We have fought to the Arctic Circle, and you want me to inherit the throne?

Chapter 1084: Building Roads for Us?

These words elicited silent nods from the others.

Their ancestors had dealt with the imperial court outside the mountains for generations, and this was the usual method.

When the imperial army comes to suppress us, we temporarily bow down and pay tribute because of their overwhelming power; once the army leaves, we are far from the emperor and things go back to normal.

So what if all the clansmen are dead? Anyway, the living are like weeds in the mountains, they can't be cut down or killed off.

As long as these mountains and rivers remain, the Liao people will continue to thrive, and the imperial court cannot keep its large army here indefinitely.

"Nonsense!"

A low, cold sneer rang out; it came from the old man from Qing Teng Dong, whose face remained gloomy.

He was the oldest and was known for his cunning and wisdom. When he spoke, everyone looked over.

Even the Baixi chieftain, who had always been at odds with him, shut his mouth and listened intently.

"Don't underestimate this emperor." The voice of the chieftain of Qing Teng was particularly clear in the dimly lit and cramped carriage. "Have you heard about the battle last year when the Shu army and the Qing army joined forces to fight against those Qiang tribes?"

Some people nodded.

That battle was quite large and shook southern Sichuan. It is said that the Qiang people suffered a terrible defeat.

"The weapons they used were the same kind that attacked our village today." The old man pointed outside. "Before we saw anyone, we heard a thunderous roar, and then the village wall collapsed. Our warriors fell in droves as if cursed by mountain spirits. We didn't even have a chance to fight back."

The prison van fell into an even deeper silence, with only the monotonous sound of wheels rolling over stones.

The roar of firearms and the flash of flames were a shared nightmare for everyone at that moment.

“In the past, the imperial court couldn’t do anything to us, not because they didn’t want to, but because they couldn’t,” the headman of Qing Teng Dong continued to analyze. “They occupied the salt wells but couldn’t hold them. The Shu army only had so many troops. They had to guard against the Qiang and Man tribes, as well as the Qing army in the north. They were also scheming against each other among themselves.”

"But what about now? The emperor of Qing is sitting here, and Luo Yueniang from Shu is leading his horse and clearing the way for him. What does that mean?"

"The Shu region has completely submitted to Daqing. They've united as one and freed up one hand specifically to deal with us!"

His cloudy eyes swept over the pale faces: "We don't need many people at all. Just send a few hundred Qing soldiers like today, along with those iron pipes that can shoot thunder and fire, and they can easily flatten any of our villages."

“From now on, all they need to do is leave a few dozen soldiers like these at each salt well, and stand on high ground... Who would dare to try and take it back? Who could take it back?”

No one answered; the answer was obvious.

The vehicle suddenly stopped, then began to move slowly again, clearly having left the territory of Black Rock Cave and was heading towards its next destination.

Aguli felt a pang of anxiety; this meant his stronghold had completely changed hands.

Frustration welled up inside him, and he asked in a gruff voice, "After saying all that, what are we supposed to do?"

The chieftain of Qing Teng Cave slowly shook his head: "What should we do? Aguli, don't you understand yet?"

"The knife is no longer in our hands!"

"What we should be thinking about now is not what to do, but what that emperor... plans to do with us."

"If we want to survive, there is only one way: to become the knife in his hand."

. . . . .

Another Shuliao tribe fell amidst the roar.

The chieftain was knocked to the ground by two musketeers with the butts of their rifles, tied up tightly, and thrown into the already somewhat crowded prison cart.

Li Che reined in the rope and watched as the wooden door of the prison cart closed and was bolted shut.

He then turned to Yang Tong, who had been following behind him, and asked, "Are there any more nearby?"

Yang Tong leaned closer to the map, carefully examining it for a moment in the dimming light, then pointed to a blurry mark further south: "Your Majesty, all the tribes within thirty miles to the left and right are located here."

"The next relatively large Shuliao village is here, about sixty li to the southwest. The mountain road is difficult to travel, and even a forced march would take more than a day."

He paused, stealing a glance at the emperor's expression, and cautiously asked, "Your Majesty, it's getting late, traveling on the mountain roads at night is dangerous, and the soldiers need rest after days of marching. Shall we still go?"

Li Che's gaze swept over the prison carts, which were filled with shadowy figures of tribal leaders who had been invited over the past few days.

He shook his head: "No need, these people are enough."

Yang Tong felt a sense of relief and almost breathed a sigh of relief, but he forced himself to hold it in.

In just a few days, all the well-known Shuliao tribes within a radius of dozens of miles were wiped out, and their chieftains were almost all captured.

Such swift and decisive measures have likely spread like wildfire throughout the valleys and villages of southern Sichuan.

He harbored a hidden worry.

Yang Tong naturally knew that His Majesty possessed abundant martial virtue and that defeating these Liao people would be a piece of cake.

His concern was that such strong pressure would incite all his colleagues to share a common hatred and push them to the side of the Qiang and Man tribes who were enemies of the court.

But he knew even better that the young emperor's actions, though seemingly domineering and direct, were actually meticulously planned and had a deeper meaning.

Just because I can't see through it doesn't mean His Majesty isn't calculating; there's no need for me to say more.

He suppressed his worries and instead raised a more practical question:

"Your Majesty's divine might makes it easy to sweep away the tribes. However, our army only attacks and does not defend. I'm afraid that within ten months, new chieftains will emerge in these salt well villages, and everything may return to the old ways."

Upon hearing this, Li Che's lips seemed to curve slightly: "What I want is for them to elect a new leader."

Yang Tong was taken aback and asked in confusion, "Does His Majesty mean... that he doesn't intend to directly control these salt wells?"

"Why control them?" Li Che countered. "It's easy to defend these mountain strongholds, but what about afterwards?"

"Where will the stove workers come from? Where will the salt workers come from? Will we have to conscript people from all the prefectures and counties in Sichuan?"

"Leaving aside whether they would willingly risk their lives in this toxic ravine, even if I were willing to pay a high salary to recruit them, where would the money come from?"

"The Ministry of Revenue's silver doesn't grow on trees. If we make the Shu treasury pay extra, wouldn't that be like taking money from the sheep's back and ultimately burdening the people of Shu?"

Yang Tong remained silent. Having spent so long working at the grassroots level, he knew all too well the intricacies of the matter.

If the imperial court wanted to directly operate the salt wells, the combined costs of manpower, management, and safety would be astronomical.

But familiar colleagues are different... They were born and raised here, they are hardworking and have very low demands.

A little coarse grain and a few feet of homespun cloth were enough to keep them working for generations, and there was absolutely no need to cherish their lives.

They are the cheapest labor force in the world.

“Familiar officials are not a threat,” Li Che concluded, “but the Shu region really cannot do without them because it needs salt.”

Nothing more than a cheap life, yet a tough one.

Yang Tong nodded deeply, having fully understood the emperor's thinking.

What Li Che wanted was not ownership of the salt wells themselves, but control over their output and a more sustainable extraction method.

"Let's go." Li Che turned his horse around and looked towards the direction of the Ciyan tribe.

As dusk approached, the outlines of the mountains became blurred.

“When we return to Ciyan County, we should have a good talk with these guests.”

. . . . . .

The bamboo houses inside the Ciyan tribe's fortified city were temporarily used as prison cells. Aguli and several other chieftains had their hands bound with hemp ropes and were locked in an empty bamboo house on the ground floor.

There was only a young general from the Qing army guarding the gate with two armed soldiers. They were extremely relaxed and chattered from time to time, as if they were certain that the enemy could not escape.

Aguli secretly flexed his wrists. The rope wasn't tied too tightly, and with his brute strength, it wasn't entirely impossible for him to suddenly attack and knock down the three people at the door.

His muscles tensed slightly as he glanced at the young general leaning against the doorframe, idly whittling wooden sticks with a dagger.

The man had a sharp, muscular appearance, and there was always a hint of a smile playing on his lips. Even though he wasn't looking into the house, Aguli felt a chill run down his spine for no apparent reason.

A primal instinct was sharply warning him: Don't move, this person... is dangerous!

Just as he was hesitating, he heard the sound of orderly footsteps outside.

The young general immediately sheathed his dagger and stood up straight.

Soon, Li Che appeared at the door, followed by Qiu Bai, Hu Qiang, Ying Bu, and dozens of guards with imposing auras.

Aguli's heart sank, feeling a pang of regret, and he silently retreated into the shadows of the corner.

Li Che paused at the door, glanced at the young general, and couldn't help but chuckle: "Ma Xiao? What are you doing here guarding the place?"

Ma Zhong clasped his hands in a fist and smiled, revealing a set of white teeth: "Your Majesty, I was just idling around anyway, so I came to see if any of these people were foolish enough to try and run away."

Li Che shook his head and laughed, scolding, "You little rascal."

Is this a case of entrapment?

With the Great Qing's Divine Constable General standing here, even if these chieftains could break free of their ropes, they would have to think twice about whether their necks were strong enough.

"Okay, come in."

“Yes!” Ma Zhong responded and followed Li Che into the bamboo house.

The room was dimly lit, so the guards stepped forward and lit a few oil lamps.

The chieftains reacted differently when they saw the emperor enter.

The chieftain of Baixi was the first to kneel forward, tears streaming down his face. He begged for mercy in broken Qing language, swearing allegiance and offering all his salt wells.

The leader of the Langdong tribe also prostrated himself on the ground, his voice trembling.

Even those who had been the most vocal critics before now changed their tune, vying to pledge their loyalty, afraid of falling behind.

Aguli looked at the group of obsequious chieftains, somewhat bewildered.

No, weren't they cursing each other more fiercely just a second ago?

Li Che ignored their cries and pleas for mercy, and went straight to the only bamboo chair in the room and sat down.

Ma Zhong and Hu Qiang stood beside him with their knives drawn, while Qiu Bai and Ying Bu guarded the doorway.

As the pleas for mercy gradually subsided, Li Che slowly raised his eyes, his gaze calmly sweeping over the faces of the Liao people.

"I previously sent Yang Tong to invite you all over. Do you know why?"

The leaders looked at each other, none of them daring to answer.

The old man from Qing Teng Dong managed to compose himself and said in a hoarse voice, "Please enlighten us, Your Majesty. We are all ears and ready to serve you."

Li Che nodded and said, word by word, "I will build roads for you."

Upon hearing this, an eerie silence fell over the bamboo house.

Repairing...the road?