Chapter 632 Jianghuai New Army
Chapter 632 Jianghuai New Army
At the same time as the emperor recovered Chang'an, Du Fuwei also completely seized Xia Pi County. He personally led an army of 30,000 to capture Suyu County, the capital of Xia Pi County, and sent troops to Xia Pi County, Tan County, Liangcheng County, Xucheng County and Xiaqiu County.
Du Fuwei immediately moved the Marshal's Office to Suyu County and ordered the exemption of taxes for the people of Xia Pi County, winning the welcome of the people throughout the county.
Du Fuwei's military advisor was named Xu Liang, who was born in the Xu family of Donghai and was a failed scholar who had failed the imperial examinations many times. Under his advice, Du Fuwei also learned Xiao Xia's methods, cutting taxes to win the hearts of the people, while at the same time controlling the salt source and using the salt profits to support the army.
Xu Liang opposed Du Fuwei's move of the Marshal's Office to Xia Pi County, which was too close to Jiangdu County, separated only by the Huai River. Once the Jiangnan Road General Administration Office moved north, the Sui army in Jiangnan would inevitably bear the brunt of the attack on Du Fuwei.
But this time Xu Liang's persuasion was useless, and Du Fuwei still insisted on moving the Marshal's Office to Xia Pi County.
In the afternoon, Xu Liang hurried into Du Fuwei's official room and asked, "The Marshal wants to see me?"
Du Fuwei pointed to a letter on the table and said, "This is from Li Zitong. He wants to merge with me. I don't understand what he means."
Xu Liang read the letter and was somewhat puzzled: "Li Zitong is doing well in Ruyin County, why would he think of merging? Did he get some news?"
"I don't care what news he got. I just want to ask the military advisor, can we merge?"
Xu Liang felt that Du Fuwei was a little tempted, so he slowly said: "Marshal, there are also rules for merging. Who is the main one and who is the subordinate one? How to allocate troops and food? There are many things involving interests that need to be discussed clearly."
Du Fuwei nodded. "So I want my military advisor to go to Ruyin County and talk to the other party. I think if we can merge, it will be a good thing!"
"Marshal, Li Zitong is a treacherous person."
"Military Advisor, go and have a talk!"
Seeing that Du Fuwei had made up his mind, Xu Liang could only nod and said, "Okay! I will set off today."
A few days later, Xu Liang came to Ruyin County and met Li Zitong, the Prince of Ruyin. However, to Xu Liang's surprise, a Western Sui official and Li Zitong met him together.
Li Zitong narrowed his eyes and smiled, "Let me introduce this to Military Advisor Xu. This is the Minister of Rites of the Western Sui Dynasty!"
The Western Sui official smiled and said, "I am Yang Jishan!"
After the death of his brother Yang Xuangan, Yang Jishan also surrendered to the Western Sui Dynasty and was appointed as the governor of Hanchuan County. This time when the Western Sui royal family fled south, he was promoted to the Minister of Rites of the Western Sui Dynasty because of his meritorious service in receiving them. The Western Sui Emperor Yang Yong then sent him to integrate the various separatist forces in the Central Plains and asked them to continue to be loyal to the Western Sui Dynasty.
Among all the separatist forces in the Central Plains, the one most loyal to the Western Sui Dynasty was Li Zitong. The reason was very simple. Two of Li Zitong's powerful generals, the Wu brothers, were once the confidants of Emperor Yang Yong.
Yang Yong originally wanted to call back the Wu brothers, but he did not expect that Li Zitong was very loyal to the Western Sui Dynasty. Yang Yong was not in a position to ask for this, so he had to let the two of them and Li Zitong expand their power together.
Annexing Du Fuwei has always been Li Zitong's obsession, but Yang Jishan gave him an idea to merge first and then annex. Yang Jishan represented Western Sui to promote the merger of the two families.
Xu Liang sat down and listened to Yang Jishan's introduction of the merger. They would be reorganized into the Jianghuai Army, with Li Zitong as the left commander-in-chief and Du Fuwei as the right commander-in-chief. Basically, they would each command their own army, and their own interests and territories, but they would obey the dispatch of the Western Sui court and join forces to fight against the encirclement and suppression by the Sui army in the south of the Yangtze River or the court army.
Yang Jishan said to the two men, "General Li Zitong controls Ruyin and Qiao counties, and General Du Fuwei controls Donghai, Xiapi and Langya counties. Each of them has an army of 70,000 to 80,000. If you merge them into the Jianghuai Army, your army will exceed 150,000. You can definitely fight against any force. Next, your two armies will join forces to seize Pengcheng County and make Pengcheng County the seat of the Jianghuai Army."
Xu Liang frowned and said, "The northern part of Pengcheng County is the coalfield of Jiangnan Road. I'm afraid the King of Jin will send troops."
Li Zitong waved his hand, "We can assure King Jin that we will not infringe on his interests."
Yang Jishan also said: "If the King of Jin wanted to deal with you, he would have sent troops long ago. The reason why he did not send troops is because the Eastern Sui court is very afraid of him and will not allow him to march into the Central Plains. However, the Eastern Sui court may send troops, so we need your two families to join forces to fight against the Eastern Sui court."
Xu Liang was originally wary of the merger of the two armies, but if the two armies joined forces to fight against the imperial court's encirclement and suppression, he was very supportive. From this point of view, he hoped that the merger would be successful. Xu Liang nodded, "Tell me the detailed plan of the merger, and I will go back and report to my marshal!"
Du Fuwei finally agreed to the merger of the two armies. With the help of Yang Jishan, the Jianghuai Army was established. Du Fuwei was appointed as the Eastern Marshal of the Jianghuai Army, Li Zitong was appointed as the Western Marshal, and Yang Jishan was temporarily appointed as the Observer, responsible for coordinating the two armies.
According to the agreement reached by the two armies, Wang Xiongdan, a general under Du Fuwei, led an army of 10,000 to attack Pengcheng County, and Wu Yunzhao also led an army of 10,000 to attack Pengcheng County. Zhang Lan, the governor of Pengcheng County, led 8,000 troops to fight. As he was attacked from both sides, Zhang Lan was defeated.
Li Zitong took the lead in occupying Pengcheng County, and the governor of Pengcheng County, Huang Anren, also abandoned his post and fled.
Li Zitong immediately issued an order that anyone who dared to harass the Xihai Trading Company, coal fields, and docks would be killed without mercy.
At the same time when the Jianghuai Army occupied Pengcheng County, Xiao Xia also received a handwritten letter from Li Zitong, in which he repeatedly assured that they would never touch the interests of the Pengcheng County coalfield.
Xiao Xia ignored Li Zitong's assurances and simply stationed 30,000 troops in Shanyang County, watching the development of the situation coldly.
Xiao Xia has completely adopted Liu Wenjing's plan. He has adopted a cold-eyed and indifferent attitude towards all separatist forces in the Central Plains, waiting for the court to come to him for help.
The most urgent task is to solve the problems of the six Jianghuai counties and Xiangyang County. One is a major threat to the south of the Yangtze River, and the other is a strategic location to the north.
Luoyang, in the Yu Mansion in Guandefang, Yu Shiji's second son Yu Rou hurried to his father's study. He knocked on the door and bowed, "Father, I have something important to tell you!"
"Come in!" Yu Shiji's voice came from the room.
Yu Rou is currently granted the title of Xuanyi Lang, but does not hold any actual official position.
Yu Rou walked into the room, knelt down and bowed deeply, "I pay my respects to my father."
Yu Shiji was reading a book. He put it down and asked, "What's the urgent matter?"
"Minister of Personnel Cui Ning invited me to dinner today!"
Yu Shiji didn't react and said with a smile, "What does the official from the Ministry of Personnel want to see you for?"
"Father, Cui Ning is the brother-in-law of His Royal Highness Prince Jin!"
Yu Shiji then realized that Cui Ning was Cui Hongzhou's second son. He immediately sat up and asked, "What does he want to see you for?"
"Father, it is the King of Jin who wants to make a deal with you."
Yu Shiji said softly, "What kind of deal does the King of Jin want to make?"
Yu Rou bowed and said, "The King of Jin wants to take back the other six counties of Jianghuai except Jiangdu County. I hope my father can persuade the emperor to give my father 60,000 taels of silver, 30,000 taels first, and another 30,000 taels after the matter is completed."
Yu Shiji stood up and paced back and forth with his hands behind his back. He was thinking about this matter. The King of Jin actually asked him for help. This was the first time in history. Yu Shiji also knew that this was a matter of great importance.
He already had enough money, and sixty thousand taels of silver were no longer a big deal to him. He also had enough power, second only to the emperor and above everyone else. The only thing he lacked was security and protection for his descendants. He had offended too many people. Once he fell, or the emperor fell, his descendants would probably be ruthlessly liquidated, and eventually lose everything.
After thinking for a long time, Yu Shiji said slowly: "Go tell Cui Ning that I can help the King of Jin without asking for a penny. I just hope that I can let my son serve in Jiangnan."
(End of this chapter)