Chapter Six
Now that Majapahit is destabilized and we have fortified our southern borders the Javanese, shouldn’t be of concern anymore. That’s why we turn our focus back to the false Emperors . Our armies are relocated to the eastern borders and ready to strike. By the end of 1414 a declaration of war is sent to Dahan. Soon after they are joined by their allies – Joseon and Fang. Dazhou and our, now former, allies of Tianwan, have been previously guaranteeing Dahan, so they join the war against us as well. We offer Ming to join us in the war and although uncertain at first, they enter the war on our side.The first few months of the war prove to be quite bloody for both sides. On one hand one of our armies are defeated by Tianwan and routed soon after. In the war in the southeast, on the other hand, we emerge victorious – first we crush Fang’s army and soon after – Dahan’s. Meanwhile Dazhou gets preoccupied by the invading Ming troops and leave the war with a peace offer. By the end of April 1415 Joseon enters the fray, delivering some less eight thousand troops at Quanzhou.
Soon after the initial clashes, the false emperor of Jin sees an opportunity to strike and joins the fight against us. The border province of Rehe is quickly occupied, leaving the capital defenseless. Beginning November we get backstabbed again – this time our allies of Ming decide they’ve had enough of the war and sign the white peace with Tianwan.
Meanwhile, in the southeast, we score a crushing victory against the Dahan-Joseon coalition army, and then manage to rout their army. This leaves Dahan defenseless and we split the army and proceed to siege their lands.
Also, we call in our recently released vassal Dai Viet in the war.
In 1416 we try to beat Tianwan on the field again, but alas, we are once again unsuccessful and they rout another army of ours. This gives their false emperor the time to capture some of our central border provinces. Few months pass and Yichang, Nanyang and Xiangyang fall in their hands.
Since we are running low on actual men on the field, we start recruiting new regiments.
Beginning 1417 we lose more provinces – one to Tianwan and another to Dahan’s remnant army. We are able to capture Dahan’s central province though, and the fresh army in the west we’re recruiting grows bigger in numbers.
The northern army is returned north to deal with Jin and is successful. It manages to reclaim Rehe and rout the enemy’s army. By September 1417 we occupy their two provinces and annex them. One more false Emperor to worry about!
At the same time, the war exhaustion is kept low positioning our armies well on the battlefields. Also the newly recruited western army is finally ready to clash with Tianwan and avenge the fallen.
The western army is successful and manages to push back Tianwan’s offensive, but is unable to rout their army. We win two sieges and Tianwan wins one. Soon Dahan will fall and Tianwan will be the only one left.
Meanwhile, bad people take advantage of the situation as corruption spreads through the country. Nevertheless, another province is converted to the true faith.
During all this Joseon was busy fighting a war of its own – against the Jianzhou Jurchens. And apparently, the Koreans won a decisive victory!
Tianwan’s false Emperor manages to once more surprise us In the battle of Yichang, where he defeats our army of 20 000. Luckily, he is unable to follow as reinforcements arrive to help. During the battle, Irinchibal, the heir to the throne, is badly hurt, and our medicus is unable to heal him. A few months later he dies from his wounds. The Emperor finds solace in the soft arms of his maid and so another heir is soon born to continue the Borjigin Dinasty.
Beginning 1420, Dahan agrees to our peace terms and cedes us 4 provinces, as well as paying 175 ducats as reparations for the war. The focus is now shifted towards Tianwan as all our armies march towards them.
January 31, 1420 marks the end of this war, as our troops capture Tianwan’s capital. We force them to cede Jiangling, on which we had a boundary dispute earlier, and to pay us 75 ducats.
Meanwhile, in the south, Majapahit has stabilized and continues to grow bigger.
Just a couple months later the Jurchens declare us war. A grave mistake – Ming and Fang join us, as well as Fang, who had been guaranteeing us for some reason.
Needless to say, the war ends up in our favor. In three years the peace treaty is signed and we take once province, as well as some ducats. Perhaps we should have taken more, but our diplomats, negotiating the peace deals, are quite incompetent.
During the war our people admire our advisor, the master of mint. The country is stabilized.
Another era of peace follows after the war, as the Emperor wants to give time for his infamy to wash away.
We learn new ways to rule and chose the National Bank idea, to help us with the huge inflation we have amassed. Also, our former master of mint passes away and we hire a new one, this time only 2 stars.
1428 comes with a slider change and we opt towards free subjects again, and again we get the Better administration event.
We cancel a mission and the new one we get is quite good. But it will have to wait.
The trader advisor is fired, as he is no longer needed. So is the 2-star master of mint – he is replaced by a 3-star. To celebrate that the Emperor gets a new tapestry.
Mid 1430 our military technology increases and we switch the main infantry units to Offensive Asian Foot soldiers.
In October 1431 we decide it would be wise to annex the Jianzhou Jurchens so we declare war. Our allies join us and soon enough total victory is achieved.
It also seems some of the liberals in the country are angry, so we decide to be more liberal and get a free Innovative point!
… End of Chapter Six…
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