To achieve immortality, I cultivate using Qi Luck

Even though no Inborn Grandmaster was present among these rebels, the majority of those involved in the rebellion were local folks, with very few soldiers participating.

But don’t forget that Su Country had adopted the strategy from Chu State.

Not only had they trained 50,000 elite Forbidden Army troops, 50,000 county soldiers at the central level, but they had also implemented a militia system in local areas, having local Village Braves undergo military training during leisure farming times every year.

This system started since Hongdao’s eighth year, since the return from the Northern Expedition, and has been in operation for almost four years now.

There has been some progress made during this time.

Hence, even the grassroots people in Su Country shouldn’t be regarded as ordinary civilians; they were militia with some military knowledge.

At present, Guangchang Road, Dufchang, and the Seven Islands Assembly have risen up, and the coalition has about 160,000 or 170,000 people.

Even if all these people are just militia, they still constitute a force that cannot be ignored.

“Therefore, I believe that Su Country should have no problem suppressing this turmoil.

After all, Su Country has 50,000 elite soldiers, who after being trained for so many years, certainly possess some strength.

Plus, there’s the Inborn Grandmaster Su King, putting down the rebellion shouldn’t be difficult.

Even with Su Country’s territory alone, acting quickly might quell the unrest in three to five months.”

Lu Yuan looked at the two senior officials in front of him and voiced his own thoughts: “However, even though the rebellion can be suppressed, some issues won’t be so easy to resolve. Many local people who participated in the rebellion were ordinary people driven by resentment.

To suppress the rebellion, Su Country would inevitably slaughter its own people.

No matter whether they win or lose, Su Country would have already lost the people’s hearts, and thereafter, Yulin wouldn’t enjoy peace.”

Upon saying this, Lu Yuan couldn’t help but feel emotional.

If Su Country’s current situation would be put in terms of the game he played in his previous life, it would mean a drop of three in stability and a series of negative effects with a duration starting from twenty to thirty years.

Today, Su Xuange would have to kill over a million civilians and their rebel forces, along with their relatives, with the fear of affecting a population of three million civilians.

How many people are there in Su Country itself?

Just about two million.

No, after years of tyrannical policies and heavy taxation, countless people have fled Su Country. To give you an idea, in the border area between Chu Country and Su Country alone, over 10,000 refugees have been accepted within a few years.

This being the case for Chu Country, how many refugees must there be on the border of Su Country with Jiuzhen Prefecture, Nanhai Country, or even Southwest Yi Country?

And how many people have fled into mountain ridges and forests within Su Country itself to avoid taxes?

At this point, Su Country is probably well below a population of two million.

Now this rebellion has turned another million into rebels.

How many people will be left in Su Country after this?

That truly is a question.

However, with the increasingly distant alliance between Chu, Su, and Nanhai Countries—where each nation was gradually increasing military power and ambitions in a precarious balance—Su Country’s internal strife might not be such a bad thing for Chu Country and Nanhai Country.

Yes, after reading the news and hearing Lu Yuan’s lamentations,

Cui Changqing, the prime minister of Chu Country not only didn’t think of sending aid but immediately said, “Your Majesty, with Su Country in chaos and rebellions occurring successively, it is a time of turmoil. With armed conflict everywhere, the people of Su Country must have been fearful and uneasy.”

To avoid the war, they will probably have to move around a lot.

Especially for the three prefectures in the northern part of Su Country, there might be many rebels now, and they will surely face the heaviest suppression in the future.

In order to flee from the warfare, these people will probably run north in panic.”

I ask Your Majesty to dispatch a part of the Forbidden Army to immediately defend the border between the two countries.

If they encounter any northbound fugitives, gather them immediately and then have the relevant authorities settle in.”

This way, Chu Country can protect the area from being affected by Su Country’s refugees who might turn into criminals and disturb public order. Furthermore, a sizable number of refugees could be absorbed, increasing Chu’s registered population, fulfilling both needs.”

Well, after several years of engaging in immigration work, Cui Changqing instinctively thought of increasing local population upon hearing about refugees and war.

Indeed, this is what he had been doing all along.

And with remarkable achievements. Chu’s income has doubled in the past three years, and national strength is becoming more and more powerful.

Now that Dong, Ting, and Xichuan prefectures, which were once in decline due to war, have also become increasingly prosperous due to the influx of migrants.”

Having tasted so many benefits, the prime minister couldn’t help but develop a conditioned response to the situation, becoming obsessed with it.

In any event, Cui Changqing conservatively estimated that this round of collecting Su Country refugees would at least increase Chu Country’s population by between 100,000 to 200,000.

That’s almost the total population of a lower prefecture.

Why not take advantage of this opportunity to effortlessly add a new prefecture’s population to the country?

As for whether Chu Country openly receiving Su Country’s refugees would offend Su Country…

To be honest.

After experiencing such turmoil, even if Su Country could calm things down, their national strength would inevitably be greatly damaged. The few signs of prosperity they achieved through oppressing the people and bearing heavy arms would have also been completely disrupted.

Under such circumstances, would Su Country dare to confront Chu Country over this issue?

Even if we take another step back.

If Su Xuange were to lose his mind and truly seek justice from Chu Country, could he succeed with his strength after just suppressing the rebellion?

Should he start a northern expedition? Would he dare to do it?