This battle was indeed fought, but it was fought in a somewhat playful way.

  The Western army estimated that they had never fought such a siege war before, and it should have been impossible to fight such a siege war in the era of cold weapons.

  Siege warfare, but instead of attacking the city, they followed the Crown Prince's words: Long-range strike!

  Maybe it's a mental relaxation, the soldiers are very bad, and there are many wonderful ideas.

  Di Shuai and the Crown Prince demanded that after this battle, they must figure out the ignition time of this bamboo-section fireball, so all sorts of methods were used.

  They started by using bed crossbows to shoot fireballs into the city, later the trebuchet's pouches were also filled with strong fireballs. Then someone even had craftsmen heat up large stones, douse them in cold water, and then insert fireballs into the cracks that opened up, before shooting them into the city using trebuchets...

  The wisdom of the masses is infinite. In just two days, Zhao Xi has seen how war can promote development.

  The time it takes for the fuse to burn is clear, but it's just too wasteful, even those responsible for transporting goods are complaining.

  Charcoal is easy to make and can be produced anywhere, but sulfur and saltpeter are a different story. They're not in short supply, it's just that they smell terrible when transported.

  "Your Highness, let the soldiers attack the city! In this way, the complaints of the transport commissioner will not be mentioned, and the expenditure is too great."

  For such a siege, Di Qing had no interest at all, and simply let the Crown Prince mess around... He thought this was like playing with kids, throwing mud balls at each other.

  Yu Jing also felt that the so-called test of the Crown Prince should be stopped.

  "Besieging the city? Commander Di, scholar, preserve your strength. You are already a defeated general, no need to exert yourself too much. Annan is the real tough battle that our soldiers need to fight!"

  "As for the cost, whoever started this war should bear it!"

  War has never been a simple war, and there is no war without purpose.

  "Your Highness, as you said, Nong Zhigao is already a stray dog of a ruined family, how can he bear the loss?"

  Alas... it's always been limited like this. Shouldn't such a perspective be universally acknowledged throughout Guangnan, and even the entire country?

  "Why fight? What is worth fighting for?"

  An old topic, Zhao Xi brought it up again.

  "Nong Zhigao raided Guangnan, plundering the wealth of the prefectures and counties. He had his own purpose. Annan provoked the Nong people, repeatedly raiding and pillaging the population and livestock, and intentionally encroaching on national territory, also with their own purpose. Even Dali, beating the drums along the border, joined in the fray, seeking to gain a share of the spoils in Guangnan. Why did our dynasty go to war?"

  "To pacify the bandits and bring peace to Guangnan!"

  This is true, this is the purpose of the imperial court's dispatching of Western troops to conquer the South, but it is not Zhao Xie's purpose.

  "To quell the bandits and bring peace to Guangnan, this is the outcome, which can also be said to be the purpose. Can I ask you all, in this Guangnan rebellion, was there any fault on the part of the imperial court beforehand?"

  "No! Our imperial court has always practiced the Kingly Way with neighboring countries. How can we be blamed for the wounds caused by war?"

  "The common people are displaced and homeless, the state and prefecture are in a mess, the number of dead and wounded soldiers is countless... Putting aside the losses of money and grain from the western expedition to the south."

  "The post-war reconstruction of Guangnan, the resettlement of civilians, the consolation of soldiers and officers, as well as the rewards for meritorious soldiers, all require money and grain. Since the imperial court is not at fault, why should it bear the losses?"

  Zhao Xi originally wanted to explain what war is to everyone, but as he spoke, he became more and more agitated, one sentence after another, unable to stop, becoming increasingly excited.

  "Now that it has come to this, I will no longer conceal my plans in my heart. In this battle, Xi had no intention of killing you, Di Zhiyuan, on the contrary, Xi suggested that Commander Di let you escape."

  These words really stunned everyone. The imperial court's southern expedition to pacify the bandits was already set in motion. Although the Crown Prince had the power to make emergency decisions, it wasn't enough to change the imperial court's policy.

  "Your Highness, I dare not concur with this statement. Moreover, the Guangnan Pacification Commissioner's yamen has the responsibility to urge Di Hanmin to complete the purpose of this war."

  "Your Highness, Scholar Sun agrees with the proposal!"

  Di Qing was very embarrassed. He was the commander-in-chief, but since the Crown Prince had taken personal command, he had actually been placed under the control of the Crown Prince, and the Guangnan Pacification Commissioner's office also had the responsibility of supervising the army.

  This doesn't look good, His Highness the Crown Prince has disagreements with the Pacification Commissioner's Office.

  "Scholar Sun, please turn around and listen to what Xi has to say."

  "Ask An Nan to account for his actions over the years and this time's disturbance in Guangnan, give an explanation to the imperial court. Is there any disagreement on this point?"

  No objection, this is what everyone has decided, at least to intimidate Annan a little, taking advantage of the Western army's southern expedition, let Annan put away those small thoughts, and truly allow Guangnan to have a hundred years of stability.

  "Calling for justice and fairness is not just a matter of shouting slogans, it requires being beaten into submission, so that they can re-find their position... as a vassal state of the imperial court!"

  "As for letting you escape with your intelligence... In short, it's just an excuse to send a large army into Dali!"

  "Your Highness, absolutely not! Arbitrarily provoking border conflicts is a grave responsibility!"

  It's like this, what's the point of picking a side? Every year when the crops are ripe and unharvested, why hasn't anyone seen people being held accountable for picking sides in the northwest region's grass valley?

  It's just that they are afraid of being beaten by others.

  "Gentlemen, listen clearly! The royal army is not taking the initiative to provoke a border conflict, but rather pursuing the bandits. The bandits have escaped to Dali! Moreover, since Dali has colluded with the bandits in creating chaos, our army has reason to go and pay them a visit!"

  His Highness is not a rash person, this point, the entire Guangnan Anfu Mansion is very clear. But just on this point...

  Yu Jing couldn't understand. If it was for the safety of future manganese mines, Annan was a threat, but as for Dali, without mentioning that Dali and the imperial court had always been at peace, even if there were some disputes, Dali's national strength didn't have the guts to really fight with the imperial court.

  His Royal Highness has come to Guangnan, and he has never done anything without a purpose. As His Royal Highness said, all wars are fought with a purpose.

  "Your Highness, there is no outsider in the account..."

  It can be said that at least in the case of Guangnan Manganese Mine, they are all their own people.

  "If Your Highness has other plans, please speak clearly, lest you unknowingly petition the imperial court and ruin the Crown Prince's great matter."

  Yu Jing this old fellow is getting more and more in tune with me!

  "The country needs copper!"

  Zhao Xi was a bit embarrassed by Yu Jing's question, but still spoke with confidence.

  The country needs copper, and Dali has it, so we need to go to Dali for a trip, with the purpose of stirring up copper mines.

  This excuse is unreasonable, but Zhao Xi just wants to tell these people that whether it's reasonable or not depends on whether you have the power.

  Copper mines are not manganese mines, and the effect has not been seen yet. The country lacks copper, resulting in annual coinage, which is getting worse year by year, to the point where even the imperial court is shamelessly minting iron coins worth one-tenth or one-fifth of their face value.

  And as for the copper mine's profits... nobody is unclear about it.

  The country needs copper, and it really moved these people.

  Alas! Still want to make up for it!

  "Gentlemen, the profits from the copper mine are not something that the Guangnan Pacification Commissioner can monopolize. I can promise you here and now that I will fight for your interests."

  "Moreover, as for Dali in relation to our dynasty, transportation from Chengdu Prefecture is difficult; you gentlemen should focus on water transport."