Chapter 653: If You Want to Do a Good Job

Translator: Atlas Studios    Editor: Atlas Studios

Zhou Linghuai nodded. “That’s one reason.”

Could it be that something had happened in the North? Yu Youyao’s breathing tightened, and she quickly asked, “Is there another reason?”

Zhou Linghuai did not leave her hanging. “The drought doesn’t affect just the Great Zhou Dynasty. The Northern Barbarians are even more affected. They’re a nomadic tribe and live as nomads. They’re not good at farming and are seriously short of supplies. Previously, the leader of the Northern Barbarians,

Harmon, sent me a message and was willing to exchange the horses of the grassland for food they rely on to survive,”

Yu Youyao was a little surprised. “It seems that the drought on the grassland is already quite serious. Did Cousin agree?”

In the past two years, the Northern Barbarians had often invaded the border to hoard supplies for the drought. However, they had to suffer casualties every time and return empty-handed.

A war required a large number of resources. If they won, they could snatch the supplies of the defeated party and nourish themselves with battle spoils to strengthen themselves. If they lost, it was inevitable that their vitality would be greatly damaged.

The Northern Barbarians lacked supplies to begin with. They couldn’t afford to grow them naturally or snatch them. Once there was a disaster, people wouldn’t survive, let alone the precious warhorses on the grassland.

Zhou Linghuai nodded. “l didn’t refuse.”

Yu Youyao was not surprised. “Warhorses are a rare resource. This is a rare opportunity for Cousin.” At this point, she smiled. “If you want to do things well, you have to sharpen your tools first. Only when the troops in the North are strong can you avoid more deaths.”

The Great Zhou Dynasty controlled military supplies very strictly.

For example, cotton, iron, medicinal herbs, food, and so on could be avoided by the Imperial Court. Through the escort business, they could buy a small number of them in different areas of the country with different identities and hoard them in large quantities.

If he was more cautious, he would not attract the attention of the Imperial Court.

Horses were a problem.

There were not many areas in the Great Zhou Dynasty where horses were raised, and almost all of them were under the control of the Imperial Court.

On the other hand, the Imperial Court had a clear rule that people were not allowed to buy or sell horses in private. The number of horses used as transportation was strictly limited according to one’s status. Once the number exceeded the limit, one would be punished.

Ordinary people could only use mules and donkeys as horses.

It wasn’t that there weren’t horse farms that privately raised horses, but they weren’t big. Moreover, the horses in the small farms weren’t of good quality and couldn’t be used on the battlefield.

There were also horse merchants who sold horses privately, but not only were

they expensive, but there were also very few of them.

They were not as good as the warhorses of the Northern Barbarians.

The Northern Barbarians’ horses were tall and strong. They were good at battle. The soldiers of the Great Zhou Dynasty had trained their muscles and bones and had strong tolerance. They had the conviction to protect their home and country. They were also elite soldiers on the battlefield.

However, on the battlefield, the morale of the army and amount of supplies was tested.

The warhorses of the Great Zhou Dynasty had always been inferior to those of the Northern Barbarians and had always been at a disadvantage on the battlefield. This was why the Northern Barbarians had bullied a vast country.

Zhou Linghuai smiled when he heard this. “The Northern Barbarians and the Great Zhou have been at war for generations. The hatred is irreconcilable.

Don’t you think that my transaction with the Northern Barbarians is an act of colluding with the enemy?”

Yu Youyao frowned and said, “The art of war has the saying, don’t chase after a desperate enemy. Perhaps my analogy isn’t appropriate, but in my eyes, the Northern Barbarians are a group of desperate enemies. Right now, they aren’t at their wits’ end, so they can naturally negotiate a deal with Cousin calmly. However, if Cousin doesn’t agree to a deal with the Northern Barbarians, they will be at their wits’ end. In order to survive, the North will have to face a battle that’s more terrifying than any other battle in the past.”

Zhou Linghuai raised his hand to support his forehead. The horizons and breadth of mind often determined a person’s worldview. The little girl considered the people of the world, not just the Great Zhou.

Yu Youyao blinked and looked at her cousin. “Of course. 1 believe that you’re wise and mighty. You definitely won’t be afraid of the Northern Barbarians.” She smiled, her eyes sparkling. ‘Look, other than our dynastys great emperor, how could the Northern Barbarians have negotiated a deal calmly with anyone? Wasn’t it because they were afraid of you and intimidated by your reputation that they made peace? Otherwise, I’m afraid the Northern

Barbarians would have already mobilized a large number of troops and snatched your resources first.”

In the battle seven years ago, King Li of Zhou had used his life as the price. His cousin had used his weak body as the price to turn the situation around and turn defeat into victory. In the end, he had defeated the Di people’s courage and pride. Her cousin had regained control of the North, and the Northern Barbarians needed to probe carefully if they wanted to invade again.

Zhou Linghuai’s smile deepened, and he enjoyed the little girl’s admiring gaze.

Yu Youyao continued, “Fighting requires a lot of supplies, money, and food. However, there’s a huge drought in the north now, and disaster relief can’t be delayed. It’s not appropriate to start a war again.” At this point, she continued, “There’s no eternal enemy. only eternal benefits. Cousin has countless elite troops under him. There’s no harm in being prepared for rations. What he lacks the most are warhorses that can charge in the front line. He can use food to exchange for scarce warhorses and avoid a war disaster. Cousin won’t suffer.’

Unless it was absolutely necessary, it was impossible for the Northern

Barbarians to exchange the powerful warhorses of the clan with the Great Zhou Dynasty and let the Great Zhou Dynasty use their warhorses to deal with them.

The one who suffered was the Northern Barbarians.

Her cousin had started hoarding supplies early on. The supplies in the North were enough for an army of 500,000 people, and it would take more than three years for them to be used up.

The sweet potatoes had already been harvested, but he did not know how many were produced. However, with drought-resistant food, the North basically did not lack rations.

There was no harm in exchanging some rations with the Northern Barbarians.

If the Great Zhou Dynasty was in chaos, a powerful army would be invincible.

Zhou Linghuai nodded. “l originally planned to personally mobilize troops to attack the north in August this year before the famine erupted on a large scale.

I wanted to plunder the warhorses, cows, and sheep of the Northern Barbarians and use war to intimidate the Northern Barbarians so that they wouldn’t take advantage of the chaos in the Great Zhou to take advantage of the situation.’

In the past six years, the North had never fought a decent battle.

A warrior who had never experienced the flames of war, killing, and bloodbath was never a true warrior.

The 500,000 You soldiers were like a treasured saber that had never seen blood.

Before the Great Zhou Dynasty fell into chaos, he first had to sharpen his knife with the Di people to strengthen the morale of the army and nourish the blood of the soldiers. Only then could he be invincible.

Yu Youyao’s eyes widened. “Cousin, you want to attack the north? But I heard that the grassland is vast and boundless. The Di Clan doesn’t have a fixed place to live. It’s not easy to attack the north.”

Zhou Linghuai chuckled. “There’s a Hidden Dragon Army, but there are less than a hundred warriors. They’re good at disguise, infiltration, assassination, obtaining information, surveying the terrain, and so on.” At this point, he smiled secretly. “When the Hidden Dragon Army was established, I was already preparing for the north expedition. Over the years, with some fragmented information they’ve obtained, I’ve basically grasped the scope of the Di Clan’s operations and surveyed the topographic map of the grassland. Although the topographic map isn’t perfect, it’s enough for the north expedition.”

He had never been someone who would sit back and do nothing. He had trained the Hidden Dragon Army earlier to help his father on the battlefield in the North.

Passively resisting and defending was not his style of doing things.. The Northern Barbarians could plunder the resources of the Great Zhou Dynasty, so why couldn’t he go over and plunder the warhorses, cows, and sheep of the Northern Barbarians?

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