Chapter 896 Mobilization
Chapter 896 Mobilization (Part )
"Hey ho!"
"Hey ho!"
A crossbow cart passed through the muddy ground and was placed in the wilderness, pointing far ahead.
The servants from Hedong County stood up and wiped the sweat off their foreheads.
There was a bustling scene around me.
Countless laborers from Hedong, Pingyang and Hanoi wielded shovels and pickaxes vigorously and dug trenches.
The soil piled outside the trench was rammed into a wall, and the outside of the wall was covered with thorns and deer antlers.
The sound of rustling footsteps was heard, and several servants looked back, only to see a large group of young men in linen shorts rushing towards them from a few dozen steps away.
The old man waved a sickle to cut the weeds and clear the bushes on the open space.
The young man spat into his palms and dug the soil with all his might.
The young boy, still with a childish look, began to pick up dead branches and leaves in the wild, and placed various daily necessities in designated locations.
They are going to be here for a long time, there are a lot of them, and they can't leave.
At the command of King Liang, the able-bodied men of the three counties responded. Like industrious worker ants, they gathered from all over the place, sweating and building fortifications and earthen walls.
Many of them were using iron farm tools for the first time, but they ended up using them to dig trenches instead of irrigating canals.
Many of them had their first full stomachs, not after the harvest, but on the eve of working hard.
Many of them have relatives who are dying in ditches...
Looking down from the air, the wilderness was densely packed with people.
Sometimes you would be surprised, is this really a county that has been repeatedly devastated by war, disasters, and diseases? How could it still gather so many people?
"Bang!" The first suspension bridge was installed and then lowered with a loud bang, splashing a large pool of mud and water.
"Bang!" The first thump of the hammer sounded.
Behind the suspension bridge, the sounds of swords being drawn into sheaths could be heard one after another.
Amidst the shining silver light, densely packed soldiers have lined up.
"Bang!" The second sound followed.
The officers walked back and forth, giving repeated instructions. The tigers and leopards on the flags were baring their fangs and claws, leaping and moving in the wind, as if they were about to rush out.
"Boom boom..." The drum beats became faster and faster, and continued.
The sergeants in the first row stepped out.
Then the second row, the third row...
The young men who were reinforcing the earth wall at the door watched silently.
These are soldiers from the Heiliang Left Camp.
There seemed to be no fear on their faces, and they walked slowly and calmly as if they were going for a picnic.
The armor leaves on his body rustled and carried a faint smell of blood.
The spear was held high, and it was stained with countless souls.
There is a bow in the left and a sword in the right at the waist, the bow is strung and the sword is sharpened.
A variety of weapons are inserted diagonally on the broad and straight back.
They crossed the muddy grass, crossed the trench, lined up outside the earth wall, and then sat on the ground.
The cavalry rode out regardless of the mud, circling in the distance.
After a long time, seeing that no one came out of Puzhen Guandong City, he stopped, led the horse and walked.
The drums sounded for a long time.
In the evening, Hou Feihu climbed up a high platform, gently stroked the dogtail grass swaying in the wind on the top of the wall, and looked out at Puzhou Pass.
There are three cities in Puzhou Pass. The West City is located on the west bank of the Yellow River. It is the largest and has the most soldiers. The Middle City is located on the sandbar in the river. It is the smallest and has the least soldiers. The East City is located on the east bank of the Yellow River. It is slightly smaller than the West City, with about five to six thousand infantry and cavalry stationed there, and the number will increase to more than ten thousand in times of war.
The brave soldiers of the Heiliang Left Camp lined up outside the East City, ready to guard against enemy surprise attacks at any time.
More than 2,000 cavalrymen of the imperial guards were lingering in the distance, ready to attack the enemy from the flank.
He turned around and looked around.
In the endless wilderness——
No fewer than 20,000 men were engaged in digging trenches and taking earth, building fortifications, and placing defensive gear;
Oxen and horses pulled the vehicles, delivering sacks of food to the front lines;
Smoke from cooking rises in curls, and clay pots are densely packed together, stretching as far as the eye can see. They look like alchemy furnaces or human heads.
A group of newcomers are receiving straw mats, which will be their bedding at night and their final resting place after death;
Soldiers wearing yellow scarves appeared in the north from afar. Their array was neat and tidy, and their dense spears were like a forest, slowly crawling forward...
Six thousand Black-Haired Soldiers, two thousand one hundred Brave Cavalrymen, eight thousand seven hundred Yellow-Headed Soldiers, more than three thousand Hu light cavalry, plus more than twenty thousand artisans and strong men who followed the army, together made up this camp.
They will rely on long trenches, earth walls and strong fortifications to keep a close eye on the enemy forces at Puzhou Pass.
Hou Feihu walked down from the platform.
Wherever he went, no matter who he was, they all bowed to him.
The weight of an army lies with its commander.
Despite the burden of 40,000 people on his shoulders, Hou Feihu remained calm and walked steadily.
******
The mountain path was extremely wet after the rain, and people would fall down from time to time into the surging ravine.
The person who fell into the water shouted loudly and floated up and down in the water.
The imperial guards on the mountain road did not stop for a moment. Even the villagers who came out with him just looked at him a few more times and then continued to move forward with the main force.
There will be no more of him.
He will be buried forever in the cold river, disappearing from everyone's sight and even memory.
The large army walked out of Mount Xiao, came to a relatively flat area, and turned west.
Outside the village on the side of the road, two carriages were parked.
The minor officials took out silk from the cart, two pieces for each person.
The woman covered her face and cried.
There has never been a reward in advance. Are they trying to buy the lives of their fathers, brothers, and children in advance? The men of the Fifth Battalion of the Wansheng Army were silent.
They took out the faded yellow scarf from the bottom of the box and stroked it gently. After a long while, they gritted their teeth, quickly wrapped it around their heads, and strode out the door.
The armory at the entrance of the village has been opened.
The team leader stood at the door, waving at them.
Weapons were stuffed into the hands of the men of the Yellow Head Army, and equipment was lifted onto the carriage.
At some point, a small Buddhist temple was built outside the armory.
A monk who traveled here watched them quietly.
After a moment, he took a cushion, sat cross-legged, and clasped his hands together.
There was a constant stream of men in front of the armory. After getting their weapons, they ran off into the distance and never looked back.
The monk was muttering something in a heavy and sad voice.
Who are you praying for?
Who are you sad for?
Is it the enemy, or the yellow-headed soldier in front of him, or both?
A group of crows landed on the branches, quietly watching the figures of the Yellow-Headed Army soldiers going away.
The village was empty.
The woman held the child in her arms, as if she had lost her energy and spirit, looking dejectedly at the yellow ocean that was gradually gathering on the earth.
When the men gathered together, the feeling of separation gradually faded away, and instead a sense of heroism grew from the bottom of their hearts.
The number of people gathered in teams and buildings has exceeded two thousand.
The flags were raised and fluttered in the air.
Swords and guns were revealed, as if thirsting for blood.
On both sides of the queue are green fields. It has been a month and a half since spring sowing, and the millet seedlings are growing well.
Perhaps, when we return home triumphantly with a large amount of wealth, we will be able to have another good harvest?
The sound of the coordinated footsteps could be heard from far away.
Another army appeared on the other side of the river. It was the Luoyang Central Army of more than 10,000 troops that emerged from Mount Xiao.
The two groups looked at each other, and after seeing the end, they grinned and strode forward.
Four long dragons moved forward in unison, with great momentum.
A cavalry unit coming from Hebei bypassed them from the outside.
The knights were also interested in the crowd, and when they saw so many people watching them, some of them started to show off their riding skills, standing up while galloping, or leaning sideways to pick a wild flower from the roadside.
The cheers continued until the officers rode forward and hit the soldiers on the head with whips.
Nearly 9,000 Yellow Head Army, 10,000 Luoyang Central Army, 4,000 Lu Ze Town Cavalry, plus 25,000 strong men recruited from Henan, Xiangcheng, Yingchuan and Luonan counties, arrived outside Tongguan one after another and set up camp.
The 3,000 blind men of Dong Wu's army who arrived here earlier had already fought a fierce battle with the enemy in a forbidden pit 30 miles south of the pass.
The entire army of 50,000 was led by Pei Kuo.
Their mission was to keep an eye on the enemy outside Tongguan without any mistakes.
The newly established Hongnong soldiers continued to farm at home. They were the backup and reserve force.
******
"Tongguan has 50,000 people."
"Forty thousand people at Pujin Pass."
"Caisangjin, Mengmenjin and other places will defend their cities and no additional troops will be sent."
A resounding voice rang out in the Qianqiu Pavilion of Ningshu Palace.
Shao Xun pointed to the mountains, rivers, post roads, and cities on the map and said, "This army of 90,000 needs food for the expedition. I don't care what tricks you use, whether it's shipping by ship or by car, as long as there is no mistake. The worst trick is to cut off the food supply. How can we fight without food? I don't have any other requests, I just hope that the golden bowl is intact. Whoever fails to transport the food and whose people rebel will be dismissed from office."
When the provincial governors and prefects in the room heard this, they all agreed.
"Jiang Ke." Shao Xun shouted.
"I am here!" Jiang Ke stepped out from the crowd and answered loudly.
"You will lead the Silver Spear Left Camp to guard Bianliang and prepare the ships. Wherever there is rebellion, put it down immediately. The rioters will be punished on the spot without reporting it."
"As ordered."
"Liu Shan."
"I am here!" Liu Shan, a man with a head full of white hair, took two steps forward and responded.
"You will lead 10,000 hereditary soldiers from Xuchang to garrison Xiang County. All the men and hereditary soldiers from the counties of Yuzhou and Yanzhou will be under your command. If Wu soldiers attack or anyone causes a rebellion, immediately wipe them out. I don't care how many people are killed or injured, just one word: 'quickly'! No matter which fortress is causing a rebellion, don't be afraid of casualties, attack day and night and capture it as soon as possible. All male members of the clan of the thief leader will be killed, leaving no one alive. The women will be demoted to slaves and rewarded to meritorious soldiers. If anyone in his family is an official in the shogunate, county, or court, he will be dismissed on the spot and never employed again."
"As ordered."
"Chang Can!"
"The general is here!"
"All 9,600 soldiers of the Left Jinwu Guard have been assembled and stationed in Lu."
"As ordered."
"Among the three of you..." Shao Xun turned his eyes and said, "Liu Shan is the leader, and Jiang and Chang are the deputies."
"As ordered."
"Seven thousand two hundred soldiers from the six counties of Changshan in Jizhou will be organized into the Right Flying Dragon Guard. Zhang Gu, the commander of the Weicheng army, will be promoted to the general of the rear army and will be in charge of the soldiers of this guard. They will be assembled before the end of April and stationed at Lukou."
"As ordered."
"You will take care of Jizhou's affairs on your own. In times of emergency, you can assist the governor and the governor-general in suppressing the rebels."
"As ordered."
"Are you clear about everything?" Shao Xun asked again.
"Understood." Everyone answered.
"Then everyone disperse and return to the mansion to handle affairs immediately." Shao Xun waved his hand and gave the order.
(End of this chapter)