The rise of the poor

Chapter 2272 Combining Suppression and Appeasement

Faced with Zhao Wenhua and Hu Zongxian's questions and inquiries, Zhu Pingan did not keep them in suspense and directly revealed the answer, saying two names: "These two people, one is named Wang Zhi and the other is named Xu Hai."

“Wang Zhi?! Xu Hai?! I know these two Japanese chieftains are very powerful, especially Wang Zhi, who is currently the most powerful Japanese pirate. But do these two chieftains really have such a big influence? They can control the Japanese pirate problem?! You know, besides them, there are many, many more Japanese pirates who are not under their control, as well as Japanese pirates who have come from Japan. These Japanese pirates combined are several times more than them.”

Zhao Wenhua disagreed, thinking that Zhu Pingan's statement was wishful thinking. How could Wang Zhi and Xu Hai possibly have such a great influence?

Eliminating those two would solve the Japanese pirate problem?!

What about the remaining hundreds of groups of Japanese pirates, large and small?! Did they all commit suicide after seeing Wang Zhi and Xu Hai dead?!

This is no joke!

How could the Japanese pirates be wiped out so easily? It's a pipe dream. Even if you eliminate Wang Zhi and Xu Hai, there will be others like Zhang Zhi, Qian Zhi, Xu Hu, and Xu He who will emerge.

This made Zhao Wenhua somewhat disappointed in Zhu Pingan, feeling that Zhu Pingan's performance today was too abnormal, and his strategy for destroying the Japanese was simply child's play.

"Lord Zhu, Xu Hai occupies Songjiang Tuolin, and Wang Zhi occupies Zhoushan. Their influence is in Suzhou and Songjiang, and in Jiangsu and Zhejiang. In the Jiangnan region, as well as Fujian, Guangxi, Guangdong and other places, they are not affected by them. There are countless Japanese pirates in these places. After Wang Zhi and Xu Hai are eliminated, the Japanese pirate problem in these places will not be affected."

Hu Zongxian also questioned Zhu Pingan's statement, shaking his head slightly as he questioned Zhu Pingan.

"Master Zhao, Lord Hu, the Japanese pirate problem has existed since the founding of our Great Ming Dynasty, nearly two hundred years ago. In all this time, the Japanese pirate problem has never been as rampant, widespread, and out of control as it is today. Why?!"

Zhu Pingan looked at the two of them and asked.

"It just so happens to be rampant today; there aren't that many reasons," Zhao Wenhua frowned.

"It's nothing more than internal and external reasons: internal troublemakers and external war in Japan," Hu Zongxian said slowly.

"The rampant Japanese pirate problem today is caused by collusion between internal and external forces. As for why the internal traitors colluded with the Japanese pirates, we will not discuss the reasons for now. Xu Hai and Wang Zhi are the main culprits who colluded with the real Japanese pirates. It is because the two of them colluded with the real Japanese pirates and organized a large number of real and fake Japanese pirates to cause trouble that the Japanese pirates are now rampant and out of control! If there were no internal traitors, the real Japanese pirates would come across the ocean, unfamiliar with the land and the roads, and might even get lost as soon as they land. How could they be so rampant?" Zhu Ping'an took a sip of tea and slowly said to the two of them.

"Zihou, your explanation is a bit far-fetched, but let's put that aside for now and talk about your strategy." Zhao Wenhua waved his hand.

"We should use both suppression and appeasement. Wang Zhi is still a man who can be saved. We can appease him and use him to fight and destroy the Japanese pirates. Xu Hai, on the other hand, is beyond saving and his power is slightly inferior. We should use thunder and iron to wipe him out as a warning to others! In this way, we can capture one person and eliminate another. Within two years, the Japanese pirate problem in Jiangnan will surely be quelled!"

Zhu Pingan used two dishes to represent Wang Zhi and Xu Hai, demonstrating to them the strategy of combining suppression and appeasement.

"I know you've already started trying to win over Wang Zhi, but let's leave that aside for now. How do you plan to wipe out Xu Hai?"

Zhao Wenhua asked again.

Zhao Wenhua knew that Zhu Pingan had recruited Wang Zhi. For him, after Zhang Jing's downfall, there were no secrets left in Jiangnan.

Hu Zongxian filled Zhao Wenhua's and Zhu Pingan's teacups, staring intently at Zhu Pingan, waiting for his reply.

Hu Zongxian had just fought Xu Hai and suffered a great loss. He had thought he could make a big contribution with his first move, but he ended up losing face and suffering a great defeat. He was very ashamed.

Now, he wanted to hear Zhu Ping'an's insightful opinions on how to eliminate Xu Hai, so that he could learn something from it.

“I have two plans,” Zhu Pingan said, holding up two fingers.

"Oh, Lord Zhu actually has two plans! Tell me quickly!" Hu Zongxian was surprised to hear that Zhu Ping'an had two plans, since he himself had none. He urged Zhu Ping'an to tell him.

"Zihou, tell me quickly," Zhao Wenhua urged, also out of curiosity.

"One strategy is to encircle and annihilate them head-on. First, appease Wang Zhi and prevent him from interfering. After the navy has been in combat for two months, cut off his sea retreat with the navy, gather the main and auxiliary forces, and strike directly at Xu Haituo's lair. Our government forces have a greater overall strength than Xu Hai, and we can win the battle by encircling and annihilating Xu Hai and the Japanese pirates head-on."

Zhu Pingan took a sip of tea and began to speak slowly.

After listening, Hu Zongxian nodded noncommittally. Zhu Ping'an's strategy of a frontal encirclement was neither particularly outstanding nor flawed. If Zhu Ping'an's strategy was followed, and Wang Zhi was appeased and prevented from interfering with the government troops' suppression of Xu Hai, and the focus was solely on dealing with Xu Hai's group of Japanese pirates, the government troops would have a numerical advantage. Especially after the navy was built up and had a certain combat capability, it could block the Japanese pirates' escape route by sea. The chances of winning the frontal encirclement of the Japanese pirates were still there. The Guangxi wolf soldiers were capable, and the Zhejiang army under Zhu Ping'an's command was not to be underestimated. In addition, there were other guest troops and garrison troops, so the success rate of the frontal encirclement strategy was still high.

However, now that Xu Haihuo and the Japanese pirates have come to their aid, their forces have greatly increased and their fighting power is fierce. If they were to be besieged head-on, it would be difficult to say who would win in the short term.

After suffering a major defeat at the hands of Xu Hai, Hu Zongxian no longer dared to underestimate the fighting power of Xu Hai and the Japanese pirates.

"The key to this direct encirclement strategy lies in appeasing Wang Zhi. Zihou, you've had contact with Wang Zhi before. Since you dared to propose this strategy, you must have some confidence. Hmm, if we appease Wang Zhi and gather superior forces to annihilate Xu Hai, we still have a good chance of success." Zhao Wenhua nodded, then changed the subject, "However, Wang Zhi must also know the principle of 'if the lips are gone, the teeth will be cold.' I'm afraid that Wang Zhi will worry about 'if the lips are gone, the teeth will be cold,' and secretly rescue Xu Hai, relying on each other."

“If Wang Zhi secretly rescues Xu Hai, then the strategy of combining suppression and appeasement will have to be changed,” Zhu Pingan said slowly.

"How do I change it?!" Zhao Wenhua asked.

"Suppress, not appease," Zhu Pingan said calmly. "I proposed to appease Wang Zhi because he is a cure and would help our dynasty in eliminating the Japanese pirates. If he secretly aids Xu Hai, it will not only be useless but also harmful to our dynasty in eliminating the Japanese pirates. Why appease him then? Would we be inviting trouble from a tiger? We can only kill him."

At this point, Zhu Pingan paused to take a sip of tea, then continued, "Based on my understanding of Wang Zhi, he probably won't secretly rescue Xu Hai. I suspect he'll watch Xu Hai fall, and after Xu Hai's demise, he'll absorb his former troops, strengthen himself, and increase his bargaining power with our dynasty." (End of Chapter)