’s initiatives—initially there had been curiosity and even skepticism about where Lu Chen and Sun Zizhao obtained such wealth to sustain such a large team. It wasn't until the Sun Family's identity was revealed that people understood there was no longer any reason for curiosity.
Now that the Sun Family was openly acknowledged, there was nothing to fear because Sun Zizhao had established his own power base across the Eastern Seven States. What was there to be afraid of?
The foundation of the Sun Family lay within the Eastern Seven States, and since Sun Zizhao controlled this territory, it meant that the Sun Family could operate freely on their own turf without any pressure or concern for issues arising.
As time progressed, the situation in Central Plains became clearer. Although the Defender of the Realm could not handle Qi Kingdom effectively, it managed to suppress the two largest Peasant Uprising Armies in the north and south. This helped offset some of the previous burdens faced by the Defender of the Realm. However, now it faced an even more severe situation ahead.
To the east lay Eastern Seven States controlled by Sun Zizhao and five northeastern states held by Qi Kingdom; additionally, there were Western Seven States' Han Kingdom and Prairie King Murzaha in northern Central Plains who remained silent. The situation could not be described as anything but dire.
Among them, the Qi Kingdom, Korea, and the Eastern Seven States, which hold anti-Zhou banners, are three absolutely irresistible factions. However, aside from these three, if the court wants to take action against the Prairie King, it seems a bit unfounded.
The thoughts and attitudes of Prairie King Murzaha have always been elusive, but his rebellion is only a matter of time; it is just uncertain when he will turn around and bite the Great Zhou Dynasty. This situation makes the Great Zhou Emperor restless.
Another factor is the Southern Seven States. Currently, since the Peasant Uprising Army led by Zhao Shichang was suppressed, the Southern Seven States seem to have fallen into a state of calm. Each Governor and Provincial Governor has been intimidated by the Defender of the Realm's Iron Hooves and no longer dares to cause trouble. They are all quiet because they have witnessed the fate of the Peasant Uprising Army. If they do not obey, such a fate could very well befall them; their fear is not unfounded.
However, while the Southern Seven States appear calm on the surface, what is the actual situation? No one knows for sure.
The court also has some understanding in this regard, but what troubles them most is the Martial Arts Association. This massive organization, tied to Ye Dajin, the wealthiest merchant in the Southern Seven States, possesses strength equivalent to that of a large Sect and is undoubtedly a hidden danger. However, so far, neither the Defender of the Realm nor the court seems to feel it necessary to specifically divert attention to deal with the Martial Arts Association, nor do they currently have such intentions. Therefore, the Martial Arts Association can rest easy for a while.
In light of the current situation, Lu Chen and Sun Zizhao have also halted their expansion efforts. If they were to expand further, Sun Zizhao's territory would encroach upon Qi Kingdom.
The territory of the Eastern Seven States is already quite large. If they continue to invade Qi Kingdom and offend Huangfu Yi, it would be problematic and could lead to trouble. Currently, the Eastern Seven States, Qi Kingdom, and Korea are all aligned against Zhou; although their paths differ, their goals converge on the Great Zhou Dynasty.
If Sun Zizhao were to order Lu Chen to expand into Qi Kingdom now, it would undoubtedly offend his subordinates and anger other lords—something that would not be tolerated. The only ones truly wishing to see such a scenario unfold would likely be the court.
Lu Chen and Sun Zizhao naturally have their own calculations and will not easily expand into Qi Kingdom; it's not that they won't go there at all; it's just that the time is not right yet.
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