Translator: Exodus Tales Editor: Exodus Tales
Chapter 1246 – India Ghost
Along with Great Zhou surrendering, the so-called four country alliance was dead.
While he headed toward Handan City, Ouyang Shuo ordered the Honglu Temple to go toward Qin, Tang, and Song and ask them to consider submitting to Great Xia.
“Great Xia’s unification of China is unstoppable, and no one can turn the situation around. I do not want any unneeded slaughter and do not want the people of China to be harmed and hurt by war. If you are willing to submit, I’ll treat you like a king. I hope you will consider it carefully and give me a reply.” Ouyang Shuo wrote.
6th month, 1st day, when Ouyang Shuo returned to the imperial capital, the envoy returned as well.
6th month, 5th day, a week had passed since the envoy was sent out, but the three countries did not give a reply. Ouyang Shuo realized that the three countries would not admit their deaths before they saw their coffins; they were ready to fight to the death.
An emperor’s desire to keep hold of their power ran far deeper than Ouyang Shuo had expected. They would rather die than give it up. Since that was the case, they could only meet on the battlefield.
…
6th month, 10th day, after a short rest, the Hedong Legion corps moved back to Hedong Province. Along with the Eagle legion corps, they pincered Great Qin from the east and west, staring down from the border.
Han Xin commanded the Leopard legion corps to monitor Great Tang.
To play it safe, Ouyang Shuo ordered Hong Ying to lead the 2nd legion of the Tiger legion corps to go west of Ludong Province into Zhongyuan Province to help the Leopard legion corps threaten Great Tang.
Needless to say, Ouyang Shuo’s first target was Great Song.
To reduce the number of casualties, they decided to pick the weakest first. Out of the three countries, one must not look at how Great Song was the biggest. In terms of strength, it was the weakest of the three.
First, when Chun Shenjun moved out of Jingchu Province, he brought half of the essence of the place to Ludong, leaving half an empty shell.
Furthermore, during the half a year after Great Song took over, they had faced many catastrophes and suffered heavy losses. Meanwhile, although Qin and Tang only had half a province each, they had worked on it for two to three years.
Secondly, compared to the other two, Great Song lacked famous generals and fighting spirit.
Great Qin had Wang Jian and Wang Ben. Great Tang was even more amazing. Even without military god Li Jing, they still had Li Ji, Hou Junji, Yuchi Gong, and other famous generals.
In comparison, the only general Great Song could take out would be Zhao Kuangyin the emperor.
To take down Great Song, Great Xia was ready to use the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd legions of the Imperial Palace Guards, 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th legions of the Xiangjiang legion corps as well as the 1st, 3rd, and 4th legions of the Tiger legion corps.
A total of 10 legions, 700 thousand troops.
For the entire middle portion of the 6th month, Great Xia had been preparing to destroy Song. They had also been making preparations for the probable Qin and Tang battles. In the 6th month, 25th day, the various legion corps were all in place.
All the grain resources were in place, and the war was a spark away from happening!
…
6th month, 26th day, Xu Da commanded the three legions of the Imperial Palace Guards to charge into Jingchu Province from Xiangnan Province. At the same time, Zhang Xutuo ordered the Xiangjiang legion corps to enter Jingchu Province from Jiangchuan Province.
Sun Bin led the Tiger legion corps, entering from Wannan Province.
The three fronts totally locked down the south and east sides of Great Song and were ready to go from south to north and east toward west to slowly chew down and force Great Song to surrender.
Ouyang Shuo had patience.
At the same time, Di Chen and Chun Shenjun, including the reorganized Difeng, used their influence in Jingchu Province to create an opportunity for the army.
Zhao Kuangyin was not happy to die without a fight, so he ordered the 500 thousand imperial guards to stop them on the way.
Looking at the situation, although this was not an even battle, it would be a battle of attrition. Great Xia, who had the numerical advantage, would not be able to easily conquer Jingchu Province.
Once this war dragged on, both sides would suffer heavy casualties.
Just at this moment, Li Jing, who had been leading troops to attack Tibet, finally found out the identity of the ghost behind the Tibet Dynasty. It was the Ashoka Dynasty that was connected to Tibet.
Speaking of the Ashoka Dynasty, Ouyang Shuo felt a headache.
The India region had a similar number of players to China, but they only had one imperial city, unlike China which had nine. As a result, a freak of a dynasty was created.
Five million imperial city guards gathered in a city, what kind of concept was that?
Even in the 7th year of Gaia, the imperial city guards of the Ashoka Dynasty still numbered 4.5 million.
Hence, early last year, Ouyang Shuo had noticed that the biggest obstacle to Great Xia conquering India was not the Gupta or the Peacock Dynasty but the hidden Ashoka Dynasty.
After a few years of development, the Ashoka Dynasty used imperial city New Delhi as the core to expand outwards, occupying one-third of India.
It was not only a problem for Great Xia. In fact, it had even become the biggest problem for the Peacock Dynasty and the Gupta Dynasty.
Based on the intel from the Black Snake Guards, after destroying all the large-sized territories in the vicinity, the Peacock Dynasty and the Gupta Dynasty were showing signs of working together to go against their common enemy.
As long as the Ashoka Dynasty existed, it would be impossible for the two of them to take control of India.
Who would have known that Ashoka’s ambition would be so huge? While he faced the combined attacks of the Gupta Dynasty and the Peacock Dynasty, he still had the energy to stretch his hand into the China region.
Ouyang Shuo could not allow that to happen.
Looking at the report handed over by Li Jing, Ouyang Shuo kept silent and said coldly, “Ashoka, since you have joined in, do not even think about retreating. Do you really think you can do what you want with 4.5 million troops?”
“Men!”
“Present!”
“Order the frontlines to stop at nothing to destroy Song within half a month.”
“Yes, my emperor!”
Ashoka interfering in the Battle of Tibet made Ouyang Shuo realize that he needed to quickly end the three countries war. Even if he had to pay a price, it would not matter.
Only then could he gather up the army and focus on the threat of Ashoka.
Ouyang Shuo was still uncertain whether Ashoka would take this chance to continue to add troops to Tibet to make Great Xia fall deeper into this quicksand or not. Would he use this chance to threaten the Bear legion corps and the west border of the Emperor dynasty?
This was a risk that Ouyang Shuo could not take.
“Summon Honglu Temple head!” Ouyang Shuo ordered.
“Yes!”
After a short while, Zhang Yi hurried over.
In the past, when the Honglu Temple sent out the envoys to the three countries and all failed, it made Zhang Yi really ashamed. The moment he met Ouyang Shuo, he sought forgiveness and said, “Sorry, my emperor, for failing you. Please punish me!”
Ouyang Shuo waved his hand, not wanting to dwell on this matter. Staring at Zhang Yi, he said, “Send another envoy to Xiangyang to tell Zhao Yingkuang that he will surrender in 10 days, or we will wipe out the Zhao race once we occupy Xiangyang!”
“Yes, my emperor!”
Zhang Yi felt his heart tremble. Currently, his back was sweating profusely. He had never seen the emperor so furious.
