To achieve immortality, I cultivate using Qi Luck

Chapter 1145: Chapter 461: The Fourth Northern Expedition_3 Chapter 1145: Chapter 461: The Fourth Northern Expedition_3 This harvest is far more valuable than the mere trifle of Lingnan and the southwest.

With Central State firmly under control, states like Xu, Tang, and Xu, after their devastating defeats, can only shrink back to their northern homelands and, relying on the natural moat of the great river, gasp for survival there.

I only need to deploy a defense line along the river, and with one or two million people, I can ensure the security of the entire northern border of Central State.

By then, following the Northern Expedition, at least three million men from Central State will be ready to rush back to the homeland to participate in the war against the southern Barbarians.

To accomplish all of the above, at the fastest, it would take two years, and at the latest, three years to complete the arrangements.

This period of time will be just enough for those Barbarians to have just gotten their footing in the south and achieved self-sufficiency in grain.

With such strength, how could they possibly withstand my elite troops sweeping through the Nine Provinces?

Lu Yuan is still very confident in the strength of his troops.

In a place like Central State crowded with formidable enemies, the Chu army has been able to conquer the world, causing all nations to fall into disarray and defeat.

How could the Barbarians, who have lost everything like homeless dogs and have no foundation, be considered a match for the Chu army, no matter how highly one thinks of them?

Not to mention.

After unifying Central State, the Chu State far surpasses the southern Barbarians in terms of the overwhelming quantity of Inborn Grandmasters.

With just top-tier strength alone, the opponent’s three to forty Inborn Grandmasters are no match for Chu State.

This is a gap in national power, a force amassed by Chu over tens of years after sweeping across the world.

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It’s not something that the Barbarians, who have been amassing power like nouveau riche by merging tribes and nations along their exile journey, can compare with.

The matter of Yangzhou is pretty much settled like this.

…

After making plans for Yangzhou, Lu Yuan began personnel deployment.

Huang Xuan assumed his position atop his horse and with the allocated staff and troops began preparations for the new maritime expedition.

The six Inborn Grandmasters assigned to Yangzhou also set off for the south upon receiving their orders.

With the strength of Inborn Grandmasters, although the winter snow is difficult to bear, it is not unbearable.

It is still possible to travel through the wind and snow.

Therefore, by the beginning of December, the six avatars that Lu Yuan specially called upon for timely communication with the homeland had already arrived in Baling City.

Over in Qingzhou.

The direct five million troops under Lu Yuan also began to move towards the border close to Yuzhou in the east, taking advantage of the slightly better weather and the pause in the snowfall.

The majority of the hundred-plus Inborn Grandmasters needed for transfer had also arrived in advance at the border of Qing and Yu states or the southern part of Chu-controlled Yuzhou, positioning themselves early.

For the fourth Northern Expedition next year, preparations have already begun on the Chu side.

And naturally, this significant activity could not be hidden from the states of Yuzhou.

Chu State had no intention to conceal it.

After all, the annual Northern Expedition has become routine, and even if they did not mention it, the Four Kingdoms would still be on guard.

So.

As expected, after sensing the movement of Chu State.

The Four Kingdoms of Yuzhou, already in alliance, immediately became tense.

To prepare for the invasion of Chu State, they too began to recruit soldiers, mobilize personnel, gather supplies, and fortify city defenses, preparing for the Great War of the coming year.

At the same time, some sent messengers to Xu State, hoping to seek aid from this potential ally who had previously mediated among the four of them.

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However, according to the spies Chu State had within the Xu court, Xu State flatly rejected the Four Kingdoms’ appeal for help.

This year, Xu State had just suffered a horrendous defeat, losing almost all of their national fortunes.

Moreover, due to this unprecedented defeat, a fear of Chu has arisen within Xu State.

From the low-level populace and army soldiers to the nobles, generals, and royal kin, there is a widespread fear of Chu State among the people of Xu.

In their current state of dire defeat, with greatly diminished strength and a prevailing sense of fear, Xu State truly does not have the excess strength nor the will to engage in another battle with Chu State.

Moreover, with Chu State’s expansion into Ji Province, Xu is under great pressure.

They are deeply afraid that the Ji Province Army is merely a forward post.

When spring comes next year, Chu State could reinforce its Jizhou Army and then exploit the situation to invade the Xu homeland, completely annihilating Xu State.

This is not an impossibility.

Thus, with their own homeland under threat, Xu State hardly has the ability to spare any effort to help others.

The hopes of the Four Kingdoms for Xu State to send troops are destined to be a futile dream.

Chu State’s fourth Northern Expedition next year will have to be resisted by them alone.

Just as it was this year, when Xu State shouldered the full brunt of Chu State’s might.

Xu was unable to hold, and thus lost the entirety of Qingzhou, retreating back to its old home in Xuzhou.

Although the Four Kingdoms Alliance is slightly stronger than Xu, whether they can withstand the forthcoming challenge will have to be seen on the battlefield.

However, the current situation shows that they clearly lack confidence; otherwise, they would not seek help from Xu State, which has already suffered a miserable defeat.

They might not be aware that Xu, having been so gravely beaten, even if willing to send troops, how much vigor could they possibly have left to help them?

The situation is akin to making desperate measures in times of crisis.

This winter of the forty-third year of Shenwu, in an atmosphere of peace and tranquility yet tinged with a smell of gunpowder, was spent in a state of nervous unease.

Time flowed slowly, arriving at the forty-fourth year of Shenwu.

In February, the beginning of spring, when all living things were reviving, and vitality was bursting forth.

Just as the creatures that had hibernated for the winter were emerging from their burrows, barely having time to celebrate the arrival of spring, the earth was once again enveloped in the clamor of war.

In the forty-fourth year of Shenwu, on the third day of the second month.

Emperor Chu Luyuan ascended the altar in the grand capital to pray to the heavens, once again declaring the launch of the fourth Northern Expedition to subjugate Yuzhou.

In the same month, after receiving the news, the Four Kingdoms of Yuzhou also held an alliance meeting in Yuzhou.

Blood was sworn in kinship between the emperors of the Four Kingdoms, and they announced the formation of a United Army, to jointly resist the tyranny of Chu.

The Great War between Chu State and the Four Kingdoms of Yuzhou officially began under the gaze of the entire world.

Everyone was clear that the outcome of this battle would determine the fate of Central State.

If Chu conquered, then Central State would be unified, and the Nine Provinces would all submit.

If the Four Kingdoms prevailed, the world would be split in two, paving the way for endless chaos and strife.

This decisive Great War, which would determine the destiny of the Nine Provinces, attracted the attention of people all over, all filled with anticipation, waiting for the outcome to unfold.