411: Lingnan Legion

Not long after Han Cheng entered the main hall, the Director of the Chariot Office, Zhao Gao, hurriedly led a group of Eunuchs out. The Eunuchs, who usually moved silently, now had somewhat disorderly footsteps.

Lin Yue vaguely felt that something major had happened. It was still dark, but an atmosphere of impending storm and tension already permeated Zhangtai Palace.

Soon after, Feng Quji, Li Si, Feng Jie, and others arrived in succession, followed by the Commandant of the Guards, Li Xin, the Commandant, Xin Sheng, and others. Most of the Great Qin's Nine Ministers were present.

Finally, even Marquis Tongwu, Wang Ben, who had not shown his face for a long time, rushed over.

Lin Yue secretly wondered, "Nothing major has happened recently, has it? Could it be that some other commandery has seen a rebellion by Otherworlders?"

But even during Lu Bu's rebellion, Zhangtai Palace didn't necessarily have such a grand display!

At this moment, a ray of sunlight pierced Lin Yue's eyes, and he realized that the sky had already begun to lighten.

A group of Eunuchs slowly approached from a distance. When they reached Lin Yue, he didn't pull out a needle but instead said, "The Emperor is discussing matters inside. Do you wish to enter now?"

The Eunuch's usually impassive face showed a rare trace of change, a look of hesitation.

Just then, Han Cheng emerged from the main hall and came to Lin Yue's side, saying, "Cavalry Commandant, His Majesty summons you to enter the hall and attend him."

"Understood!" Lin Yue cupped his hands, then gestured with his eyes to the group of Eunuchs in front of him. Han Cheng gave him an "I'll handle it" look, and Lin Yue walked towards the main hall.

After Lin Yue stepped into the main hall, he found that everyone was already seated on both sides. Lin Yue stood by the hall entrance, facing the Director of the Chariot Office, Zhao Gao, holding his sword.

Lin Yue's arrival did not cause a ripple. The First Emperor, from the head of the hall, spoke in a deep voice:

"Tu Sui has suffered a setback. Within just three days, two of My Titled Generals have died in Lingnan."

Upon hearing this, the ministers' expressions varied. Immediately, the Grand Commandant, Meng Yi, stepped forward, holding a battle report, and read:

"In the thirty-third year of The First Emperor's reign, on the twenty-ninth day of the sixth month, this minister's five armies were attacked almost simultaneously!

In this battle, the various Baiyue tribes came out in full force. The Lingnan Army Corps led by this minister fought fiercely with the enemy for a day and a night, suffering over a million casualties.

Titled Generals Tian Yi and Wang Heng died in battle. Four of the armies lost a thousand li of territory; only this minister's Army survived.

During the fierce fighting, this minister discovered that not only the Baiyue tribes participated in this battle, but also the Nanyue tribe located south of Lingnan. This minister has just learned that Nanyue has now established a kingdom, calling itself the Nanyue Kingdom. This time, the Nanyue Kingdom acted contrary to its usual behavior, launching a proactive attack!

In addition, in the past six months, a group of Otherworlders suddenly emerged in Lingnan. And, according to this minister's observation, their culture and language are similar to that of My Great Qin. This minister believed them to be friends, not foes, and therefore did not first send troops to suppress them. However, this minister did not expect that in just one year, they would develop rapidly, with their able-bodied fighters reaching a million. Furthermore, they are well-trained, high-spirited, and their fighting style is elusive and unpredictable, making them impossible to guard against.

This is the crime of this minister's negligence.

This minister has lost a thousand li of land and made enemies on all sides. This minister is ashamed to receive the imperial favor!

This minister requests Your Majesty to select and dispatch elite troops and capable generals to replace this foolish minister. This minister can only atone for his sins by dying today."

When he finished speaking, a deathly silence fell over the main hall.

On the twenty-ninth of June, which was the evening of the day before yesterday, how badly must the Lingnan Army Corps have been fighting for the military intelligence to reach Zhangtai Palace so quickly?

Lin Yue was also surprised. So, it was the Lingnan campaign that had displeased The First Emperor.

And Tu Sui surprisingly didn't die this time? Didn't history say that Tu Sui died in Lingnan?

The Lingnan here corresponds to parts of modern-day Guangdong and Guangxi, and also extends to the borders of Hunan and Jiangxi. What are now developed regions were then covered by forests and considered uncivilized lands!

Historically, it was only after Qin conquered the six states that they discovered numerous Baiyue tribes still existed in the Lingnan forests hidden behind the state of Chu. Subsequently, The First Emperor dispatched an Army of 500,000 to conquer Lingnan.

The Baiyue were generally divided into several large tribes: Dongyue, Minyue, Nanyue, and Xiou.

In the twenty-fifth year of The First Emperor's reign, Great General Wang Jian led his Army to conquer Chu and, while he was at it, dealt with Dongyue, incorporating Dongyue's territory into Great Qin's Kuaiji Commandery.

Subsequently, The First Emperor sent Tu Sui to advance south in five routes. However, because the Qin Army was mostly composed of northerners, the Qin soldiers were fighting in an unfamiliar land, and the Lingnan climate was humid and hot, leading to frequent malaria outbreaks among the Qin Army. Before even fighting, their combat effectiveness was reduced by thirty percent; furthermore, the terrain of Lingnan was mountainous, making it difficult for Great Qin's formations and Qin Crossbows to be fully utilized, which made Great Qin's fighting even more arduous; in addition, Great Qin's Politics center was located in the north, presenting a general pattern of north being rich and south being poor. This also led to insufficient logistics for the Lingnan Army Corps, placing the campaign against Baiyue at a disadvantage.

In contrast, the various Baiyue tribes had lived in the jungle since childhood, adapted to the environment, and were familiar with the terrain. The Baiyue repeatedly relied on their geographical advantage to launch night raids on the Qin Army, achieving victories at times.

With this ebb and flow, Tu Sui was stalled in Baiyue for three years, unable to advance his Army.

But Lin Yue felt that Tu Sui's ability to hold on until now was already commendable.

Because even the Great Xia Expeditionary Force of later generations faced immense difficulties fighting in Burma, a country with a similar climate, and the technologically superior American soldiers also found themselves bogged down in the quagmire of war.

The climate, mountains, diseases, rampant mosquitoes, and blood-sucking leeches were all formidable obstacles that the Army found difficult to overcome!

This was also the reason why many dynasties in later generations abandoned Lingnan.

Therefore, Tu Sui's ability to hold out for three years under such circumstances, and not collapse in the face of the three-pronged attack a few days ago, was already quite impressive.

However, it was during this phase of strategic stalemate that Nanyue, due to the influx of Nanyue Otherworlders, quietly established a kingdom recently, and then officially set its sights on Lingnan. And the Otherworlders, whom Tu Sui mentioned as having a million able-bodied fighters, with that population size, there's no need to wonder who they are.

This also confirmed Lin Yue's previous guess: his Fief was Great Qin's seventh outpost, and the first six outposts of Great Qin were most likely established here.

And every time they built a village, some vagrants would appear. Otherworlders plus vagrants, a million is even an underestimate.

It's just that now it's a strategic stalemate. Developing discreetly is the best option. Lin Yue doesn't know why the "Otherworlder organization" would suddenly attack Great Qin; this doesn't align with the "Otherworlder organization's" interests.

But the matter has already occurred. Great Qin has lost two Titled Generals, so this matter will not end so easily.

"Your Majesty! This minister requests Your Majesty to permit this minister to lead troops and sweep away the disloyal for Your Majesty!" shouted the Commandant, Xin Sheng.

"This minister seconds the motion!" said the Commandant of the Guards, Li Xin, stepping forward.

"Your Majesty, this minister requests a temporary halt to military action, to first preserve our strength and recuperate!

It's not that Lingnan shouldn't be fought, but that it's not the right time. The Ling Canal is about to be completed, and then the crisis of provisions in the rear will be easily resolved. At that time, we can launch a large-scale military campaign!" Feng Quji stepped forward to advise.

The provisions consumed by the Great Wall Legion and the Lingnan Army Corps previously were an astronomical figure. For two armies of tens of millions, with people and horses constantly consuming food, if it weren't for the continuous good harvests in Great Qin's various commanderies over the past few years, Great Qin would probably have been dragged down long ago!

Fortunately, the Great Wall Legion was close to Han Cheng, and now they had claimed land and cultivated fields in the Ordos Loop, gradually reducing their logistical needs. This relieved Feng Quji of one concern.

However, the Lingnan Army Corps had always been a major expense for the court!

The surrounding commanderies of Lingnan faced considerable pressure regarding provisions, necessitating transfers from the north. With people and horses consuming food along the way, little was left by the time it reached Lingnan. Sometimes, they could only transport it via Heavenly Tier Teleportation Array, but activating a Heavenly Tier Teleportation Array once was expensive; the cost of transportation was enough to buy an equivalent amount of food again!

Now, Great Qin's logistical pressure had just eased. The Great Wall in the north still needed to be built, Han Cheng also needed construction, and so did all the commanderies!

If troops were to be increased in Lingnan at this time, Great Qin's breath, which had just recovered, would be held again!

Therefore, in his heart, it was not advisable to raise an Army at this time!