Chapter 2196 - Discussing Conditions

Great Ming's policy toward Yao pacification exhibited profound inconsistency, frequently depending on individual officials' capabilities. During peacetime, local authorities' attitudes toward Yao populations typically oscillated between two extremes. The first: "Liangguang officials strive only for temporary tranquility, maintaining no military preparedness," turning blind eyes to various small-scale Yao raids and encroachments, even suppressing local commoners and prohibiting legal complaints. Even when Yao forces rose in rebellion and plundered extensively, local officials proved helpless, capable only of "preparing red flowers, beef, and wine for appeasement." The second extreme proved precisely opposite—extorting and blackmailing already-pacified Yao stockades through every available means, exploiting and humiliating them, "even exploiting their remoteness and inability to appeal, manufacturing cruel provocations, inverting right and wrong, both destroying their livelihoods and frustrating their nature."

Li Sanjiu had served beside Lang people Tusi extensively and understood Great Ming officials' mentality and methods thoroughly. From his perspective, since Australians styled themselves Great Song, they too constituted Han people—he knew Han officials' patterns all too well.

Throughout his decade-plus military career, whenever generals dispatched troops for combat, unless military circumstances proved dire, such deployments invariably presented excellent opportunities for enrichment. These Australian "Great Song" forces likely followed similar patterns. Lianzhou City, after all, belonged to Great Ming. Great Song's generals bore no responsibility for defending this territory, so they probably wouldn't mount particularly enthusiastic rescue operations—their rapid deployment aimed merely at coveting the city's valuables, jade, and silk. This matter—he, Li Sanjiu, could certainly negotiate. Though Yao people descended from mountains to raid every few days, what they truly sought amounted to nothing beyond daily necessities like salt, grain, and iron implements. As for other items, should this Australian officer desire them, parting with such treasures wasn't impossible—compared to his ambitions, what did such trinkets matter?

Should Australians desire pacification, he'd submit. Not merely submit, but present substantial gifts. Should Australians prefer suppression, he'd retreat to the deep mountains and wage guerrilla warfare, giving Australians endless headaches—ultimately forcing pacification.

Since the Australians had already arrived, he must demonstrate sincerity.

He located a trusted confidant with strong swimming skills, whispered several instructions, and dispatched him to swim across to the western bank.

When Huang Chao heard an envoy wished to see him, he could scarcely credit it: the rebel leader actively seeking peace negotiations?

Historically, Eight Row Yao uprisings persisted extensively and affected substantial territories, demonstrating leaders' exceedingly "resolute" attitudes. Why, in his case, did the opposition seek pacification discussions so rapidly?

In Huang Chao's heart, naturally he hoped to minimize combat and casualties. The enemy requesting peace talks wasn't inappropriate—at minimum he could learn their thinking while incidentally gathering details.

Guards escorted the searched envoy inside. The emissary proved obedient; entering the tent, he immediately knelt and kowtowed, identifying himself as Li Wu, dispatched to meet the "Great Song General" by order of "Lianyang Yao Stockade General Palm Matter Head Li Sanjiu."

Naturally, Li Sanjiu had invented this title himself. Though all Eight Row Yao troops beneath Lianzhou answered to his command, he remained merely a temporary coalition commander. Beyond Majian Row's fighters, other Rows' able-bodied men maintained their own Palm Matter Heads. For warfare purposes, they "obeyed deployment but not proclamation."

"Rise and speak." Huang Chao studied the arrival. Short and shrewd, speaking fluent Guangdong Mandarin—obviously no ordinary Yao person.

He already knew Li Sanjiu's name from Yonghua Township Yao interrogations. However, their intelligence remained relatively sparse, establishing only that this individual "had served as an official" and returned to Majian Row only recently, enjoying considerable trust. This military deployment bore his general management throughout.

Li Wu rose respectfully, his anxiety diminishing halfway—though the saying went "don't kill envoys," during warfare serving as emissary constituted extremely hazardous profession. One might easily be executed as a spy; such incidents occurred frequently historically.

He covertly assessed the "Great Song General" within the tent. The structure teemed with crowded figures. No "Tiger Table" or "Flags and Plaques of Royal Command" appeared. As for the man seated behind a large table surrounded by others, he likewise exhibited no general's bearing whatsoever. An ordinary figure wearing Australian coarse cloth jacket, neither donning armor nor gauze cap, boots, or formal robes. Had he not spoken to pose questions, identifying him among the assembled masses would prove impossible. Having campaigned beside Li Sanjiu previously, he'd witnessed Great Ming generals' ostentatious displays. By comparison, this Great Song General radiated stark austerity.

"I am Great Song Lianyang Recruitment and Pacification Commissioner, concurrent Director of Lianzhou Military Affairs, Huang Chao," Huang Chao announced his official title in a single breath. "Since you come bearing orders, state your business plainly!"

Li Wu felt somewhat nervous. Glancing upward slightly, he observed numerous figures crowding the tent's interior. He recognized several individuals: Tianchang Gong and Palm Matter Heads from various Yonghua Yao stockades—momentary shock registered. Hadn't these Yonghua Yao people already submitted to Li Sanjiu? How had they reversed course to surrender to the Australians? Could Yangshan have already fallen completely?

Despite his surprise, Li Wu strove to maintain composure, merely adopting several degrees more humility when speaking:

"Our Palm Matter Head declares: Great Song likewise opposes the Ming Kingdom. Our Lianyang Yao people similarly refuse Ming Kingdom jurisdiction, hence our uprising. Lianyang Yao people harbor no intention of antagonizing Great Song. Should the General consent to assist breaking Lianzhou City, we Eight Row Yao desire none of the city's valuables, jade, or silk—all offered to the General. We request only permission to transport away salt, grain, and iron implements from the city. Lianzhou City shall belong to Great Song's jurisdiction."

According to Li Sanjiu's calculations, this condition proved exceedingly generous—compared to wealth, he now valued "legitimacy" more highly. Provided Great Song acknowledged his authority to govern the Lianyang region, what significance did mere Lianzhou City possess?

I want everything. Huang Chao nearly voiced this sentiment aloud. Should he truly wish to seize Lianzhou City, he required no Eight Row Yao assistance; relying solely on National Army forces would suffice. Yet seizing proved impossible. The Fubo Army differed fundamentally from Ming forces who'd commit any atrocity.

"Preposterous! Utterly preposterous! You barbarians dare present conditions to our Great Song?" Zhou Liangchen leapt up. Despite his recent submission and seniority ranking below various naturalized officials in the command structure, regarding attitude, he feared appearing insufficiently "resolute." Accompanying Huang Chao to Lianzhou this time, though merely serving as "Advisor," none consulted him on specific circumstances. Yet from Huang Chao and others' customary discussions and arrangements, he understood Australians absolutely weren't masters willing to compromise with "recruitment and pacification" for temporary tranquility. Therefore at this moment he immediately advanced to rebuke the envoy.

Huang Chao signaled him against interrupting. Zhou Liangchen tactfully fell silent immediately.

"Anything else?" Huang Chao ignored Li Wu's initially mentioned condition for the present, wondering what additional Eight Row Yao demands existed.

"Provided Great Song consents to canonize our Majian Row's Li Sanjiu as Native Subprefect governing Lianyang's Three Cities, hereditary and irreplaceable, he shall immediately lead the Eight Rows and Twenty-Four Hollows in submitting to Great Song. Lianzhou City shall likewise be offered freely, desiring no war spoils whatsoever."

This condition left Huang Chao torn between laughter and tears. Observing Zhou Liangchen appearing eager to intervene, he winked at him.

"Becoming Subprefect—amusing. Can this Li Sanjiu even read and write?"

"Subprefect remains unnecessary. Tusi, Lianzhou Pacification Commissioner—either suffices. Whatever title Great Song proves willing to confer works perfectly."

Huang Chao shook his head internally: Were conferring Tusi capable of stabilizing regions and pacifying populations, the late Ming wouldn't have witnessed successive Bozhou, She-An, and Sha-Pu Rebellions, nor would the Qing Dynasty in the original timeline have required implementing Native Chieftain Reforms (Gaitu Guiliu) and conquering Jinchuan.

Systems resembling Tusi governance, fundamentally, constituted "desperate measures" employed under insufficient strength circumstances. They might secure temporary peace short-term, yet long-term inevitably became uncontrollable behemoths.

"Withdraw temporarily." Huang Chao declined answering his proposal. He waved, signaling guards to escort Li Wu out. Then he indicated the assembled surrendered personnel should all depart, retaining only naturalized cadres.

"What are your thoughts regarding this Li Sanjiu's proposal?"

"Naturally it cannot be accepted," Yang Zeng stated. "Were we to agree, what purpose does our presence here serve?!"

"Precisely. However, one observes his appetite proves hardly modest."

"Chief, I believe this matter offers potential utility."

The speaker was Fu Debang, the naturalized Lianzhou County Magistrate preparing to assume office in Lianzhou.

He proposed superficially agreeing to Li Sanjiu's title request to exchange for lifting Lianzhou's siege. Once their vigilance diminished, seize the "canonization" opportunity to capture them all in one sweep.

Huang Chao shook his head repeatedly: "This approach proves inadvisable."

Fu Debang still lacked a certain cautious political sensitivity. From strategic perspective, this could qualify as excellent tactics. However, they weren't mountain bandits or pirates; they couldn't trample faith and righteousness so shamelessly. Rulers should cherish their reputations maximally and minimize treacherous conduct. Fu Debang exhibited deficiencies in this aspect; he should counsel him when opportunity arose.

"Have the Li-Miao Working Team arrange thorough interrogation of this Li Wu," Huang Chao directed. "Particularly regarding Li Sanjiu's personal background."

Then he dismissed the others, retaining only Yang Zeng to discuss combat strategy. The two studied the map. West Bank River and Xingzi River converged forming Lian River west of Lianzhou City. Apart from several mountains including Yanxi Mountain, North Mountain, and Jinfeng Mountain, Lianzhou City's vicinity consisted of flatlands. Yang Zeng's plan involved: beyond leaving one National Army unit guarding Lian River ferries, remaining forces would cross West Bank River northward first, then traverse Xingzi River eastward, deploying a Fubo Army company as vanguard, outflanking and encircling Yanxi Mountain.

The rationale for selecting northern crossings of West Bank and Xingzi Rivers rather than southern Lian River crossings was that West Bank River and Xingzi River exhibited narrow widths, shallow depths, and minimal currents—convenient for constructing temporary pontoon bridges enabling rapid large-unit transit. The prepared pontoon bridge structure proved exceedingly simple, utilizing collected small boats as foundations overlaid with planking—even lacking engineer units, this presented no significant challenge.

"This battle actually presents minimal difficulty. Their equipment quality proves extremely poor—inferior even to Ming forces, with limited firearms," Yang Zeng observed. "The critical objective involves complete annihilation. Destroying this Eight Row Yao main force, they'll possess no position for negotiating recruitment and pacification—only surrender."

Minority populations conducting warfare typically deployed all able-bodied men. Mobilization rates frequently ran exceedingly high; minimal populations could field substantial forces. However, once annihilated, they'd forfeit sustained combat capability entirely.