20demayo Chapter 1118 Offering Advice and Strategies, Planning for the End of the Year!
Chapter 1118 Offering Advice and Strategies, Planning for the End of the Year!
“The best strategy is to ‘nibble away’,” Zhuge Liang said, pointing to the diagram on the silk scroll. “Send skilled personnel to enter the Three Kingdoms as merchants, open shops, and sell the special products of our Great Qin. In the early stages, they can sell silk, porcelain, tea, and other items. These items can be mass-produced in our Great Qin at low cost, but they are rare in the world below.”
Han Xin's eyes lit up: "Strategist, this plan is excellent! With the caravans coming and going, we can openly and legitimately gather intelligence, and learn about the terrain, troop deployments, and internal conflicts of various countries."
"The middle strategy is to 'divide and conquer'," Zhuge Liang continued. "According to reports from our spies, there has been a long-standing animosity between the three kingdoms. The Southern Qing and Northern Qi have been embroiled in minor conflicts for a century over the struggle for control of Dongyi City; and within Dongyi City itself, the pro-war and pro-peace factions are at loggerheads. I can secretly support the weaker side, exacerbating their conflict, and then reap the benefits once they are both exhausted."
Lu Bu snorted: "Why bother with all that trouble! Give me 100,000 elite troops, and I will take the capital of Nanqing within three months!"
Yue Fei shook his head and said, "Fengxian's bravery is known throughout the world. However, fighting in another world is no ordinary matter. In that world, there are so-called Grandmaster-level experts who can fight against a thousand troops by themselves. If we attack rashly, we may suffer heavy losses."
Xue Rengui echoed, "General Yue is absolutely right. Know yourself and know your enemy, and you will never be defeated. We have a shallow understanding of the martial arts system of that world, so it is not advisable to start a war lightly."
Gao Yao raised his hand to stop the argument: "Let Kongming finish speaking."
Zhuge Liang smiled slightly: "The worst strategy is to launch a military campaign. When economic penetration is deep enough, the intelligence network is complete, and the conflict between the three kingdoms has intensified to the point of no return, then we can launch a surprise attack with elite troops to strike at the heart of the problem. This way we can achieve twice the result with half the effort and obtain the greatest benefit at the lowest cost."
Di Renjie stroked his beard and pondered: "The three strategies, superior, middle, and inferior, are progressively advanced and are indeed wise words for governing the country. However, the specific personnel to be implemented, the allocation of funds, and the control of risks still need to be carefully considered."
Di Renjie took out a thick register from his pocket and placed it on the table.
"Since His Majesty ordered me to form a special personnel team, the organization has trained more than 3,700 people of various kinds. Among them, 800 are proficient in business, 500 are skilled in intelligence gathering, 1,200 are martial arts experts, and the rest are specialists in various industries."
He opened the roster and pointed to a few pages: "Based on the characteristics of the world this year, I suggest that the first batch of personnel be divided into three groups of three hundred people each, to infiltrate Nanqing, Beiqi, and Dongyi City respectively."
"Nanqing values commerce, so we can send people who are proficient in trade and familiar with accounts as the main force, supplemented by some guards. Beiqi values martial arts, so we should send skilled martial artists as the backbone, along with some merchants. Dongyi City is a mixed bag, so we need to send people who are shrewd and adept at social maneuvering."
Ran Min suddenly spoke up: "Lord Di's arrangements are meticulous, but there is one thing to note. Our appearance, accent, and habits are all different from those of people in the younger world. How can we ensure that we are not recognized?"
Di Renjie nodded and said, "General Ran's considerations are thorough. I have already made preparations for this matter. The Green Robe Society has a group of masters of disguise who can help us change our appearance. In addition, the society's language experts have compiled a three-volume 'Comprehensive Translation of the Elegant Language of the Year' based on the intelligence they have obtained. The personnel to be dispatched need to study the local language and customs three months in advance."
Zhang Juzheng added: "In terms of funding, the Ministry of Revenue can initially allocate 50,000 taels of gold and 500,000 taels of silver as start-up capital. Further investment can be made as needed. However, strict accounting must be established and audited quarterly to prevent corruption."
Gao Yao pondered for a moment: "I can allocate the first batch of funds, but in the long run, the Qingyi Society needs to achieve self-sufficiency in the world of the underworld as soon as possible, and even give back to the Great Qin."
“Your Majesty is wise,” Zhuge Liang said. “This matter concerns the fate of the nation and a multi-layered oversight mechanism must be established. I suggest the establishment of an ‘Otherworld Management Office,’ to be jointly supervised by all of you present, with monthly meetings to review progress.”
Although the theme of the meeting was economic infiltration, Han Xin and Yue Fei, as military strategists, naturally had to consider the worst-case scenario.
Han Xin stood up and walked to a detailed map of the world's topography: "The art of war says: 'Before calculating victory, calculate defeat.' Even if our plans are meticulous, we must still be prepared for military conflict."
He pointed to several passes on the map: "According to the scouts, the passage connecting the world below to our Great Qin is located deep in the Kunlun Mountains. This place is easy to defend and difficult to attack. I have ordered General Zhao Xin to lead 30,000 elite troops to garrison here and build fortifications."
Yue Fei continued, “General Han’s arrangements are appropriate. I believe that in addition to defending the passage, we also need to establish a rapid response mechanism. I suggest forming an alternate-world emergency response army, which will be jointly trained by General Xue, General Ran and I, specializing in small-scale raids, rescues and sabotage missions.”
Xue Rengui added, "This army doesn't need to be too large; five thousand elite soldiers will suffice. However, it must be equipped with the finest weapons and armor, and undergo the most rigorous training. In particular, we need to study countermeasures against the characteristics of martial arts in the younger world."
Ran Min's eyes flashed with a sharp light: "According to the reports from our spies, martial artists in that world were divided into nine ranks, with the first rank being the highest. Those above the fourth rank could project their internal energy, and those above the eighth rank even had so-called true qi protecting their bodies, making them difficult to harm with ordinary swords and knives. Our army needs to develop weapons such as armor-piercing heavy crossbows and long-handled battle axes to counter these characteristics."
Upon hearing this, Lü Bu finally showed a satisfied expression: "That's more like it! If we really have to fight, I'm willing to be the vanguard!"
Gao Yao smiled and said, "I am well aware of Fengxian's bravery. But at this stage, we should focus on commercial warfare while preparing for military action. However, military preparations should not be neglected. General Han and General Yue, I will entrust this matter to you two. You can apply directly to the Ministry of Revenue for the necessary funds and materials."
Zhang Juzheng unfolded a scroll of accounts and began to elaborate on his financial plan.
"Based on the plans of Prime Minister Xiao and Military Advisor Zhuge, I estimate that the entire 'Year-End Infiltration Plan' can be divided into three phases."
"The first phase will last three years and will mainly focus on establishing strongholds, opening up markets, and gathering intelligence. This phase is expected to require an investment of 100,000 taels of gold and 1 million taels of silver. These investments will primarily be used to purchase shops, grease palms, bribe officials, and build networks."
He pointed to the figures in the accounts: "Although the investment is huge, the returns are promising. According to our spies, our Qin silk can fetch ten times the price in the lower world, and porcelain is even more sought after. If managed properly, we should be able to recoup our investment within three years."
"The second phase will last for five years, with the goal of monopolizing the trade of certain key commodities, such as salt, iron, medicinal herbs, and grain. This phase will require additional investment, but it can be supported by the profits from the first phase, so there is no need to transfer large amounts of funds from Da Qin."
"The third phase has no fixed timeframe. Its goal is to influence the policies of countries around the world through economic means, cultivate proxies, and ultimately subdue the enemy without fighting."
Cao Can frowned and said, "Lord Zhang's plan is meticulous, but there is a hidden danger: if the countries around the world realize our intentions and unite to resist us, or even confiscate our property, how should we deal with it?"
Zhang Juzheng calmly replied, "I, along with Di Renjie and Military Advisor Zhuge, already have a plan for this matter. First, we will not operate under the name of China, but will register multiple businesses, posing as local or overseas merchants of the world. Second, we will diversify our holdings of important assets, not putting all our eggs in one basket. Third, we will establish a community of interests with local powerful figures, making them also beneficiaries. In this way, resisting us will only harm their own interests."