Chapter 501 Emergency Rescue
Chapter 501 Emergency Rescue (Part )
In the past two months, the Jiangwan area east of Qiantang County has been quite unstable, with pirates of unknown origin often appearing and robbing merchant ships. Although they are few in number and dare not go ashore, they are rampant in the Jiangwan area, seriously affecting the normal business exchanges between Yuhang County and Kuaiji. Now a more serious problem is that the taxes from Kuaiji County cannot be transported out.
In the government office of Kuaiji County, Yin Shangzhi, the governor of Kuaiji County, paced back and forth in the inner hall, feeling quite anxious.
Once the Shanyue people rebelled on a large scale, not only would the tax revenue be lost, but officials like him appointed by the imperial court would also die, which made Yin Shangzhi extremely anxious.
Yin Shangzhi was from Luoyang. He was originally the magistrate of Pengcheng County. Three years ago, he was promoted to the governor of Kuaiji County.
Yin Shangzhi could never have imagined that he would encounter a rebellion by the Shanyue people while in office. This made him nervous and terrified, and he might even lose his life in Kuaiji County.
Yin Shangzhi discovered some signs of rebellion last autumn. The Shanyue tyrants were recruiting young and strong laborers. However, he did not take the Shanyue people's recruitment of laborers seriously at the beginning. But when he found that Dongyang County was transporting iron ore to Kuaiji County, and the Shanyue tyrants began to smelt iron and make weapons, he felt something was wrong. He used the excuse of dredging the canal to cut off the canal shipping, thereby blocking the transportation of iron ore.
It was not until two months ago, when signs of rebellion became increasingly obvious, that Yin Shangzhi realized the seriousness of the problem. By this time, half of the taxes had been collected and there was no way to stop. He had no choice but to bite the bullet and collect all the taxes. However, how to transport the taxes became a big problem.
There was a letter on the table behind Yin Shangzhi. It was a handwritten letter written to him by Lan Zhaotian, the most powerful man in Kuaiji County.
In the letter, Lan Zhaotian pointed out three options. The first option was that if he was willing to surrender, Lan Zhaotian would appoint him as prime minister.
Of course, Yin Shangzhi would never agree to this path. Following a thief to become prime minister would completely ruin his reputation and ultimately lead to his death.
The second option was to have Yin Shangzhi seal up the taxes and government money, and wait for the Shanyue army to take over Kuaiji County, then let him and his family leave.
The third option is to not allow Yin Shangzhi to restore the canal. As long as Yin Shangzhi keeps the canal in a state of being cut off from navigation, Lan Zhaotian promises that he will eventually spare his life and that of his entire family.
The second and third paths are actually the same thing, which is to ensure that taxes remain in Kuaiji County and are left to the rebel army.
Yin Shangzhi's eldest son Yin An whispered, "I don't quite understand. Yuyao County is less than a hundred miles away from us. Lan Zhaotian led his army directly to attack us. He even wrote a letter to my father to negotiate terms. Is there any point?"
Yin Shangzhi snorted and said, "Do you think he doesn't want to come and kill us? They rebelled because they were controlled by the Guanlong nobles. The reason why the Shanyue people rebelled this time was because the Guanlong nobles promised to let them establish a country. This has been their century-old wish. They dream of establishing a country.
Without the support of the Guanlong nobles, they could not establish a country. Lan Zhaotian understood this better than anyone else, so no matter how anxious he was, he had to hold back and obediently follow the arrangements of the Guanlong nobles. "
"I see. When do you think the Guanlong nobles will agree to their rebellion?"
"It will be soon. Since Lan Zhaotian has already started gathering troops, it means that the Guanlong nobles have already agreed to their rebellion and are just waiting for the final opportunity. I guess it will be when the emperor announces his inspection tour to the south of the Yangtze River."
"Didn't they say that the emperor would only tour Jiangnan in the summer?"
"That's the departure time. The official announcement will be made one or two months in advance, so it should be in the next few days."
Yin An's wife and children were also in Kuaiji County, and he was also extremely worried.
"Father, what should we do now?"
Yin Shangzhi sensed his son's fear and comforted him, "Don't worry. I have accepted Lan Zhaotian's third option. As long as I don't restore navigation on the canal, our taxes won't be transported out, and Lan Zhaotian won't kill us. I have also arranged a mule cart, so you can take your wife and children and leave first."
Yin An felt relieved and said quickly, "Why don't father and child go together!"
Yin Shangzhi shook his head and said, "If I leave now, it would be deserting my post and my official career would be over. I'm waiting for news from Prince Jin. If Prince Jin agrees to let me go, then we can go together." Yin Shangzhi had previously found a merchant with a pigeon letter and sent the letter for help to Wujun, who then forwarded it to Jiangdu through the Wujun government.
At this moment, there were running footsteps outside, and one of Yin Shangzhi's trusted men ran into the hall and said, "Envoy, there's a pigeon letter from Jiangdu!"
Yin Shangzhi was overjoyed. He quickly took the pigeon letter and read it carefully, with a changing expression on his face.
"Father, what did the King of Jin say?"
"The King of Jin said that if I could transport the taxes, he would let me evacuate with the taxes. If not, I would have to wait for the army to come to rescue. He has ordered Luo Shixin to lead the army to rescue us."
"Father, why don't you order the canal to be reopened and the taxes to be transported directly? I wonder how long we'll have to wait for the army to come to rescue us?"
Yin Shangzhi shook his head. "You underestimate Lan Zhaotian. He sent 2,000 troops to station at Cao'e River to monitor us. As soon as our tax fleet sets out, they will immediately intercept us. Then my life will be in danger. It is better for us to do nothing and wait patiently for the army to rescue us. But you can take your wife and children and leave first."
Xiao Xia also received the news that Lan Zhaotian had assembled an army of 70,000 to 80,000 near Yuyao County, and tens of thousands of troops were rushing from Yongjia County to Kuaiji County.
Xiao Xia immediately gave Luo Shixin instructions, asking him to use a surprise attack to collect the taxes and officials from Kuaiji County before the Shanyue people rebelled.
In the Yuhang County government office, Yu Zhengcang, the head of the Yu family, was introducing the situation in Kuaiji County to Luo Shixin. "Many noble families in Kuaiji County are also retreating to Yuhang County. I heard that Lan Zhaotian has gathered 80,000 troops in the Yuyao County area. It is very likely that they will raise the flag in the next few days. Once they raise the flag of rebellion, they will first occupy Yuyao County, and then Kuaiji County."
"How can there be an army of 80,000?" Luo Shixin frowned.
Yu Zhengcang smiled bitterly and said, "If you don't join the bandits, your home will be in danger. Only if you join the bandits and stick a peace charm given by the bandits on your door, you won't be robbed. They use this method to gather hundreds of thousands of people in a short period of time."
"Is it possible to go from Kuaiji County to Qiantang River by boat?"
"I heard that the line has been cut off by the bandit army. Previously, a small group of bandits pretended to be pirates, but now two thousand bandits have directly cut off the Cao'e River. The gates of Kuaiji County are closed, and there are only two thousand county soldiers in the city. Once the main force of the bandit army arrives, Kuaiji County will have no choice but to surrender."
Luo Shixin immediately made a decision and selected two thousand soldiers who were slightly skilled in swimming from the army to take a boat from Qiantang Bay to Cao'e River. He personally led five thousand troops on horseback to Kuaiji County.
At this time, the official road from Kuaiji County to Yuhang County was crowded with people who could not escape. They were carrying the elderly and children, and their little belongings on their backs. They cursed all the way. The person they cursed was not the bandit army, but the governor Yin Shangzhi.
Last autumn, Yin Shangzhi wanted to dredge the Xixing Canal. He used sandbags to block the canal and organized laborers to dredge silt. Shipping was also cut off. It was originally planned to be completed in February, but construction was suspended at the end of last year and has been suspended until now.
If he hadn't been so nosy, the people could have just taken the boat and escaped. It wouldn't have been so hard. It was understandable that the people scolded him.
At this moment, someone on the official road suddenly shouted: "The soldiers are coming!"
In the distance, dust was flying and an army was rushing towards them at full speed. The people were dodging to both sides of the official road.
It is about a hundred miles from Qiantang County to Kuaiji County, and it can be reached in one day by riding horses. Luo Shixin led the cavalry and galloped along the official road to Kuaiji County.
Luo Shixin did not expect that there would be so many fleeing civilians on the official road. He was really a little worried. Had the Shanyue people started to rebel?
If we encounter the Shanyue army head-on, I wonder if my 5,000 troops can defeat them?
(End of this chapter)