The Invincible Sixth Prince

Chapter 1429 Zhao Lie's Struggle

At night, Yun Zheng and his friends rested in Dacheng County.

Before breaking, Yun Zheng chatted with Zhao Lie for a while.

The main purpose was to ask Zhao Lie about the various crops and resources in Jiaolu.

He planned to ask Zhao Lie first, and then find a minister on Jiao Lu's side who was inclined to surrender to find out more.

After talking with Zhao Lie, Yun Zheng also had a general understanding of the situation of crops in Jiao Lu.

The main crops here are rice, corn and cassava.

Based on Zhao Lie's description, Yun Zheng guessed that this cassava should be cassava.

The most planted crop is rice.

Rice is divided into two types: water-growing rice and upland rice.

Moreover, these two types of rice can basically be harvested twice a year.

In addition, a lot of sugarcane is planted here.

However, due to backward production technology, the yields of many crops in Jiaolu are very low.

In recent years, Jiaolu has obtained a lot of food through trade with Daqian, and the lives of the people of Jiaolu have become slightly better, but there are still many people who do not have enough to eat.

Afterwards, Yun Zheng told Zhao Lie about the tree, and Zhao Lie promised to immediately send someone to collect the white sap from the trees and send it to the northwest border for Yun Zheng to review as soon as possible.

After seeing Zhao Lie off, Yun Zheng couldn't help but curse in his heart.

Damn it!

This is simply crying poor while sitting on a mountain of gold!

Not to mention crops that can be harvested twice a year, crops like cassava, which can grow anywhere, can also be said to be a treasure.

There is also sugarcane, which is an important raw material for making sugar!

That's it. If it is developed well, it will become a granary in the future.

After learning all this, Yun Zheng became more determined to take over the Three Feudatories.

Well, I have to bribe a few ministers of Jiao Lu later.

If Zhao Lie is ignorant, let them give him some advice.

He really didn't want to attack a place like San Francisco by force.

During the Battle of San Francisco, non-combat casualties were definitely far greater than combat casualties.

Moreover, the Three Feudatories had been vassal states of Daqian for many years, and the people of the Three Feudatories still tended to identify with Daqian.

Relatively speaking, the best strategy is to use gentle means to subdue the Three Feudatories.

Attack by force is the last resort!

After separating from Yun Zheng, Zhao Lie returned to his resting room.

However, Zhao Lie felt uneasy after returning to his room.

After pacing back and forth in the room for a while, Zhao Lie ordered someone to call Jiao Lu's Prime Minister Han An, and told Han An about his concerns, wanting to hear Han An's opinion.

Han An was both Jiao Lu's prime minister and his mentor.

When Guo Si rebelled, it was Han An who took him away and then helped him recruit soldiers.

After Guo Si's rebellion was put down, he appointed Han An as prime minister to help him govern Jiaolu.

"Your Majesty is right."

Han An sighed, "Now that Daqian is strong, the fall of Xiqu is only a matter of time! Once Daqian clears away the threats from the north and west, it will be the turn of our three vassal states..."

Although Jiaolu is located in a remote area, it still has some understanding of the general situation in the world.

The northern part of Daqian has been completely cleared out by Yun Zheng.

Today, Xiqu is also facing internal and external troubles.

Yun Zheng personally led the troops to attack Xiqu, and it was almost certain that Xiqu would be defeated.

The world is so small.

Daqian has cleared up the north and the west. If he doesn't plan to attack the Three Feudatories, who else can he target?

Zhao Lie was silent.

After a while, Zhao Lie asked tentatively: "Prime Minister, do you think that if we go to war with Daqian, do we have a chance of winning?"

Zhao Lie still felt a little unwilling.

He would still prefer to be the king of a vassal state.

"Since Your Majesty is asking this question, I think Your Majesty should understand it in his heart, right?"

Han An did not answer Zhao Lie directly.

But the meaning is self-evident.

Odds?

Where's the chance of winning?

Jiao Lu had experienced serious civil unrest a few years ago, and it was Daqian that sent troops to help Jiao Lu quell the rebellion.

Today, even with the combined efforts of the entire country, Jiaolu can only muster an army of 50,000 at most.

Moreover, it would be good if half of the 50,000 troops were armored soldiers. The rest were actually just to make up the numbers, or to help transport food and supplies.

With such a small number of people, where can we hope to win?

Even Yun Zheng doesn't need to lead the troops himself.

Daqian can just send a general to destroy Jiaolu.

Compared with Daqian, their only advantage is that they understand the terrain and have adapted to the climate of Jiaolu.

But Daqian, with a large number of soldiers and generals, can defeat them with human wave tactics!

Besides, there is Nanzhao next to them.

The climate of Nanzhao is similar to that of Jiaolu.

The Nanzhao people also adapted to the climate here.

If he were Yun Zheng, he could directly promise benefits to Nanzhao, or recruit soldiers from Nanzhao, and use Nanzhao as the main force to attack Jiaolu, which might be much easier.

Compared with Daqian, Jiaolu is just a small place.

Jiao Lu's attempt to confront the current Daqian is like a mantis trying to stop a chariot.

"So, Prime Minister, do you think that I should take the initiative to submit to Daqian?"

Zhao Lie looked up at Han An.

"Yes!"

Han Anye stopped hiding it and said directly: "In fact, there is another situation that the king has not considered."

"what's the situation?"

Zhao Lie frowned and asked.

"Civil strife!"

Han An frowned: "Now, even the king is thinking about whether to merge Jiaolu into Daqian. Don't the ministers in the court think about these things?"

Zhao Lie's heart suddenly skipped a beat when he heard Han An's words.

Yes!

This was something he had not considered just now.

There is no doubt that there must be ministers in Jiaolu who want to merge Jiaolu into Daqian.

Moreover, there are quite a few such ministers!

Once Daqian really wants to use military force against Jiao Lu, those people will probably be eager to betray Jiao Lu in order to seek credit and reward from Daqian.

Even the life and property of King Jiao Lu would be threatened.

Once Jiaolu falls into civil strife, they will be defeated without any intervention from Daqian.

Zhao Lie felt bitter in his heart and raised his face full of sorrow, "Master, is this the only way for us to join Daqian?"

At this moment, he was not asking the Prime Minister as King Jiao Lu.

It's just a student asking for advice from his mentor.

"The trend is irreversible..."

Han An sighed softly: "If the king submits to Daqian before Nanzhao and Yunan, he can get more rewards, but if he waits until Yunzheng uses his troops against Jiaolu..."

Han An didn't say anything else.

But Zhao Lie understood what he meant.

Once that time comes, he and the royal family will have no way out!

On the one hand, he took the initiative to merge Jiaolu into Daqian and obtained high positions and generous salaries.

On one hand, he was waiting for Daqian to send troops to capture Jiaolu, so that he and the royal family would be completely wiped out.

There seemed to be only these two paths before him.

"Ugh……"

Zhao Lie sighed with exhaustion, "Thank you for your guidance, Master. I know what to do now!"

No choice!

This is their last chance!

It is also their only chance!

"Ugh……"