Chapter 541: The situation of the princes gradually becomes clear, how will the world be divided?

Chapter 541: The situation of the princes gradually becomes clear, how will the world be divided?

If he spent too much energy on these trivial details, it would probably take a month or so just to discuss these things. In that case, all the talented people he had under his command would be wasted!

After nearly two years of silence, the current situation in the world has become increasingly clear. Xiang Yu, the King of Western Chu, dominates the northwest and controls the vast areas of Longxi, Beidi, Shangjun, Jiuyuan, etc. The number of troops under his command has increased rapidly and is approaching 80,000.

Such a scale is not inferior to that of his army in Kuaiji, but even better. When he was in Kuaiji, the shortage of war horses was a major problem that troubled Xiang Yu's army. However, at this moment, he was stationed in Longxi, where the unique geographical environment gave him great advantages.

The might of the 40,000 cavalry alone was not to be underestimated. Moreover, this elite division was led by Xiang Yu himself, and its combat effectiveness was still very strong.

However, due to geographical reasons, the possibility of another direct conflict between Gao Yao and Xiang Yu in the short term is very small. After all, there are many buffer zones between the two, and both sides have concerns.

At the same time, Wang Ben and his son in Hanzhong were not idle either. They kept taking actions and implementing a series of measures one after another, which eventually enabled them to successfully regain control of Xianyang City, which had been looted by various princes.

Although Xianyang City today has gone through many vicissitudes and is a little dilapidated, it is fortunate that this time, the tragic scene of burning the Xianyang Palace was not repeated as recorded in history. In this way, part of the city's heritage has been indirectly preserved to some extent. It must be said that this can be regarded as an unexpected gain and benefit!

Although Wang Ben and his son still only have 40,000 troops under their control, the situation has greatly improved compared to the past. At least, the situation has gradually stabilized, and the city has slowly restored some of its former order. Moreover, with the existing resources, it is no longer difficult to feed these soldiers.

At the beginning, even Hanzhong was difficult for Wang Ben and his son to defend. It is no exaggeration to say that Hanzhong was just a piece of fat meat at Gao Yao's mouth, and he could eat it whenever he wanted. But now is different from the past. At this moment, Wang Ben and his son not only have the ability and qualifications to defend, but also have the strength to take the initiative and launch an offensive.

However, all of this was actually carefully planned and done intentionally by Gao Yao. The reason why he kept Wang Ben and his son was very clear - to continue to ensure the peace and stability of the northern border. After all, the Hanzhong area was already firmly under control, like an indestructible barrier, completely blocking the passage for other princes to attempt to march to the southern border.

Not to mention that Wang Ben and his son were far less powerful than the southern forces, their relationship with the south meant that they would never attack the southern border easily. This huge gap in strength and relationship undoubtedly formed a natural protective layer. With such a unique condition in front of him, why did Gao Yao bother to start a war and take action himself?

In addition, there is another important factor that cannot be ignored, that is, the contradictions and conflicts that inevitably arose among the other princes who went to conquer Xianyang. These internal frictions made it impossible for them to unite and face the outside world, and naturally it was difficult for them to form a strong force to jointly fight against Gao Yao.

As the various forces were restraining each other and fighting endlessly, the situation gradually became clear. In the end, the two fertile lands of Nanjun and Hengshan fell into the hands of Wu Rui, who called himself the King of Yue. Not only that, Wu Rui also successfully occupied a considerable part of the Nanyang area.

At this point, Wu Rui had risen to become a force that could not be underestimated among the many princes. According to incomplete statistics, he had nearly 60,000 elite troops under his command, and more importantly, his military food reserves were sufficient to support long-term combat operations.

Wu Rui was truly extraordinary. He had already been the magistrate of Fan County during the Qin Dynasty, and his ability to govern the local area was highly praised. He was even more famous in the Jianghu and was deeply loved by the people. He was given the nickname "Fan Jun". Because of his prestige and charm, many people of noble character came to him and were willing to follow him.

Wu Rui was not only good at handling government affairs and managing the land in an orderly manner, but also had a high appeal among the people. At that time, the world was in chaos, and the princes rose up and occupied their own areas. However, most of the princes were greedy. They were under the banner of resisting the tyranny of Qin, but in fact they only wanted to expand their own power, and they levied heavy taxes and oppressed the people under their rule. Such behavior was even worse than that of the Qin Dynasty.

But Wu Rui was like a clear stream in the turbid world, standing out from the crowd. He knew that military conquest was not a long-term solution, so he did not choose to increase his power by oppressing the weak and exploiting the people. Instead, he took a different approach and adopted the method of lobbying.

With his eloquence, he successfully persuaded many scattered soldiers and knights to join his army, forming a large and loyal team. After that, Wu Rui took every step carefully, steadily and carefully, and finally made his own strength stronger and stronger, gradually rising to become a hegemon.

It can be seen that Wu Rui was a man of extraordinary talent. He not only possessed extraordinary political wisdom, but also had a deep understanding of human nature and was good at controlling people's hearts. He knew that heavy taxes would only arouse public anger, so he resolutely ordered tax reductions. This move was like a spring breeze, warming the hearts of the people. Because of this, the people were grateful to him and voluntarily supported him, willingly providing materials and manpower for his army, allowing the troops to be firmly established.

In sharp contrast to other princes, those people often relied on tough orders and even used force to force the people to hand over food and grass. Although this method could temporarily meet military needs, it laid deep hidden dangers and led to the loss of public support.

However, Wu Rui was extremely intelligent. He won the sincere support of the people with his gentle strategy and even portrayed himself as a benevolent and righteous man who was dedicated to the people and followed the trend. Although the ultimate goal was the same - to obtain enough resources to support military operations, the approaches taken were very different.

In this drama of fighting for the world, in addition to Wu Rui gradually emerging and becoming increasingly powerful, there was another person who also gained a lot, that is Wei Bao. In the battle to seize Xianyang, Cao Bao was the leader, and completely different from history, this time the person who nominally destroyed the Qin Dynasty became Wei Bao,