Dark Sand: My Players Are All Actors

The Seventh Year of Wude.

The scenery around swiftly changed, with Li Hongyun's viewpoint first appearing high in the sky.

In the northern borderlands, the Turkic people were once again restless.

After the Liang Dynasty's initial stabilization of the country, the Turkic people had changed their strategy from supporting separatist forces and perpetuating the division of the Central Plains to directly entering the fray.

Beginning in the fifth year of Wude, Jie Li Khan led more than a hundred thousand Cavalry southwards to raid repeatedly.

In Li Hongyun's view, such border troubles were not much different from those faced during the Qi Dynasty with the Jin incursions; in terms of military and national strength, the then flourishing Turkic people were just as powerful as the Jin during the Jingping disturbances, except for being slightly inferior in metal smelting and the forging of weapons and armor.

Yet, whenever people thought of the Liang Dynasty, they did not regard the Turkic as a formidable adversary.

Even though they represented a massive force, capable of "controlling a million archers."

Li Hongyun looked down from on high, the River East region lay clearly in his view.

However, this time, the Turkic people did not persist in the River East to lay siege to Taiyuan as before; instead, they took an alternate route through Guanzhong, advancing swiftly all the way to the foot of Binzhou State's walls!

The situation was eerily similar to the Jingping disturbances of the Qi Dynasty.

As an all-Cavalry mobile unit with a numerical advantage, the Turkic could easily bypass the strong city and directly reach the Liang Dynasty's vital areas.

Clearly, after failing to gain an advantage in the previous two invasions of River East, Jie Li Khan decided to change his thinking and aimed to bring his troops directly to the gates of Chang'an City.

The camera rapidly zoomed in towards Chang'an to the south while also descending steadily in altitude.

The majestic and expansive Chang'an City was now right before one's eyes.

However, at this time, Chang'an's sky was covered by an incessant heavy rain, at times pouring down furiously with flashes of lightning and peals of thunder, and at other times drizzling gently, the rain threadlike.

This inclement weather would continue for quite some time.

The camera continued to lower, quickly arriving at the Liang Imperial Palace.

Emperor Gaozu of Liang sat solemnly on his throne, with several close ministers below.

The Crown Prince, Prince Qi, the fourth son of Emperor Gaozong of Liang, Pei Ji, Xiao Yu, Yuwen Shiji, and others, all gathered together.

Among them, Pei Ji, Xiao Yu, and Yuwen Shiji, were important court officials, with a critical say in the Liang Dynasty's major political strategies.

Not to mention the Crown Prince and Prince Qi, whose opinions carried even more weight.

Emperor Gaozu of Liang listened to the pitter-patter of the rain outside the great hall, his face revealing undeniable irritation.

"The Turkic have already reached Binzhou State!

"Just as I thought, these barbarian thieves cannot be trusted! Our dynasty just established a peace treaty with them last November, and we had even increased the frontier granaries in Bingzhou State. Yet, in just a few months, they changed their route to Guanzhong and attacked again!

"Chang'an is in imminent danger; do you, my ministers, have any good strategies?"

Binzhou State was an ancient place name, located upstream of the Jing River. This place was barely two hundred li from Chang'an City and could be regarded as the northern gateway to Chang'an, with direct access along the Jing River valley.

Evidently, after realizing they could do nothing against the strong city of Taiyuan, Jie Li Khan planned to lead the Turkic on a major assault: directly to the gates of Chang'an, to plunder the most prosperous capital of the Liang Dynasty.

Seeing no one speak up, Xiao Yu hesitated, then said, "The Turkic force is strong; we can send Lord Qin to repel the enemy."

As a senior official and strategist, suggesting such a course of action made Xiao Yu feel somewhat embarrassed.

Indeed, what else could be done but send Lord Qin to fight?

Ever since the Turkic began their repeated invasions in the fifth year of Wude, hadn't every instance ended with Lord Qin's troops moving out and the Turkic retreating upon receiving the news?

Yet, Emperor Gaozu of Liang did not openly agree or reject Xiao Yu's suggestion.

Wasn't he well aware of Lord Qin's effectiveness?

But at that time, the conflict between Lord Qin and the Crown Prince had intensified, and even as Emperor, he could clearly feel the threat from Lord Qin.

His merit was great enough to shake the throne, his rank too high to promote further.

Therefore, despite the repeated invasions by the Turkic, if it wasn't absolutely necessary, Emperor Gaozu of Liang was definitely reluctant to have Lord Qin take action.

Because with every new military achievement by Lord Qin, the Crown Prince was already struggling, even with the Emperor's constant favoritism.

Emperor Gaozu of Liang pondered for a moment, then said, "Someone suggested that the reason the Turkic have repeatedly invaded Guanzhong is because their children and treasures are in Chang'an.

"If that's the case, if we burn down Chang'an and no longer use it as the capital, the barbarian invaders will cease on their own.

"I find this reasoning sound; what do you all think?"

Xiao Yu was stunned for a moment, almost unable to believe his ears.

What did the Emperor just say?

The Turkic repeatedly invaded because of "children and treasures" in Chang'an? So if we just burn down Chang'an and no longer make it the capital, then the Turkic won't attack us anymore?

What a ludicrous train of thought...

A wealthy man, always robbed on his nighttime travels, decides that tossing all his money into the water will prevent him from being robbed?

As a clear-minded, sane person, Xiao Yu's first impulse was naturally to dissuade the Emperor.

However, the strange atmosphere in the hall made his survival instinct quietly take precedence, and he did not speak immediately.

After a moment of silence, the Crown Prince spoke.

"Responding to Father Emperor, I believe this plan is feasible.

"Chang'an hangs on the blade of the Turkic, and each early autumn they can head south along the Jing River valley. Whether they take the route through Taiyuan or through Binzhou State, the harm they bring is substantial.

"If we relocate the capital southward, the Turkic will no longer be able to target Chang'an, and our dynasty will be able to rest easy."