Within three days, Wei Yuan penetrated more than a hundred li deeper, taking over a hundred Shaman villages and towns along with several small cities before finally returning to Qingming.
Throughout this campaign, Wei Yuan's main force had consistently remained around thirty thousand men, but the logistical personnel mobilized in the rear numbered over one hundred thousand, providing the front lines with a cumulative total of more than ten thousand replacement soldiers.
In this campaign, the Shamans had deployed a total of four hundred thousand troops, ultimately suffering nearly two hundred thousand casualties. Over a thousand villages and more than ten small cities were destroyed, while the major city of Rain Maple was torn down. Over a million Shaman civilians were killed or injured, with another two million or so displaced, fleeing into the depths of the Wu domain.
The cumulative casualties under Wei Yuan's command neared ten thousand; fortunately, the dead and permanently crippled together accounted for only three thousand, with the remainder sustaining minor wounds. By replenishing his ranks as he fought, Wei Yuan sustained his army's military aura and maintained its combat effectiveness.
Six Great Shamans were also slain in this campaign. Wei Yuan distributed several hundred heavenly merits among his subordinates, though the lion's share of his own heavenly merits came from the strike he landed on Frost Whisper—a single spear thrust worth one thousand heavenly merits.
Wei Yuan had captured Rain Maple City practically intact, and since the main force arrived in time, they had two full days to haul everything away.
They scavenged massive amounts of useful items from Rain Maple City: immortal silver, medicinal herbs, arms and equipment, and various raw materials, as well as Blood Yingluo that could extend one's lifespan by three hundred years. After the supply troops brought provisions to the front, they transported the plunder back to Qingming on their return journey.
As for things useless to humans yet vital to the Shamans—such as pond fish feed and various Shaman foodstuffs—Wei Yuan had them burned to the ground.
Finally, Wei Yuan blew up all four of Rain Maple City's gates along with multiple stretches of its walls, and blasted every important building in the city to rubble. Unfortunately, standing water pooled everywhere throughout the Shaman city; otherwise, a single blaze could have reduced the entire city to ashes.
In the days following Frost Whisper's repelling, Wei Yuan also seized three settlements that produced human sacrifices.
The environment in these villages and towns had been altered to resemble the human domain. The captive humans lived and bred within them; each year, adult men and women were screened, with the superior individuals kept as seedstock to produce offspring, while the ordinary ones were dragged off as sacrifices for various rituals.
The people in these three settlements had grown accustomed to such an existence. Isolated from the outside world, they did not even know that a human kingdom lay just a thousand li away. They even revered the Shamans as deities, and when Wei Yuan's troops appeared, many of them had actually fought alongside the Shamans.
In total, Wei Yuan took forty thousand people from the three settlements and escorted them all back to the human domain.
With this, Shaman inhabitants of the Land of Rain within three hundred li of Qingming were almost entirely swept clean, and major strongholds between three hundred and six hundred li out were eliminated. Although the foundations of Rain Maple City remained, Wei Yuan had followed Perfected Chuhe's strategy and spread poison across the Shamans' most fertile pond fields, ensuring very few fish would be yielded for at least three to five years.
There were also five or six towns belonging to the Desolate Ancestor Tribe within the campaign zone. Toward them, Wei Yuan's method was simply to drive out the Shamans and tear down the towns, ensuring they would not return to the territory of the Land of Rain.
Wei Yuan's westward expedition and sweeping of the Wu domain sent shockwaves through the court and commonalty of Western Jin. Those who had harbored past grudges against Wei Yuan lived in constant fear and trembling. Rumor had it that Prince Wei spent several consecutive days drinking himself into stupors at home, beating several maids and servants to death over trivial matters.
After the morning court concluded that day, the King of Jin did not return to his palace, but proceeded directly to the Hall of Political Affairs to discuss what rewards and honors should be bestowed upon Wei Yuan.
Taking the head seat, the King of Jin showed a rare smile as he said, "Wei Yuan struck against the Shamans and returned victorious, greatly bolstering our Great Jin's prestige. He cannot go unrewarded. Have you ministers worked out a proposal?"
Commander of the Nine Gates Lü Zhongzhi stepped forward to memorialize: "Military Commissioner Wei commands elite troops and ample provisions, yet the imperial court granted him a quota of only four towns' worth of troops. Numerous soldiers and fierce generals are forced to remain classified under the ranks of local braves and common militia. Your subject proposes granting him four more garrison commands, making a total of eight commands with a quota of forty thousand troops, appointing four chief commanders and one titled general, with the general required to come to the capital to receive the investiture."
The King of Jin's expression remained unchanged as he asked, "What thoughts do my other esteemed ministers have?"
The Left Prime Minister said, "Following this battle, Qingming's expansion will be difficult to check. To appease him, the three commanderies including Ningxi and Anzhao can be placed under the jurisdiction of the Military Commissioner of Dingxi, leaving only Bianning Commandery outside the pass."
Minister of Revenue Xu Gong stepped forward at once and said, "This must absolutely not be done! Our Great Jin has newly regained a foothold in the Western Regions. With more and more refugees resettled across those commanderies, they will soon become lands of plenty. To cede three commanderies to Dingxi at this time—is that not offering three mountains of gold with both hands? Our Great Jin's treasury is empty, and we urgently require new sources of tax revenue."
The King of Jin indicated neither agreement nor objection, but turned to ask, "And what is Quangong's view?"
The assembled officials all felt a chill in their hearts, secretly guessing the King of Jin's intention behind this question.
Whenever the King of Jin held court or deliberated state affairs, Liu Quangong was always in attendance at his side; only when he was absent would Zhao Tong fill in. Yet his role had always been strictly that of an attendant, never possessing the qualification to speak on state affairs before the court.
Though the Hall of Political Affairs was less formal than a full court audience, this was in truth where major military and state policies were decided; how could Liu Quangong have any say here? With the King of Jin suddenly inquiring of him, the officials could not help speculating. Typically, whenever the eunuch faction was given weight, it meant the King of Jin intended to purge someone.
Liu Quangong seemed unprepared as well. Hearing the question, he froze for a moment before replying, "The forces under the Military Commissioner of Dingxi are now an elite army unmatched in the world, difficult to resist. This old servant believes the rewards should be substantive, for only then will he harbor gratitude and devote himself fully to the realm. As for an empty treasury, counting on the Western Regions would likely take ten years to bear fruit. The most feasible way to replenish the treasury at present remains levying conscripts from western Ningzhou and collecting grain and taxes from southern Gan."
Western Ningzhou was the Xu family's territory, while the southern commanderies of Ganzhou were the Lu clan's sphere of influence.
Minister of Revenue Xu Gong instantly retorted, "This would shake the very foundations of the prominent clans, which must never be allowed! Furthermore, once such a precedent is set, the harm will be boundless! The Sage King shares the realm with the great clans, with the scholar-bureaucrats! Weakening the great clans shakes the foundation of the state; this is talk that brings about the fall of an empire! Your subject believes Chief Steward Liu lacks understanding of statecraft and would do well to refrain from rashly discussing affairs of state!"
These words were spoken with utter sharpness. The King of Jin's face darkened, while Liu Quangong kept his head bowed and eyes downcast, offering no retort.
Reading the king's mood, Lü Zhongzhi observed his expression and said, "If the rewards are insufficient, the Military Commissioner of Dingxi may harbor resentment. Horse bandits run rampant across the Western Regions, having even breached Hanyang Pass not long ago. Without the Military Commissioner of Dingxi to suppress them, more trouble may arise. Furthermore, Lord Wei has newly attained a dharma idol. Whether by sentiment or reason, the court ought to make a gesture."
Xu Gong gave a cold snort and said, "What Wei Yuan relies upon is nothing more than fire guns. Such things are not difficult to make; if he can produce them, our Great Jin can produce them just as well! So long as we manufacture fire guns in large quantities and drill an army, the bandit scourge in the Western Regions can be resolved immediately. Qingming has barely existed for two years; if our Great Jin mobilizes the strength of the entire nation, we could forge an identical elite force in half a year. What is there to fear?"
By this point, the smile on the King of Jin's face had completely vanished, yet Xu Gong seemed oblivious, continuing to hold forth eloquently.
The King of Jin interrupted Xu Gong, saying, "We are weary. We will discuss this matter again tomorrow."
With that, the King of Jin rose from his seat and walked straight out of the Hall of Political Affairs.
The assembled officials looked as calm as usual, as if nothing had happened at all.
Before returning to his palace, the King of Jin looked up at the sky. Seeing how high the heavens were and how pale the clouds were, his mood improved considerably. He gave the order to proceed to Jingang Zen Temple.
At midday, the King of Jin sat opposite the green-eyed woman. Between them, an eight-headed beast-patterned bronze censer was lit, curls of light smoke slowly diffusing.
The King of Jin said, "Lately, We feel the state's fortune flourishing by the day, yet We wonder if Our perception is mistaken."
"The Military Commissioner of Dingxi's great victory in his westward expedition swept away the Shamans within five hundred li, which naturally benefits the state's fortune. At present, ten percent of all Western Jin's state fortune rests upon him. If he is strong, the state will naturally be strong. This is common knowledge; how could Your Majesty not know? Why ask me?"
The King of Jin said, "Ever since placing the state's fortune upon him, a weight has finally been lifted from my mind. In retrospect, this move was of vital importance. Yet now that he has returned in triumph, I wished to bestow some rewards, only to face united opposition from both the Lu clan and the Xu family. Either they refuse outright, or they offer empty promises! Hmph, today a fellow even claimed that We must share the realm with scholar-bureaucrats!"
"The kingdom is like a body, the great clans are like its bones, and cultivators are the flesh and blood—has this not been the truth since antiquity?"
The King of Jin gave a heavy snort. "Be that as it may, those two families clearly have no regard for Us! This slight is truly hard for Us to swallow!"
Qingtong said, "The crux of the matter still lies with Lu Changhe."
The King of Jin let out a sudden sigh. "We know, but there is no solution to this."
"Not necessarily. Circumstances always change; perhaps a turn of events will arrive one day."
The King of Jin shook his head, unconvinced. It was no wonder he felt disheartened; even with his noble status as the King of Jin, an Immortal Monarch was like a colossal mountain pressing down upon him until he could scarcely breathe.
At that moment, Qingtong suddenly opened both eyes, the green light within them seemingly coming alive. A soft pop echoed from the censer as tongues of flame suddenly spat from its incense vents, filling the entire room with a burst of fragrant aroma!
The King of Jin felt a sudden premonition as well and turned toward the hall exterior. In the lotus pond outside, dense, swirling mist rose into the air, shifting constantly as though morphing into multiple auspicious beasts.
In the center of the lotus pond, a water lily suddenly burst into bloom—revealing itself to be a purple lotus! As it opened, a stream of purple vapor breathed forth from its core, coalescing into the shape of a dragon that circled three times above the pond before vanishing.
The King of Jin's eyes shone bright. Though he had already guessed in his heart, he still found it hard to believe and asked, "Wh-what omen is this?"
Qingtong smiled faintly. "Your Majesty has forgotten again. This mountain anchors Western Jin's state fortune, and this Merit Lotus Pond is the very manifestation of that fortune. When heaven and earth birth a purple lotus and karmic luck transforms into a true dragon, it heralds none other than a great rise in Western Jin's state fortune!"
"It truly is! It truly is!" The King of Jin could no longer maintain his composure. Rising to his feet, he rushed to the pond's edge and gazed intently at the purple lotus.
The green-eyed woman came to his side and said, "When the state's fortune flourishes greatly, there must be manifestations. Your Majesty should keep watch over recent matters around you, affairs of state, and even the events of the wider world."
A thought stirred in the King of Jin's heart, and he asked suddenly, "Could it have something to do with Wei Yuan?"
The green-eyed woman shook her head. "Wei Yuan's westward campaign against the Shamans took place ten days ago; the state fortune already manifested accordingly back then, as Your Majesty should have felt. Thus, this instance should have nothing to do with Wei Yuan, unless he has done something else. But a surge in state fortune of this magnitude is only a hair's breadth shy of a saint descending from heaven. Even if Wei Yuan swept clean another three thousand li of Shamans, he could not achieve this."
The King of Jin nodded, feeling a mixture of anticipation and vexation.
The green-eyed woman said, "Your Majesty's state of mind has been disturbed; it is not suited for cultivation. You had best return to the palace first."
"Very well. It suits Us to see what exactly has occurred."
Right at that moment, a figure flew swiftly toward them at astonishing speed. The newcomer was none other than Zhao Tong; evidently pressed by urgent news, he had foregone carriage or steed and flown straight over.
Upon catching sight of the King of Jin, Zhao Tong blurted out, "Reporting to the Sage King, Lady Consort Yuan has just given birth to a son! Both mother and child are well!"
Chapter 418